Ruling The Princess

With: Christi Barth

Sir Theo Holst hates the royal family of Moncriano. So he’s thrilled with his assignment to cut off the purse strings of the royally spoiled Princess Genevieve. He’s waited fifteen years to get revenge on her for ruining his life. Now? He plans to enjoy the sad look on her face every time he tells her she can’t buy something expensive and frivolous. Her beautiful, arresting face that he just can’t get out of his mind…

And that’s just where my funny, sexy romance Ruling The Princess starts… Read on for a peek at the first meeting between Theo and a very pissed off princess!

Taking two steps inside, the bodyguard scanned the office. File cabinets, a coatrack and a bookcase meant there wasn’t any place to so much as hang his dartboard w/the princess’s photo. “Just taking a look around, sir.” Then he murmured into his cuff, “All clear.”

Jesus. This wasn’t a scare tactic.

This was an honest-to-God protection sweep because a freaking Villani was about to darken his door.

The bodyguard stepped out, and a…vision stepped in. An angel. One of the most beautiful women in the world, who was twenty times more breathtaking in person than spilled across social media.

Princess Genevieve had an adorably small nose, nestled between those stunning violet eyes. The perfect bow of her lips was painted a deep pink. The color her lips no doubt turned after being kissed for an hour…

Pale blonde hair cascaded over her shoulder in gentle waves like a god damned Botticelli goddess. A wide ruffle fluffed over her breasts, fluttering with every breath. The satin sash tied in a bow highlighted her narrow waist. The off-white skirt clung to her curves, and the green sandals drew his eyes to her toned calves and pink-painted toes.

For years, Theo had loathed her and everything she stood for.

But for almost that entire time, he’d also recognized her as beautiful.

Hell, f**kable.

As lovely as the morning dew glistening on the petals of a peach rose. As pure as a mountain stream. As exquisite as a Rossini aria.

Theo wanted the princess.

He hated that desire. But hating it didn’t mean he could deny it.

A slight pursing of her lips indicated annoyance at his long silence and lack of visible reaction to her entrance.

Score one for Theo.

In a tone as icy as the top of the Matterhorn in January, the princess asked. “Sir Theo Holst?”

That was a shocker. Did she actually not remember him? Or was it merely a power play?

He nodded once. Not in deference, but in acknowledgment. “That’s me. But as you can see, I’m in conference with a colleague.” Theo indicated Simon with an open hand. “Feel free to go back down the hall two doors and request an appointment with my assistant.”

He’d rack up three points for the snub sharp enough to make Simon choke. Sharp enough to send her wobbling on those spiked sandals back half a step.

For a second, Theo thought she’d lose it. Just unleash a thread of pique and entitlement, led by the classic ‘do you know who I am’. It was what he expected.

Two points to the princess, however, for doing the unexpected. Because she sashayed forward with a natural grace that swished her hips side to side like a hula dancer.

“Well, you’ve disrupted my day, so I’m just returning the favor.”

Damn.

Well done, he had to admit. But Theo didn’t roll over that easily. Not for anyone and especially not for royalty.

Theo shifted forward in his seat. “I’m going to skip the obvious ‘two wrongs don’t make a right’, because I did nothing wrong. Nobody pried you from your starter-throne to come down here. In fact, I was crystal clear in my memo about the lack of necessity to our meeting in person.”

“Almost as clear as I was in my directive that you join me at Alcarsa Palace,” she rejoined crisply. “Which you ignored.”

“I didn’t ignore it. I filed away the fact that you believe you can summon people. But since I’m not a toy poodle, I’m not trained to jump at the snap of a finger.”

“Dogs at least show respect.”

“Dogs also lick their own asses.” Yeah, that one probably had him balancing on the rudeness line, if not stepping over it. Theo wouldn’t talk to any other woman in the world like that if they’d just met.

Except, they hadn’t just met. The princess not bothering to remember him was simply more salt in the wound. And thus, pushed him to be a borderline asshole.

Recognizing it didn’t mean Theo regretted a single word, though.

RULING THE PRINCESS

I’m thrilled that my first trip back to my homeland, after years in exile, is for an assignment from the prime minister. Even better, the job's to put Princess Genevieve in her place...by cutting off her cash flow. Spoiled royals—even drop-dead gorgeous ones—don't do anything to deserve their wealth and status. Hell, they don't do anything. She's fighting me tooth and nail, of course. The only way to stop her arguing is, well, to kiss her.

And I can't seem to stay away from her. Now I see a whole different side to the princess—and not just because I've gotten her clothes off. But I was put on this assignment for a reason… Those outside the castle want to see the Princess discredited and push their own agenda, and I may have just given them all the ammunition they need.

AMAZON