Defying the Prince

‘Izzy?’

He vaulted the ropes and she took an involuntary step backwards. After what had happened the night before she didn’t trust herself to be that close to him, especially when he was looking like a modern-day version of Hercules.

‘How long have you been standing there? I gave orders I wasn’t to be disturbed.’ He reached for a towel he’d slung over a bench and draped it round his neck. His muscles were pumped up and hard and her mouth dried because she’d had her hands on those muscles and she wanted to put her hands on them again. And because she was desperate to stroke and touch, she kept her eyes fixed on his face and didn’t look at his body.

‘I wanted to see you before I left.’

‘Left?’ Frowning, he reached for a bottle of water. ‘Where are you going?’

‘Home.’ It was hard to concentrate when all she really wanted to do was feast her eyes on gleaming bronzed skin and vibrant masculinity. ‘This just isn’t working out for either of us.’

The prince turned to his opponent, who had been hovering at a respectful distance, and said something in Italian that must have been a dismissal because the man melted away, leaving the two of them alone.

Izzy watched him go with mixed feelings. ‘You knocked him down and you didn’t even say sorry.’

‘He knocked me down in yesterday’s session.’ Unapologetic, Matteo drank. ‘It’s training. It’s not personal.’

‘You did this yesterday?’

‘I box every day.’

‘Why?’

He lowered the bottle slowly. ‘Fitness training. And, Izzy, you’re not going home.’

‘Most people just use treadmills and weights,’ Izzy said absently. ‘And I am going home. If you were a decent person you’d be considering my feelings and not just your own.’

‘I am considering your feelings.’

Tense and exhausted, Izzy exploded. ‘No, you’re not! If you were considering my feelings you would have given me a big hug last night or said something nice and caring, instead of which you stood as far away from me as possible and proceeded to make me feel smaller than plankton.’ She registered the astonishment in his eyes and ploughed on. ‘Not that I was expecting much, but something a bit complimentary would have been nice and presumably there must have been something you liked about me or you wouldn’t have had almostsex with me in the first place, and to go from that to realising that the man you’ve just had almost-sex with is only thinking about himself is frankly really depressing. It’s not easy keeping your self-esteem intact in this world where so many people want to put you down. So basically I’m leaving before I develop performance anxiety and while I still have the confidence to travel unaccompanied.’ Hating herself for being so open when he was so closed, Izzy went to stalk past him but he took a step and blocked her path.

‘Last night I was not thinking about myself.’

‘Yes, you were! You felt remorse because you let your precious control slip, not because you cared about me. You were furious with yourself for dropping those rigid standards you’re so proud of. And actually, it’s all very confusing. You’re like two different people. I get the occasional glimpse of this wild side of you, and by the way I quite like that side, and then you lock it down. What’s wrong with losing control once in a while?’

‘I don’t have a wild side.’

‘Tell that to a woman you haven’t flattened against a pillar.’ Still not looking at him, she tried to push her way past him but he didn’t budge. ‘Excuse me!’

‘I’ve really upset you.’ His voice was deep and rough and played havoc with her insides.

‘Yes, you have upset me. Now move before I hurt you.’ Before I give in and look. ‘And don’t think those muscles will save you because there are moves I know.’

There was a pause and then she felt his hands close over her arms.

‘You know moves?’ His fingers were gentle and there was a hint of humour in his tone. ‘Are those the same moves you showed me last night?’

Her heart rate accelerated at an alarming rate. ‘You had your chance to talk about last night and you blew it. Now we’re just going to forget it.’

‘I hope you’re having more success at that than I am.’ His fingers slid under her chin and he gently lifted her face. ‘You’re not leaving, Izzy.’

‘You kept me here because you were worried the press would be more interested in me than my sister, but that’s all fine now. The whole country is excited about the engagement. Everyone is happy and I’m going to go home and keep a low profile. And that’s fine. Frankly I’m fed up with being a national joke….’ Finally she looked at him and her voice trailed off as she noticed the vicious-looking scar that puckered the skin on his otherwise smooth, muscular torso. It started under his ribs and carried on around his back. How could she not have noticed that before? ‘What … what happened to you?’ Shocked, Izzy lifted a hand to touch the scar but he released her instantly and stepped back, his expression blank.

‘Nothing.’

‘You see? You’re doing it again.’ The fact that he didn’t trust her hurt more than anything that had gone before. ‘You know every sordid detail of my life and I haven’t even bothered to try and hide it, but when I ask you about yours you lock it all down and tell me “nothing,” but it must have been a hell of a nothing to leave scars like those.’ She breathed deeply, wondering why her emotions were always so exaggerated around this man. ‘I’m leaving because I’m not getting anything done here and because this whole thing is getting too complicated. Good luck with the concert.’

Just about maintaining her dignity, she shot past him out of the door but she’d barely gone five steps when he spoke.