Tempting the Prince (Sexy Misadventures of Royals)

by Christi Barth

  “No. Letting you walk away from me was crazy.” He popped it open to reveal an enormous round diamond, surrounded by a circle of rubies. “Mallory, will you marry me? Be my wife, and my queen—in that order?”

  A single tear ran down her cheek on both sides. But her eyes absolutely glowed with happiness. And her voice was steady and full of challenge, just the way he liked it. “Hmmm. What do you get if you win?”

  “Everything,” he said simply.

  “That sounds like a win-win situation to me. A sucker bet. I’m in.”

  Christian slid the ring onto her finger. Then he brought her hand to his lips and kissed where it lay. In relief, in joy, in gratitude that she was willing to take him on despite his crown and country. “I love you.”

  She extended her hand, wiggled her ring finger. “I can tell.” As she burst into laughter, he covered her lips with his.

  Christian sank into the kiss he never thought he’d get to savor again. His hands bracketed her face as they slowly, tenderly—mindful of gala makeup—shared the sweetest kiss of his life.

  “I love you, too,” Mallory whispered.

  “I can tell.” Then they both laughed, and Christian knew, in every cell of his body, that’s how they’d spend the rest of their lives. Laughing, kissing, and loving each other.

  Epilogue

  Five Months Later…

  For a ceremony that was about to change her life, it was laden with déjà vu. Mallory was in a fancy dress in a low-ceilinged room in the basement of a church, just like she’d done fourteen times as part of a bridal party in the eighteen months after college.

  It smelled just as dusty and old as those churches back in the States. Over that laid the aerosol tang of hair spray. There was an air of frantic impatience from everyone else clustered in the room. And there was champagne.

  The differences? The champagne was in silver ice buckets, not plastic coolers. The church was the largest cathedral in Moncriano. And the formal wear was really, really formal. In fact, they were down here, lined up, to get their tiaras affixed with too many double-strength bobby pins.

  Archduke Julian (rocking his new title that Christian had insisted on bestowing), Grand Duchess Agathe, and Duchess Mathilde, as well as five other titled family members, had taken carriages from Alcarsa Palace to the cathedral.

  But because the planning committee had a sense of flair (Sir Evan’s influence, no doubt), the rest of them had dressed in this basement. Hiding until the big reveal. The one where herald trumpets would blare a fanfare before the procession began.

  Seven page boys—and girls, because the female Villanis all insisted on dragging this ceremony into the twenty-first century—to represent the seven hundred years of Moncriano. Seven hundred white roses filled the nave.

  Narthex?

  Mallory still hadn’t learned all the names for the parts of the cathedral. The higher priority had been learning the names and affiliations of all the VIP guests.

  She turned to Kelsey, flipping at the tiers of ruffles on her blue dress to get her attention. “Quick—crown prince of Thailand?”

  Smug as could be, Kelsey said without hesitation, “That’s a trick question. He’s not coming. Only the king and queen.”

  Elias reached across, the medals on his uniform sash clinking. “That’s enough. Hand over the flash cards, Mallory. No more cramming, for either of you.”

  “But we’ve still got a few minutes,” she wheedled. But Mallory did hand over the cards, because you didn’t refuse a man wearing an enormous sword strapped to his waist. “Genevieve will no doubt make them re-situate her tiara no less than five times.”

  Eyes locked on the mirror reflecting the gold-and-diamond tiara spearing off the top of her head, Genny said calmly, “If you’re trying to insult me, it won’t work. There’s no shame in angling for perfection. Which you can’t understand, seeing as how you settled for pledging yourself to my reprobate brother.”

  “Wow.” Christian charged toward her at the slight, his dress sword banging against his leg. “Is it my imagination, or have your little digs happened much more frequently since I became king?”

  “It is not your imagination. I consider it my service to the Crown. To keep you from getting such a big head that it wouldn’t fit in that.” Genny pointed at the gem-studded golden arches crisscrossing the purple velvet lining of the Imperial Crown.

