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

It wouldn’t come out, she assured herself, while clammy fingers of apprehension squeezed her lungs. Was she being naive? Forewarned was forearmed. She ought to tell him.

It was so shameful, though. She hated to even recollect it. Trying to explain it, to dredge through the guilt and remorse and betrayal by her parents... His view of her would completely change. She didn’t want to ruin this newfound closeness between them. Not right now.

His chest rose and fell beneath her ear as he exhaled into sleep. She snuggled closer and let unpleasant memories drift away.

“How does it feel to no longer be the most noteworthy person in the room?” Luca’s twin asked as she appeared beside him.

Queen Sofia of Vallia was the height of elegance in one of their mother’s vintage gowns and a tiara from the crown jewel collection. Her attendance at the foundation’s gala was her first public event and their first appearance together since La Inversione, as the press had dubbed her bloodless coup.

Luca noted his sister’s gaze was on Amy where she swiveled for the relentlessly flashing bulbs around her. Was Sofia criticizing the attention Amy was garnering? A twist of hostility wrenched through him aimed at the one person he’d always vowed to lay down his life to protect.

He sipped his drink, dampening his desire to remind her that she had been elevated to her current position at Amy’s expense. “I never wanted to be. You know that.”

“I was teasing.” Her gaze narrowed at his tone. “You like her.”

Which made him realize he was overreacting, damn it.

“I don’t sleep with people I don’t like,” he muttered.

“Obviously. But you really like her. I was under the impression this was all for my benefit,” she mused, looking back at Amy with consideration.

He took another gulp of his drink, guilty because this wasn’t supposed to benefit him at all. Nothing was. Ever. He hadn’t saddled Sofia with running their country so he could enjoy a sexual romp.

“I’ll invite her to lunch,” Sofia said. “Get to know her better.”

“She’s due back in London as soon as we return from Tokyo.”

Her steady gaze asked, And then what?

He rubbed his thumb against the side of his glass, not ready to admit he was thinking of going there with her. There were so many variables and pitfalls. Sofia wasn’t married or even looking for a consort. The public might be for Queen Sofia, but many were still taking sides against Amy Miller for costing them King Luca.

“She handles it well, doesn’t she? Being in the sun,” Sofia mused.

Amy was winning people over one bright smile at a time, but the attention would never stop. Nor would the judging. It was a sad and relentless fact of his life that he had to remain above reproach. He couldn’t sentence her to those same strictures. Not forever.

Not when her smile was already showing signs of strain.

“Yes, but she’s not wearing sunscreen.” He set his glass on a drinks tray carried by passing waitstaff. “Excuse me while I rescue her.”

Amy gratefully went into Luca’s arms when he invited her to dance.

“How are you holding up?” he asked as he led her into a smooth waltz. Was there nothing this man didn’t do perfectly?

“I underestimated what I was asking of my clients in the past, when I’ve said, ‘Just smile while they take your photo.’ My fault, I guess, for choosing this dress.”

His expression flickered through amusement and ended up as something more contemplative. “There’s a commentary there on how much attention we give to what women wear, but I’d rather not think too hard when I’ve finally got you to myself.”

“I’ll wear a tuxedo next year,” she said, then faltered as she realized it sounded like she assumed she would be with him next year.

“Or pajamas,” he suggested.

She relaxed. “I’m glad they’ve been well received, but I can’t take the credit.”

“Why not? Sofia and I wouldn’t have ordered any if the option hadn’t been presented.”

Even so, the queen and former king had each preordered a hundred pair, asking that they be donated to long-term care facilities throughout Vallia. With that example set, guests were ordering in factors of ten, rather than the one or two pair Amy had anticipated.

“Do you want to visit the pajama factory while we’re in Asia?” Luca asked.

“Oh. Um...” She nearly turned her ankle again. “While you’re doing that award thing in Tokyo? I mean, yes. I’d love to connect with the manufacturer and be sure it’s a fair wage factory, like they claim. Double-check the quality.”

“Get a photo op? We’ll go together.”

“Look at you, doing my job for me.”

“I’m in the midst of a career change. Willing to try new things.”

She chuckled, more from happiness than humor, but he made her so happy. Glowingly, deliriously lighthearted and hopeful and filled with a sense that she was the luckiest person alive. Especially when his gaze swung down to connect with hers, conveying pride and sexy heat.

This optimism was strange because she had learned the hard way not to look to a man to make her happy. She knew it had to come from within, but even though she would have said she was very content prior to meeting Luca, she felt far more alive and excited now that she was with him. Colors were brighter, music more tear-inducing, her confidence unshakable.

She wondered if this was what being in love felt like—

Oh.

He steadied her, pausing to give her a small frown. “How much have you had to drink?”

“One glass. I was just...distracted for a moment,” she lied.

They resumed dancing, but her whole body was fizzing with the realization that her heart had gift wrapped itself and stolen under his tree.

She was in love with him. How it had happened so quickly didn’t matter. It had. Because this wasn’t a hero-worship crush gone wrong. Or sexual infatuation—although that was definitely a big part of it.

It was