Munro Innocent Next Door (Military Men, #1)

1. Auflage 2016
ISBN: 978-0-473-33034-7
Verlag: Shelley Munro
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 237 Seiten

Reihe: Military Men

Trouble is her middle name...

Life in a small town is comfortable, but living with her loving but overprotective family means it lacks adventure. And forget romance with interfering brothers around. It's time to leave the cozy nest. Her grandiose plans come to a grinding halt when she becomes innocently involved with a crime boss. Then she bumps heads and lips with her uncle's sexy but very bossy neighbor.

Special Air Services soldier Nikolai Tarei owes his neighbor and friend a favor, but looking out for his twenty-two-year-old niece is stretching friendship too far. She is young but her sex appeal, sassiness and brazen disregard for safety have Nikolai scrambling to protect both her and his battered heart.

Summer is a librarian who's a whiz at research. Now she's ready to try out the sex toys and sexual positions she's researched. She is tying Nikolai in sensual knots and driving him nuts in and out of bed. And blast it all-he's enjoying it. Suddenly he's thinking about making the Summer babysitting assignment a full-time commitment-if only he can persuade her to see things his way.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Munro, Shelley

Leseproben

Chapter Two

“I want you to look after Summer.”

Summer’s bare feet froze outside the door to her Uncle Henry’s study. Her hand slid from the brass doorknob. A babysitter? Indignation stabbed her mind, robbing her of the sense of accomplishment she’d experienced seconds earlier.

At age twenty-two, why did they think she needed a babysitter? Her eyes narrowed as she placed her package on a wooden pedestal table and pressed closer to eavesdrop.

“Do I look like a babysitter?” a masculine voice snapped. “Try the yellow pages.”

Summer nodded emphatically, giving a silent cheer for the owner of the low, husky voice. Way to go, mister. But while she waited for Uncle Henry’s comeback, she fumed.

She knew exactly where the idea had originated—her family, or more specifically, her mother who thought danger lurked behind every corner in sinful Auckland City.

After weeks of discussion, her mother had reluctantly agreed to her departure on the stipulation that she stay with Henry, her mother’s younger brother, while she attended her course.

“Think of it as a favor.”

“No.”

The blunt, uncompromising answer pushed a smile to the surface. She liked this man. And she agreed with him one hundred percent. Yes, she’d been a sickly child, but she’d outgrown the bad asthma attacks. As long as she used her preventer, there was nothing wrong with her health. She glanced down at her bust and hips, her expression turning rueful. Thanks to her mother’s excellent cooking, her body—well, the polite word was “curvaceous”.

“Nikolai.” Uncle Henry gave a heartfelt groan—one designed to raise sympathy. “My sister will make my life miserable. She’ll hunt me down on my honeymoon.”

Summer suppressed a snort as she flipped the end of her French braid over her shoulder. Why did Uncle Henry think she’d come to Auckland? Although her mother meant well, she was overprotective when it came to the baby of the family. And now she was doing the smothering thing by remote control, all the way from Eketahuna.

If she allowed this, her bid for freedom would end before it started. It was time her family let her make her own mistakes, let her fix any stuff-ups by herself. Let her live.

When her boss at the Eketahuna Library had suggested further training in Auckland, the possibilities had made her breathless. Eager. At last, a chance to spread her fledgling wings. Despite her parents’ protests, she’d seized the opportunity with both hands.

And she wasn’t about to allow anyone to take away the experience.

“Tell someone who cares. With my track record, I’m the last person you should ask.”

A shiver goose-stepped down her spine. That voice… His decisive tone did things to her. She considered easing the door open a little farther to check out the body that matched the sexy rumble. Meeting men was high on her to-do list. No time like the present.

“I hate to do this,” Uncle Henry said, “but I’m a desperate man. You owe me. That time I saved you from the broad in—”

The heartfelt curse lifted Summer’s brows toward her hairline. She hadn’t heard her brothers use that oath before, and they spilled some original ones if they thought they were alone.

“All right, dammit. I’ll check on her now and then, but if I see one girly tear, I’m outta there. And our debt is square once you get back.”

“That should do it,” Uncle Henry hastily agreed. “Just check to make sure her car is there and get a visual every couple of days.”

Get a visual? Good grief. Nikolai was one of Uncle Henry’s military friends. He’d take his duties seriously. This was not good.

“All I want is a peaceful honeymoon.”

“All you want is to get laid,” Nikolai muttered.

Uncle Henry chuckled—a smug masculine sound that made Summer ache to deck him on Veronica’s behalf. “Yeah, that too.”

Right, that did it. If she allowed this, she’d never escape her family’s well-meaning influence. Yeah, she loved them, knew they loved her in return, but enough was enough.

