Dante's Marriage Pact by Day Leclaire Page B

don’t know women very well, do you?”
    â€œI know Shayla that well.”
    â€œAfter just one night?” Sev asked skeptically.
    Draco climbed to his feet and confronted his cousins. “How long did it take you and Francesca, Sev? I seem to remember it was all of one night.” His gaze switched to Lazz. “What about you and Ariana? You may have resisted longer and harder, but in the end you still fell.”
    Lazz blew out a sigh. “You’re that certain?”
    Draco didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
    Sev nodded, though he didn’t look happy. “I guess the real question is…does Shayla feel the same way?”
    Once again, Draco didn’t hesitate. “If she doesn’t now, she will in time, once she’s had a chance to come to terms with what’s happened.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Unless you’re saying The Inferno doesn’t work.”
    Sev released a humorless laugh. “Oh, it works. You’lldiscover just how well soon enough. My concern is whether she’s about to become a pawn in this battle, trapped between her loyalty to her grandmother and her feelings for you.”
    Draco had already considered that possibility. “If she is, she’ll be the first piece I capture,” he stated firmly. “Whatever it takes to remove her from the playing field. But I will protect what’s mine.”
    Â 
    The meeting didn’t last much longer. They invited Shayla back into the conference room and assured her of their interest in pursuing her grandmother’s proposition. They requested another survey of the mines, which she readily agreed to. They asked for time to examine the diamonds. Since she’d already suggested as much, she didn’t argue that, either. Finally, they asked for a copy of the proposed lease along with any conditions pertaining to it and Shayla promised that her grandmother’s lawyer would fax it to them within the week.
    To Draco’s amusement he watched Shayla charm the men, his grandfather and cousins falling, one by one, beneath the enchantment of her smile and her sunny personality. It wasn’t a deliberate maneuver on her part. He’d have caught it if she’d been playing them. He suspected Primo would have, as well. In fact, his grandfather watched Shayla with an eagle eye, careful to reassure himself that this particular apple had fallen well away from the poisoned tree of her grandmother.
    The instant the meeting wrapped, Draco whisked Shayla off to his office. “Why don’t you come upstairs and have lunch with me,” he suggested the moment they were safely closeted inside.
    â€œNot a chance,” she said with a small grin. “I have a feeling ‘come upstairs and have lunch’ is your code for ‘come upstairs and take your clothes off.’”
    â€œWell… We could do that, too. I wouldn’t mind eatinglunch naked, so long as it’s with you.” He approached, snagging the lapels of her lemony suit jacket and reeling her in. “Of course, we can also get naked right here in my office. You’ll find my couch is extremely comfortable.”
    She shook her head, unable to suppress a laugh. “As tempting as your offer is, I’ll pass.” Her amusement faded, replaced by a bittersweet longing. “I’m really sorry, Draco, but I have to go.”
    â€œTime to report in to your grandmother?” He tried to keep the edge from his voice with only limited success.
    She must have picked up on it, because she met his look dead-on, a hint of defiance glittering in the darkness. “Among other things, yes.”
    He let it go, determined to tip them over that line from business straight into pleasure, and keep them there. “Why don’t we have dinner together?” he suggested. “Somewhere ridiculously expensive and romantic. We’ll celebrate a new alliance between the Charlestons and the