Nikki Logan - Bodyguard...To Bridegroom?

‘Stay,’ she blurted.

It stunned him into silence.

‘I’ll hire you privately … to stay … here.’

With me, she couldn’t quite bring herself to say.

Tiny lines appeared at the corners of both his eyes. ‘I can’t, Sera.’

She kicked up her chin. ‘I’m not worth breaking a few rules for?’

‘I’m not … I can’t …’ Breath hissed out of him. ‘I don’t want to hurt you any more than I already have, Sera.’

Just when she’d felt sure her newfound courage would be rewarded. Did the universe not realise how difficult it was for her to open herself up like this? But having started she couldn’t stop. Too much rode on it.

‘Then what’s stopping you? Because it’s not your job?’

‘I think I’m stopping me, Sera,’ he murmured.

It was the pain that got her attention; it shadowed his gaze and thickened his voice. His leaving would hurt her, but staying was hurting him. Somehow. She didn’t want to hurt him. But she had to understand. And she would never forgive herself if she didn’t try just one last time.

‘Some things are more important than rules, Brad. Aren’t they?’

Bodyguard…to Bridegroom?

Nikki Logan

www.millsandboon.co.uk

NIKKI LOGANlives on the edge of a string of wetlands in Western Australia, with her partner and a menagerie of animals. She writes captivating nature-based stories full of romance in descriptive natural environments. She believes the danger and richness of wild places perfectly mirror the passion and risk of falling in love.

She loves to hear from readers via www.nikkilogan.com.auor through social media. Find her on Twitter: @ReadNikkiLoganand Facebook: NikkiLoganAuthor

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For Margaret Kruger

‘White, no sugar, half a cup.’

And for the staff—and wildlife— of Al Maha Desert Resort who offered me such a transformative experience.

Contents

Cover

Introduction ‘Stay,’ she blurted. It stunned him into silence. ‘I’ll hire you privately … to stay … here.’ With me, she couldn’t quite bring herself to say. Tiny lines appeared at the corners of both his eyes. ‘I can’t, Sera.’ She kicked up her chin. ‘I’m not worth breaking a few rules for?’ ‘I’m not … I can’t …’ Breath hissed out of him. ‘I don’t want to hurt you any more than I already have, Sera.’ Just when she’d felt sure her newfound courage would be rewarded. Did the universe not realise how difficult it was for her to open herself up like this? But having started she couldn’t stop. Too much rode on it. ‘Then what’s stopping you? Because it’s not your job?’ ‘I think I’m stopping me, Sera,’ he murmured. It was the pain that got her attention; it shadowed his gaze and thickened his voice. His leaving would hurt her, but staying was hurting him. Somehow. She didn’t want to hurt him. But she had to understand. And she would never forgive herself if she didn’t try just one last time. ‘Some things are more important than rules, Brad. Aren’t they?’

Title Page Bodyguard…to Bridegroom? Nikki Logan www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author NIKKI LOGAN lives on the edge of a string of wetlands in Western Australia, with her partner and a menagerie of animals. She writes captivating nature-based stories full of romance in descriptive natural environments. She believes the danger and richness of wild places perfectly mirror the passion and risk of falling in love. She loves to hear from readers via www.nikkilogan.com.au or through social media. Find her on Twitter: @ReadNikkiLogan and Facebook: NikkiLoganAuthor

Dedication For Margaret Kruger ‘White, no sugar, half a cup.’ And for the staff—and wildlife— of Al Maha Desert Resort who offered me such a transformative experience.

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

IT TOOK BRAD KRUGER all of three seconds to sift through the faces in the crowd of passengers disembarking from the pointy end of the flight from London and identify the one he needed. First, he filtered out anyone with a Y chromosome, then the women over forty or under eighteen, then the impeccably dressed locals returning to the pricey desert emirate of Umm Khoreem. That left only three priority passengers that could be his client and only one of them had her long hair out and flowing gloriously over bare shoulders.

There she was...codename ‘Aspirin’ — for the headache he was going to have for the next month.

Of all the gin joints in all the towns...

Brad glanced along the long row of immigration staff in their pristine robes and watched as Seraphina Blaise was subtly corralled to the entrance of a long, winding and empty queue that casually eased her away from the one filled with locals and towards a counter with double the staff. As she negotiated the maze of retractable belts, she seemed oblivious to the fact she’d just been selected for special immigration attention.

She might have left a British Christmas all rugged up, but somewhere over the Baltic she’d pared back into something more suited to a desert one—except that apparently she’d dressed for the heat rather than for the culture.

‘Here we go...’ Brad muttered under his breath, pushing off the ornately carved pillar he’d been leaning against and triangulating a course to bring him as close as possible to the official who’d flagged her.

Her inadequate dress had probably caught Immigration’s attention, but it was her arrest record that would likely keep it . Umm Khoreem issued visas on arrival for those who were just visiting. No visa, no entry; and people had been refused entry into the security-conscious state on much less than bad fashion choices and a fresh conviction.

A carefully blank official took her passport as Brad drew closer on the Umm Khoreem side of the immigration barrier, asked a few questions, frowned at her answers, and spent the next few minutes reading various pages on his touch screen while the leggy brunette shuffled awkwardly before him. She glanced around to pass the time, and Brad saw the moment she finally registered that she’d ended up in a queue for one while everyone else was being whisked through further along.

Her rounded eyes swung back to the official.

Yep. Just you, love...

Her whole body changed then. She lost the casual lightness with which she’d practically bounced along the switchback lanes, her bare shoulders sagged and her spine ratcheted straight. Remembering her last run-in with authorities perhaps...

Brad caught the eye of one of the other immigration staff, who took his time sauntering over but bowed his cloaked head and listened as Brad briskly murmured his name, credentials and purpose. The man nodded and returned to his post, then picked up the telephone. At the next aisle, the first immigration officer answered, flicking his eyes up to his colleague and then over to where Brad now stood before returning his gaze to the woman in front of him. The official barely acknowledged him, but barely was all he needed.