His Perfect Bodyguard
by Dahlia Rose
Genre: Romantic Military Suspense
Mina
Jolliet and her team of Charlie Company have seen the worst of the
wars fought overseas. Yet together, they managed to help the helpless
back in the United States, when no one else could. After a—let’s
call it an ‘incident’ with her commander when botched ops went
wrong. Mina was put on leave, which made it easier for Senator
Jolliet to offer Mina a job. Senator Anita Jolliet just happened to
be her mother, but the job could get Mina back in the running with
her team much sooner than a year.
Dr. Arin Bane saw something
he shouldn’t, in a place people rarely went unless they had a death
wish or too much empathy. He was the latter, now he and his son were
in danger, this was supposed to be an easy protection gig, clean cut,
and done in a few weeks. Mina didn’t expect they’d be running for
their lives, or that passionate sparks would fly between her and
Arin. Being in the crosshairs of someone who wanted her dead, was
something Mina was accustomed to. Falling in love with the two souls
she was to protect was hella new, and Mina would have to literally
walk through fire to protect them both.
Author Note: This book
contains a strong black heroine, who can handle big guns, big men,
and learns to follow her heart when she falls in love! Is that the
end? No! Book 2 HIs
Perfect Guardian brings
the team back together. Cheers!
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In the mood for something Seasonal? PreOrder Trapper's Christmas Now!
Trapper's Christmas
by Dahlia Rose
Genre: Christmas Holiday Romance
Lucas
Trapper didn’t think about the holidays, gift-giving, trees, or
people in general. He liked the silence of Alaska, the snow so deep
you could get lost in it, and the pristine wilderness that went on
for miles. Lucas left the lower forty-eight states to escape the
city, the noise, and the people. Thinking it would be another quiet
day was proven wrong when he saw a plane fall from the sky and knew
it was up to him to go look for survivors. He didn’t expect to find
anyone alive, but there she was, a headful of thick hair, dressed in
a business suit and definitely not meant for the frigid cold of
winter. Taking her back to his cabin was the only option.
When
she woke up, he found out her name was Jasmine Bashir, and she wasn’t
pleased to hear she was stuck till well after Christmas… how close
was Christmas anyway? Lucas didn’t even track holidays anymore.
Jasmine did, and from the paper decorations she made to the paltry
Christmas tree, she cut down from the forest and dragged back to the
cabin. Lucas could tell she meant to make his life miserable with the
bleeping holiday nonsense. But from the first kiss, they found solace
in each other, two people the world didn’t understand, but somehow
they fit. Jasmine made him laugh more often than not, but reality
would filter in soon, and she would go home. Could Lucas go back to
being just Trapper and his life of solitude, or would falling in love
with Jasmine change it all?
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Excerpt 1
Mina shrugged out of her coat and dropped it in one of the chairs off the living room. With a tired sigh, she walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, looking at what Jace had stocked.
“Thank God, the good beer,” she murmured and grabbed one of the longneck bottles. In the freezer, there was New York cheesecake ice cream. Mina took that out as well and grabbed a spoon. That was how Arin found her, standing by the kitchen island, drinking beer and eating ice cream.
“That doesn’t look like a first aid kit,” he commented.
“I think I deserve this after tonight’s fracas,” Mina answered around a mouthful of sweet, creamy ice cream. “Beer in the fridge… Grab a spoon.”
Arin hesitated for a moment before he moved around her to grab the same things she had in her hands. After the first deep drink of beer, he filled his spoon with ice cream and wrapped his lips around the utensil.
“Looks like it stopped bleeding.” He reached out and touched her scalp.
Mina winced. “Still hurts, though. I’ll wash my hair tonight and get the blood out. I don’t think it needs a bandage.”
“Maybe some antiseptic. I’ll keep an eye on it for infection.”
She snorted in amusement. “I’ve been hurt worse in far less sanitary places.”
“Your life does not sound fun,” Arin commented.
“Says the man who’s being chased from a third world country to the United States,” Mina retorted.
“Touché.”
They ate silently for a moment before Mina spoke. “How is Justin?”
“Sleeping,” Arin sighed. “He tends to sleep deeply to escape whatever is frightening him.”
“Great coping mechanism,” she said. “Wish I were that lucky. I tend to live things in repeat and in living color.”
“That has to be tough for a person who is in the military,” he said gently. “You’ve seen so much.”
“Too much,” she murmured.
“I don’t know how you got us out of that tonight,” Arin said gratefully.
“Easy, they’re all dead,” Mina said, “or at least the ones that came after us.”
“How can you be so casual about death?” he said, shocked.
