Crowning His Unlikely Princess

Snapping the lid closed on her laptop, Cassidy gave a guilty start.

‘It’s not really work, it’s—’ She groaned softly when the printer started up on the bench space, drawing his attention. Before she could react Logan had crossed the room in three long strides and retrieved her letter. Scanning the page, he lifted his blue eyes to hers, his gaze glittering with an unnamed emotion that made her shiver.

‘I have to say this appears to be an extreme case of morning-after regret,’ he said, his voice lethally soft.

She smiled as if nothing was out of the ordinary when all she could think about was how his mouth had felt, exploring her body. ‘It’s not regret.’ It was a simple case of self-preservation. ‘I know my resignation might be a surprise, and this was certainly not the way I planned to tell you, but... I think it’s for the best.’

‘Do you?’ He came to a stop in front of her and dropped the letter on the table. ‘Exactly how did you plan to tell me?’

Shifting on her seat, she felt a pleasurable sensation pulse through her lower body, a reminder of everything they had done the night before. ‘I hadn’t got that far. I was still working it out. But I had already decided to resign before the ball.’

‘Why?’

‘Because you’ll be living in Arrantino permanently and my life is in New York.’

‘You could easily relocate. It’s not like you have anything tying you to New York other than your sister.’

‘Gee, thanks for pointing that out.’

‘You know what I meant.’ He ran a hand through his hair, reminding her of how thick and soft it had felt under her fingers. ‘If you’re worried about not seeing your family I’ll happily provide you with regular trips home to visit them.’

‘That’s very kind of you but—’

‘But this has nothing to do with logistics, does it?’

Frustrated that he wouldn’t just accept her resignation at face value, Cassidy let out a controlled breath. ‘I’ve seen you naked. You’ve seen me naked.’ Probably not the best thing to say, given the way his eyes darkened. ‘You have to admit that last night makes it impossible for us to work together.’

There was also the small situation of him having to marry and her having to be nice to a woman who would be sleeping with him every night. Something she would find too confronting for words.

‘I don’t admit anything of the sort. Sex, no matter how good, doesn’t have to ruin our professional relationship. We’re both mature adults who gave in to a moment of temptation. As long as we keep emotion out of the equation, things can go back to the way they were.’

The smile he gave her was gentle, almost tender, as if she were a small child needing to be placated.

Cassidy didn’t know what made her feel worse. The fact that he could so easily dismiss what had happened between them, or the fact that she couldn’t. Last night she hadn’t cared that she worked for him, or that there was no chance of a future for them together, or that he would never want more from her than sex. She hadn’t considered that she might already like him a little too much, or what would happen afterwards. All she’d thought about was the way he had made her feel. Beautiful. Wanted. Sensual.

Now she felt bereft. And she knew herself well enough to know that she would one day want more from him. So much more, and she would not let herself fall for another man who wouldn’t want her back.

Determined that this time she would hold her line with Logan, she pushed her glasses closer to her face and huffed out a breath. ‘I’m happy to keep emotion out of the equation,’ she said, resolutely ignoring the pang in her chest that said that last night had been unforgettable. ‘But I’m still resigning.’

Logan’s scowl deepened, his whole demeanour one of outrage. He paced away from her, his broad shoulders rigid. ‘You’re being stubborn.’

Cassidy’s eyebrow rose as if to say pot...kettle and his scowl deepened.

‘We make a great team. I’ve never had an assistant I’ve worked so well with before.’

Cassidy didn’t disagree with him, but knowing that her professional prowess was her most important attribute to him hurt, even though it shouldn’t.

‘We just need to compartmentalise what happened last night,’ Logan decreed. ‘Something you assured me you were extremely good at during your job interview.’

‘I thought I was good at it too.’ It was now very clear to her that she could strike that off her superpowers list. Or perhaps it was more that her ability, along with her intelligence, seemed to diminish to zero whenever he touched her.

‘Then do it now. Better yet, come to lunch with me.’

‘Lunch?’ She blinked, struggling to get her head around his sudden change in topic.

‘I promised Leo I would meet Elly today.’

She narrowed her eyes. ‘I don’t know that I should be there. I don’t think it’s—’