New Release and Giveaway! FOREVER BOUND by Noelle Adams and Samantha Chase (The Protectors #3)

I’ve been a lot of things in my life. Marine. Bodyguard. Security expert. Player. Heart-breaker. Occasionally an asshole.

Never a first-grade teacher. Until now.

It’s the most ridiculous undercover security job I’ve ever had to deal with. Corralling a bunch of six-year-olds while I try to do my job and keep anyone from knowing how clueless I really am.

I manage to fool everyone. Except her.

She’s an actual teacher, and she’s determined to find out what I’m really doing here. She doesn’t trust me, and her daughter doesn’t like me.

And the worst part is that I’m starting to like them. A lot.

So now, instead of being the tough guy, I’m stuck with rowdy children and Christmas pageants and falling in love.

It’s not the way I thought I’d spend Christmas.

Excerpt:

I was feeling pretty confident the next morning. I spent the entire night going over the notes that Eileen had left for me and basically learning the essentials of the first grade.

Not a good feeling for a guy who passed the first grade almost thirty years ago.

So there I was, walking down the hall, a little spring in my step, when I looked up and saw…her. Kristin was heading my way, and part of me wanted to do a quick sidestep into the nearest open doorway. Avoidance wasn’t usually my thing, but if Lily complained to her mother again…well, I didn’t need Kristin bringing me down. Not when I was feeling good about what I accomplished.

“Mr. Curtis,” she said with a sincere smile as she approached.

That instantly made me suspicious, but I forced myself to remain calm. “Ms. Andrews. How are you today?” I hated polite, social chit-chat.

“Fine. Thanks.” She eyed the stack of books and folders in my arms, and her smile seemed to grow. “It looks like you had a lot of homework last night.”

“You could say that,” I said evenly. We stood there in amicable silence for a minute and that was when it hit me. Kristin Andrews wasn’t “cute”—not like I thought yesterday. Looking at her now—with a little more a relaxed attitude—I noticed that she was really quite attractive. She had a girl-next-door thing going on that was kind of appealing.

“I hope the kids aren’t giving you too hard of a time. They tend to take advantage when there’s a substitute in the room.”

There was no condescension in her tone, and that made me relax even more. Maybe we had just gotten off on the wrong foot yesterday. She had a really great smile, and I felt myself being suddenly drawn to her. “I’ll admit that they’re a little tougher than I expected.” We both chuckled at that, and Kristin rested her hand on my arm.

And that one innocent gesture felt more intimate than anything I’d felt in a long time.

“Never underestimate a six year old. They can be bossy and opinionated and…” She sighed. “Great.”

“You’ve got a great daughter,” I heard myself say.

Kristin nodded. “Yes, I do.” Her eyes met mine, and it was all I could do to stop myself from leaning in and resting my forehead on hers right before I kissed her.

Wait. Kiss her? What?

Off in the distance, I could hear people starting to walk around the hallway. I cleared my throat and took a step back. What the hell was I thinking? I was here to do a job. I had a kid to protect and a group of kids who were expecting me to be teaching them…something. Anything.

I looked at Kristin and saw the same dazed expression on her face that I was sure was on mine.

Glad to see I wasn’t alone.

“I…I better go,” she said, suddenly seeming shy. And without another word, she walked away.

And damn if I didn’t stand there and watch the soft sway of her hips as she made her way down the hall.