Wedded for His Royal Duty Read Online Free PDF Page A

breath hitched, she held his gaze. Intuition told her this was the time she should begin flirting, but not one cute or flirty thing came to mind. Her chest was so tight it was a wonder she could draw in air. She barely managed to say, “Thank you.”
    She scooped up a serving of the honeydew. When she handed the spoon to him, their fingers brushed and the memory of how he’d brushed her shoulder when he’d flipped her hair out of the way sent a shower of tingles down her spine.
    He smiled. “Happy to see you’re more nervous about our wedding today than you were yesterday.”
    “I’m not nervous about our wedding.”
    “Then what made your hand shake?”
    There was absolutely no way in hell she’d tell him that remembering their ten minutes together the night before filled her with warmth. So she said nothing.
    He looked away to serve himself some fruit. The sounds of good silver and elegant china filled the air. With the exception of her mom and Queen Rose discussing gardening, the room was quiet.
    Alex said, “So how are your stray cats doing without you?”
    Her chest loosened. Finally, something they could talk about. “They’re fine.” She risked a glance at him. “Thank you for asking.”
    “Don’t they miss you when you’re gone?”
    “I started a few shelters that care for them. I don’t need to be there twenty-four-seven...or even once a month. Every shelter is fully staffed, mostly with volunteers.”
    “That makes sense. Always good to have a staff in place.”
    “Yes. Especially when they are a competent staff. A staff that shares my vision.” Eva relaxed a bit more. “I—” She caught the gaze of his dark eyes and almost lost her train of thought. It was no wonder he had the reputation with women that he had. He was gorgeous. His dark eyes had a lost, soulful quality that touched her heart in the weirdest way. And if they went through with this wedding, he would be hers. She would be married to one of the most gorgeous, richest men in the world. He could have his pick of women, but she’d be in his bed .
    She sucked in a breath to banish those thoughts. If she let her brain leap ahead to their wedding night, she’d hyperventilate.
    “I intend to start this kind of shelter in as many cities as I can.”
    “In the United States?”
    She had his full attention. He was curious. And she was floundering because being near him was overwhelming. While he was cool and confident, she almost shook with emotions she didn’t understand.
    What she wouldn’t give for the ability to flirt.
    Maybe if she batted her eyelashes? Or smiled?
    That was it. Maybe she should just smile? Instead of a big flirty move, she should just break the ice with a smile.
    She raised her lips, let the corners tip upward. “Yes. The problem doesn’t seem to be as bad in my own country.”
    He tilted his head and studied her. “Interesting.”
    She hoped he was still talking about the cats. Because if he was making fun of her smiling at him, she would die. On the spot die. But not before she killed her mother for telling her to flirt with him.
    “Being a rural country, Grennady has more barns and stables, places cats and dogs can find shelter in the winter.”
    “I see—” He held her gaze. The look in his eyes was so confusingly intense that she couldn’t take another second. She let her gaze fall but when it did, it landed on his mouth—the mouth that had kissed her and changed her whole perspective about this arranged marriage.
    Okay. Now she really was nervous. And felt hot and cold.
    She yanked her gaze away from him and tried to focus on the main conversation at the table. King Ronaldo was discussing the latest thriller novel he was reading. She hoped to insert herself into that discussion, but no such luck. As her mother and Alex’s father and stepmother found common ground in a book they’d all read, she and Alex were left behind like outsiders.
    “So who’s funding your shelter?”
    “I am.