for me to do?’
‘It’s rather boring—’
‘I think the point of me being here is to do boring,’ Natalia said drily, and listened as Francesca directed her to a pile of about a zillion envelopes that all needed stuffing with some sort of support letter. Perfect. It would take several hours, and required no more skill than putting one piece of paper inside another. She could do this. She nearly sagged with relief.
Yet Natalia soon found that stuffing envelopes left her mind all too free to wander. And to wonder. Did Ben now believe she hadn’t planned to trip into his arms on purpose? As pleasant as it had been to feel his hard body against her own, it had still been completely unintentional. And then in that dark alley … Just remembering that exquisitely taut moment caused a shudder of longing to ripple through her. He’d been so close to kissing her. A single breath away. He’d been going to kiss her, and then he’d forced himself to stop.
That was why he was so angry today, Natalia decided as she sealed yet another envelope. He’d desired her last night, and he knew she knew it, and it annoyed him. She could just imagine how aggravated Ben Jackson would be at wanting someone he thought shallow, spoilt and completely inappropriate.
She wondered just what kind of women decorated his arm … and warmed his bed. Brisk and business-minded, like himself? Surely not. She could certainly see Ben entertaining a model or starlet, and then calmly discarding them when he’d finished with their services. Sex—or even love—was probably just another item to tick on his to-do list.
She pressed her lips together and tossed another sealed envelope onto her growing stack. She would not be one of his ticked boxes. She would not be used by Ben Jackson at all. She might have a well-earned wild reputation, but she stayed in charge. In control. And if Ben thought he was determined to resist her … he had no idea how determined she could be. She wouldn’t get close to anyone, and certainly not Ben Jackson.
The rest of the week passed without incident. The press was thankfully occupied with the exploits of other members of the Santina family, and tailing Natalia being driven to work every day was not noteworthy enough to make a headline. Ben was out of the office for two days, checking out the island’s stadium where the camp would be launched on Monday. Natalia hadn’t given too much thought to her duties after this week, but as she helped Francesca sort stacks of youth-size T-shirts she wondered just what Ben was going to have her do on a football pitch. She could barely kick a ball; she’d never been much of one for sport. School, as a whole, had simply been something to endure.
Late Friday afternoon Ben strolled into the office, looking remarkably refreshed and energised. Natalia, in comparison, felt about as refreshed as a wet towel. Working just one week had very nearly done her in.
‘So, Princess,’ he said. ‘Be ready to work hard on Monday.’
Natalia glanced pointedly at the stack of T-shirts she’d been going through with Francesca. ‘Oh, excuse me, this isn’t working hard?’
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.
As he closed the door Natalia sagged, saw she’d been clenching the T-shirt she’d been folding so hard there were nail marks in the fabric.
When Natalia arrived back at the palazzo that evening, her mind still buzzing from her exchange with Ben, her mother called her into her private rooms and Natalia knew from the lavender silk evening gown her mother wore that once again royal duty beckoned.
‘Back from your charity work?’ Zoe asked, which Natalia knew was how her mother liked to view her volunteering