The Prince's Cinderella Doc

by Louisa Heaton

  ‘Matteo, no—’

  ‘I changed the law.’

  She looked up at him, shocked, her heart thudding. ‘What?’

  ‘I changed the law about kings not being allowed to marry who they wish. And even if it had been impossible for me to change it I would have come and fetched you anyway. We could have lived in sin.’ He smiled.

  She stared at him, open-mouthed. Surely he was joking? He’d changed something that had been practically written in stone since his country had begun writing its history? For her?

  But it didn’t matter what he’d done. The law wasn’t the point. His lying to her was what had been the fault.

  ‘But...’

  ‘I’m sorry. So, so sorry! For hurting you. For making you think that I had lied to you.’

  ‘You did.’

  ‘But I didn’t mean to! I was confused. Torn by everything that I was feeling for you. I kept trying to fight it, but I couldn’t, and before I knew what was happening we were getting serious and—’

  ‘Are you blaming me for this?’

  ‘No! Absolutely not! You’re blameless. I tried to make it feel as if it was your fault, but no, it was all mine. I knew what it would do to you and yet I still did it. I should have thought about how much you needed me to show you that I could be trusted, that I could be relied upon and I can be all those things! Because I’m thinking more clearly now than I have in my entire life!’ He paused to gather himself again. ‘I love you and I want to show the world that, and I want you to see that I also acted from a place of fear. Something I found hard to admit to myself. I’m a king. I was a prince. I never thought I’d want anyone ever again after my kidnapping and then you walked into my life. I tried to fight it. I did. I think you did, too. But something kept pulling us together and I’d already been through so much, I thought to myself that I could allow myself this brief moment of happiness and to hell with the consequences! I thought we could deal with them later.’

  ‘Until your hand was forced.’

  He nodded. ‘I don’t expect you to forgive me. Or to trust me. Not at first. But I am begging you and I will get on my hands and knees to ask you to give me the chance, again, to show you who I really am.’

  ‘Who are you?’ she asked, her voice almost trembling.

  ‘A man who loves you. Who wants to marry you and keep you in my life for ever, until death do us part.’

  It was everything she wanted to hear. And she wanted to trust him, so much!

  ‘Your father hates me, we—’

  ‘My father doesn’t hate you. He was trying to protect me from getting hurt further down the line. Not realising how much we were already in love! But now he knows and he has given us his blessing.’

  She was in shock. Not sure what to say. ‘He has?’

  ‘Yes. I’m sorry, Krystiana. Sorry I wasn’t strong enough to do this in the first place. To have fought for you. But I couldn’t do anything to change the law until I became King myself. Then I could put forward a new decree. These things take time, needing approval from my parliament, all that nonsense, and I couldn’t tell you what I was doing, because I didn’t want to give you false hope if I failed.’

  He stepped forward, tucked a windblown tress of hair behind her ear. ‘There could never be anyone else but you. It’s always been you, Krystiana. Let me show you the truth of my love. The truth of my heart. That you can put your life and your heart into my hands and I will keep them safe. That I will cherish you and adore you for evermore.’ And he made to kiss her.

  She thought for just a moment. Hesitated, but then she closed her eyes in ecstasy as his lips touched hers and somehow, before she knew it, her arms were around his neck and she was pulling him close, revelling in being with him, kissing him, holding him, once again.

  He had changed the law for her. And he was trying so hard to explain why he had acted the way that he had. And she could forgive him for that, because she’d known he’d been just as confused as she.

  They could be together! She melted into the kiss, sinking against him.

  ‘Are you sure you want me?’ she asked him breathlessly. ‘I’m complicated and I have faults and I get mad quickly and I—’

  He smiled, laughing. ‘I do.’ And then he let her go, so that he could get down on one knee.

  Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small red box, something that he had bought a long time ago, but had never had the chance to use. Opening it, he revealed a beautiful diamond solitaire ring, that winked and glittered in the low evening sun. Bruno dropped his ball, as if sensing the moment and came to sit by Matteo’s side, looking questioningly at them both.

  ‘Krystiana Szenac. You brought light into my life. Gave me hope where there was none and I cannot live without you. I love you so much! Will you do me the honour of becoming my Queen?’

  Krystiana gasped, laughing.

  He was looking up at her, smiling, hope in his eyes and she knew instantly where she wanted to be.

  At his side.

  ‘Yes! I will!’ She held out her hand so that he could slide on the ring and it fitted perfectly! She gazed at it in awe, then she pulled him to his feet and kissed him.

  The beach melted away, her sorrow melted away. Perhaps happiness did eventually come to those that waited?

  She’d never thought so much joy could come from so much heartbreak.

  Never thought that that amount of joy, could ever be hers.

  EPILOGUE

  ‘IS THIS ALL RIGHT?’ Krystiana tried to speak without breaking her smile as she gave her newly learned royal wave from the car touring through Tamoura.

  Matteo glanced at her and smiled. ‘It’s perfect. As are you.’

  They were travelling in a convoy of security, in front and behind of their car were mounted soldiers in their finery, the horses’ hooves clip-clopping along the roads as Matteo and Krystiana and Alex were driven through streets filled with adoring, cheering crowds.

