A Bravo princess always gets her manâand sheâll settle for nothing less than true love in the newest addition to USA TODAY bestselling author Christine Rimmerâs popular miniseries, The Bravo Royales!
Alice Bravo-Calabretti was expected to conduct herself like a proper princess. No more impulsive jaunts to neighboring countries. No more tabloid escapades. But the hot new stable hand was a scandal waiting to happen. His bold blue eyes and come-hither smile could tempt a Bravo Royale to misbehave. Until Alice discovered her âpenniless groomâ was an American tycoon looking for a princess bride!
Alice was everything Noah Cordell wanted in a wife. But his royal heartthrob refused to say âI doâ until he gave up his most carefully guarded secret. And she wouldnât settle for anything less than everything he had to give. Only then could they share a true meeting of minds and heartsâBravo-Cordell style!
âMarry me, Alice. Say yes.â
She put her hand on his chest. âI know you have a heart, Noah. I can feel it beating away strong and steady in there.â
âWhat is that supposed to mean?â
âIt means I know what I want now, after years of throwing myself wildly into all kinds of iffy situations.â Just like a woman. She knew what she wanted, but she failed to share it with him.
âAnd what, exactly, is it that you want, Alice?â
âI want it all. Iâll have nothing less. I want everything. Not only your strength and protection, your fidelity and your hot body. Not only your brilliant brain and great sense of humor and your otherworldly way with my horses. I want your heart, too. And I know I donât have that yet. And until I do, I wonât say yes to you.â
The Bravo Royales: When it comes to love, Bravos rule!
Dear Reader,
I love a man who knows what he wants and goes after it. Noah Cordell is that kind of guy. Charming, killer hot and something of a player, Noah started with nothing and heâs come a long way.
Professional horse breeder Alice Bravo-Calabretti, Princess of Montedoro, is at a crossroads in her life. Sheâs always been the adventurous one in her family, the impetuous, unpredictable one. But just recently, an innocent evening of fun went a little too far and turned into a major tabloid scandal. Since then, Alice has sworn to behave in a more princesslike manner. Sheâs been keeping a low profile and reexamining what she wants out of life.
Enter Noah, who wants Alice.
Heâs willing to offer her everythingâexcept for his shadowed heart. But Alice wonât be satisfied with his strength and protection, his fidelity, his hot body and half of everything he owns. She wants more from him than his âbrilliant brain and great sense of humor and his otherworldly way with her horses.â
Alice will settle for nothing less than true love. And so, in the process of relentlessly pursuing what he wants, Noah just might end up getting what he really needs.
Happy reading, everyone,
Christine
CHRISTINE RIMMER came to her profession the long way around. Before settling down to write about the magic of romance, sheâd been everything from an actress to a salesclerk to a waitress. Now that sheâs finally found work that suits her perfectly, she insists she never had a problem keeping a jobâshe was merely gaining âlife experienceâ for her future as a novelist. Christine is grateful not only for the joy she finds in writing, but for what waits when the dayâs work is through: a man she loves who loves her right back, and the privilege of watching their children grow and change day to day. She lives with her family in Oregon. Visit Christine at www.christinerimmer.com.
Chapter One
On the first Wednesday in September, temptation came looking for Alice Bravo-Calabretti.
And sheâd been doing so well, too. For more than two weeks, sheâd kept her promise to herself. Sheâd maintained a low profile and carried herself with dignity. Sheâd accepted no dares and avoided situations where she might be tempted to go too far.
It hadnât been all that difficult. Sheâd spent her days with her beloved horses and her nights at home. Temptation, it seemed, presented no problem when she made sure there was none.
And then came that fateful Wednesday.
It happened in the stables well before dawn. Alice was tacking up one of the mares, Yasmine, for an early-morning ride. Sheâd just placed the saddle well forward on the mareâs sleek back when she heard a rustling sound in the deserted stable behind her.
Yasmine twitched her tail and whickered softly, her distinctive iridescent coat shimmering even in the dim light provided by the single caged bulb suspended over the stall. A glance into the shadows and Alice registered the source of the unexpected noise.
Over near the arched door that led into the courtyard, a stable hand was pushing a broom. He was no one she recognized, which she found somewhat odd. The palace stables were a second home to her. Alice knew every groom by name. He must be new.