Page 32 of Marrying a Prince

Marianna blew out the breath she had been holding. "Perfect."

Adelina walked over to the large armoire and pulled it open. After removing a dark green, mid-calf dress, she laid it on the bed. "Let's get dressed and downstairs. Her Majesty hates latecomers."

Marianna nodded and walked over to the bed. "Yeah, we wouldn't want that."

Ten minutes later, Marianna shut her bedroom door and made her way to the top of the stairs. She tugged at the dress, hoping it would feel more like her. It didn't help.

There were so many rules and expectations. Her brain felt as if it were going to explode from everything Adelina told her.

"You must always wear pantyhose. Never put your elbows on the table. You use the silverware from the outside in."

Marianna was pretty sure that she was going to pass out when she came face to face with the etiquette of eating with a royal family.

She reached up and adjusted a bobby pin that was digging into her scalp. Even her hair didn't look like her. A French twist with ringlets framing her face? She was a ponytail kind of girl.

"Whoa," Leo's deep voice said from behind her.

She turned to see him dressed in a tux with a royal-blue sash around his chest. His dark curly hair had been tamed, and his face shaved. He looked like a prince, but she could still see the desire to be somewhere else in his eyes.

He quirked an eyebrow as his gaze roamed over her. Was it wrong that she wanted him to like how she looked—to approve?

"You look—"

Her breath caught in her throat.

"—like my mom."

Her excitement crashed and burned. That was not what she wanted to hear. She tried to hide her disappointment with a smile. "What? I do not."

He stepped closer to her and furrowed his brow. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure you are wearing her dress, and Adelina has been with my mom for ages." He leaned closer to Marianna. "Just accept it."

Marianna dropped her jaw and stepped back. There was no way she was just going to stand there and let him insult her like that. "I'll have you know—"

Leo lifted his finger and pressed it to her lips. "You didn't let me finish." He let his hand linger by her mouth, focusing his attention there for a moment before he shook his head and met her gaze. "With a few modifications, we can fix that."

"I—" But he wasn't listening to her. Instead, he reached behind her head and began pulling the pins out.

After enough were removed, gravity won over and her hair dropped down around her shoulders. Leo glanced back at her and smiled.

"There," he said. His voice was low and husky.

She so desperately wanted to ask him what that was about. Was it possible that he felt the same as she did? Did he want to kiss her as badly as she wanted to press her lips to his?

"Better?" She barely got the word out.

He smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he nodded. "Beautiful." He leaned in, brushing her hair off her shoulder. "Don't let them change you. You're perfect the way you are," he whispered.

Shivers rushed over her as his warm breath touched her skin. He was so close that she feared he could hear her pounding heart. Did it give her away?

"Sir," Filippo said.

Marianna turned to see him coming up the stairs. His eyebrows were raised as his gaze landed on them.

Leo pulled back, but not before Marianna thought she heard him groan. That started her mind racing. Was he just flirting, or was it something more? Did she dare hope?

"What, Filippo?" he asked, glancing over to his bodyguard.

"Your mother sent for you. It seems there are a few dignitaries that were invited tonight." Then Filippo dropped his voice. "Mr. Marasco."

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