Her Dark Dragon by Lillith Payne Page A

and face were turning a bright pink. It was the way he looked at her, as if she were to be his lunch. "Thanks for meeting me," she said, not getting an answer until the waitress had taken their drink order. "Nico?"
    "So we're supposed to be polite and civilized?" His words shook her to the core. This wasn't the Nico she knew. This man was cold and calculating. Something had shifted, and she didn't know what. "Have you changed your mind, Danni?"
    "No," she managed to say, turning to look out the window rather than face him. The waitress came back with their iced teas and took their order. "But…" she finally stammered, trying to find the right words. They hadn't come all night or morning so why did she think she'd find them now? "I'm not sure if this is possible. We're old friends and…"
    "And you don't want to literally fuck your neighbor?" He settled back with a smug look on his face. "Did you think I'd be stupid enough to just give everything back, Danni? Did you think you'd manipulate me into turning over the land too?" This was a side of Nico he rarely let slip, and she knew the enraged facet was too hard for him to control.
    "Nico, why are you so angry?"
    "I've proposed marriage, Danielle, and you've declined. You're the one who's turning this into a business proposition, not me."
    "Oh yes, I should marry you for the deal, which, I might remind you, still has me losing my land and label, not to mention my freedom." She didn't add that if he'd said he'd loved her somewhere along the line, with words she felt he truly meant, she might have softened to the idea. A marriage of convenience wasn't for her, under any circumstance. His proposal started with "I love you," but not very convincingly, more like he figured he should fit them in somewhere through his prepared speech.
    "Then we continue, unless you decided you don't want the statues back." His words became a dare along with his gaze. "The way I figure it, you have twelve weeks before the audit and eight notes. You'll lose at least three weeks, if not four, due to menstrual cycles. So, we're cutting this close if you only want to see me once a week."
    Danni drew a deep breath and stared. Was he trying to frighten her? It was working. She knew he was right. Her time was dwindling. Besides everything that had happened in the last few days, throwing herself at his feet for the stupid statues was lunacy. Yet, she couldn't force herself to back down. "Why are you doing this? Surely a few hours of sex can't be worth all the money you've lent against the netsukes?"
    "My reasons are my own." Subject closed. Danni had often heard Nico referred to as "the dark dragon," a dragon of a man if you crossed him. Today, she sat across the table from his alter ego.
    "Nico, we've been friends and neighbors all my life. I don't understand this antagonistic side of you. Do you hate me and my family? Or was this all just to get the land?"
    "It was good business, Danielle. You will understand one day. I'll expand my vineyard and now, it seems, get you as a bonus!"
    His words were hurtful and she felt ashamed. To lose the netsukes would be the ultimate insult to her personally, even if she had to sleep with him to get them back. She sat straight in her seat while the waitress placed platters before them. The turkey club and fries was the last thing she could deal with, and she pushed the plate aside.
    "At times I hate you, Niccolo. You're smug and overconfident. Is that to overcome a small dick?"
    He all but choked on the bite of his sandwich he seemed to be enjoying. "You tell me, bella. You've fondled the package. Am I small?"
    She looked away, blushing before him again, silently cursing herself for not keeping her mouth shut sometimes. It was impossible not to remember him against her, how her hand felt small against the heat his body released. He'd been long and thick, had often used her body to stroke against his while they kissed in the yard.
    "Is this because we never actually made