Santina's Scandalous Princess

His faint smile turned into a full-fledged grin. ‘Not even     close. On Monday you’ll be working up a sweat.’

‘Didn’t anyone ever tell you that women glow?’

‘Then on Monday you’ll be fluorescent.’

‘What a thought.’ She shook her head and refolded a T-shirt.     ‘You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?’ she said, without rancor. Something about     Ben’s blatant enthusiasm was almost catching.

‘I’m looking forward to starting the camp,’ Ben admitted.     ‘Getting out on the pitch.’

‘You said you played yourself?’

‘A long time ago.’

‘Most millionaires would just throw a pile of money at a     charity,’ Natalia said thoughtfully, ‘not get as involved as you do.’

For a second Ben looked almost trapped by her question, as if     she’d asked something embarrassingly personal. Perhaps she had. Then he shrugged     and said, ‘I like to be out there, actually playing. Coaching. It’s fun for     me.’

‘Now, fun is not a word I’d     associate with you.’

He slid her a sudden, sideways grin that ignited her senses.     ‘You don’t know me well enough to say that, Princess.’

‘Oh, really?’

‘Really. And wait until I get you out onto the pitch. We’re     both going to have a lot of fun.’

She grimaced. ‘That sounds like a threat.’

‘Consider it a promise,’ he told her, and she arched her     eyebrows.

Was he flirting? It felt like flirting.

‘If we’re going to have so much of your kind of fun on the     pitch,’ she said, ‘perhaps we should have my kind of fun before.’ As soon as she     spoke the words, she realized how provocative they sounded—almost as if she were     propositioning him. Still she smiled in challenge, refused to avert her gaze as     Ben stared at her speculatively, one shoulder propped against the doorway of his     office.

‘That sounds…intriguing.’

Natalia’s heart rate kicked up a notch. Didn’t it just. ‘How about a deal?’ she suggested. ‘I’ll experience     your kind of fun at camp, and you have to experience my kind of fun this     weekend. Going out,’ she clarified quickly, and felt herself blush as she     considered what he might have thought she meant.

‘Out where?’

‘I get to pick. It’ll be a surprise.’

‘And why should I do this?’ Ben inquired in a silky voice. ‘I     don’t need to make a deal, princess. You’re already here because I convinced     your father.’

‘Do it,’ Natalia told him, ‘because you want to.’ Ben’s gaze     blazed into her own and distantly she wondered what on earth she was doing,     daring him like this. Wanting him like this. And he     knew it. And maybe even wanted her too. It was crazy, scary, and yet she     couldn’t keep herself from it, from him, like a     child playing with matches. Someone was going to get burned.

‘All right,’ Ben said softly. ‘When?’

‘Tomorrow.’

‘Where?’

Natalia drew a steadying breath. How had this even happened?     How had they got to this place? ‘You can pick me up at the palazzo at noon.’

Ben was still gazing at her, his expression narrowed and     assessing, and Natalia had the strange feeling that he was as surprised as she     was that he’d agreed. That they were going out…tomorrow. Finally he nodded, and     Natalia managed an insouciant smile despite the thud of her heart and the     sickness of her palms. ‘Wear something nice. And don’t expect to be home until     late.’

‘Sounds like you’ve already got a plan.’

‘Maybe.’ She didn’t, not really, not beyond showing Ben what     fun could really mean. And it had nothing to do with football pitches. For a     second, she dizzily imagined just how much fun the     two of them could have. And then swallowed audibly.

Ben’s gaze still rested on her, considering, heavy, and once     more Natalia wondered just what on earth she was doing. Risking. Then, without     another word, the tension still tautening the air between them, he turned and     went into the office.