His Kind of Trouble
Berringer Bodyguards File #3
Name: Chance Berringer
Trademarks: Chance by name… chance by nature!
Biggest weakness: Adventure and beautiful women—especially when combined in one caliente cook!
Danger is bodyguard Chance Berringer’s first, last and middle name. Protecting celebrity chef Ana Perez—a hot little firecracker with a mouth to match—for two weeks in Mexico is more vacation than job. Just keep his eyes on her, and his hands off. How hard can it be?
Plenty hard.
Ana doesn’t want a babysitter during the holidays. Even if Chance’s muscled hotness (complete with wicked grin) makes him a mouthwatering dish…. But when the heat starts sizzling in the bedroom—and beyond—will this hot tamale cause more trouble than Chance can handle?
“Exactly how do
I
fit into this?”
“It makes everything more complicated, because while I know you're here only for a job, I felt something,” Ana said. “A spark. I had thought that you felt it, too, and perhaps that there would be...more.”
“More?” Chance echoed, his voice low, and rougher in a way that rubbed over her skin.
She smiled a little. “I've had lovers. I have a career. I don't intend to get married or settle down, not anytime soon. But I'd hoped there could be more between us, at least while we were here in Mexico.”
Chance seemed to consider what she'd told him, and then stepped even closer.
“Thank you, Ana, for the truth. Here's mine,” he said softly, lowering his head and taking her mouth in an unexpected kiss that wiped everything else from her mind.
Chance's hands were at her waist, pressing her close as he walked her back against the broad trunk of a tree in the garden, trapping her against it as the kiss deepened. She wanted him, more than she had known.
And now she knew that he wanted her just as muchâ¦.
Dear Reader,
We have exciting news! As I’m sure you’ve noticed, the
Harlequin Blaze books you know and love have a brand-new look, starting this
month. And it’s
hot!
Don’t you agree?
But don’t worry—nothing else about the Blaze books has
changed. You’ll still find those unforgettable love stories with intrepid
heroines, hot, hunky heroes and a double dose of sizzle!
Check out this month’s red-hot reads.…
#729 THE RISK-TAKER by Kira
Sinclair
(Uniformly Hot!)
#730 LYING IN BED by Jo
Leigh
(The Wrong Bed)
#731 HIS KIND OF TROUBLE by
Samantha Hunter
(The Berringers)
#732 ONE MORE KISS by Kathy
Garbera
#733 RELENTLESS SEDUCTION by Jillian
Burns
#734 THE WEDDING FLING by Meg
Maguire
I hope you’re as pleased with our new look as we are. Drop by
www.Harlequin.com
or
www.blazeauthors.com
to let us know what you think.
Brenda Chin
Senior Editor
Harlequin Blaze
His Kind of Trouble
Samantha Hunter
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Samantha Hunter lives in Syracuse, New York, where she writes
full-time for Harlequin Books. When she’s not plotting her next story, Sam likes
to work in her garden, quilt, cook, read and spend time with her husband and
their dogs. Most days you can find Sam chatting on the Harlequin Blaze boards at
Harlequin.com
, or you can check out what’s new, enter
contests or drop her a note at her website,
www.samanthahunter.com
.
Books by Samantha Hunter
HARLEQUIN BLAZE
142—VIRTUALLY PERFECT
173—ABOUT LAST
NIGHT…
224—FASCINATION*
229—FRICTION*
235—FLIRTATION*
267—HIDE
& SEEK*
299—UNTOUCHED
343—PICK ME UP
365—TALKING IN YOUR
SLEEP…
478—HARD TO RESIST**
498—CAUGHT IN THE ACT
542—MAKE YOUR
MOVE
584—I’LL BE YOURS FOR CHRISTMAS
620—MINE UNTIL
MORNING
659—STRAIGHT TO THE HEART
720—YOURS FOR THE
NIGHT†
728—HERS FOR THE HOLIDAYS†
*The HotWires
**American
Heroes
†The Berringers
To get the inside scoop on Harlequin Blaze and its talented
writers, be sure to check out
blazeauthors.com
.
Other titles by this author available in ebook format.
To new friend and author Melissa Cutler, who inspired me with her travel stories to set this story in the Yucatan; it was fun, and now I want to visit.
To my editor, Kathryn Lye,
for all of her hard work on my books, and to
Blaze senior editor Brenda Chin, who came up with this great set of series titles. Thank you both!
As always, to Mike, with love.
You make every day an adventure.
Prologue
J
ONAS
, G
ARRETT
,
AND
E
LY
Berringerâalong with their cousin and new member of the team, Lukeâwere stunned as they watched the plasma TV screen together. Ana Perez, the petite Mexican chef on the screen, ordered her kitchen staff around with the authority of a military general. Garrett felt his spine straighten as he listened to her.
