“Doesn’t love like that just break your heart? You loved him and you lost him,” Shiori said softly. “Who wants that kind of forever pain?”

“I did. I miss him every day. But I see him in both of you, so he’s not completely gone. I would rather have that all-encompassing love for a short time than never have had it at all.” She patted Shiori’s hand. “Keep looking, Shiori-san. You’ll find it. Probably where you least expect it.” Their mother stood and she focused on Ronin. “Don’t waste another minute of your life without her. You never know how many minutes you’ll get.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

RONIN broke damn near every traffic law getting to Amery’s. He parked his motorcycle in the alley. He rapped on the door four times before unlocking it. Inside, he tossed his helmet aside and yelled, “Amery?” as he started up the circular stairs.

“I’m right here, Ronin. You don’t have to yell.”

As soon as he reached the top, he yanked her body to his and kissed her.

Either she’d cooled off or the kiss knocked the fight out of her because Amery wrapped herself around him, returning his passion with equal zeal.

He clamped his hands on her ass and hoisted her against the brick wall separating the bathroom from her bedroom. “I love you. And I never want you to walk out on me again like you did tonight. Never want to hear you say if we’re together. We are together, and I want to make it permanent. Before you move in.”

“Have you been drinking?”

He laughed. “A little bit during our family ‘come to Buddha’ meeting.”

She blinked at him with confusion.

“But the conversation with my mother and my sister led me to the realization that I don’t want to just live with you. I want to marry you. I want you as mine officially, permanently, legally, all that.”

“Seriously, Ronin, have you lost your mind?”

“I lost you once, and that put me out of my mind. When you left tonight because you were mad at me, you had someplace else to go. It might make me a selfish dick, but I don’t want you to have that. So when we fight, which we invariably will, you can slam the door to the den, or to the practice room, or to the guest bedroom if you need time away from me.” Ronin pushed a strand of hair from her cheek. “But I want to walk down the hallway to hash things out, not across town. And I’ll always come after you, Amery. Always. I will be your safe haven. Because you’re already mine.”

“Um, that’s sweet, but I’d like to point out that you’re telling me to marry you rather than asking me.”

“Is that what you want, baby? Me on one knee? Holding a diamond ring? Begging you to be mine forever? Because I’ll do it.”

“A big diamond would be an indication of how much you loved me,” she joked.

Ronin swept his fingertips across her cheeks, strangely touched by her nervous babbling. “The size of a diamond doesn’t indicate the size of my love for you. The earth hasn’t produced a diamond that big because my love for you knows no bounds.”

Her eyes swam with tears. “I don’t care about the ring. I just want you.”

“You’ve got me.” His eyes searched hers. “So is that a yes on marrying me?”

“Yes.”

Their mouths met, and the kiss was so loving and perfect; a silent promise. In that moment he felt the shift between them. It took every bit of Ronin’s willpower not to beat on his chest and snarl, Mine.

He pulled back and set her on her feet. He said, “I have something for you. Keep your eyes closed and hold out your arm,” while continuing to tease her addictive lips.

Amery complied.

After he fished a section of twine from his pocket, he took his time fashioning a bracelet. He placed a soft kiss on the inside of her wrist. “Okay. You can look.”

Her eyebrows drew together as she squinted at the thin rope circling her wrist. “What is it?”

“A placeholder until I can get you a real ring.” Ronin traced the intricate knot at the center. “This is an eternity tie.” He gently turned her arm so she could see the backside of the bracelet. “You can’t see where it begins or ends. That’s how my love for you is.”

“It’s beautiful. I may never take it off.”

He caught her exaggerated sigh in a long, steamy kiss. “So,” he asked between nuzzles and soft smooches, “how soon can we do this? Because I’m ready to marry you right f**king now.”

“What’s the rush? Are you pregnant or something?”

He loved her smart mouth, but he pinched her ass anyway.

She yelped and swatted at him. “In all seriousness, there are several things to consider before we even think about taking that permanent step.”

“Like what? I love you; you love me. The next step is promising to spend our life together. Simple.”

“Well, like it or not, you are an Okada heir . . . I imagine you want your team of financial advisers to draft a pre-nup?”

“No,” he said with an emphatic shake of his head.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “May I remind you that you had me investigated before we went out on a date? Why wouldn’t you want to protect yourself now when we’re talking long-term?”

“For that very reason. I trust you. With everything I am and with everything I have.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”