PROLOGUE
“THIS TRADITION OF not seeing the bride before the wedding is ridiculous. I think it would be so much wiser if we just met up for one hour to help…ease our…nerves,” Rafe said with a seductive purr.
“Mmm, sounds good to me. Now if I could just get away from my mother for two seconds, I would think about taking you up on that offer, Mr. Palazzo,” Ari replied with a giggle.
“I can pull the fire alarm,” Rafe suggested.
His tone implied that he was 100 percent serious about doing just that. The strange part was that Ari was actually considering it.
“I think our parents would disown us,” she said.
“I can live with that.”
“I love you, Rafe,” she told him, overcome with emotion as she cradled the phone to her ear, wanting so badly to touch him, feel him there next to her. She’d only been apart from him for one night, but today was her wedding day — the day she would become his wife.
She wanted to throw out all tradition and simply be in his arms. Their years apart now seemed like such a waste, though she knew that the time had helped them grow and mature.
“You are the center of my world, Ari,” he replied.
It meant more to her to hear him say that than a simple I love you. To be the center of a person like Rafe’s world was indeed a compliment.
“After the wedding is over, I have a very special surprise for you,” she whispered as she glanced over at the bathroom door to make sure it was still tightly shut.
The breath rushed audibly from his mouth. “What is that?”
Oh, the excitement she felt at so easily arousing her fiancé.
“For starters, what I’m wearing beneath this wedding dress wouldn’t even cover a Barbie doll,” she replied.
“You’re going to give me a heart attack before I’m able to say my vows,” he whispered, strain in his voice.
“I wouldn’t want to do that. I couldn’t do a striptease for you then, and… Oh, I shouldn’t give it all away,” she taunted him.
“That’s it! The alarm is getting pulled right now.”
Ari didn’t want to argue. She wouldn’t mind getting rid of her pre-wedding jitters by spending an hour in his arms. Heck, she’d take fifteen minutes.
Sandra knocked. “Ari, I can hear you on the phone,” she said through the door. “That’s cheating, young lady,” her mother added with a smile in her voice.
“We’ve been busted, Rafe. I guess you will just have to wait until tonight to see my bright red negligée.”
“We’ll see about waiting that long. I may not be able to stand it — just like I can’t wait to say my vows with you.”
“Becoming Mrs. Palazzo can’t come soon enough for me.”
They hung up and Ari reluctantly left the bathroom so the huge team who had been hired to make her perfect could continue to prep her. Soon, she would be Mrs. Rafe Palazzo. The minutes would creep by, but at least the end was in sight.
CHAPTER ONE
PERFECT TIMING.
Damned makeup. Damned mirror. Damned nausea.
Up until this point she hadn’t felt even the slightest indisposition, but here it was, the day of her brother’s wedding, and she was suddenly overcome with morning sickness. In the middle of the freaking afternoon. She dropped the mascara, reached down to feel her stomach, and groaned heavily.
“Please, just let me get through the ceremony. Then we can tell the family all about you. We don’t need to make your presence known by my throwing up all over your uncle Rafe’s polished new shoes,” Rachel said aloud.
She had to smile. She hadn’t wanted be a mother yet, but that didn’t change the fact that it was going to happen. It seemed that she’d gotten past most of the fear and was now moving on to acceptance. Amazingly enough, she was beginning to love this little creation she’d made by accident.
It hadn’t taken her as long as she’d thought. Only three and a half months. Now, she couldn’t picture her life without this child.
“I promise to buy you a pony if you just allow me to get through the wedding with no problems,” she offered with a chuckle.
Didn’t all children want their very own pony? Well, she’d find out very soon whether the bribe worked.
“Maybe our child wants his presence to be known to the world. After all, he is the future king of Corythia and shouldn’t be hidden, even while still in the womb.”
Rachel froze as she peered into the mirror and discovered Ian, or King Adriane, standing just inside the door to her room.
Of course. The day was just getting better and better.
It was more than obvious that this man wasn’t going to simply disappear. Why make it easy for her and her unborn child? She should have known he wouldn’t have the patience to wait for a better time to seek her out.
It was all about his schedule and what was convenient to him. This was one of the reasons she had refused to answer his calls — he was too damn impatient. She didn’t know what she wanted to do yet; she didn’t have any answers for him, so there was no point in them talking just yet.
“You weren’t invited here, Ian,” she said in her haughtiest tone. She quickly regained her composure after the initial shock of seeing him.
“I didn’t ask for your permission, Rachel. You’ve been avoiding me for too long now. Don’t you realize how rude that is?” he asked with irritation as he prowled about the room, coming closer to where she was sitting.
“I would say that you’re the one being rude. I didn’t invite you to any wedding, much less my brother’s. And I certainly didn’t allow you into the room I’m dressing in.”
“You’ve apparently been coddled too long, because your manners are appalling.”
Rachel gasped at his audacity and lack of self-awareness. If her stomach hadn’t been rolling, she’d have shot to her feet to confront him more forcefully. The man needed to be taught a lesson on how to treat a lady. He was no knight in shining armor, and certainly no Prince Charming — or King Charming in his case.
“Yes, you are right, Ian Graziani, or I guess I should say Adriane, since even your name was a lie. I have been very well taken care of my entire life because I have parents who adore me as I adore them. This is my brother and my best friend’s wedding, and I don’t have time to fight with you today. Leave now, and I will talk to you next week.”