Sweet on You (20 page)

Daniela looked around the room, in shock. It was like Nonna used to do—crazy and over the top. She inhaled the scent of Christmas, of pine and spice, and she could almost feel her grandmother standing next to her, grinning in delight.

"It looks like a Christmas store exploded in here," Treat said.

"It looks like our grandmother's home." Tony shook his head, a smile flirting with his lips. "She got a little crazy around the holidays."

Eve took Treat's hand. "We'll get out of your way, since everything looks okay. Call me tomorrow, Daniela. I want to hear everything."

Daniela bussed her friend's cheek. "Thank you."

Grinning, Eve shrugged. "I should thank you. This is going to make for a good story for my patrons tomorrow. Talk to you later."

Hands on her hips, she turned around and surveyed the room again. Amazing. "Did you do this?"

"No, but I wish I had. It's brilliant." He checked the tag on the present. "It's for you, of course."

"Check the stocking, your coal is probably in there," she said as she headed to it.

"Ha ha." He stared at the package. "What do you think it is?"

"I don't know." She picked it up. It was surprisingly light, like there was nothing inside. She shook it but nothing happened.

"Well, we know it's not a puppy," her brother said. "Open it."

She sat on the floor and tore open the wrapping. There was endless tissue inside. When she reached the bottom of the box, there was a thick envelope. She opened it. "It's a legal document," she said with a frown.

"Is someone suing you for Christmas?" Her brother looked over her shoulder.

"No, it seems like someone is giving me a building," she said slowly, flipping through the pages.

"Let me see." He reached to take the document from her.

She held it out of his reach, scowling at him.

He grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. Habit. May I see it?" he asked sweetly.

She handed it over to him and began to pace. Maybe she read it wrong, but it seemed like Nico signed over the building to her. How?

Why?

"It seems Nico Cruz gave you a building for Christmas." Tony glanced up at her over the edge of the papers. "Cruz is the man you told me about?"

In a moment of weakness, she'd told her brother what had happened between her and Nico. He'd gotten so worked up, she'd had to sit on him to keep him from going to break Nico's legs. "That depends. Have you bought a firearm like you threatened?"

"Not yet, but there's still time." He handed her the papers. "He obviously cares about you, a lot, if he's just outright giving you the building he stole out from under you."

She stood up and studied all the decorations incredulously.

"Obviously you told him about Nonna's obsession with the holidays," her brother said as if reading her mind.

"Yes, but why would he bother to recreate it all? I don't get it. This took time."

"Are you sure you don't get it? Because it seems pretty clear to me. He cares about you. No man would go through this trouble, plus deed an expensive building to you, if you weren't important to him."

"I know!" she exclaimed. "That's what I don't get."

Tony shook his head. "You were never good at chess."

She stopped and glared at her brother. "What does that mean?"

"It means his move was to make amends in the only way he could. The next move is yours."

"Really?" Frowning, she considered it. What Tony said felt right though. "What play do I make?"

"Do you want to capture the king or not?"

She thought she was done with him, but she'd lied to herself. She looked around the room, everything he'd done with such care and thought. She saw the details that she'd told him about Christmas at Nonna's that he'd replicated and her heart melted all over again. "I want the king."

"I don't need to wish you luck." Tony took her by the arms and kissed her forehead. "You always make what you want happen."

She threw her arms around him. "I love you, Tony."

"Which is why I know you won't deny me the opportunity to threaten this Cruz guy with bodily harm if he does anything stupid ever again."

"I'm not sure that's in the job description for a business manager."

"No, but it is for a brother." He smiled at her. "So, can I give you a ride somewhere? My car's outside."

Tony dropped her off at the Mandarin Oriental. She made him drive fast, not because she was nervous and wanted to get it over with but because she was impatient.

She wanted Nico. She wanted to kiss him and to cook for him. Most of all, she wanted to love him.

After she made him grovel for what he'd done, of course.

