“Pawing through the sales rack.” When he continued to stare at her, she turned defensive. “I didn’t like anything I tried on and I don’t care if you don’t like this; I love it.”

“I love it too. It’s perfect. You are a goddess in that, Amery. A goddess.” Then he yelled for Emmylou.

She poked her head in, took one look at Amery, and said, “Holy shit.”

“I know, right? Our little North Dakota farm girl is all fancied up for her trip to town for the annual pie-and-ice-cream social.”

“Fuck off,” Amery said to Chaz. “I can dress myself.”

“Oh, really? What shoes would you wear with that?” he demanded.

“Heels.”

He rolled his eyes. “You gotta be more specific than that.”

“I don’t suppose you could find me a pair of silver Louboutin spike heels or black Manolo sling-backs in my size?” Amery spun and checked out her rearview. “Maybe I need something funkier. Check to see if there’s a pair of Jimmy Choo booties. Or better yet, chunky Alexander McQueen platforms or wedges would be perfect for this dress.”

Chaz got right in her face. “How is it that a woman who professes to care nothing about fashion can rattle off the top footwear designers?”

“I never claimed I didn’t care, as my subscriptions to a dozen fashion and beauty magazines can attest. Just because I can’t afford haute couture doesn’t mean I’m unaware of it.”

“I feel like I don’t even know you. You never want to discuss fashion trends with me,” he said with an exaggerated pout.

“Because then that’d be all we’d ever talk about,” she pointed out. “Besides, I’m more interested in the layout and design of the ads in those magazines because it’s my job to stay on top of advertising trends. I can’t help it if specific fashion brands make a better impression than others.”

“But—”

“Chaz, leave her alone,” Emmylou warned. Then she smiled at Niles brightly. “So, sugar, you fixin’ to show us some fancier shoes for our girl?”

Amery tuned them out as they debated shoe choices. The truth was, it wouldn’t matter if she picked a pair from Payless. No one would be checking out her feet in this hot little number. Wow. She was smokin’. She couldn’t wait to see Ronin’s reaction.

• • •

TUESDAY night she showed up at the dojo at nine when Ronin was almost finished teaching class. As much as she would’ve loved to see him in action, his “no observation” rule applied to girlfriends as well. She waited in the reception area for either Ronin or Knox to escort her to the elevator.

Knox showed up ten minutes later. “Amery. Sorry to keep you waiting. Sensei has been detained, so I’m escorting you upstairs.”

“But . . . Alone?” She wouldn’t feel comfortable just roaming around his place without him there.

“He insisted. You don’t want to get me in trouble by refusing a direct order, do you?”

“I suppose blindly following orders is why you’re Master Black’s second-in-command ninja badass, huh, Shihan?”

Knox grinned. “It helps.”

They didn’t make small talk as they rode the elevator to the fifth floor. She expected he’d put her in the next elevator and then leave. But he swiped the card and punched in the code for the roof.

When Amery gave him a challenging look, he smiled again. “I know about it because I’m his second-in-command ninja badass. But that doesn’t mean he lets me wander around up there by myself as he’s allowing you to. He’s a very private man for a reason.” Don’t f**k that up for him went unsaid.

The doors slid open. She faced Knox before they closed again. “Thank you. I promise not to run off with the silverware.”

The stress of her day vanished when she entered the garden. She wandered through the tree canopy, running her hands along the smooth bark. The garden designer had created a bonsai look with the trees without all the years it took to groom a tree to that size. Pots of flowers were tucked between the trees and ringed the perimeter. She loved the riot of colored blooms, from azalea bushes to bird-of-paradise and anthurium. How often did he have to replace these plants that weren’t native to this area? She paused at the sand garden and looked at the zigzag pattern. Different than the last time she’d been up here. What had Ronin been thinking when he’d drawn that pattern?

Amery stretched out on a chaise and stared at the purple twilight sky. A breeze stirred, bringing the sun-warmed scent of petunias.

Time truly lost all meaning when she was nestled in Ronin’s rooftop paradise. Closing her eyes, she let herself drift into that place as relaxing as savasana.

Even in that dreamy state, she sensed his presence. She smiled without opening her eyes. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough to plan what I intend to do to you first.”

Amery didn’t bother dressing to impress when she came to Ronin. She wore yoga pants, no underwear, and an athletic tank top—all clothes that could be easily stripped away. Just hearing him say he had plans for her made her wet with anticipation. Made her arch and purr because he was about to pet and stroke her until she yowled.

“Did you get the test results today?” he asked.

“Yes. I’m clean. You?”

“Clean. So I plan to get very, very dirty with you tonight. Take off your pants.”