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Please, all the angels in heaven, especially Mum, make this happen for me. I’ll deal with stalker notes and kidnapping attempts and losing my mum at twelve and almost having my family killed by the evil Rindlesbachers and anything you want to throw at me … if I can be loved by Mason.
Her family all assumed the crush she’d had as a teenager had dissipated as she’d gone off to Syracuse University in upstate New York and dated all manner of men. General Ray and her darling sister-in-law Macey had to perform a deep-dive background check before she could so much as eat a gelato, or in America usually a shake or ice cream cone, with a member of the opposite sex. Her guards trailed her on every date, experts at being intrusive and not even attempting to keep their distance. She loved her guards like brothers and appreciated the safety and peace of mind they granted her.
It would’ve bothered her more that she could never be alone with a date if she thought any man could steal her heart from loving Mason. She’d known he was the most fabulous unrelated-to-her man on earth since she was thirteen. The crush had not dissipated as the two people she’d admitted it to—her step-mum and Macey—promised her it would fade as she dated and had ‘real’ relationships.
‘Crush’ was not even the correct term. She had long known Mason was the man for her. Now it was time to convince him. She’d finally ‘grown into her astounding beauty’ as per many magazine writers’ and media influencers’ words. More importantly, Kiera was famous for her schemes, and this one was brilliant. There were very few members of Ray’s military who could keep up with her on a pair of snow skis, and three of them had been in New York with her recently and planned to go back after the new year since the downhill ski season would be in full swing. Those guards needed a long-awaited break, needed to relax with their families for Christmas and enjoy their beautiful home country.
Her closest friend Sarah needed to ski the famed Jungfrau.
And Kiera … she needed Mason.
The plan was beyond ideal.
Of course no one but Sarah knew the extent of her scheming. Derek and Ellery had offered to come, but with each of her siblings and their spouses chasing young children all over the place and bouncing babies, she knew they’d be easily dissuaded and she’d get the chance to have Mason all to herself. Well, him and three other guards and Sarah. She could work with that. Especially as Ray had said she and Mason, and Sarah and a guard, would ‘pretend to be couples’ to dissuade her latest stalker and any other men who wanted to hit on her. Ray hated men hitting on her.
A couple with Mason. Who cared if it was pretend? It would lead to feelings developing on his end for certain. She wanted to do another standing backflip, but Sarah was right. In a red knee-length fitted sweater dress and heeled ankle boots, she’d better keep her feet on the ground. For now. Dressing like an adult woman and worrying about showing the world her rear end—sadly, there had been a few photographs taken when she’d flipped or done tricks in a dress and inadvertently shown off her unders—was so constrictive sometimes.
The door to the garage opened and in he strode, leading the way for his men. Of course he led the way. He was a brave leader, a military hero clear through. He’d rescued her sisters-in-law Aliya and Sophie and her adorable now-twelve-year-old niece Sunny, and those were only a few of his courageous and impressive accolades.
Was he ready to rescue Kiera’s heart? Said heart skipped a beat at the mere sight of him and then took off at a gallop. It had been too long since she’d seen him in person. A year and a half, to be exact.
Captain Mason Henson. Six-four, two-hundred and twenty pounds of pure, perfect, muscular man dressed in a black military uniform, a pistol on his hip and a black duffel bag in one hand.
Yes, she knew his stats. She knew everything about him. Including that he’d never dated any woman longer than three dates. Her dear friend Faith had shared that piece of information with her. Faith had been explaining that she and her husband Levi, Mason’s closest friend, were worried Mason would never settle down. Kiera hoped it was a sign. Was he waiting for Kiera just as she’d been waiting for him? A princess could hope.
His blondish-brown hair was brushed back, and his short beard was the perfect length to highlight his strong jawline. The slight smirk on his lips showcased his good humor. He was as athletic, outgoing, talented, brave, mischievous, and hilarious as any person she’d ever met. Her ideal match in every way.
Those blue eyes, prettier than a clear mountain lake and warmer than the summer sun, zeroed in on her.
Kiera waited for it. He always got this huge grin when he saw her, and then the teasing would begin. ‘Fearless Little Princess’ was his longtime title for her. She prayed he wouldn’t call her ‘little’ any longer.
A dart of fear pricked at her confidence in her skiing-weekend scheme and this long-awaited moment. What if he didn’t even notice the changes like everyone else seemed to? What if he still thought of her as a child? What if all those other boys and entertainment writers were wrong and she wasn’t gorgeous and mesmerizing to him?
“P-Princess?” He stopped dead in his tracks, the soldier behind him almost running into him. The duffel bag slid from his grip and thumped to the marble floor.
Kiera and Mason’s gazes locked and held. Mason’s eyes were wide and filled with something like shock. Kiera smiled. She wondered for the first time in her life if her smile was … shy. So much was riding on this moment. Him finally seeing her. Their first meet-cute as adults.
“He isunbelievablyhot,” Sarah whispered to her.
She wanted to scream, ‘I know,’ but her throat was so dry she couldn’t squeak out a response, and she didn’t want to interrupt this eye-lock with Mason. The next step would be lip-lock. That made her smile bigger, even as heat filled her face. What would kissing this superhero feel like?
Mason blinked a few times, shook his head, and crossed the distance between them. The other guards flanked him.
Kiera’s breath shortened as he reached her. It was one thing to see him from down the hallway. Up close and personal? He was perfection in a manly form.
Mason bowed to her, his men following suit. “Princess Kiera,” he breathed out in a husky tone she prayed meant he was finally, finally interested in her. “What have those Americansdoneto you?”
She didn’t know if she should be offended or pleased. “Made me even more fabulous than ever.”
His gaze said he agreed, but he simply stared at her. She waited for the next teasing comment. His men seemed to be waiting as well as nobody else spoke. Mason didn’t move or draw his gaze away from her. She liked that.
“Excuse me?” Sarah huffed into the silence in the hallway.
“Oh, pardon me,” Mason said, seeming to recover and sounding as smooth and charming as ever. He gifted Sarah with his alluring grin. “I meant no offense to your home country. I was simply baffled for a moment. Cold clocked as if General August himself had knocked me flat to the ground. Our Fearless Little Princess is …” He swallowed and said in that husky tone again, “All grown up.”
His blue eyes swept over Kiera, warm and full of appreciation. She went hot and cold from head to toe.
“You can stop calling me ‘little’ if I’vefinallygrown up,” she sassed him, tossing her long, dark hair over her shoulder.
