The Virgin's Royal Secret Read online

  Devotion

  Remnants

  Paranormal Romance

  Such Violent Delights: A Holiday Paranormal Anthology

  Reverse Harem

  Their Vampire Princess (A Reverse Harem Romance)

  Their Shadow Queen Book 1

  Their Shadow Queen Book 2

  The Siren Coven

  Eternal Desire

  Cursed Heart

  The Excalibur Duet

  Wicked Temptation

  Immortal Flame

  The Fallen Angel Trilogy

  Waking the Watcher

  Denying the Watcher

  Releasing the Watcher

  Kim Loraine writes steamy romances in both the contemporary and paranormal genres. When not writing, she’s busy herding cats (raising kids), trying to keep her house sort of clean, and dreaming up steamy ways for fictional couples to meet.

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  Acknowledgments

  I write because I love it, but also because I want to make my readers smile like so many authors have done for me. There are always people I count on for honest feedback and help managing my crazy life. Rachel, Allison, and Misty in particular. Thanks so much for always making time to read my chapters and for your honest feedback.

  My husband, kids, and family. Thanks for letting me get away to write.

  My writing group. Thanks for keeping me on track.

  Wendy. Thanks for always finding time for me.

  My Loraine Lovers and my Coven! You guys are so fantastic.

  Nicole French for teaching me ALL the things.

  Also, thanks to Emily and the team at Social Butterfly. You guys have been on it from the beginning and I appreciate you!

  Lastly, thank you readers. Without you, there wouldn’t be a place for all these virgins.

  xoxo

  Kim

  Sneak Peek

  The Virgin’s Forbidden Lord

  Chapter 1

  Kingston

  “Remember, gentleman, it’s a charity auction, not a Magic Mike live performance. You’re to spend the rest of the evening with the woman…or man, whatever the case may be, who wins you.” Mila, the party planner and general in charge of this group of men stares me down as if I’m going to be the culprit who brings ruin to her event with a pair of tearaway tux pants.

  “Why are you looking at me? I’m here for the charity.” I hold up my hands and grin. “I can’t help it if a little dancing gets them riled up and ready to donate.”

  “Lord Haverford, really,” she chastises me.

  “Come on, then, Mila. You know you liked Magic Mike as much as the next girl.”

  Her cheeks go pink and she smiles, just a ghost of amusement, but it’s there. “Just…keep it in your pants. No nudity.”

  I cross my heart and offer her my winning smile. “You have my word.”

  She nods and looks down the line of us. Twenty-five eligible bachelors, some nobleman, others just good-looking guys willing to sell their company for the night for charity. Honestly, if the king wasn’t my best friend, I wouldn’t be participating in this. “Don’t come out until I announce you.”

  I can’t resist peeking around the curtain. The crowd is large, lots of masked men and women dressed in their finest black tie apparel. I catch sight of a woman I think is Princess Waverly dancing with a man I don’t recognize and then my mouth runs dry when I see her sister, Princess Alina. She’s twirling in the middle of the dance floor, her pink gown swirling around her as she goes.

  I’ve tried to avoid my attraction to my best friend’s littlest sister, but she’s like some kind of seductive fairy. She’s all big eyes and innocent temptation wrapped in a sexy as sin body. At first it was nothing but a one-sided thing, a flirty girl who had a crush on her brother’s best friend, but now? God help me, after a year away spending time in the US with my good friend Lincoln, I came home to find a vixen had taken her place.

  Someone gives my shoulder a shove and I cast a glare back at him. “What?” I hiss.

  “Mila has called you up three bloody times.”

  Fuck. I take the stage and my traitor of a cock thickens behind the fly of my trousers when Alina’s gaze finds mine. She smiles and gives me a little wave, then she licks her candy pink lips. I wonder what they taste like.

  No.

  No.

  No.

  I can’t be wondering if my best friend’s sister tastes like strawberries.

  The spotlight trains on me and Mila starts her announcement. “First up we’ve got the handsome and dashing, Lord Haverford. He’s twenty-nine years old, six-foot-five, and he’s an accomplished rider…if you know what I mean.”

  The crowd cheers but my eyes never leave Alina. She’s taken her seat, her hand is on her paddle, and I know I’m about to be in huge trouble.

  The king’s little sister is about to bid for a night with me and by the look in her eyes, I don’t think she’s going to let anyone else win.

