Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 42883 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42883 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 172(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
“Kitty, this is my father, King Wilhelm. Father, this is Miss Light.”
“It's nice to meet you, Your Highness,” my girlfriend murmurs as she curtsies. Meanwhile, my dad stares at her for a bit, cocking his head to the side, before getting to his feet and approaching us.
“It's nice to meet you, young lady. Please, call me Wilhelm,” he says as he seizes her hand, kissing it softly. She smiles, and her contagious smile spreads like a wildfire, leaving not a single frown among the court. She’s gorgeous, exuding pure happiness and light, and best of all, Kitty’s mine. I grab her hand and turn to all of them.
“This is Katherine Light, the woman that I've been dating for months now. I adore her, and I know that once you all get to know her, you will too,” I announce.
The crowd erupts in murmurs, some of them shocked and some of them scandalized, but I don’t care because now, Kitty’s here and we’ve made peace. I wrap my arms around her curvaceous frame, pulling her close, and damn, but she feels good. Then I kiss her lips, causing Kitty to blush as I slip her a bit of tongue.
“Eric!” she gasps, breathless yet scandalized. “In front of all these people?”
I nod.
“Yes,” I rasp for her ears only. “I want them to see.” After all, she has no idea how hard these last couple of days have been without her. I felt like I was losing my mind, and it feels amazing to have her standing next to me in front of my father in the royal court. I can finally show this gorgeous woman off to the world as I claim her as mine.
Plus, there's something else that I've been meaning to do. I turn to her and drop down on one knee. Her eyes grow wide as her jaw drops, and I can't help but chuckle at her astonished expression. She knows exactly what I want to ask, and the crowd must sense it because gasps erupt when I dig into my jacket pocket and pull out a ring I've been carrying around the last couple of days.
“Katherine Elizabeth Light,” I begin in a low, trembling voice. “You have changed my life in so many ways. I thought I would never find love, but then you came into my life just when I needed you the most. I looked high and low for a woman to complete me, and the entire time, she was right under my nose. I want the world to see how much I adore you, and how much I cherish and respect you as well. Will you do a poor soul the honor of becoming his wife?” I ask.
Kitty stares down at me, unable to move or speak. Tears fill her her eyes as she stands there in shock, but then the speechless woman smiles, and nods.
“Yes, Eric,” she says in a whisper, her big brown eyes full of joy. “I love you, and I’d love to become your wife.”
With that, my heart leaps as I slide the diamond ring onto her finger. I get to my feet before enveloping that curvy form in a possessive embrace as the crowd bursts into applaud. Even my father joins in, although of course, this only increases the surprise factor.
But I don’t care. Just a few months ago, I thought love was impossible to find. Hell, I’d given up, but just when all hope had ebbed, Kitty Light walked into my life, renewing my vigor for life.
“I promise to make you happy, sweetheart. You’re my princess,” I whisper into her ear. The beautiful brunette looks up at me and smiles.
“And you’re my prince, Eric,” she murmurs in return. Then we embrace again, and the crowd around us disappears, leaving us in a circle of two. After all, nothing can stand in the way of our happiness now. From this day forth, I vow to spend the rest of my life treating Kitty as my better half, as my princess, and someday, as the queen she deserves to be.
EPILOGUE
Kitty
“Shhh,” I say as I try to soothe Haley. My daughter’s a little fussy because she's ready for her afternoon nap, so I cradle her in my arms, rocking the child gently back and forth.
Yet even when she cries, Haley’s still the most beautiful girl that I've ever seen with black hair just like her father, and the same mischievous expression too. But right now, my daughter’s tired and slowly, Haley drifts off to sleep like an angel. After I place her in her crib, I stare at her for a bit, admiring her plump cheeks and softly curled fists. She’s a daddy’s girl, that’s for sure.
Discovering I was pregnant was a major surprise, especially because Eric and I had only been married for a month then, but I've never been happier before. Every day with Eric and Haley makes me feel like I'm the luckiest woman in the world because my life has been so unexpected. After the confrontation in the throne room, I was immediately elevated from “palace maid” to “royal fiancée.” How’s that for a change?