Lisa Childs - Single Mum's Bodyguard

A pretend relationship between a bodyguard and single mom turns all too real in the latest Bachelor Bodyguards romance

Emilia Ecklund hears her child cry when he’s smiling. She sees intruders where there are none. She’s either losing her mind—or someone wants her to think she is. Desperate, she asks her brother’s best friend, former Marine and Payne Protection Agency bodyguard Dane Sutton, to investigate. But the only way is for him to move into her home...and bed.

Dane’s secret mission: to pose as Emilia’s boyfriend while watching every door and window like a hawk. He vows to keep things purely professional, but he’s severely tempted as his feelings intensify. And as the threats escalate, the guarded loner has everything to lose.

Emilia blinked and stared up at him, the fear still in her pale blue eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Dane asked her.

Clasping her baby son tightly against her with one arm, she gestured with her other hand at the window. “Someone was there—trying to get in.”

He glanced at the window. “Nobody’s there.”

“There was,” she insisted, her voice tremulous. With fear or doubt?

He glanced around the room, at the teenage girls who struggled to comfort crying babies and toddlers. One of the girls shook her head. “I didn’t see anyone.”

Emilia reached out now and clasped Dane’s arm. His skin tingled beneath her fingers. “There was someone there—trying to open the window.”

He nodded. “I’ll check it out.” But she held tightly to his arm, so he couldn’t pull away—so he couldn’t escape her and all those crying children.

If he didn’t leave soon, he might do something stupid…like reach for her again, like try to hold her.

* * *

Be sure to check out the previous books in the exciting Bachelor Bodyguardsseries.

Single Mum’s Bodyguard

Lisa Childs

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Ever since LISA CHILDSread her first romance novel (a Mills & Boon story, of course) at age eleven, all she wanted was to be a romance writer. With over forty novels published with Mills & Boon, Lisa is living her dream. She is an award-winning, bestselling romance author. Lisa loves to hear from readers, who can contact her on Facebook, through her website, www.lisachilds.com, or her snailmail address, PO Box 139, Marne, MI 49435, USA.

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For my family. Thank you all so much for your unwavering love and support!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text A pretend relationship between a bodyguard and single mom turns all too real in the latest Bachelor Bodyguards romance Emilia Ecklund hears her child cry when he’s smiling. She sees intruders where there are none. She’s either losing her mind—or someone wants her to think she is. Desperate, she asks her brother’s best friend, former Marine and Payne Protection Agency bodyguard Dane Sutton, to investigate. But the only way is for him to move into her home...and bed. Dane’s secret mission: to pose as Emilia’s boyfriend while watching every door and window like a hawk. He vows to keep things purely professional, but he’s severely tempted as his feelings intensify. And as the threats escalate, the guarded loner has everything to lose.

Introduction Emilia blinked and stared up at him, the fear still in her pale blue eyes. “What’s wrong?” Dane asked her. Clasping her baby son tightly against her with one arm, she gestured with her other hand at the window. “Someone was there—trying to get in.” He glanced at the window. “Nobody’s there.” “There was,” she insisted, her voice tremulous. With fear or doubt? He glanced around the room, at the teenage girls who struggled to comfort crying babies and toddlers. One of the girls shook her head. “I didn’t see anyone.” Emilia reached out now and clasped Dane’s arm. His skin tingled beneath her fingers. “There was someone there—trying to open the window.” He nodded. “I’ll check it out.” But she held tightly to his arm, so he couldn’t pull away—so he couldn’t escape her and all those crying children. If he didn’t leave soon, he might do something stupid…like reach for her again, like try to hold her. * * * Be sure to check out the previous books in the exciting Bachelor Bodyguards series.

Title Page Single Mum’s Bodyguard Lisa Childs www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author Ever since LISA CHILDS read her first romance novel (a Mills & Boon story, of course) at age eleven, all she wanted was to be a romance writer. With over forty novels published with Mills & Boon, Lisa is living her dream. She is an award-winning, bestselling romance author. Lisa loves to hear from readers, who can contact her on Facebook, through her website, www.lisachilds.com , or her snailmail address, PO Box 139, Marne, MI 49435, USA.

Dedication For my family. Thank you all so much for your unwavering love and support!

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Extract

Copyright

Chapter 1

The crying awoke Emilia—as it always did. But it sounded as if it were coming from a great distance instead of just down the hall. Why did it seem so muffled?

She knew better than to put anything in the crib with the infant. She wouldn’t take any risk with him ever again. “Blue...” she murmured as she jerked fully awake.

Throwing back the blankets, she jumped from the bed and ran from her room, hitting her shoulder against the jamb as she exited. Pain radiated down her arm.

This was real. This wasn’t a dream like all the times before she’d heard that faint cry, when she had reached for her stomach, for her child—only to find her womb empty, her baby gone...

Except that hadn’t been a dream, either. That had been the horror she’d lived for weeks until she and her son had been rescued.

Her feet slipped on the hardwood floor as she hurried down the hall toward the bedroom on the other side of the bath. She banged into that jamb, too, while rushing into the nursery. A breeze rustled the wispy blue-and-white-striped curtains and rattled the blind pulled over the window.

The open window.

She hadn’t left that window open. She was always so careful to make sure that it was shut and locked. She wouldn’t have...

She could barely hear the crying now. It was far in the distance. “Blue...”

Was he gone, too?

Her legs trembled, nearly folding beneath her, as she walked toward the crib. Dread gripped her. She was afraid to look, afraid that it was happening all over again.