Escorted By The Ranger
A chilling murder sparks a red-hot runway romance…After working her way to the top of the modeling world, Marissa Walker finds her dream turning into a nightmare. Her best friend is murdered before her turn on the runway! Is killing models suddenly in style? Now a deadly hitman is targeting Marissa…even as she becomes a suspect in her friend's death.Enter Jack Larson, Army Ranger turned bodyguard. Jack's mission: protect a supermodel while attempting to resist the flesh and blood woman behind the stunning face. He’s been burned in love before, as has Marissa, but when the hunt for a killer leads them into a world of glamour and danger, they’ll put everything on the line for love – and their lives!
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A chilling murder sparks a red-hot runway romance...
After working her way to the top of the modeling world, Marissa Walker finds her dream turning into a nightmare. Her best friend is murdered before her turn on the runway! Is killing models suddenly in style? Now a deadly hitman is targeting Marissa...even as she becomes a suspect in her friendâs death.
Enter Jack Larson, army ranger turned bodyguard. Jackâs mission: protect a supermodel while attempting to resist the flesh-and-blood woman behind the stunning face. Heâs been burned in love before, as has Marissa, but when the hunt for a killer leads them into a world of glamour and danger, theyâll put everything on the line for loveâand their lives!
âHow are you?â
âIn shock. Canât imagine not seeing her again.â
Her chest felt tight. This couldnât be fixed. That acknowledgment devastated her all over again.
Marissa heard a creak outside her door and she tensed. Kit or Griffin might be checking on her. Or was Jack patrolling her town house for security issues? Several seconds of silence passed.
She heard another creak.
âI have to go. Talk soon.â She sent the message and squeezed her eyes closed. The noises were the house settling. She was safe.
Marissa felt a hand on her arm. She opened her eyes and came face-to-face with a man she didnât recognize.
Before she could scream, he clamped his hand over her mouth, pushing her back into her pillow, pressing her hard into the mattress. Her heart thundered and she tried not to panic. Pushing at his hand, she couldnât get his weight off her. He would suffocate her!
* * *
Marissa Walker was introduced in Delta Force Desire (Harlequin Romantic Suspense, June 2016). Marissa is a supermodel, and while she is used to being judged on her appearance, she longs for someone to see there is more to her than photographs and fashion.
As an operative for the West Company, Jack Larson deals with difficult problems on a daily basis. Watching over Marissa as a favor to a colleague should be easy. Keeping Marissa safe from a killer means staying out of the limelight, but with a woman like Marissa, her well-known face and beauty are noticed everywhere they go. Even Jack finds himself falling under her spell.
Jack and Marissa discover their initial impressions of each other are wrong. There is much to learn when they look closer with open hearts and minds.
I hope you enjoy this adventure with the West Company!
Best,
C.J. Miller
C.J. MILLER loves to hear from her readers and can be contacted through her website, www.cj-miller.com. She lives in Maryland with her husband and three children. C.J. believes in first loves, second chances and happily-ever-after.
To my husband, for his love and support of
every book and in everything.
Contents
Glittering, colored lights lined the black shiny runway and music pulsed low through the air. The exceptional talent and star-studded audience were assembled for a fantastic show. Fashion designer Declan Ambroseâs safari-themed fall and winter line was making its debut in New York and Marissa Walker was first on the runway.
Marissa checked her hair and makeup in the backstage lit mirror. She enjoyed the drama of the event and the clothing sheâd be modeling. The anticipation around her was palpable. She had been modeling for fifteen years and this was the capstone to her runway career. Though she hadnât told anyone outside her agent, this was her last live show. She was one of the oldest models here and while many in the industry respected her professionalism and fashion sense, she wanted to retire at the top and with dignity, not be forced out by younger, thinner models. Her plans for the future were simple: travel and enjoy the sights, paint and relax, visit with family.
After working nearly every day for the last decade, she had earned a break.
Marissa recognized most of the people gathered backstage and in the audience and felt a pang of sentimentality. Sheâd miss this harried, busy world. Women and men sheâd modeled with in the past, the cast and crew from popular television series and movies, Broadway actors and actresses, and investors and businessmen and women in couture outfits talking, networking and enjoying themselves.
Marissa caught a glimpse of her ex-boyfriend Rob in the mirror. She looked away, avoiding eye contact. After their drama-filled six-month-long relationship, she didnât want to see or talk to him. He could be sweet and attentive one day, dismissive and cold the next and who knew what she would get today. Sticking out the relationship with Rob even six months had been her attempt to prove she could make a long-term relationship work. The tabloids had been vicious about her recent dating history: a handful of dates with a series of men which hadnât turned into anything. Being seen out with a new man every few weeks had gotten embarrassing.
