Page 62 of Modern Romance December 2025 1-4

She didn’t even look at him. Because she thought the person keeping her safe didn’t deserve courtesy?

You weren’t exactly courteous yesterday, were you? For once you didn’t bother to hide your feelings.

Fotis ignored his double standard. He wasn’t paid to be friendly. He wasn’t even being paid!

Yet her curt dismissal rankled. He didn’t want this woman’s attention but he was stuck with her. He loathed people who took what they wanted without gratitude for those who made their lives easy.

But last night he’d promised himself not to take his eye off the ball. He couldn’t let personal dislike interfere with that duty.

‘I’ll come in with you, no need to text.’

Thatearned him a sharp stare. Cool grey eyes surveyed him as if suspecting an ulterior motive. ‘It’s unnecessary.’

The car stopped and he glanced past her to the gold-and-cream awning leading into the showroom. The window display was artfully minimal and a couple of tourists took selfies.

‘Don’t worry, Princess. I won’t follow you into the changing room.’

He watched her eyes widen fractionally and her mouth tighten. To his surprise he felt a tug of satisfaction in his belly, knowing he could pierce her complacency.

‘Besides,’ he murmured, ‘it’s the perfect chance to be seen together as a couple. It would be wise to give our fake relationship a trial in public before tonight’s event. We need to look believable together.’

Her eyebrows lifted. ‘Frankly I don’t care if people believe we’re a couple.’

‘Do you really want to draw attention to the fact you need a bodyguard glued to your side rather than observing at a distance? That’s guaranteed to attract public speculation. It would draw attention away from the event and fix it squarely on you.’

Maybe that was what she wanted.

But when she blinked he was surprised to read uncertainty in her expression.

Since they’d met she’d been supremely confident. For a bare second she looked almost vulnerable.

‘Very well.’ Her voice was clipped. ‘You can come in. There’s a lounge area where you can wait. As for our relationship…’ Her head snapped around, eyes stormy. ‘Don’t sayanything, even if asked.’

‘Yes, ma’am,’ he drawled. ‘Whatever you say, ma’am.’

Did her lips twitch? He couldn’t tell if it was amusement, annoyance, or a trick of the light. Before he could be sure she turned towards the door.

‘Wait! Don’t get out until I’m there.’

Did this woman have no idea of basic safety precautions? Shemusthave had close personal protection before. It was an intrinsic part of being royal.

He filed that away to ponder later.

Fotis got out and walked around the rear of the limo. As arranged, the driver stayed behind the wheel, ready to accelerate to safety if need be. After surveying the street, Fotis opened the back door, keeping his focus more on their surroundings than her. A professional guard, a man he’d known in the military, strolled towards them down the pavement as if merely passing. Everything was under control as planned.

Yet Fotis’ concentration splintered as he put his hand to her elbow to usher her towards the building.

The sudden, visceral response to his flesh touching hers stunned him. There was rocketing heat and a blast of awareness that made his fingers tighten on her cool, bare arm while everything inside him tensed. Withneed.

Forcing out the air trapped in his lungs, he withdrew his hand, holding it behind her back as they walked through the door that opened for them.

Repressing a scowl, Fotis nodded to the doorman and forced himself to take in their surroundings. The likelihood of a threat inside here was slim but even so…

Looking for threats took his mind off that powerful stab of awareness when he touched her.Sexual awareness.

Grim amusement eddied. It was laughable, of course. He wasn’t masochistic enough to hanker after a woman like her. She had too much in common with his hedonistic, social butterfly mother, a type he’d always avoided. His reaction now was his body’s way of reminding him he hadn’t been with a desirable woman for…how long?

Fotis jerked his attention to his charge, now surrounded by fawning female attendants. He took his place beside her, preternaturally aware of her as if he’d entered a force field. His skin tingled and his hands flexed as a phantom drift of cinnamon teased his nostrils.