Dashing: A Royal Cinderella Billionaire Story

by Brooks, Sophie

  “I know, but she’s getting so big.”

  “When’s she due?” Penny had met Autumn once. She and Blake and Nico and I had joined my sister and brother-in-law for dinner the week before last.

  “December. It’s a girl.” I would’ve been happy with either a niece or a nephew, but I couldn’t help the extra thrill it gave me that she was having a daughter—especially since Autumn was going to name her after our late mother.

  “Dad?” The men were back, and Elyse lost no time in petitioning them. “Can we go to It’s a Small World next?”

  I would’ve thought grown men would shy away from a ride with hundreds of singing dolls, but Nico grinned, ruffled her hair. “Sure.”

  We used our passes, but when were near the front of the line, Penny whispered that Zoe needed the restroom. Blake, who had Christopher on top of his shoulders, decided to go with them.

  “Why do you need to go?” Nico inquired.

  “Because dancing dolls seems like more your kind of thing than mine. Cara told me you have a royal puppeteer back home.”

  “He’s not a royal puppeteer,” Nico said with a huff. “He just came for the twins’ birthday party.”

  “Nevertheless, you got this. We’ll meet you over by those benches when you’re done.” He clapped Nico on the shoulder.

  The line was moving again, so I grabbed Nico’s arm, pulling him away. Sometimes, when he and Blake got in joking mode, they regressed right back to the incorrigible frat boys they once were.

  Derrick and Elyse were thrilled to get the front seat of the ride to themselves. Nico and I were in the row behind them. We floated down the stream and soon were surrounded by singing dolls from various nations all over the world. “Falkenberg is grossly unrepresented,” Nico grumbled when we were about halfway through.

  “Shh.” I elbowed him. “Try to enjoy the lyrics that we’re going to be hearing in our heads for the rest of the day.”

  “I think you mean the rest of the month. But the lyrics are a lie.”

  “Be good,” I whispered.

  “They are. It’s not a small world, it’s a big one. It was far too big when you were here in California and we were in Europe.”

  Aww… that was sweet. I took his hand and snuggled against his side.

  “And it’s far too big when we’re in our house and you’re in your room in the residence halls.”

  I frowned, wondering what had brought that up. “We see each other nearly every day, and I’m over at your place all the time.”

  “It’s not enough,” Nico said. “You’re still too far away.”

  My pulse quickened with excitement. “Are you asking me to move in? I’m not sure they’d approve of that since you live on school grounds, but I suppose we could ask—”

  “No,” Nico interrupted and my heart sank. “I’m not asking you to move in with me. I’m asking you to marry me.”

  I gaped up at him, my eyes wide. My heart stuttered in my chest before resuming at twice its normal speed. My voice was low and uncertain. “What?”

  “Marry me,” Nico said, and from out of nowhere, he produced a small velvet box. I stared in shock at the ring and then back up at him. “The world is too small—and life is too short—for us to ever be apart again. It’s not enough to be coworkers here. It’s not enough to be nanny and employer back home. I want to spend every day of the rest of my life with you as husband and wife. Will you marry me, Cara Andrews?”

  There was only one answer I could possibly say, yet the joy in my heart made it hard to get the word out. “Yes.”

  Nico slid the beautiful diamond ring on my finger. Even in the dim light, it put the fake one I’d worn in London to shame. As I stared at it, and then back into his eyes, I realized that cheers had drowned out the incessant singing.

  Derrick and Elyse were shouting excitedly from the row in front of us. They looked thrilled but not surprised—they must’ve been in on this. The people behind us were congratulating us as well.

  I reached forward to wrap my arms around the twins, kissing the tops of their heads. Nico laughed, and pulled me back. “Stay in your seat until the ride has come to a full and complete stop, future wife,” he said with a smirk.

  “Okay, then I’ll just do this.” I grabbed the back of his head, pulling him toward me. Our lips met and everything else disappeared. All I could feel was his arm around my back, his mouth on mine, and his ring on my finger. For a long moment nothing else mattered.

  And then I broke away, reaching for my phone. “I have to call Autumn!”

  He shook his head. “Did you just prematurely end our first kiss as an engaged couple to call your sister?”

  “Yes,” I said, smacking him lightly across his hard abs—ouch. “This is big news. Oh, but there’s no signal. Couldn’t you have done this at Cinderella’s castle?”

  “It seemed rather cliché.”

  I grinned at that. I loved this man so much. He never ceased to amaze me… his kindness like with Teresa today… his ability as a father… the way he protected me and the twins and pretty much his entire country. This was a man worthy of my love, and I would never, ever take for granted the miracle that he loved me, too. Loved me enough to fight tradition and his mother and many obstacles for us to be together.

  When it was time to disembark, Nico got out first. I held out my hand for support but instead he grasped me by the waist, lifted me up, and twirled me around. “Stay right there,” he whispered and then turned back to help the kids.

