The secret princessâs bodyguardâ¦
As head of a visiting royalâs protection detail, Trace McKinnonâs focus should be strictly on the external threats against a womanâs life. But what happens when he finds Dr. Mara Marianescuâa princess incognito as a college professorâmuch more intriguing?
And thatâs only the start of his troubles. When actual danger arrives for this beautiful royal, Trace isnât sure if itâs because of a genuine threat from her countryâor because of the darkness in his own past. Trace knows he should let Mara goâand does his best. But the cool, intelligent princess might just risk the one thing she has that is all her ownâher heartâ¦
Trace stared down into Maraâs face. Her smile faded and her green eyes widened. And Trace could have sworn the delicate, expensive perfume she wore increased its potency as her pulse points heated up.
Something tugged at him again, something he hadnât felt in years. Not just desire. Not just passion.
He wanted to run the tips of his fingers along the curve of her cheek and banish the loneliness from her eyes. He wanted to pull the clip from her golden-brown hair and have it spill over his hands in a heavy wave, then wind it about his throat, binding them together.
And he wanted to draw her into the shelter of his arms and tell herâ¦
Tell her what?
His face hardened in rejection of his unprofessional reaction to her, and he backed away, muttering a soft imprecation under his breath. Then he turned and abruptly strode out.
But not before he saw an expression in her eyes that stabbed through him.
***
Dear Reader,
When I wrote Reillyâs Return years ago, the character of Trace McKinnon intrigued me, and I knew Iâd have to tell his story someday. Problem was, first I had to tell Cody Walkerâs story, which I did in Cody Walkerâs Woman. But I managed to work Trace in, as the heroineâs movie-star-handsome partner. Now Trace is back and on his own with a scarred past and emotional baggage, and heâs guarding an honest-to-God princessâthe last thing Trace thinks he needs in his life right now.
Dr. Mara Marianescu is a conundrum, out of place in todayâs world yet trying desperately to live a normal life free of the stultifying protocol surrounding her as Princess Mara Theodora of Zakhar. She arrives incognito in the US wanting nothing more than to live a quiet, simple life of purpose as a math professor at the University of Colorado.
But the world wonât let Mara and Trace forget who they are and where they come fromâthe past is never dead, not for either of them. They both must overcome the sins of the fathers to find love and redemption in each otherâs arms through their own efforts⦠And we meet Maraâs brother, who will be the hero of my next book.
I love hearing from my readers. Please email me at [email protected] and let me know what you think.
Amelia Autin
AMELIA AUTIN is a voracious reader who canât bear to put a good book downâ¦or part with it. Her bookshelves are crammed with books her husband periodically threatens to donate to a good cause, but he always relentsâ¦eventually.
Amelia returned to her first love, romance writing, after a long hiatus, during which she wrote numerous technical manuals and how-to guides, as well as designed and taught classes on a variety of subjects, including technical writing. She is a long-time member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), and served three years as its treasurer.
Amelia currently resides with her PhD engineer husband in quiet Vail, Arizona, where they can see the stars at night and have a âmillion-dollar viewâ of the Rincon Mountains from their backyard.
For good brothers everywhere, just like mineâthanks Al and John!âflawed, everyday heroes who do the best they can day in and day out and who deserve wonderful women to love them. And for Vincentâ¦always.
Though itself part of the US Department of State, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security is the parent organization of the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). The DSS is the primary tool by which the DS carries out its security and law enforcement mandate. For more information, please visit state.gov/m/ds.
I have the highest regard for the work these federal agencies perform. Nothing in this story is intended as a negative representation of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security or the Diplomatic Security Service, their duties, or their employees.
Prologue
âWhy me? Why the hell does it have to be me?â Trace McKinnon stared at his boss with a touch of belligerence.
âBecause they specifically asked for you,â Cody Walker said reasonably with a faint smile. âAnd in the spirit of interagency cooperation...â