Mia met his gaze. “When it’s between them and us, I choose us. You were ready to do the same to protect Justin.”
“Not willingly,” Arin shot back. “It’s a parent’s instinct to protect their child. God knows if I killed anyone, my conscience would make me relive it every day for the rest of my life.”
The ice cream tasted bland in her mouth now. One minute he was praising her actions, the next, being a sanctimonious fool. Mina dropped her spoon into the container, before draining the last of her beer.
“It’s never willingly, Doctor, but the job must be done,” Mina retorted. There was hurt beneath the anger that simmered. She took loss of life as seriously as the next guy. But Mina would be damned if anyone made her feel bad for surviving.
“I guess that’s what all the people who kill for a living can say.”
Mina walked out of the kitchen, calling over her shoulder, “You certainly don’t know what goes on in my head and what I relive daily. I’ll leave you to finish that, and hopefully you can swallow your righteous indignation as well. Good night.”
She was there protecting him and his son from shit that had nothing to do with her. Yet he turned his nose up at the things she did to keep them safe. She made her way upstairs to one of the adjacent bedrooms to clean up and crash for a few hours.
At least at this safe house, she knew she was completely off the grid, could trust her people, and with that knowledge, rest. A hand on Mina’s shoulder stopped her just as she wrapped her fingers around the doorknob. In any other situation, that hand would be broken at the elbow. Instead, she turned.
“Listen, Mina, I’m sorry.” Arin’s voice was husky. “It’s been a hell of a last few weeks, and tonight was cutting it pretty close.”
“If that’s the excuse you want to go with to make yourself feel better, go ahead,” she said, looking into his deep gaze. It tried to draw her in, but Mina shook her head before continuing. “The thing is, as a doctor, you see all human life as sacred, but you need to get it through your head real damn quick. Everyone isn’t as good-hearted as you.”
“I know,” he agreed and at least had the grace to look embarrassed.
Mina continued like she didn’t hear him. “Those guys would’ve had no problem killing you and your son. They’re not chasing you for tea and scones, but to kill you. If you give them a window, they will take it. You and Justin will be dead.”
“I’m a fool. Mina…I…”
The way he said her name with that deep British accent as he cupped her cheek. A warm, gentle hand, that was the kind of touch she hadn’t felt in more than three years. She almost ached to rub her cheek against his palm. Her heart ached, and Bobby came to her mind.
“No.” Mina stepped away. “D-Don’t do that again…ever.”
With that, she turned the knob and stepped inside the bedroom, closing the door firmly behind her. God knows she hadn’t come here to relieve some itch or feel anything but the satisfaction of doing her job. But it was like she still felt his hand on her cheek. This job had to be over and done quickly, so she could get back to her life. That way she could put Arin and his son in her rearview mirror while her bike pulled away.
Excerpt 2
She was gentle as helped with the bath and hair wash because Mina wanted to check for bruises on injuries. Frida’s dark hair was now a shiny crown around her head. But Mina saw the marks of a girl who had been mistreated, and her heart broke all over again. It took everything in her to stop from leaving the house and going back to slit those bastards throats. In a shirt that fell off one shoulder, Frida ate a sandwich and drank hot chocolate while Arin checked her over. She was already happier, swinging her legs. Her eyes were losing the frantic look of fear.
They found out that she was abandoned on the streets of Tunja, getting food from the aid workers or from people who gave her money. If she got to go home to her father’s, he was usually drunk and beat her. Frida went home only when the weather was too bad to be outside. In her many missions, Mina had seen the effects of war and poverty. If a soldier could look past it, you’d been in the field much too long.
“She is healthy but underweight, but we can fix that.” Arin tweaked her nose. “Can’t we, luv?”
Frida giggled. “I like your voice.”
Arin waggled his eyebrows at her. “Well, that’s good then. I certainly didn’t want to scare you when we first met.”
Mina took her up to one of the bedrooms and made sure to sit with Frida until she was in a deep sleep. She left the door cracked so she could hear if Frida was in distress. Stepping into the hall, Mina found herself against Arin’s chest. He was close, incredibly close. She could smell the soap on his skin, and the warmth that was him seemed to wrap her in a warm cocoon.
“She’s finally down,” Mina shuddered. “She’s only ten.”
“Unfortunately, I have seen this all too often,” Arin said and added in a husky voice, “We were worried. We thought something had happened to you.”
Mina looked up at him. “You shouldn’t… I can take care of myself.”
He made a gruff sound. “It’s not about what you can do. It’s about how we felt.”
God, she could drown in his eyes. Mina pulled herself back from the blooming attraction.
