by Leslie North
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SEAL’s Protection, February 14 2019
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PS: Do you love hot blooded SEALS? Then keep reading for exclusive extracts from SEAL’s Protection and Shooting the SEAL.
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About Leslie North
Leslie North is the USA Today Bestselling pen name for a critically-acclaimed author of women's contemporary romance and fiction. The anonymity gives her the perfect opportunity to paint with her full artistic palette, especially in the romance and erotic fantasy genres.
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BLURB
Viktoria Jonsdottir is none too pleased with the personal bodyguard her father has insisted on hiring to keep her safe. Safe from what, she has no idea, but she’s convinced having this brooding man hovering over her is completely unnecessary. All she wants to do is get to New York where her father is conducting high level meetings for their corporation—meetings she arranged, to prove her value to the company. Sure, Lee MacCallister is sexy as hell and his eyes would make an ordinary woman swoon. But Viktoria is no ordinary woman. She’s not going to fall for Lee, even if he does make her feel things she’s never felt before. Like this strange new emotion that just might be…happiness.
It’s a simple enough assignment for the former Army Ranger—protect some rich, spoiled woman for a few days then pick up the check. Only thing is, Viktoria isn’t like any woman he’s ever met. She’s tough, smart, and has a body that’s more than a little distracting. He can keep it professional, even though she’s beyond tempting as sin. But when things get dicey and Victoria’s enemies prove to be far more dangerous than Lee anticipated, he realizes Viktoria has become more than an assignment—she’s become personal. And that could be the most dangerous thing of all.
Grab your copy of SEAL’s Protection
February 14 2019
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SNEAK PEEK
Chapter One
Lee McCallister used his forefinger and thumb to widen the document filling the screen of his smartphone. His oldest brother, Chance, had taken a picture of the letter the Army mailed to their childhood home—the address Lee claimed as his permanent residence though he didn’t live there—and texted it late last night.
Below the official letterhead, his old lieutenant colonel invited (commanded) Lee to report to Fort Benning, Georgia, in three weeks. His former Army Ranger unit was to receive the Valorous Unit Award for their “extraordinary heroism in action.”
The phone edges bit into Lee’s fingers as he skimmed the words: your unit performed with marked distinction under difficult and hazardous conditions in accomplishing its mission…
Echoes of explosions, frightened screams, men shouting orders in multiple languages, and chaos invaded his mind.
Slamming his eyes closed, Lee ground the base of his palm against his right eye socket, forcing the sounds of that mission back into the hole deep in his mind. He hated thinking about that day. Their unit may have succeeded in rescuing the band of soldiers and the medical civilians also held hostage, but Lee had lost his career. His right eye looked normal to the rest of the world but thanks to a flying piece of shrapnel, it no longer had the perfect vision required to maintain his sniper status with the Rangers. He’d had to medically retire and suddenly become a civilian twenty years too soon. And he had no backup plan. At twenty-eight years old, he had to start over.
Then life decided to kick him in the nuts all over again. He barely had his discharge papers in hand when his father died. With his mother already gone in Lee’s early teen years, losing his father meant he only had his two older brothers left. Good thing he loved the SOBs and knew they’d always have his back or he’d be in even worse shape.
His phone chimed, ripping Lee out of his spiraling thoughts and into the present. Closing the letter, he glanced at the time and jerked away from the building’s stone façade. Early morning sunshine attempted to burrow behind his sunglasses as he rounded the corner and headed toward the main entrance, helping Lee box the last few months in his mind and focus on the present. San Diego, California, was about two-thousand miles away (depending on how you traveled) from that letter currently sitting in his hometown of Springwell, Georgia. He didn’t need to respond this minute, so he shoved it down on the list of priorities.
Tackling the stairs, he headed to the business located on the second floor and stepped inside the two-office suite. A clock on the wall above the small waiting area showed he’d arrived precisely at eight a.m. Right on time.
“Go on in.” The young man seated behind the reception/administrative assistant desk pointed to the open door on the left.
Lee dipped his chin in acknowledgement as he passed, then shut the door behind him after entering. More sun filtered into the windows, bathing the room in its rays. The various plants enjoyed the light, but it did nothing to brighten the face of the large man stuffed behind the wooden desk.
“Boom,” Lee greeted, marching with his hand out toward the man rising to his feet. Sebastian McKinney never went by any other name but Boom. It could harken back to his EOD—Explosive Ordinance Disposal—days before he did a stint as a Ranger or how loudly his voice carried. Either way, the moniker fit the man perfectly.
A massive hand engulfed Lee’s and squeezed just enough to be noticeable but not enough to cripple. Boom may be in his sixties, but he stuck to a strict workout regimen and diet that had him looking years younger and maintaining the solidly muscled width of a Humvee.
“Welcome back,” Boom replied, his deep voice bouncing off the walls as usual. “I read your report on the Asia assignment.” He motioned for Lee to have a seat in one of the two visitor chairs.
Lee dropped into the black-cushioned seat and nodded. “Nice and boring.”
