“You can’t be mine,” Aristos rasped, his gaze tracking her. “You want my list again? I don’t do relationships, Alex. My affairs are short-lived—commitment-free in nature. You are off-limits.”
“What if I did? Want that, I mean?”
His gaze narrowed. “You are a princess. Third in line to the throne, in case you’d forgotten. I’m supposed to be protecting you.”
“There’s no threat here,” she derided. “The only thing you’re protecting me from is you.”
“Damn right.”
She took a deep breath. Maybe the deepest she’d ever taken. Lifted her chin. “What you said last night…”
He gave her a suspicious look. “Which part would that be?”
“The incendiary part. I would…like that.”
His eyes widened. He set his glass down on the railing. “Are you trying to destroy my head?”
She shook her head. “I’m suggesting, as you said, that we do what we both want to do. Nobody needs to know.”
A long moment passed. “Just so we’re clear,” he ventured in a silky voice. “You’re suggesting we have an affair? Confined to this island?”
“Yes.”
Jennifer Hayward invites you into a world of…
Young royals in reckless pursuit of passion!
When a centuries-old battle between the kingdoms of Akathinia and Carnelia is reignited the nation’s young royals find themselves on the brink of war. But their kingdoms aren’t the only thing at stake…
Soon these young monarchs are facing an unexpected royal baby, the appearance of a lost princess and an alliance with the enemy.
Can love conquer all?
Find out in:
King Nikandros and Sofía Ramirez’s story
Carrying the King’s Pride March 2016
Princess Aleksandra and Aristos Nicolades’s story
Claiming the Royal Innocent May 2016
And look for:
King Kostas and Princess Stella’s story
Coming soon!
Claiming the
Royal Innocent
Jennifer Hayward
JENNIFER HAYWARD has been a fan of romance since filching her sister’s novels to escape her teenage angst. Her career in journalism and PR—including years of working alongside powerful, charismatic CEOs and travelling the world—has provided her with perfect fodder for the fast-paced, sexy stories she likes to write—always with a touch of humour. A native of Canada’s east coast, Jennifer lives in Toronto with her Viking husband and young Viking-in-training.
This one is for my brother, Andrew, and his unfailing belief in me in following my dream. It’s true—dreams aren’t too expensive to keep! xx
Contents
“THE COUNT AND Countess of Agiero.”
A soldier in ceremonial uniform announced the exquisitely dressed couple queued in front of Aleksandra Dimitriou in the foyer of the Akathinian royal palace ballroom, his booming voice with its perfect elocution sending her heart plunging to the marble floor. She had hoped arriving late for Princess Stella’s twenty-fifth birthday party would mean the introductions would have been long concluded.
But then again, what did she know? She had never attended a high society party before, let alone an official royal function. The blue silk gown she wore was rented from one of those designer dress services that mailed the couture creation to you in exchange for an exorbitant amount of money, her shoes were those of her fashionable friend Kira, her jewelry unearthed in a knockoff boutique in the city. In fact, not even the invitation belonged to her. She had stolen it with the intent of slipping in unnoticed.
The furor in her head, gathering momentum by the minute, suggested her ploy was about to be revealed to the hundreds of people