A scandal-averse Maharaja.
A free-spirited actress.
What do you get when you throw them together and add a fake engagement to the mix?
Either a match made-in-heaven or a royal disaster...
Nivy Sharma knows exactly what she needs - the freedom to be herself and follow her passion. Guess what she doesn’t need? A tailor-made husband.
When her meddlesome mother tries to throw her into the arms of a mom-approved suitor, Nivy runs the other way.
When her meddlesome mother tries to throw her into the arms of a mom-approved suitor, Nivy runs the other way.
Right into the arms of the man who shattered her heart.
His Highness Veerendra Singh can recognise a pain-in-the-ass when he sees it. Especially when it falls into his arms.
Even if said pain-in-the-ass has legs that go on forever and lush lips that just beg to be kissed, Veer vows to run the other way. As he did once before...
But, when the marriage-minded princess of Tejpur sets her sights on him, Veer runs back into Nivy’s arms to propose a fake engagement.
When 'fake' starts to feel very real, Nivy and Veer have to decide what is important… long-held prejudices or the chance for a life with the only person they've ever loved.
Will this be their second chance at love or will their broken past ruin their hope for a shared future?
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Read an Excerpt from The Maharaja's Fake Fiancée
“Screw that. Just stand still,” said the lunatic, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and plastered her lips to his in a parody of a kiss.
Her head was tilted to the side, as if she was trying to look over Veer’s shoulder while kissing him. This was taking multi-tasking too far, fumed Veer. If she wanted to kiss him, the least she could do was do it properly.
He was tempted to take over and show her how it was really done. But, at the last minute, he remembered that his mother had raised him to be a gentleman. He sighed. And pulled away gently.
There was a sound behind him, and he turned around to meet the horrified gaze of one of the doctors from Aryan’s team. That mouth breather.
For his heartbroken expression, Veer realised that the kiss had actually been for his benefit.
The man opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before he turned and walked off in a huff.
“Thank you! And I’m really sorry to have done that to you, Veer. But the man just wouldn’t take a hint,” said Nivy, apologetically.
Veer could have left it at that. He could have turned around and walked away. But where was the fun in that, he wondered with a feral smile that had Nivy taking a step back, warily.
“We’re old friends, Nivy. You can kiss me whenever you like,” he said, with a wink.
The confusion on her was face made him very happy.
Veer knew he was not being fair. But he didn’t like being used without his permission. Besides, that non-kiss rankled.
He didn’t think he was a vain person, but the fact that this irritating girl - with the big brown eyes, lush lips and irresistible mole that he’d been trying to resist for years - thought that she could kiss him like that and dismiss him casually, drove him nuts.
He stepped closer and leaned into her.
“Want to try again?”
She gulped and he smiled.
He leaned forward, but she cocked her head to the side and looked over his shoulder.
“Umm, your mother’s walking towards us. Step back now,” she ordered.
“Is she alone?”
“No, Anika is with her.”
“How does she look?”
Nivy thought about it for a second.
“Determined,” she said.
Veer groaned and leaned his forehead against Nivy’s. He could feel the noose tightening around his neck. Until now, he had avoided spending too much time with Anika. But it looked like that was going to change.
“Umm, whatcha doing, Your Highness?”
“Trying not to cave,” he murmured.
“Mind doing that from a few feet away?”
Veer stood up straight and looked down his nose at her.
“Listen, missy. You just used me to drive someone away. I think it’s time for you to return the favour,” he ordered.
Nivy snorted.
“That girl is too smart to fall for a fake kiss,” she argued.
“Then, it’s up to us to make it look real,” he said grimly.
Before she could argue some more, he pulled her into his arms.
Her eyes widened in surprise and something else.
Veer leaned in and rubbed his nose against the side of hers.
“Will you help me, Nivy?” he whispered.
She nodded, her eyelids drifting shut.
He brushed his lips over hers fleetingly. Once. Twice. Then again.
After the third butterfly kiss, Nivy grabbed the back of his head and deepened the kiss.
Her lips parted and his tongue slipped in to play with hers.
Nivy moaned softly, the sound shooting straight to his groin. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
Veer groaned at the feel of her soft breasts pressing against his chest.
Behind him, there was a gasp. And then the sound of footsteps moving away rapidly.
Nivy pulled away slowly and Veer let her go.
They both cleared their throats and looked everywhere but at each other.
Veer was sure there was a logical explanation for why that fake kiss had turned into something way more explosive, but he couldn’t think of one at the moment. Not when his body was yelling at him to stop thinking and get back to kissing.
He looked around and saw Anika turning back to glare at them, as his mother dragged her away.
Meet the Author:
Alisha Kay is a Delhi based writer, who writes romances set in India.
She doesn’t hold with the concept of damsel-in-distress, which is why her heroines are spunky women with a sharp tongue and the ability to rescue themselves. Her heroes are hot men who are woke enough to find that independence irresistible.
The Maharaja’s Fake Fiancée is Alisha’s first book.