Summary
Private security has never been so risky—or so tempting.
Ex-military security specialist Conlan James avoids commitment like the plague. His job, his Harley, and an occasional one-night stand are all he needs—or so he tells himself. But after he rescues Jess from a tense situation, he can’t get the shy, sexy brunette out of his mind. He can teach her self-defense, but can he shield his own scarred heart?
Southern belle Jess Kingston spent eight weeks healing from an ex-boyfriend’s brutal attack. Now she’s ready to put her life back together. Her ex, Brit, has other ideas. She needs someone who can teach her how to fight back—someone like the tough former soldier who rides to her rescue.
As the deadly game of cat-and-mouse intensifies, the heat between Con and Jess becomes an inferno. He’ll do anything to keep her safe. She’ll do anything to survive. Her vengeful ex is determined to destroy them both, and all it would take is one wrong move.
Excerpt
What the hell are you doing here?
This wasn’t the first time in the last five minutes that Conlan had asked himself the same question. Maybe if he had an answer, the revolving door in his brain would stop spinning, but that didn’t seem likely. Not anytime soon. Not with the beautiful brunette he’d come to see sitting close enough that, if he let himself look, he could detect the light dusting of freckles across her nose. But he wasn’t looking, and he shouldn’t be here, so how had he ended up standing in line behind the thirtysomething latte league? It sure as hell wasn’t for the coffee.
Legs braced wide, he shifted from one hip to the other, the creak of his motorcycle chaps reminding him he could be enjoying a few extra minutes on the Harley before work instead of spending that precious time here, mooning over a woman. Doe Eyes. The first time he’d seen her all those months ago, he’d thought her eyes reminded him of sweet Georgia pecans and skittish does. The name stuck, as had the memory of her eyes—and a hundred other glimpses he shouldn’t have taken.
Another name called, another latte dispensed, another shuffle forward.
He hadn’t seen those eyes in eight weeks, and yet still he’d shown up every Monday, like clockwork, hoping for one more glimpse and calling himself an idiot. Wasn’t like he planned on asking her out. So why the hell did he torture himself with these weekly forays into enemy territory?
Sex. Or sex appeal, at least.
Another step closer to the counter. The move didn’t ease the constriction behind the zipper of his jeans. This was what she did to him, thinking about her. Especially now, after so long apart.
The thought had a snort escaping. Ahead of him, Mr. Suit and Tie startled and glanced over a shoulder, but Conlan ignored the look. He was too busy figuring out when “this” had become enough like a relationship in his head that he would think things like “after so long apart.” Doe Eyes might appear prominently in his thoughts from time to time—especially certain times—but he’d never seen her outside of this coffee shop. And he wouldn’t. A quick roll in the hay was one thing, but Doe Eyes wasn’t the kind of woman who had one-night stands. He could tell that much just by looking at her. She was a relationship kind of woman, and he was a relationship-phobic kind of guy. Which meant he seriously needed to get a grip—and not on the part of him growing even harder at the idea.
Idiot was right.
He should be at work. Southern summer heat brought out the crazies almost as well as full moons did, and JCL Security was feeling the impact, juggling cases like they had eight arms, which they didn’t. Too many sleepless nights had been spent at his office, especially with the Bennett case coming up. Just a couple more weeks before Thea Bennett had her bastard of a husband before a judge and hopefully out of her life, but the paper- and prep work to get the high-profile bastard there had been a bitch. He seriously needed to—
“Conlan, hey!”
For a passing moment he was convinced the voice belonged to the woman filling his thoughts. But when the high, candied voice called again, he realized it was coming from the counter. The cashier. Tonya, Tammy? Tracy? He couldn’t remember. She was blonde with a deep tan he would’ve deemed impossible in a landlocked city like Atlanta, the shade a stark contrast to her white smile. Stepping up, he threw her a grin. “Hey.”
Review
(audiobook+ebook) I wasn’t much engrossed in the romance, but I still enjoyed the characters and their story quite a lot.
Conlan has been lusting after Jess without knowing much about her for some time. Of course, Jess has been too. It’s Jess’s complicated situation–her ex has beaten her and walked free, and is now harassing her–that brings them together, as Conlan will make his mission to protect her. But not at the cost of his heart.
He becomes her bodyguard, and sure, he’s guarding her body, even from herself at first. While she’s offering herself, Conlan denies his feelings for, in my opinion–and his friend Jack’s–stupid reasons. But that game of will they won’t they creates some delicious tension between them. A tension resolved with a bang when they finally do the deed.
It’s only the fact that they go from one to twenty in a few seconds that kept me out of the romance. It’s one thing to be attracted, but that kind of obsession isn’t healthy. And the way they quickly become each other’s forever was a bit unbelievable. But they had chemistry, I can admit that.
Domestic abuse and manipulation are at the heart of the book. They’re the reason behind Jess’s need of Conlan, and behind Conlan’s rejection and his job, and everything is tied up in a pretty deadly bow when the ex keeps coming back. While there’s not much suspense in the suspense part of the story–the reader knows who the bad guy is, and they expect a happy ending–it’s still riveting, thanks to the characters. Be it Jess’s justified anxiety, or Conlan’s fear for Jess’s safety.
The narration was duet style and perfect. The male narrator did the voices of the hero and the bad guy, and the way he could express both was incredible. The female narrator did a great job too. A solid audiobook in a solid series with solid narrators.
Quickie
- Series: Southern nights #1 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #romantic suspense #virgin
- Triggers: domestic abuse, violence, torture, murder
- Main couple: Jess Kingston & Conlan James
- Hotness: 4/5
- Romance: 4/5
- + I love it when the bad guy gets what he deserves
- – pining from afar, then falling in love in a few days, not really believable
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