She strode through the lobby, not caring that she looked a sight in her pajama bottoms, slippers, and sweater. She went to the front desk and looked the girl behind the counter in the eye. "I'm here to see Nico Cruz."

"Is he expecting you?"

"Yes," she said confidently, knowing without a doubt that Nico was waiting for her. He might not suspect that she was going to come at—she looked at the time—10:32 at night, but he knew she'd have to come see him.

It was the point of his gift.

She waited impatiently as the front desk girl made a call. A murmured conversation, and then the girl waved to a guard. "Please swipe this lady to the penthouse."

"Thank you," Daniela said, following the guard.

The man gave her a discreet look, a smile hovering at the corners of his mouth.

She smiled. "I'm dressed to kill."

"You stopped
my
heart," he said with a wink as the elevator doors closed.

She tapped her foot as the elevator zipped up the building to the top floor. She arrived with a soft ping, and the doors glided open.

Nico stood waiting for her at the edge of the living room. To someone who didn't know him, he'd have looked casual. Untucked dress shirt with rolled up sleeves. Hands in his jeans' pockets. Bare feet.

But she knew him, and she recognized that he was taut. His jaw clenched tight, as if wanting to let her speak first. His gaze rested on her intently, and he stood still as if he didn't want to scare her away. She had no doubt that he'd stuffed his hands in his pockets to keep from grabbing her.

It made her feel powerful.

It made her want to soothe him.

"That's my second favorite outfit of yours." She nodded at him as she stepped out of the elevator.

He glanced down at himself. "This?"

She nodded. "My third favorite is you in a tux, and my all-time is you completely naked."

He watched her approach, his gaze guarded. "I hope you're implying you might like to see me naked again at some point."

"I'm not implying anything." Letting him puzzle that out, she stopped in front of him. "You've been busy."

"I had to make up for lost time."

"I don't understand why you did it." She took the documents out of her pocket and waved them. "This is obviously important to you."

"Yes." He held out his hand. "Sit with me and I'll explain."

There was no question, no thought—she took his hand and sat next to him.

"My mother left when I was twelve, leaving me with my older brother, who was barely more than a child himself," he began after a moment. "He got us a little room in an old, rundown motel. He hated it. He used to talk about tearing down the building so no one would have to live in that sort of squalor."

"The Harrison building," she said with dawning comprehension.

"I always thought it was both tragic and ironic that Eddie ended up dying there. The gang he'd been trying to evade dumped his body on the sidewalk out front." Nico faced her. "I promised Eddie that day I'd see the building destroyed. But some promises need to be broken. Eddie would have wanted it this way."

She gripped his hand, tears flowing down her cheeks, feeling the pain he was obviously feeling. She knew he spoke about both the past and the present, and her heart broke for him. She wanted to take him in her eyes and tell him he could tear down the building and put up a parking lot for all she cared.

But that wasn't what he needed, she realized. If he'd needed it, he'd have done it. He needed
her
.

The clarity was so sudden she almost expected to hear a chorus of angels. She shook her head. She should have realized it sooner. "You need me," she repeated out loud.

"Yes." He started to reach out to her face, but he pulled back. "I should have realized it sooner. I'm sorry I didn't. I'm especially sorry I hurt you."

"I didn't think men apologized."

"We do when it benefits us, and I have ulterior motives."

She moved closer, so she smelled the laundry fresh scent of his clothing and the spiciness she knew was all him. "What sort?"

He took her hand. "I have a business proposition to discuss with you. A merger."

"That sounds serious."

"It is. It's irrevocable." He tugged her onto his lap. "Once you agree, there's no going back."

"What are the terms?"

"Forever. Non-negotiable."

She looked around the grand hotel suite. "We may have to relocate the headquarters. I have a lot of pans."

"We can discuss that."

"And we need to discuss whether we want to expand."

He blinked, as though surprised by the thought. Then he said, in a voice full of emotion. "I'm in favor of expansion."

