Prince Charming for 1 Night

by Nina Bruhns

  He’d said he loved her. More than once. And as unreal as it felt, she believed him. Oh, how she believed him.

  But inside, her heart was doing the quickstep. She had to say it. “What if they don’t approve of me? What if they tell you you can’t—”

  “They won’t.” He cut her off. “And even if they did, I wouldn’t care. I don’t need their approval.”

  “But you want it.”

  He gazed at her. And nodded. “I want them to love you as much as I do. I have to believe they will.”

  Her heart swelled. “Okay, then let’s go find out.”

  “Right.”

  He drove up to the house and left the car in the care of a young man who, a hundred years ago, would have been called a stable hand. She wondered vaguely what they called them nowadays…since they took care of cars, not horses.

  God. She was mentally babbling again. It happened whenever she was nervous. She really had to quit wandering off into left field or she’d end up like Joe.

  At the thought of her stepfather, a rush of warmth filled her. And wonder. The care facility had called her today, informing her that an anonymous donor had set up a fund to pay Joe’s bills there for the rest of his life. She’d been shocked. And immediately assumed it was Conner, all set to hang up and tell him thanks but no thanks. But the director had told her in confidence the secret benefactor had been Maximillian St. Giles. After debating with herself all day, she was inclined to accept his generosity. After all, he owed Joe for taking over his role in her life for the past twenty-four years. This was small payment in recompense, but perhaps it would assuage his guilt just a tad. She could give him that much. Forgiveness would take longer, but this was a place to start at least.

  “Ready?” Conner asked her.

  She squared her shoulders and nodded. “If you are.”

  “Oh, I’m ready,” he murmured, pulling her close to his side, leaning over and putting his lips to hers. He smiled down at her, and her heart did a perfect swan dive into the warm oases of his eyes.

  And somehow she knew it would all be okay.

  They walked into the Rothchild mansion arm in arm and were immediately surrounded by all of Conner’s various cousins. Even his brother, Mike, with fiancée, Audra, were there—a first, apparently—invited by Natalie, whose skill as a detective Vera was growing to admire greatly. Natalie, it turned out, was getting married to her college sweetheart, Matt Shaffer, on June fourteenth, just two short weeks away. Matt was there standing next to her, looking all tall and lean and muscular like the security chief he was.

  Hanging a bit back, observing the crowd, was another man, Austin Dearing, whom Vera immediately recognized from the tabloids. Brawny, tan, chiseled as a sculpture and built like a Delta Force god, he and Vera’s friend Silver had created quite the scandal last month by announcing first their baby, and then their whirlwind marriage.

  Silver was the first to come over and give Vera a big welcome hug. “You and Conner!” Silver exclaimed with a grin. “What a surprise!”

  She had no idea.

  They were immediately joined by the only cousin Vera hadn’t already met. Jenna, the youngest of the half sisters, who was Vera’s age. Jenna was an event planner, party princess, an absolute knockout and clearly the apple of her daddy’s eye. Harold’s gaze followed her proudly from the foot of the foyer staircase as she said hello to Vera then was drawn into the midst of the other arriving guests.

  For a family dinner, there was quite a crowd gathering. Through which Conner expertly steered her, until they got to the staircase and Harold Rothchild, who’d been joined with perfect timing by his current wife, Rebecca.

  Harold gave Conner a slap on the back. “Glad you could make it, boy. Come see who’s here.”

  Vera saw Conner pale when he turned and found himself eye-to-eye with Michael and Emily Rothchild, his parents. Uh-oh. He hadn’t been expecting that.

  “Thought it was time to bury the hatchet,” Harold said, then sobered. “When Candace died, I realized what was important in life. And that’s family.” He turned to Conner and lightened up. “Isn’t that right, boy?” He slapped him on the back again.

  Conner glanced over at her. She smiled, so filled with love for the man she was bursting at the seams. Even as he fought for his own happiness, he never forgot his love and duty to his parents and family. Never forgot that his decisions affected more than himself, or even her. It made her love him all the more to know he was willing to sacrifice for his family. She’d never known that kind of loyalty and was awed that it was now all directed toward her.

  As was his attention. He held out his hand to her, she took it and he pulled her up the staircase a few steps, so he towered over the noisy throng crowding the massive foyer.

