Spy Girl (Spy Girl #1)

“Would it be okay if I just went home? I wasn’t home all day, and I’m supposed to meet with the caterers in the morning to finalize the brunch menu for race day. Although, I suppose we should consider cancelling that too.”


“Don’t be silly. We won’t be cancelling either, and I will be attending both events. Get some sleep, my sweet, and I will call on you tomorrow. I will have Juan see you home.”

He hands me a cashmere lounger to wear and quickly gets dressed in black slacks and a sweater. His hair is still damp, and he looks delicious, but we only have time for a quick goodbye kiss.





When I get home, I leave a note on Ellis’s desk requesting a new phone.

On the way to my room, I stop to see if Ari is home, but he’s not. I also discover that neither are Peter and Allie, which I guess isn’t that big of a surprise as they mentioned that the yacht party would go on all night long. I guess I sort of thought the shots fired at the docks might have slowed it down, but no one probably heard it over the loud, pumping music.

I change out of Lorenzo’s clothes, take a long hot shower, then grab a bottle of water out of the mini fridge in my suite. There’s a document on my bedside table with a full write up on Intrepid who, contrary to popular belief, is not retired.

I sit at my desk, take some stationary out of the drawer, and write him a proper thank-you note for the evening bag and tuck in an invitation to brunch. I drop it off on Ellis’s desk along with instructions to find out where William Gallagher is staying and to deliver it to him in the morning. Then I burn the documents about him in the fireplace.

When I get back to my room, I find Daniel lying across my bed wearing nothing but a pair of boxers.

“What are you doing here?”

“I don’t have anywhere to stay. Thought I could stay with you,” he replies, his blue eyes glittering.

“Embassy housing full?” I ask, sitting on the bed next to him.

“Actually, it is. I forgot to tell them I was coming back. Speaking of that, Lorenzo told me you slept with that British guy from the club.”

“I went back to his place. I slept in his bed, but he passed out. We didn’t have sex.”

“You should have called me.”

“You weren’t in town yet. Who I should have called was Ellis, but it was very late and he’d been working hard on the impromptu pool party we decided to throw.”

“It bothered me that you went home with him.”

“Why?”

“It bothered the Prince, too.”

“Why would it bother him?”

“He likes you.”

“He’s liked a lot of girls,” I counter, rolling my eyes.

“He thinks you’re different.”

“Probably because I didn’t fall into bed with him.”

He grabs the front of his shirt that I’m wearing and slowly unbuttons it, holding my gaze. “Like you did with me?”

I give him a smirk. “And here I thought you took me home for pizza and video games.”

“I took you home because you’re beautiful,” he says, sliding the shirt off my shoulder and kissing it. “I slept with you because you’re fun to be around.” His lips work their way up my neck until his face is right in front of mine. I get the dimple. “Plus, I couldn’t let you continue to kick my ass at Battleground. I had to distract you.”

“You weren’t trying to distract me. I got naked and sat on your lap.”

He nips at my lip then leans us back on the bed. “I liked that. So, have you banged the Prince yet?”

“If you and the Prince are so close, you should ask him yourself.”

“I’m asking you,” he says, trailing his hand up my thigh.

“It’s none of your business, but if you must know, he has more old-fashioned values.”

“Bullshit, he’s screwed more women than . . . Oh.” Daniel’s hand stops moving and he exhales deeply, almost like he just got punched in the gut.

“Oh, what?”

“He actually likes you.”

“Maybe,” I say.

“He might be a prince, but I rocked your world.” He’s right. He did, and I can’t stop thinking about it.

“You rocked my world?” I tease. “What, is this the 90s?”

His hand moves further up, his finger twisting around the lace of my thong, as he kisses me. “You know we’re good together.”

“I bet you say that to all the girls.”

He stops kissing me to pull a tabloid off the nightstand and shove it in my face. “I picked this up at the airport. They’re already talking engagement.”

“That’s because Ophelia and Viktor got engaged at the—”

“No, they’re talking about your future engagement.”

“Do you care what they say?”

“Depends if it’s true.”

“Daniel,” I sigh.

“What?”

I can’t believe I’m going to say this. I don’t want to say this. But I have to. For the good of my mission. “You’re welcome to stay here at the villa, just not in my room.”

He nods but doesn’t move. I sit up, buttoning the shirt.

He cups my cheek in his hand. “Are you in love with Lorenzo?”

“I care for him.”

“And do you care for me?”