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She pulled the side of her bottom lip between her teeth, trying to hide a squeal of excitement. She’d do a standing back flip if she wasn’t wearing this bothersome dress. Mason’s gaze trailed to her lips, lingered there for half a beat and then lifted to her eyes again.
‘Challenge accepted’?
“The challenges have only begun, Captain.” She fired back at him.
His gaze held hers. She wasn’t certain what challenges she’d throw at him but the ideas would come. And every opportunity would draw them closer together.
She grinned.
“Oh, boy, you are in trouble,” Sarah said.
Mason’s gaze grew a little apprehensive. “No pranks,” he said softly.
“Ah, Captain.” She patted his cheek, wishing she could cup it with her palm, trail her fingers through the short hair shadowing his cheek and jaw, draw him in close. “You know I’m your match in every way.”
Sarah snickered next to her. Kiera hadn’t meant to come across quite so forward. She had a plan, but she knew full speed ahead could push Mason the wrong direction.
She heard one of the guards shift behind Mason. All that mattered was Mason’s blue eyes. They were full of a challenge. Had she made her point or missed the mark and he thought they were only going to tease each other?
“We’ll see, Fearless Princess. We’ll see.”
Indeed. He would see.
That she was his match, and it was their time to be together.
* * *
FindThe Impulsive Princess and the Soldieron Amazon.
The Royal Captain and the Designer
Chapter One
Faith Radisson peeked around the corner of the solid mahogany wood doorframe. Her heart took off at a gallop.
“He’s coming,” she whispered to her co-conspirator, Princess Kiera August.
They hid in the elaborate ballroom, quiet on this early December morning. Outside the towering Augustine castle, the world was picture perfect—high mountains covered with green pine trees and bare-limbed deciduous trees heaped with snow. Inside the ornate and spacious castle, decorated like a fantasy for Christmas, Faith’s world would be perfect—as soon as they waylaid Captain Levi Favor and talked him into a snowball fight. Faith had it on good authority that he was finished with his shift and headed home.
She would love to see his home. Rumor had it he lived on a farm out in the gorgeous valley. He had his own home, but he took care of his aging parents and their farm. Of course he did. His life was focused on caring for and protecting others.
Before she could meet his parents and see his home, she had to convince him to date her. She’d met Levi over a year ago on her first visit to the royal family’s palace in Augustine. The delightful Kiera had talked Levi and Lieutenant Mason Henson into guarding them on a hike through the forest to the waterfall.
Faith had been enamored with the captain since that first meeting, but regrettably, something held him back. He would initially respond to her flirtations or meet her gaze with a smolder in his dark-brown eyes, and she had only seen him truly smile for her. It was thrilling to see the impervious, brave captain let down his shield. If only for a moment.
A moment or two was usually all she got. He’d school his reaction and be respectful but keep his distance. The only gossip she’d gotten out of anybody was he’d buried a sister and a fiancée. What heartbreak. She could see the pain inside him, but he impressed her. He chose to protect, serve, and work hard instead of giving up or wallowing in grief.
Faith knew loss—deep loss that only was manageable with loads of prayer, faith, and listing positives in her mind. She’d experienced her Savior’s healing grace over and over again. Her oldest sister Grace was in heaven, and Faith knew she was watching over her. It was Grace who had taught her to pray and make positive lists as a young child.
Her Savior and her Grace would help her heal her wounded hero. She was determined that this Christmas, invited to stay in Augustine for the entire month to celebrate the marriage of her brother-in-law Chad’s loving mum Madeline to the incredibly kind and welcoming King Nolan, she would get Levi to fall for her. Maybe it was an impossible quest, but Faith did not despair. Despite being deserted by her parents at twelve, losing Grace to a brutal murderer two years ago, and almost being shot and killed by the foul Ramone Pitcher last year, she’d seen miracles and would never stop believing.
Levi’s footfalls approached. The strong, determined step was unmistakable, and her heart beat in rhythm with his approach. She wiped her sweaty palms on the black nylon, polyester, and elastine blend Lady Fit running pants she wore. Pants she’d designed for comfort, a flattering fit, and moisture-wicking. She also wore a pale blue fitted T-shirt under a white running jacket. All Lady Fit, of course. Her long blonde hair was loose, her makeup carefully understated. It would be obvious to any female she wasn’t headed to or from the gym, but she wanted to look pretty, fit, and casual. Hopefully she achieved that objective in Levi’s mind.
She prayed today was the day she and Kiera convinced him to spend time with them. The snowball fight was only an excuse, but nobody could say no to the adorable thirteen-year-old princess, beloved youngest child of the August family. If Levi was that hardened, maybe there was no chance to soften him.
Faith edged to the center of the doorframe. Kiera moved with her, giggling quietly at their ploy. She adored the young princess. She’d overheard Hope telling Madeline that Faith enjoyed Kiera so much because she was still youthful and a child at heart. While that was partially true, Hope spent so much time with Kiera because she’d also lost her mum at a young age and knew how it felt to live in a world of grownups. Though her sisters were only two and four years older than her, they’d all been forced to grow up quick when their parents left them. Faith had delved deep into her creative mind and mostly shut the real world out. She liked her make-believe world, but she’d discovered she loved people as well. Especially Kiera, all the royals, her new brother-in-law and his mum, and of course the enticing Captain Levi Favor.
Being here at the castle for Christmas was a dream come true. The royal fantasy dream was fabulous, but it was the complete, loving, and faith-filled family dream-turned-reality that she could never get enough of.