  He loomed over her with a mock scowl on his face. “Do you expect a medal for your oh-so-selfless string of insults?”

  “Perhaps.” She patted the purple sash, with its giant tanzanite brooch below the waist and two medals up by her shoulder, that bisected the blue embroidered flowers on her white satin ball gown. “I mean, if it comes encrusted with diamonds and perhaps some opals. But it can’t be commissioned. It has to come out of the Royal Vault. I promised Theo no new jewelry for a year.”

  Elias crooked up an eyebrow at his friend. “I thought you’d retired your title of Royal Auditor?”

  Tossing back the last of his champagne, Theo said, “I was done with that the minute I handed my report in to Parliament. But we’re still working on improving the princess’s budget, together.”

  Mallory brought her hand to her chest on a gasp. And even though it had been five months, she still got a visceral thrill of seeing the rubies and diamonds flash on her fourth finger. The ring that was a sign to the entire world that she and Christian were planning to share their life. And a promise that they’d love each other forever. “Are you being punished, Genevieve?”

  Genevieve gave an almost imperceptible nod at her reflection, then dismissed the hairdresser holding the mirror. “All the jumping through hoops Theo made me do last summer convinced me that there were places where we, as a family, were being a bit too profligate. So we made a deal. All the money I save? Gets donated to a charity. It’s a good incentive for cutting corners.”

  “I’m proud of you, Genny.” Christian dropped a kiss on her cheek. “You two are welcome to take a crack at my budget next.”

  “What makes you think we haven’t already begun?” Theo asked with a wicked grin.

  Nodding, Genny said, “Sir Kai has been most helpful. Not to mention happy to keep it a secret, as you have so many other things on your plate right now.”

  “In other words, I was delusional to think I’d get more respect from you now that I’m king.”

  Genny gave that 110 percent French shrug that Mallory desperately wanted to learn how to do. “Pretty much.”

  “Wait.” Christian held off the hairdresser with one hand. She’d been about to place Mallory’s tiara, with its triple strand of oval rubies. “I want to do it.”

  “Christian. You’re a man of many talents, but dealing with the intricacies of this updo is not in your wheelhouse.”

  With the same look of intense concentration that he wore when his lips were around her nipple, Christian carefully centered the heavy tiara on her head.

  “It’s practice. For next time. When I crown you my queen, at our wedding.”

  Oh. Ohhh. Guess she couldn’t be peeved with him after all. “I love you.”

  “I love you.” Then he stepped back to let the hairdresser actually affix the thing to her head. He picked up his own crown. Shook it. Tapped it. “Huh. There’s a loose stone. Hear it?”

  “Oh, for goodness sake, Christian.” Genevieve broke out of line to poke him in the arm. “That heirloom has lasted for centuries, and you broke it after five minutes? If that’s not an omen…”

  “Sorry, but your sister’s right. It must mean something.” Elias shoved his hands in his pockets and looked grim.

  Which was odd. The serious navy man hadn’t ever so much as faltered about stepping in front of a black cat or admitted to reading his horoscope. Mallory exchanged a look with Kelsey. The one that they did far less these days, but was basically what is up with these pe
ople in this country?

  “It does mean something. It is an omen.” Theo took the crown from Christian, then lifted a ring off the cross of diamonds and pearls in the center.

  The three hairdressers gasped. There was even a rustling from their line of bodyguards by the door.

  Kelsey reached over to grab Mallory’s hand. The squeeze reminded Mallory to take a breath. She’d forgotten to do so in her shock. And joy at watching Theo propose to Genny.

  Christian and Elias backed away, both with huge grins. Obviously, they’d been in on it. She’d have a serious talk with Christian later about how he could’ve kept this secret from her. Perhaps demand a foot rub as retribution.

  Genevieve stood stock-still, eyes locked on her boyfriend. “What are you doing? It is Coronation Day.”

  “I’m aware,” Theo said drily. “And while there’s been no official pronouncement in Parliament yet, we all know that you’ll be the next after Christian to wear the crown. It seemed fitting to include our next personal step with the next one you’ll take as a royal. A neat string between the two.”