Summer shoved the door open and strode through. “I’m back. Oh—” She stopped in front of her uncle’s large wooden desk. Her hand fluttered to her left breast in pretend surprise while she studied her uncle’s tan face. Handsome and burly, his recent happiness seemed dimmed by a hint of guilt or maybe that was her imagination. “You have a visitor.”

“Summer, this is Nikolai Tarei. He’s my closest neighbor.”

Summer’s gaze had already snapped to the man with the sexy voice. Physical awareness floored her, made her tongue stick to the roof of her mouth. Luckily, her brain continued to function and nothing impaired her twenty-twenty vision. Oh, boy. Tall, dark and sinfully sexy was welcome to guard her body any time.

Her uncle stood and rounded the desk to stand at her side. “Nikolai, my niece Summer. She’s up in Auckland to do a six-month course at the Central Library.”

Nikolai shoved away from the wall and stepped across the faded blue carpet. “Pleased to meet you.” He held out his hand in greeting.

Summer realized her mouth gaped and snapped it shut. She stuck out her hand, and instantly it was engulfed in his warm grasp. Her heart tap-danced, did a jig—the whole works. She fought the urge to jerk from the contact. One thing stood out in her mind. Miranda’s Tips to Flirting could come in handy with him around.

He released her hand and stepped back. Summer’s avid gaze followed as if attached by an umbilical cord. Big. Actually, make that huge. He towered over her by a good six inches. Broad shoulders gave his black T-shirt quite a workout. She took in his ruffled black hair, the stubble shading his jaw, his sensual mouth. Under no circumstances would she call him tame. Dark eyes that reminded her of the richest, most expensive chocolate skimmed her face, her body, then settled back on her uncle.

Stupidly, Summer felt the sting of rejection, but she told herself it didn’t matter. Nikolai Tarei reminded her of her two brothers—extremely capable and overprotective. And one look told her it was likely he bore the bossy gene. She didn’t require another brother-figure looking over her shoulder, vetting boyfriends, putting a dampener on her quest for independence. Not when she intended to let loose and live a little.

“I wanted you to meet Nikolai before I left. If you have any problems, you can call on him.”

Uncle Henry’s cheerful, gruff voice made her stiffen. Trying too hard. Did they think she was stupid?

“Most people would call that babysitting.” She bared her teeth in a smile and intercepted the brief glance the two men exchanged—the quirk of brow, the silent grimace that said, “You deal with her”.

Oh, for goodness sake. “I’m not expecting any problems. I’ll be too busy.” She paused a beat. “Going out on the town.”

Uncle Henry spluttered. His mouth opened and closed several times.

“I have to go. I’m expecting a call,” Nikolai said.

Summer choked back a laugh. In military terms that qualified as a strategic retreat. Wise man. She watched him saunter to the door and frowned. What should have been a loose-limbed stride had a distinct hitch, but his black jeans covered any evidence of an injury.

“Coward,” Uncle Henry muttered.

Summer turned her gaze on her uncle. “Did you say something?”

“No.”

Summer heard a distinct snicker and whipped her head around.

Nikolai’s face displayed polite farewell. “Henry, see you when you get back. Give my love to Veronica.”

“Right.” The two men shook hands. “Thanks.”

The silent communication thing again. She watched Nikolai exit and limp down the passage. Appreciation bloomed along with a grin at his mighty fine rear end. He might be her babysitter, her jailer, but she still appreciated the view.

She turned to her uncle. “What’s wrong with Nikolai’s leg?”

“Knee injury.”

“On active duty?”

“Yeah.”

Suspicion made her narrow her eyes. “Do Dillon and Josh know him?”

“Your brothers? Maybe.”

A tight sensation gripped her chest. “Don’t tell me he’s Special Air Service.”

“Okay.” Uncle Henry blinked, his steady blue gaze not fooling her one bit. “I won’t.”

* * * * *

Nikolai limped down the uneven front path, heading for the gate in the boundary fence between his and Henry’s property. He would’ve stomped if not for his blasted knee.

A babysitter.

Hell, he didn’t need that sort of responsibility.

His foot skidded on a pile of damp grass clippings. Pain, sharp and jagged, lanced from his knee up his thigh. Nikolai glared at the green hose that spurted water into Henry’s rose garden. He sucked in a pained breath, cursed and staggered to the gate, leaning his weight against it while he rode out the discomfort.

Babysitting. Hell, Henry should know better. Incapacitated the way he was now, he was about as useful as a gun without bullets.

Nikolai tested a little weight on his knee and decided he could make his kitchen without keeling over. The gate creaked open. He should have taken that damn painkiller before he went to Henry’s. At least then, he might have an excuse for agreeing to Henry’s blackmail. But no, he’d been drug-free, clear of mind and in total control, yet he’d still managed to find himself looking after a green country girl just out of high school.

He gritted his teeth as he...