her chest when she saw the picture she’d painted for him front and center on the mantel. He had a bunch of military history books and several piles of martial-arts magazines. She grabbed a stack of those and curled up on the coach.
Some of the magazines were older—as much as five years. Tucked in the middle of the stack was an issue of American Jujitsu Association. The front cover included a headline that the ten best dojos in the United States were listed inside. She flipped to the article and her heart leaped at seeing Black Arts in Denver, Colorado, listed as number three. There was a breakdown of why each dojo had been chosen, the owner and the instructing staff. Her stomach dropped when she saw the list:
Sensei Ronin Black, seventh-degree black belt
Beck Leeds, fifth-degree black belt
Gunnar Whatley, fifth-degree black belt
Brody Pearson, fifth-degree black belt
Knox Lofgren, fourth-degree black belt
Ito Tohora, third-degree black belt
Langston Reed, third-degree black belt
Shiori closed her eyes. The reason those men were no longer employed at Black Arts was her fault. Because of Naomi. When it came out that Naomi had been paid to be with Ronin, he immediately suspected that Beck, Gunnar, and Langston were also spies planted by their grandfather. He’d fired them without giving them a chance to defend themselves. In the aftermath, she’d questioned Ojisan and he’d sworn he’d never meddled in Ronin’s professional life.
She wondered now if these guys held a grudge against Ronin and Black Arts.
Ronin still hadn’t recovered from losing his highest-ranking belts. Brody Pearson had left in protest of Ronin shitcanning the other instructors. Most of the new staff were first- and second-degree black belts—Knox had passed his fifth level right after he’d been hired full-time. She knew from talking to Deacon that testing for the fourth-level black belt was at least a couple of years away since he’d focused on MMA instead.
The key rattled in the front door, and she hastily shoved the magazine back in the stack.
Knox strolled in, plastic grocery bags clutched in his hands. He didn’t notice her as he headed to the kitchen. After dumping the bags on the counter, he cut down the hallway to the bedroom. Half a minute later he returned, relief lighting up his face when he saw her.
“Hey.” He dropped to his knees in front of her—without conscious thought, it seemed, which thrilled her. His gaze took her in from head to toe. “Happy to see you up and around. How’re you feeling?”
She made the so-so motion.
“Take any Motrin?”
She shook her head.
“Probably not a good idea on any empty stomach anyway. I’ll fix you lunch. I bought chicken and beef broth.”
Oh joy. A clear, salty wannabe soup.
“I also picked up a bunch of Popsicles.” His eyes glommed on to her lips. “And I know it sounds damn perverted, given the mouth injury you’re sporting, but watching you eat them will give me all sorts of dirty, bad, wrong ideas.”
Shiori reached out and touched this face she knew so well. This face she loved so much. And how ironic was it that the day she’d decided to tell him she loved him . . . her tongue had been severely injured? Should she consider that a sign?
Only that you should’ve told him sooner.
“I need to put the food away before some of it melts.” He kissed her fingertips and returned to the kitchen.
She’d lost interest in the magazines and replaced the stack where she’d found it. Then she sat at the breakfast bar and wrote on her notepad.
I NEED CLOTHES.
Knox leaned over and read it. “Yes, kitten, I know you need clothes.” When he lifted his head and grinned, her belly rolled again. “Which is why I picked up a few things for you today.”
YOU WENT SHOPPING?
“Yep. And the salesgirls were very helpful.”
I’ll just bet they were happy to see a strapping Viking striding into their store.
He smoothed her lips with such tenderness she ached. Because he had no choice but to be tender. Knox preferred the kind of kisses where they tried to eat each other alive.
“I’ll be right back.”
He jogged out of the house, but his eyes held wariness when he walked back in carrying two bags. The black logo of the Victoria’s Secret bag caught her attention first.
No doubt those saleswomen imagined what it’d be like for Knox’s hands to be cupping their breasts as he picked out bras. Or they imagined Knox latching on to the tiny string by the hip as he pulled the panties down with his teeth.
“Kitten, you okay?”
FINE. WHY?
“Sounded like you growled.”
THAT’S YOUR JOB.
He laughed. “True.”
SO DID YOU BUY KINKY STUFF?
“No. But I did buy what I’d like to see you in, Mistress, so please cut me some slack.”
SHOW ME!
