Happy Holidays! For today's treat, I have the alternate beginning of Claiming Caroline for you!
"This is never going to work," I mumble, staring at myself in the mirror. I look like a princess instead of a twenty-one-year-old college student who lives in a tiny off-campus apartment with her sister and their pet Rottweiler. But there is no way anyone is going to believe I'm my sister, not even after I put on the lacy black half-mask that matches my dress. I have red hair and dark eyes. I'm also a size sixteen. She's all of five-one and can still fit in clothes from the kid's section. She also has brown hair and pretty green eyes. Physically, we're polar opposites, as likely to be mistaken for one another as Tinkerbell and Attila the Hun.
Even though we look nothing alike, Kennedy is my best friend. It's been the two of us against the world—and our older brothers—since we were little girls. Killian and Sebastian were teenagers when our mom married their dad and had us. They've always been overprotective and bossy—hence the Rottweiler. Our dad is overprotective too.
He messed up a lot with Killian and Sebastian. I think he tries to make up for it by smothering me and Kennedy. Maybe one day he'll realize that the only way to make things right with Killian and Sebastian is to back off of them about taking over the company and let them live their lives. They're happy where they're at, and I'm happy for them. Especially now that they've found Liberty and Rowan. For a while there, I wasn't sure either of them would ever fall in love and get married.
Now, they're both deliriously happy…which makes me deliriously happy for them. I can't wait to meet Liberty and Rowan in person. Kennedy and I are flying out to California over Christmas Break to spend the holidays with them.
If we don't get kicked out of college before then. If I ever get my hands on Kennedy's English Lit professor, I might actually strangle him. My little sister is an amazing person. She's incredibly intelligent and one of the most talented writers I've ever read. She's also really shy and quiet. She doesn't like to be the center of attention.
Her professor goes out of his way to be a jerk to her. He's constantly picking apart her assignments and making her rewrite them. He calls on her in class all the time, forcing her to speak up when she just wants to be left alone. And now, he's forcing her to rewrite yet another paper when she's supposed to be working the Halloween Masquerade Ball she helped plan for credit toward her volunteerism hours. If she doesn't show up, she loses the hours.
"Of course it will work," Kennedy says, lifting her gaze to meet mine in the mirror. She's sitting in the middle of my bed with her legs crossed, a pillow in her lap with her laptop open on top. "All you have to do is hand them my ticket at the door. No one will actually check it to make sure it's actually me."
The fact that my little sister wants me to lie on her behalf is not a good sign. Usually, I'm the one talking her into all sorts of bad ideas. She's the voice of reason when something gets me riled up. I can be…troublesome. I don't mean to be. It just sort of happens sometimes. When I feel strongly about something, I dive in and ask questions later. Kennedy is the complete opposite.
I don't like that our roles have suddenly reversed.
"I'm killing Professor King," I declare, which makes her smile at me.
"I'm not helping you bury his body," she says, "but I will bail you out of jail if you get caught."
"Deal."
Her smile grows, flashing the dimple in her right cheek. Her eyes scan me from head to toe again. "You really look beautiful, Caroline. Like a fairy princess."
Even though we look nothing alike, Kennedy is my best friend. It's been the two of us against the world—and our older brothers—since we were little girls. Killian and Sebastian were teenagers when our mom married their dad and had us. They've always been overprotective and bossy—hence the Rottweiler. Our dad is overprotective too.
He messed up a lot with Killian and Sebastian. I think he tries to make up for it by smothering me and Kennedy. Maybe one day he'll realize that the only way to make things right with Killian and Sebastian is to back off of them about taking over the company and let them live their lives. They're happy where they're at, and I'm happy for them. Especially now that they've found Liberty and Rowan. For a while there, I wasn't sure either of them would ever fall in love and get married.
Now, they're both deliriously happy…which makes me deliriously happy for them. I can't wait to meet Liberty and Rowan in person. Kennedy and I are flying out to California over Christmas Break to spend the holidays with them.
