Page 24 of Incognito

“The business world is cutthroat,” he said. “And I can see why this hotel means so much to you.”

He raised his glass in the general direction of the mahogany woodwork and brass sconces, and she sighed in relief. He’d bought her brush-off.

“You have done a marvellous job here. I’m not surprised you agreed to my outlandish proposal if I can help you let the world know about this.”

She almost choked on her wine, clearing her throat with a few discreet coughs. If he only knew her real motivation…

“Being your personal assistant for a week isn’t so bad.”

“But vetting animals and jumping castles is,” he said, his smile crinkling the laugh lines around his eyes and adding to his charm. “I’m not sure what to expect.”

She relaxed, the wine warming her from the inside out while the easygoing camaraderie they shared surrounded her in a comforting cocoon. “In this business, I’m used to handling anything, so stick with me and you’ll be fine.”

“Does that mean you’ll protect me from rabid raccoons and scary clowns?”

“I’ll let you in on a secret.” Crooking her finger at him, she leaned forward. “We don’t have raccoons in Melbourne, let alone rabid ones. As for the clowns, they’re just adults playing dress-ups to earn a living. But rest assured, if Your Highness is in any danger from cute furry animals or entertainers with red noses and floppy feet, I’ll protect you.”

H joined in her laughter and she leaned back, the sting of tears taking her completely by surprise.

Tears? What the hell? She never cried. Not anymore. She’d shed enough to fill the Pacific Ocean when she discovered the truth behind Clay’s impulsive proposal, and later, over her mother’s death. Tears were wasted, futile, and draining.

She had more important things to worry about these days, like Telford Towers surviving.

If a glass of wine and some light-hearted conversation made her this maudlin, she’d never make a dating diva. Her impulsive decision to share a drink with Dante would definitely be her last if this was her reaction to momentary intimacy.

Forcing a hearty chuckle, she ignored the real reason behind her sudden self pity. She liked the warmth, the shared conversation, the time spent with Dante, and the thought that she would soon lose it saddened her more than she expected.

Silly, because she didn’t have to think beyond tomorrow, or next week. She could enjoy his company, maybe a dinner. With her confidence at an all-time low due to her screw-up with Clay resulting in the hotel being under threat, what better way to rebuild it than with a guy who looked like Dante paying her compliments?

Mistaking her downturn in mood, he said, “Forgive my lame attempts at humour. I’ll be fine with the animals, even imaginary raccoons, I promise.”

Natasha drained her glass and placed it on a coaster on the side table. “Your humour is fine, it’s this marvellous wine that has me rather tired and drifting off. I’m sorry for being such poor company.”

As if sensing her need for solitude, he placed his half-empty glass on the table and stood, extending a hand to help her up.

“I’m being insensitive. You’ve worked hard all day in the hotel and then I’ve made you work even harder with my business. Thank you for sharing the wine and your company, but it is time to say goodnight.”

She accepted his hand, her knees wobbling slightly as she stood, though that had nothing to do with the fine wine and everything to do with the finer prince’s welcoming touch.

“Thank you,” she said, matching his formality, her heart sinking at the yawning gap between them.

He may try to look the part of a bad-boy but when he spoke like that, he drew her attention to their differences and put her fanciful imagination firmly back in place. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Until then,” he murmured, the glint in his eyes implying he couldn’t wait.

For an insane second she thought he would raise her hand to his lips and kiss it. Instead, he gave it a gentle squeeze and released it, acute disappointment effectively dousing the alcohol in her system.

She managed a tremulous smile as they parted in the foyer, her stomach doing flips as she watched him enter the lift and send her a snappy salute.

Crazy. She had to be one hundred percent crazy for turning what could’ve been a pleasant evening into a tense mess.

She’d been so busy mulling over Dante’s intentions, wondering if he was toying with her, if there was more behind needing her help with his ‘family business’, to consider the situation rationally. A charming prince who cared about his nephew had asked for her help and all she did was second-guess him. What an idiot.

She could blame her edginess on her confidence being at an all-time low, but at what point did she stifle her inherent insecurities and start trusting again? She didn’t have to impress Dante, just lighten up a little and enjoy his company. No big deal.

With a new resoluteness, Natasha straightened and headed for her office, vowing to loosen up around Dante, starting tomorrow.

14

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