Dante's Dilemma (a Dante Legacy Novella) (17 page)
Read Dante's Dilemma (a Dante Legacy Novella) Online
Authors: Day Leclaire
He studied her, attempting to determine on a rational level what made her so irresistible. She wore a bronze sheath, almost Grecian in style, with one shoulder bared. A suitable look for a siren. Her gown clung to her curves, from generous breasts to a nipped-in waist, to gently rounded hips before falling in soft pleats to the floor. Her hair tumbled about her shoulders in heavy, loose curls, the strands an unusual mix of every shade of brown, from the palest wheat to a bronze that matched her gown. And what he could see of her face from this distance suggested true beauty. She chose that moment to turn slightly toward the man and the brilliance of Dante fire diamonds exploded from her throat, arms, and hands, echoing the explosion of desire ripping through him.
Take her now!
Ty almost obeyed the unspoken command. Almost charged across the ballroom to sweep her into his arms and carry her off to a private oasis where he’d strip away every last bit of artifice, until only the woman remained. Maybe he would have if the head of security for Dantes jewelry concerns, hadn’t chosen that moment to approach, reminding him that he was here to do a job—not seduce a woman.
“Luc Dante,” he introduced himself, offering his hand. “I understand from Juice that you’re the best man for the job.”
Ty acknowledged the compliment with a rare smile. “I don’t often do this type of work, anymore. I have other interests now. But for Juice…” He shrugged. “Let’s just say I owe him.”
“You’re not the only one. I’ve lost count of the number of times he’s bailed us out of trouble. I’m hoping tonight will be another of those occasions. Thank you for agreeing to help us.”
Ty inclined his head and focused on business. “You have a lot of expensive bling on display.” He scrutinized the room from a security standpoint. “And by my count, a dozen security?”
“Good eyes.”
“I pay attention to detail. Who’s my assignment tonight?”
“Lucia Benedict. She’s my grandfather’s executive assistant. She’s also wearing our most expensive line for the New Beginnings collection. So we wanted the best to safeguard her.”
“Point her out to me.”
Luc inclined his head toward the northeast portion of the ballroom. “The woman in bronze standing in the corner with the dark-haired man.”
Ty swore beneath his breath. Of all the effing luck. The one woman he couldn’t hit on was the only woman in the entire room he wanted. Unfortunately, he lived by a hard and fast rule. Never mix business with pleasure. The one time he’d made that mistake had almost cost him the life of the person he’d been protecting. It had also destroyed his business and left him with scars—both mental and physical—which he carried to this day.
“I’ll take her,” he informed Luc.
To read the entire first chapter, please click
here
.
Forever Dante
(Lucia's Story), Available November 21st
Once Upon a Jinx
, Available November 1st
Once Upon an Enchantment
, Available December 31st
The Wedding Night
, Coming in 2014
The Secret Baby
, Coming in 2014
Mail-Order Wife
, Coming in 2014
Who's Holding the Baby
(Luc's Story), Available September 27th
Matteo, Coming in 2014
Nico (Nic), Coming in 2014
Brando (Bran), Coming in 2014
Dante, Coming in 2015
Gabriele (Gabe), Coming in 2015
To purchase any of these books, please
click here
.
I’d like to thank all of
The Dante Legacy
readers and fans who have written to request Primo and Nonna’s story. Their story wouldn’t have been written without your support and encouragement. I don’t think readers realize that authors really
do
listen to you! So, I encourage you to contact me at
mailto:[email protected]
anytime you have a suggestion or question.
I’d like to thank several people for their contributions to this book. First, my editor, Libby Sternberg. This was our first project together and I’m delighted to have found someone so in tune with what I was attempting to accomplish. In addition, I’d like to thank Jessica Lewis. This book would have been impossible without her formatting genius.
I’d also like to thank my Beta readers (aka my family). I wouldn’t be the writer I am without them. For this book, they were Hazen Totton and Adrienne Glendening Smith. Dre, your suggestions were fantastic. Thank you
so
much!
Finally, because of the setting and time period, a lot of research was involved. Even
Love, Day
* * *
Wacky comes naturally to Day Leclaire. It always has. Or maybe she’s just a trouble magnet.
Like the time she taught all the kids in her kindergarten class how to lock the bathroom stalls and slide out underneath. Or when she became the first kindergartner in the school’s history to get suspended, after starting a glue war to the tune of one carpet, ten emergency haircuts, fifteen shirts, three pants, and two pairs of sneakers. Or was it three pairs of sneakers?
Anyway, ten years later she came up with the bright idea to use her father’s street motorcycle like a dirtbike and crashed it while attempting a spectacular jump over two logs, a lawn chair, her brother, and the family St. Bernard. Brutus survived. Her brother still has nightmares. The motorcycle was DOA. Day, only slightly bent, spindled, and mutilated, spent most of that year grounded.
Then there were all the times she wrecked the family car. Her parents were not amused. The insurance adjuster was. Eventually, he started answering the phone, “So, what’s she done now?”
Nowadays, when Day isn't wondering if her driving record wasn't the impetus for the "Mayhem" commercials, she's loving her SPCA foster dogs and playing The Sims 3 obsessively.
Day also writes with equal obsession, and loves to play god with the fabulous characters and settings she creates—all within the confines of her computer world, of course. Or so she claims…
Day loves getting to know her readers.
Visit her at
www.DayLeclaire.com
or
Email her:
[email protected]