Schooled: The Mastered Series (3 page)

He issued instructions to the drivers before he looked at her. “I want to show you my favorite part of the house while they’re unloading the luggage.”

Ronin towed her through the back door onto a private patio.

Both sides were blocked off by wooden soundproofing barriers. Paper lanterns hung from the rafters. Two papa-san chairs sat alongside the walls, facing outward. At the bottom of the path a tree was in full bloom and just beyond it a slatted bench overlooked a grassy slope that led to a body of water. On the right side was a raised box, filled with sand and stones and camouflaged on the back side by flowering shrubs.

Immediately a sense of peace settled over her. She knew from her pre-trip research that private green spaces in the major cities in Japan were rare and treasured, so this was someplace special. It reminded her of Ronin’s rooftop Zen garden in Denver.

Ronin’s arms came around her. “What do you think?”

“It’s lovely. But we aren’t at a hotel, are we?”

“No. At one time this was a hotel but now it’s Grandfather’s Kyoto residence. It’s more economical to stay here than if we had to pay for a luxury hotel.”

“Fine, I’ll give you that. What else?”

“This place is centrally located, less hassle getting to the areas of Kyoto I want to show you. It also gives us the most privacy. Okada owns this entire complex so we don’t have to listen to screaming children and smell fish cooking through the walls like in other rentals. And this house is huge by Japanese standards. Since my mother stays here frequently, she’s decorated this western style.”

“Meaning what?”

“Meaning no futons, but permanent beds. Meaning a real dining room table, a decent kitchen and a private bathroom. Initially this property was
ryokan
, with a communal bathroom for all five apartments. Now each apartment has its own facilities.”

“I’m happy for that. Who else stays here?”

“The two units on either end are rented out to Okada employees who run the Kyoto office. The two units on each side of this one are for Okada business associates to stay if they’re involved in meetings. Or in years past when my grandfather traveled here, one of his mistresses stayed in one unit and his personal staff stayed in the other.”

“Mistresses? Plural?”

Ronin chuckled. “Just because he never married again didn’t mean he became a monk. A man of his means had his pick of the ladies.”

“Like grandfather, like grandson.”

“Maybe. Except I don’t need four women to keep me satisfied when I have you.”

“Did your grandfather have a thing for geishas?”

“No. Not all Japanese men do.” He paused. “Why? Would you like to go to a geisha house while we’re here?”

“Nope. Unless you want to?”

“There’s plenty for us to see and do without geishas or visiting a teahouse.”

“No tea or sushi while we’re in Japan? Man, you are a hardass.”

At that moment the sweetest scent she’d ever encountered eddied around them. “What kind of tree is that? The blooms smell heavenly.”

“It’s
shidare-zakura
. A weeping cherry tree.”

Amery spun around. “As in real cherry blossoms is what smells so good?”

“Yes.” Ronin caressed her cheekbone with his thumb. “Kyoto has the biggest cherry blossom festival in Japan. We’re at the tail end of it so I’m hoping that means it’ll be less crowded.”

Overcome with emotion, Amery teared up. “Ronin. I . . . can’t believe you brought me here to experience all of this.”

“You deserve this break for everything you’ve dealt with in the last few months. My health issues. My less-than-pleasant attitude about those health issues. We had a small, rushed wedding. For christsake I didn’t even take you on a proper honeymoon. This is my way of making it up to you. So please. Let me.”

“You already spoil me.”

“Not enough. I’d do more if you’d let me, baby, you know that.”

“I do. You overwhelm me, Master Black.”

“Good.” Then her husband kissed her in that slow and steady way that sparked the embers of need.

A throat cleared behind them.

Ronin whispered, “Hold that thought,” against her lips. “I promise it’s the last time we’ll be interrupted for the next week.”

Chapter Two

After the drivers left, Ronin gave her a tour of the rest of the condo. They unpacked, freshened up, and went exploring.

They rode the bus to the temples Ronin wanted to visit. Each one was different; some elaborate, some simple, some big, some tiny. But in each shrine she felt a sense of holiness, power, and peace.