“All right.” Knox reached into the bag and came out with black panties. Sheer, with pink rosebuds on the string that sat on the hips. Next he pulled out a pair of mint-green lace panties, followed by a pair of boy shorts, the deep purple of a ripe plum, and finally an ivory-colored thong with a peach on the front as well as the words BITE ME.
VERY FUNNY.
“So I did okay?”
She nodded.
“Good. There’s matching bras in there too for each pair of underwear.”
Why hadn’t he shown her those? She plucked the bag from his hold and dumped the remainder on the counter to see what screamed sexy to him. If any of these bras were padded, she’d use one to gag him.
Fortunately for him, he’d paid attention to the types of bras she wore and his selections were all very lovely.
THANK YOU.
“No problem. But I’m such a pig I’ll admit I like seeing you in no bra best.”
She smiled.
The next bag was from Saks. Two pairs of Juicy Couture lounge pants, with matching camisoles. And two pairs of black yoga pants with two long-sleeved shirts, one gray, one a pale pink.
AWESOME.
“And lastly . . . shoes.” He dropped a box containing the same Asics athletic shoes she already had—in the right size—plus a pair of rhinestone FitFlops in black, and a pair of sheepskin slippers.
Shiori studied this man who knew her better than she’d imagined.
HOW DID YOU KNOW MY SIZES?
Knox pulled her into his arms. “Not only have I had my hands and my mouth all over you for almost three months, but I pay attention when it comes to you. Not because I have to as some sub requirement, but as a man who wants to know everything about you, including your offbeat color choices in underwear. I’ll admit I had to call Katie and ask your shoe size.”
She managed a thick-tongued, “Thank you, Knox.”
He tipped her chin up. “No talking.”
She disentangled from his embrace.
NO KISSING EITHER.
“Afraid not.”
BUT YOU CAN KISS ME IN PLACES BESIDES MY MOUTH.
“You were in an accident. Your body has been through a lot.”
MY BODY NEEDS YOU. I NEED YOU. TAKE ME TO BED. AND I DON’T MEAN TO SLEEP.
“Is that an order, Nushi?” he asked softly.
She nodded.
“Hang on.” He carefully picked her up and carried her to his bedroom. The first thing he did after depositing her on his bed was take off his shirt.
“I know you don’t think you’re fragile, but you are. I don’t want to hurt you.”
She mouthed, “You won’t.”
He ditched the pants. Then he kneeled on the bed and lifted the baggy T-shirt over her head. He tapped her hip for her to lift up and the sweatpants were off. Gently pushing her thighs apart, he made a place for himself there. His hands slid under her butt cheeks, being careful not to squeeze too hard.
Teasing kisses skimmed the insi
de of her thigh. Left, then right. Knox pressed his mouth against her core, licking her softly up one side and down the other. Swirling that tongue around her clit and then back down to her opening. That’s when his hands tightened—when he had his tongue buried so deep inside her she wondered how he could breathe.
Shiori touched his forehead, then let her hands stroke his hair.
He looked up at her with his tongue still licking her pussy from the inside out. He eased back, gifting her with more soft, sucking kisses. “Sometimes when I’m kissing your mouth, I imagine kissing your pussy that way. But today, when I’m tonguing this hot cunt, I’m imagining kissing your mouth.”
That sweet confession had her lying back on the bed, giving herself over to his care completely.
Knox ate at her delicately. Languidly. But with the same passion that flared between them at the first touch. And she’d focused on letting the sensations roll over her. No hurry, no need to guide him. Hearing his sucking sounds, the occasional grunt, and her quick intake of breath that meant her orgasm had crept up on her. Starting with a tiny pulse in her clit, followed by stronger contractions until that moment when every sensation coalesced and she went soaring.
He peppered kisses across the top of her mound as he slid his hands free.
As the fog cleared, she tried to rise up and bring him where she wanted him—on her, in her.
But Knox had other plans. He pushed up to his knees, his eyes roaming over every naked inch. “I want to roll you in Bubble Wrap so I don’t ever have to live through another day like yesterday.” His hands spanned her waist and then drifted up to cup her breasts. “But that’s the kicker, kitten. You are alive and here with me, and there’s no way I’ll ever be able to let you go. Not because you’re my Mistress, but because you’re the woman I love. The woman I’ve waited for my entire life.”
