Persuading The Playboy King Read online

  Kate waved as Marc did, even though she really wanted to kiss her husband. Badly. “Do tell.”

  “I’m going to pour it all over your incredible body, and lick it off slowly.”

  She turned her face to his and brushed a kiss across his lips, the crowd cheering its approval. “And I’m going to do the same thing to you.”

  Marc groaned. “Could this procession go any slower? I’m going to die from wanting you before we begin our honeymoon.”

  Kate smiled. “If I remember correctly, we started the honeymoon last night when you showed up in my bedchamber even after your mother told you to leave me alone so I could get a decent night’s sleep.”

  He raised a dark eyebrow. “Bedchamber? Spoken like a true queen. And I didn’t hear you complaining last night. I did hear you moaning.”

  “Stop it or you are going to make my makeup melt.”

  He turned his attention from the crowd to her, surveying her face. “That wouldn’t matter. With or without makeup, you’re still the most beautiful queen Doriana has ever known, with my mother running a close second.”

  Kate sighed and squeezed his hand. “I’m going to need time to get used to being labeled a queen.”

  “The first gainfully employed queen in the history of Doriana, I might add.”

  Thanks to Mary, Kate thought. Her precious mother-in-law had insisted Kate continue her work at the clinic, even if Mary had to go before the council and argue the point. Hopefully that wouldn’t happen. The unrest involving the last scandal had finally died down after everyone had learned of the impending marriage between the playboy king and the common doctor. No one knew about Philippe and his wife yet, but Mary had promised she would write it all down and reveal the news after more time had passed. In the meantime, Marc and Kate would raise Cecile as their own child, eventually telling her about the way she had come to be. A story of love worthy of being passed down through the ages.

  Marc leaned forward and groaned again, his attention now focused on an alley to their right. Kate followed his visual path and noted the reason for his obvious distress. A handsome young man sat on the hood of a black convertible, several young women fawning all over him.

  “That’s your Corvette, isn’t it?” she asked.

  Marc frowned. “Yes, and they’re going to ruin the paint.”

  Kate fought a sudden bite of apprehension. “Are you going to miss the attention from all those women, now that you’re a married man?”

  He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to his side. “I’m only going to miss the car.” He kissed her cheek. “I have the only woman I want.”

  “I still can’t believe you gave up your car. Couldn’t you have kept it and just given some money to the building fund?”

  “Actually, I gave the car away to fulfill the terms of a wager.”

  “A wager?”

  “Yes, with two friends from Harvard. We wagered that none of us would be married within ten years. If we did marry, we would have to give up our most prized possession. Although I did not adhere to the terms of the wager, I did last nine years.”

  “Any regrets?”

  He touched her face with tenderness. “Only if I would have given you up. That would have been my greatest loss. I could live without the car, but not without you.”

  For the second time today, Kate was on the verge of tears. She willed them away and welcomed back the joy. “So have your friends married yet?”

  “No. Mitchell Warner is living in Texas as a rancher.”

  Kate’s eyes widened. “The Mitch Warner, from the Warner political dynasty? The senator’s reclusive son?”

  “Yes, that would be the one. Dharr Halim is a sheikh and his wife has been predetermined. But as of yet, he has not married.”

  “Are they here?”

  “No, but Dharr sent best wishes and an intricate vase made by an artisan in his country, Azzril. Mitch sent a note that said, ‘I knew you couldn’t hold out,’ along with a model of the Corvette. We’re to meet again at a reunion in the spring.” He discreetly moved their joined hands from Kate’s lap to his thigh and slid it upward. “I’m certain they will understand why I could not resist you.”

  Kate understood only one thing at the moment—the way Marc was looking at her now, with unmistakable hunger in his eyes, made her want to tap the driver on the shoulder and tell him to hurry the heck up.

  Kate glanced back at the carriage behind them that carried the queen mother, Cecile and her own mother and father. “I think my parents are getting along well with Mary. She’s giving them advice on their tour across Europe.”

  “Mother enjoys that sort of thing.”

  “Honestly, I can’t believe they’re actually going to take a real trip. And when they return home, they’re going to travel even more. When I lived with them, they wouldn’t go anywhere or do anything. My mother wouldn’t even get on a plane. I had to provide their entertainment.”

