Synopsis
When Jacalyn (Jack) wakes up the morning after the spring festival to find herself handfasted to Dominic, she is convinced he has tricked her to get her into bed. Dominic thinks the same thing. Neither of them has any memories of the previous night, but witnesses tell them that the did, in fact, participate in the handfasting ceremony at the festival. Dominic is sure that his father, the King, will annull the marriage, but the King, who witnessed the ceremony, along with the brother of the girl Dominic was supposed to marry in a week, is embarrassed, and sure that his rebellious son did it to get back at him, refuses. He insists that Dominic stand my his decision.
Jack and Dominic must put aside their differences and work together to find out what happened, and who is responsible for the marriage that neither of them believes was intended, in the midst of a growing war with Dominic's intended brides country.
Excerpt
Jack swallowed. She really wasn’t ready to face this possibility right now. Seeing where her gaze was drawn though, Dominic grinned, and walked over the deliberately threw himself down on the bed, hands behind his head and ankles crossed, and stared cheekily at her. “So Princess, what do you think?”
The name grated on Jack again. “Look Dominic, we both know I’m not a princess. This was a mistake, I don’t belong here.”
Dominic stared at her for a moment, the cheeky expression gone, then he rose from the bed, and came around to her. Jack had an overwhelming urge to back away, but resisted. She wasn’t going to show him she was afraid.
When he slipped his arms around her waist though, she wished she had. She did not want to be here, did not want to deal with this.
“I get that this isn’t what you were looking for, really. I mean, I wasn’t either,” Dominic said. “But unfortunately we seem to be stuck with it, for the time being at least. Father doesn’t back down once his mind is made up, and it seems that his twisted brain has decided to punish me. I know it’s rather unfair, but really, is it that bad? I promise I can be very nice once you get to know me.”
There was a teasing note in the end of his last sentence, and Jack had an overwhelming urge to look up at him. That was a mistake. His lopsided smile was disarming, leaving Jack uncomfortably aware that it was a long time since anyone had held her like this.
Something in her face must have given away the turn her thoughts had taken, for his smile deepened, and he bent to kiss her.