  In front of them, Alex waved madly from a window, enjoying being the centre of attention, but after a mile or so of doing the same thing, the little girl got a bit bored and she sat beside Krystiana and laid a hand on her stepmother’s barely swollen belly.

  ‘When is the baby coming?’ she asked. ‘Today?’

  Krystiana smiled at her stepdaughter and stroked her cheek lovingly. ‘Not today, darling. Many more sleeps before the baby arrives.’

  Alex sat back in her seat. ‘I want a girl.’

  ‘Do you? We’ll have to wait and see. It could be a boy or a girl. Now, wave, mio caro. The people want to see you.’

  She smiled at Matteo and clutched his hand with her own, squeezing it tightly. It had been almost two years since Matteo had arrived on that beach to ask for her hand in marriage and since then so much had happened. So much had changed!

  They’d got married in a beautiful cathedral, with the ceremony nationally televised. They’d honeymooned in the Caribbean, and when they’d returned home to begin their royal duties together Krystiana had discovered that she was pregnant with his child.

  And life as Queen was everything she had hoped it would be. She wasn’t just a figurehead. She wasn’t just her husband’s wife. She was a pioneer, bringing her work and experience to the forefront, opening up clinics and bringing awareness for those who had been abused, held hostage or kept as slaves. The press loved her and she made sure she used every public opportunity that she could to help those that were less fortunate.

  She was still doing good.

  Still helping.

  And her heart was filled with love and hope for the future.

  She wasn’t alone any more.

  The darkness and the fear were gone.

  And love and light filled her heart every day.

  * * *

  If you enjoyed this story, check out these other great reads from Louisa H
eaton

  Their Unexpected Babies

  Saving the Single Dad Doc

  A Child to Heal Them

  Pregnant with His Royal Twins

  All available now!

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Pregnant by the Playboy Surgeon by Lucy Ryder.

  Join Harlequin My Rewards today and earn a FREE ebook!

  Click here to Join Harlequin My Rewards

  http://www.harlequin.com/myrewards.html?mt=loyalty&cmpid=EBOOBPBPA201602010003

  Did you know that Harlequin My Rewards members earn FREE books and more?

  Join

  www.HarlequinMyRewards.com

  today to start earning your FREE books!

  * * *

  Connect with us on Harlequin.com for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!

  Other ways to keep in touch:

  Harlequin.com/newsletters

  Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks

  Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks

  HarlequinBlog.com

  Join Harlequin My Rewards and reward the book lover in you!

  Earn points for every Harlequin print and ebook you buy, wherever and whenever you shop.

  Turn your points into FREE BOOKS of your choice

  OR

  EXCLUSIVE GIFTS from your favorite authors or series.

  Click here to join for FREE

  Or visit us online to register at

  www.HarlequinMyRewards.com

  Harlequin My Rewards is a free program (no fees) without any commitments or obligations.

  Pregnant by the Playboy Surgeon

  by Lucy Ryder

  CHAPTER ONE

  ER PHYSICIAN DR. DANIELLE STEVENS crossed the parking lot toward the employees’ entrance of St. Mary’s hospital in downtown Vancouver with the sneaky feeling that her life had been cursed. If she didn’t know better she would swear it was Friday the thirteenth and the universe was having fun at her expense.

  She’d woken to rain—not exactly an unusual occurrence in Vancouver—and then discovered her shower was on the fritz and the water pipes were making alarming noises. Of course that meant she’d have to forgo her showers until she got someone to check it out. If that hadn’t been bad enough, she’d been out of coffee because she’d forgotten to stop at the supermarket and stock up on the basics. Basics like coffee, peanut butter, cheese curls and hair conditioner. Which meant not only was she caffeine-deprived, she was also starving and having a hair day from hell.

  Then she’d found an unwelcome gift—a half-chewed bird missing its head—courtesy of her neighbor Hilda Frauenbach’s cat Axel.

  Yuck.

  And, because her car was still in the workshop, she’d had to hotfoot it ten blocks in the pouring rain.

  Good times.

  Good times that were bound to continue rolling because although today might not be the thirteenth, it was Friday. And Friday nights in the ER could only be described as the second level of hell, because by the end of the work week any good sense people might have decreased in direct proportion to the amount of alcohol they consumed.

  Trying to ignore the sneaky feeling that her life was unraveling, Dani felt her hip vibrate and paused to dig her phone out of her shoulder bag.

  Thinking it was her mechanic, with yet another lame excuse as to why her car hadn’t been fixed, she swiped irritably at the screen only to discover a Facebook notification inviting her to check on what Richard Ashford-Hall the Turd—oops, the Third—was doing in Cabo Mexico.

  She took great pleasure in deleting the notification with a decisive jab. “No,” she told the screen firmly, ignoring the sick, shaky feeling she usually got when Richard’s name was mentioned. “I do not want to see what that sick, cheating rat-fink bastard is up to now, thank you very much.”

  And frankly, she had even less interest in seeing with whom he was doing it. She just hoped the woman knew what she was getting herself into.

  She hadn’t but that chapter in her life was closed.

  Thank God.

