The sun shone down on the group of friends as the smell of grilled meats drifted through the air, laughter and shouts ringing all around them. This was the life—surrounded by friends, found-family, and the love of his life.
Maxwell couldn’t remember feeling happier than he had been since last January after the last playoff game. It wasn’t just one burst of happiness either—no, it was a continued state of contentment that came from all the pieces in his life having settled just right.
The ultra-planner had found his true happiness in the least-expected and least-planned twists of life.
And thank God he’d been able to roll with the punches. Because there was nothing more than he wanted than this.
Jill in his arms. The triplets at his side.
A whole future of happiness ahead of them.
End of Touchdown
First Down, March 25th, 2021
Red Zone, April 1st, 2021
Touchdown, April 8th, 2021
Want more sports romance? Then keep reading for exclusive extracts from Protecting the Single Mother and The Fighter’s Fierce Temptation.
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About Leslie North
Leslie North is the USA Today Bestselling pen name for a critically-acclaimed author of women's contemporary romance and fiction. The anonymity gives her the perfect opportunity to paint with her full artistic palette, especially in the romance and erotic fantasy genres.
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BLURB
Former Navy SEAL Michael Rinaldi has one rule: no second chances. So when his ex hires his security firm to keep her and her friends safe after they witness a murder, he convinces himself he’ll be fine. Single mom Nicole Zito may have been the love of his life, but he’s confident his second chance rule will keep him and his heart perfectly safe. But he can’t deny his protective instincts when Nicole shows him the threatening email she received that disturbingly included a picture of her young son, Grant. They both agree to keep things on a professional level. But protecting Nicole means being with her, and being with her and ignoring his heart is turning out to be a lot tougher than he thought.
Even though Nicole still has feelings for Michael, she knows he’s the best man for the job. No one is more focused than he is. No one is better at shutting down his emotions. One thing she never expected, though, was how perfect it would feel to be with him again, tucked away in a quiet cabin with him and her son…almost like a real family. It’s everything she wants, but she doesn’t know if it’s something she can have. If they ever get rid of the danger chasing her, will their fragile new bond come to an end, too? She’s falling fast for her sexy SEAL, all she has to do is convince him their love is worth a second chance…
Grab your copy of Protecting the Single Mother
Available April 22nd, 2021
(Available for Pre-Order now)
EXCERPT
Chapter One
Nicole linked her arm through her friend’s and hugged her close. “You can do this.”
“I can do this,” Holly repeated, then gave Nicole one of her bright, I’ve-got-it-all-handled Holly smiles. Still, there were faint tired circles under her eyes, and her expression was strained. Not surprising, but still it made Nicole hug her closer.
“Of course you can,” Charlotte, the third member of their trio, said. Charlotte had, unsurprisingly, been the one to remember to bring an umbrella. And, in typical Charlotte fashion, it was enormous and sturdy and would probably last for years, which is why it didn’t matter—Charlotte had assured them—that it was also completely hideous. But at least it was big enough for the three of them to huddle underneath.
It was mid-afternoon—a slow time for their salon, fortunately. But even if it had been their busiest time of day in their busiest time of year—even if they had celebrities three deep waiting to get ready for the Met Gala—Nicole would’ve shut down the salon that the three women ran together so they could go with Holly. Their friend needed support, and Nicole and Charlotte would face down any obstacle to make sure that she got it. Even if that meant slogging through the rain to visit a man that none of them were particularly interested in seeing ever again.
At this time of day, and with the weather, the meatpacking district was practically empty. It was raining, one of those shimmering, relentless summer showers, that turned several patches of the pavement treacherously slick. Nicole decided that that was the reason why they were moving so slowly—because they were afraid of slipping. Not because they were stalling. Nicole was not one to stall. On the contrary, she prided herself on facing every challenge with strength and assurance. But Zak wasn’t a challenge—he was just a nuisance.
Nicole shook several tendrils of her dark, curly hair out of her face, tamping down on her frustration. There were any number of things Nicole would rather be doing this afternoon than trudging out to face down Holly’s all-too-recent ex. And if Nicole was honest, a good part of the reason she agreed to come along was to make sure he stayed that way. But she’d promised Holly she’d play nice.
Holly gave Nicole a rueful look, her dark eyes slightly amused. “You still think this is a bad idea.”
“Of course she does,” Charlotte said in exactly the same tone, which made Holly laugh.
Nicole let herself relax enough to smile. Okay, so she hadn’t exactly been subtle about what she thought of Zak, or this little expedition. Holly hadn’t been dating Zak all that long before she ended things, admitting to Nicole and Charlotte that while he was cute, and not that bad in bed, her heart wasn’t really in it. “Besides,” Holly had told them at the time, “there’s something not quite right about whatever it is he’s doing at that bar. Something about it just feels shady.”