Boom laughed. “Just how we like it.”
Yesterday evening Lee had returned from escorting a prominent politician to South East Asia for three days, then back.
“You’ve completed four assignments for us now.” Boom rested his hands on his desk. “And I’ve been very pleased with what I’ve seen so far. Are you settling in okay? Still want to stick with us?”
After Lee and his brothers buried their father, Lee’s former CO had reached out and asked if he had anything lined up for work. Lee had admitted he had no clue what to do with himself. His CO had offered to secure an interview with a retired Ranger who co-owned Elite Security Services based in San Diego that handled a lot of short- and long-term bodyguard assignments. His CO had then suggested Lee find a shooting range and become proficient in small arms. Welcoming the chance to do something besides wallow in the bitterness and anger, he’d bought himself a Sig Sauer. The foreign feel of the handgun versus the weight of his beloved sniper rifle grated, but he sucked it up. The mechanics of shooting a Sig were different enough from a rifle to be a challenge, even without his eye issues. His brother Harris, an active-duty Marine Raider, had helped him hone the skill during their road trip from Georgia to Las Vegas they’d taken after burying their father and he was grateful. With vision off in his dominant eye, he could still hit the bullseye but it wasn’t as easy anymore, and it took a lot more concentration than he’d ever had to exert before.
Did he still yearn to be with his unit, covering them with his rifle? Hell yeah. But he couldn’t, so, three weeks ago he’d walked into this office and accepted a job. He wasn’t fool enough to th
row this opportunity away even if he couldn’t see himself as a career bodyguard.
“It’s different from the military,” Lee answered honestly. Boom could smell BS from a mile away so Lee didn’t try. “But I’m getting the hang of things and would like to stay on your payroll if you’re willing.” Maybe he’d stick around long enough to find a real place to live instead of the month-to-month sublease on a deployed SEAL’s condo.
“Glad to hear it.” Boom smiled wide and lifted a file off his desk. “Seeing how well you did with the politician, I’m convinced you can handle another sensitive assignment.”
Curiosity swamped Lee as he slid the file from Boom’s fingers.
“This new job,” Boom continued, “is confidential. Outside of the two other men assigned to help you, the fewer the people who know this client’s movements, the better, but the work itself should be a cakewalk.”
Lee opened the file—
Hol-lee… Piercing blue eyes shown from an exquisite face surrounded by miles of thick black hair. “Is it my birthday so soon?”
Boom laughed but waggled a finger. “Sorry, son. She’s strictly hands off.”
“Damn.” Regret lanced through Lee but he wasn’t too upset. The line between a professional bodyguard and his client needed to remain as impenetrable as a Kevlar vest. Boom told him that on his first day and Lee respected him for it.
“Viktoria Jonsdottir is the daughter of a very powerful man whose Icelandic company is a leading manufacturer of wool products,” Boom recited as Lee’s eyes skipped to the bio summary that said the same thing. “They’re in the U.S. on business and the father, Jon Aronsson, wants her protected while he handles some hard-nosed negotiations.”
“Why me?” Lee paused, flipping to the next page. “I mean, I’m grateful for the assignment and the vote of confidence to be the lead, but I’m still new and your tone tells me you’re cautious about this job.”
Boom inclined his head. “The fact you’re picking that up just solidifies my decision.” He scratched his chin. “You’ve got good instincts and your former CO,”—commanding officer—“told me men tended to look to you in tough spots. All that counts.” He motioned to the file. “This should be just a babysitting gig, but I’m not taking any risks. Jon Aronsson is a very exacting man who’s been referred to us by an old friend of mine. I don’t want anything to screw up a potentially long-term relationship. He’s usually the target beyond Iceland’s borders if there’s trouble. It’s another reason why he’s separating himself from Viktoria. We have no reason to believe she’s in any danger now, but if something happens, you’re the guy I want there to deal with it. Besides, of all my available guys, you’re the only one with a tandem jump certification, and you have the most HALO and HAHO jumps under his belt.”
Lee jolted and snapped his spine straight at the military terminology for parachuting from a plane. HALO—High Altitude Low Opening—and HAHO—High Altitude High Opening—were used in covert missions and had everything to do with when you pulled the cord to open the parachute. “You think we’re going to be tandem jumping?”
Tandem was skydiving with two people strapped together in a specialized harness that had one parachute supporting both their weights. It wasn’t as easy as it sounded and it wasn’t his favorite activity.
“I certainly hope not.” The creases between Boom’s eyes deepened. “But since you’ll be spending most of your time crossing the country in a private jet to New York City, I’d be stupid not to have that potential scenario covered.”
From what he’d experienced so far, Boom never held back or beat around the bush. He laid out all the pucker-factors to make sure Lee understood the risks, but Viktoria had no known threats and it should be an easy babysitting job.
Lee’s gaze drifted to the picture of Viktoria. The sunlight gleamed off the photo, catching those piercing blue eyes, taunting him to remain professional as they lounged on a luxury plane. Slapping the file shut, he grinned at his boss. “Should be fun. When do I meet her?”
