The Billionaire's Bodyguard Bride (25 page)

“It’s okay. I already know. Liz stopped by with flowers for you earlier. She explained everything.”

“She can never mind her own business,” Lauren grumbled good-naturedly, before her expression turned serious. “Are you okay? Philip was backed into a corner. He tried to do the right thing.”

“I know. I’m not going to say I’m not disappointed in him, but I also understand why he let things get so out of hand. He was being blackmailed, and he was trying to protect his family.”

“And you get now why it’s crucial you accept protection until the authorities gather the proof they need to bring Mendacci to justice?”

He nodded. “I’ve been giving that some thought, actually.”

“And?”

“And I think it might be a wise idea for me to have a security expert on permanent retainer.”

“That sounds like a very shrewd move. Do you have anyone in mind for the job?”

“As a matter of fact I do. I was hoping I might be able to convince you to take the position. You’d be head of my personal security. I have to warn you, though, that I’m a demanding boss. I’ll expect exclusive around-the-clock protection, seven days a week.”

Lauren placed a finger on her chin, pretending to mull over his proposition. “Hmmm. And what kind of a time frame are we talking about for this contract? A year? Two?”

“I was thinking a lifetime would be a good place to start.” He reached for her hand, squeezing it as he searched for a way to express the depth of his feelings for her. How could three simple words ever embody the true measure of what he felt for her; how could they relay how completely she possessed his heart and soul? He gave voice to them anyways, hoping they would be enough. “I love you, Lauren, and I don’t want to live without you. I want nothing more than to make our marriage agreement a permanent one, if you’ll still have me.”

“Of course, I’ll have you! My heart has belonged to you from the moment we met. Now let’s see about getting me sprung from this place so we can go home. We can negotiate the finer points of my contract later. Deal?”

“It’s a deal,
agapi mou
.” He sealed it with a kiss that was at once tender and passionate, ardent and heartfelt. It was a kiss that promised a lifetime of love.

I hope you enjoyed Lauren and Rafe’s journey to happily ever after. There are more romantic adventures to come! Luke and Brianna’s story, “Her Private Protector”, is next up. Though each book in the Secret Sentinels series can be read as a stand-alone, the stories are also interconnected. They novels share a common thread, following the brave men and women of Sentinels as they seek to bring Lawrence Mendacci to justice. And, of course, the Sentinels agents find love along the way!

You can keep tabs on upcoming books by visiting my website at
www.lisaweaverromance.com
, where you can sign up for my free newsletter.

If you enjoyed “The Billionaire’s Bodyguard Bride”, I would so appreciate it if you would leave a review at Amazon or Goodreads to let others know about it.

Thanks for reading!

Lisa

The realization of a dream isn’t a simple feat. A huge cast of characters played a role in bringing the book you’re holding to life. Topping the list of those wonderful people are the Kindle Scouts who sampled “The Billionaire’s Bodyguard Bride” during its campaign period. Thank you for placing your faith in a wet-behind-the-ears novelist. Your nominations helped make this book possible!

Heartfelt hugs go out to the phenomenal Caroline Carr and her team at Kindle Press. Thanks for pouring your time and energy into this project, and giving it wings! Thanks, also, to my amazingly patient and insightful copyeditor, Beth Potts. You made my manuscript shine!

And while I’m doling out hugs, I owe bunches of them to my fellow writers. There are too many to list, but you know who you are. You didn’t have to take time out of your hectic schedules to answer a newbie’s questions and share an encouraging word, but you did. It made all the difference in the world! So did the tireless support of the man who is the inspiration behind all of my fictional heroes, my husband Duane.

Last, but by no means least, I am enormously grateful to the uber talented Jimmy Thomas of RomanceNovels.com and cover artist extraordinaire Ramona Lockwood. Their work is nothing short of magical.

Lisa Weaver loves living in Maine, although she occasionally fantasizes about moving to a locale with milder temperatures. On the upside, the long, cold winters give her plenty of time to plot her next romance.

She also loves books, and can't imagine a world without the written word to enrich us, inspire us, entertain us, and touch our hearts. She's thrilled to make a small contribution to the treasure trove. She began her writing career penning articles and short stories, but it has long been her dream to write romance novels. Thanks to the Amazon Kindle Scout program, that dream is now a reality.

Lisa is the first to admit her romances aren't serious literature. She thinks of her stories as fluffy, fun, romantic romps—like decadently rich cupcakes, heavy on the frosting.

She loves to hear from readers! Please drop by and visit her anytime at her website,
www.lisaweaverromance.com
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