Shiori returned to the office and found Knox alone, staring out the window. She didn’t hesitate to move behind him and wrap her arms around his waist. “What’s up, Shihan?”

“My man cred.”

“What?”

“Evidently my man cred is at an all-time high because I’m boning Black Arts’s beautiful badass.”

She groaned. “Who called me that? Wait. I don’t want to know.”

“If they would’ve kept talking, you’d know exactly who said it by their black eye or busted lip.”

Knox didn’t sound amused. She wormed her way in front of him, creating space for herself. She slid her hands up his chest and looked into his eyes. “Are you mad?”

“I tried to be cool when they broke you down body part by body part. But you’re so much more to me than a fantastic ass, killer arms, and a wet-dream mouth.” He rested his forehead to hers. “I know guys say stupid shit about women and I used to chime in. But it’s different when it’s my woman.”

“We’ll be old news by Wednesday. For what it’s worth, I’m happy we’re out.” She touched her lips to his. Once. Twice. “Because now we can do this anytime we want.”

“You’re right. And if we need privacy, the door to the storage room does lock.”

After the first couple of days, the catcalls and bow chicka wow sounds tapered off.

Deacon still complained about their PDA, regardless of whether he found them holding hands, grappling, or even sneaking hot looks at each other across the dojo, but he was the only one.

She and Knox started spending every other night together, alternating between his house and her penthouse.

The sweet, crazy man even took her on a date. A fancy date where he brought her flowers, picked her up wearing a suit and tie, and piled on the compliments about how stunning she looked in the slinky cocktail dress she’d worn. The restaurant he’d chosen had a bohemian vibe from the food to the decor. She couldn’t stop staring at him throughout the meal—especially considering how the glow of candlelight sharpened the angles of his face, making him almost beautiful. After eating they’d strolled around downtown Denver and stopped into a jazz bar for a nightcap; then he’d taken her back to her place, where he’d leveled her with a mind-blowing kiss at her door before he said good night.

Knox proved he could be a perfect gentleman.

The more quirky, sexy, funny things she discovered about Knox, the more she wanted to uncover.

No surprise they were total opposites. He did everything himself from working on his house, to changing the oil in his truck, to washing his clothes. Whereas she dropped her clothes off at the dry cleaner, she never fixed a meal, and she didn’t own a vacuum. Knox liked the outdoors. Fishing, camping, target shooting, and hiking were his idea of a good time. She was happier inside, where she wouldn’t get sunburned or bitten by bugs and had access to the Internet and takeout menus. As a jock, if Knox wasn’t playing sports, he was watching them: MMA, football, basketball, rugby, and hockey. Shiori considered shopping a sport. She exercised only so she didn’t have to monitor every bite she ate.

But somehow the manly man and the girly girl worked so far. They really worked when it came to sex. She loved the glazed look in Knox’s blue eyes when she switched into Domme mode. She loved how quickly they segued from lovers snuggled on the couch to Knox awaiting her command. She loved that he anticipated her needs, and he took pride in fulfilling them. She loved that they pushed each other’s boundaries; his role in the bedroom and hers outside of it.

Yet Shiori wasn’t thrilled with Knox’s latest attempt to increase her independence. Her argument that her dependence on others to do things for her had created jobs made him laugh.

“Kitten, you’re pretty even when you’re surly, but lose the pout and let’s get moving.”

“You can’t make me.”

More laughter. “Yes, I can.”

“How?”

He shot her a smoldering look. “You know how.”

“By withholding sex?”

“Got it on the first try.”

Shit. “So? Sex is overrated.”

“Says my Mistress who fucked me twice yesterday.” His voice deepened. “You riding me in the shower first thing yesterday morning ringing a bell? Or how about you riding my face last night?”

“Is that a complaint?”

Knox aimed his hungry stare at her mouth. “Never.”

She leaned closer and nuzzled his cheek. “If you take me home, I’ll suck your cock until the top of your head blows off.”