must stop or the media will take advantage of her.”
“I have no doubt in your abilities now.”
“I had fun. Izzy may not be a typical princess, but she’s a charming young woman.”
“Izzy?”
“That’s what her friends call her,” Julianna said.
Isabel had mentioned she liked being called Izzy, but he preferred her full name, liked the way it rolled off his tongue. Izzy sounded too…pedestrian. But there was nothing dull or unimaginative about her now. The lavender complemented her pale complexion. The style flattered her figure. She looked like a princess. “I doubt any of her friends would recognize her.”
“You didn’t.”
“Shock.”
“Nothing more?” Julianna asked.
Attraction, desire, lust. But he knew better than to tell his future wife those things. “Nothing else.”
“Be a dear, Niko, and escort her into the dining room.” Julianna sounded genuinely pleased with his reaction. “She’s still trying to master the art of walking in high heels. I’d hate to see her make a mistake and berate herself over it.”
He wasn’t going to have to be asked twice. He smiled at Julianna, who looked almost smug with satisfaction. “I will be right back with your work of art.”
As he approached Isabel, Niko was even more impressed by her transformation. The expert makeup application complemented her high cheekbones. Her glossed lips sparkled. Flecks of gold danced in her eyes. A complete change from the way she’d looked asleep on the airplane. Julianna had outdone herself. “You look lovely, Isabel.”
“Thanks.”
Niko caught a whiff of her vanilla and jasmine scent. That was the one thing that hadn’t changed.
“I feel like a fraud,” she whispered.
He didn’t understand the agitation in her voice. She should be happy with the makeover. “Why a fraud?”
“I’m still me. Only the outer packaging has changed,” she explained. “With all this makeup on, I feel like a clown. I’m sure in this dress and high heels, I must look like a corner hooker.”
Niko winced. “No one would mistake you for anything but a princess.”
Too bad she didn’t act or speak like one.
“I appreciate that,” she said. “Even if it’s not one hundred percent true.”
He extended his arm. “May I?”
“Royalty is big on escorting.”
“It is part of our prince training.”
“Is princess training available?” she asked.
“Yours has already started.”
She pursed her glossed lips. “I was kidding.”
He raised a brow. “I’m not.”
She eyed his arm warily then placed her hand over his.
Niko felt a jolt of awareness. Perhaps it was just a shock from static electricity.
“Just so you know, I’m only doing this so I don’t end up spread-eagled on the floor with my new lace thong showing.”
Niko’s gaze drifted to her round, delectable bottom and lingered for a second.
What the hell was he doing?
Abruptly he forced himself to look into her eyes. Anywhere else was unacceptable. He really would have preferred not knowing what type of lingerie she wore underneath her dress. The erotic image plastered across his brain would take time to erase. “I will make sure that doesn’t happen.”
For both their sakes.
Isabel took a step, teetering on her heels. “I don’t know why anyone would choose to strap these torture devices to their feet.”
“Why did you?”
“Because Princess Julianna told me I had to. A closet full of shoes seems to be a prerequisite for being a princess. But it seems as if none of them are allowed to be comfortable.”
He smiled at the exasperation in her voice and led her into the dining room with nary a stumble or peek at her panties.
She glanced around the room. “Wow.”
Niko understood her look of awe. The room was quite impressive with its marble fireplace, the gold damask-covered walls, chandeliers and the long, rectangular table set with fine china, sparkling crystal, freshly cut flowers and a candelabra full of lit candles.
“No
“I have no doubt in your abilities now.”
“I had fun. Izzy may not be a typical princess, but she’s a charming young woman.”
“Izzy?”
“That’s what her friends call her,” Julianna said.
Isabel had mentioned she liked being called Izzy, but he preferred her full name, liked the way it rolled off his tongue. Izzy sounded too…pedestrian. But there was nothing dull or unimaginative about her now. The lavender complemented her pale complexion. The style flattered her figure. She looked like a princess. “I doubt any of her friends would recognize her.”
“You didn’t.”
“Shock.”
“Nothing more?” Julianna asked.
Attraction, desire, lust. But he knew better than to tell his future wife those things. “Nothing else.”
“Be a dear, Niko, and escort her into the dining room.” Julianna sounded genuinely pleased with his reaction. “She’s still trying to master the art of walking in high heels. I’d hate to see her make a mistake and berate herself over it.”
He wasn’t going to have to be asked twice. He smiled at Julianna, who looked almost smug with satisfaction. “I will be right back with your work of art.”
As he approached Isabel, Niko was even more impressed by her transformation. The expert makeup application complemented her high cheekbones. Her glossed lips sparkled. Flecks of gold danced in her eyes. A complete change from the way she’d looked asleep on the airplane. Julianna had outdone herself. “You look lovely, Isabel.”
“Thanks.”
Niko caught a whiff of her vanilla and jasmine scent. That was the one thing that hadn’t changed.
“I feel like a fraud,” she whispered.
He didn’t understand the agitation in her voice. She should be happy with the makeover. “Why a fraud?”
“I’m still me. Only the outer packaging has changed,” she explained. “With all this makeup on, I feel like a clown. I’m sure in this dress and high heels, I must look like a corner hooker.”
Niko winced. “No one would mistake you for anything but a princess.”
Too bad she didn’t act or speak like one.
“I appreciate that,” she said. “Even if it’s not one hundred percent true.”
He extended his arm. “May I?”
“Royalty is big on escorting.”
“It is part of our prince training.”
“Is princess training available?” she asked.
“Yours has already started.”
She pursed her glossed lips. “I was kidding.”
He raised a brow. “I’m not.”
She eyed his arm warily then placed her hand over his.
Niko felt a jolt of awareness. Perhaps it was just a shock from static electricity.
“Just so you know, I’m only doing this so I don’t end up spread-eagled on the floor with my new lace thong showing.”
Niko’s gaze drifted to her round, delectable bottom and lingered for a second.
What the hell was he doing?
Abruptly he forced himself to look into her eyes. Anywhere else was unacceptable. He really would have preferred not knowing what type of lingerie she wore underneath her dress. The erotic image plastered across his brain would take time to erase. “I will make sure that doesn’t happen.”
For both their sakes.
Isabel took a step, teetering on her heels. “I don’t know why anyone would choose to strap these torture devices to their feet.”
“Why did you?”
“Because Princess Julianna told me I had to. A closet full of shoes seems to be a prerequisite for being a princess. But it seems as if none of them are allowed to be comfortable.”
He smiled at the exasperation in her voice and led her into the dining room with nary a stumble or peek at her panties.
She glanced around the room. “Wow.”
Niko understood her look of awe. The room was quite impressive with its marble fireplace, the gold damask-covered walls, chandeliers and the long, rectangular table set with fine china, sparkling crystal, freshly cut flowers and a candelabra full of lit candles.
“No
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