The Blacksheep Prince's Bride by Martha Shields

Author:Martha Shields
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-10-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

“Marry you?” Rowena stared at Jake in shock.

This was every little-girl fantasy and every adult nightmare she’d ever had, rolled into one. The prince was offering marriage…happily ever after. But years too late. Years after she’d discovered that happily ever after was just as fictional as the fairy tales that touted them.

“Yes.”

“Are you out of your mind? Or am I out of mine…hearing things?” She tried to pull her hands from Jake’s, but he wouldn’t let go.

“We’re both totally sane,” he assured her. “And I’m totally serious.”

“No, Jake. It’s impossible.”

“Why?”

“Why?” Rowena felt as if she were in some crazy dream. “Well, aside from the fact that you’re deranged is the fact that you’re a prince and I’m as common as oxygen.”

“Don’t.” A thundercloud passed over his face. “You are not common. Far from it. You’re the most uncommon woman I know.”

“Jake…”

“And I’m not a prince. I’m a very common, very untitled American, and no one can tell me who I can and can’t marry.”

“No matter what you say, you can’t change the fact that you’re fourth in line to the throne. And since you have a copy of the Edenbourg Treatise, you know that makes you a prince.” She glared at him. “I’m a lady-in-waiting, Jake. Which is nothing but a glorified maid.”

“I’m a lawyer. We’re both in service occupations. But what does that have to do with anything?”

“I have to earn a paycheck.”

“Which is one thing I want to stop. You’re nobody’s servant, Ena. I hate seeing you fetching and carrying and doing for everyone and their brother.” He brought her hands to his lips and kissed them both in the middle of her palms. “You deserve to be treated like a princess…and I want the chance to see that you are.”

Rowena shivered, as much from his words as from the gentle caress on the most sensitive part of her hands. For as long as she could remember, she’d dreamed about the handsome prince who would rescue her from a life of drudgery. He’d sweep her off her feet, carry her to his castle and treat her like a princess.

“Don’t, Jake.” She swallowed her emotion. “Don’t say things like that.”

“Why not?”

“Because I might believe you.”

“You can believe every word.” He smiled. “Marry me.”

“But…we’re not in love.”

His smile faded. “Perhaps not, but I want you, and you want me.”

So it boiled down to sex…again. What was the difference between Jake and Heinrich? Neither offered love. Neither promised her happily ever after.

She’d been right all along…every prince was the same.

“No.” She finally pulled her hands from his and rose.

“Are you saying you don’t want me?” He stood with a tiny, knowing smile as she backed two paces away. “Liar.”

She winced. “I didn’t say I didn’t want you. But that’s no reason to get married. If all you want is sex, then we can go upstairs right now and—”

“No.”

“That’s your favorite word, isn’t it?”

His strong hands covered her shoulders. “This is not about sex, Ena. If that part bothers you, then we can keep things on a platonic level…until you get comfortable with it…with me.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.