Crowning His Unlikely Princess

‘Most of the people here are tourists who wouldn’t have a clue who I am. I’m not worried. So you shouldn’t be either.’

Unconvinced, because it was her nature to worry, Cassidy tried her best to look unconcerned. Logan might be right about the tourists not recognising him, but he clearly didn’t understand how appealing he was as a man, and she’d already noticed a couple of women giving him covetous glances as they crunched along the path.

‘Gran mundo means great world,’ he explained as they rounded a corner and Cassidy let out a reverent breath as the leafy foliage they’d passed through opened up to reveal an endless rugged coastline dotted here and there with colourful fishing villages nestled along the coast like jewels hanging from a golden chain.

‘Wow,’ she murmured softly, taking in the terraced vineyards and the ancient buildings that looked like they might topple from the rocky cliff face and straight into the azure sea at any moment. ‘It’s gorgeous.’ She turned her face to his with delight. ‘Thank you for bringing me here.’

‘It’s my pleasure.’ His voice had a rough edge that instantly sent spirals of need cascading inside her.

All day he had been a perfect gentleman, not touching her, as he had promised, and it had driven her insane. Especially when he had allowed himself to be coaxed into a game of hopscotch by a playful six-year-old. Before long they had all been playing the game, Leo and Logan naturally turning it into a testosterone-fuelled competition of who could best the other.

‘What are you grinning about?’

He stepped closer to her, a certain glint in his eye heating her blood even more.

‘I was remembering the game of hopscotch after lunch. It was nice of you to indulge Skylar. Especially since you had already read her favourite book to her before lunch.’

Logan shrugged. ‘I like her. The kid is so precocious I might offer her a position on my special council one day. To say that Leo will definitely have his hands full with that one i

s a gross understatement.’

‘So you think that he and Elly might work out?’

He saw the impish grin that crossed her face and tugged on the end of her ponytail. ‘Do you want to hear me say I was wrong?’

‘Yes.’ Her eyes sparkled. ‘It would be such a novelty. But truly I completely get why you were worried. I feel the same way about Peta. That day everything went wrong in your office I was reeling from the shock that she was engaged. I never imagined that she could trust someone enough to marry him after everything she’s been through. It seems like such a leap of faith, but the fact is she’s more of an optimist than I am. She thinks love is worth the gamble.’

Something in her eyes, a shadow of sorts, poked at the hard, solid barrier around his heart. ‘Maybe she’s right.’

‘You’re agreeing?’ She gave a startled laugh, shaking her head. ‘Now I’ve definitely heard it all.’

Logan moved closer so that he was blocking everything from her view but him. ‘Want to hear something else I might have been wrong about?’

‘What?’

Her voice was breathless with anticipation. ‘That we’d be able to resume our normal working relationship after last night.’

‘You don’t think we can?’

‘No.’ He took another step closer, effectively caging her in against the wooden safety barrier. ‘Do you?’

‘No.’ Her throat bobbed as she swallowed. ‘But I already knew that because... I... No, I don’t think we can.’

Logan tilted her chin up so that her eyes met his. ‘You were going to say something else. What was it?’

‘Nothing.’ She shook her head emphatically. ‘But I know I can’t work for you and I don’t want you to try and change my mind because I always cave in to what you want.’

‘I don’t intend to try and change your mind.’ He slipped his hand around to cradle the nape of her neck. ‘And now that we’ve established that you no longer work for me, I don’t have to worry about breaking any more rules with you.’

He nuzzled a few loose strands of her hair away from her neck, bracing his legs wide as he leaned in to kiss her.

She immediately opened to him, her small hands warm as she flattened them against his chest.

A low moan escaped from deep inside his chest as she responded to him, her hands moving up over his shoulders, her fingers tangling in the hair at the base of his cap. Feeling her unrestrained response, Logan put his arms around her waist and gathered her up against him.

The kiss went from ‘exploratory’ to ‘get a room’ within seconds and it was only a deeply ingrained sense of decorum from years of looking over his shoulder that had him pulling back.

Without her glasses Cassidy’s green eyes were like luminous pools of phosphorescence. Unable to hold back, he dipped his head and kissed her again. This time when he came up for air she leaned her forehead against his chest, panting softly.