HOLIDAY ROYALE Read online

  A playboy prince is roped into giving love lessons to a young, innocent woman—only to find himself falling for his eager pupil, in USA TODAY bestselling author Christine Rimmer’s newest addition to her Bravo Royales miniseries….

  Up till now, Lucy Cordell has led a pretty sheltered life—but she’s ready to burst out of her shell. Still, she has absolutely zero experience with men—so she needs help. Someone to help her shed the cloak that seems to scream “Virgin!” every time she gets within five miles of an eligible guy. Who better than the dashing Player Prince, Damien of Montedoro? He’s always come to her rescue before….

  True—but Dami only agrees to school Lucy in the fine art of seduction because he’s afraid of who she’ll ask if he says no! Besides, she needs protection from all the wolves out there. Still, when it comes to Lucy’s sweet lit-from-within beauty, Damien has to wonder…who is going to protect him?

  “Oh, Damien. I really am sorry I dragged you out of bed, but I’ve been working up the nerve to approach you concerning a certain, um, issue, for weeks now.”

  One look at Lucy Cordell’s fresh face had Damien wishing he’d put something on under his robe. Still, he was very fond of Lucy. He led her into his suite as she blushed and said, “Thank you, Dami. You’re always so kind to me.” All at once her big eyes brimmed with moisture.

  “Luce?” He jumped up, went around to her and knelt by her chair, taking care as he did it that the damn robe didn’t gape and embarrass them both. “What is this? Tears? Now dry your eyes and tell me what’s been troubling you.”

  Lucy hesitated. “Oh, Dami. I’ve been out of the mainstream for so long. But not anymore. I’m well and I’m strong and I’m living my dream. And I really need to get started on doing the things that healthy women do—”

  Dami made another stab at finding out where all this was going. “So you came to me for advice then?” He reached for his coffee cup.

  And Lucy said, “No. Not advice. Sex.”

  He set the cup down sharply. “Say again?”

  “Dami, it’s so simple. I want you to be my first.”

  THE BRAVO ROYALES:

  When it comes to love, Bravos rule!

  Dear Reader,

  Lucy Cordell has spent most of her life in and out of hospitals. Sickly and frail, she missed out on all the things others girls enjoy while growing up. But two years ago, she had the surgery that finally fixed her faulty heart valve. She’s healthy and strong now, and she’s determined to live the rest of her life to the fullest. She’s moved to New York City and will be starting fashion school in the spring. Hungry for all that life has to offer her, Lucy needs a special holiday favor from a good friend.

  Damien Bravo-Calabretti, Prince of Montedoro, is the darling of the tabloids. They call him the Player Prince and there’s always a new, gorgeous woman on his arm. He’s smooth and sophisticated and oh-so-charming. He adores Lucy—but in a completely nonromantic, best-friends sort of way. He would do just about anything she asked of him and in the past, he’s come to her rescue in a big way.

  But then she approaches him with an extraordinary request. To help her, in this case, seems impossible. Then again, Lucy is one determined young woman.

  And in the magic and wonder of the holiday season, well, who knows what might happen? The Player Prince just might begin to see sweet Lucy in a whole new light.

  Wishing you and yours all the joys of the season,

  Christine

  HOLIDAY ROYALE

  Christine Rimmer

  Books by Christine Rimmer

  Harlequin Special Edition

  ¶¶Resisting Mr. Tall, Dark & Texan #2125

  §A Bravo Homecoming #2150

  §The Return of Bowie Bravo #2168

  °°The Prince’s Secret Baby #2180

  ¤¤The Last Single Maverick #2197

  °°The Prince She Had to Marry #2221

  °°The Rancher’s Christmas Princess #2229

  °°Her Highness and the Bodyguard #2251

  ⌘⌘Marooned with the Maverick #2269

  °°How to Marry a Princess #2294

  °°Holiday Royale #2300

  Silhouette Special Edition

  ∆The Millionaire She Married #1322

  ∆The M.D. She Had to Marry #1345

  The Tycoon’s Instant Daughter #1369

  ∆The Marriage Agreement #1412

  ∆The Marriage Conspiracy #1423

  **His Executive Sweetheart #1485

  **Mercury Rising #1496

  **Scrooge and the Single Girl #1509

  ⌘The Reluctant Princess #1537

  ⌘Prince and Future…Dad? #1556

  ⌘The Marriage Medallion #1567

  §Fifty Ways to Say I’m Pregnant #1615

  §Marrying Molly #1639

  §§Stranded with the Groom #1657

  §Lori’s Little Secret #1683

  §The Bravo Family Way #1741

  ☐The Reluctant Cinderella #1765

  §Married in Haste #1777

  §From Here to Paternity #1825

  ΩThe Man Who Had Everything #1837

  §A Bravo Christmas Reunion #1868

  §Valentine’s Secret Child #1879

  °In Bed with the Boss #1909

  §Having Tanner Bravo’s Baby #1927

  §The Stranger and Tessa Jones #1945

  §The Bravo Bachelor #1963

  §A Bravo’s Honor #1975

  §Christmas at Bravo Ridge #2012

  §Valentine Bride #2023

  §A Bride for Jericho Bravo #2029

  ¶McFarlane’s Perfect Bride #2053

  §Expecting the Boss’s Baby #2077

  §Donovan’s Child #2095

  §Marriage, Bravo Style! #2101

  Harlequin Books

  Special Edition Bonus Story: The Anniversary Party—Chapter Two

  Silhouette Books

  Fortune’s Children Wife Wanted

  *The Taming of Billy Jones

  ∆The Bravo Billionaire

  Montana Mavericks: Big Sky Brides “Suzanna”