  “There’s Autumn!” Elyse exclaimed as we exited the ride. Sure enough, she and Ford were waiting about thirty feet away along with Blake, Penny, and the kids.

  Blake cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted, “Well?”

  Nico looked at me and smiled. I held up my left hand to show them I was wearing the ring, and everyone cheered. Elyse and Derrick ran ahead while Nico and I walked more slowly.

  “I didn’t think Autumn could come,” I marveled. “She it was too far to travel now that she’s seven months along.”

  “It was too far to travel for the Dumbo ride, but not too far to celebrate our engagement. She and Ford are taking us out to dinner. All of us. It’ll be our first engagement celebration.”

  “Engaged,” I repeated as if it were a foreign word. “Good god, we’re engaged.”

  Nico stared at me for a moment and then pulled me to the side of the path, letting the people behind us go ahead. There was a large tree that provided shade, and it was a little quieter than the ride had been. “Are you sure this is what you want, Cara? I admit it’s all happening fast.”

  “Of course. It’s just… wow. Engaged.” It was still a bit hard to take in. But it was what I wanted—more than anything.

  Nico frowned. “I should’ve taken you out to a nice restaurant and proposed. It’s all too messy here, too many people and those weird singing dolls…”

  His dismay focused me. I took both his hands and looked up into his eyes. “No, it was perfect. It was fitting, really, to do that there on the ride.”

  “Why? You’re not going to start collecting those creepy little things, are you?”

  I laughed, smiling up at the man I loved. “No, I’m not. But I was talking about the messy part. Our lives are going to be messy, at least for a while. The four of us have to figure out how to function as a family—in two different countries. And then there’s those guys…” I gestured toward the gang waiting for us. “They’re part of our family, too. And the people in Falkenberg including my future mother-in-law who doesn’t really like me very much. It’s a lot to deal with, but it’s what I want more than anything. But what about you?”

  “Of course it’s what I want. I proposed to you, remember?”

  “I know. But before, like after London you seemed to be fighting what you wanted.”

  “Because I feared losing it. I feared losing you,” Nico said.

  “And now?”

  He squeezed my hands. “Now I’ve come to realize that if th
ere isn’t anything in your life that you fear losing, then you aren’t really living. A person with nothing to lose is a person with nothing. You were right back then—if we stick together, we can make this work. And you’re right today, too. It will be messy. But that doesn’t sound so bad to me.”

  “Me either. And Derrick and Elyse? Did you talk to them about this?”

  “They’re on board. I think if I hadn’t proposed to you, one of them would have.”

  I beamed. “I love them so much.”

  “I know you do. I think they’re planning to ask you if they can call you mom.”

  Tears formed rapidly along my lower lids and I blinked them back. “I’d love that—but are you okay with it?”

  “Yes,” he said, staring off in the distance. “They had a wonder mother, but she can’t be with them anymore. Now they’re lucky enough to have another wonderful woman who cares very much for them. I’m so grateful for that.”

  “Me too,” I said, and Nico leaned down to kiss me.

  There was a smattering of applause from our friends, and I smiled as Nico hugged me so tightly, he picked me up off the ground again. Then he set me down with a wink and a quick kiss on my forehead. “We’d probably better not make the pregnant lady wait anymore,” he said.

  “Probably not.”

  Hand in hand, we walked to our friends and family who greeted us warmly. Autumn gave me a huge hug, or as huge as possible with her sizeable belly in between us. Ford shook Nico’s hand, and Blake gave him a one-armed hug, congratulating him. Penny embraced me too, as did the children.

  Surrounded by such wonderful people—and engaged to such an amazing man—I felt my life couldn’t get any better. Ford summed it up succinctly when it was his turn to congratulate me. “Welcome to the happily ever after club, kiddo.”

  I smiled at him and all our friends as we walked back to the park entrance. Nico had his arm around me, and Elyse took his free hand while Derrick held mine.

  Finally, we were a family. A unit. A team. Whether it was California or Falkenberg, no matter where we went, we’d be together.

  Any place where Nico, Derrick, Elyse and I were together seemed like a pretty magical kingdom to me.

  * * *

  Thank you so much for reading Dashing! It would mean a lot to me if you’d leave a review at Amazon.

  Would you like to read more about the other characters in Dashing? If so, please check out:

  Autumn and Ford’s story in Charming

  Penny and Blake’s story in Tempting

  Also by Sophie Brooks

  Please check out my other books! The ones below are all contemporary romance with hot-as-hell men, strong women, lots of steam, and very happy endings. There’s no cheating or cliffhangers in any of my books. All are available through KU.

  Charming: A Cinderella Billionaire Story

  He's a bad boy trying to be good...

  Ford's gone from playboy to responsible CEO. Since inheriting his father's billion-dollar corporation, he has everything to prove. He also has a secret.

  Her name is Autumn, and her voice is perfect. Sometimes sweet and innocent, sometimes sultry and seductive, but always exactly right.