The Chion-in temple still housed the Jōdo School—a Japanese religious sect. Amery studied Ronin’s reaction as he watched the monks going about their daily lives. Did it remind him of the years he’d spent in the monastery? Hearing the Buddhist monks chanting and seeing the spiritual pilgrimage of others to this sacred place had sent shivers down her spine.

On the walk back to the condo from the bus station, they discovered a quiet bistro. Their Ronin-approved, healthy, three-course dinner consisted of miso soup, poached fish in persimmon sauce, and a skewer of rice balls covered in sweet red bean paste. During the meal Ronin ordered a sampler of sake, and as she sipped, he explained the variations of flavors. The delicious food, the intimate conversation, and the relaxed atmosphere was the perfect capper to their first day in Japan.

Ronin plucked up her hand and kissed her palm. “I lost you there for a moment. But I’m not complaining because you look happy.”

“I
am
happy. Being with you—just you—really makes this feel like a honeymoon.”

“Baby, these weeks we have alone
are
our honeymoon.”

She gazed at him. “Sometimes when I look across the table, it just hits me . . .”

“What hits you?”

“That you’re really my husband.”

He smiled softly at her while his eyes shone fiercely in the glow of the paper lanterns. “We’re getting sappy on sake. Time to go.”

As soon as they were through the front door of the condo, Ronin was on her. Ripping away the articles of clothing she wore, he hoisted her against the smooth teak wall in the foyer. No bondage games, no foreplay, just pure raw sex. He slammed inside her and started fucking her in such a primal way, it soon had her coming so hard that her mind blanked.

Ronin’s harsh grunt against her cheek and the stillness of his powerful body roused her from the white haze.

She forced her hands to loosen her tight grip on his ass. “Happy honeymoon to us!”

“Indeed. And I guarantee we’ll being doing a lot of this to make it the best honeymoon ever.”

“How many times have you had your hands on me in the last day?”

“Four.” He nibbled on her throat as he tried to catch his breath. “And yes, I’m keeping track.”

As distracting as it was to have his mouth working such shiver-inducing magic on her skin, Amery concentrated on adding up their naked time. Ronin had tied her hands to the showerhead with her loofah in their shower at home and fucked her very thoroughly before they’d left for the airport. He’d fucked her twice on the plane. He’d gone all caveman on her just now. And before they went exploring in Kyoto . . .

“You forgot one. The blowjob in the shower right after we got here. You definitely had your hands on me then. Mostly gripping my head, but it counts.”

“I stand corrected. Five.” He nipped her earlobe. “Wanna go for six?”

She laughed.

But it soon became clear that her insatiable husband hadn’t been joking.

***

They spent the early part of the morning of day two at Maruyama Park beneath the cherry blossoms. Then they ventured to the Imperial Palace, and the equally gorgeous Imperial Palace Park. That night they took a romantic walk through the canopy of cherry trees in bloom at Philosopher’s Path. Amery caught herself tearing up when she thought about Ronin’s surprise in bringing her here during such a magical time.

After they’d returned to the condo, Ronin showed her on a map where they’d be in the upcoming weeks. During his training weeks they’d be in a small village at the base of the snow-capped mountains in Hokkaido. Then during the first break they’d be on the beach in the Ryukyu Islands, then back to Hokkaido, and they’d spend the last week in Tokyo.

“Any part of that you don’t want to do, tell me. I purposely kept our itinerary fluid.”

“No, I want to do it all. Ronin, I’m still pinching myself that I’m really here. While this is my first exotic foreign adventure, I know it’s not a once-in-a-lifetime event for you like it is for me.”

Ronin pressed his lips to hers, bestowing the type of sweet, reverent kiss that made her sigh. “Wrong. This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip for me too, Mrs. Black. This is the only honeymoon we’ll ever take. Yes, I’ve seen some of these sights, but I’ve never seen them with
you
. In years to come we can return to these places, but it’ll never be like this again for us.”

Amery nuzzled his neck. “I love you. And I’m loving this romantic side of you.”

“Does it surprise you?”

“Yes. You’re so used to being . . . Sensei Black that sometimes you forget you’re also just Ronin. My Ronin.”

That appeared to startle him. “I’ll work harder on showing you my romantic side, okay?”

