Dayita Samar comes from one of Loa Mali’s most respected families. The Oxford-educated scientist has dedicated her life to her country’s future. But under her staid and calm exterior, Day hides a few sexy secrets of her own. She is willing to marry her king, but also agrees that they can circumvent the law. Just because they’re married doesn’t mean they have to change their lives. It certainly doesn’t mean they have to fall in love.
After one wild weekend in Dallas, Kash discovers his bride-to-be is more than she seems. Engulfed in a changing world, Kash finds exciting new possibilities for himself. Could Day help him find respite from the crushing responsibility he’s carried all his life? This fairy tale could have a happy ending, if only they can escape Kash’s past…
Excerpt
“Did you enjoy the dessert?
They had been planning on serving crème brûlée, but I remembered you like
gelato. Strawberry.”
She turned and Kash
was standing in the doorway, the tie to his tuxedo undone and the first few
buttons of his shirt open, showing off golden skin.
Oh, how the girls
must swoon over that man.
Unfortunately for
him, she was a woman and not a girl. She curtseyed, recalling her etiquette
classes and going down deep, to show her respect for the crown. “I thank you,
Your Majesty.”
“Come now, Day. I
asked you not to call me that long ago, and now it appears there’s even less
reason. We were friends then. We’re going to be husband and wife in a week.
Shocking how quickly that woman can move when she wants to.”
He looked so
composed, but she couldn’t forget that he’d only found out his mother was dying
this afternoon. That was when she’d seen the real man. She’d interrupted them
with her silly dress and she’d seen the shock and pain on Kash’s face before
he’d smoothed it out and gone back to being the polite royal he’d become.
“Are you all right?”
She asked the question for two reasons. First, she wanted to know the answer
and second, to see if they really were still friends.
His lips curved up
slightly. “I’m faring quite well. We Kamdars are made of sterner stuff than
this. Did you enjoy the dinner?”
So, not so friendly
he would talk about private things with her. It was good to know where they
stood. They needed to have a long conversation about how this was going to
work. They might be marrying to protect the Kamdar line and to give his mother
some peace, but they needed a plan of action about how best to achieve their
goals.
Partners. That was
how she’d decided to look at this. They were partners. And if she ended up
governing the kingdom while he was out fucking around with supermodels, she
wouldn’t get her heart broken.
Just humiliated.
Yes, they needed a
talk and perhaps a contract.
“I enjoyed the meal
very much. The company left something to be desired, but I suspect I’ll get
used to dining with windbag politicians.” She turned back to the balcony,
leaning against it. The view from here was spectacular. Beyond that, it was
soothing in a way.
“Yes, Mother told me
they’re giving you trouble.” He joined her, leaning beside her, their bodies so
close but not touching. “I’ll talk to them, ensure you have your funding.”
“Don’t. It can wait
a few weeks. I need to go back to them and introduce myself as their new
queen.” She wasn’t about to let them think she sent her husband in. If he
behaved as he so often did, he wouldn’t be around much and it would be up to
her to keep everyone in line.
“Is that why you
agreed to this arrangement? Because you wanted power?”
“I agreed because I
care about this country. I’ve spent the last ten years of my life working here
and trying to ensure that our children get what they need to make it out in the
world. I agreed because your mother is excellent at putting one in a corner. I
agreed because someone has to and I wasn’t sure who you would bring home if
given the chance.” She shuddered at the idea of some brainless model attempting
to be a role model for Loa Malian girls.
“Ah, you don’t think
I have good taste in women.”
“I think you have an
unquenchable appetite for them, Your Majesty, and that is something we should
talk about.”
“Ah, the wifely
lectures begin,” he said with a sigh. “Please proceed. I’m anxious to get this
over with so I can be properly chastened.”
“I only ask that you
attempt some discretion, Kashmir. I don’t expect you to be faithful in any way,
but I do expect you to not humiliate me.”
He turned, frowning
a bit as though she’d surprised him. “You don’t expect me to be faithful?”
It was time for some
honesty. “I don’t think you can be. How long have you kept a single woman? A
month? Three?”
“Six,” he replied.
“I was with Tasha Reynolds for six months before we went our separate ways.”
“And were you
faithful to her?” She already knew the answer to that question.
“We had an
agreement.” He frowned as though the conversation wasn’t going at all as he’d
expected. “She was on set much of the time. She knew I had a highly stressful
job, so she was understanding. I gave her the same options.”
“Excellent, then
let’s be fair with each other. As long as we’re both discreet, this marriage of
ours doesn’t have to mean the end of our lives.”
ABOUT LEXI BLAKE
NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn't until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.
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