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May 2009

Someone needed to protect her…

With her partner dead and his dangerous associates after her, fear made Marie run—and drove her right into the arms of Jake Colder, the sheriff of the small town where she sought refuge. The sexual attraction between them is instant and intense, but even the taste of heated nights spent with Jake’s gorgeous hard body wrapped around her isn’t enough to let Marie relax her guard. If Jake knew what she’d done, he’d arrest her, exposing her to the deadly greed of the men who pursued. Still, as hard as she tries to stay away from the hunky sheriff, some inexplicable force keeps pulling them back together.

And that someone was Jake.

Jake knew Marie needed his protection. He’d been warned by the ghost of his great-great-grandfather, the family guardian for over a century. Whatever the trouble was, there was one thing he was sure of—he wanted Marie in his life, in his bed, forever, and no one was going to hurt her on his watch.

An Excerpt From: GUARDIAN ANGEL

Copyright © LISE FULLER, 2009

All Rights Reserved, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.

When Jake looked at her, a humorous glow lit his eyes. He lifted the corner of his sexy lips and smiled, gazing at her for a second before he reached to pull the saddle down.

But that second was enough to undo her.

“You’ll be fine,” he said.

Marie tried to get a grip on herself. “Can I do that?”

His brows rose as if to question her decision. “Sure.” Jake released the saddle and let it fall back in place. He took the reins from her then stepped under the horse’s head and hooked them over the fence post. In a moment, he stood behind her. “Go ahead.”

She rubbed her palms on her pants and inched toward the horse. “Just lift it off?”

“Yep.”

She’d watched Jake. He’d tossed the other one away easily enough. She could do this.

Marie grabbed the horn and the back of the saddle then jerked the seat down. The weight of the thing almost yanked her arms out of their sockets. She thought she’d drop it until Jake reached around her and caught the edges. His arms pinned her between the saddle and his muscled chest. “Like I said,” his rich voice whispered in her ear, “it takes a little getting used to. Let go. I got it.”

Her skin heated against his firm body. She released her hold. When she turned in his arms, his mouth came within inches of hers. She rested her palms against his pecs, ran the tip of her tongue along her bottom lip. “I didn’t think it was that heavy,” she said with uneven breaths.

His heady gaze deepened. A sigh eased from his parted lips. He used the weight of the saddle to pull her closer. Her breasts perked as he held her against him.

“Darlin’,” he rasped low, “you keep licking your lips like that and I’m going to have to do something about it.”

She leaned into him, lifted her head closer to his, drawn by an unspoken need between the two of them. “You will?” Her voice grew breathy.

Marie felt the muscles in Jake’s arms flex as he tossed the saddle behind her. He slid his hold around her body and pulled her close. “Yeah.” His mouth brushed hers then he nipped her lip.

She tried to think, tried to remember why being here with Jake like this was a bad idea but somewhere between the heat in his embrace and the tenderness in his lips, she forgot the reason. Her body quivered. The ache for him burned through her like a shot of whiskey. Her nerve endings fired. Her clit hummed with sexual heat. She ran her palms over his shirt, feeling the hard taut muscles underneath.

His breaths were heavier, more uneven. Her fingers inched their way along his broad shoulders. When he pulled back, the color in his eyes deepened.

Before she realized it, the tip of her tongue licked her mouth again. She bit her bottom lip to stop herself. Jake grinned—slow, seductive this time. He came to her, outlined her mouth with his.

Then penetrated her with his tongue.

She gasped as he pulled her hips flush against his, against his hard body—and his even harder erection.

“Oh,” she whispered. Her body trembled and soared with need. Her resolve to restrain herself around him fled. She wanted to be with this man. And right now, there was no mistaking he wanted to be with her too. Would it matter? One night of sexual ecstasy?

Jake’s labored breaths increased with her own. She stroked the nape of his neck and ground her body against him. His hand slid down her back and her senses reeled, drunk with passion. She lost track of time until his mouth released her.

He pulled back a moment, stared at her, his blue eyes intense. Jake’s gaze asked what she wanted.

Marie used her body to give him his answer. Her thumb outlined his strong chin. She stood on her toes to reach him. Her hands circled the nape of his neck and pulled him closer.

Jake’s soft rugged exhalations brushed her lips. She groaned, not knowing and not caring if she was still breathing, the intoxicating scent of leather and Jake filling her, pushing her erotic desire higher.

She rubbed her hips against his large, hard cock once more.

His eyes closed. His breaths quickened. She listened to Jake exhale again, felt him shudder.

He bent his head to meet her lips once more. His mouth moved along her jaw, his tongue teased the skin underneath. Jake nibbled her earlobe as his hands dropped lower and grabbed her ass. “Marie…”

“Mmm.” She loved the feel of him against her, his stiff cock against her pussy.

His palm outlined her hip, moved up her waist to her breast. He curled his hand and with the back of it brushed along the side of her breast. His fingertips circled the nub of the mound then slid into the deep vee of her shirt. The tips of his fingers skimmed the skin underneath then moved forward so that they slipped under her bra and brushed her nipples. “Marie,” the huskiness in his voice mesmerized her, “I want you.”

She let a hand slip to the buttons on his shirt. “I know,” she said against his lips as she undid the top one.

He growled low in his throat. His hands grasped her rear then his palms slid to her upper thighs. He lifted her against him then curled her legs around his hips. She hooked her ankles behind him as he grabbed her ass again and pushed her crotch snug into his erection.

“God,” Marie muttered as she draped her arms over his shoulders. She nestled her head into the curve of his neck to taste him, nipped the skin, licked his flesh, savored the salty flavor of him.

Jake groaned. Swerving, he carried her to the barn.

“What about Jesse?” she murmured against his strong chin.

“He’s inside. He’ll be fine.”

“Jake…” She wanted to tell him this wasn’t a good idea. Worse, some crazy part of her wanted to confess all that had happen to her.

He stopped. Stared at her. “Marie, if this isn’t what you want, tell me now. Otherwise I’ll go insane lusting after you.”

She pressed her lips together. She couldn’t lie. She did want him. Marie pasted on a smile to hide the gloom that threatened to overtake her, the thought that there could be no future with this man. “I can’t say that, Jake. Because I want you too.”

He kissed her. Deeply. Then strode to the barn door and grasped the handle while he held her.

The hinges squeaked as he pulled it open. The smell of hay permeated the air. The moonlight cast its white glow through the entrance in the otherwise pitch-black interior. Jake set her on her feet, slid her body down his. His fingers raked her ass then her back as he lowered her.

“God, woman…” He spoke through his heavy breaths.

This post was submitted by Lise Fuller.

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