All That Glitters: Glitz, Glam, and Billionaires

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All That Glitters: Glitz, Glam, and Billionaires Page 29

by Michele Hauf


  Images from last year popped into her mind, reminding her how she’d gone from being a frightened young dancer, always worried about her young brother and herself, to a confident woman trusting her heart and the man who loved her dearly.

  The day after the DIF ball, with Eric at her side, she’d met with Hugh and signed a contract, allowing her to perform at the Colosseum one week every month. Eric accompanied her to Vegas regularly. In the morning, while she rehearsed at the theater, he worked at Callahan Company, installing security programs on the offices’ computers.

  Natalie Borikev was now the darling of an enthusiastic audience, and her pictures covered the centerfold of every magazine. Eric never missed a single performance and always congratulated her by throwing her a white rose. Strangely enough, Eric and Hugh had become good friends when Eric had saved Hugh’s financial information from hacking.

  Prince Paul and Amy had insisted the wedding should take place on Rensy Island when Natalie and Brian visited for the first time at Christmas, an emotional homecoming for Eric, who had given her a tour of his island and his parents’ mansion.

  The Christmas get-together in the Charlesburg Palace had gathered the whole Devereux family, including Eric’s sisters and their families, and his two bachelor brothers. Teresa and Helen had invited her to visit their homes at Easter and Memorial Day.

  Earlier this morning, Charlene and her sister, Chloe, and sisters-in-law, Amy and Lydia, had helped Natalie don the traditional wedding dress of Grandmother Catherine that they had all worn during their wedding ceremonies. Amy had pinned the long veil on her head and adjusted on it a small tiara adorned with sapphires and diamonds.

  “We’ve arrived.” Hugh’s voice poked through her memories. Today he’d walk her down the aisle, while Brian waited with Eric at the altar as his best man.

  Natalie trailed an overwhelmed gaze on the cathedral. “I can’t believe that in an hour, I’ll become part of the Devereux family, a princess of Rensy Island.”

  “Not to worry, Natasha. You’re more beautiful than any princess I know.” He squeezed he hand with a paternal nod.

  At fifty, and after multiple affairs and two short marriages that had ended in divorces, Hugh had tied the knot again two months ago with his assistant, the blonde Karen Redding who’d accompanied him to the DIF ball. Eric and Natalie had attended their wedding and Natalie had presented a performance at the reception as a special gift to her producer. Now they were expecting their first child and wanted many more.

  Hugh helped Natalie down the carriage steps. Eric’s brothers, Steve and Carl, came to greet them and accompanied them up the front steps of the cathedral, then joined Eric at the altar.

  The “Wedding March” started. Hugh hooked her fingers in the crook of his elbow, and they slowly proceeded to the altar, her eyes fixed on the gorgeous man in a black tux waiting for her at the end of the aisle.

  Eric’s green gaze scorched her with its intensity. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.

  A weak smile escaped her, and she placed her hand in his and stepped next to him, hardly able to hear the bishop’s words.

  “Natalie?” Eric prompted.

  “Yes, yes?”

  The bishop blessed the rings, and Eric slipped her magnificent sapphire onto her finger. The bishop handed her a golden band and motioned to Eric’s hand. She slipped it onto his finger.

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

  That was it? She didn’t remember any questions asked. Eric pulled her into his arms for a quick kiss and whispered, “Congratulations, princess of my heart. Later, we’ll do better.”

  She chuckled. “I love you, too.”

  Hand in hand, they strolled down the aisle, climbed into the carriage, and left for the reception at Rensington Palace.

  Her sisters-in-law had reassured her she could remove the cumbersome dress right after the ceremony, but Natalie had a different idea. The antique dress had been worn by many princesses. She felt like it was soaking her in the respect and tradition she’d missed out on while growing up.

  “I will keep it for our first dance,” she insisted, and swiftly replaced her high-heeled shoes with her pointe shoes before entering the ballroom.