  She started to shake her head. Stopped, put one hand to hold the heavy tiara in place, and then shook it. “But you hate royalty.”

  “I’ve come around on that school of thought. I think your brother’s already well on his way to being an exemplary king. Despite the fact it’ll undoubtedly turn me into a prince consort someday down the road, I can’t think of anyone who would be a more caring, just, and beloved queen than you, my darling.”

  Genevieve cupped her hands around her mouth. Then she dropped them to her sides. “Theo, we talked about this. You don’t have to marry me. You don’t have to become royal.”

  He held up the ring in front of her face. “How about you let me finish proposing before you turn me down? Stubborn freaking woman. Not everything happens on your timeline.”

  “Sorry.” Genny bit her lip. But then a huge smile began to stretch across her face, like a rainbow slowly materializing across a clear sky.

  Mallory felt Christian’s arms encircle her waist. Watching another couple get engaged was almost as good as doing it yourself.

  “I love you, princess. Even though it means being saddled with another title, and more bowing, and more state functions, I would do anything to be with you.” Theo dropped to one knee. Took her hand and held the tanzanite-and-diamond ring at the tip of it. The same one Mallory recognized from portraits that Queen Serena had worn as her engagement ring. “Please say you’ll marry me. That you’ll marry beneath your station and put up with me pushing at you, fighting with you, laughing with you, and loving you every day for the rest of my life.”

  “You’re the one who is making the sacrifice, Theo. But I’ll do my royal best to push at you, to fight and make up with you, to make babies with you, and celebrate every day that you let me love you back.” Holding her tiara in place with one hand, Genevieve nodded vigorously, sliding her finger through the ring. “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  The whole room erupted in applause. A breach of protocol, commenting on a private moment of the royal family, that Mallory knew nobody would complain about.

  Hopefully the assembled throng upstairs couldn’t hear it.

  Theo and Genevieve hugged, but didn’t kiss. Because the man was smart enough to recognize that if he smudged her television-ready makeup, it could be the shortest engagement ever.

  Elias nuzzled at Kelsey’s neck. Her sister held him close, one arm wound around his shoulder.

  And Christian, her fairy tale of a prince come true, took Mallory’s hand and kissed right on top of her engagement ring. “Sorry I didn’t give you a heads-up. Theo swore us to secrecy.”

  “I understand,” she murmured. Because if their roles were reversed,? Mallory would’ve done the same thing. “This was wonderful.”

  “Well, it’s no janitor’s closet stinking of bleach, but only a king gets to pull out that full royal treatment for a proposal,” he joked.

  Which was a story only those in this room knew. Some things needed to stay private from the world. “I still think Elias wins the prize for best proposal out of all of you, despite me not being there to see it. Doing it on the sidewalk in front of Junior’s was inspired.”

  “You only say that because he and Kelsey brought home six cheesecakes for you from there.”

  “Yep. He’s going to be a wonderful brother-in-law.”

  Mallory traced a finger along the strip of ermine encircling the base of his crown. She still had trouble accepting that it wasn’t a prop from a play. That, aside from being culturally priceless, the gems and gold dangling from Christian’s hand were worth almost five million dollars. And she was touching it.

  “I’m not going to ask if you’re ready for today. I know you are. But I will ask if you feel more…settled about it.”

  Christian inhaled deeply. “You know I didn’t expect to go through this ceremony for at least another thirty years. The thing is? Even then, I wouldn’t have felt ready. It’s like jumping off a cliff, or becoming a parent. You’re never ready. You just do it anyway.”

  Ah, but Mallory remembered a story he’d shared. Which proved her brave fiancé was, indeed, ready. “You’ve jumped off a cliff before.”

  “Yes. I’d do it again.” Christian twined his fingers with hers. “And Sir Kai is ready to send the adoption paperwork to three American agencies, the day after our wedding.”

