He’d thought his cousin was insane and he’d locked the rings away, never showing them to his family. Now he understood why everyone thought Damian was such a genius. His gift was to know exactly what his client needed long before the client did. Ricco knew he would always be both a sword and a shield for Mariko. He would always be her samurai warrior. Always.

“Do you understand?” He’d had to apologize to Damian when he’d sent the ring to be sized. “I’ve made mistakes, Mariko, far too many. I’m no saint and I never will be. I like sex, lots of it. I’m not going to pretend I don’t, but my entire focus is on you.”

Deliberately he moved her hand to his cock, wrapping her fingers around the thick, very hard shaft. She didn’t try to pull her hand away, rather she gripped him tightly. His hand around hers kept her there. It was heaven and hell all rolled into one. Her palm burned like a brand. He wanted her with every breath he took, but he forced himself to be still. It was Mariko who started the slow glide. She moved her thumb over the broad head of his cock, smearing the leaking drops so that the glide was smooth as she pumped up and down almost lazily. It was enough to kill any man.

“What if you get tired of me, Ricco? You know that’s a possibility. One woman isn’t going to satisfy you for the rest of your life, and I’m not a woman to cheat on. Nor would I want you miserable.”

“I can understand your fears, Mariko.” Dio, how could he think when her fingers were dancing up and down his shaft, and then her fist squeezed him so tightly it robbed him of breath. “But truly, really listen to the answer. You hear truth. I can’t lie to you, nor would I have a reason to do so. I want only you. I fell in love with you almost from the moment you walked into the interview. Every moment spent in your company has deepened what I felt until I know with absolute certainty that I love you and you are the only woman I want in my life.”

Her hand stopped moving, although her fist remained tight. Her eyes stared directly into his. “You never told me you loved me.”

“I did. In a thousand ways. With my ropes.”

Her eyes widened and her hand tightened. He held his breath. He needed her to move that hand. Every cell in his body was tuned to that one body part. He could count his heartbeats there. He knew she could, too.

“You never told me in words.”

“I laid myself bare to you, Mariko.” He said it quietly. She couldn’t deny it. He had.

“The Lacey twins? Two women at one time?”

He said nothing because he was guilty as hell and he couldn’t take it back. He could try to explain the need to run all the time, to get rid of the rage in him. How he needed the adrenaline rush every moment of his existence to just live. He’d lived and played hard. He’d done so in the spotlight. There was nothing he could do about it now.

“I don’t share well with others,” she whispered.

“Neither do I. I can’t change my past, Mariko, but I can promise you my future. My word is good.”

She began that slow pump again, moving her tight fist up and down, sending waves of heat rushing through his body to his veins, spreading it like a slow drug through his entire system.

“Are you going to marry me?” His fingers bunched in the sheet. Dio, he was already as hard as a rock.

“Probably.” She was no longer looking at him, but at his cock.

His shaft jerked hard at her long contemplation, leaking more drops for her to smear around. She’d increased the tempo.

“That’s not an answer. Fucking say yes before I lose my mind.”

“Don’t swear at me.” A ghost of a smile curved her mouth and he found it as sexy as hell.

“I didn’t swear at you.” How in hell was he going to convince her when he no longer had a brain? He dragged the sheet slowly from her body, using his fingers to bunch it and then push it down so he had access to her. He circled her ankle with his fingers and then stroked up her leg to her thigh, applying pressure, a silent command to part her legs.

Mariko sat up straight, her back to the headboard, her eyes on his, hand still working him. Very slowly she parted her thighs and then let her knees fall open, watching him with that sexy little smile on her face. She was deliberately taunting him. Playing with fire. He closed his eyes briefly, savoring his victory. She was already wet and slick, wanting him the way he wanted her. The evidence of his earlier possession was there to remind him to be careful of her. He loved how she looked, there on the bed, her breasts jutting toward him, her hair a wild mess of tousled waves, her legs spread open, her sex glistening. All for him.

“Say yes, farfallina mia.” Just to be certain, he pushed his finger into her hot entrance, stroking and caressing, spreading small circles around her clit.

“Are you going to be a crazy man? Race cars? Play cards? Get into trouble?”

He couldn’t help smiling. “Yes. But you’ll be there with me.” He could do wicked, sinful things with his fingers – and he did. He wasn’t above seducing her into saying yes, although he’d already read her consent when she’d opened her thighs to him.

“I suppose someone has to take you on,” she said. “I’m strong, I guess it should be me.” She moved her hips in rhythm with the two fingers he was moving in and out of her. Her fist kept that same beat, so tight around his throbbing cock.

“You could be a little more enthusiastic,” he pointed out, adding his thumb to the stroking rhythm. He used it against her clit, watching the color flush her skin and her breasts heave with the effort to get air.

“Oh. I’m sorry.” She gave him a wide-eyed, innocent stare. “Am I doing it wrong?”

She gripped him harder, pumping his cock at an increased pace. He lost his own breath and knew he wasn’t going to last. It was a combination of the way she looked, knowing she was his, and her hand that continually moved, fingers busy, fist so fucking tight he was losing all control.

He caught her ankles, yanked her toward him, and flipped her over all in one decisive move. She gave a little laughing yelp, fisting the sheets as he caught her hips and jerked them back and up, forcing her onto her knees. One hand on her back kept her head to the pillow. He almost came just looking at her bottom, up in the air, waiting for him. Once again, he knelt behind her, spreading her thighs ruthlessly, knowing she was in superb physical shape and could stretch a good distance.

“Amore.” He groaned the endearment. “Can you reach over and get one of the condoms out of the drawer?” He should have been prepared.

“I’m on birth control. It’s a mild one to regulate me, but it’s still birth control. If you’re clean…”

Dio. His heart clenched hard in his chest. She was so trusting. He knew he was clean, but she just gave herself to him. Trusted him with her body.