If we don't get kicked out of college before then. If I ever get my hands on Kennedy's English Lit professor, I might actually strangle him. My little sister is an amazing person. She's incredibly intelligent and one of the most talented writers I've ever read. She's also really shy and quiet. She doesn't like to be the center of attention.
Her professor goes out of his way to be a jerk to her. He's constantly picking apart her assignments and making her rewrite them. He calls on her in class all the time, forcing her to speak up when she just wants to be left alone. And now, he's forcing her to rewrite yet another paper when she's supposed to be working the Halloween Masquerade Ball she helped plan for credit toward her volunteerism hours. If she doesn't show up, she loses the hours.
"Of course it will work," Kennedy says, lifting her gaze to meet mine in the mirror. She's sitting in the middle of my bed with her legs crossed, a pillow in her lap with her laptop open on top. "All you have to do is hand them my ticket at the door. No one will actually check it to make sure it's actually me."
The fact that my little sister wants me to lie on her behalf is not a good sign. Usually, I'm the one talking her into all sorts of bad ideas. She's the voice of reason when something gets me riled up. I can be…troublesome. I don't mean to be. It just sort of happens sometimes. When I feel strongly about something, I dive in and ask questions later. Kennedy is the complete opposite.
I don't like that our roles have suddenly reversed.
"I'm killing Professor King," I declare, which makes her smile at me.
"I'm not helping you bury his body," she says, "but I will bail you out of jail if you get caught."
"Deal."
Her smile grows, flashing the dimple in her right cheek. Her eyes scan me from head to toe again. "You really look beautiful, Caroline. Like a fairy princess."
Even Prince Charming has a wicked side…
Jared
I didn't believe in love until I met a princess at a ball.
And then she vanished.
Imagine my surprise when she shows up in my office a day later.
She's beautiful, fierce, and has the courage of a lion.
She's also a student at my college…and her sister is my star student.
Claiming Caroline Thorne may destroy everything I've worked for.
Letting her go will destroy me.
Some risks are worth taking.
She's one of them.
Caroline
Jared Kingston made me believe in magic.
And then the clock struck midnight.
Imagine my surprise when I find out my handsome prince is my sister's despot professor.
The one I came to confront.
He's charming, intelligent, and everything I've ever dreamed about.
Being with me could ruin his career.
Telling him no might shatter mine.
Some risks are worth taking.
But how can he be one of them when it might end in disaster?
Warning
When this autocratic professor meets his curvy princess at a masquerade ball, he finds his future. And then she disappears. If you think he's willing to give up that easy, you clearly haven't read an NR title before. If instalove, sassy princesses, and over-the-top professors make you happy, get ready to fall for Jared and Caroline in this sweet, steamy romance. As always, a sticky sweet and guaranteed HEA is coming your way. No cheating.
Jared
I didn't believe in love until I met a princess at a ball.
And then she vanished.
Imagine my surprise when she shows up in my office a day later.
She's beautiful, fierce, and has the courage of a lion.
She's also a student at my college…and her sister is my star student.
Claiming Caroline Thorne may destroy everything I've worked for.
Letting her go will destroy me.
Some risks are worth taking.
She's one of them.
Caroline
Jared Kingston made me believe in magic.
And then the clock struck midnight.
Imagine my surprise when I find out my handsome prince is my sister's despot professor.
The one I came to confront.
He's charming, intelligent, and everything I've ever dreamed about.
Being with me could ruin his career.
Telling him no might shatter mine.
Some risks are worth taking.
But how can he be one of them when it might end in disaster?
Warning
When this autocratic professor meets his curvy princess at a masquerade ball, he finds his future. And then she disappears. If you think he's willing to give up that easy, you clearly haven't read an NR title before. If instalove, sassy princesses, and over-the-top professors make you happy, get ready to fall for Jared and Caroline in this sweet, steamy romance. As always, a sticky sweet and guaranteed HEA is coming your way. No cheating.
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