Alexis Alvarez brings a European prince with her today from her story in the Royally Mine box set.
American volunteer Maya Murphy didn't expect sexy, European prince Henri to whisper dirty French phrases into her ear, let alone invite her to spend a passionate night in his chalet. But the biggest surprise of all is how much they have in common...and how much she wishes for a happy-ever-after.
Excerpt:
She opened the door and almost gasped. If he’d looked handsome before, in his suit, he was wickedly attractive now in his formal tux that fit him effortlessly. His eyebrows raised and he murmured something in French as he stepped forward to kiss her on the cheek.
Startled, nervous and attracted, she twisted her head at the exact moment he bent forward to kiss her, and his lips ended up on her neck, sending shocks of arousal through her body. He steadied her with his hands, and his chuckle tickled her skin.
“Sorry,” she said, breathless. “I’m not used to hello kisses. I don’t know how they work.”
“You don’t know how kisses work?” He raised an eyebrow and smiled. “I’m appalled. I will make it one of my duties tonight,” and he lowered his voice and leaned his head in, “to teach you about it.”
Her eyes widened, imagining his lips on hers, and her face flushed.
“First lesson,” he said, running a finger across her cheekbone for a mere second. “You let the man kiss you first here. Stand still, please.” He pressed his lips to her left cheek, lingering for just a split second longer than she remembered seeing these kisses go on TV shows. “And then he kisses the other. Yes?”
He paused and looked into her eyes and smiled, and she nearly combusted. Then he bent in and kissed her other cheek, sending wild sparks into her entire body.
“And do I…” her voice was breathy. “Am I supposed to kiss you, too?”
A broad grin spread across his face. He cleared his throat. “Usually to avoid destroying their lipstick, the woman kisses the air next to the face.”
“Okay.” Her heart pounded so fast she could feel it in her wrists.
“So. We try it again. Come here.”
She widened her eyes, but he took her hands in his. “You look breathtaking, Maya.” He smiled, then leaned in and kissed one cheek softly, then the other. This time she stood still and didn’t jerk her neck, but her breath came faster with the second kiss. She was sure he could see her pulse in her neck, feel it in her skin.
“Perfect,” he murmured, touching her arm for a second. “You are a natural.” Then he added, “Il y a tant de choses dont je voudrais t’ensigner, et ce bisou est juste le commencement.”
“What was that?”
He chuckled. “I merely said that I am looking forward to tonight.”
“I somehow think it sounded more complicated. Doesn’t bisou mean kiss?”
“That it does.” He raised an eyebrow.
“And doesn’t ensigner mean teach?”
“You only require a little more tutoring, and your French will be on point, like your kissing. This way, please.” He touched the small of her back, and she gasped at the warmth, and the way arousal flooded her. “We will drive together. And hopefully, if all goes well, Erik will be there shortly with your friend.”
“You know, for the record, I am a very good kisser. When it comes to real kisses.”
“Are you?” He stopped walking and looked into her eyes.
She sucked in a breath at the feral look in his eye. A muscle twitched in his jaw, and for a second—one crazy second—she was sure he was going to…
****
He was silent, then he shrugged. “All right. If you want to hear about me? Ask me two questions. Any two. But you have to promise to answer two from me as well. Do we have a deal?”
“Yes.” She automatically put out her hand, and he took it, and the sparks! Again, the sparks shot along her arm, making her catch her breath. She struggled to keep her expression even, but he gave her a knowing look as he released her fingers with a gentle squeeze.
“So, okay.” Her mind swirled, and she grabbed the first thing that fluttered by. “Why aren’t you married? Isn’t the older brother supposed to get married first?”
His voice was light. “I would never begrudge my brother the chance at true love. These days, we don’t have rules about marriage order anymore.” He gave a grimace, clearly aware of the press surrounding his brother’s very public divorce, and the rumors about a new girlfriend in the wings.
“So, are the rumors about you true? That you’re a wild and crazy playboy?” She raised her eyebrows and looked back at the door, after Celeste.
“A gentleman never discusses his partners,” he murmured. “Very gauche and disrespectful.” He met her gaze. “Anyone I date is guaranteed privacy. As well as my complete, undivided attention.” His eyes flashed.
“That wasn’t really an answer,” she pointed out, trying to keep a hitch of arousal out of her voice.
He laughed. “I never said the answers would match the questions perfectly, did I? We just met, and you expect me to lay out my love life for you like a pack of cards?” He paused. “Now, it’s my turn. Are you dating anyone? Is there a man out there who appreciates your particular brand of ridiculousness?” His eyes raked her, insolent.
She startled, then smiled, narrowing her eyes. “Why, are you interested in adding me into your mix of celebrities and starlets?” She bit her lip, then let it go. “How many minutes do you allot to each one per day, like, fifteen? Do you have a calendar to keep them straight?”
She cleared her throat and deepened her voice. “Oh, I’m sorry, Celeste. You’re not on for another,” she looked at her wrist, “two minutes. Let me finish up here with Marielle, first. Climb off please, and wipe off, before the next one climbs on. Thank you.”
He laughed. “Oh, you think you’re so funny, don’t you?” But the look he gave her was one of anger, arousal, and challenge.
She grinned. “Yeah. I do.” She stuck up her chin. “And there are plenty of men who like my brand of everything.”
He stepped in and whispered, “You know what? I don’t think you could handle five minutes alone with me, let alone fifteen, chèrie. So, if I ever decide to pencil you into the calendar? I’ll be sure to adjust you accordingly.”
Her eyes widened. “You—”
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Alexis Alvarez writer contemporary romance and kinky/BDSM novels which always feature a strong, kick-ass heroine and an HEA. She lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her family and dachshund, and loves to travel and laugh like a hyena with her sisters and brother at horrible, inappropriate jokes. She’s an author, photographer, digital designer, and former chemical engineer who dreams about words and leaks poetry from her fingertips. She’s friendly and wants you to hang out with her and her sisters (who are both romance writers, too!) in their super-secret Facebook group. Alexis once escaped a hotel fire in Riga, Latvia. She also jumped into a water feature at a mini-golf course for fun, asked a stranger in the IKEA cafe if she could taste their mac & cheese (they said yes; it was good), and likes tossing a full gallon of milk into the air on New Year’s Eve in Chicago’s snowy, frozen streets with her siblings and shouting “Happy Fucking New Year!” It’s sort of a tradition.
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