Ways To Ruin A Royal Reputation (Mills & Boon Modern) (Signed, Sealed…Seduced, Book 1) by Dani Collins (best ebook reader ubuntu .txt) 📗

Guillermo didn’t take the hint that he was dismissed. “Is dining with her a good idea? She’s very familiar. She makes frequent jokes.”

Dio aiutami, his patience was hanging by a thread. “Off with her head, then.”

“I’m merely pointing out that if she were a true British subject, she might understand the role of a sovereign, but she was born in America—”

“She has the gall to be an American? What will we do?”

“Signor, I wouldn’t want her levity or imprudence to cast any shadows upon you.”

“A moment ago, she was too colorful. Would she not cast rainbows?”

“She is already rubbing off on you if you’re not taking my counsel seriously. Ms. Miller is a poor fit for any palace endeavor,” Guillermo insisted.

“On the contrary, Amy understands influence and image better than you or I ever will. That’s why I hired her.” Luca was genuinely annoyed by his secretary’s snobbish dismissal of a woman who was a font of problem-solving ideas. She had quickly grasped the pros and cons of his unusual request and shaped a workable plan in the shortest possible time. She was the type of person he loved to hire. Instead, he was surrounded by stodgy relics who started their day by shooting protocol directly into their veins.

“I’m sure her image is what influenced you,” Guillermo sniffed.

“What are you implying?” Luca narrowed his eyes.

“Only that she’s very beautiful. The sort of woman who might charm and distract a man from his duties. Impact his judgment.”

“I hadn’t noticed,” Luca lied flagrantly, adding with significant bite, “But if you’re having trouble seeing past the fact she’s attractive, I’ll work with her personally. Safer for all.”

“Signor, I am perfectly capable of working with her.”

“But I’m not?” Luca was down to his last nerve. “I am thirty-one and the king. It’s time you trust me to know what I’m doing.” As I nuke my own life...but needs must.

Do you? Guillermo didn’t say it, but the words echoed around the room all the same.

“You’re dismissed.”

Guillermo closed the door on his way out with a firm click.

Luca hissed out a disgusted breath. Guillermo wasn’t stupid. Or wrong. If he’d been a true detriment to the family, the palace, or Vallia, he wouldn’t hold the position he did.

Luca was resolved, however, in giving up the crown. The part where he was all too aware of Amy’s attributes wasn’t part of the plan. He was crossing certain lines if only within his own mind, imagining how snugly silk and lace would sit against Amy’s skin. It reinforced temptations that were already difficult to resist.

And much as he was willing to appear fallible, he didn’t want to do anything that would sit on his conscience—like make an unwanted pass at an employee. Dignity and responsibility had been his watchwords all his life. He had never had room for even those small human mistakes that Amy found so forgivable.

Her accepting nature was as disarming as her sense of humor and sparkling beauty. He’d signed the contract she’d sent him so he knew she was legally bound to keep his secrets, but he was still unnerved at how easily he’d told her about his father. The night of his father’s death had been horrific and something he’d expected to take to his grave—even though it sat inside him like a boil.

Lancing that poison had been a profound relief. Maybe she was onto something about building rapport with her clients.

He choked on a fresh laugh as he recalled her blurted joke. Half-past oral sex and quarter till—

What had she been about to say? Doggy-style?

So inappropriate, considering their professional relationship, but damned if he wouldn’t recall that remark every time he looked at the sundial in future. And laugh instead of wanting to bash it apart with a sledgehammer.

He’d fought noticing how the graphic statues were affecting her as they walked through them. She’d been curious, as anyone would be. They were meant to be sexually provocative. He’d seen her blushes and lingering looks and the way her nipples had poked against the cups of her bra beneath the layer of her silk dress.

He’d had his own stiffness to disguise. In another life they might have had an entirely different sort of conversation among those athletic examples of libidinous acts, one that might have ended in an attempt to emulate—

Stop. He couldn’t let himself do this. He had hired her.

To ruin him.

And their conversation on how best to go about that had been some of the most amusing banter he’d enjoyed in ages.

Guillermo was right. Amy could be very dangerous to him on a personal level.

Even so, he glanced at his watch and decided he was hungry for an early dinner.

Amy eyed the slim-fit chive-green pants and the madras patterned jacket in pink and green and gold that she’d bought from the hotel boutique. They would work for tomorrow’s meeting with Luca’s gala committee, but it wasn’t a formal enough outfit for dining with a king.

She debated between the two tea dresses in the closet. One was a pale rose, the other a midnight blue. Both were exceedingly good quality, elegant and pretty, but so demure as to bore her into a coma while looking at them. That pastel pink with the long sleeves would make her skin look sallow, and its sweetheart neckline would have her begging for an insulin shot.

She tried on the blue. It had a round collar, cap sleeves and a sheer overlay on the A-line skirt. She was tempted to put her own leather corset belt over it, but tried the belt off the pink dress. It was a narrow plait with a spangled clasp that added some pop against the blue.

She ignored the closed-toe black patent leather pumps and put on her own silver-heeled stilettos. Then she pushed all her bangles so they sat above her elbow. She couldn’t hide the tattoo on her upper arm and