  She's a good girl pretending to be bad...

  Autumn's fantasy hotline job helps pay the bills--and with a sister to raise, she has lots of those. So the shy 23-year-old plays the roles the callers want. Except with Ford. He wants the real Autumn. And she can't help wishing he were more than a voice in the night.

  When Autumn's in danger and Ford rushes to her rescue, their unlikely connection becomes a Cinderella story. But Autumn has a secret, too... one that might destroy their fairy-tale romance.

  Tempting: A Cinderella Billionaire Story

  Penny’s new boss is her baby’s father, but neither of them knows that...

  Blake

  Wealth, charm, and a good time. That’s all I can offer a woman, and that’s how I like it.

  Until her. The pale beauty from the masquerade ball captured my attention in a way no other woman has. Her charm, wit, grace… for once in my life, I want to offer someone more, but I can’t. After one amazing night, she vanished, leaving me without a name, a number, or even a glass slipper.

  A year and a half later, she still dominates my thoughts. I’ve lost interest in one night stands. I don’t even look at other women. Not until I meet my new personal assistant. Penny is a young single mother, and there’s something familiar about her...

  Penny

  Every night since the ball, I’ve fallen asleep thinking of him. The gorgeous, kind, funny man I shared the most amazing night of my life with. I told him things I’d never told anyone. I felt things I hadn’t felt in years.

  When the clock struck midnight, we got separated. I left without his name or number, but he left something for me. Nine months later, my daughter was born. I love her with all my heart, and I wish more than anything I could find her father.

  But now that I’m back at work, the gorgeous billionaire CEO keeps me busy. His hot-as-sin looks and his wicked grin tempt me to let him become more than my boss. I know that’s not a good idea, but somehow it feels like I’ve known Blake for a long time instead of just a few short weeks...

  Shameless Boss: A Fake Fiancé Office Romance

  How can something fake feel so right?

  Ethan

  I need a wife. My grandfather won’t turn over the reins to the family corporation until I’m married. Old-fashioned, crotchety bastard.

  So I humor him and tell him I’m engaged. Oh yes, Grandfather, she’s gorgeous, charming, etc. That’ll get him off my back for a while, right? Until he tells me that he’s met her. WTF?

  I should come clean, but then I find out he thinks she’s the hot-as-hell brunette that I’ve been eyeing for some time. So I do some quick thinking.

  And some even quicker lying.

  Kate

  Yesterday, I gave my two weeks’ notice at Grant Industries. Today, I’m engaged to the CEO, Ethan Grant. He made an offer I just couldn’t turn down.

  All I have to do is to pretend to be his fiancée long enough for him to gain control of the corporation. Then we stage a breakup, call the wedding off, and I walk away with an all expenses paid trip around the world.

  A fake engagement comes with some definite perks. Ethan was born to wear custom-made Italian suits. He can make me laugh one moment and make my panties melt the next. In a few short weeks, I feel like I’ve known him my whole life.

  But to him, this is a just business transaction. Only a fool would fall in love with a fake fiancé, right? Luckily, I’m no fool. Or at least I wasn’t before I met Ethan...

  Playboy Boss: A Billionaire Boss Office Romance

  She’s a virgin. I’m the boss. It’s all kinds of wrong.

  I work hard, play harder, and never settle for anything but the best. I haven’t made billions by taking shortcuts. If you’re not at the top of your field, don’t bother to apply.

  Unless you’re her.

  Erin White had the worst interview in company history. She stumbled over every question. Agonized over every answer.

  I hired her anyway.

  Underneath the mass of insecurities is a brilliant young woman. And I’m obsessed with her. I want her by my side in my boardroom.

  And my bedroom.

  I never back down from a challenge—I’ll get her past this. My coaching methods are... unusual. Intimate. I tease her, dare her, entice her, and get her so damned focused on me that her panic recedes. How? By whispering filthy things in her ear. Trailing my fingers over her luscious curves. Demanding her obedience.

  And it works. Our training sessions go from mild to wild. And as Erin’s confidence grows, I only want more. My company may need her brilliant mind, but I need all of her, so I push harder.

  Restraint’s not my strong suit. If I push her too far, too fast, I’ll lose her.

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  Excerpt from Shameless Boss

  Blurb:

  How can something fake feel so right?

  Ethan

  I need a wife. My grandfather won’t turn over the reins to the family corporation until I’m married. Old-fashioned, crotchety bastard.

  So I humor him and tell him I’m engaged. Oh yes, Grandfather, she’s gorgeous, charming, etc. That’ll get him off my back for a while, right? Until he tells me that he’s met her. WTF?

  I should come clean, but then I find out he thinks she’s the hot-as-hell brunette that I’ve been eyeing for some time. So I do some quick thinking.

  And some even quicker lying.

  Kate

  Yesterday, I gave my two weeks’ notice at Grant Industries. Today, I’m engaged to the CEO, Ethan Grant. He made an offer I just couldn’t turn down.