She’s fighting to protect everything she cares about. He can’t resist a damsel in distress. But he has no idea how high the cost will be if they fail. Clovis Honeybun is working undercover to catch an assassin targeting his uncle, Senator Brick Honeybun. But his search is waylaid when he spots a pretty woman being mistreated by a guy who looks a lot like his target. Going rogue on a dangerous hunch, Clovis plunges down a trail that might be the right direction but the wrong bad guy. Ultimately, Clovis discovers he could have to choose between saving the woman burrowing her way into his heart, or a man he’s loved and respected since he was old enough to crawl. “I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me, Emma.”She shook her head. “I can’t. It’s too risky.”“What is it? Did you do something illegal? I can help. My brother’s a lawyer.”In an effort to change the subject she smiled. “I thought he was a cop.”Clovis shrugged. “Not a cop exactly, but…he’s both…I mean, they are. I have seven brothers.”Emma’s eyes widened in shock. “Good god.” Clovis’s grin widened. “Yeah, I get that reaction a lot.”“No sisters?”“We used to think Heathcliffe was gonna turn out to be a girl.”“Heathcliffe Honeybun? Really? I thought Clovis was bad.”The expressive, blond eyebrow peaked again and she laughed. “Sorry. That came out wrong.”“No, it’s okay. We’re used to it. Our mom has a strange sense of humor.”“A mother with eight sons, it would be that or electric shock therapy.”Clovis snorted out a laugh. “That’s good.”She didn’t want to smile at the note of approval in his voice. But she did anyway. She couldn’t seem to help herself. “So why did you think Heathcliffe was going to be a girl? Is he gay?” “Nope. But it took him a really long time to stop acting like a baby and man up.”“A late bloomer, huh?”“Yeah, he didn’t get interested in a football until he was five.”“Five? Egad!” She couldn’t help chuckling.His grin made her stomach jump a little. “Keep laughing, but when you’re the last of eight boys you need to grow up fast. If only so you can survive meal times.”She forced a frown onto her face. “I can see that. Besides, he really dragged his feet.”Clovis nodded. “S’truth.”
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