Marrying Her Royal Enemy by Jennifer Hayward

Author:Jennifer Hayward [Hayward, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488001079
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-07-06T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

THE ANCIENT CHURCH bells rang in Carnelia as they would on the quarter hour until the royal wedding took place in the Marcariokastro chapel in just under sixty minutes. With each deep, resonant gong of the bells, Stella’s stomach pulled tighter, a rock-hard fist she couldn’t unclench.

Not because of the five hundred guests preparing to attend her wedding. Not because of the vow she was about to make to king and country. Not even because General Houlis and his dangerous group of disciples would be in the audience. Instead, her nerves stemmed from the fact that in just over an hour she would not only pledge to stand by Kostas’s side forever, but she would also share his bed.

“Right.” Satisfied with the job she’d done, the makeup artist fussing over her face declared her a masterpiece. “I’m leaving tiny backups,” she said, gesturing to the dresser. “Smudge-proof lipstick and powder. Your mascara is waterproof so crying shouldn’t be a problem.”

She smiled her thanks. She was fairly certain that wouldn’t be an issue. She felt frozen, as if she’d been carved out of marble. Wondering if she’d made a huge mistake agreeing to embark on a real marriage with Kostas, to have an intimate relationship with a man she was still sure had the ability to tear her heart out.

She had, however, made a promise to Kostas and she intended on following through on it. Intended on putting everything she had into making this partnership—their relationship—a success. Part of that commitment included providing Kostas with an heir, and since that electric kiss in his study had proved chemistry wasn’t going to be a problem, she had decided to simply get it out of the way.

It made sense, after all, to consummate their relationship on their wedding night. Symbolically it was a fresh start for them. All she had to do was ensure her complex, reemerging feelings for her fiancé never went past the mutual respect and partnership they had promised each other.

A rock lodged itself in her throat. Simpler said than done. She wondered what it was going to be like to set this thing loose between her and Kostas. The thought was equally soul-shifting and terrifying.

Sofía bustled through the door with her dress, having made a tiny, last-minute alteration, with Alex close on her heels. “All done,” her sister-in-law announced breathlessly.

Discarding her robe, Stella stood and lifted her arms to allow Sofía to settle the dress down over her in a rustle of satin. An unexpected wave of emotion swept over her. It was gorgeous. Her dream dress on the odd day she’d ever imagined herself getting married.

“Oh, Sofía,” Alex breathed. “It’s perfect. You are a genius.”

It was genius. The romantic, off-the-shoulder, fit-and-flare satin gown made the most of her slim figure, the lace overlay softening an otherwise sleek, unadorned silhouette. “You don’t need any more with your strong look,” Sofía had said earlier. Which had meant, in reality, the square line of her jaw and her prominent nose, but she’d been okay with that assessment.

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