  Lone Star Country Club Stroke of Fortune

  Lone Star Country Club: The Debutantes “Reinventing Mary”

  *The Jones Gang

  ∆Conveniently Yours

  **The Sons of Caitlin Bravo

  ⌘Viking Brides

  §Bravo Family Ties

  §§Montana Mavericks: Gold Rush Grooms

  ☐Talk of the Neighborhood

  ΩMontana Mavericks: Striking It Rich

  °Back in Business

  ¶Montana Mavericks:

  Thunder Canyon Cowboys

  ¶¶Montana Mavericks:

  The Texans Are Coming!

  °°The Bravo Royales

  ¤¤Montana Mavericks:

  Rust Creek Cowboys

  ⌘⌘Montana Mavericks:

  Back in the Saddle

  Other titles by this author available in ebook format.

  CHRISTINE RIMMER

  came to her profession the long way around. Before settling down to write about the magic of romance, she’d been everything from an actress to a salesclerk to a waitress. Now that she’s finally found work that suits her perfectly, she insists she never had a problem keeping a job—she was merely gaining “life experience” for her future as a novelist. Christine is grateful not only for the joy she finds in writing, but for what waits when the day’s 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.

  For my sons,

  Matt and Jess.

  Happy holidays

  and all my love.

  Contents

  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

  Excerpt

  Chapter One

  At eight-thirty on Thanksgiving morning, Damien Bravo-Calabretti, Prince of Montedoro, heard a knock on the outer door of his palace apartment.

  Damien had given his man, Edgar, the holiday off. That left the prince to ignore his uninvited, way-too-early visitor—or get out of bed and answer the door himself.

  He was quite comfortable in his bed, thank you. Paying no attention to the continued tapping seemed the most attractive option.

  But the knocking continued.

  And then he thought, Vesuvia?

  And that had him glaring at the coffered ceiling far above his bed. Not V. Please. It was much too early to have to deal with V.

  Besides, it was over between them. She knew that as well as he did.

  Not to mention she was supposed to be in Italy, wasn’t she? And there were guards at every entrance. She couldn’t just stroll in uninvited. How could she have gained access to his rooms, anyway?

  Who knew? A man never did when it came to V.

  And if it was V, he could forget drifting back to sleep. She would keep right on knocking until he gave in and answered. The woman was nothing short of relentless.

  Muttering a few choice expletives under his breath, Dami shoved back the covers and grabbed his robe. He shrugged it on and belted it as he strode down the hall.

  By the time he reached the door that led out into the palace corridor, he was angrier than he should have allowed himself to be. He yanked the door wide with a scowl on his face, prepared to tell the impossible woman on the other side exactly what he thought of her.

  But it wasn’t Vesuvia after all. It was sweet little Lucy Cordell, whose brother, Noah, would be marrying Damien’s sister Alice in the spring.

  At the sight of his less-than-welcoming expression, Lucy’s pink cheeks flushed red and she jumped back with a soft cry. “Oh! It’s too early, isn’t it? You weren’t even up....” She gave him a dazed once-over, from his bare feet to the section of naked chest displayed where the robe gaped a bit, and upward. She took in the dark stubble on his jaw and his uncombed hair.

  Dami instantly felt nothing short of sheepish. He straightened the robe and raked a hand back through his hair. “Luce. Hullo.”

  “Go ahead, say it. Too early, I knew it.”

  “No. Really. It’s fine. Not too early at all.” If he’d known it was Lucy, he’d have put something on under the robe. Dami was very fond of Lucy. She was so fresh scrubbed and sincere—charming, too. And she did look fetching this morning, all big brown eyes and short tousled hair, and a smart and imaginative ensemble she had no doubt created herself. He could almost forgive her for dragging him from his bed.

  She was not soothed by his assurances, but instead winced and scrunched up her pretty face. “Yikes! I get it. You’ve got company, right?” And then she was off and chattering. “Oh, Dami. I’m sorry, truly. I don’t want to interrupt anything, but I’ve been working up the nerve to approach you concerning a certain, er, issue, for weeks now.”

  “Working up the nerve?” He gazed at her, bemused. “What issue?”

  “Ugh. I hate myself.”

  He gestured her into the suite. “Come in. We’ll talk.”

  “But you’re busy....”

  “No, I’m not. And I promise you, I am completely alone.”

  “Really?”

  “Truly. Now come in.”