“I’m here to protect you, nothing more, nothing less,” she said bluntly. “If something happened to me, one of my team would’ve come and taken over.”
A hint of fire flashed in his eyes, and before she could react, Arin had her pressed against the wall. Mina’s breath stilled in her chest. His eyes searched her face for just a moment before he pressed his lips against hers. At first it was a light graze, as if he just wanted to feel the texture of her lips, but with a soft groan.
Arin took the kiss deeper and ravished her lips in a way Mina thought she’d forgotten. The soft parting of her lips gave him the access he needed. Arin penetrated the deep recesses of her mouth with a languid sweep of his tongue. The attraction between them sizzled. Mina raised her hands to push him away but instead smoothed them over the firm muscles of his chest.
Arin groaned, and she felt it reverberate through his body before he lifted her against him. Fire…heat…want…need. It all bubbled up inside her, and it was obvious their arousal was mutual. Reality filtered in. She couldn’t get caught up, not again with another man that was a connection to her job.
Mina tore her lips away first and took a few steps back. “This can’t happen.”
“Why not?” He folded his arms and leaned against the wall with a smile.
“You are a job. It’s inappropriate,” she answered.
A slow smile crossed his face. “Even better.”
Her lips twitched, but she refused to return his smile. “Stop being cute.”
“So, you think I’m cute.”
“No, you’re annoying.”
“I can wait.” Arin pulled her against him for another hard kiss. “But this thing between us, it’s going to happen, Mina. We’re going to fuck until our legs are bloody well useless.”
He didn’t wait for her answer. Instead, he went to the room with Justin and closed the door. She went to hers and closed the door before leaning against it and lifting a trembling hand to her kiss-swollen lips. Fucking was fine, but with Arin, he would want more, and somewhere deep inside, Mina knew maybe she would too. That was the terrifying part. Beneath all that strength, was she a woman who wanted a home and family?
Mina fell into an exhausted but restless sleep.
*************************
Trapper Christmas
Unedited Excerpt 1
“Nope,” Jasmine shook her head.
Trapper continued as if she didn’t speak. “No place for you to stay, so you are stuck with me until we can get a message to someone. and then they can get it to the wildlife wardens or Troopers. Even then, it could take weeks for them to come out to Old Crow because of weather, but at least they can tell your family you’re alive and safe. It can only be accessed via small plane.”
He watched her take it all in, digest all the information.
Jasmine’s face crumpled and she began to cry.
Trapper had no clue what to do at this point. He’d never been good with tears or crying women. “There, there?” he said hoping that it would help.
“That’s not helping!’ she wailed. “I have a life to get back to, Christmas in Maine with my house and hot chocolate by the fire. I’m still sorting that out in my head…I cannot be stuck here!”
“I don’t know what to tell you, it is what it is,” Trapper said. “We can hope the weather lifts and I can get a radio contact out so we can let your family know you’re okay. Even so, like I said it can take a while, the snow may stop but the wind shear for a small plane is dangerous storm or no storm this time of year.”
She pointed at him angrily. “I bet you could get me to town and safety if you wanted to! This is probably because it’s some kind of lonely situation and you decided hey, let me keep her around.”
“Lady, look around, do you see a TV, a magazine, laptop… a cellphone? That means I like my peace. I moved here to get away from people not add them to some menagerie,” Trapper snapped. “I have no earthly clue who you are except that you are now more fucking annoying than when you were unconscious.”
She looked at him with wide eyes after his words, then Jasmine broke into uncontrollable sobs once more and he looked at her helplessly. Should he hug her or make her some tea? Maybe one of the new pups would calm her down if she cuddled it, like they calmed him when he had a service dog.
Trapper pushed his hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, you’ve been through a trauma and your friends didn’t make it. I’m not mean by nature; I just don’t deal with people much.”
She took a deep shuddering breath. “I’m sorry too, thank you for saving my life, this is all just a lot to comprehend. I was heading home and now, I’m stuck in Alaska, but technically, it seems the wild west of the country, that is so remote I can’t get home.”
“The wild west is desert and plains,” Trapper pointed out.
“Really?” She looked at him incredulously. “That’s what you took from that entire thing?”
Trapper stood and walked back to his small kitchen. “Listen, Ms. Bashir… Jasmine, I will get you to civilization as soon as I possibly can. But right now, this is the safest place you could be. You’ll be warm, fed, away from the elements and I will protect you.”
“Thank you for that, Mr. Trapper.” Her lips trembled and she turned to swipe tears away.
