Bodyguard to the Bride - Softcover

Sinclair, Dani

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0373693516 ISBN 13: 9780373693511

Publisher: Harlequin Intrigue, 2008

Synopsis

The most beautiful bride he'd ever seen—and she belonged to someone else…

But that wouldn't stop bodyguard Xavier Drake from protecting Zoe Linden with his life. And it would help him to focus on the problem at hand—convincing Zoe to stay with him when she learned he hadn't been hired by her missing fiancé. The gunfi re blazing around them assured she'd remain glued to his side. But it was her unexpected pregnancy that got under this tough guy's skin and brought out every primal protective instinct.

On the run in her wedding dress, Zoe sensed she could trust the stranger who came to protect her. But neither were prepared for the consequences of their unexpected passion under fire….

About this title

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Xavier Drake stared at the woman in the full-length bedroom mirror. He hadn't expected her to be so lovely or so delicate-looking. The cream-colored wedding gown with its simple lines fell gracefully to the floor in soft folds. She turned to the side, studying her reflection in profile. A slender hand smoothed the satiny material against her stomach. Brown hair, burnished to a gleaming teak, framed her oval face.

He continued to watch in silence as she lifted the simple veil from the top of her dresser and placed it on her head. All the trite phrases people used to describe a bride flitted through his mind. For the first time, he understood. Those phrases certainly described this bride-to-be. No wonder Wayne had been so taken with this woman.

Her fawn-colored eyes widened in shock as their gazes met in the mirror. Xavier was already moving forward as she started to turn, lips parting.

"Don't scream," he ordered sternly. "I won't hurt you."

He got his hand over her mouth in time. She fought him then, hampered by the dress. Even without that, she wouldn't have had a chance. He was bigger, stronger, well trained in unarmed combat and far more determined. His free arm wrapped around her chest, pinning her right arm against a firm, full breast. Her left hand clawed his where it covered her mouth. She smelled faintly of cinnamon and vanilla.

"Don't make me drug you."

She stilled at the warning, chest heaving, eyes wide with fear in the mirror. He hated that he'd caused such a look, but he had little choice.

"I'm not going to rape you. I'm not going to hurt you at all if I can help it."

She breathed hard and fast through her nose. Her chest rose and fell beneath his arm. Her body was firm and strong, and she was a perfect height for him.

He shook off the thought. "I need you to come with me and we don't have much time. I'm going to let go of your mouth." He held her gaze sternly. "Don't scream. If you scream, I'll have to silence you. Do you understand?"

She gave a jerky nod.

"Do you promise not to scream?"

The nod came again, less jerky. Slowly, he released her mouth, ready to clamp down again if she drew a deep breath. Instead, the breath she drew was shaky. Eyes flashed in anger, still edged by fear.

"You nearly suffocated me! Let me go!"

"I don't think so."

"You said you weren't going to hurt me."

He relaxed his grip fractionally. "I'm not hurting you."

"My bruises say otherwise. How did you get in here?"

Someone must have told her a strong offense was the best defense. She was scared to death, but she had guts.

"Does it matter?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Harrison said you would stay outside."

"What?"

Still shaken, but now looking more annoyed than scared, she shook her head. "Let me go. I'm sure Harrison didn't tell you to manhandle me."

He had no idea what she was talking about, but he was relieved and more than a little surprised that she was calm.

"I'll let you go as soon as I'm sure you aren't going to do anything stupid."

Her glare deepened. "Define stupid."

His lips twitched. "Screaming, running, trying to hit me with something."

"Deal."

He released her slowly. Immediately, she crossed to the nightstand. His hand closed over the telephone a moment before hers. "You agreed," he scolded.

"You didn't say anything about making a phone call. I want to talk to Harrison."

"Chew on him later. The others could show up any minute now."

"What others?"

"The men who killed Wayne know where you are. I saw one of them downstairs."

Her lips parted on a soft oh of comprehension. Her hand went to her stomach as fear widened her eyes once more. They were very pretty eyes.

"You saw one of them?"

"He was in the parking lot."

"It could have been someone who lives here."

"Or a thief looking for an unlocked car. You willing to take that chance?" Glancing around the room, he spotted a suitcase on the floor near the bed. "Is that case packed?"

"Mostly, yes. I still have a few more things in the dryer."

"Replace them later. Let's go."

"Like this? You're insane. I have to change!"

"Forget it. We don't have time. Consider this a formal kidnapping."

"But—"

"No buts. Lady, we have to go now. Every second you delay is costing precious time."

"The name is Zoe."

"I don't care if it's Fred." He grabbed the bag, wondering if it could possibly be this easy. Would she come with him willingly? "Let's go."

"At least let me change my shoes!"

There isn't time died unspoken. She was already stepping out of a pair of sexy slim high heels and sliding her feet into a pair of flat shoes on the floor nearby.