  “Good. Then I guess all that’s left is for us to get this party started.” Mallory accepted the flute of champagne that Clara handed her. She and Marko had opened two more bottles and made sure everyone in the room had a glass. Protocol be damned. Today was a day for celebration. Mallory would forever default to her American roots and be inclusive of all, regardless of rank or status.

  Still holding her hand, Christian pulled them into the loose semicircle formed by Genevieve, Theo, Elias, and Kelsey. The clanking of his sword as he walked echoed off the stone walls. “Eleven months ago, my world turned upside down. My best friend brought me my missing sister.”

  “Protesting all the way,” Elias grumbled, not entirely under his breath.

  “I did not, at the time, realize that Eli brought me two gifts that day. Not just my beloved sister, but the woman who would steal my heart.” Christian kissed her ring finger again. He did it all the time now. And Mallory adored the sweet gesture. “I’m forever in your debt, Elias.”

  “Don’t make me a prince on my wedding day and we’ll call it even,” he joked. Sort of. Although, knowing Elias, he was probably dead serious. And, knowing Christian, poor Elias was 100 percent getting that title, like it or not.

  Christian pointed his crystal glass toward the door. “The people out there will insist on celebrating me for the rest of the day and night.”

  “Ah, the burdens of being king,” Mallory teased. Because he needed it as a ward against permanent pomposity, and because she enjoyed it. “Good thing you get a rock star salary and perks like a seven-hundred-room palace to make it all bearable.”

  “But now, I raise a glass to all of you.” His violet eyes deepened, turned serious as he looked at them. “I toast the five of you. You are my family, by blood and by choice. I would not be a man worthy of the crown without the foundation of your strength, love, and friendship.”

  “To us,” Elias said, quirking his eyebrow as he clinked glasses with his friend. One by one, they all did the same.

  Because really, when Christian used his I am the king voice like that, you couldn’t say no.

  Especially not in bed.

  Which was not a thought for the somber pomp and circumstance of Coronation Day, but she couldn’t help herself.

  Mallory had discovered she had zero willpower against the king voice about four months ago. On a night that involved the whipped cream off the cocoa they’d been enjoying, and naked dancing on his throne.

/>   Mallory curled her hand in the crook of Christian’s elbow. And raised her glass again. As his fiancée, as his partner, and as an equal to these people who’d so intimidated her a year ago.

  “I’d like to add on to that toast. Something fitting, after Theo’s proposal. Fitting after the way you all accepted me and Kelsey. The way you saw past our awkwardness to our good intentions. After living in Alcarsa Palace, do you know what my biggest takeaway on the House of Villani is?”

  Genevieve stuck out a blue sequin-encrusted pump. “That you’d do better to raid my shoe closet than Kelsey’s?”

  “Genny, if we wore the same size, I’d move into your shoe closet.” Really, what was the point of having two princess sisters when none of their clothes fit her? It was such a disappointment.

  “The Villanis are loyal,” Elias said.

  “They’re generous,” Theo added. “With their money, yes, but more so with their hearts.”

  “Yes. That’s it exactly. The House of Villani is full of love—for your country, your people, your traditions, and most of all, for one another.”

  Kelsey put her hand to her heart. Right below the stunning tanzanite, aquamarine, and diamond necklace that Mallory knew she hated wearing. “That’s the absolute best compliment you’ve ever given. And I agree, wholeheartedly.”

  “You can’t agree to a toast that’s about you. It isn’t proper.” Genevieve was a zillion times warmer to Mallory and Kelsey after all these months, but she still knee-jerked into a protocol safety zone at the drop of a hat.

  “I can fix that. Because my toast will encompass all of us. The new iteration of the House of Villani.” Mallory clinked her glass against Christian’s, staring into those eyes that still mesmerized her. “To love!”

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  Acknowledgments

  Since this is the last glimpse of Moncriano, I have to again thank Christy Altomare and the Broadway cast of Anastasia for being the inspiration for this series. I can’t wait until Broadway reopens and I can get another flash of inspiration!