The Surprise Princess by Patricia McLinn

Author:Patricia McLinn [McLinn, Patricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Craig Place Books
Published: 2014-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Katie brought them ice water then Brad got her to sit on the couch, beside him but not too close. No, he had little hope of her sitting too close.

He’d worked them both hard last weekend to avoid awkwardness. But that, combined with his trip, meant they’d had no chance to get comfortable with the situation, either.

It had been a long week. The snippets of conversations with Katie had not been nearly enough. The thoughts about her had been too much.

They were married.

Married.

You may kiss the bride…

She was a princess.

Abruptly, he said, “You know you’ll be around King Jozef next week in D.C., spending time with him.”

“I suppose.”

“You know they want you to have that DNA test. And now you can.”

“I … I don’t know if I want to.”

That was progress, wasn’t it? “You don’t owe the people who raised you a damned thing, Katie. When I think about what they stole from you—”

“I was lucky. Truly. Since I found those things in the attic, I’ve read about kids taken from their families and the things they endure… I was fed and clothed, warm in the winter, cool in the summer, sent to school. And after…” She straightened. “It sounds awful, but after he died things improved. My mother supported my going to college.”

“Financially,” he said. “Did she ever say she was proud of you? Or that you’d done well? Or that she loved you?”

“She wasn’t that kind of woman. But she worked very hard to support me. I can’t forget that.”

“You said once you had no family stories, Katie, but there were family stories. At least implicit ones. That they were your parents. That you were born in Portland. Your birthdate. Your age. That they moved to Ashton for opportunities. Those stories were lies. They stole your birthright, your family, your future.”

She looked down.

He swore sharply. That brought her head up, her eyes wide with surprise.

“What burns me,” he said, “is how they closed you off, kept you hidden – Worse, they taught you to keep yourself hidden. You’re wrapped in that gray shroud even when you’re not wearing it. You’re still living behind those damned trees even though they’re gone.”

He reached to her, stroking the back of his fingers down her cheek.

“Don’t hide, Katie. Don’t…”

You may kiss the bride.

He had. Just enough to taste her. To know there was fire between them.

Her breath hitched.

His mouth was on hers.

Her lips parted. His tongue slid between them.

Their teeth clashed. He couldn’t remember the last time that happened to him.

He changed the angle, one hand pushing off the scarf she wore so he could slide his fingers into her hair, cupping her skull. His hand wanted to shake, but it couldn’t now, not when it was needed to support her head as he kissed her deeper and harder.

She adjusted with him, her tongue meeting his. Her fingers slid into his hair. Her other hand gripped his wrist.

He drew her closer. His hand on her thigh. Was he imagining the faintest vibration

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