Does she even need a hero?
Summer Lane is no damsel in distress. For the past two years, sheâs been battling her way back from her worst nightmare all by herself. So she doesnât need the fabulous former Marine Zach Marshall swooping in to save her.
But she neednât worry. Zach has hung up his shining armor. His instinct to rescue has only brought him heartache, and heâs not about to risk it all againâeven though everything about Summer makes him yearn to help. But she just might accept his challenge to step up and conquer her fears on her own. Even her deepest fears, like trust...and love.
Summer hadnât seen it coming.
One minute, Zach was at the head of the class. The next, his big arms wrapped around her and saved her from hitting the mat, hard.
In the tangle of arms and legs, it took a few seconds to get her bearings. When she did, Summer gazed into his blue-green eyes and searched the oh-so-serious face that hovered inches from hers.
âIf this was some sort of demonstration, you should have asked for volunteers. I donât appreciate being your guinea pig.â
Zachâs left eyebrow rose and his mouth slanted in a sly grin.
âAre you all right?â one of her classmates asked.
âIâll be fine,â she bit out, âwhen this big gorilla lets me up.â
She waited, but Zach didnât move.
âLet me up,â she whispered.
âMake me,â he whispered back.
Dear Reader,
According to the 10-year National Crime Victimization Survey (compiled by the Bureau of Justice Statistics), nearly one million violence-against-women cases are reported every year, and psychiatric professionals state that approximately 31 percent of their caseloads are made up of female patients traumatized by a violent attack.
These startling statistics made me wonder: What happens to women like my friend Brit (not her real name), who donât reach out for professional help? âThe biggest regret of my life,â she says, âis that I tried so hard to pretend I didnât need anyone or anything that I let the love of my life slip right through my fingers.â
When Once a Marine begins, it seems our heroine might choose that same sad path. She has a lot to discover about herself before complete healing can take place. As for marine-turned-self-defense-instructor Zach Marshall, well, heâs grappling with battle scars and ghosts from his own past, and when he meets Summer Lane, he isnât sure if he has the patience and selflessness required to be her man. (If you love change-and-grow stories as much as I do, I think youâll enjoy watching these two learn the meaning of unwavering love!)
Iâd like to thank you for choosing to spend a few hours with Zach, Summer and me. Good health and happinessâand hopefully youâll return for the next books in Mills & Boon Heartwarmingâs Those Marshall Boys series, featuring Zachâs handsome cowboy cousins, Nate and Sam Marshall, and the gorgeous gals who will change their lives...if theyâll allow it!
All my best to you and yours,
LOREE LOUGH once sang for her supper. Traveling by way of bus and train, she entertained folks in pubs and lounges across the US and Canada. Her favorite memories of âdays on the roadâ are the hours spent singing to soldiers recovering from battle wounds in VA hospitals. Now and then she polishes up her Yamaha guitar to croon a tune or two, but mostly she writes. Her last Mills & Boon Heartwarming novel, Saving Alyssa, brought the total number of Loreeâs books-in-print to one hundred (fifteen bearing the Mills & Boon logo). Loreeâs work has earned numerous industry accolades, movie options and four- and five-star reviews, but what she treasures most are her Readersâ Choice awards.
Loree and her real-life hero split their time between Baltimoreâs suburbs and a cabin in the Allegheny Mountains, where she continues to perfect her âidentify the critter tracksâ skills. A writer who believes in giving back, Loree donates a generous portion of her annual income to charity (see the Giving Back page of her website, loreelough.com, for details). She loves hearing from her readers and answers every letter personally. You can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Once a Marine is dedicated to survivors of violent crime and their families and friends, who so freely shared the personal experiences that allowed me to lend authenticity to this novel. Your strength, courage and forgiving hearts inspire those who know you to become better people.
Acknowledgments
Iâd like to extend my thanks to my pal Jerry Espinoza for all his help with police procedural information in the story. Thanks, too, to the Denver and Vail Chambers of Commerce for helping me craft a âyou are hereâ feel to the novel. A very special thank-you to Kevin OâNeill (actor/writer/director/producer with Olive Ranch Road Productions) for adding a realistic touch of Hollywood flair, and to Dan Schacter with Vail Resorts Management for providing a splash of local color in Tavern on the Square.