Safe from Harm
Protect & Serve, #2
Kate SeRine
Pub Date: October 4, 2016
ISBN:
9781492639169
It's All Harmless Flirting Until Someone Gets Shot...
Deputy Gabe Dawson has had his
eye on prosecuting attorney Elle McCoy for years. But the smart, sassy redhead
is immune to his legendary charm and good looks--until Gabe is shot on the
courthouse steps protecting Elle from a vengeful domestic extremist.
Elle has been protecting her
heart from the cocky playboy cop. But it's hard not to notice a guy when he
takes a bullet for you and seems determined to turn his life around. With
terrorists still at large and Elle a target, Gabe and his law enforcement brothers
kick into high gear to take down the threat. And as they work together, Elle
realizes she's losing her heart to a man who will risk it all to keep her safe
from harm.
Gabe
started awake, throwing off the covers and bolting to his feet. Pain shot up
and down his leg as soon as he made contact with the floor, making him groan
through clenched teeth and follow it up with a juicy curse.
“Motherfu—”
“I’ll
just come back later.”
His
gaze shot up to see Elle standing inside the doorway, gorgeous eyes wide, her
peaches-and-cream skin flushed an alluring shade of pink that deepened as he
gaped at her. When she dropped her gaze, turning first left, then right, as if
forgetting where the door was, he suddenly realized his bare ass was hanging
out of the back of his hospital gown giving her quite an eyeful.
“No,
that’s okay,” he said in a rush. “Come on in.”
He
straightened quickly, wincing with the sudden movement, belatedly realizing his
wound apparently hadn’t affected other areas of his anatomy and he was sporting
some serious morning wood, which was pitching one helluva tent beneath the thin
cotton gown.
He
cursed again and dropped down on the bed, throwing the blanket over his lower
body in one quick motion and trying unsuccessfully to suppress another groan.
He squeezed his eyes shut for a second until the wave of agony passed. When he
opened them again, he was surprised to see Elle standing before him, her gaze
searching his face.
“Are
you okay?” she asked, her hand coming up to cup his jaw. The gentle warmth of
her palm sent a chill through him, making him shudder. Her hand immediately
dropped away at the response, mistakenly thinking her touch was unwanted when,
in fact, he desperately he craved it. “I’ll get the nurse.”
When
she reached for the call button hanging near the head of the bed, he gently
grasped her wrist and drew her hand away. “Leave it. I’m fine.”
She
swallowed and dropped her gaze briefly to their hands, looking like she wanted
to bolt and rid herself of his touch. He almost released her, saddened that she
found the contact so unwanted. But then he felt her pulse quicken beneath his
fingertips.
So maybe it wasn’t revulsion she was
feeling after all…
When her gaze drifted back up to his,
he decided to test his new theory and let his thumb slowly smooth over her
skin. “How are you?” he asked softly.
She
gave him a tremulous smile and, God help him, he damned near dragged her into
his arms and kissed her. But he managed to restrain himself as she said,
“Shaken up a bit. But no lasting harm.”
He
narrowed his eyes at that, not believing her for a second. “You sure about
that, honey?”
“I’ll
be okay,” she assured him, nodding a little, her lips pressed together as if
she was trying to convince herself of the truth of her words. “It’s just…” She
sighed. “I almost died yesterday.”
There
it was. The truth they both needed to face. Elle was no fool. Hell, she was
brilliant as far as he was concerned. She must’ve known as certainly as he did
how close they’d both come to losing their lives the previous day. So there was
no denying her words, no use trying to convince her she was mistaken.
“Yeah,”
he said, still caressing her pulse point. “You sleep at all last night?”
She
shook her head, her eyes beginning to glisten with unshed tears. “No. All I
could see when I closed my eyes was—” Her words broke off when her voice
hitched with emotion.
Ah
hell.
He
slipped his hand into the thick waves of hair at the base of her neck and
pulled her toward him. Every inch of him—especially those hidden under the
blanket—longed to kiss her, but at the last moment, he pressed his lips to her
forehead in a lingering kiss.
