She putted down four rows, gradually increasing her speed. By the time she’d reached the end of the last parking row, she’d ramped the speed up to twenty-five. When she saw the curb and the cement block base for the streetlamp in her path, she panicked. She cranked the wheel hard and the truck almost spun in a circle.

Knox yelled, “Brake! Brake!”

She jammed on the brake with both feet and they lurched forward. Good thing they wore seat belts.

“Jesus Christ, Shiori. What the hell were you doing? You trying to roll my damn truck and give me a heart attack? You can’t take a corner at twenty-five!”

“You kept telling me to speed up!”

“Not when you’re turning a corner. That’s when you slow down!”

She moved the gearshift into park. Then she turned the ignition off, unbuckled her seat belt, and bailed out of the truck. Wrapping her arms around herself, she started walking.

Tears fell, which pissed her off.

Knox ran past her and planted himself in front of her.

She just stepped around him and kept walking.

Then he blocked her path again. “Shiori. Can you please stop?”

She stopped.

He framed her face in his hands and tipped her head back. “Why are you crying?”

“You yelled at me.”

“I’ve yelled at you a thousand times before.”

“But not like this. You scared me.” She sniffled. “I don’t want to learn how to drive! Not knowing how to drive a car doesn’t make me a lazy, stupid reject. I hate that everyone makes me feel that way.”

“Do I make you feel that way?”

“Sometimes.”

That surprised him.

“I’ve done the financial analysis on owning a car versus hiring a car service. When you add gas and insurance and depreciation and maintenance, I’m actually ahead at the end of the year by not driving. Not to mention the work I get accomplished when I’m being driven.”

“Hey. Come here.” Knox crushed her to his chest. “I’m sorry if anything I’ve ever said makes you feel like a reject. You’re far from it.” He kissed her forehead. “You know how I feel about you, Nushi. You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.”

That caused the tears to fall a little harder. Knox worshipped her—every day in every way, without her having to demand it or beg for it. That was so new, so precious. She was so afraid of losing it, afraid of losing him.

“I was a dick to push you on this.”

“Why did you push me?”

“Because you’re stinking rich and can buy any fast car you want. How cool would it be to be able to drive them?”

“That’s your reason?”

“No, I’m kidding. I just hate that you have strange men driving you all over town and you won’t turn that job over to me.”

“You’re busy running the dojo. You don’t have time to be my chauffeur.”

“It’s my right to take care of you,” he argued. “And if you won’t let me do that, at least let me teach you to take care of yourself.”

She placed her hand over his heart. “Thank you for thinking of me and looking out for me.”

“It’s not jealousy about Tom the chauffeur playing fetch and carry for you.”

But she knew that was a large part of it. Any man who did anything for her made Knox feel like he was slacking. Wanting her to rely on him for everything was unrealistic. And what happened if she leaned on him—only him? At some point he’d get resentful. She’d been through it before. “Knox. This is me taking care of myself.”

He stared at her, the muscle in his jaw flexing as he struggled with how to respond.

“How about if we start small with the driving thing? Every time we drive past that indoor go-kart track you tell me how much you’d love to take me there.”

His eyes lit up. “You’d go today? Right now?”

“If you take me out for sushi afterward. Oh, and frozen yogurt.” She walked her fingers up his chest. “Of course that’ll have to be to go, because I plan to use your body as my dessert plate.”

No surprise Knox burned rubber taking her there.

*   *   *

ANOTHER boring Thursday.

She’d done payroll.

She’d done promotional research.

She’d done the dishes in the break room.

Her gaze zoomed to Knox. There was one thing she hadn’t done today.

Shiori pushed her chair back and stood. “Pick a fight with me.”