Page 63 of Incognito

Her fantasy bubble popped and reality set in with a vengeance.

She couldn’t marry Dante, no matter how much she loved him.

They came from different worlds, a monstrous gulf of protocols and class and propriety separating them. She’d never been a snob but she’d worked with his class of people her entire life, had seen the differences, the subtle ways in which they separated from everyone else.

For those like Dante, it wasn’t a conscious thing, it was part of who he was, a birthright.

She would never fit in.

No matter how many etiquette lessons she had, no matter how hard she tried to blend in, she would never be good enough, and she’d had enough of having her self esteem trampled, of feeling secondbest.

Dante loved her and that should be enough.

But it wasn’t. She’d heard about his mother, she’d seen how pushy and over-confident Gina was, and she couldn’t stand up to that type of barrage long term.

At the start, in the honeymoon period, maybe, but sooner or later she’d find herself on the outer and the thought of Dante’s love turning to despair when he looked at his out of place wife made her want to run out the door and never look back.

“I’m sorry, I can’t,” she said, stepping out of the comforting circle of his arms, cold loneliness replacing the warmth of his body.

His eyes widened with shock, his mouth a perfect O, as if he never dreamed she’d refuse him.

“Your answer is no?” He blanched, disbelief accentuating the grooves bracketing his mouth.

Natasha almost capitulated, hating the pain slashing his proud features, knowing it must reflect her own.

She had no choice.

She had to make the logical decision, the safe decision, for both of them.

“Dante, listen to me. You’re an incredible man, but we’re too different. We’re worlds apart in every way and I don’t think I’m the right woman for you. Your bride, the future queen of your country, needs to be someone in sync with you, with your family, and unfortunately I don’t fit the bill. I’m sorry.”

The words caught in her throat, her refusal every bit as painful as losing him. However, this time would be worse, because when he exited her life now, she knew he loved her.

Her heart warred with her head, urging her to throw every common sense reason why they shouldn’t be together out the window and follow him to the ends of the earth.

But she’d never been the frivolous type, never would be. Life consisted of responsibilities and she couldn’t change how she thought, just like Dante couldn’t change his birthright.

“I understand your concerns,” he said, not appearing fazed in the slightest at her refusal.

If anything, he squared his shoulders, stood taller, and the corners of his too-kissable mouth twitched as if he knew the punch line of some upcoming joke.

“You’ve made some valid points, Tasha. Yes, we’re different, and yes our worlds are far apart, but these obstacles can beovercome by one thing.” He snapped his fingers. “As it happens, it is the one thing you haven’t mentioned.”

“What’s that?”

His eyes twinkled and he actually smiled, setting her pulse racing double-time when it had barely slowed to an acceptable rate after that sizzling kiss.

“Love,” he said, pronouncing it with the importance of bestowing a title on her. “You have mentioned connections and the like, I’ve said I love you, but you haven’t said you love me.”

“What makes you think I do?”

She avoided his gaze, looking anywhere but at those all-seeing eyes that wouldn’t let her get away with anything let alone a blatant lie.

Silence descended, a taut, tension-fraught silence that stretched for endless moments, the type of uncomfortable silence neither of them wished to break.

“If you say you don’t love me or you still have feelings for your ex, I’ll leave. It’s as simple as that,” he said, his low voice compelling, urgent, tugging at her heartstrings until she finally raised her eyes to his, knowing she couldn’t do it.

She’d always been honest, brutally so at times, and now, when her future depended on a big, fat lie, she couldn’t do it.

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