Unmasking the Maverick Prince

by Kristi Gold

  “Just when do you propose we do this?”

  “Next week wouldn’t be soon enough. But I guess we have to make a few arrangements and decisions about where we’re going to live.”

  “I really don’t see why we can’t live here.”

  That totally caught Mitch off guard. “What about your job?”

  “It seems that news of your story has already created a lot of buzz, even though it’s not out until Monday. I’ve already started getting some offers. I can work freelance, as long as you understand it might mean quite a bit of traveling at times.”

  “That’s fine, as long as I can go with you most of the time. Because babe, from this point on, I don’t want to be without you.” And he didn’t, not even for a minute.

  She brushed a soft kiss over his lips. “And I don’t want to be without you, either. Besides, it’s been good to be back here. I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed the small-town life, even though we will be the latest topic of gossip.”

  He saw right through her attempts at false humor. “Tori, I’ll make sure no one in this town will ever do or say anything to hurt you again.”

  “You know something? I’m not really worried. When I think about it, there were very few people who didn’t accept me and my mom. People like Mary Alice.”

  Hopefully that would be the last time he had to hear that name, at least coming from Tori’s sweet mouth. “You won’t have to worry about her. She broke off her engagement to Brady and she’s moving to Chicago. Something about going to culinary school, although I can’t imagine Mary Alice doing anything that involved getting her hands dirty.”

  “I’m glad she’s decided not to settle for a mediocre marriage.” She gave him a smile and a squeeze. “I’m not.”

  “I want to make you happy, Tori. The whole thing kind of scares me since my example has fallen short.”

  Her expression went serious. “Mitch, your father explained a lot to me about the reasons why he married Caroline and why he’s now retiring. You need to let him explain it to you, too. And you need to really listen with your heart.”

  “I’ll call him tomorrow. I can tell him about the wedding. But I’m not making any promises on how it will go.”

  “At least it’s a beginning.”

  He lowered his hand to her abdomen, the place that sheltered the child he’d never believed he would have. A child he already loved. “Here’s to new beginnings.”

  Pulling his hand up, she kissed his palm. “And good memories.” She sent a quick glance over her shoulder and grinned. “Want to make a few more?”

  Mitch returned her smile. “Yeah, but I’m thinking we should go back up to the house and use a real bed. You need to be comfortable.”

  Ignoring him, Tori hoisted herself into the truck bed and slipped off her jacket. “I’m thinking we should take advantage of the fact that I’m still mobile enough to do it in unusual places. In a few months, that might not be true.”

  Without hesitation, Mitch hopped up into the bed and covered it in hay, a repeat of that first monumental night together.

  “You know what I’d really like,” she said as they settled onto the hay.

  Mitch cupped her breast beneath the sweater. “Yeah, baby, I think I do.”

  “Aside from that.”

  Her mild scolding didn’t stop Mitch from lowering his hand to the zipper on those coronary-inducing leather pants. “Yeah, I know all about that, too.”

  “Mitch, I have to say this now.” She pulled his hand up and held it against her heart. “I want a big wedding. The works. Just like Stella’s. As long as I don’t have to sing.”

  “I really like hearing you sing. How about at the reception?”

  “I can do that.” She gave him a mock-suspicious look. “You’re not going to make me sing all the time for my supper, or for sex, are you?”

  He slid her zipper down. “No, but I will make you want to sing during sex.”

  She worked his belt buckle open. “We’ll see about that. And I’ll make a deal with you. If I promise to sing at our reception, then you have to promise to recite some poetry.”

  He halted the downward progress of her jeans. “In front of people?”

  She gave him a coy look followed by a wink. “If you’ll at least think about it, I promise you’ll be rewarded for your efforts.”

  “That’s a deal.” And he sealed that deal with another kiss, another slow, mind-blowing session of lovemaking under the stars with the woman he would soon make his wife.

  As he held her in his arms, Mitchell honestly believed he could accomplish anything. Except maybe poetry reading in public.

  What the hell. He would consider it for Tori. Anything for Tori.

