She canât make the same mistake again
Claudia Goodwin loved and trusted once. Now sheâs running from the man she thought would never hurt her. Hiding in the breathtaking beauty of a private Florida island until she can testify against her ex-husband, a ruthless terrorist, she has to stay focused on survival.
Sexy security expert Jackson Richards is the perfect man to have on her side, but trusting anyoneâeven himâisnât an option. The one thing she canât keep hidden is the crackling attraction between them. And desire for the man keeping her safe might not be enough to protect her heart...or her life.
âAre your fingers numb?â he asked.
âI donât know. I canât feel them.â
He laughed, his chest rumbling beneath her cheek. âLetâs sit down.â
He led her to the sofa, where they sat with the blanket tented around their shoulders. He gently chafed her frozen hands between his large warm ones.
As his body heat seeped into hers, Claudia became aware of the man next to her, of his planes and edges, muscles and bones. She knew better than to trust this man, a stranger really, but she relaxed. Because of the cold, sheâd been holding herself stiff for hours. No, for days. Sheâd been constantly on guard since the night sheâd fled her apartment, and the tension had exhausted her. Right now it felt good to just let go, to dissolve into a puddle of warmth.
Sheâd worry about the danger again when her body temperature returned to normal.
Dear Reader,
I loved writing Accidental Bodyguard! The heroine, Claudia Romero (nee Goodwin), was a minor character in The South Beach Search, a 2014 Superromance, and her backstory always tugged at me. Sheâs a courageous woman willing to testify against her murdering ex-husband even though sheâs been warned to keep her mouth shut. Her ex bribed someone in the US attorneyâs office, so she doesnât trust the federal government to protect her and refuses to go into a safe house. She doesnât dare involve her family or risk endangering them. Claudia is on her own, on the run and struggling to stay alive.
I had to know what happened to her. How did she avoid being killed by the terrorists that want to keep her quiet? She needed help, so Jackson Richards, sexy ex-cop and security expert extraordinaire, stepped up as her bodyguard.
Claudia doesnât trust anyone. Not herself and certainly not a man who turns her on every time she looks at him. Since Claudia lied her way onto the ritzy island where Jack works as security director, heâs convinced sheâs a con artist stringing along a wealthy sugar daddy.
I hope you enjoy watching the sparks fly when these two strong-willed people fall in love.
Namaste,
Sharon
SHARON HARTLEY recently survived (barely) a move from Miami to St. Petersburg, Florida. She still doesnât know where most of her clothes are, but hopes theyâll turn up soon. Her orchids survived the trip, and, fortunately, so did her computer, where she can be found every morning creating stories where people make mistakes, endure perilous journeys, learn about life and always find a happy ending. She misses her friends in South Florida, but the birding is fabulous on Tampa Bay and she can practice yoga anywhere. Sharon loves to hear from her readers. Please visit her website at sharonshartley.com.
For my sister, Sandy Clark. I miss you every day.
CHAPTER ONE
CLAUDIA GOODWIN DROVE into her assigned parking space at Brasilia Apartments, turned off her demon car and held her breath. This time the engine kept chugging for only about five seconds before it finally hiccupped to a stop. With a weary sigh, she pulled herself out of the old clunker and into the cool late-January evening.
Thank the nursing gods she was off tomorrow and could sleep late. Although first she had to check on Maude Spalding.
Claudia entered the pleasantly lit courtyard of the small complex and reminded herself she loved her job at West Miami Childrenâs Hospital. Sheâd chosen the option of working three days straight and then four off. One of those seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time deals. Funny how lots of things seem like a good idea at first and later prove, hey, not so much.
Pushing away useless regret, she took a deep breath and inhaled the fragrance of night-blooming jasmine. She closed her eyes to savor the scent and relaxed her shoulders. The courtyard was filled with tropical foliageâtowering palms, hibiscus, terrestrial orchids and bromeliads. Even a live oak or two. Meant to remind visitors of a mini rainforest, this garden-like refuge was why sheâd moved in.