  He let out a piercing whistle. The talking and laughing stopped abruptly. Everyone turned to stare at him in surprised expectation. Suddenly, her knees felt weak. Oh, God. This was worse than dangling a hundred feet over a cliff.

  Okay, not really. But almost.

  But his gaze met hers, and she could feel all the love and support she’d need for a whole lifetime pouring through them into her. He squeezed her hand. Then turned to the crowd.

  “Before we go in to dinner, I’d like to introduce someone very special to me.” He glanced at his parents and uncle. “Mom, Dad, this is Vera. Uncle Harold, you invited us here tonight because you wanted to meet my young lady. Well, I’m afraid that’s not possible.” Harold’s bushy brows rose. “You see,” Conner continued, “Vera is no longer my young lady. As of an hour ago, she’s much more to me than that.”

  Gasps went through the room. He smiled down at her.

  “Everyone, I’d like you to meet Vera Mancuso Rothchild. My new wife.”

  Epilogue

  Two weeks later

  Tears trickled down Vera’s cheeks as she watched Natalie Rothchild and Matt Shaffer say their wedding vows. The church was packed, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Natalie and Matt had written the words themselves, and there was no doubt in Vera’s mind that they meant every single word. It was movingly beautiful, the whole ceremony.

  Afterward, as the organ music swelled and everyone stood wiping tears and cheering the bride and groom out of the church, Vera realized Conner, who’d held her left hand in both of his the whole time, was watching her instead.

  She gave him a watery smile, dabbing with a tissue. “I’m such a sucker for weddings,” she said with a happy sigh.

  He raised her hand to his lips, kissing her ring finger, where two weeks ago he’d placed a simple gold band. “Are you sorry?” he asked softly, his eyes filled with emotion. “That I didn’t give you a day like this? With flowers and a white dress and a big party? A day to remember for the rest of your life…”

  She met his gaze, and her eyes brimmed over anew. Didn’t he know stopping at that Vegas wedding chapel on the way to dinner at the Rothchilds had been the happiest moment of her entire life? The shock, the utter joy, the amazing realization that he truly loved her, wanted to spend his life with her, was worth more than anything in the universe.

  “Oh, Conner. You did give me a day to remember for the rest of my life. I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Not one. Not for the world.”

  He bent down and kissed her tenderly. “Sure?”

  She gently touched his cheek. “Positive.” She smiled. “And believe me, the white dress thing? Been there, done that. Not a big deal.”

  His lips curved up at that, as she’d hoped they would. She kissed him lovingly. “Conner, don’t think for a single moment that—”

  “Hey, you two,” an amused male voice interrupted from behind Conner. “No smooching in church. You’re holding up traffic.”

  She rolled her eyes at Lex Duncan, who’d sat next to them in the pew. It was their turn to exit. “You’re just jealous because you didn’t bring a date to smooch with.”

  He made a face. “Date? Remind me again what that is?” He followed them out of the chur
ch into the bright sunshine. “Aside from which, technically, I’m working.”

  Conner shook his head. “Buddy, you need to forget that job of yours for an afternoon and take advantage.” He swept an appreciative glance around. “Check out all the gorgeous women, all dressed up and all choked up on love, just waiting for a handsome man such as yourself to make their dreams come true. Have you never seen The Wedding Crashers?”

  Duncan gave a short laugh. “Funny. Anyway, I don’t dare get distracted. Aside from keeping watch for our escaped stalker, I’m deathly afraid war is going to break out at any moment.”

  Conner winced. “You mean among the guests?”

  Duncan nodded, surveying the large area in front of the church where the reception line was forming.

  Vera looked, too. “What do you mean?”

  Conner put his arm around her and squeezed. “Your new brother-in-law comes from the biggest mob family in Las Vegas. See all the hard-eyed men in dark suits? And you can’t miss the sea of khaki uniforms.”

  True. Half the Metro force had turned out for the wedding of one of their own. And Matt had mentioned his notorious family on a couple of occasions.

  “Yikes,” she said. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

  “I better get to work.”

  As Duncan left, Natalie’s sister Jenna came up and gave Conner a kiss on the cheek. “Don’t worry, cuz. Matt assures me his family will be on their best behavior.”

  Jenna had done an amazing job putting together the whole wedding. Her eyes scanned the proceedings critically, never resting, ready to head off any problem before it arose.

