Page 8 of Incognito (Royally Reckless #1)

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D ante shrugged out of his leather jacket, tossed it on the bed, and headed for the bathroom. He needed a shower. A cold, masochistic shower considering what he’d just done.

“You didn’t play fair,” he muttered to his unshaven reflection in the huge mirror above an equally large marble basin as he braced himself against it.

Then again, who said anything about playing?

Adjusting the flick-mixer, he splashed icy water on his face and dabbed it with a baby-soft towel that smelt like freshly squeezed lemons. Only the best for Telford Towers, and that extended to its stunning stand-in concierge who took her job to extremes.

He shouldn’t have kissed Natasha.

He knew that.

She knew that.

But he’d gone ahead and done it anyway, giving her some lousy excuse about using her as his girlfriend to put that crazy jerk who’d been following him off the track.

He’d had it all worked out: get her to meet him out the front of the hotel, slip a casual arm around her shoulders, give her a quick peck on the cheek, and stroll to the nearest café like they’d intended on meeting all along.

Instead, the moment he caught sight of her, all fresh-faced and righteously indignant, his plans for a quick peck took on a life of their own and he’d swept her into his arms before he could think twice.

At least the ruse had worked.

But at what cost?

He’d sensed a connection between Natasha and her ex, some unfinished business. Unresolved feelings perhaps?

If he’d jeopardised something for her, he should feel bad. Instead, the thought of that supercilious creep anywhere near the petite brunette made him want to order a royal head-lopping—if they still went in for that sort of thing in the twenty-first century.

The jerk had been rude, arrogant, and condescending, and he couldn’t see a feisty woman like Natasha putting up with him.

Then again, what did he know about women? His sister Gina was driving him mad, and his mother would have him married off the second he set foot back on Calida.

Speaking of Gina, the way Natasha had handled the situation earlier could make her the perfect candidate for what he had in mind.

After what happened earlier today, he couldn’t handle Gina and her idiosyncrasies alone, that much was clear.

He needed the help of a woman, a very astute woman who could handle anything, and more.

Thankfully, Natasha could be just the woman he needed.