Soraya Lane - Her Soldier Protector

As if he understood exactly what they were saying, Ranger let out a low whine that made Candace laugh.

“Tofu,” Logan muttered, taking a sip.

It wasn’t half as bad as he was expecting, so he had some more, careful to avoid anything solid that was floating around in the soup. He was probably the only person in the building who hadn’t tried this type of food before, but he was a soldier and a rancher—he was more used to simple steaks, vegetables and fries than the latest cuisines. Not to mention he was having to act like a regular guy instead of one who usually couldn’t go a day without exercising like a crazy thing—sprinting as hard as he could to outrun his demons.

“So, what do you think?” Candace asked, pulling her long hair from her face and throwing it back over her shoulders.

“I think,” he said, clearing his throat and putting down his chopsticks, “that it’s time I went and did another perimeter check.”

He was starting to become way too comfortable sitting around with Candace, eating fancy food like he did it every day.

Smoke billowed around him, obscuring almost everything. He walked slowly, not able to see even one of his feet, but he never let go of Ranger’s leash. And then he stumbled, looked down and realized he’d just walked over another human being, facedown in the sand.

Logan cleared his throat, pushing away the memories that always hit him when he was least expecting them. If he wasn’t on duty, he would have changed his shoes and hit the gym. But today that wasn’t an option, and neither was giving in to his memories.

CHAPTER TWO

CANDACE TOOK A deep breath, mentally preparing for the concert. She’d been given her sixty-minute countdown already, which meant it was time to start running through her exercises, have a little something to drink, stretching out so she was all limbered up and dressing in her first costume.

But preparing for the performance wasn’t taking up all her energy like it should have been. Instead she was thinking about a certain man who’d as good as knocked the wind from her earlier in the afternoon.

She’d been single for so long, not to mention the fact that she hadn’t met a man who’d even remotely interested her for close to a year. Maybe that was why Logan had surprised her so much. Because even if she stayed true to her promise to remain single, she could still appreciate a good-looking man. And Logan was a fine-looking addition to the male species.

Candace cleared her throat and was about to start rehearsing when there was a knock at the door. She didn’t call out because she was saving her voice, but she did cross the room to see who it was.

“Hey.”

The man she’d been trying her best not to think about was standing in the hallway.

“How did you get past my security detail?” she asked in a low voice.

Logan grinned. “It just so happens I know the boss.”

She laughed and pulled open the door so he could come in. She was about to ask him in when he held his hand up and shook his head.

“I’m not going to disturb you, I just wanted to check that you felt safe,” he told her. “I personally handpicked the men working tonight, so you’ve got nothing to worry about, and I’m going off duty now for a quick break.”

Candace thought for a second before saying what was on her mind. “What do you think about escorting me to stage and watching from the wings?”

“Like my own private concert?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She grinned. The idea of having Logan close by in case something did happen would be reassuring.

“What if I made you a trade?” she asked.

He cocked his head, clearly listening.

“I’ll say yes to the night out you suggested, tonight, if you look after me for the duration of my performance.”

Logan didn’t even blink he answered her so fast. “You’re on.”

Candace met Logan’s gaze, determined to keep her head held high. He was a handsome man who happened to be protecting her, and one she’d agreed to go on a date of sorts with. It didn’t mean she had to go all bashful and forget the confident woman she usually was.

“Well, that’s settled then,” she said. “I’m going to keep running through my routine, so if you could come back in about forty-five minutes?”

Logan nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

Candace forced herself to stop staring at the tall, heavily muscled hunk standing outside her door and shut it instead, slowly slithering to the floor once she did so, cool timber against her back. She was behaving like a silly girl, flirting with a man who probably had no interest in her other than to parade her around a few hotspots on his arm. How many times before had she had someone say to her that they wanted to take her on a quiet date, only to find the paparazzi tipped off the moment they arrived at a restaurant or club? Or a man pretending he wasn’t interested in her fame, only to find out he was a wannabe film star or singer with a CD he wanted to slip her during drinks or over an entrée. That was why she’d sworn off men for the time being.

Deep down, she wanted to believe that Logan was different, but until he’d proven that he wasn’t the type of guy she was used to, she needed to tread lightly. No falling for her bodyguard, no touching her bodyguard and definitely no letting herself think, at any stage, that he could be anything more than fun.

She’d tried serious, and it hadn’t worked. She’d even tried marriage, too, and that hadn’t worked out well at all. When it came to men, she’d realized that maybe she just wasn’t good at picking them, and it was probably something she’d inherited from her mom. Her mom might have been an incredible businesswoman, but she’d also had to raise Candace singlehandedly because of her poor decisions when it came to the male species.

Candace sighed, reached out for her first outfit, ran her hands down the silk, shut her eyes and imagined herself on stage, wearing it. Listening to the crowd. Holding the microphone as the band started to play. Hair and makeup would be back any minute, and so would her stylist.

She could do this. She’d performed a hundred times before, and Logan had promised her that the venue was safe and secure. She needed to forget the stupid threats and just do what she did best. Because no matter what happened to her, no one could ever take away her love of singing. Performing was the love of her life and it always would be.

This was her time to shine.

* * *

“You a fan of country music?”

Logan glanced at the woman standing beside him, her headset pulled back so she could talk to him. She was holding a tablet, and until now she’d had her eyes glued to it and had been speaking intently into her headset.

“I can’t say I’ve ever really listened to it before,” he admitted. Truth be told, he’d never listened to it because he’d never really liked it before, but watching this particular performance was fast converting him to the genre.

“She’s pretty incredible to watch,” the woman said, pulling on her headset again. “I get to see a lot of performers, but she’s hands down the most talented and nicest we’ve hosted yet.”

Logan smiled in reply and turned his attention back to Candace. As the song finished she wowed the crowd with her mesmerizing, soft laugh, before turning around and waving toward the band so they could have their own round of applause. He was pleased that she’d asked him to watch, but he’d actually been employed to stay until the end of her concert anyway. He just hadn’t told her that.

“Thank you for having me here tonight!” she told her fans. “Australia is one of the most beautiful countries I’ve ever visited, and I wish I had more time to spend here.”