  But she only sighed and covered her eyes with her hands and then spread her fingers enough to peek out at him. “This is so awkward and weird, isn’t it? But I just, well, this morning, I finally couldn’t stand it anymore.”

  He stepped to the side and waved her in again. “Whatever it is, let’s not discuss it out here in the hallway. You must come in. We’ll have coffee.”

  She didn’t budge, except to drop her hands away from her face and wrap her arms around her. “I just had to see you. And so I decided to go for it, before I lost my nerve, you know? But of course, I see I should’ve at least waited until nine or...later or whenever you... Oh, my Lord.” She let her head fall back and groaned at the carved painted ceiling overhead. “You would think I had no manners at all.” She looked at him again, her gamine face crumpled in misery. “Oh, Dami. Sorry, sorry. This is awful, isn’t it?”

  “Luce, what are you on about?”

  She blinked at him again, her mouth trembling. “You know what? I’ll just come back later and maybe then we can...”

  The flood of words stopped when he caught her hand. She stared up at him, her mouth slightly agape in a confused expression that he found simultaneously humorous and captivating. “Come inside now.” He gave her fingers a tug.

  “Oh, I just don’t...”

  “Luce.” He snared her darting gaze and held it.

  “Oh, God.” Her plump cheeks puffed out with a hard breath. “What?”

  “Come in. Please.”

  That did it. Finally. She gave him a sad little nod. And then, slim shoulders drooping, she let him draw her over the threshold.

  Pausing only to shut and lock the door, he led her down the hallway, past the sitting room and his bedroom, the dining room and his small study. At the back of the apartment, he had a narrow galley kitchen for those times when he preferred to dine in private. He led Lucy to the small table by the one window at the end and pulled out a chair. “Have a seat.”

  She dropped to the chair cushion, folded her hands neatly in her lap and didn’t utter a word as he got to work grinding the coffee beans, filling the French press and setting it on the cooker to brew. He would have preferred, while they waited for the coffee, to run back down the hall and throw on something more appropriate than his black silk robe.

  But he was afraid if he left her alone, she just might bolt. He couldn’t allow that. Clearly, she did have something to say to him. It was all very intriguing. He wasn’t letting her go until she revealed what had brought her to his door.

  He said, “I’m surprised to see you at the palace at this hour.”

  “But I’m a guest here. I have a beautiful little room on the third floor with a bathroom right down the hall.”

  “I thought you would be staying at the villa with Alice and Noah.”

  “Well, the truth is I asked Alice if she could get me in as a guest here at the palace instead—for the life experience, you know?” Something evasive in her expression tipped him off that “life experience” wasn’t all of it.

  “And because of Noah?”

  She shrugged. “He’s promised to stop hovering over me and to let me lead my own life, but he still thinks he knows what’s best for me. Here at the palace, I’m on my own. I take care of myself without my big brother keeping tabs on where I go and when I come in at night.” She loosed a gusty sigh. “Honestly, Dami. Sometimes he acts like I’m twelve instead of twenty-three.”

  “He loves you and wants to be certain you’re safe and well.”

  For that she shot him an I-don’t-want-to-hear-it look. He let the subject drop.

  The
coffee didn’t take long. He poured her a cup, got out the cream and sugar and even found a couple of pastries in the bread box. He put the pastries on a serving plate, set them each a place, along with napkin, fork and spoon, and then took his own cup and settled into the chair opposite her. “There. Drink your coffee.”

  Obediently, she spooned in a little sugar, poured in a drizzle of cream, stirred and sipped. “It’s good.”

  “Life is too short for bad coffee.”

  A sudden smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

  He shook his head. “Something amuses you?”

  “It’s too weird, that’s all. Being served coffee and sweet rolls by a prince....”

  He waved a hand. “Under everyday circumstances, my man, Edgar, would prepare the coffee. But Edgar is elsewhere this morning.”

  She blushed again, the color flowing upward over her sweet, velvety cheeks. “Thank you, Dami. You’re always so kind to me.” All at once her big eyes brimmed with moisture.

  “Luce?” He jumped up, went around to her and knelt by her chair, taking care as he did it that the damn robe didn’t gape and embarrass them both. “What is this? Tears?”

  She sniffled. “Oh, Dami...” Her scent drifted to him: cherries and soap. So very Luce. It made him want to smile.

  But he didn’t. He kept a solemn face as he took the silk handkerchief from the breast pocket of his robe. “Here, now. Dry your eyes.”

  With a sad little sigh, she dabbed at her cheeks. “I’m being ridiculous.”

  “You are not, nor have you ever been, ridiculous.” He rose—and then hesitated, not wanting to leave her side if she was going to keep crying.

  She waved his handkerchief at him. “Go on. Sit back down. Your coffee will get cold.”

  So he returned to his chair and took his seat. “Eat a pastry, why don’t you? Your choice, raspberry or almond.”

  Obediently, she transferred the raspberry brioche to her plate and took a bite. The red filling clung to her lower lip and he watched as the tip of her pink tongue emerged to lick it clean. “Yum.”

  He prompted, “Now. What is this ‘issue’ that you’ve come to me about?”