He
didn’t know what to say to make her feel better. It wasn’t like that time when
Todd Jenkins had broken up with her a week before the homecoming dance and Gabe
had hinted to Chris that maybe he should ask her. Or the time her
biggest rival was made editor of the school yearbook and he’d broken into her
locker before school to leave her flowers (anonymously, of course). Or the time
he’d given Aaron Maguire a fat lip when that asshole had gotten a little grabby
with Elle in spite of her saying no loud and clear. Or the time he’d driven two
hours to the college she was attending to fix her car on the sly because her
aunt Charlotte had mentioned that it wasn’t running and Elle refused to ask for
the money to fix it.
He’d
been secretly looking out for Elle for as long as he had known her, never
letting on that he was the one, never asking for anything in return. Knowing
she was safe and happy was enough. But he was at a loss on how to comfort her
this time, when they were very literally face to face.
He’d
never known how to deal with a woman when she was upset. He supposed he got
that from his father, who wasn’t exactly the most nurturing guy. Normally, Gabe
bailed when things got serious enough with a woman that she was actually
sharing emotions. Okay, to be honest, he usually bailed way before that.
But seeing Elle looking lost and afraid brought out a protective urge in him
that he’d never really experienced with anyone else—not to this extent, anyway.
He could lie and say she’d be fine in a
few days. But the truth was, it might be something that haunted her far longer.
God knew he had plenty of nightmares—some of them walked and talked and dropped
by for a visit in his hospital room in the middle of the night.
Elle’s hand came up to rest lightly on
his chest, and he felt her breath quicken as tension began to build in the air
between them. “Thank you for saving my life,” she whispered. She pulled back
enough that their faces were just inches apart. And for a moment, he thought she
might actually kiss him. The look in her eyes told him she was
considering it, which shocked the hell out of him…
LETTER TO THE READER
To my readers,
I’m so excited to share
Gabe and Elle’s story! Sparks were flying between these two in Stop at Nothing, so I couldn’t wait to
bring their relationship to readers. I love these characters—from their
flirtatious banter to their deeply emotional moments and everything in between.
Sexy and movie-star
handsome, Deputy Gabe Dawson is the golden boy of Fairfield County. With a
generations-long family legacy of law enforcement and a single-minded
determination to reach the top, Gabe’s career promises to eventually eclipse
even that of his famous father. All this makes him one of the most sought after
bachelors in town. But the one woman Gabe truly wants doesn’t want anything to
do with him.
There’s something about
prosecuting attorney Elle McCoy that Gabe just can’t get enough of. She’s
beautiful, brilliant, and the sexual tension between them every time they’re in
the same room can’t be denied. But her snarky rejection of his charm makes Gabe
want her even more. Not used to being turned down like a hot stove, Gabe hopes
Elle will eventually give him the chance to show her he’s more than his
reputation.
Elle’s had a crush on Gabe
Dawson since she was a gangly teenager but was convinced he’d never give a girl
like her a second glance. So now that they’re adults and she’s witnessed the
famous Dawson charm in action, she doesn’t trust his flirtations—especially
considering Gabe’s reputation as a womanizer. But when he takes a bullet for
her, his self-sacrifice causes her to take a closer look. Soon she discovers the
man he truly is and realizes what was once a schoolgirl crush is now so much
more.
I really loved exploring
Gabe and Elle’s evolution from frenemies to lovers, and I hope readers enjoy
their playful, sultry interactions as much as I enjoyed writing them. But in
addition to the romantic story central to the novel, is the story of love and
family—regardless of whether that family is related by blood or bound together
by loyalty and shared experiences. Exploring these complicated dynamics was an
incredible experience and resulted in some of my favorite scenes in the novel.
There’s so much that I
loved about writing Safe From Harm, and
I’m thrilled to be able to share it now with all of you. Happy reading!
— Kate
Kate SeRine writes
award-winning romantic suspense and paranormal romance. A past recipient of an
Emily Award and the National Readers Choice Award, she has also been a finalist
in the Fire and Ice Contest, Finally a Bride Contest, and the Gayle Wilson
Award of Excellence. She lives with her husband and two sons outside
Indianapolis, Indiana. Connect with Kate at www.kateserine.com.
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