  She had trained Eric for their first dance, a real pas de deux executed to perfection, according to him, with a deep kiss every time she lifted herself en pointe and bent to him.

  “That’s the real pas de deux I want to dance with you for the rest of our lives.”

  And he ended the dance by pulling her onto his knee and wrapping her in his arms, their lips locked together and their eyes shining with love.

  “Thank you for dancing with me the right way, my love.”

  The End

  A Note From the Author

  Thank you for reading All That Glitters.

  I hope you enjoyed reading A DANCE FOR PRINCE ERIC and will look forward to reading the other books in the Modern Princes Series. The great thing about all of my series is that you don’t have to have read the previous stories before reading the current one. Each book is always a stand-alone with a definite beginning and ending. (I hate cliffhangers as much as you do!)

  If you liked—hopefully loved—this story, please tell your friends about it, and please leave a review. It only takes a few minutes, and you only need to write a couple of sentences telling others what you liked about A DANCE FOR PRINCE ERIC so other readers can enjoy Prince Eric and Natalie’s love story too.

  Find out about my new books by joining my Newsletter

  Other books by Mona Risk

  SWEET ROMANCES:

  Holiday Babies Series:

  Holly Jolly Christmas: Prequel to the series.

  Christmas Babies: A sweet and powerful Christmas Story.

  Valentine Babies: Can he love a woman expecting another man’s baby?

  Mother’s Day Babies: Never too late to find love and happiness.

  Wedding Surprise: Is it the worst or best wedding surprise?

  Christmas Papa: Who’s my Papa, Mommy?

  On Christmas Eve: We want a mommy for Christmas.

  The Senator’s Family Series:

  Her Christmas Cruise: The perfect fiancé is a cheater and the fabulous Christmas wedding is off. But the would-be honeymoon cruise may fulfill the dreams of Julia and her unexpected companion.

  Two Loves For Christmas: Her German shepherd is her only friend until a senator’s son refuses to take advantage of their fake engagement and teams up with her dog to protect her.

  For Sarah’s Sake: A broken marriage. Second chance at love. And a precious little girl trying to escape danger and hatred to get herself a loving family.

  Not Ready Yet: High school sweethearts separated by life...They meet years later, successful but different, each with a heavy baggage.

  Between Babies and Girlfriends: Abandoned baby twins, a former girlfriend, an almost fiancee complicate Dr. Brian Dutton’s life to no end. (Coming soon)

  CONTEMPORARY ROMANCES:

  Set in romantic or exotic international places, these romance novels are sizzling with passion, emotion and sensual tension.

  Heal my Heart: In a far away country, a baby girl, four little boys, and a handsome doctor may teach Dr. Jillian the true meaning of Christmas.

  Her Greek Tycoon: A sexy and humorous Romeo and Juliette Greek style, set in Mykonos Island.

  To Love A Hero: When the American chemist stumbles on the airport escalator in General Sergei’s arms, she soon discovers that chemicals are not the only things that can generate heat.

  Her French Count: Are his statue and chateau worth endangering the life of the impetuous young woman who’s turned his life upside down

  Neighbors and More: Too close for comfort for condo owners in a Florida High Rise after a man drowns in a hot spa.

  Husband for a Week: Sicilian vendetta, fake husband, and an irascible matchmaking grandmother complicate Jonathan and Isabella’s lives. Can love conquer all?

  The Gods of Dark L
ove: From the Egyptian Mythology, the legend of the famous gods, Isis and Osiris.

  Modern Princes:

  A Bride For Prince Paul: She can’t abandon her patients for his crown!

  A Bodyguard For The Princess: A murder at Harvard in Princess Chloe’s student building.

  Jingle With My Princess: The doc and the princess... He saves lives but Princess Charlene may save his heart.

  Prince Philip’s Cinderella: A charming jogger saves her from danger. But he’s a prince... and she comes from nothing. Should she run or risk her heart?

  Sweet but Sassy

  In Time For Christmas: Can Sylvia turn her life and career upside down for Baby Clementine and for James who wants her to stay with him for reasons he has trouble explaining?

