BE MY PRINCE
by Julianne MacLean

Available April 24, 2012 from St. Martin’s Press
ISBN: 978-0312552770

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Reader Warning: Sizzling Scenes are for mature audiences.
Excerpts may be explicit with explicit language

Learn More about BE MY PRINCE

What would you do for a royal romance?

From bestselling author Julianne MacLean comes a new series brimming with the lavish romance of the Regency period—and the dangerous passions of royals in love …

Attention one and all. His Royal Highness, Prince Randolph of Petersbourg, will set sail for London in early June and reside at St. James’s Palace for one full month…Some say the true motive for the prince’s visit to our fair country is to seek and marry his future queen. I will therefore pose the question to our devoted and reflective readers: Who among us will be the chosen one? —From the London Ballroom Society Pages

Lady Alexandra Monroe has been told in no uncertain terms that she must set her sights on a proposal from Prince Randolph to better her family’s situation. Instead, she finds herself falling for his charming but dangerous younger brother Nicholas, a man whose passionate nature—and irresistible good looks—makes it impossible to remember her duty. But while she is torn between ambition and desire, a wicked scandal brews, shocking secrets are revealed, and soon she begins to wonder: can true love really conquer all?

Ready for a SIZZLING SCENE?

Excerpt from chapter 10

“Come this way.” He waved her over. “The driver will take us around the square.”

Still somewhat shaken, Alexandra hurried to the coach and climbed inside. He followed her in, shut the door, and drew the blinds.

“I thought I would go mad waiting for this moment,” he told her as he removed his hat.

The coach lurched forward, but Alexandra was oblivious to the movement, for she was lost in the husky rumble of his voice and the captivating blue of his eyes as he slid closer and immediately pressed his lips to hers.

A wild passion flared through her, and she took his face in her hands, fearing that he might slip through her fingers if she didn’t hold tightly enough.

The kiss was rougher this time, more aggressive, but she drank it in without restraint. She wanted this man badly enough to deny what she had accepted as her destiny. She would do anything for him. She would walk through fire or climb the highest mountain.

Perhaps others were wrong about her future, and her true destiny lay elsewhere, for life was not all about politics and duty, was it? What about love? This affair may be sudden and impulsive, but here was a man she could not give up, not for any amount of power, wealth, or status in the world. She had no wish for a throne if it meant she could not have him.

“Say you’ll marry me,” he whispered in a quiet voice of husky allure as he eased her down onto her back and settled his hips snugly between her thighs.

“I cannot resist you,” she said. “I cannot resist this.”

“Then don’t.” He thrust his hips and pushed against that yearning place that begged to be touched.

She threw her head back. “Oh, Nicholas, how I want you.”

“Then have me. I am yours.”

She kissed him again and pulled him close. “I’ve never done anything like this before. You’re the only man I’ve ever wanted.”

“You have no idea how happy that makes me.”

“Truly?”

“Yes, and one day soon you’ll understand why.” He laid open-mouthed kisses down the side of her neck. “How long can you stay?”

“Not long,” she replied. “A few more minutes, then I must return. My stepmother does not sleep long in the afternoons. As soon as she wakes, she will look out the window. We must be careful not to stop in front of the house. She must not know we were together.”

His hand slowly slid up her thigh, and she squirmed with delight.

“What if she knew I offered marriage?” he asked. “Would she not agree?”

Alexandra blinked up at him. “She would not be pleased.”

He frowned. “Why not? I am second in line to the throne. Is that not good enough?”

“She wants me to marry your brother.”

His body went still. “Well, I don’t care what she wants. It only matters to me what you want.”

“I want you,” she breathlessly replied as she pulled him close. “But there are others, my benefactor for one, who would oppose it.”

She wasn’t sure what Mr. Carmichael would do. It could be dangerous.

Nicholas let out a deep, guttural groan of need.

“Nicholas,” she sighed, as he kissed her neck. “We could run away together. Then it would be too late for anyone to stop us. We could live abroad if you wanted. I would give up everything for you, even my chance at the throne.”

He drew back slightly.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing.”

“Yes, something is wrong. What is it?” She leaned up on her elbows.

“I’m just…” He raked a hand through his hair as if he could not conceive of what she had just confessed. Quite unexpectedly, he took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes with fierce conviction. “If you agree to marry me, I will have something important to tell you.”

“Tell me now.”

He hesitated, then shook his head. “Not until we are both sure this is what we want.”

“I am sure,” she told him. “Aren’t you?”

He hesitated, and her heart sank.

“I need to know that you mean it,” he said. “That you truly will give up everything for me,” he said. “I need to be sure you will not change your mind.”

The wheels of the coach rattled ominously beneath them.

“Do you not believe me?” she asked.

“I was burned once before. Remember?”

Alexandra nodded. “Yes, I remember every word you’ve ever spoken to me. But what are we going to do?”