Knox looked up from his desk. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me. Say something cutting like you used to.”

“Why?”

“Because I always secretly got a thrill out of verbally sparring with you.” Sauntering across the room, she said, “Insult me.”

“Is this some kinda test?”

“No.” She reached his desk and spun his chair around, pressing her hands into the armrests. “Say, ‘Jesus, She-Cat, why didn’t you just do the log-in reports in crayon since it looks like a second-grader did them?’”

“Funny.”

“Or how about . . . Ms. Hirano, your attitude sucks balls today.”

Knox raised an eyebrow. “Maybe because you had my balls in your mouth last night?”

“No, you never said sexual things to me before.”

“At least not to your face.”

She smiled. “See? Stuff like that.”

“Kitten, I don’t know what you’re after here. Is this a Domme game?”

“No. It’s a you and me game. While I love the fact we’re getting along so well, I miss that back-and-forth we used to have.”

“What do you want to do about it?”

“How about if we start this over?” Shiori straightened up. “Play along.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“When I walk in, act like it’s the first time you’ve seen me today.”

Knox still seemed confused, so she hoped he picked up on what she wanted.

To make the scene authentic, she shouldered her purse and slipped out the door, closing it behind her. She wandered down the hallway, careful not to get too close to the training room.

After five minutes had passed, she opened the door and meandered in, slamming it shut behind her.

“Wow, you’re here before the crack of noon today, She-Cat?” Knox said with total sarcasm. “That’s two days in a row. Are you hoping that’ll put you in the running for Employee of the Month?”

“Bite me, Ob-Knox-ious.” She tossed her purse on her desk.

“I’ll pass since I doubt you’ve had a rabies shot recently.” He smirked.

“I’ve gotta give you props for not giving up. Even when your jokes always suck ass, gosh darn it, you keep on trying to convince me you’re funny.”

Knox flashed his teeth. “Maybe it’s a cultural thing, Shitake. American humor escapes you.”

“Of course that’s it.” She smacked herself in the forehead. “It’s a language barrier.”

“Glad you’re coming to terms with your limitations.”

Why the fuck was this getting her hot? Her heart raced. Her belly had butterflies. Her face felt warm.

“How about if we cut the crap? I looked at your so-called log-in reports,” Knox said snidely.

“And?”

“And why are they in Japanese?”

“Because Japanese is my first language?” she replied.

“How in the hell am I supposed to read them?”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “That’s the thing, Knox. Those reports aren’t for you. Which I’ve told you umpteen times, not that you ever pull your head out of your ass long enough to listen to me.”

The hard muscle in his jaw flexed. “You finished them in another language so I couldn’t double-check your data? Real mature, She-Cat.”

“I don’t need you going over those reports like a teacher checking my homework.”

“How do I know you’re not trying to hide something?”

“Are you fucking serious right now? What could I possibly be hiding?”

He shrugged. “Maybe you’re having parties in Ronin’s penthouse since you’re the only one with access to it.”

“Parties?” she repeated. “You really think I’d jeopardize my brother’s privacy as well as his trust in me?”

“Like I said, I don’t know. That’s why I need to read those reports. You could be having rooftop keggers up there every Saturday night for all I know.”

She stalked over and slammed her hands on his desk. “Am I even supposed to know what that means? What the fuck is a kegger?”

Knox’s gaze had turned molten. He was just as turned on by this as she was. “Keggers. Wild parties with kegs of beer where the goal is to get drunk, lose articles of clothing, and see how stupid you can act.”

“That sounds right up your alley, Ob-Knox-ious. Is that why Ronin didn’t leave you a key to the penthouse?” she asked sweetly.