Chapter I
Chapter 1
room
Under the cloak of night, a dim momheden
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sidotes The woman, her skin as set in ville hard her arms wrapped tightly around the chan’s neck her eyes alight with a ring challenge in me, if you face the moved her lips teasingly close to hit ear
The warmth of his breath sent a shiver down her spine. His eyes were a storm of longing, and the whole bob of his throat hinted at a promise unspoken. He was utterly exprivating Betover be candid proped, the nipped playfully at his neck
could
His eyes deepened to a smoldering hur With a wing hand, he drew her in the winder, with a slight thud. “Hey, watch it the protested her eyebrows kriting in a brief frown found hers in a silencing kiss.
cold
the und te meeting her back out her words were lot as his mouth
The gentle rush of water stirred Tiana Schneider from her dumber. Her head pounded from the excesses of the night before, her thoughts a jumbled mess
She rose, the curtains parting to reveal the morning light. Massaging her temples, she shivered, her gaze falling to her exposed skin, now adorned with the marks of passion.
Her engagement to Simon Fletcher had been set for yesterday–a dream she’d nurtured for years. They’d grown up side by side, and her heart had been his for a decade. Hed promised to make her his wife when the time was right.
She thought they were destined to be together. But yesterday, he’d callously skipped their engagement for someone else. making her the laughingstock of Novavista.
A sharp ache pierced her chest, and Tiana squeezed her eyes shut, struggling to hold back the tears.
The bathroom door creaked open, and a tall, imposing man stepped out. Dressed in a black shirt and slacks, the top button accentuating his prominent Adam’s apple, he looked every bit the part.
His short–cropped hair framed a face that was all hard lines and angles, from his sharp cheekbones to his deep–set eyes that seemed to radiate a cold, distant aura. He was the picture of trouble
Tiana’s gaze swept over his rugged features, more rugged than Simon’s, and memories from the night before flashed through her mind. It was a shock that hit her like a bolt of lightning: the man she’d spent the night with was her bodyguard, Enoch Gaston!
Panic seized her. She felt like she was drowning She clutched the sheets around her like a shield and, in a whirlwind of embarrassment and rage, grabbed the ashtray from the nightstand and hurled it at him.
Enoch moved aside with an easy grace, the ashtray sailing past him.
Still fuming. Tiana snatched up the phone and threw it at him next. Anything she could get her hands on was fair game, but he dodged each item with an almost bored expression.
In her fury, she grabbed a piece of fabric without a second look and flung it at him. This time, it connected, but as the black lace draped over his face, she realized with horror what she’d thrown–her own underwear!
“Enoch, you did that on purpose! Take it off!” she demanded.
With slow, deliberate movements, Enoch pulled the lace from his face and approached the bed, casting a long shadow over her. “Ms. Schneider, have you finished throwing things?”
16:24 Fri, 14 Feb M
Chapter 1
Tiana glared at him, her chest heaving with indignation. Td tell my dad what happened. I could ruin you in Novavjeta
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But Enoch seemed unfazed by her threat. He leaned in, his towering frame bringing an intimidating presence. Tiana found herself pressed back against the bed, her escape cut off.
Tiana’s palms met Enoch’s chest, the fabric no barrier to the firm muscles beneath. It was like touching a live wire, she jolted, her mind a whirl of confusion. “Enoch, where do you get off? You’re my bodyguard, for crying out loud. How could you-
With a gentle finger, he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his breath warm against her skin as he murmured. “You might want to recall who made the first move last night, Ms. Schneider.
The heady scent of him filled her senses, her heart pounding in her ears. She recalled all too clearly how she’d been the one to flirt and tease, escalating the tension until…
She cursed herself for drinking. Enoch was known for his iron self–control, unmoved even by the boldest advances. Yet here they were.
“Did you use me to get back at Simon?” she challenged. “Your fiancée, Jocelyn Johnson, was involved with Simon, and you ended up in my bed?”
Simon had left her stranded, a victim of his own betrayal because of Enoch’s fiancée’s accident. Enoch had stayed away. letting Simon deal with the fallout, leaving Tiana to face the gossip alone.
Enoch smirked down at her, the floral notes from her hair reaching him as he leaned in, his lips tracing a path along her cheek. “What do you think?”
Tiana was torn between embarrassment and rage. She was shocked by his audacity, his lips on her skin. She pushed against his chest, her voice firm. “Enoch, who gave you the right to touch me?”
He caught her wrists, his breath a hot whisper in her ear. “Ms. Schneider, you started this. Are you running away from what happened?”
Tiana went quiet, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. She had initiated it, yes, but now she was the one facing the fallout.
Tiana squinted at Enoch, really seeing him for the first time. He was handsome in a rugged, raw way, with sharp features that could have been carved from stone and lips that looked made for kissing.
His body was a work of art, and it was a wonder he was just her bodyguard. For two years, he’d been her protector, never once overstepping.
She had a thing for good looks, and Enoch ticked all her boxes. “What do you want?” she asked abruptly, the question surprising even her.
His soft chuckle filled the room. “You tell me.”
As she took in his strong, untamed presence, Tiana wet her lips. “How about you go from bodyguard to secret lover?” she suggested, figuring she and Simon were done for good.
Enoch’s eyes glinted with a cold light. “So you want to keep sleeping with me?”
Tiana felt like a cat caught in headlights. “You should be honored to have me,” she retorted.
“Then marry me and be Mrs. Gaston,” he said, his declaration as sudden as it was unexpected.
16:24 Fri, 14 Feb
Chapter 2