  She just wished people would stop reminding her of how stupid, naïve and trusting she’d been—or how fabulous her life could have been if she’d been prepared to stay married to a serial liar, a habitual cheater and an all-round spoilt man-brat.

  She shivered as memories of her marriage assailed her. She’d rather be living on a houseboat that was falling to pieces with questionable plumbing, eating peanut butter and cheese curls for the rest of eternity than be back in the vipers’ pit that was the Ashford-Hall family.

  Heck, she’d rather be dealing with Axel’s unsuspecting gifts than having to deal with spoilt, entitled rich boys and their creepy friends.

  Noticing there was a voice message from the mechanic, Dani accessed it, grimacing when, “Hey, Sweetness!” emerged loudly. She quickly turned down the volume before someone overheard. “Listen, it’s about your car. Are you sure you don’t want me to contact a friend who can give you a good deal on a trade-in for this wreck? I’m sure we could work out some kind of payment arrangement,” he said.

  His voice was heavy with insinuation that made her skin crawl—double yuck—and reminded her of the men belonging to the super-elite club her ex had belonged to.

  “Besides, there’s a whole bunch of frayed wires that I’m having a hard time identifying and there’s more rust here than an old tug boat. Call me. Anytime.”

  Annoyed, she called the mechanic back and got the workshop’s answering machine because the work week had already ended. Damn.

  “This is Danielle Stevens,” she said firmly. “Negative on the trade-in and the intro to your friend.”

  She was pretty sure the guy had illegal contacts, and she had no intention of acquiring stolen property. She might want to do things as cheaply as possible but buying a hot car wasn’t one of them.

  “Just fix my car!” she yelled. About to disconnect, she added a better late than never “please,” because her mom had taught her that people tended not to respond positively to rudeness.

  Drawing in a lungful of air, she held it for a couple of seconds before slowly expelling it along with her irritation.

  There. Look at her being all Zen and going with the flow.

  Okay, so maybe she wasn’t going with the flow so much as dealing. Besides, it wasn’t like dealing was anything new. So she was going to be without her car again this weekend? No big deal. It just meant she’d be walking the gazillion blocks to the marina after her shift. She’d done that before and survived too. It had been in her student days but she was still young, right—if thirty could be called young—and she was pretty sure a six-hundred-mile walk was good for her.

  Besides, hadn’t she noticed just yesterday that her jeans were getting a little tight? This way she could get that much-needed exercise she was always promising herself without having to give up peanut butter or cheese curls.

  It would be good for her. Great, even. Unlike the two years she’d spent as Mrs. Ashford-Hall. Two years she could never get back. Two years—make that three—she would give anything to erase from her memory.

  Muttering about the questionable heritage of the entire male race—car mechanics, landlords and ex-husbands especially—she stepped out from behind a line of parked cars just as an SUV roared past, hooting at her, the dumb woman not looking where she was going, and drenching her with a lovely mix of dirt, rainwater and God knew what else in the process.

  She gave a gasping shriek and lurched backward, arms windmilling frantically as she stumbled over the uneven surface of the road. The next instant she collided with the bumper behind her and went down like a felled cypress.

  Knocked from her hand, her phone went one way and her shoulder bag the other, spilling its contents across the asphalt.

  Stunned, and spluttering with shock at finding herself
sprawled in the road, Dani closed her eyes for a dozen rapid heartbeats, wondering what the hell she’d done to deserve this day. She felt movement in the air around her and opened her eyes to see a pair of concerned moss-green eyes looking down at her from about a foot away.

  Whoa. Where did he come from?

  Pretty sure she wasn’t dead, she blinked up into a face so ruggedly beautiful it might easily have graced the silver screen—or her most private fantasies if she hadn’t been taking a kind of permanent hiatus from the entire male race.

  Even so... She couldn’t prevent her fascinated gaze from taking in a high, broad forehead surrounded by thick dark glossy hair, high cheekbones, strong nose, square jaw and a firm, masculine mouth perfectly framed by a couple-hours-past-five-o’clock shadow.

  The stubble gave his square jaw a toughness that suggested he was Alpha to the bone and didn’t care who knew it. For a split second she had an overwhelming urge to reach out and trace his sculpted mouth, maybe feel that rough, obvious sign of masculinity...but that would just be the shock talking.

  Her fingers tingled, as though she’d given in to the impulse to touch his jaw, and it took another couple of beats to realize he was talking.

  “You okay?”

  The rough tones slid across her senses like a mini-orgasm and she froze as unwelcome tingles spread to places deep inside her that had been dead for three long years. She looked down, expecting to see her clothes melted right off her body or maybe steam rising from the soaked fabric because he was hotness personified.

  Panic immediately gripped her throat at the realization.

  Oh, no, she instructed herself firmly. Absolutely no tingling for anything with a Y-chromosome. You’re done with the whole male race, remember?

  Done. Finished. Finito.

  “Ma’am, did you hit your head?”

  Ma’am? Seriously? Since when was she a “ma’am” to a hot guy? She wasn’t that old and, looking at the fine laugh lines at the corners of his eyes, she was pretty sure she was a good bit younger than he was.