  “I can understand why they enjoy your company,” Marc said. “I certainly do.”

  “Well, it’s nice to have someone need you. To a point.” Kate’s parents had long ago crossed that point, but it seemed they had learned to live without her constant companionship, which was a very good thing.

  He turned his serious eyes to her. “But I need you, Kate.”

  “That’s different, Marc.” With him, she had learned that having someone needing her didn’t have to be stifling. “We need each other. And you do have a life beyond only me. We both have lives.”

  “We will continue to have a life together. That much I promise you.”

  “I know. But I also understand you have responsibilities.” She batted her eyelashes in her best southern belle imitation. “Being as how you’re a little old king and all.”

  Marc grinned. “There’s that Tennessee accent I do love. I thought you’d lost it after learning French. I’m glad you haven’t.”

  Kate rested her head on his shoulder and held his hand tightly when the carriage again lurched forward. “I could stand losing the accent, as long as I don’t lose you.”

  Marc tipped her face up to meet his gaze. “You will never lose me, Kate.”

  She looked at him with all the love in her heart. “And I think it’s wonderful that you’ve given up something you’ve greatly treasured for the sake of your people.”

  “You and Cecile are my greatest treasure. The three of us make a good team. And when she is older, we will have more children to add to our family.”

  Kate realized it was a good time for a few revelations, now that they were moving again, preventing him from jumping out of the coach. “Marc, there’s something I have to tell you. Actually, two things.”

  He frowned. “Why so serious?”

  “Because I don’t know how you’re going to feel about this.”

  “Kate, nothing you could say would disappoint me.”

  “It might surprise you, though.”

  “My life is full of surprises. You are a prime example of that. A very welcome surprise, in your case.”

  “Okay. Here goes.” She drew in a deep breath. “Bernard and Beatrice are married.”

  “What?”

  “I know. It’s shocking.”

  Marc scowled. “When did this happen?”

  “A month ago, in a quiet ceremony.”

  “Is everyone bent on keeping their marriage a secret in this family?”

  Kate squeezed his arm. “Ours has been very public.”

  “True.” Marc ran a hand along his jaw then looked at her again. “So I’m assuming that’s all the shocking news you wish to tell me.”

  Kate chewed her bottom lip. “Actually, no.”

  “What else?” Marc asked, his tone wary.

  “I’m pregnant.”

  His expression filled with awe as he laid his palm on her abdomen. “Are you certain?”

  She rested her hand atop his. “Yes. I took the test two days ago. I wanted to wait until the right time to tell
you. I figured this was as good a time as any since I have you captive in a coach, in case you decided to run.”

  “I promise you I’m not going anywhere.” He proved it by taking her completely into his arms and kissing her deeply, thoroughly, eliciting a few whistles and catcalls from the crowd. When they parted, he told her, “You have blessed me twice today, Kate. I hope it’s another girl, a sister for Cecile. I admit I favor girls. Much less trouble than boys. Ask my mother.”

  Kate was buoyed by his optimism, his love. “If we have a boy, I want him to be just like you.”

  Marc brought her hand to his lips. “I want him to be better than me, Kate. I want him to have your spirit, your strength.”

  “Marc, how can you say that? You’re the strongest man I’ve ever known.”

  “You give me strength, Kate, through your love.”

  “And you do the same for me.”

  Kate recalled what Mary had said to her in the garden not long after she’d arrived in this beautiful country—to find a place in the world with this beautiful man.

  I wish for you that kind of rare and precious love, my dear Kate.

  Mary’s wish had been granted, and so had Kate’s. The consummate playboy had been replaced by the consummate king. The ultimate friend, an accomplished lover, the best father a child could know—loved her with all he had to give.

  Truly a man for all seasons, and Kate’s husband for all time.

  * * * * *

  All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.

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  This collection is first published in Great Britain 2009.

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  THE ROYAL WAGER © Harlequin Books S.A. 2009.

  The publisher acknowledges the copyright holder of the individual

  works, which have already been published in the UK

  in single, separate volumes, as follows:

  Persuading the Playboy King © Kristi Goldberg 2004

  Unmasking the Maverick Prince © Kristi Goldberg 2004

  Daring the Dynamic Sheikh © Kristi Goldberg 2004

  ISBN: 978 1 408 91009 2