Behind Palace Doors (Hollywood 3)

Stefan knew his best friend was a walking fantasy that every man would give his last dying breath for. Well, except for that bastard she’d been engaged to. Stefan straightened his shoulders and smiled. He hoped the jerk was watching his TV and regretting letting such an amazingly talented, beautiful woman out of his life.

Victoria’s gaze met his, and Stefan’s heart clenched as a wide smile spread across her face from behind the iridescent veil.

“You’ve chosen a beautiful queen, Stefan. Victoria is perfect.”

Stefan merely nodded at his brother’s whispered compliment. Mikos Alexander stood as best man, and Stefan knew his brother breathed a sigh of relief when he’d discovered the country would remain under the Alexander name. Stefan had worried when his brother had married a divorcée, thus preventing him from claiming the throne, but Victoria was a perfect fit.

Never in his life would he forget how she’d stepped up to save him, selflessly and radiantly. Stefan moved forward, taking Victoria’s hands in his.

She squeezed them before turning to the priest. In a blur their vows were said and the gold heirloom rings exchanged. As Stefan lifted her veil, Victoria chewed on her bottom lip as if nerves were getting the best of her.

“You may kiss your bride.”

Stefan wasted no time in capturing Victoria’s lips. Though he couldn’t claim her mouth the way he wanted to, considering there were television cameras on them and millions of people watching to see how the Playboy Prince would act, he was still just as affected by that one, tender kiss as he had been when they’d been alone on his balcony and shared their first passionate encounter. He’d taken every opportunity since then to steal more...each one always sweeter than the last and leaving him wanting.

Easing her soft lips from his, Victoria’s gaze landed on his. “Good thing we’ve been practicing,” she whispered with a slight grin.

He smiled and placed a quick peck on her lips once more before taking her hand and turning to the crowd.

“I present to you Prince and Princess Alexander,” the priest exclaimed. “Galini Isle’s next king and queen.”

Applause broke out and Stefan glanced toward Victoria’s family seated in the front row. Her brothers were smiling, but a hint of caution clouded their eyes, and her mother, the grand Hollywood icon, had unshed tears and a smile on her face...a face full of worry.

Stefan couldn’t feel any guilt right now. How could he? He was going to be king and Victoria was going to stand by his side. Finally he could explore his feelings further because while he knew he wanted to be with her in more than just a friendly way, he also wasn’t sure just how much of a commitment he could offer after the six months if she decided to remain in their marriage. He did, after all, get his reputation for a reason.

Right now, though, he had to concentrate on his title and gaining his country’s confidence by eliminating the black mark over his family’s name. That was his first order of business. But seducing Victoria would certainly be a welcome distraction, even if a challenge, and one he couldn’t turn down. Especially now that he’d had more than a few tastes.

As he and his new bride made their way back up the aisle, Stefan beamed knowing he’d just married the most beautiful, intelligent, sexy woman. And for the next six months, and maybe even more if she chose to stay, Victoria was not only his best friend, she was his wife...and possibly lover.

Arousal shot through him. He wasn’t known as the Playboy Prince for nothing. Seduction had always been his partner in crime.

* * *

Victoria had never smiled so much in all her thirty-two years combined as she had tonight. Between the professional royal photo shoot with Stefan’s brother and wife and Victoria’s family and then of the two of them alone, then the grand parade after the ceremony where they were shown off through the entire seaside town, she’d almost convinced herself this was real.

Now they were at the reception back inside the grand ballroom of the palace, and Stefan held her in his arms as they danced their first dance as Prince and Princess Alexander.

The spacious room with high, stained-glass ceilings had been transformed from the ceremony and set up to host the reception in the hours they’d been gone for the traditional wedding parade.

A dance floor had appeared surrounded by elegant white silk draped between tall, thick columns. White silk also adorned each table, as did slender crystal vases with a spray of white flowers and clear glass beads in each.

Thousands of twinkling lights created a magical, fairy-tale theme. Ice sculptures and champagne fountains were in abundance. The ballroom had shifted into something from a dream and something fit for royalty.