“Okay.” If they continued this conversation in the same vein she’d end up genuflecting at his feet—and the rope master side of him would enjoy that far too much. So she changed the subject. “I took stock of the pantry. There’s not much to cook so should we go to the store tomorrow?”

“I’d rather sample Kyoto’s cuisine.”

She frowned. “Really? Why? We don’t eat out that much at home.”

“Which is why I want to take advantage of having hundreds of different restaurants within walking distance. Plus, you’ll end up cooking for me every night during my training weeks.”

“You trust me to cook? Aren’t you afraid you’ll get fat-laden meatloaf and buttery mashed potatoes and other not-good-for-you Midwestern comfort foods from me?”

“Smartass.” Ronin smacked her butt.

Amery wrapped her arms around his neck. “I assume your diet will be different with that much training?”

“Yes. But we can talk about it later. I’ve got a better use for my mouth at the moment.” With those promising words, Ronin carried her to the meditation room and showed her the benefits of a low table surrounded by cushions.

***

It didn’t escape her notice on day three after they’d visited the formidable and majestic Arashiyama Bamboo Grove that Ronin had embraced the laid-back “on vacation” vibe. Like everything else he did perfectly, Ronin was a perfect travel partner. Knowledgeable. Attentive. Flexible. Spontaneous. Passionate.

Whoo-boy did the man define passion. He couldn’t keep his hands off her. Not only in the privacy of their condo, but he always had to be touching her in some way in public. The hard-eyed sensei who eschewed PDA at home embraced it fully here, which had been a welcome surprise, because she noticed most other couples were very hands off.

The morning of day four dawned rainy, so they’d explored the Nishiki Market, where restaurants and individuals could purchase locally produced Japanese food items. Ronin found bizarre things for them to sample, which was equal parts fun and gross—Amery wasn’t a fan of fermented whale blubber.

While they wandered through the stalls, she wondered how the food vendors would react if they knew they were serving their wares to an Okada Foods heir. Okada food trucks were everywhere throughout Kyoto. But as usual, Ronin did nothing to reveal who he was. How the man could be so arrogant and yet so humble continually baffled her.

But she knew he used his connections to secure a table at the best restaurant in Kyoto for them. Then he surprised her with tickets to Kabuki Theater. Afterward they ended up in a raucous nightclub and got sucked in by the energy of the techno music and the club-goers. Fueled with a few potent cocktails, they found themselves grinding against each other in the midst of hundreds of other couples. Watching her hot man cutting loose and gyrating that fantastic body like a world-class stripper made her hot, made her wet, made her anxious to get the fuck out of there.

They left the club immediately.

Ronin didn’t drag her to the bus stop; instead they cut through the alley behind the building that abutted a wooded area.

“Is this a shortcut back to the condo?”

“No.” He ducked beneath a canopy of kudzu vines, pulling her along behind him. “This place is known as lovers park.” He pulled her back against his front and tipped her head to the side to get at her neck. “I am out of my mind to fuck you, after the way you were dry-humping me in the club.” His lips teased her ear while his hands squeezed her hips. “Sweet Jesus, woman. What you do to me with your clothes on.”

“Surprised that a preacher’s daughter can move like that?” she said huskily and swayed her hips side to side, raising her arms above her head.

“Oh, I know exactly how well you move, baby. That’s why I couldn’t wait until we get home to feel you grinding against me when I’m buried inside you.”

“And if someone strolls by?”

“I don’t fucking care.”

That low growl burrowed into her ear and sent little spikes of need buzzing across her skin.

His rough-skinned hand slipped beneath the hem of her skirt. “Bend over and grab the back of the bench.”

The concrete bit into her palms as she braced herself for the powerful surges of his body. In the stillness she heard the soft
whoosh
as his pants hit the ground. She canted her hips and waited breathlessly for that first heated touch of his skin to hers.

Ronin hiked her skirt up, pulled her panties aside, and plowed into her.

Amery didn’t care who heard her cry out at that first deliciously hard thrust. Or the second. Or the third. Then he slowed down, swiveling his hips and rocking his pelvis, fucking her in the overpoweringly sensual way that reminded her she belonged to him.

Afterward, he kissed her. Possessively. Decisively. Then his mouth formed a smirk and he whispered, “Thirteen.”

Chapter Three