by Shirley Jump
“Because I love you, Carrie.” He reached up and traced a hand along her jaw. “The tiara’s just a bonus.”
She laughed, joy bursting in her features like new flowers in spring. She had taken a risk, one far bigger than the one she’d taken in coming to America, and it had worked out. The man she had met and fallen for truly was the prince she’d dreamed of finding. “Oh, Daniel, I love you, too.”
Laughing, he drew her to him and kissed her. Thoroughly, deeply, their mouths joining in a dance that could barely contain the love between them. Her hands went around his back and she held tight, loving him right back. A long moment later, Carrie pulled back. She could feel the happiness radiating from her face and the tease dancing on her lips. “And what if I never wear the tiara again?”
“I don’t care. As long as you wear my ring.” Daniel took a deep breath, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box. He hinged back the lid to display a princess cut diamond, flanked on either side by a half dozen smaller champagne diamonds. He’d had to try three jewelry stores before finding the exact ring he wanted, but when he saw the surprise on her face, he knew it had been worth every moment of the hunt.
“It’s…stunning, Daniel.”
“I wanted something that had a little of you and a little of Uccelli in it,” he said. “The champagne diamonds are nearly the same color as the pinot grigio that brought us together in the first place.”
She put a hand to her mouth. Tears welled in her eyes. He really did understand her and appreciate all sides of her. How had she gotten so lucky to meet a man that loved both the commoner and the princess sides of her? “It’s so perfect.”
He dropped to one knee before her. “Is that a yes? You’ll marry me?”
“I…” A wide smile curved across her face and she started nodding at the same time she whispered, “Yes. Yes, Daniel, I’ll marry you.”
Joy burst inside him. He wanted to shout the news from where he stood, scream it to the world. Instead, he rose, kissed her again and slipped the ring onto her left hand. The stones caught the light of the moon and seemed to wink their approval.
He raised Carrie’s hand in his and pressed a light kiss to her fingers. “You know, I’ve read a lot of fairy tales with Annabelle. In the end, the prince always gets his princess and they ride off into the sunset on his noble steed. But—” he feigned disappointment “—there’s one problem with our fairy tale.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m not a prince.”
“I’ll let you in on a secret,” she said, pressing her lips to his, “I’m not really a princess, either. But I don’t think that’s going to stop us.”
“From what?”
She curved into his arms and laid her head on his chest, seeming to become a part of him. “From living happily ever after.”
“And they did,” he whispered, lowering his lips to hers, “forever and ever.”
ISBN: 978-1-4592-1230-5
THE PRINCESS TEST
First North American Publication 2011
Copyright © 2011 by Shirley Kawa-Jump, LLC
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
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.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
For questions and comments about the quality of this book please contact us at [email protected].
® and TM are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
www.Harlequin.com