Jennifer Faye – A Princess By Christmas (страница 1)
Hand-in-hand, they moved as though they’d been together for years.
She glanced over at him. “Are you still up for going to dinner like we planned?”
He was hungry—there was no doubt about that. But food wasn’t what he craved.
Big snowflakes drifted lazily to the ground and quickly covered her hair. He’d never seen anyone so beautiful. It was going to be hard to stay focused on his priorities when all he wanted to do was get closer to Reese. If only his life were different …
In that moment he heard the King’s clear, distinct voice in his head.
And that was what he was doing—but each day it was getting harder and harder to live by those rules. He glanced at Reese. Definitely much harder than he’d ever imagined.
A Princess by Christmas
Jennifer Faye
In another life JENNIFER FAYE was a statistician. She still has a love for numbers, formulas and spreadsheets, but when she was presented with the opportunity to follow her lifelong passion and spend her days writing and pursuing her dream of becoming a Mills & Boon® author, she couldn’t pass it up. These days, when she’s not writing, Jennifer enjoys reading, fine needlework, quilting, tweeting and cheering on the Pittsburgh Penguins. She lives in Pennsylvania with her amazingly patient husband, two remarkably talented daughters and their two very spoiled fur babies, otherwise known as cats—but
Jennifer loves to hear from readers—you can contact her via her website: www.jenniferfaye.com.
For Marcia
To the most wonderful, caring, generous lady I know. Thanks so much for being a very special part of my life. Someday when I grow up I want to be just like you.
And for Marcia’s Book Crew
Thanks for all of your kind words and encouragement. You ladies are amazing!
Contents
AT LAST HE’D lost them.
Prince Alexandro Castanavo of the Mirraccino Islands stared out the back window of the cab as it snaked in and out of traffic. He’d never driven in New York City but his concern deepened when they swerved to the berm of the road. While all of the other traffic was at a standstill, they kept rolling along.
When the cab suddenly jerked to the left, Alex’s shoulder thumped into the door. He reached for the armrest and his fingertips dug into the hard plastic. What had he done to deserve the cabbie who thought he was a grand prix driver?
Alex jerked forward as the car screeched to a halt in front of a traffic light. At least the guy obeyed some traffic rules. Another glance out the rear window revealed a bread delivery truck behind them. He breathed a sigh of relief. No one was following them. But then again, how could they? He doubted many people drove as erratically as this cabbie.
“You can let me out here?”
“No. I get you there quick.”
Alex reached for his wallet, but before he could grab it, the car lurched forward. He fell back against the seat. What was up with this guy? Didn’t he know that he’d make more money by taking his time?
“You don’t have to hurry.”
The man grinned at him in the rearview mirror. “Hurry? Sure. I hurry.”
Alex inwardly groaned. He was about to correct the man when he realized that every time the man spoke, he took his eyes off the roadway. It was best not to distract him if Alex wanted to reach his destination in one piece.
He silently sat in the backseat while the cabbie jockeyed through the streets of Manhattan. Alex stared out the side window as a fine snow began to fall. Cars and people abounded in every direction, seemingly undisturbed by the deteriorating weather. Garlands and festive wreaths adorned the fronts of buildings while pine trees and shiny ornaments decorated the shop windows. Christmas was definitely in the air, even though it was still a few weeks away.
City life would definitely take a bit to get used to. Not that he planned to live it up while in town. Unlike his usual need for high visibility on behalf of the kingdom, this trip required stealth maneuvers, especially since he’d gone against protocol and stolen away without his security detail. Although in his defense, it was a necessity. Trying to elude the paparazzi was tricky enough, but doing it with an entourage would be impossible.
Soon the stores faded away, traffic thinned out and rows of houses dotted each side of the street. One last glance out the rear window assured him they hadn’t been followed. At last, the tension in his neck eased.
When a loud clicking sound filled the car, he noticed they’d turned onto a cobblestone roadway. It was a narrow residential road with no parking on either side.
Alex sat up a little straighter, taking in the sweeping willow trees on either side of the street. This must be the exclusive neighborhood of Willow Heights, aptly named.
The homes in this area sat back off the road. They were older mansions that were well kept and still stunningly beautiful. Being here was like stepping back in time. A wrought-iron signpost came into view. It stood in front of a stone wall and read: The Willows.
Alex glanced up at the stately home with its old-world charm. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting. When the problem at the palace had come to light, there had been no time for detailed planning. He’d moved directly into action. His mission was to draw out this game of cat and mouse with the press—not knowing how much time would be needed to resolve his brother’s latest fiasco.
The driver turned in to the gated driveway. “That is some swanky place. You some rich muckety-muck?”
He wasn’t sure what a muckety-muck was, but it didn’t sound good. “No.”
“You stay long?”