She pictured a little Nico sitting on the kitchen counter as she baked. She pressed a hand to her heart, the image filled it so fully. "I'd want rapid and aggressive expansion."

"I believe in going all out." He lifted her chin with his free hand. "But I have a couple more conditions of my own."

"I'm open to hearing them now."

"You have to leave your makeup all over the counter of my bathroom."

"
Our
bathroom," she corrected.

He smiled, but then he became all business again. "You're required to deposit underwear all over our headquarters."

She sighed dramatically. "I suppose I can arrange that."

"And you have to wear an apron when you bake.
Only
an apron."

"You drive a hard bargain." She slipped her arms around his neck. "But I think I can deal."

"Good."

She pressed her lips to his. It was reverent and slow, still spicy, but an element of care, as if they were both savoring the feeling.

Then he grabbed her closer, and it heated up.

He leaned backwards, until he reclined with her on top. She sat up and yanked her sweater off. "I thought of wrapping myself in a ribbon."

He watched her lift her shirt over her head. "You're a gift, regardless of how you're decked out."

Pausing, she looked at him, knowing she probably looked sappy. "I didn't thank you for my present," she said as she began to unbutton his shirt.

He shook his head, lifting up so she could push his shirt off him. "That was yours to begin with. I just returned it to the rightful owner. Before you say anything more, I know I'm doing the right thing. My brother knows it, too, I think."

She kissed him, her heart overflowing. She felt his hand snake under her pajama bottoms and she reached between them to undo his jeans.

They disengaged to discard the rest of their clothing and then clasped each other again, skin against skin, heartbeat against heartbeat.

Nico nuzzled her neck. "I wasn't sure I was ever going to get the pleasure of this again. I fucked up."

"You did." She arched her back to give him more targets. "Big time."

"Don't mince words," he said as he kissed his way down her torso to her breasts. Then he gazed into her eyes, cupping her face. "I couldn't decide what I missed more, your lovely face or the sweet smell of home you've given me."

Her heart expanded with love. "I'd have thought it'd be my body."

He grinned wickedly. "Maybe I was wrong."

"Don't worry." She lowered her mouth down to his. "I'll set you right."

Their embrace was one part him, an equal part her, liberally laced with passion, an extra serving of love, and a pinch of fairy dust. She saw sparks, fireworks, and rockets.

She felt his hands all over her, as though reclaiming lost territory. She pressed herself close, humming in need as his erection pulsed against her hip.

His hands speared into her hair, and he tugged her head back. "Condom?"

She swallowed, and then she shook her head. "Unless you aren't sure."

"Baby, I'm all in." He kissed her like she was treasure. As he slid into her, he brushed her hair from her eyes. "You're mine, Daniela."

She heard the future in his rough voice. She heard the passion and so much love that her heart overflowed. She squeezed him close. "I love you, too."

He thrust all the way into her, and she moaned. He paused there, his eyes squeezed shut.

So she took the reigns. She swiveled her hips, deep, faster and faster until they were sweaty. The couch squeaked, and her legs stuck to the surface. But she barely noticed—her entire focus was on Nico lying under her, the taut column of his neck as he struggled not to come, the desperate grip of his hands on her hips, the hard pulse of him inside her.

She could feel him escalate, and that brought her closer. "I can't hold out."

"Then come," he whispered darkly against her neck, driving into her.

She cried out just as he did. He stiffened under her as she undulated over him, wringing every last bit of pleasure from him.

She collapsed on top of him. "Checkmate," she whispered triumphantly.

Nico held her closer. "We both won."

She nodded, kissed his shoulder, and then sighed happily as she felt him stir inside her. "And I think we're going to win again, very soon."

Epilogue

Nonna always said the recipe for the perfect Christmas morning was equal parts sweet and bitter, sprinkled with joy and served with hope.

Daniela stood in the window of the kitchen nook and stared at the sunshine streaking across the sky. The sweet was Tony, Marley, and all her new neighborhood friends. The bitter was her grandmother being gone and her parents all the way across the world.