Page 66 of Her Fearless Ronin

“You would move to Hoka’s estate with me?”

A smile tugged at my lips. “Yes. It might sound crazy, but from the moment our eyes met, something inside me just… knew. It’s hard to put into words.”

His eyes softened, filled with understanding. “I feel it, too.”

He leaned in, his voice a soft caress against my ear. “Aishiteru,” he whispered, the Japanese words forI love you,sending shivers down my spine. He pulled back slightly, his gaze intense. “I love you, Hope.”

Euphoria bubbled up inside me, and I pulled him into a passionate kiss, pouring all my emotions into it. Pulling back slightly, I whispered, “I love you, too.”

His smile was radiant. “I can’t wait to start the rest of our lives together. I promise, every day, to make sure you never regret choosing me.”

The weight of his words, the promise in his eyes, it was all so overwhelming. “I can’t wait either,” I murmured, a thought crossing my mind. Maybe, just maybe, Anna had a hand in this. Maybe she was the force that brought Jiro and me together, ensuring we found our way to each other.

Jiro’s gaze lingered on me, a hint of hesitation in his eyes. “Hope, would it be alright if I stayed with you for the next few days? Until you’re ready to come with me?”

I winced slightly, thinking of my modest apartment, whichwas nothing compared to the grandeur of the house we’d just left. “You really want to stay at my place? It’s not exactly… luxurious.”

He stepped closer, cupping my face gently. “Now that I have you, I don’t want to spend a single night away from you if I can help it.”

His words warmed my heart, and I nodded, a smile playing on my lips. “Alright, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Once we were back, I began to pack, feeling Jiro’s gaze on me the entire time. Every so often, he’d come over to help, folding clothes or packing away trinkets. The domesticity of the scene was so heartwarming it felt like we’d been doing this for years.

After a while, I felt his arms wrap around me from behind, pulling me into a gentle embrace. “You okay?” he murmured into my hair before kissing the back of my neck.

I leaned back into him, relishing the warmth and security of his hold. “More than okay. Just… overwhelmed, in the best way.”

He turned me around to face him, his eyes searching mine. “Let’s take a break,” he suggested, leading me to the bedroom.

We both stripped but were too tired to have sex. Just being in his warm embrace, feeling his naked skin against mine, filled me with contentment I had never experienced.

His fingers traced gentle patterns on my back, every touch laced with tenderness.

I rested my head on his chest as Jiro began to describe the property in more detail.

“Theestate is huge. There’s a main house, of course, but there’s also a two-bedroom summerhouse that we’ll be sharing. It’s nestled right by the sea, so every morning, we’ll wake up to the sound of waves crashing.”

I propped myself up on one elbow, looking down at him, caressing his tattooed chest. “That sounds amazing. But tell me more about this summerhouse.”

He chuckled, his fingers tracing the curve of my cheek. “It’s a beautiful place. Traditional Spanish architecture with a touch of modern design. There’s a garden that leads right to the beach. I usually spend my early mornings there, practicing martial arts or just meditating by the sea.”

I smirked, letting my fingers wander down his chest. “And what if I want to distract you from your morning routines?”

Jiro’s eyes darkened with a hint of playfulness. “Well, I’ve always believed in the importance of… flexibility in one’s schedule.”

I leaned down, kissing his pierced nipple. “Good, because I plan on being very distracting.”

He pulled me closer, his voice dropping to a sultry whisper. “I’m counting on it.”

We both chuckled, the playful banter adding a spark to the already palpable chemistry between us.

The dim light of the room played on our skin, casting a soft, intimate glow. “The summerhouse, the estate, it all sounds like a dream,” I whispered, my fingers teasingly tracing a path down his torso, finally wrapping around his growing arousal. His sharp intake of breath was music to my ears. “But honestly, as long as I’m with you, it doesn’tmatter where we are.”

Jiro’s eyes, dark with desire, locked onto mine, his fingers digging into my waist. “Hearing you say that… You can’t even begin to understand how much it means to me.” His voice was husky, filled with emotion and raw need. His thumb started to trace circles on my hip, causing goose bumps on my skin. “I promise, Hope, every moment with me will be one you won’t forget. And… I intend to keep you thoroughly distracted.”

Unable to resist any longer, I captured his lips with mine, the kiss deepening as I positioned myself above him. Slowly, I guided him inside, our combined gasps echoing in the room. With each movement, we lost ourselves in the rhythm, the raw intensity of our connection evident in every shared moan and whispered promise.

We came quickly, a culmination of pent-up desire and weeks of yearning. As we rode the waves of pleasure, we clung to each other, our breaths ragged and hearts racing. In the afterglow, we lay close, sharing whispered dreams and playful jabs about the little things we’d missed about each other.

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