Her Soldier Protector Read Free Page A

say we can order more. These people are used to divas requesting a certain number of candles with a particular scent, flowers, bowls filled with expensive chocolates and imported candy. You get my drift?”
    Logan got the picture. “Okay, pass me the prawn one, then.”
    “That’s more like it.”
    Candace pushed the container closer to him, as well as a cup with a lid on it.
    “What’s this?”
    “Miso soup. You’ll love it.”
    Logan took off the lid, staring into the brownish liquid. “You sure this stuff won’t kill me?”
    “Positive. Now stir it with your chopsticks and take a sip. The green stuff is just seaweed, and there might be a few pieces of tofu floating around, too.”
    “Tofu?” he asked, pausing before the cup touched his lips. “You’re killing me. I don’t even think Ranger would eat tofu.”
    As if he understood exactly what they were saying, Ranger let out a low whine that made Candace laugh.
    “Tofu,” Logan muttered, taking a sip.
    It wasn’t half as bad as he was expecting, so he had some more, careful to avoid anything solid that was floating around in the soup. He was probably the only person in the building who hadn’t tried this type of food before, but he was a soldier and a rancher—he was more used to simple steaks, vegetables and fries than the latest cuisines. Not to mention he was having to act like a regular guy instead of one who usually couldn’t go a day without exercising like a crazy thing—sprinting as hard as he could to outrun his demons.
    “So, what do you think?” Candace asked, pulling her long hair from her face and throwing it back over her shoulders.
    “I think,” he said, clearing his throat and putting down his chopsticks, “that it’s time I went and did another perimeter check.”
    He was starting to become way too comfortable sitting around with Candace, eating fancy food like he did it every day.
    Smoke billowed around him, obscuring almost everything. He walked slowly, not able to see even one of his feet, but he never let go of Ranger’s leash. And then he stumbled, looked down and realized he’d just walked over another human being, facedown in the sand.
    Logan cleared his throat, pushing away the memories that always hit him when he was least expecting them. If he wasn’t on duty, he would have changed his shoes and hit the gym. But today that wasn’t an option, and neither was giving in to his memories.
     

CHAPTER TWO
    C ANDACE TOOK A deep breath, mentally preparing for the concert. She’d been given her sixty-minute countdown already, which meant it was time to start running through her exercises, have a little something to drink, stretching out so she was all limbered up and dressing in her first costume.
    But preparing for the performance wasn’t taking up all her energy like it should have been. Instead she was thinking about a certain man who’d as good as knocked the wind from her earlier in the afternoon.
    She’d been single for so long, not to mention the fact that she hadn’t met a man who’d even remotely interested her for close to a year. Maybe that was why Logan had surprised her so much. Because even if she stayed true to her promise to remain single, she could still appreciate a good-looking man. And Logan was a fine-looking addition to the male species.
    Candace cleared her throat and was about to start rehearsing when there was a knock at the door. She didn’t call out because she was saving her voice, but she did cross the room to see who it was.
    “Hey.”
    The man she’d been trying her best not to think about was standing in the hallway.
    “How did you get past my security detail?” she asked in a low voice.
    Logan grinned. “It just so happens I know the boss.”
    She laughed and pulled open the door so he could come in. She was about to ask him in when he held his hand up and shook his head.
    “I’m not going to disturb you, I just wanted to check that you felt safe,” he told her. “I personally