  The Captain’s Christmas Leave: Wounded and almost divorced, Dr. Joshua Alexander lost his medical career and any chance of happiness...until his sassy wife takes matters into her own hands.

  Love You, Doc series:

  A Complete Family: Nurse Melody is continuously late at work. Determined to find out the reason for her tardiness, Dr. Aidan visits her house, unintentionally scares her little daughter, and is attacked by her vicious German shepherd. But attraction sizzles…

  Love on the Slopes: A victim of mockery, Gabriella hides her pain and limp. After saving her from a ski accident, can Dr. Nathan win her love and rebuild her knee? (Coming soon)

  ER Love: Despite a traumatic experience, a young doctor with a four-year-old daughter returns to work in the ER. Will the charming Chief of ER make her job easier or more difficult? (Coming soon)

  Doctor’s Orders:

  Babies in the Bargain: “ER” and “Grey’s Anatomy” in the NICU.

  Right Name, Wrong Man: What’s a girl to do when she whispers another man’s name in her fiancé’s arms?

  No More Lies: A lie that brings a smile or a truth drawing tears?

  My books are also part of these multi-author boxes:

  Love, Christmas

  Love, Christmas 2

  INVINCIBLE, Strong and Fearless

  Sweet and Sassy

  Sweet and Sassy Christmas

  Sweet and Sassy Valentine

  Sweet and Sassy Weddings

  Sweet and Sassy on the Beach

  Sweet and Sassy in the Snow

  Sweet and Sassy Cinderella

  Snowflakes and Christmas Kisses

  Unforgettable Romances: Unforgettable Heroes

  Unforgettable Heroes: Unforgettable Passion

  Unforgettable Christmas: Gifts of Love

  Unforgettable Valentine

  Unforgettable Weddings

  Unforgettable Suspense

  Unforgettable Danger

  Unforgettable Passion: Unforgettable Charmers

  Unforgettable Charmers

  A Night She’ll Remember

  Unforgettable Christmas Dreams

  Sweet and Sassy Holiday

  Christmas Shorts

  About the Author

  A tireless traveler, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author MONA RISK writes sweet contemporary romance, medical romance, and romantic suspense novels, all simmering with emotion. Sprinkled with a good dose of humor, her stories are set in the fascinating places she visits— or in Florida, her paradise on earth.

  “Ms. Risk is one of those authors who puts together a tale that’s captivates from first page to last.”~ The Romance Studio

  “Mona Risk knows how to pull a reader into the minds of her well-crafted characters. Her work takes us on a journey be it local or overseas.” Night Owl Reviews.

  “Ms Risk has created beautifully written, well rounded, realistic characters.” Got Romance!

  Contact Information

  Nothing would please me more than to hear from my readers. You can write to me at [email protected]

  To hear about my new novels, please join my Newsletter .

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  If you would like to join my review team, please click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1Mona2Readers/

  Diamonds Aren’t for Everyone by Dani Haviland

  Diamonds Aren’t for Everyone

  Triplets: Three Aren’t One

  Book Two

  by

  Dani Haviland

  USA Today Bestselling Author

  Book Description

  Birthday mayhem turns into a hunt for her parents’ blackmailers. Will a rich heir ruin Vickie’s plans?

  Praise and Awards

  USA Today Bestselling Author

  Kindle Top 100 Bestselling Author

  Amazon Top 100 Historical fiction Author

  Amazon Top 100 Biographies and Memoirs Author

  Amazon Top 100 United States Drama and Plays

  Amazon Top 100 LGBT Mysteries Author

  “There wasn’t a heartstring this one didn’t pull at! And, no spoilers, but that’s one of the nicest endings I could have imagined – all round, proving redemption’s possible, some things will last forever, and …. Karma. This isn’t just a story of Jose and Loren; it’s so much more. Amazon reader on Too Fast for You (http://bit.ly/2fast4YOU)

  “From the picturesque descriptions of the Alaskan wilderness, to weaving a beautiful love story, the author's writing style is both serious and quirky. A perfect, relaxing read!”

