Crowning His Unlikely Princess

Leo gave her an amused glance. ‘You might be, but protocol dictates that I can’t. I’m obliged to follow my brother to the table and as his special guest you’re obliged to stay with me.’

‘Oh, I’m not his special guest. I shouldn’t even be here.’

‘Probably not. But you are so my advice is to relax and enjoy it.’

Cassidy pulled a face. ‘Any advice on how to do that when so many people are looking at me as if I’ve just landed from another planet?’

‘When in doubt just smile and nod. It’s always got me through when I’ve had to work a tough crowd.’

Hoping that this crowd wasn’t going to be any tougher to handle than her boss, Cassidy decided that now that she was here, wearing a dress that probably cost at least her monthly rental bill back in New York, she may as well make the best of it. At least until she could slip away unnoticed and collapse into bed with a film.

The line moved sedately toward the dining room like a procession of tourists lined up to get into The Met on a hot summer day, only much better dressed.

The cavernous dining room was dominated by three rows of glittering chandeliers and two long tables set with white tablecloths and gleaming silverware. Footmen stood to attention every few metres along the wall and Cassidy forced herself to concentrate on not tripping up in her new sky-high stilettos the exact colour of the dress.

Stopping beside Leo, Cassidy followed his lead and stood behind her chair, surprised when she looked up to find Logan directly opposite her.

When their gazes collided she felt all the air leave her lungs and suddenly she was back on the mat with him leaning over her, and she had a breathless feeling he was having the same thought.

Fortunately Leo murmured for her to take her seat, breaking the connection between them, and Cassidy let out a breath, telling herself that she had imagined the whole moment.

After that the dinner went surprisingly well. Leo was great company and the never-ending relay of mouth-watering dishes left little else to do besides eat and drink.

Of course she was conscious of Logan across from her the whole time, but fortunately he didn’t scowl at her as she imagined that he might after his terse greeting. Instead, his testy mood seemed to have evaporated as he conversed with the guests on either side of him. Which didn’t lessen her awareness of him, but it did mean that she could begin to relax and take in the splendour of her surroundings.

When the meal was concluded, Leo directed her to the ballroom, the largest room in the palace, with rich, red-flock-covered walls and gilt-edged thirty-foot-high ceilings with cherubs holding bows and arrows chasing each other across puffy white clouds.

Orchestra music drifted through the dazzling room that was bright and airy with the wall of French doors opened to take advantage of the balmy evening. Fairy lights twinkled like stars from the manicured gardens, beckoning guests to enjoy the stone terrace and tranquil surrounds.

Cassidy caught sight of Logan at the far end of the room, surrounded by a group of glittering guests. Wondering how many of those were the single women on his mother’s list, she reminded herself that she wasn’t going to think about that and turned to watch the crowd that had already taken to the dance floor.

‘Shall we?’

Flushed with exceptional wine and food, Cassidy pushed all thoughts of Logan and his mercurial moods to the back of her mind and took Leo’s hand. ‘Yes, please.’

After that the evening seemed to fly by. Cassidy felt as if she danced with every man at the ball. But it was either dance or feel out of place in the crowd of people that, after their initial surprise at finding that she worked for the new King, subtly dismissed her when they realised that she didn’t have a title preceding her name. Just as his mother had implied that it would.

To be fair, some of the guests were nice. Like the Italian twin countesses with whom she had passed a pleasant half-hour talking about the tricks identical twins played as children. But it had soon became apparent just how different their lives wer

e when they’d mentioned their summers spent in Portofino and shopping trips to Milan and Dubai. Cassidy hadn’t thought that taking her nieces on the subway to Coney Island and getting to the sales early at Macy’s quite cut it, and it had been a relief to accept the hand of the next man who had asked her to dance.

And it had taken her mind off the number of suitable women Logan had been dancing with all evening. A statistic she’d like to not have in her head, but which was firmly planted there by every person who commented on it whenever he came into view.

Dispirited by the fact that everyone wanted a piece of her boss, and that she was no different, she was contemplating whether to have another glass of champagne or to call it a night when Logan materialised in front of her.

‘I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Where are you going?’

Startled, Cassidy’s hand fluttered to her chest. ‘I was thinking of retiring for the night.’

Looking distinctly disgruntled, he shook his head. ‘Not yet you’re not. You’ve danced with every other man here tonight. Now it’s my turn.’

CHAPTER NINE

CASSIDY BERATED HERSELF when she automatically put her hand in Logan’s. She was so use to doing what he asked that she didn’t stop to question whether it was a good idea to dance with him, and before she could reconsider he’d swept her into his arms and out onto the dance floor.

And then she couldn’t really think at all with Logan’s large hand planted firmly against the centre of her back and one of hers captive in his other one as he pulled her against him.

Breathlessly aware that her composure had deserted her, she tried to stop her body from melting against his but it wasn’t easy when all he did was firm his hold on her when she tried to ease back.