Forbidden Princess

Merrick Montgomery studied the woman whose life he was about to destroyand who could, ultimately, destroy his. Alyssa Sutherland was stunning, he conceded. Sexy, even in the silver wedding dress she wore. He adjusted the binoculars to get a closer look. She sat without moving while a bevy of women fluttered around her like jewel-colored butterflies. Her features were as close to perfection as a man could desire and her figure what he could see of it beneath the embellished gown she wore"threatened to rouse that desire to a fever pitch. Dappled sunlight touched the champagne blond of her hair, kissing it with the merest hint of rose. He felt an inexplicable and powerful urge to fully bare her to his gaze, to see if her body mirrored the perfection of that face. Not that there was much doubt about what he'd uncover. Such was the gift nature bestowed on certain women warm, breathtaking beauty combined with cold, avaricious natures. Beneath her gown he'd find her flesh pale and unblemished enough to make any man forget her true nature. She'd feel soft and supple against his calloused hands. Would she be built like a goddess, her hips a lush, feminine sanctuary? Or perhaps her gown hid a smaller, more boyish figure. He'd found such women to be strong and lithe in bed. Miniature dynamos. Goddess or dynamo, it didn't matter. She'd sold herself to Brandt von Folke, which had forced his hand. "Merrick." The voice whispering in his ear brought him to his senses and his mouth tightened. He'd allowed the Sutherland woman to distract him from his goal and that angered him. It had never happened before. Not once in all the years he'd been head of the Royal Security Force. But this woman He studied her one final time, acknowledging the intensity of her allure while deliberately setting it aside as nothing more than an obstacle. Her beauty would be a problem. It wasn't easily overlooked and threatened to draw attention to his actions, something he needed to prevent at all costs. He readjusted his binoculars, sweeping them in a slow, wide arc around the courtyard where the woman sat. It only took him a moment to find what stood between him and his goal. There were eight guards in all. Six clearly visible and two on either side of the chapel doors. He checked his watch and then sent a quick hand signal to the men who accompanied him. They would move in in ten minutes. Once again he fixed the powerful binoculars on the Sutherland woman, tightening the focus until all he could see was the porcelain perfection of her face. She might have been lifeless for all the emotion she showed. Her eyes were downcast as though in thought, and he couldn't help but wonder what, if anything, went on behind that perfect oval mask. As he watched he caught the tiniest quiver of her mouth. Nervousness, perhaps? Second thoughts? No, not a chance. Not this woman. A prayer of thanksgiving for her coming triumph? Now that was more like it. His mouth tightened. Pray, woman. Pray for all you're worth. Not that it would help. In a few more minutes he'd take this woman. He'd do whatever necessary to ensure that this day ended much differently from how she envisioned as she sat far below. "It's time," Merrick announced. "No matter what, we make certain the woman doesn't marry Brandt von Folke. Understood?" He didn't wait for agreement. His men were handpicked. They would follow his orders without question or hesitation. His mouth curled into a hard smile. There was no doubt what would happen next. His reasons were just. His need absolute. He was doing the wrong thing for all the right reasons. He was going to kidnap another man's bride for the most noble of causes. Alyssa Sutherland sat silently amidst a sea of chaos. It took every ounce of her self-control to keep from jumping up and shrieking at the women surrounding her to leave her alone. To give hLeclaire, Day is the author of 'Forbidden Princess ', published 2007 under ISBN 9780373767809 and ISBN 0373767803.