  Amazon review of One Arctic Summer (http://bit.ly/2OneArcticSummer)

  1

  New Old Parents

  January 3, 1992

  “Is anyone following us?” Gloria asked, checking the side mirror of their Cadillac.

  “Why would they be? We didn’t do anything wrong,” her husband said, now worried too.

  “Other than adopt a baby without papers or even the birthmother’s okay.”

  “First off…” Roger paused a moment to collect his wits and recheck the rearview mirror, then started again. “I seriously doubt that birth mothers are ever around when their babies are adopted out. Plus, I don’t think Dr. Buddy would have let all three of her babies go without getting her permission.”

  “Dr. Buddy lied to us, though,” she said. “Remember? Maybe he tricked the mother and lied to her, too. Imagine, getting over $80,000 from us upfront for his fee and expenses, and then telling us the mother and babies had died. I’m so glad Chuck came to our rescue. I only met him a couple of times, but I don’t think he’d steal three babies from a mother who wanted them. She must have been overwhelmed. I mean, really? Can you imagine how daunting it would be to raise three babies all at once?”

  “I watched my sister with just one at a time,” Roger said. “No, I can’t imagine twins, much less triplets. There must be more to the story. I have the feeling that Chuck knows more about what’s going on but he’s sparing us.”

  “So, do you think people will really believe I’m her natural mother?” Gloria asked, pulling down the visor to examine the faint crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes.

  “My dear wife, you’re only forty years old. Lots of women your age give birth. More than anything, they’ll wonder how you got your figure back so soon. Or even how you hid a pregnancy so well. You’re as much a fox now as you were twenty years ago.”

  “Well, I’ll simply say I didn’t want to announce the pregnancy, just in case something went wrong. Of course, since the baby is so small, I can say that’s why I recovered my shape so quickly.” Gloria flipped the mirror up out of the way, then pulled the zipper down on her ski jacket to look inside at the face of her newborn treasure again. “She is so beautiful…”

  “Yes, she is,” Roger agreed. “Let’s cancel all our social engagements for the next month or two. I want to spend as much time with her as...”

  “But…but…”

  “No buts. Hear me out. If we’re off everyone’s radar for a while, we can say we’ve been taking care of our new addition. That will be the truth, won’t it?”

  “Well, the two of us plus the nanny…”

/>   “Fine. With or without the nanny, we’ll make sure we get lots of pictures of us which should help support our absence. I think it’s ridiculous to pretend she’s our natural child, but if that’s what you really want to do,” Roger said, then sighed. “Nobody needs to know whether the adoption was through an agency or out the side door of a converted utility van. And before you ask for the seventh time in ten minutes, you’re plenty young enough to have a child. If only those fertility shots had worked for you.”

  “They made us both crazy. Or rather, they made me over the hills hormonal and irrational and that almost drove you crazy. I didn’t want to risk losing you because of it.”

  “Well, those were four very emotionally charged months,” Roger agreed, recalling the screaming, crying, and knife-throwing episodes.

  “How many times am I going to have to apologize…” Grace began, then stopped when she saw his head shaking. “Oh, you weren’t looking for an apology.”

  “Let’s move forward, shall we? Just you and me and baby makes three. Are you sure you want to name her Victoria, though?”

  “Victoria like my sister? Heavens, no!” Gloria exclaimed, startling the baby snuggled next to her.

  She brought her voice down and soothed the hours-old baby she had disturbed, “There, there, Vickie Lynn. You’ll be home to a nice warm bottle in about three minutes. Mommy’s here for you.”

  Roger glanced over at the two of them and grinned. Content. Happier now than he ever thought possible. “I’m glad to hear you call yourself Mommy. Mother sounds so stilted and formal. I never could understand why she insisted Grace call her Mother. Her own, biological daughter… That sounds so stoic and sterile.”

 

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