  Epilogue

  “T wice or thrice I have loved thee, before I knew thy face or name. So in a voice, so in a shapeless flame. Angels affect us oft, and worshipped be…”

  Three days ago, Mitch Warner had surprised the entire congregation by reciting that verse following his wedding vows. Yet no one had been as shocked—or as touched—as Victoria Barnett-Warner.

  The ceremony had been held on a perfect November day in the small country church Tori had attended during her youth every Sunday with her mother. Tori wore Mitch’s mother’s wedding gown, a gift from Mitch, since her own mother sadly never had the opportunity to wear one. The “Fearsome Foursome” had been reunited when Stella, Janie and Brianne served as attendants, escorted by Bobby and Rand, with Mitch’s father assuming the role of best man, at his son’s surprising request. Proof positive that the healing process had finally begun.

  Both Mitch’s and Tori’s mothers had been honored with white roses and their framed portraits set out on the pews on each side of the aisle. And Buck, dressed in his Sunday best, sans straw hat, had gladly given the bride away.

  They’d chosen Sadler’s for the reception—which was quickly becoming a tradition in town, according to Carl who had served as musical host, despite Bobby’s protests. But Bobby hadn’t complained about the medley of honky-tonk songs Tori had sung at Stella’s request.

  All in all, it had been a grand party, but it paled in comparison to the honeymoon Tori and Mitch now enjoyed.

  For the past two days, she’d been sequestered with her new husband in a massive cabin situated in a small country called Doriana, compliments of Marcel DeLoria, one of Mitch’s Harvard friends, who just happened to be the king. Yet they hadn’t been very hospitable guests, not bothering to leave their accommodations since their arrival. Mitch had assured Tori that as a newlywed himself, Marc understood completely.

  Wrapped in a downy-soft red blanket, Tori stood at the window of their comfortable room, wood smoke rising from the rock hearth positioned in the sitting area opposite the ornate king-size bed. She studied in awe the fat snowflakes drifting over the forest surrounding the cabin, the Pyrenees providing a picturesque backdrop rivaling any panorama Tori had witnessed in her limited travels. But her favorite scenery dozed in the bed behind her, naked as the day he was born and as majestic as any mountain. At one time she might have been known as poor little Tori, but now she was truly rich, steeped in a wealth of love provided by a man who adored her and the baby growing inside her. Thanks to him, she had far too many blessings to count.

  She also had a very masculine arm snaking around her middle to pull her back against a muscled chest that she’d come to know very well.

  “What are you doing up?” Mitch asked in a husky voice.

  She wriggled her bottom against him. “I should be asking you that question.”

  His soft laugh made her shiver. His hand on her breast made it worse. “If you haven’t learned by now what that means, then I guess you need a few more lessons.”

  She turned into his arms and smiled. “If I wasn’t pregnant already, I would have been before the end of this trip.”

  With a flick of his finger, he dropped the blanket from around her, leaving her naked again. She frowned and said, “It’s cold in here, Mitch. Th
e fire’s dying down.”

  He slid his hand down her belly and cupped her between her thighs. “I don’t think so.”

  What an insatiable man. Not that Tori was inclined to complain. “Can we at least get back under the covers?”

  Sweeping her into his arms, he laid her back on the four-poster bed and hovered over her, giving her his heat. “Seriously, we probably ought to cool off a little bit. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You haven’t and you won’t. But we could try just holding each other for a minute?”

  “No problem.” He rolled to his back and took her with him, positioning her close to his side in the crook of his arm. “This is one of my favorite parts of married life. Can’t imagine how I lived without it so long.”

  Tori couldn’t imagine how she’d lived without him. “You know, we should really think about getting dressed.”

  Mitch groaned, loudly. “Why? I’ve kind of enjoyed being naked all day. And all night. Eating naked. Watching television naked.”

  Tori rolled her eyes. “We haven’t watched any television, Mitch. In fact, I haven’t even seen a television.”

  He grinned. “I’ll concede that.”

