The Prince's Forbidden Lover (The Samara Royal Family #3) by Elizabeth Lennox

to ease the drudgery.”
    Joline didn’t bother explaining that her hours were more like six in the morning to midnight most nights, longer on the weekends.  “Well, I’ll just have to deal with my drudgery,” she responded.
    “Why not meet me in London?  I’ll take you shopping and we can see the sights together.”
    Joline almost laughed.  “Would some of those sights be a rich man that could take me away from all of this drudgery?” she asked cynically. 
    “Well!” her mother scoffed.  “If there happens to be handsome men in the vicinity, what would be the harm in talking with them and finding out more about them?  It isn’t a crime to fall in love, Joline.”
    Joline almost laughed.  She doubted very seriously that her mother honestly loved any of the men she’d taken into her bed.  Joline wasn’t sure if her mother loved anyone other than Martha!  “I’m sure that’s true,” she said, but she was only agreeing with her mother so that she could get off the phone more easily.  “I’ll let you know about London,” she promised, knowing that her mother wouldn’t accept a “no” over the phone. 
    “Let me know soon.  I believe Marcus wants to be in London by the weekend.”
    “Will do,” she lied.  Well, it wasn’t completely a lie, she told herself as she ended the call and tried to focus back on her work.  She’d simply e-mail her mother and let her know that she wouldn’t be meeting her in London.  It was easier to get her mother to accept no for an answer when she couldn’t argue back. 
    Joline set her phone to the side, wishing she could just cut her mother out of her life.  But there was still some sort of relationship there.  And as sad as it was, Joline never gave up the hope that maybe her mother might eventually find a bit of pride in Joline’s accomplishments. 
    It was a ridiculous hope, she told herself over and over again.  Martha Caldwell was simply focused on Martha Caldwell.  And the men in Martha Caldwell’s life. 
    With a sigh, Joline focused on the details in front of her.  She had a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to do it, she told herself.  Martha Caldwell was not part of her day’s agenda. 
    Her phone immediately started ringing again and she picked it up, assuming it was her mother again who must have forgotten something during their initial conversation.  But when she saw the phone number…well, the area code…she shivered in reaction.  Prince Rais! 
    It had to be him, she thought as her fingers trembled, hovering over the “ignore” button.  The country code was the same as Shantra’s but that wasn’t Shantra’s phone number.  The only other person who would call her from Kilar would be Rais.  The prince himself and she wasn’t going to talk to him.  That final “conversation” had been disturbing enough and she was exhausted from lack of sleep because every time she closed her eyes, her mind brought back that kiss, the way he’d touched her and all of those amazing feelings that made her body leap to attention. 
    He was more dangerous than any man she’d ever met in her life.  Simply because he wouldn’t get out of her mind!  He was there, like a splinter that she couldn’t get out. He just kept showing up at the most inopportune moments. 
    The man was horrible and annoying and she finally pressed the “ignore” button and forced herself to get back to work. 

Chapter 5
     
    Joline stepped into the warm, inviting atmosphere of the coffee shop, breathing in the heavenly scent of freshly ground coffee beans and brewing coffee.  “Fabulous,” she sighed as she stood in line, waiting for her turn to order.  She’d finally slept last night.  No steamy, erotic dreams that woke her up breathing heavily with her body ready and wanting a dark man’s touch.  Just deep slumber!  It was cathartic, she told herself. 
    Today was going to be a good day, she thought as she moved forward in the line.  No more