The rant that ensued when a contestant on the show messed up was epic. The people in the kitchenâmany of them large, serious-looking menâpaled. Perez didn't bother cleaning up her language all that muchâthough a good deal of it was in Spanishâwhen someone's sauce was cloudy, or muddy, or their vegetables were limp.
“Man, I bet the asparagus isn't the only thing going limp in that kitchen,” Luke offered, earning a chuckle.
If You Can't Take the Heat...,
Ana's Mexican cooking show, was a hit, and her fiery, unforgiving disposition was one reason why. It was also the probable reason why someone had been harassing herâat least, that was the theory.
“Holyâ” Garrett whispered, unable to take his eyes from the screen. “I didn't think they would let you say that on TV.”
“It's cable, but watching this, it's not hard to believe that someone wants to knock her off,” Jonas added as he smothered a grin at his older brother's glare.
Shutting the television off and turning on the lights in their small conference room, Garrett, the oldest and the one who ran most of their business dealings, turned to the others.
“This is a big opportunity for us. Getting a foot in the door with celebrities is tough, and the studio is desperate after her current detail quit. We can make some good money if we pick it up now,” he offered enticingly.
“So she didn't hire us?” Ely asked.
“No. She's not really thrilled about having a bodyguard. The production company is the boss. She's their investment, and they want her safe for the new season. Two weeks in Mexico. Not so bad.”
“Right, that's why you're jumping on it for yourself,” Ely said, leveling his brother a look. “I'm out. Lydia and I are heading back to Montana end of the week. I have a class starting in two weeks.”
Ely and Lydia were moving to Montana, which had been a shock to everyone, but Garrett was happy for his brother. They all were. Ely would work special assignments when they really needed him, but otherwise, he was pursuing a new career as an architect, and Lydia was opening a new branch of her tattoo shop.
Jonas shook his head before Garrett could even speak the words. “Sorry. You've already got me booked, remember?”
Garrett had forgotten, and grimaced.
Everything was changing for the Berringer brothers, and for the better. Several successful cases had landed them more business than they could handle, and Garrett was starting to feel the pressure. He'd have to start interviewing some new bodyguards, and soon. All three brothers had met special women, and all three had walked down the aisle or were planning to; it made everything a lot more complicated.
“I like Mexico and pretty women,” Luke volunteered, but all three brothers shook their heads. Their cousin Luke was the latest addition to the group, but he wasn't ready to take on anything this high-profile or this dangerous. His specialty was white-collar work, anyway. Garrett hadn't imagined him out on jobs so much as working from his computer.
Garrett blew out a breath and accepted his fate.
“Well, Tiffany is starting the FBI forensics course I gave her for Christmas tomorrow, so she won't be around much, anyway. Looks like I take the bullet on this one,” Garrett said grimly, looking up at the TV. “Maybe that attitude of hers is all for the show,” he added hopefully.
Before any more was said, the door opened, revealing a surprise for all of them as Chance walked in.
“Hey, what are you doing home, little brother?” Jonas asked.
“I thought you were off skiing until after the New Year,” Garrett chimed in but was nonetheless glad to see his youngest brother and welcomed him with a handshake and shoulder-bump.
“Logan broke his leg and had to be airlifted off the mountain. It was a mess, multiple compound fractures. Was a tough time getting him off the mountain and through surgery. By the time he was out and set to go home, I decided to call it quits and come back here. So what's going on? What are you all watching?” Chance asked, glancing at the TV.
The three brothers all looked at each other, then at their youngest sibling with wide grins.
Chance stared back. “What?”
“You have great timing. We were just thinking about turning down a job because none of us are available,” Garrett said, fingers crossed.
“No way. I'll do it. What's the job?”
It was just like Chance to say he'd do it before he even knew what it was. Just what Garrett had been counting on. Garrett took a photo of Ana out of a file and pushed it across the table, watching his youngest brother's jaw drop. “The show tapes in New York, and she's leaving for Mexico the day after tomorrow. If you can get there tonight, even better. Everything you need to know is in the file.”
Garrett watched his brother's reaction and knew Chance was already hooked. Chance couldn't say no to a hot woman, and Ana might be crazy, but she
was
hot.
“Beautiful woman with a threat on her life. It's custom-made for you,” Ely chimed in.
Chance whistled at the photo, picking it up for a closer look. “Who'd want to harm a hair on this gorgeous creature's head? I'm definitely your man,” he said to the photo more than to his brothers.
Garrett's grin widened. “Couldn't have said it better myself.”