  “Right now we need to get ready for the party Marc and Kate are throwing for us. Marc’s sending the Hummer up the mountain in less than an hour to escort us back. I don’t think that would make a good impression, showing up buck naked, not to mention it’s freezing outside. And speaking of Buck, why didn’t you tell me he married Eula?”

  “For the same reason you didn’t tell me about my stepmother’s pregnancy. He wanted to tell you himself.”

  “I’m glad your dad told you at the wedding. I’m also glad you’ve called a truce.”

  Mitch’s rough sigh echoed in the room. “We still have a lot of work to do. A lot of baggage to overcome.”

  Tori rose onto one elbow and studied Mitch’s stoic expression. “He’s worried about the risk Caroline’s pregnancy poses. He needs your support.”

  “I’ll do the best I can, as long as you’re there with me.”

  “I promise.” She traced the outline of his full lips surrounded by a shadow of dark whiskers. An ever-present surge of desire, of need, flowed through her in a stream of warmth. “Caroline asked us to come over for dinner the weekend after we return home.”

  “I don’t even want to think about going back yet.”

  “I know, but I have several loose ends to tie up.”

  “And I have to say goodbye to Ray.”

  Tori gasped. “Oh my gosh! Is he sick? Do you have to—”

  He gave her a reassuring kiss on the cheek. “Nothing like that. I’m donating him to a therapeutic riding program for kids with disabilities. The ranch is about fifty miles away. I can visit him any time.”

  “I thought you said he still has a few good years left.”

  “Actually, I promised to give him away if I lost a bet.”

  Another shocking revelation. “What kind of bet?”

  “Marc and me and Dharr Halim—you haven’t met him yet—wagered we wouldn’t marry before our ten-year reunion. Marc blew it and so did I. Dharr’s still a hold-out but since he’s a sheikh and destined to rule his country, he’s bound to have to marry sooner or later. Hopefully before next May.”

  “And since you lost, you had to give up your horse?”

  “Yeah. The thing that meant the most to me. Ray qualified, until I met you.”

  Tori’s eyes clouded with tears, but this time from pure joy. “You know, I didn’t realize the extent of your love until now.”

  He breezed his fingertips along her cheek and studied her with a world of love in his eyes. “How could you even doubt it, Tori?”

  “I don’t. But you love me more than your horse, and that says so much.”

  Mitch laughed and hugged her hard. “I guess that does mean a lot, coming from a cowboy.”

  “A Harvard cowboy,” she said, then planted a kiss on his chest. “A very sexy Harvard cowboy.”

  As Tori worked hot kisses down his torso, Mitch sucked in a hard breath. “Listen, lady, if you keep going, we’re not going anywhere for a while.”

  She lifted her head from his belly and smiled. “I know.”

  “You’re the one who told me our ride will be coming shortly.” And if she didn’t quit, the vehicle wouldn’t be the only thing.

  “I guess you’re right.” She slithered up his body and planted a warm, wet kiss on his mouth. “But I’m suddenly in a very needy state, so we’ll be fashionably late. Now show me exactly how much you love me.”

  He framed her face in his palms. “First, I’ll tell you. I love you more than my horse. I love you for giving me our baby. I love you more than anything, even my life. Today. Tomorrow. From here on out, as long as you’re willing to put up with me. Now that’s not exactly poetry, but it’s the truth.”

  “You’re wrong, Mitch. It sounded exactly like poetry to me. And now I’m going to show you just how much I love you.”

  Mitch reveled in Tori’s lack of inhibition as she made sweet love to him once more. Sure, she was more than a little wicked when it came to pleasing him, but Mitch didn’t mind in the least. Every angel was entitled to fall from grace now and then, especially his angel.

  In the past few weeks, Mitchell Edward Warner III had learned how to love, how to forgive and how to accept life’s little surprises. Now he intended to prove himself a devoted husband, a better son and a loving father to his own child. By the end of next year, he planned to be pretty damn good at all three.

  * * * * *

  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.

  All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

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  This collection is first published in Great Britain 2009.

  Harlequin Mills & Boon Limited,

  Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

  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

 

 

 
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