To Kiss a King - NIcole Burnham Page 0,80
to Uganda to visit one of the schools she’d toured early in her time as ambassador to that country.
The carriage turned onto another street, making a wide loop around the block containing the American embassy. As the building came into sight, Claire squeezed his hand.
It was an acknowledgment that, though they’d each faced challenges and heartbreak to get to this point, their trust in each other and their love would carry them forward.
When the carriage turned back onto the Strada il Teatro for another pass through the crowd and a return to La Rocca, Eduardo leaned over and kissed his bride. She smiled and kissed him right back.
He’d come full circle.
All in all, it was a beautiful life.
Acknowledgments
My sincere thanks to everyone who has embraced the Royal Scandals: San Rimini series and the diTalora royal family. My wonderful editors, Holly Ingraham and Gail Chasan, and my proofreader, Robin Phillips of Author Help UK, have provided valuable insights on the series and teach me something new with each title. I’m fortunate to have Hollis McCarthy, a talented performer and storyteller, bring the audio editions of my books to life. The cover art for the entire series was designed by the fantastic Patricia Schmitt, and I can’t say enough positive things about my website and newsletter team at Xuni.com – Madeira James, Riley Mack, and Ryan Chrys.
I also owe a deep debt of gratitude to my readers. Thank you to all of you who’ve read the stories, shared with friends, posted reviews, and sent me email. Without you, none of the rest would be possible.
Finally, thank you to my writer friends and to my family for all you do. Emily March, Linda Winstead Jones, and Christina Dodd have served as brainstorming partners and cheerleaders for many years. My husband and kids have run to answer numerous panicked cries of, “someone get the dog!” and “one of you answer the phone!” when I’m knee deep in a scene and need to concentrate in order to pull a story out of the mud. They’ve handled more make-your-own-dinner nights than I care to admit and, thankfully, they do their own laundry. It’s their support that allows me the freedom to build worlds and find adventure there.
Thank you for reading To Kiss a King. If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review at your favorite bookstore or book club website.
Learn about Nicole’s upcoming releases and receive special insider bonuses by subscribing to her newsletter at nicoleburnham.com.
Read on for an excerpt from the first title in her Royal Scandals series, Scandal With a Prince. Set in Barcelona and the fictional island nation of Sarcaccia, it’s the story of Prince Stefano Barrali and Megan Hallberg, the woman he once loved and lost.
Scandal With a Prince
Chapter One
Certain men possess voices so richly captivating, so drenched in sexuality, that they can bring a woman to her knees with a few simple syllables.
In a crowd of hundreds, it was the sound of one such voice that caught Megan’s attention first.
Her stomach seized the instant her ears picked out the distinct timbre amongst the din of merry voices echoing through the packed rotunda of the newly-renovated Barcelona Grandspire Hotel. Around her, men and women went on sipping cava from crystal flutes as they discussed upcoming business deals or renovations to their vacation homes. Tuxedoed waiters continued their discreet circumnavigation of the room, gathering used hors d'oeuvre plates and refreshing drinks. On the surface, all appeared unchanged. It was a perfect late spring night in a perfect city, and thus far the hotel's grand reopening celebration was a resounding success.
Then she heard it again. Only three or four indistinguishable words, but they hit her gut with the same force as a sucker-punch from a male twice her size. A well-built male like Prince Stefano Barrali, whose third-in-line claim to the throne of Sarcaccia meant he enjoyed immeasurable wealth and connections without the pressures that usually accompanied them, while possessing the Mediterranean good looks and sultry charm that often did.
A few feet away from Megan, a gray-haired gentleman and his much younger wife cast subtle glances toward the hotel's side entrance, the one used when high-profile guests needed to make an inconspicuous arrival or exit. Megan resisted the urge to follow suit, but a breath later the overall volume in the lobby rose even as men tall enough to see over the crowd leaned closer to their companions to whisper into diamond-studded ears.
It's not possible. Not here, not on the biggest night