A show of strength he could appreciate. Trapper made her a bowl of stew, sone bread and a hot mug of tea, bringing it to the sofa where she sat. “Here, this will warm you even more and the name is Trapper, not Mr. Trapper.”
“Jasmine,” she said taking the bowl with a timid smile. “So, is that your first name?”
He put the tea on the wooden coffee table he’d made himself. “No surname, my first name is Lucas,” he answered. “Out here, when I do see people, they just call me Trapper. I’m going to go get the loft ready, so you can rest. We can sort everything out after you get more solid on your feet. I am going to wake you every two hours in case you do have a concussion. How you made it out with just cuts and bruises I will never know.”
Unedited Excerpt 2
Lucas grazed her lips with his, the soft movement causing a delicious friction before he fused them together in a kiss. Jasmine’s eyes fluttered closed and she gave herself over to a kiss that featured in her fantasy’s more than once over the last few days of them becoming closer. Lucas was rough around the edges, so different to the men she usually met in her circle of friends.
He was down to earth, to pretentious and with no filter, he spoke his mind. And now his kiss, scrambled her senses, made her feel flush and it was a different kind of fever. As Jasmine clung to him, he tasted the sweet recesses of her mouth and she sand deeper into the haze of desire. Suddenly he broke the intimate bubble and move away, quickly standing and stepping away from the bed.
“Uh, I should, go check the animals for the night,” he shoved his hands in his pockets.
“Its dark and you never go out this late,” Jasmine pointed out. “Was kissing me that bad?”
“No of course not,” Lucas protested. “Jas, you’ve been through a trauma….”
“Ten days ago.”
“Even so, I was the one who got you to safety, and it could be like one of those trauma things where you’re attracted to the person who saved your life,” he finished.
Jasmine laughed and it didn’t stop until she wiped tears of mirth from her eyes while he scowled.
“I’m sorry,” she sighed. “But you’re telling the therapist and life coach about trauma reactions. I’m not some shrinking flower who needs a hero. Granted you saved me and I would’ve died unless you did, I’m very thankful for that. But I’ve also been in another place crash, been blind, had to go through multiple surgeries for my eyes. My parents died and its been a shitty dating life growing up trying to figure out how to love myself. From boys in high school and college to men telling me I’m not a size under ten if I not I would be good enough for them causes a bit of a self esteem issue. But I’m beyond that and I’m a survivor, so yeah this isn’t what you think it is. I liked kissing you and if you didn’t just say so and move on.”
“Christ woman, it’s taking all my will power not to pin you on that bed and do a lot more than kissing you,” Lucas ground out. “But you’re going to be home sooner rather than later and I won’t be a regret. Or a story you can tell your uppity friends, the wilderness man who give you a thrill.”
“Do you think, I’m like that?” Jasmine asked in disbelief.
“That’s the point, we don’t know each other past what we know right now,” Lucas replied. “I’ll help you clean up the mess.”
“No I got it,” Jasmine scrambled up even though her leg still hurt. “Fun times and all that.”
“We’re good?” Lucas’s question was dubious.
She flashed him a smile. “We’re peachy, friend. You go ahead I got this and thanks for watching the movie with me.”
Lucas nodded. “We can watch another one when you ever you like.”
Jasmine nodded. “Mmhmm but downstairs this time, so we don’t have any.. well you know, buddy.”
She saw the muscle tick in his jaw before he spoke. “I’ll grab the broom and dustpan for you.”
‘Thanks a bunch.”
Jasmine made quick work of the mess even though her leg twinged painfully as it healed. In the middle of the night while the cabin was quiet, she stayed up at the rood and thought about the kiss. Lucas moved and shifted downstairs on the sofa and she knew it affected him to.
But if he wanted the distance, so be it, they could be friends, it was probably better that way. When she went back home Lucas and Alaska would be a memory and he would be able to get back to his life of solitude without letting the outside world in. Like me, she thought sadly.
Dahlia Rose is the USA Today best-selling multi genre author from Urban fantasy to Romance with a hint of Caribbean spice. She was born and raised on the Caribbean island of Barbados and now currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her life revolves around her five kids, who she affectionately nicknamed “The Children of the Corn and her husband and longtime love who is also a honorable retired Army veteran. She has a love of dark fantasy, sci-fi, and the things that go bump in the night. With over seven dozen books published Dahlia has become a reader favorite. Not only because of her writing but her vivacious attitude in talking to her fans online and at various events. Her books feature strong heroines with a Caribbean or African American culture, that is showcased in the vibrancy of her words. Books and writing are her biggest passions, and she hopes to open your imagination to the unknown between the pages of her books.
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