The Man's Outrageous Demands by Elizabeth Lennox Read Free Book Online

with current events. Occasionally people ask me an intelligent question. I prefer to be prepared rather than the latest gossip on the useless princess.”
    “I’m flattered that you consider me a current event. The way you’ve been avoiding me lately, I was thinking you’d forgotten about me. Besides, I don’t think anyone has ever accused you of being a useless princess. I’ve read many articles about how the people of Cordova adore you. So why have you been avoiding me? Trying to forget me?”
    “I wish,” she said under her breath.
     
    “What was that?” he asked, bending down so he could hear her better.
    “Nothing,” she said and smiled to one of her father’s other cabinet members. She ignored the deep chuckle that emanated from him. She gritted her teeth and plastered a smile on her face for the press as well as the other members of the party.
    From that moment on, the night was difficult on so many levels. The press were more relentless than usual in their efforts to get a picture of Sam and Marabeth became irritated with their prying eyes for the first time in her life. Being a royal, she’d been born with the press hounding her. It was part of her life and she accepted it. What she didn’t like was how much they wanted a picture of Sam. She felt jealous each time they asked. It was odd though because they wouldn’t let her step out of the picture when they snapped their cameras. It was as if they wanted both of them together. But that didn’t make sense to Marabeth since most of the press were in a fury to find out who his current girlfriend or mistress was. He was a hot commodity and she thought it would be better for the sale of their papers if they got him alone rather than with her by his side.
    As the evening progressed, she was eventually able to dismiss the press form her mind and focus on the party. Sam impressed Marabeth with his political and social skills. He handled each person that came over to him with dignity and finesse regardless of whether they agreed with his policy changes or hated them. If they disagreed, Sam seemed to have an uncanny knowledge of how to persuade them to his side of the argument. If they were for his changes, he treated them as if they were friends of an inner circle, making sure that the person knew Sam would return the support in the future.
    Meanwhile, Marabeth worked the crowds, determining when a private conversation was needed versus when a group setting was better for the topic. She quickly moved people so they were able to speak to him individually when the need for one on one conversations arose. While he was talking, she would carefully shield him from the others and engage them in another conversation while she surreptitiously listened to when Sam was finished and the others could engage in the conversation as a group.
    She also kept the women away who only wanted to entice Sam. This was more of a political evening for Sam she told herself as she herded yet another romantic hopeful in another direction. Marabeth didn’t feel catty in her efforts to keep Sam away from the ladies with a hopeful eye. women if he needed to. following her mother’s instructions. She decided that he could socialize another night with these
    She told herself she wasn’t being jealous, just practical and
     
    Several long hours later, Sam stopped the conversation and turned to smile down at Marabeth. “Come with me,” Sam’s voice said close to her ear.
     
    Marabeth turned and looked curiously up at him. There were several other people who wanted to talk with Sam and she didn’t understand what he wanted.
    She found out soon enough when he spun her expertly onto the dance floor. “Don’t you want to talk with Lord Winters? I know he’s one of your primary supporters. It would be beneficial for your plans if you could increase his support.”
    He pulled her closer and spun her, forcing her to hold onto his muscular shoulders and lean into him. “I know. But I