Tyler Snell - Suspicious Activities

She’s always been the boss—now she’s the target

As the newest member of Orion Security, Jackson Fields had a lot to prove. But he never expected his first assignment would force him to break every rule in the employee handbook. Nikki Waters has always put her clients’ protection first...until a nightmare from her past resurfaces. Now Jackson must protect his boss to keep her life’s work from crumbling. She’d headhunted Jackson for his raw talent, and is counting on his determination to make sure she lives another day. He has every intention of keeping her safe—especially when his protective detail turns from professional to personal in the blink of an eye

She didn’t ask for or want protection from the new recruit.

Heck, she didn’t want it from even the most seasoned of agents. If the head of Orion couldn’t even protect herself... Her anger quickly turned to embarrassment. She’d frozen when she should have fought. If Jackson hadn’t shown up... Then all Nikki could feel was gratitude and admiration for the man standing in a puddle of spilled red wine.

And then Nikki felt anger again.

“I’m going to call the cops and then we’re going to talk about what the word privacy means,” she said. If Jackson felt underappreciated or shortchanged, he didn’t show it. Instead, he nodded, as if resigned to her future wrath.

Nikki turned and finally left the bathroom.

They both pretended not to hear how much her voice broke as she spoke. Or the way her legs still shook as she walked away.

TYLER ANNE SNELLgenuinely loves all genres of the written word. However, she’s realized that she loves books filled with sexual tension and mysteries a little more than the rest. Her stories have a good dose of both. Tyler lives in Florida with her same-named husband and their mini “lions.” When she isn’t reading or writing, she’s playing video games and working on her blog, Almost There. To follow her shenanigans, visit www.tylerannesnell.com.

Suspicious Activities

Tyler Anne Snell

www.millsandboon.co.uk

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Nikki Waters—Constantly trying to make up for a tragic mistake years ago, this founder and owner of the Orion Security Group works hard, and often, to ensure anyone who comes asking for safety receives it. But when the tables are turned and she finds herself in need of a bodyguard, can the boss overcome her need to be in complete control? Can she learn to trust the sexy-as-hell man trying to protect her?

Jackson Fields—Trying to forget a past that still haunts him, this newly recruited bodyguard is treating his job as a second chance at life. A task that becomes much harder when his first client ends up being his boss and their attraction is anything but professional. Can he avoid blurring the lines that separate boss and employee? And will his experience and skill be enough to keep a madman from getting his way?

Andrew Miller—Nikki’s old boss is in town and ready to get revenge, but how far is he willing to go?

Jonathan Carmichael—One of Nikki’s best Orion employees, this trainer sees a potential in Jackson that most people overlook.

Mark and Kelli Tranton—Close friends of Nikki, these Orion employees never shy away from letting their boss know they’re worried about her.

Oliver Quinn—Along with Jonathan and Mark, this former bodyguard won’t stop until he knows the threat against Nikki, and Orion, is put to rest. Even if it means revisiting their shared past.

Calvin Cooper—Longtime friend of Nikki, this Dallas detective is on the case when someone is obviously prepared to do her great harm.

This book is for everyone who has encouraged my dream of writing! From Allison, Denise and Jill to every single one of my readers, thank you! You’ll never know how much your support means to me!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Dedication

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

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Nikki Waters turned away from the image on her computer screen and shook her head at the man standing across from her.

“When you said this one was a little rough around the edges, I thought you were warning me about—I don’t know—about his lack of tact or maybe his hair was a little too shaggy.” She motioned to the screen. “Not a rap sheet that was so long I had to scroll to read it all.”

The man in the doorway chuckled. He shrugged. “Does it help that his hair is a little too shaggy?”

Jonathan Carmichael was trying to be cute, trying to be funny, but Nikki didn’t have time for his playful mood. Not tonight.

Tonight she, for once, had plans.

“A few drunken fights when he was young and stupid,” he said. “Nothing to write home to Mom about.”

Nikki felt a headache brewing just behind her eyes. She loved her job and loved the tall, dark-haired man in front of her like a brother, but the stress of her plans combined with the man Jonathan was trying to sell her on was starting to create a monster headache.

“I trust you—you know that—but I run a security agency here,” she tried. “Our clients come to us for help, for protection, and hope—expect—that we do our due diligence with our agents. From what I can tell about this man based on your write-up, he is hotheaded, impulsive and, if I had to guess, your classic lone wolf. In other words, a questionable fit for Orion Security Group.”

Nikki laced her fingers together over the top of the desk. As she spoke, she felt the change in her demeanor from Nikki the friend to Nikki the boss. Jonathan, along with a handful of other Orion employees who doubled as her closest friends, often joked about that change. When Nikki was firm, it was hard to shake her resolve.

“Listen, you know how important this place is to me,” Jonathan said, sobering. “I wouldn’t personally be vouching for someone I didn’t think would benefit Orion and its clients. He has a past, yeah, but you read what happened to him. What happened when he was young.” He paused so she had time to recall what he was talking about.

The stall wasn’t needed. As soon as she’d read the small yet monumental line about his past, she’d known she wouldn’t forget it. Probably couldn’t if she’d tried. Nikki looked back at the man on the screen.

Jonathan must have taken that as a sign to drive his point home. “He’s rough around the edges, but after what he’s been through, after all the excuses he could use—what happened, how people have most likely treated him up until this point—he didn’t once make any excuse or try to sell me a sob story.”

Jonathan gave her a small smile. “You asked me to vet potential recruits and I vetted the hell out of him. He’s a man with drive, focus and raw talent. He can deal out a punch and he can take one, too. I’m not saying we throw him into fieldwork next week, but with time and training I think he could be one of the best.”