Guarding Sophie (11 page)

Sometimes the worst mistakes turn out to be the best . . .

Smoke jumper Wilder Kane once reveled in the rush from putting out dangerous wildfires. But after a tragic accident, he's cut himself off from the world, refusing to leave his isolated cabin. When a headstrong beauty bursts in, Wilder finds himself craving the fire she ignites in him, but letting anyone near his darkness would be a mistake.

 

Q
uinn unzipped her jacket, pausing halfway. “You don't mind, do you? Seeing as I'm staying, at least for a while.”

“No.”
Yes.
Because the minute she slid out of that white, puffy coat, her breathtaking body was on full display. Those snug-fitting jeans weren't overtly sexy, but the way the denim contoured to the slight flare of her narrow thighs made him swallow. Hard.

It had been awhile since he'd been in the company of any woman who wasn't a medical professional or intimately involved with his brothers. Also, as much as he didn't want to admit it, he had a type and this forward, strong-looking woman fit it right down to that thick wavy brown hair pulled back at the nape of her long, sexy neck.

Necks were underrated female geography. He loved how they tasted when he kissed them there, how they smelled as he nuzzled.

Equally fascinating was her lush mouth, how the corner remained quirked on one side despite the natural pout, as if in perpetual secret amusement.

This woman was bright, spunky, and happy, despite her father's miserable situation. His heart sank. He had nothing to offer someone like her, not when his whole world had burned to cinder.

He shook himself inwardly, not moving a muscle. No point succumbing to the ugly truth, however true. Maybe he could pretend to be a normal guy for the night. Normal except for the scars, the missing leg, and the fact that he hadn't spoken to a living soul since Sawyer dropped off his groceries six days ago, and was tongue-tied around strangers at the best of times.

Shit.

What would Archer do? His younger brother was good with people, especially the ladies. He'd navigate this situation like a pro.

She gave him a tentative smile, probably because he was staring at her like a loon.

Compliments. Women like compliments.

“Your teeth are real white,” Wilder blurted. God damn it, the words hung over them like a comic strip balloon. He wished for a string to grab on to, stuff the idiocy back into his mouth, swallow it down.

“Excuse me?” Her shoulders jerked as her lips clamped, clearly not anticipating the awkward flattery.

At least he hadn't said how much he liked her neck. Yet.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Excerpt from
Chasing Jillian
copyright © 2015 by Julie Revell Benjamin.

Excerpt from
Montana Hearts: Her Weekend Wrangler
copyright © 2015 by Darlene Panzera.

Excerpt from
Blue Blooded
copyright © 2015 by Shelly Bell.

Excerpt from
I Need a Hero
copyright © 2015 by Codi Gary.

Excerpt from
Best Worst Mistake
copyright © 2015 by Lia Riley.

GUARDING SOPHIE
. Copyright © 2015 by Julie Revell Benjamin. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, decompiled, downloaded, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

EPub Edition NOVEMBER 2015 ISBN: 9780062443311

Print Edition ISBN: 9780062443304

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