Read Online Her Dark Dragon by Lillith Payne - Free Book Online
Authors: Lillith Payne
Tags: Romance, Erotic Fiction
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since they'd never have a possible future together, she'd take what she could and cherish the memories. Her perspective was to view Nico as a life lesson.
"No public places," she said, feeling both excited and apprehensive. "A three-hour limit. I'll pick the night and the statue. There'll be no pictures, videotapes, or audiotapes of any kind." Danni paused, saw that she still had his attention, and continued. "I'll have no illusions of romance, and neither will you. This is a business deal, flat out. We'll never speak of this if we meet in the future. They'll be no private jokes or innuendos. One act of sex for one statue, nothing in writing. When we finish the act, you burn the payment notes and sale affidavits. I'm on the pill, but you'll have to use a condom anyway."
"Are you done?" he asked, smiling. "Now, these are my terms. I pick the statue. You will dress up and act like a real date for the evening. Afterward, we'll go back to Casa Maria, and you'll spend the night. Sunrise will find you in my bed or the note remains open."
Her mouth dropped slightly open.
"Your aunt—" she started, but he silenced her with a shrewd smile.
"She's going back to Italy for a few months. A nice, long visit before spring hits and the pruning starts." He looked too self-satisfied and smug. Dragon was back. "And, Danni, I don't just plan to have sex with you. You'll participate!" He watched a chill run through her and wondered for the hundredth time where his common sense had gone. If she were to leave the valley permanently, he'd only have this time with her. She'd never come back, that he knew for sure.
Danni let out a resigned sigh. "I'll do my best, Nico. But know this. I'm ashamed of myself, you, Felice, and Robert for starting this whole mess. For Mom not caring, and for Robert being a gambler and thief. I'm ashamed of myself for letting them get me into this mess and you for helping them. What I can't get past is that the netsukes mean more to me than my own self-respect."
"Walk away, last chance." He touched her hand again, and she all but jumped in her seat and snatched it away from him. Nico knew Danni had a crush on him years, before but had always regarded her age. Now she was of consent and he'd not hold back any longer. He tried being soft and kind, offering to marry her. She insulted him and belittled him. Now he'd take what he wanted from her without guilt. "Are you going to jump every time I touch you, Danielle?" The reminder of the dare of the dragon.
" Probably! " Danielle gave Nico a strange look and continued. "We need to discuss this, Nico." She blushed, but didn't look away, not realizing how hard he'd grown, stretching his jeans to the limit, thankful the table blocked her view. He nodded, and she should continued. "It's just that I've been…busy. With college and grad school, the sommelier course I just finished. Every summer, I apprenticed at a different winery or farm."
"Get to the point, Danni. I know your history. And stop fidgeting, please." He reached across the table and took the paper napkin she was shredding.
"I'm not as…worldly as you might assume." She saw him take her words to heart. He knew she dated while in high school and probably assumed she'd had many lovers through the years.
"Forget your expertise or mine. What we do together will be unique. It will never be the same for either of us with any other person." The waitress appeared and took Danni's untouched plate along with Nico's half-finished one. He declined coffee when it was offered and asked for the check. "Are you truly physically afraid of me, Danni, or is it any man?"
"I'm not afraid of you, Niccolo Severino." She'd said it more to reinforce the premise to her than him.
"Then we should get started." He waited for her response and got none. "Danni?"
"We'll have to wait for the weekend. I have my cycle now." She'd managed to look him dead in the eye, and he didn't blink or blush.
"Good, that will give us a few uninterrupted
"No public places," she said, feeling both excited and apprehensive. "A three-hour limit. I'll pick the night and the statue. There'll be no pictures, videotapes, or audiotapes of any kind." Danni paused, saw that she still had his attention, and continued. "I'll have no illusions of romance, and neither will you. This is a business deal, flat out. We'll never speak of this if we meet in the future. They'll be no private jokes or innuendos. One act of sex for one statue, nothing in writing. When we finish the act, you burn the payment notes and sale affidavits. I'm on the pill, but you'll have to use a condom anyway."
"Are you done?" he asked, smiling. "Now, these are my terms. I pick the statue. You will dress up and act like a real date for the evening. Afterward, we'll go back to Casa Maria, and you'll spend the night. Sunrise will find you in my bed or the note remains open."
Her mouth dropped slightly open.
"Your aunt—" she started, but he silenced her with a shrewd smile.
"She's going back to Italy for a few months. A nice, long visit before spring hits and the pruning starts." He looked too self-satisfied and smug. Dragon was back. "And, Danni, I don't just plan to have sex with you. You'll participate!" He watched a chill run through her and wondered for the hundredth time where his common sense had gone. If she were to leave the valley permanently, he'd only have this time with her. She'd never come back, that he knew for sure.
Danni let out a resigned sigh. "I'll do my best, Nico. But know this. I'm ashamed of myself, you, Felice, and Robert for starting this whole mess. For Mom not caring, and for Robert being a gambler and thief. I'm ashamed of myself for letting them get me into this mess and you for helping them. What I can't get past is that the netsukes mean more to me than my own self-respect."
"Walk away, last chance." He touched her hand again, and she all but jumped in her seat and snatched it away from him. Nico knew Danni had a crush on him years, before but had always regarded her age. Now she was of consent and he'd not hold back any longer. He tried being soft and kind, offering to marry her. She insulted him and belittled him. Now he'd take what he wanted from her without guilt. "Are you going to jump every time I touch you, Danielle?" The reminder of the dare of the dragon.
" Probably! " Danielle gave Nico a strange look and continued. "We need to discuss this, Nico." She blushed, but didn't look away, not realizing how hard he'd grown, stretching his jeans to the limit, thankful the table blocked her view. He nodded, and she should continued. "It's just that I've been…busy. With college and grad school, the sommelier course I just finished. Every summer, I apprenticed at a different winery or farm."
"Get to the point, Danni. I know your history. And stop fidgeting, please." He reached across the table and took the paper napkin she was shredding.
"I'm not as…worldly as you might assume." She saw him take her words to heart. He knew she dated while in high school and probably assumed she'd had many lovers through the years.
"Forget your expertise or mine. What we do together will be unique. It will never be the same for either of us with any other person." The waitress appeared and took Danni's untouched plate along with Nico's half-finished one. He declined coffee when it was offered and asked for the check. "Are you truly physically afraid of me, Danni, or is it any man?"
"I'm not afraid of you, Niccolo Severino." She'd said it more to reinforce the premise to her than him.
"Then we should get started." He waited for her response and got none. "Danni?"
"We'll have to wait for the weekend. I have my cycle now." She'd managed to look him dead in the eye, and he didn't blink or blush.
"Good, that will give us a few uninterrupted
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