The Princess Problem

A Diamond in the Rough

Always-proper princess Aurélie Marchand never flouts the wishes of her father. But when she’s set to marry a man she doesn’t love, Aurélie finally escapes—to glittering New York City. And she’s got a surprise for her hosts at Drake Diamonds: a magnificent secret treasure that can guide their fortunes forever. But it’s the dour but dashing Dalton Drake who is the true surprise...

Despite a store built on finding true love, after one tragic try at marriage Dalton’s wed only to his family’s business. When the feisty princess appears on his doorstep, though, she immediately tries his patience...and charms her way into his fiercely padlocked heart. But can the secret-filled runaway royal become his forever bride?

“Where have you been?”

“Getting this for you.” He handed her the tissue-wrapped bundle. It warmed her hands.

Aurélie’s defenses dropped, and she stared at him in disbelief. “You bought me a gift.”

He frowned, which in no way diminished the potency of his chiseled good looks. “No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did.”

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t get too excited. Trust me. It’s nothing.”

With great care, she peeled back the tissue. When she realized what he’d done, she couldn’t seem to utter a word. She blinked to make sure what she was seeing was real—a hot dog. He’d gotten her a hot dog.

“It’s a metaphor.” He shrugged as though he were right, as if this silly little gesture meant nothing at all, when to Aurélie, it meant everything. “With mustard.”

She didn’t fully understand what happened next. Maybe she wasn’t thinking straight after getting the call from the palace. Maybe the thought of going back home had broken something inside her. Maybe she no longer cared what happened to her at all.

Because even though she knew it was undoubtedly the gravest mistake of her life, Her Royal Highness Aurélie Marchand grabbed Dalton Drake by the lapels and kissed him as though she wasn’t already engaged to another man.

* * *

Drake Diamonds: Looking for love that shines as bright as the gems in their window!

The Princess Problem

Teri Wilson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

TERI WILSON is a novelist for Mills & Boon. She is the author of Unleashing Mr. Darcy, now a Hallmark Channel Original Movie. Teri is also a contributing writer at HelloGiggles.com, a lifestyle and entertainment website founded by Zooey Deschanel that is now part of the People magazine, TIME magazine and Entertainment Weekly family. Teri loves books, travel, animals and dancing every day. Visit Teri at www.teriwilson.net or on Twitter, @teriwilsonauthr.

For my English writer friend and fellow royal enthusiast,

Rachel Brimble.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Quote

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Extract

Copyright

“The pearl is the queen of gems and the gem of queens.”

Grace Kelly

Chapter One

It was the pearls that tipped Dalton off.

Dalton Drake knew a string of South Sea pearls when he saw one, even when those pearls were mostly hidden behind the crisp black collar of an Armani suit jacket. He stood in the doorway of his office, frowning at the back of the Armani-clad figure. The pearls in question were a luminous gold, just a shade or two darker than a glass of fizzy Veuve Clicquot. The rarest of the rare. Worth more than half the jewels in the glittering display cases of Drake Diamonds, the illustrious establishment where he currently stood. And owned. And ran, along with his brother, Artem Drake.

Dalton had grown up around pearls. They were in his blood, every bit as much as diamonds were. What he couldn’t figure out was why such a priceless piece of jewelry was currently draped around the neck of a glorified errand boy. Or why that particular errand boy possessed such a tiny waist and lushly curved figure.

Dalton had paid a small fortune for a private plane to bring someone by the name of Monsieur Oliver Martel to New York all the way from the royal territory of Delamotte on the French Riviera. What the hell had gone wrong? It didn’t take a genius to figure out he wasn’t looking at a monsieur, the simple black men’s suit notwithstanding. Delicate, perfectly manicured fingertips peeked from beneath the oversized sleeves. Wisps of fine blond hair escaped the fedora atop her head. She lowered herself into one of the chairs opposite his desk with a feline grace that wasn’t just feminine, but regal. Far too regal for a simple employee, even an employee of a royal household.

There was an imposter in Dalton’s office, and it most definitely wasn’t the strand of pearls.

Dalton closed the door behind him and cleared his throat. Perhaps it was best to tread lightly until he figured out how a royal princess from a tiny principality on the French Riviera had ended up on Fifth Avenue in New York. “Monsieur Martel, I presume?”