  The bidding begins and she just waits, a coy smile on her lips. She’s waiting them out. Clever girl. As the auction continues and the bidding war heats up, I lock eyes with her, a challenging smirk on my lips. Her eyes sparkle and she grips her paddle tighter, about to raise it, but the lights in the ballroom blink off and on and the sound system goes dead.

  There’s a collective hush that falls over the ballroom, quickly replaced by a quiet murmur of concerned voices. I see security bustling around and instantly a sense of unease prickles at my nape. My gaze immediately goes to Alina. I jump off the stage and go for her. She isn’t within reach of the Royal guard and something is seriously wrong here.

  Taking her hand, I pull her from her chair. “Oh, not waiting for my bid?” she teases, but I cut her a harsh glare.

  “Something’s happened. We need to find your brother.” Instead of seeing Ryder, I catch sight of Clark, head of security. His face is grave. “What is it? Where’s His Majesty?”

  “He’s been taken to a safe location along with the queen.”

  The tightness in my chest loosens a little. “And Princess Waverly?”

  Lips pressed into a tight line, he gives a minute shake of his head. “Taken. Archer is in pursuit.”

  “Taken?” Alina gasps.

  “We’ll bring her back, Your Highness.” Clark’s words are strong and I know he believes them with everything he has. “In the meantime, we need you to go to your chambers and stay locked in until we give the all clear.”

  She grips my hand. “How long?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  I can’t leave her alone. She’s afraid and she shouldn’t be by herself. “I’ll stay with you. I’ve always promised Ryder I’d keep you safe and I’m not going to abandon you now.”

  Clark nods and escorts us up to the princess’ chambers. As soon as Clark sweeps the rooms and we get behind closed doors, Alina locks everything tight and I draw the shades.

  “Did you really mean that?” she asks.

  “What?”

  “That you promised my brother you’d take care of me?”

  I nod. “I’ll always protect you and your family. I grew up with no one to care for me. I won’t have that happening to you.”

  She crosses her arms over her chest. “I’m already grown. In case you missed it, Kingston, I’m an adult.”

  Oh, I definitely didn’t miss it. It’s bloody hot in here. Loosening my tie, I pop the top button of my collar and stand. “Do you have anything to drink in here?”

  She laughs. “It’s not a hotel room.” Then she gestures toward the bathroom. “I’ve got a sink.”

  That’ll do. Standing, I make my way across the plush carpet and into the bathroom. I grip the sides of the marble sink basin and stare hard at myself in the mirror. I can not give in to the desire I’ve been fighting. Alina is beautiful, but she’s not on the table for me. This princess is going to marry the man her father chose for her. She’ll go on to do great things, be a great woman, a
nd the only part I’ll play in that is as the man who kept her safe until her husband came along.

  Splashing cold water on my face, I run my hand over my jaw and sigh. Why does the thought of her living her life without me make my chest ache?

  When I leave the bathroom my mouth runs dry. Alina is standing in her walk-in-closet, dress pooled in a cloud of tulle on the floor. Her perfect curves are on full display and it’s obvious she doesn’t know I’m watching. I should feel guilty for spying on her like this, but I know I won’t get another chance to see her. The soft pink lace covering her breasts still showcases her rosy nipples through the sheer fabric, and her matching knickers make me want to pull them off with my teeth.

  Bugger.

  Fuck.

  No.

  I can’t want her. Ryder would have me executed if he knew the things I’ve been fantasizing about with Alina. I clear my throat and her shoulders stiffen. She grins and tosses her long hair over one shoulder as she grabs a robe off a hanger and slips the silk over her shoulders.

  “Like what you saw?” she asks.

  “I didn’t see anything.”

  “Liar.”

  “I think it best if you close that robe and I settle myself outside your door until we get the all clear.”

  She shakes her head. “I’ve got you all to myself, why would I let you go now?”

  She stalks across the floor, the swell of her breasts enticing from the deep cut of the robe. “I…” I start, swallowing past the lump in my throat.

  “Come on, Kingston. Have a little fun with me?”

  God, I want to. What I wouldn’t give to be able to worship her body like the temple it is without any repercussions.

  I reach out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear, but the phone in my pocket rings, jolting us both apart as though we were caught doing something wrong.

  “Hello?” I say into the device that was either an instrument of my torture or my saving grace.

  “All clear, Kingston,” Clark’s voice says over the line.

  I hang up without responding and tuck the slim phone back into my pocket. “I should go,” I tell Alina, sidestepping her and heading for the door.

  “Your loss, Lord Haverford.”

  After leaving the room, I rake a hand through my hair and sigh. My loss, indeed.

  The Virgin’s Forbidden Lord