  “The church flowers were lovely, Jenna,” Vera said. “Everything was so gorgeous.”

  “Thanks. Wait’ll you see the reception hall. Dad gave me an unlimited budget.” She grinned. “I took blatant advantage. But speaking of receptions, you two are wanted in the reception line now. Get your butts over there.”

  “Us?” Vera asked in alarm.

  “Favorite cousin, and all.” Jenna’s eyes landed on Duncan’s receding back. “Say, who was that guy? I thought I knew everyone on the guest list.”

  “Lex Duncan. The FBI agent who’s been helping us with the Tears of the Quetzal. He just took over Candace’s case, too.”

  Vera secretly winked at Conner. “Handsome, isn’t he? And single, too.”

  Jenna’s gaze lingered appreciatively on him for a second, then moved on distractedly. “Whatever. Come on, you two. Reception line.”

  Terrified at the prospect, Vera looked to Conner for support. “I really don’t think—”

  “Nonsense. It’s time I introduced my wife to society. No time like the present.”

  Jenna smiled encouragingly. “It’ll be fine.”

  And as it turned out, it was. More than fine.

  When they joined the line right next to Conner’s parents, his father shook Vera’s hand and kissed her cheek, and his mother actually hugged her. The first couple of days after Conner’s surprise announcement at dinner had been rocky. But they’d been more shell-shocked than disapproving. Once they accepted the idea of a married son, they’d made an honest effort to get to know his new wife. That was all Vera could ask, and it seemed like they had accepted her, too.

  His parents weren’t the only ones stunned by the news that Conner Rothchild had gotten married. He did, after all, have a reputation as a confirmed bachelor who played the field with gusto. She’d learned that was mostly media hype, a facade cultivated to help his tireless work for those less fortunate than himself. Nothing like society connections to change society. But even his close friends were surprised. When had a workaholic like him had time to fall in love?

  Sixty seconds was all it took, he’d assured them all. One look, and he was a goner.

  There were a few sideways glances at Vera from those guests who’d heard about her questionable background. But there were many more who’d read about the press conference Maximillian St. Giles had held about Darla and Henry, and his unexpected announcement that he’d discovered he had another daughter, one who had risked her life to save his other children. And that he’d acknowledged being her father and written her into his will as an equal heir to the other two.

  Congratulations flowed from both sides, Conner couldn’t stop beaming and her heart was filled with joy.

  Talk about a Cinderella moment.

  Things like this did happen to people like her!

  “I am so incredibly happy,” she said to Conner when they were in the Batmobile, driving to the reception, which was being held at the Rothchild Grand Hotel. “How did I get so lucky to find you?”

  He grinned over at her. “Uncle Harold said it must be the curse of the Tears of the Quetzal. Or in this case, the blessing. Rothchilds are falling like dominoes. In love, that is.”

  She grinned back. “Well, it’s true, I was wearing the ring the first time I saw you,” she teased as they pulled in at the Grand.

  “That’s about all you were wearing,” he teased back. “Who could help falling in love with you at first sight? Every last man in the room was in love with you.” He pulled into the parking lot, leaned over to grasp her behind the neck and kissed her. “I was just the lucky guy who got you all for myself.”

  “Yes,” she said, loving the taste of her new husband, loving the feel of his muscular body, loving the honor in his heart most of all. “You did.”

  The wedding party limo pulled up with a blare of horns and a rippling of crepe paper bunting. Natalie and Matt emerged, glowing and smiling and kissing like two people so in love the earth spun around the axis of it. Just like Vera and Conner.

  She returned his kiss with all the love within her heart and soul. Then told him sincerely, “Flowers and white dresses and parties are wonderful, darling. But none of those things matter. We already have what’s important. We have each other, and we have love. I love you so much, Conner. That’s all I’ll ever need.”

  His eyes looked down at her so tenderly her heart simply overflowed. “I love you, too, Vera. So very much.”

  Again, he raised her fingers to his lips and kissed them, and then he slipped another ring on next to her wedding band.

  She looked down at it in surprise. A perfect diamond winked back at her, blazing with green, purple and blue sparkles. Just like a miniature Quetzal.

  “So we can make our own magic,” he whispered. And kissed her again.

  Oh, yes. The magic of love.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-3600-8

  PRINCE CHARMING FOR 1 NIGHT

  Copyright © 2009 by Harlequin Books S.A.

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

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