 by Annabeth Albert.jpg)
Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 93713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 469(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 469(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
As a former SEAL intelligence officer, I’m supposed to be smart. Unfortunately, those smarts don't apply to love. I did a nice thing and took my heartbroken fellow bodyguard out for a Valentine’s dinner. Just us bros. But my plan worked a little too well, and a night that ended with a scorching kiss has turned into the most awkward morning at the office ever. Now we’re working together as bodyguards on a remote mountain movie shoot. And we’re roommates.
I’ve never been attracted to a guy before, but something about Avery calls to every protective instinct I have. We’re not dating, but every night alone together, I fall a little deeper. It's also Avery’s first time with a guy too, and while we’re both enjoying all sorts of new things together, I worry my heart will be broken when we return to civilization.
ROCKY START is book four in the A-List Security series. It features TWO highly protective SEAL bodyguards, a double awakening, an exploration of the sexy, lacy kind, and all sorts of brand-new emotions. Get ready for all the high heat, big feels, and found family feels readers expect from this fan-favorite military romance author. Join A-List Security for this lower-angst series featuring former SEALs and celebrity clients. Happy endings and no cliffhangers guaranteed!
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Chapter One
Avery
“I’m the luckiest dude in the universe,” I said as Malik sat beside me near the door of the old school where we were working security for a movie shoot. We’d set up a perimeter around the parking area and stationed ourselves at the south entrance for extras and production crew to check in.
“Because I brought you a soda?” Malik sounded understandably doubtful and quirked a dark eyebrow. He was nice like that, always bringing back drinks or snacks for others. And he’d popped the tops on both our sodas, saving me the trouble. My current arm prosthesis was the best I’d tried yet, but pull tabs were still tricky.
“Well, that was nice. But mainly because of Venus. My girlfriend.” Simply saying the words made me smile. The novelty hadn’t worn off, even though I’d updated my social media profiles a couple of weeks ago.
“Oh, that’s right. Forgot she was scheduled for today’s filming.” Like my other coworkers at the security firm I worked for, Malik was likely sick of hearing me talk about my girlfriend. But for the first time since high school, I was neither deployed nor single for Valentine’s Day. Bring on the season of hearts and flowers. I had Venus. Even Malik’s thoughtful expression didn’t faze me. “You’re a lucky guy. She seems very…glam.”
“She is.” I sighed happily. Malik had probably searched for a nice way to say high maintenance, but wasn’t that practically a given with these actress types?
“I wouldn’t have pegged you for having the most in common.” Malik continued the diplomatic tone, which was a bit nicer than coming right out and asking what the heck she saw in a guy like me.
“Having things in common is overrated.” I took a long sip of root beer. Funny, Malik was still new to the team and already knew my favorite soda flavor and brand.
Also new was my relationship. Venus was a drop-dead-gorgeous aspiring actress with a minor role in the movie I’d been working security for the past few months. She was practically a celebrity. Of course, she wouldn’t share my love of tower defense games or things like British comedy and nature documentaries. And we both liked fitness, but she preferred classes with her friends over gym time as a couple. That was okay. Her booked schedule made our rare dates that much more special. Swallowing, I smiled over at Malik. “She makes me feel like a million bucks.”
“Well, that’s great.” Malik’s mouth was a little tight around the edges. He’d probably been hanging around our boss, who wasn’t a big Venus fan. “You deserve someone to treat you right.”
Yup. He’d definitely been listening to the LT, who insisted I call him Duncan and had lectured me the other day about falling too hard too fast for Venus. Heck, even Harley had felt the need to warn me about watching for people who would take advantage. However, they didn’t know Venus, and seeing as they were all coupled up, they didn’t understand how hard it was to land someone like her.
“She does,” I said brightly, even if adding sort of or occasionally would have been more accurate. Venus wasn’t big on little gestures or doing things for others. She definitely was not into cutesy-couple stuff, but she’d chosen me. Everywhere we went, guys were jealous of me.
Malik didn’t seem to envy me as much, but he’d recently been dumped by his fiancée if company gossip was to be believed. Maybe he still had a broken heart.