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‘I have to apologise for eavesdropping at the front desk. Your plight intrigued me – you intrigued me. You didn’t strike me as the type of person who would miss their flight, but then I heard you go on to explain how you got left behind to pick up some clothes for your cousin? That wasn’t very thoughtful of her –’
‘That’s what I do,’ Libby interrupted. ‘And I don’t mind looking after Lucinda. I love my cousin.’
‘I apologise,’ Lucaj said sincerely. ‘My concern was for you. Your loyalty to your cousin does you credit. But, please read on, if only to quash the misunderstanding between you and Europe’s Most Wanted Man.’
“Prince Lucaj of Molokov visits London to open the new wing of the children’s hospital – ’’ She broke off. ‘Prince?’
‘My apologies.’ With a wicked grin, Lucaj sketched a bow.
She countered with an amused, if cynical look.
‘Read on,’ he invited.
‘‘– The prince funds this specialised clinic entirely from his private income – ” Sitting back, she took a steadying breath. ‘So, you’re not just one of the good guys, you’re a saint. And a royal saint at that.’
Lucaj laughed out loud. ‘The fact that I am royal is merely an accident of birth, and I certainly wouldn’t pretend to be a saint.’
Hmm. She didn’t doubt it. Raising the magazine, she scanned the article fast. ‘It says you’re a player – What are we talking here?’ she demanded, raising a mocking brow. ‘ Football? Polo? Oh, no.’ She acted surprised. ‘The reporter goes on to say that while you’re in London, you’ll be playing the field – and, somehow, I don’t think she’s talking about football. So, you’re a playboy.’
‘Do you want me to deny it?’
She hummed and continued to study the shots of socialites, minor royals and Hollywood stars listed beneath the striking shots of Lucaj in casual attire; Lucaj at a black tie event; Lucaj naked except for swimming shorts on a beach… She took a little longer over that shot than the rest, before exclaiming. ‘Is there anyone you haven’t been out with?’
‘You?’
This was going nowhere because this bad boy was impossible, Libby concluded wryly. With another hum, she read on. ‘What this reporter would like to know, apparently, is – and I quote: ‘How does this cold, unreachable man, who refuses interviews, attract all the hottest girls in town?’ Well?’ Libby demanded, a smile tugging at her lips. ‘How do you do it?’
Shrugging his broad shoulders, Lucaj gave the lips-pressed-down look. ‘I couldn’t possibly say. I’ll admit I’ve been seen with a lot of people.’
He confessed this so engagingly she had to forgive him. ‘If you mean you like to party, just say so.’
‘Is that a sin?’
‘No.’ And she had sounded a lot more like goody-two-shoes than she had intended. ‘So, you don’t like to party?’
‘Cold and aloof,’ he reminded her, referring her to the text in the magazine.
‘The reporter was probably jealous, because she’s the only girl in London you haven’t asked out.’
‘Who says I didn’t ask her out?’
‘Just as I thought, you are impossible.’ Mouth slanting ruefully she met the glance of a man who either couldn’t resist teasing her or just was an incorrigible flirt.
She put the magazine to one side. ‘All I can say is, if you did take that reporter out, it must have been a lousy date for her to pan you like this.’
Lucaj laughed. ‘Are you always so direct?’
‘Always,’ she assured him, holding his stare unblinking.
Inclining his disreputably stubble-shaded chin, Lucaj made a sound that might almost have been approval as he stared down at her.
‘But you don’t strike me as cold and aloof,’ she added frowning, ‘So the reporter got that wrong. Unless, of course, you put on an act when you’re in public? The royal front?’ she suggested.
‘That can be useful,’ Lucaj admitted.
Libby wasn’t convinced. ‘But not rude. I must admit, I can’t imagine you being rude.’
‘You think?’ Lucaj’s sexy mouth tipped up again. ‘Not even to put the ladies off?’