"I am not going to run around anywhere in those high heels. They pinch."

"Then why wear them?"

"They go with my gown. Are you sure there isn't time to change out of this dress?"

"Positive." He had to get her away before trouble really did come knocking or before she started asking more pointed questions—like how she could be sure he'd been sent by this Harrison person, who he assumed was probably the groom.

She snatched the wedding veil from her head, grabbed her purse from the foot of the bed and started down the hall to the living room. He followed, hefting a suitcase that weighed more than it should have given its size, amazed and relieved by this unexpected boon.

"The front door's still locked." A trace of fear returned to her voice as she flipped the dead bolt and looked back at him. "How did you get in here?"

He inclined his head toward the sliding glass doors. "The balcony."

"We're three floors up!"

"I know." He reached past her and opened the door. "Take the stairs. We'll go out the back."

"But—"

"Will you be quiet and move!"

She bit back something that no doubt would have singed his ears and stepped into the quiet hallway. Without further prompting, she headed for the stairwell. The fire door opened a second before they reached it. Two men started to step into the hall and stopped dead to stare at them. He shoved the woman behind him without glancing at her.

"Run!"

In slow motion, the larger one fumbled for a gun. Xavier slammed the suitcase into the wiry man in front. He staggered back, jostling the bigger one. The gun dropped from his hand. Xavier followed with a hard shove at the forward man's chest before either of them could go for the dropped weapon. Both men fell back onto the concrete landing.

Using the suitcase, Xavier slammed into the first man with all his strength and aimed a hard kick at his chest. The man fell back against his companion and both men tumbled down the concrete stairs. Spinning, Xavier opened the landing door that had closed at his back and ran down the hall toward Zoe.

The elevator came to a stop and the door slid open. With the skirt of her wedding gown bunched in her hand, Zoe held the door ajar, waiting. An older man started to step outside his apartment.

"Get back!" she yelled to him. "They have guns!"

The elderly man took in Xavier running down the hall with the suitcase, Zoe in her wedding dress and the gun on the carpeting behind him. Without a sound he darted back inside, slamming his door shut.

"Go!" Xavier ordered.

Footsteps pounded down the hall toward them. The elevator doors closed and Xavier pressed the button for Two.

"What are you doing?"

"Hoping they're dumb enough to run to the first floor."

"We'll be trapped!"

"Know anyone on Two?"

"Yes, but we can't put anyone else in danger."

He hit the button for One. "Think you can climb in that dress?"

"You have to be kidding. I'm getting married tomorrow. I can't get this dress dirty."

"If they kill you before morning, you won't have to worry about it, lady."

"I told you, the name is Zoe."

"Right." The door opened on Two. He stuck out his head. The sound of footsteps running down the concrete stairs was audible even from there. "Which apartment?"

"What?"

"Which apartment? You said you know people."

"227. Down the hall around the corner, but—"

"No buts, remember?"

Grabbing her hand, he tugged her in his wake. There was no sound from inside apartment 227 even after he rapped hard on the door.

"They probably aren't home," she told him breathlessly. "It's a Friday night."

"Good. Let's hope their dead bolt is as cheap as yours." Stepping back, he aimed a kick at the panel beside the doorknob.

"What are you doing?"

"Saving our lives." Three kicks and the door sprang open. Zoe gasped. Xavier hauled her inside and shut the broken door. "They'll need a new lock."

"Are you crazy?"

"Those men have guns," he reminded her.

"Don't you?"

"No." He scanned the dark interior, tugging her toward the balcony.

"What kind of bodyguard doesn't carry a gun?"

"The kind trying to save your life. Come on."

"What are you doing?"

"It isn't going to take them long to figure out where we went," he warned as he opened the balcony door. "Hopefully, right now that old man or one of your other neighbors is calling the police."

"I am not climbing off a second-story balcony," she panted.

He eyed her dress. "Yeah. Might be a stretch. I'll lower you."

Her hands went to her stomach. "No!"

Tossing her suitcase to the ground and grateful it didn't open and spill what had to be half the contents of her apartment, he grabbed her around the waist before she realized what he was going to do.

"No! Stop! I'll get hurt! I'll break something!"

"Make it your arm," he told her as he swung her, kicking and struggling over the railing. "You're going to need your legs to run."

"No!"

Xavier ignored her, lowering her as far down as he could. "Head for the parking lot. Don't stop and don't look back."

She shrieked as he let her go.

Zoe landed hard, momentarily stunned. Miraculously, she managed to stay on her feet. Her purse thumped heavily against her side as her veil fluttered to the ground. The bodyguard swung over the railing and leaped down as if it was something he did every day. Given the way he filled out his clothing, maybe it was.

Despite her earlier panic it had been imp...

Edition details

• Publisher: Harlequin Intrigue
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0373693516
• ISBN 13: 9780373693511
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 224