Page 14 of Incognito (Royally Reckless #1)

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“ N ot a racoon in sight.” Dante smiled and made an exaggerated swipe at his brow as he bent over to pick up a rabbit.

“Lucky for you,” Natasha said, her gaze riveted to Dante’s denim-clad butt. There was no harm in looking. She could appreciate a fine tail—the rabbit’s, of course—like the next girl.

“We don’t have places like this in Calida. I’m impressed.”

Dante picked up the white furry rabbit and cuddled it close against his broad chest while she quickly looked away before she drooled all over him.

The guy was gorgeous, rich, genuinely nice, and loved animals?

There had to be a catch.

Maybe he hid a pointy tail beneath those faded jeans and kept his pitchfork in the closet?

“The animals are cute,” she said, picking up a Dalmatian puppy and laughing as it licked under her chin. “Make that seriously cute.”

“You are correct,” he said, his gaze unerringly locked on her and not on the wriggling puppy in her arms.

Heat crept into her cheeks as she bent down and placed the puppy next to its siblings, giving it a final pat with reluctance. One of the drawbacks of spending her life growing up in a hotel was the no pets policy. She’d drooled over other kids’ guinea pigs and kittens at school but it wasn’t until recently that she craved the company and unconditional love of a pet.

Dogs didn’t turn on their buddies—unlike smarmy fiancés.

Standing and dusting off her turquoise jacket, she said, “Okay. From what we’ve seen today, the animals are a hit, so I’ll organise the party booking. How does the day after tomorrow suit? Eleven a.m.?”

“Sounds good,” Dante said, grinning at her like she’d worked some kind of miracle rather than find suitable entertainment for his nephew’s party.

“That’s settled then.”

But Natasha didn’t move. She wanted to, but her feet wouldn’t cooperate. Instead, her attention stayed riveted to Dante’s hands and the gentle way they stroked the quivering rabbit, which had stilled and seemed quite content to burrow into his arms.

She couldn’t blame the bunny for that. It looked like an extremely comfortable place to be.

His hand smoothed the rabbit’s fur repeatedly, soft, rhythmic strokes with those strong yet elegant hands, a gentle lulling motion she could’ve watched forever. While silently wishing for a pair of long ears and a fluffy tail.

“Shall we check out the jumping castles next?”

She tore her gaze away from his hands to meet his, hoping she wouldn’t blush. Curiosity lit the blue depths of his eyes and she mentally slapped herself for being so out of touch with men that the mere sight of one patting a rabbit had her hypnotised.

“Sounds like a plan,” she said. “Meet me at the front desk and we’ll finalise the deposit for the mobile animal farm. Then we can move onto something you’ll be great at testing out.”

His forehead crinkled in confusion and she chuckled. “Castles? You being royalty and all? Or has this anonymity thing for a week gone to your head?”

He chuckled, and it sounded forced, lacking genuine amusement.

“Do you live in a castle?”

They hadn’t talked about his sovereignty. In fact, they hadn’t talked much at all unless it involved perpetuating his subterfuge, organising his nephew’s party, or her lack of social skills. What better way to loosen up a little and learn something about the prince in the process?

“Yes, I live in a castle. It has been in my family for generations,” he said, placing the rabbit back with in its pen and dusting off his hands.

Okay, so he didn’t want to elaborate. Maybe if she lightened the mood he’d be more forthcoming?

“Complete with drawbridge, moat, and dungeons?”

His mouth twitched. “No, but it does have a fire-breathing dragon, whose name is Elena.”

“Sounds harmless enough.”

He rolled his eyes. “You haven’t met my mother.”

Natasha laughed, enjoying Dante’s reversion to teasing and funny. She didn’t like the serious expression she’d glimpsed earlier, like he shouldered the weight of his country on his shoulders.

“Is your mother that bad?”

“She’s been trying to marry me off for years, and it looks like my stalling tactics won’t work much longer.”

“Oh?”

“Mother’s ageing. She wants to hand over the throne to me as soon as possible, but I need a wife for the country to take me seriously, for the people to see me as a genuine monarch and not some playboy prince.” He grimaced. “She’s becoming relentless in her endeavours and quite frankly, I’m sick of running from the responsibility.”

“That’s a big responsibility,” she said, her heart sinking that this vibrant, fun-loving guy would be forced into a marriage he didn’t want.

Though in all honesty, the thought of Dante married upset her more than the prince having his freedom curtailed.

Not that she should care. He’d be out of her life once his business in Australia concluded and she’d never hear from him again.

Exactly why her plan to lighten up wasn’t such a great idea; it led to all sorts of fantasies, like seeing herself living in a fairytale castle beside her prince charming just like she’d always imagined as a little girl growing up.

But life wasn’t a fantasy. Not for her.

She had harsh realities to face, and responsibilities to shoulder. She could empathise with him in that regard.

“Let’s not talk about that now. I’d prefer to concentrate on my time here in Melbourne,” he said, laying a guiding hand in the small of her back and propelling her towards the barn door. “If my carefree days end when I return to Calida, I intend to make the most of my stay in your beautiful city.”

“Good idea,” she said.

An excellent idea that made perfect sense. Then why the awful feeling that she was just another Melbourne attraction he intended on having a little fun with before he ascended to the throne?

Is that what she wanted? To have fun, flirt, and relax with a guy who wouldn’t pressure her?

Of course she did. She’d decided as much last night after her chat with Ella. Then why the hollow, empty feeling that there was more to life than fun?

For a girl who hadn’t had any light-hearted fun in a long time, she shouldn’t even be thinking long term. That’s what had got her into trouble with Clay in the first place: limited dating history, falling for the first man to pay more than two seconds attention to her, envisaging their white wedding way too early.

With Dante, she had a golden opportunity to ease back into casual dating with a little harmless flirtation. She shouldn’t be worrying about whether he was dabbling with her.

She needed to live a little, and what better way that with a handsome, laidback, prince?

“Is something wrong?”

Realising she hadn’t moved past the doorway, she shook her head and sent him a confident smile. “No. Just thinking about how much fun I’m going to have watching you test the jumping castles.”

“Is that right?” His answering smile warmed her insides, like the richest, sweetest, hot chocolate.

“That’s right. So come on, Your Highness. Let’s see what you’re made of.”

As they left behind the smells of warm, clean animals and dry hay, Natasha knew that whatever happened, she intended on making the most of her limited brush with royalty.