Soraya Lane - The Returning Hero

Brett, Logan and Sam were best friends and three of the finest soldiers in the Australian SAS K9 division. But one day Sam was killed, tearing their friendship group apart and leaving Brett and Logan with memories that would haunt them for ever.

Now, back in Australia, Brett and Logan are adjusting to life outside the army. But they haven’t counted on two gorgeous, intriguing, captivating women who swan into their lives and present them with challenges they’ve never faced before!

Look out for

HER SOLDIER PROTECTORComing in April 2014

The

Returning Hero

Soraya Lane

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Writing for Mills & Boon ®Cherish™ is truly a dream come true for SORAYA LANE. An avid reader and writer since her childhood, Soraya describes becoming a published author as ‘the best job in the world’ and hopes to be writing heart-warming, emotional romances for many years to come.

Soraya lives with her own real-life hero on a small farm in New Zealand, surrounded by animals and with an office overlooking a field where their horses graze.

For more information about Soraya and her upcoming releases visit her at her website, www.sorayalane.com, her blog, www.sorayalane.blogspot.com, or follow her at www.facebook.com/SorayaLaneAuthor.

Before you start reading, why not sign up?

Thank you for downloading this Mills & Boon book. If you want to hear about exclusive discounts, special offers and competitions, sign up to our email newsletter today!

SIGN ME UP!

Or simply visit

signup.millsandboon.co.uk

Mills & Boon emails are completely free to receive and you can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send you.

For Hamish and Mackenzie.

I’m so fortunate that you both share my love of dogs!

In Dogs We Trust

The unofficial motto of the soldiers within the Explosive Detection Dog Service

Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

EPILOGUE

EXCERPT

CHAPTER ONE

BRETT PALMER LEANED against the door of his vehicle. Visiting had seemed like a great idea before he’d left home, but now he was here...turning up unannounced wasn’t so easy. Perhaps if he’d planned what he was going to say, had a good reason for not touching base with her before now, but he’d just jumped in the car and decided to chance it.

He sucked back a big breath and forced himself to walk forward. He’d known Jamie Mattheson for years, so it wasn’t like she’d get a shock to see him, but still. It wasn’t as if he’d ever spent time with her on her own, either.

Brett swallowed the memories, refusing to go back in time, and jogged the last few steps to the front door. He knocked. No one answered. There wasn’t even so much as a shuffle from inside. Brett knocked again.

He could either get in his car and leave, or head around back to see if she was there. The sun was already out in full force, typical of Sydney at this time of year, and he had more than a hunch that she could be out in the garden.

Brett stepped back down and walked around the side of the house. It was looking nice, but then he knew Sam had painted the weatherboards before he’d left for their last tour, had made sure he’d done all the maintenance so Jamie had nothing to worry about while he was gone. He’d put money on it that she’d prefer the house to be falling down around her if it meant she could go back in time and have her husband back.

Brett pushed the side gate open and looked around the corner. There she was. Standing with her hands on her hips, like something was really frustrating her. Then he saw the something, sitting in front of her, alert, nose pointed in the air.

Bear. She had Sam’s dog. How the hell had she ended up with Bear so soon?

“Jamie,” he called out, not wanting to startle her but not wanting to be caught staring at her, either.

The dog had given up sitting patiently and was now barking and thundering toward him. He’d been his best mate’s dog, but right now he was protecting his new owner, and Brett wasn’t exactly game to take the massive canine on.

“Bear, it’s me,” he called out, as the black dog hurtled toward him. “Bear! It’s okay, boy.”

The dog slowed, still looking protective, but Brett was comfortable that he was no longer about to be attacked.

“Brett? What are you doing here?”

Jamie was suddenly rushing across the lawn to him, arms outstretched.

“Hey, sweetheart.” He held his own arms out, one eye on the dog, until she threw herself against him.

Brett held her tight, holding on to her like his life depended upon it. He’d been best man at their wedding, vacationed with them, had dinner at their house...and now he was comforting a widow.

“It’s so good to see you.” Jamie stepped back, but she held on to his hands, firmly, like she’d never let go.

Brett looked into her eyes, saw tears there that she was bravely holding in check. This woman had been his best friend’s wife, and he’d never, ever wanted to be in this position. He was just grateful that he hadn’t been the one to tell her the news when it had happened.

“You’ve got Bear.” He knew he was stating the obvious but he still couldn’t believe it.

He turned half his attention back to the dog, who was keeping a close eye on them.

“And I have no idea what to do with him,” she admitted, stepping back and letting go of Brett. Jamie had her hands back on her hips as she stared at the dog. “I’m doing my best, but he’s, I don’t know, smarter than me, I guess. We’re not communicating that well.”

Brett dropped to his haunches, eye level with the canine. “Hey, Bear. Remember me, bud?” The dog let out a low whine, looking up at Jamie then back to him again. “I know you do. Come here.”

Bear slowly walked over to him and sat down on Brett’s feet. He gave him a scratch, liking that the dog had accepted him. God only knew they’d spent enough time together when he was serving.

“I’ll teach you everything I can, Jamie. He’s a pretty special dog, but he’s used to certain commands and lots of them.”

She laughed. “Yeah, sometimes I wondered if Sam thought he was more special than me. Probably showed off photos of him to everyone and forgot all about his wife.”

Brett reached for her, took her hand again as he stood to full height. “You know that’s not true. You meant everything to Sam.” He chuckled. “To be honest, we all had to tell him to knock it off most of the time. He talked about you way too often.”

She laughed, gripping his hand tight. “You always were the charmer.”

He put his arm around her, needing to hold her, to show her how much he cared. “I miss him, Jamie. I miss him so bad that I can’t...” Brett blew out a breath, dropping his chin to the top of her head. “I just needed you to know that I’m here for you. It’s taken me a while, but I’m back now.”

Jamie looped her arm around his waist and steered them toward the house. “How about we have brunch?”

“Here?”

“Yeah, why not,” she said. “Besides, I haven’t had anyone to make pancakes for in a while.”

Brett signaled to the dog to follow them, and walked behind Jamie as she went into the house. She was dressed in a tiny pair of cut-off denim shorts and a loose-fitting T-shirt, and he wished she were covered up. She was his friend’s widow. She was beautiful. Her legs were so long and tanned.... He forced his eyes to the sky. Jamie was Sam’s wife. Just because he’d loved her from the moment he’d met her, thought she was the most caring, gorgeous woman he’d ever spent time with, didn’t mean it was okay to start giving in to his feelings now.