Page 31 of Incognito

He tut-tutted in disapproval. “We all have choices to make, and when thoughtless people make stupid choices that affect their family, it’s unforgivable.”

Icy tentacles of dread seeped through her veins.

What would Dante think of her choices?

The stupid choices she’d made and how they’d adversely affected her family?

He’d probably look at her with the scarcely disguised contempt he felt for his sister’s choices and she would hate that. She didn’t want him to see her as some pathetic loser who’d fallen for a slick charmer determined to get what he wanted right from the start. She didn’t want him to see her as anything other than the woman he’d stared at with desire a scarce hour ago.

Thankfully, he would never know about her past, and with a little luck, he’d play a major role in shaping her future.

The publicity from his stay at the hotel would be a goldmine. It had to be.

“If you’d rather not talk about this, I understand,” she said, determined to change the subject. “Sorry for bringing it up.”

He waved away her apology. “Don’t be. You were simply curious about my family. I should be the one apologising to you for airing my family’s dirty sheets.”

The corners of her mouth twitched. “Dirty laundry, you mean?”

He snapped his fingers and finally smiled. “Yes, you are correct. My English lapses sometimes.”

“Your English is perfect. In fact, I was surprised you didn’t have an Italian accent when we first met but assumed spending the bulk of your education in the UK took care of that.”

A thoughtful gleam glowed in his eyes. “You know about my background? You studied me?”

“An important part of my job is to know about the VIPs who stay at the hotel. And as you said when we first discussed mehelping you to go incognito for a week, anyone would research royalty staying at their establishment.”

It sounded plausible, if she could control the heat seeping into her cheeks.

“Attention to detail is very important and a highly regarded asset in an employee,” he said, his steady gaze flicking over her hair, her face, and settling on her lips, sending her blush out of control.

Thankfully, the long overdue appearance of a waiter saved her from responding, and while they made hasty choices from the menu and placed their order, she deliberately avoided looking at him.

However, once the menus were gone, the pasta ordered, and the wine glasses filled, she had no option but to stare at the man slowly but surely driving her crazy.

“You have done a superb job with every task I have set and been patient with me as I asked a lot of you. I am eternally grateful.”

He raised a glass of Chianti her way, something in his tone alerting her that he wanted to say more .

“And?” She prompted.

He took a sip of wine, placed the glass on the table, and smiled. “And I have one more favour to ask, though after our earlier conversation I won’t be surprised if you say no.”

“Try me.”

For a second, his blue eyes flashed danger, desire, and a host of infinitesimal possibilities, and she quickly rephrased, petrified by the glimpse of ‘what if’ in those aquamarine depths.

“I can’t respond if you don’t ask.”

He clasped his hands, placed them on the table, and leaned forward. She imagined he would look like this when handing down some royal verdict on an indecipherable problem of the world.

“I would like you to be at Paolo’s party. You have made the arrangements seem effortless and I know having your presence there will ensure that nothing goes wrong.”

Uh-oh. Doing a bit of easy legwork was one thing, fronting up to a pushy princess and fending off a dozen two year olds?

No way.

“Please?” His steady gaze implored her and her resolve to refuse wavered. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but you are remarkable, Natasha. You have to know that.”

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