mate, to touch her like no other man could. Now it would never happen. For years, she'd thought of him. It was time to stop the dreams and deal with reality.
She wasn't nervous, just angry at the injustice of the whole situation. None of it was her doing, yet she would have to give up her vision of her future in all ways. Danni felt her belly start to shift, the familiar heat work through her system. Even at this distance, she knew he'd try to change her mind about marriage. She couldn't allow herself to consider the topic. She just needed some time to think through this whole mess. He could give her some idea of the pieces she was still missing.
"We could have had supper at the house, Danni. Why meet here?"
It wasn't the greeting she'd expected. In reality, she was horny and already agitated. His challenge wasn't the first thing she'd hope to hear. "I didn't think I could do justice to Maria's cooking tonight. I won't keep you away from your meal for long." She knew she spoke the words, but the tone and attitude were foreign.
He watched while she swung her leg over the back of her horse and dropped the reins over the fence. She reached for his cigarette and took first one, then a second, long drag before handing it back to him. She only smoked occasionally with Nico. On nights like this when they'd ride the fields together, on the nights when he'd kiss her to distraction. Thankfully, that had been years before all this mess started and Nico had been very aware of her age, always telling her that he was too old, that she had her life ahead of her. Then he'd lean closer, take her lips under his, and send her spiraling into a nonreality of night and stars, of his strong hands banding around her, pulling her closer to his body, to feel his heat and excitement.
It had been three years since he'd kissed her. Now she knew why. He'd stopped when he made the first loan against the house. Danni accepted his distance without question. There was no other alternative. The one time she approached him about it, he'd told her to simply move on. She was a grown woman now, and should get a real life. His words had hurt as they were meant to. She kept her distance from then on, unable to forget how his touch made her feel.
"You know I can't marry you, Nico, and you know all the reasons better than I do at this point in time." She let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
"I don't know anything of the sort. It's the perfect solution."
"No, it's one solution, not the perfect one." She studied his face. "I have twelve weeks to the formal turnover. Until then, I have to figure out what other damage has been brought upon Cirillo wines. You can help me. Tell me what I'm missing. Obviously I've been blind to the entire goings-on. What else don't I know?"
Nico offered her the cigarette, but she shook her head. "I know about your plans for the mountain acres, Danni. If you marry me, you can still plant your olive trees and start your new venture. It's the best solution for all of us."
Danni was floored by his knowledge. "How in the world did you know about that? I haven't told anyone…"
"Yes, you did. When you were home from your first year at school, you were talking about planting olive trees for their precious oil. I didn't forget, just waited."
"So, all this time you've known I had other plans for Cirillo and still you bought the land!"
"I'll give you the land as a wedding present. You can still start your olive oil business. Keep the Cirillo name on that project if you like. Just remember the wine will always be Severino." He had become indignant, and he stood tall. .
"What a deal! I get to marry you, and you'll kindly give me a few acres to play with?" Her attitude made up for the height difference as she stood before him.
"Danni, this is getting us nowhere fast. You don't have many alternatives."
"I know, but I'm not going to accept any realities until I know all the facts. Then I'll figure out what to do and
She wasn't nervous, just angry at the injustice of the whole situation. None of it was her doing, yet she would have to give up her vision of her future in all ways. Danni felt her belly start to shift, the familiar heat work through her system. Even at this distance, she knew he'd try to change her mind about marriage. She couldn't allow herself to consider the topic. She just needed some time to think through this whole mess. He could give her some idea of the pieces she was still missing.
"We could have had supper at the house, Danni. Why meet here?"
It wasn't the greeting she'd expected. In reality, she was horny and already agitated. His challenge wasn't the first thing she'd hope to hear. "I didn't think I could do justice to Maria's cooking tonight. I won't keep you away from your meal for long." She knew she spoke the words, but the tone and attitude were foreign.
He watched while she swung her leg over the back of her horse and dropped the reins over the fence. She reached for his cigarette and took first one, then a second, long drag before handing it back to him. She only smoked occasionally with Nico. On nights like this when they'd ride the fields together, on the nights when he'd kiss her to distraction. Thankfully, that had been years before all this mess started and Nico had been very aware of her age, always telling her that he was too old, that she had her life ahead of her. Then he'd lean closer, take her lips under his, and send her spiraling into a nonreality of night and stars, of his strong hands banding around her, pulling her closer to his body, to feel his heat and excitement.
It had been three years since he'd kissed her. Now she knew why. He'd stopped when he made the first loan against the house. Danni accepted his distance without question. There was no other alternative. The one time she approached him about it, he'd told her to simply move on. She was a grown woman now, and should get a real life. His words had hurt as they were meant to. She kept her distance from then on, unable to forget how his touch made her feel.
"You know I can't marry you, Nico, and you know all the reasons better than I do at this point in time." She let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
"I don't know anything of the sort. It's the perfect solution."
"No, it's one solution, not the perfect one." She studied his face. "I have twelve weeks to the formal turnover. Until then, I have to figure out what other damage has been brought upon Cirillo wines. You can help me. Tell me what I'm missing. Obviously I've been blind to the entire goings-on. What else don't I know?"
Nico offered her the cigarette, but she shook her head. "I know about your plans for the mountain acres, Danni. If you marry me, you can still plant your olive trees and start your new venture. It's the best solution for all of us."
Danni was floored by his knowledge. "How in the world did you know about that? I haven't told anyone…"
"Yes, you did. When you were home from your first year at school, you were talking about planting olive trees for their precious oil. I didn't forget, just waited."
"So, all this time you've known I had other plans for Cirillo and still you bought the land!"
"I'll give you the land as a wedding present. You can still start your olive oil business. Keep the Cirillo name on that project if you like. Just remember the wine will always be Severino." He had become indignant, and he stood tall. .
"What a deal! I get to marry you, and you'll kindly give me a few acres to play with?" Her attitude made up for the height difference as she stood before him.
"Danni, this is getting us nowhere fast. You don't have many alternatives."
"I know, but I'm not going to accept any realities until I know all the facts. Then I'll figure out what to do and
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