Michelle Celmer - Virgin Princess, Tycoon’s Temptation / The Secret Child & The Cowboy CEO - Virgin Princess, Tycoon’s Temptation

Virgin Princess,

Tycoon’s

Temptation

Michelle Celmer

The Secret Child

& The Cowboy CEO

Janice Maynard

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Virgin Princess,

Tycoon’s

Temptation

Michelle Celmer

“It would be okay if you kissed me now.”

Louisa gazed up at him, a dreamy look on her face.

Oh, Garrett wanted to. So much that it surprised him a little. “Are you sure that’s what you want?” he asked.

“Just because my family treats me like a child doesn’t mean I am one.”

There was nothing childish about her, which she proved by not even waiting for him to make the first move. Instead, she reached up, slid her hands behind his neck, pulled him down to her level and kissed him. Her lips were soft but insistent and she smelled fantastic—delicate and feminine.

Louisa expelled a shudder of breath and rested her head against his chest. “Now, that was a kiss.”

He couldn’t exactly argue.

“It probably isn’t proper to say this,” Louisa said. “But I can’t wait to see you naked.”

Bestselling author MICHELLE CELMER lives in southeastern Michigan with her husband, their three children, two dogs and two cats. When she’s not writing or busy being a mom, you can find her in the garden or curled up with a romance novel. And if you twist her arm really hard you can usually persuade her into a day of power shopping.

Michelle loves to hear from readers. Visit her website, www.michellecelmer.com, or write to her at PO Box 300, Clawson, MI 48017, USA.

Dear Reader,

Welcome to my ROYAL SEDUCTIONS series, the story of Princess Louisa Josephine Elisabeth Alexander and real-estate king Garrett Sutherland.

As an author, I love all the books I write and the characters I create, but every so often one comes along that I hold a special fondness for. This is one of those books, and Princess Louisa is definitely one of those characters. It is her innocence, and her unshakable faith in the people around her, that makes her so likable. And frankly so much fun to mess with. It was quite a challenge for me, tearing her down and stripping away her illusions. But, hey, it had to be done. And I’ll tell you, she was a tough nut to crack.

The same could be said for Garrett, whose single-minded determination made him as appealing as he was obtuse. What can you do to a guy who thinks he has all the answers? (Insert evil laughter here.) That’s right—tear him down, too.

Are you getting the feeling I really enjoy this?

Usually I have a pretty good idea going into a story how it will end, but I have to say, these two kept me guessing right up until the very last page. They genuinely surprised me, and I think they’ll surprise you, too.

Enjoy!

Michelle

To my grandson, Cameron James Ronald

A genuine believer in fate and fairy tale romances, Princess Louisa Josephine Elisabeth Alexander knew that if she was patient, the man of her dreams would eventually come along. And as their eyes met across the crowded ballroom, beneath a canopy of red and white twinkling lights, shimmering silver tulle and pink, white and red heart-shaped balloons, she could swear she felt the earth move.

She just knew he was the one.

Her family would probably remind her that she’d felt that way about men before. Aaron would tease her and call her a hopeless romantic. Chris, the oldest, would just sigh and shake his head, as if to say, “Here we go again.” Her twin sister Anne would probably sneer and call her naive. But this time it was different. Louisa was sure of it. She could feel it, like a cosmic tug at her soul.

He was the most intriguing, handsome and tallest man—by several inches—at the charity event, which was what drew her attention to him in the first place. With raven hair, a warm olive complexion and striking features, he was impossible to miss.

Was he an Italian businessman, or a Mediterranean prince? Whoever he was, he was rich and powerful. She could tell by the quality of his clothing and the way he carried himself. Most people knew better than to openly stare at a member of the royal family, but this man gazed intently at her with dark, deep-set eyes, as though they already knew one another. Which she was sure they didn’t. She definitely would have remembered him. Maybe he didn’t realize she was royalty, although she would imagine the diamond encrusted tiara tucked within her upswept hair would be a dead giveaway.

Another woman might have waited for him to make the first move, or manufactured a scenario in which their paths accidentally crossed, but Louisa didn’t believe in playing games. Much to the chagrin of her overly protective siblings. The youngest member of the royal family by a mere five minutes, and labeled as too trusting, Louisa was treated like a child. But contrary to what her family believed, not everyone was interested in her money and title, and those who were, were fairly easy to recognize.

She set her empty champagne glass on a passing server’s tray and headed in his direction, the full skirt of her gown—in her customary shade of pink—swishing soundlessly as she crossed the floor. Never once did his eyes leave hers. As she approached, he finally lowered his gaze and bowed his head, saying in a voice as deep as it was smooth, “Her Highness is enchanting tonight.”

Not a half-bad opening line, and he spoke with a dialect not unlike her own. Almost definitely from Thomas Isle, so why didn’t she recognize him? “You seem to have me at a disadvantage,” she said. “You obviously know me, but I don’t recall ever meeting you.”

Most people, especially a stranger, would have at least offered an apology for staring, but this man didn’t look like the type who apologized for anything. “That’s because we’ve never met,” he answered.

“I suppose that would explain it,” she said with a smile.

Face-to-face, he was a little older than she’d guessed. Mid-thirties maybe—ten years or so her senior—but she preferred men who were older and more experienced. He was also much larger than she thought. The top of her head barely reached his chin. It wasn’t just his height that was so imposing, either. He was big all over, and she would bet that not an ounce of it was fat. Even through his attire, he seemed to have the chiseled physique of a gladiator. She couldn’t help noticing that he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.

This was, without a doubt, fate.

She offered a hand to shake. “Princess Louisa Josephine Elisabeth Alexander.”

“That’s quite a mouthful,” he said, but she could see by the playful grin that he was teasing her.

He took her hand, cradled it within his ridiculously large palm, lifted it to his mouth and brushed a very gentle kiss across her skin. Did the ground beneath her feet just give a vigorous jolt, or was that her heart?

“And you are …?” she asked.

“Honored to meet you, Your Highness.”

Either he had no grasp of etiquette, or he was being deliberately obtuse. “You have a name?”

His wry smile said he was teasing her again and she felt her heart flutter. “Garrett Sutherland,” he said.

Sutherland? Why did that sound so familiar? Then it hit her. She had heard her brother speak of him from time to time, a landowner with holdings so vast they nearly matched those of the royal family. Mr. Sutherland was not only one of the richest men in the country, but also the most mysterious and elusive. He never attended social gatherings, and other than an occasional business meeting, kept largely to himself.