Before she could find any way to respond, she realized that she was crying. His sweet confession had brought her to tears, yet she had never felt happier.
Knox petted and stroked her, every touch filled with the depths of his love and possession. He rolled the condom on one-handed so he never stopped touching her.
Shiori reached between them and held his cock as he eased in inch by inch.
He rested his forehead to hers. “I love you, Shiori.”
If he hadn’t been gently sucking on her neck as he moved inside her, he would’ve seen her mouth the words, I love you, too.
* * *
AFTER Knox so thoroughly wrecked her, she curled into a ball and fell asleep. When she came to, shadows fell across the windows. Voices drifted down the hallway from the living room. She stood and stretched, seeing that Knox had set clothes on the end of the bed for her. She dressed, used the bathroom, and went to see who’d shown up.
Deacon and Maddox were having a beer with Knox. As soon as Deacon saw her, he was off the couch heading toward her. He wrapped those muscled, tattooed arms around her in a gentle hug. A long hug too. It had nearly reached the uncomfortable stage when Deacon whispered, “Thank fuck you’re all right, Shi-Shi.”
He returned to his seat, and Knox held his hand out for her to sit on his lap. She curled into his solid warmth and sighed.
Maddox smiled at her. “Glad to see you’re on the mend.”
She smiled back.
A huge bouquet of flowers sat on the entryway table.
Knox noticed where her focus had gone and said, “Get well soon from everyone at Black Arts and ABC.”
“Fee and Katie wanted to drop them off personally, but your guard dog here is denying everyone visitation,” Deacon said.
“She needs to rest. And, come on, those women would poke and prod her and probably Instagram pictures of her tongue as well as convince her that shots of tequila are the best remedy.”
Deacon nodded. “Shihan does have a point.”
For the first time since the accident, Shiori wondered who’d taken over hers and Knox’s classes. She grabbed her notebook.
WHO IS TEACHING?
“Fee is taking over your classes. Blue spared Terrel. Zach pulled the stick out of his ass finally and stepped up too.”
ANY WORD FROM RONIN?
“No,” Knox said. “We were just discussing how much fun it was gonna be having the conversation with Sensei about going off the grid for so long. It wasn’t a big deal when he left for a month. But it’s a big damn deal when he blows off all responsibilities for three months.”
SO ARE YOU GUYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HIS MOTIVE FOR LACK OF COMMUNICATION?
Deacon snorted. “It’s his dojo, so he can do whatever he wants. Putting Knox in charge means his decisions stand during that time frame. Ronin has zero right to bitch. We stopped by to tell Knox he has full support of everyone at Black Arts.”
Knox seemed embarrassed. “Thanks.”
Maddox and Deacon got up and said hasty goodbyes before letting themselves out.
Neither of them spoke. Knox just set his chin on top of her head and absentmindedly stroked her arm. After a while he said, “Do you mind if I go for a run? I’ve got energy to burn.”
She wrote on her pad: GO AHEAD.
“Thanks. You wanna watch TV until I get back?”
NO. I’LL JUST GO BACK TO BED.
“Want me to carry you?”
Shiori rolled her eyes.
He draped a towel around his neck and paused with his hand on the doorknob. “You sure you’ll be okay?”
She gave him two thumbs-up and made a shooing motion.
By the time she reached the bedroom, she felt woozy. She was glad Knox wasn’t here because he’d try to haul her to the hospital. Especially if he knew she’d thrown up and had the bouts of dizziness and nausea several times since yesterday.
But the doctor had warned her about the aftereffects of a car accident. This was all part of it. The more she slept, the faster she’d heal, so she hunkered beneath the covers, hoping to get her life back soon.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“LEMME see your tongue.”
Shiori stuck it out at him quickly.
“I need to see if it’s healing.”
She closed her eyes and opened her mouth.
He noticed the swelling along the sides was nearly gone, even when red spots and bumps were visible. “Does it hurt?”
She shrugged.
The big bite mark looked fifty times better. He put his fingers under her jaw, closing it. “I think you’ll be okay to talk tomorrow.”
They were on day four after the accident, and Knox knew Shiori intended to return to her penthouse today. Although he wished she would’ve been here under different circumstances, having her living in his home had seemed right. But if he said that, he’d spook her, so he had to pretend it was cool she wouldn’t be in his bed every