Page 7 of Royal Sin

Oh, great…if this prick blew my cover, I was screwed.

But I didn’t have to worry. The man fell back, staggering to keep his balance.

“She said no.” The words cut like the crack of a whip.

The man tugged his suit straight. “Hey, it’s a free country. Don’t hate on me for trying to score with her.”

A hard hand slid behind my back, fingers laying possessively against my side. Heat crawled over my skin. I moved instinctively back into Leonard’s hold, surprised at how natural it felt.

“That’s my wife you’re talking about,” he growled.

The heat ignited into a fire that concentrated deep in my belly. I couldn’t have planned that line of dialogue any better!

“Wife, huh?” The man looked me up and down. “Sorry man, didn’t see the ring.”

He mercifully turned and left us alone. For his sake, I was glad. I didn’t trust him not to take it further than necessary in his semi-inebriated state.

“Wife? Not a friend or girlfriend? We jumped straight to the altar?” I turned to face Leonard, feeling his hand still at my side, warm through the thin fabric of my dress. “That’s quite the cover story.”

His eyes glinted in the dim light. “Seemed effective.” He set down our drinks with his free hand. “Plus, a woman like you isn’t girlfriend material. Any man who didn’t put a ring on you would be an idiot.”

Whoa.My pulse quickened as he finally released me, sliding back into his seat. He barely knew me, and that was his reaction? I suddenly felt in over my head.

Clearing my throat, I took a more flirtatious tone. “I didn’t realize I needed protection tonight.”

“Everyone needs protection sometimes.” Leonard took a sip of his whiskey, watching me over the rim of his glass. “Eventalented writers who create worlds where shadow princes capture earthly maidens.”

I traced the condensation on my sparkling water. “You read a lot to know that.”

“Enough to be interested.” His voice dropped lower. “In both the story and its author.”

The saxophone started again, this time a slow, sensual melody that seemed to wrap.

“Well, thank you for saving me, but I have to go.” I slid from the seat. “My characters are stuck in a dungeon—and not the good kind!”

My voice rose an octave at the glint sparking in his eye.

“Perhaps, instead of letting Fate do all the work of throwing us together, maybe we can see one another again. Since we’re married, after all,” I added. “What if I buy you dinner for saving me from an uncomfortable situation?”

Leonard’s lips curved into a slow smile. “Dinner? I suppose that’s an appropriate gesture from a wife to her husband.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t suppress my own smile. “Tomorrow night? I know a place, a hidden gem, that does excellent pizza.”

I gathered my small clutch, enjoying this momentary upper hand. “Unless you’re afraid you’ll end up in my story?”

A slow smile spread across his face, transforming his features from merely handsome to devastating. “Afraid isn't the word I’d use.” He stood, towering over me. “Tomorrow. Eight o’clock. You’ll text me the address.”

“You don’t have my number,” I countered.

Leonard reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a business card, sliding it across the table. “Now you have mine.”

The heavy card stock felt substantial between my fingers as I slipped it into my clutch. “Baldwin Acquisitions,” I read aloud, then looked up with a teasing smile. “Very subtle.”

“I never claimed to be subtle.” His eyes held mine, unblinking. “Just effective.”

As I turned to leave, his voice stopped me. “One question before you go.”

I glanced back over my shoulder. “Yes?”

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