Falling for the Princess Read Online Free PDF Page A

we’ll sit side by side. You can occasionally lean over to whisper in my ear.”
    She tried to figure him out but had no idea whether he might actually be serious or was just trying to get a reaction from her. She’d seen him do that before, saydeliberately provoking things guaranteed to garner a response.
    She wasn’t playing that game with him.
    â€œYou go right on deceiving yourself, Logan, but trust me when I say I choose my words carefully to express precisely what I mean. And spending any amount of time in your company, particularly if I was supposed to look like I was enjoying it, would be a supreme test.”
    â€œMy apologies.” He pulled out the chair beside her and sat down. “Go on.”
    He watched her closely, his dark eyes intent and looking anything but apologetic. She doubted he knew how. “I wouldn’t choose to endure your company for any length of time in order to try to deceive my father that way.” Rebecca wrapped her hands around her mug of—she glanced down at it—hot chocolate. Oh. “Thank you.”
    He ignored her thanks. “Your father has no qualms about trying to force you into marrying someone of his choosing.”
    â€œHe’d never actually force me.”
    â€œNo?”
    â€œHe might try to urge or maneuver me in certain directions.”
    â€œSounds mighty similar to forcing.”
    In truth, the subtle pressures her father brought to bear did at times feel that way. But it wasn’t a truth she’d admit to Logan. “No,” she said lightly, “I’m used to him. I know how to deal with him. And with any other man who tries to force me, subtly or unsubtly—” she looked pointedly at Logan “—into doing things his way.”
    â€œBy running away?”
    She paused. “In this case, some time away from San Philippe seemed the best option. It gives us both time tothink.” Enough time, she was hoping, that her father would forget his schemes altogether.
    â€œCurious.”
    â€œWhat’s so curious about it?”
    â€œIt just doesn’t seem to tally with that snippet on the internet this morning.”
    She shouldn’t let him play her like this but she asked anyway. “What snippet?”
    â€œHe’s holding an impromptu ball in your honor.”
    He was? There had been no talk of one before she’d left. Her father was fond of making unilateral decisions but when they concerned Rebecca he always consulted her. Almost always. Doubt gnawed at her. He just might feel strongly enough about this and would have been able to persuade himself that it was for her own good, that she’d enjoy it, just as she had the surprise parties he’d thrown for her as she was growing up. “That’s no big deal,” she said with a blitheness she didn’t feel. “He held one for me when I turned eighteen.” Eight years ago.
    â€œYes, but he wasn’t specifically inviting San Philippe’s and Europe’s most eligible bachelors to that one. Was he? Marcia What’s-her-name, the gossip columnist at the San Philippe Times is comparing it to the Cinderella story. Perhaps there’s some poor bachelor out there as we speak, sitting in front of the fire amongst the cinders, polishing his half-brother’s shoes and just waiting for a chance to go to the ball and win the heart of the fair princess. If only he had something to wear.”
    She almost smiled at the image he conjured. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m sure you’re wrong. My father has said nothing about a ball to me. And inviting eligible bachelors would be far too crass.” But still the doubt niggled at her. She had told her father she’d start at least considering potential suitors when she got back from this trip. She’dmeant it to buy herself time, not for her father to go ahead and start organizing balls on her behalf.
    â€œI suppose you’re