Grab your copy of SEAL’s Protection
February 14 2019
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BLURB
With the clock ticking, Navy SEAL Gage Jackelson must uncover the truth about his fallen teammate before he and his brothers-in-arms take the blame. When his intel leads him to a publishing company, he never dreamed he’d end up as a romance cover model. He’ll do whatever it takes to get closer to the information he needs, but when he meets Anna—the photographer with the striking eyes and sultry voice—it just may be worth it.
Photographer Anna Middleton has shot her share of male models, but none that are real-life SEALs. She’s not sure why the tall, muscular military man would want to pose as a romance hero, but she doesn’t have much time to wonder before her boss disappears under suspicious circumstances. Soon she’s thrust into the middle of a situation that could mean life or death.
When Gage realizes how much trouble Anna is in, he’ll do what he can to shield her from the danger that always follows him. But with the scars from her past that she keeps hidden, can Anna ever trust him if she learns their meeting was based on a lie?
Grab your copy of Shooting The SEAL (Saving The SEALs Book One) from
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EXCLUSIVE EXTRACT
Chapter One
Gage Jackelson decided he’d rather be in the middle of a fire fight on open water than standing in the front of a green screen in nothing more than his jeans, feeling like a hunk of meat on a slab.
What looked like a Gothic fairy—heavy on the black eye-liner and dyed hair and complete with what looked a pink tutu trimmed in more black—flitted about him, dusting powder on him and muttering about cheekbones.
This was ridiculous. He stood, arms folded, wondering how he could get out of this. But he couldn’t. He had to start thinking of this like a mission. So he let the fairy fuss.
The elevator pinged, and he hoped the photographer had finally arrived and he could wrap up this charade, get the intel they needed, and get his shirt back on. The things he’d do for a friend—even a dead one.
Hearing steps, he glanced over and watched a young woman walk into the studio—okay, warehouse was a better name for it. A loft with more ceiling space than floor space, white walls and photos hung on them. Dirt glazed the windows, but he had enough light on him that he kept breaking a light sweat.
The woman stepped in front of him, head cocked, and stared at him. He could feel his skin warm. He’d been on the other side of that kind of assessment—had been eyeing the girls just last week with Scotty making his usual crude remarks, and Spencer sipping his tequila. This woman would have rated a second look and one of Scotty’s terrible pick-up lines.
Eyes blue as the Mediterranean Sea fixed on him. Tight jeans encased long legs—he’d always been a leg man—and a white silk blouse said she had money enough to afford good clothes. Golden hair had been pulled back from a heart-shaped face. She didn’t wear much makeup that he could see, and he caught a flash of gold earrings. But those eyes kept pulling him back for another look. Who the hell was she? The photographer’s girlfriend?
Turning, she walked over to the camera—not a digital, but something big and old and also expensive-looking. She stared through the lens and then looked up at him. “Gage Jackelson,” she said the name as if she was thinking of something else. She propped a fist on one hip. “I keep wondering why’d a Navy SEAL agree to a cover shoot.” A guy could feel quite warm wrapped up in her sultry tone.
He lifted an eyebrow. “And you are?”
She stepped up and reached out to shake his hand. “Anna Middleton.”
Gage nodded. The photos on the walls all had Middleton signed to them. He was going to guess not the photographer’s wife—no ring on her finger. He fought the urge to hold her hand longer than he should, but he caught a flush of color in her cheeks. She tilted her head up to look at him and he could swear he caught a flash of surprise in those sea-blue ey
es.
Pulling her hand back, he watched as she tucked it behind her back before turning to grab the camera off its stand.
“Did Linda explain how this works?”
Linda—the Gothic fairy—flashed a smile at him. She trailed a finger down his forearm. “You’ll do great. He’s set, Anna.” She ducked away.
Gage glanced at Anna and her camera. “How hard is it to smile for the camera?” Gage drawled. His fingers stopped tingling since he touched her, and he was itching to do so again. Or possibly run his fingers through that soft cloud of hair.
“You’d be surprised.” Her wide mouth twitched at the corners. “We’ll start without props, but Linda will bring a few in later.”
“Props?” Gage lifted both eyebrows.
Anna took a couple of shots, the camera clicking. “We use a green screen so we can drop in any background, but it’s easier to use anything that you will be touching in the actual photos.” Stepping back to the tripod, Anna set the camera on it. She looked through the camera lens, paused and looked back up at him. “Um, you’re looking a little stiff.”
Linda gave a snort of amusement, tried to hide it with a cough. Gage smiled, and Anna gave Linda a dirty look before turning back to Gage. “Any chance you can relax? Loosen up? Look less like you’re standing in front of a camera?”
Gage forced a smile. He was going to kill Scotty and Spencer for talking him into being the one to come to Coran Williams Publishing. This is for Nick, he told himself again. And they had damn little to go on right now —an encrypted flash drive and one personal photo that had been of Nick and Natalie. They hadn’t even found Nick’s awards and honors for service. But the photo had led them here.