Read Online THE GUARDIAN (Taskforce Series) by Marliss Melton - Free Book Online
Authors: Marliss Melton
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program. He wished they didn’t have to chase Lena Alexandra away so soon. He’d never felt more alive than when he was in her presence .
Sitting back in his seat, he focused his thoughts on a different young lady, one he knew he couldn’t live without. So why had he made work such a priority and missed so much of her childhood?
Ten minutes later, that question pegged him in the heart when a stunning young lady burst out of the riverfront rental with a long-legged run. “You’re here!”
Jackson barely had time to shut the car door before his daughter launched herself into his arms. Nose buried in her auburn hair, he swung her in a circle. Naomi smelled as she always did, of sunshine and laughter and everything good in this world .
“Dad, you are so going to love this place!” she declared, unaware of his private heartbreak as he took in how much she’d grown since heading off to Girl Scout camp at the start of summer. She was coming to resemble her mother more and more, only Colleen’s skin had been fair where Naomi’s was a caramel brown.
He cut a critical glance at the cedar-sided contemporary home. “What’s so good about it?” The damn place had better be a castle considering what he paid to rent it .
“Wait till you see the inside!” she said, oblivious to his satire. Just then Toby stepped into her line of sight, and she lapsed into shyness .
“Honey, this is a friend I work with, Mr. Burke. Toby, meet my twelve-year-old, Naomi.” He watched with amusement as Naomi offered Toby a formal handshake. In the very next instant, she lapsed back into the child he knew and tugged him toward the house.
Leaving Toby to collect their technical equipment, Jackson let himself be dragged inside. “Wow,” he breathed, knowing it was expected of him.
The vacation home was everything he’d hoped it would be, with an open floor plan, inventive architecture, and a cathedral ceiling. Soaring windows offered a stunning view of the Patuxent River flowing leisurely along a sandy shore some thirty yards below them, at the end of a long run of steps. The house smelled of freshly cut flowers and Windex.
“Isn’t it awesome, Dad?”
“It’s awesome,” he agreed, glad to have done something right .
“She’s been swimming and fishing from sunrise to sunset,” reported his mother-in-law coming down the spiral steps from the loft.
Jackson greeted Silvia with a stab of guilt . “What about you?” he asked. She ought to have been enjoying her retirement instead of raising his child.
“Oh, I love it,” she assured him. Her once-red hair had lost its luster, fading to a muted auburn, but the former school teacher claimed the face of much younger woman. “How are you making out, Jackson ?” she asked with a sympathetic hug. “You certainly look the part.” Her gaze flickered with distaste over his attire .
“You hear that, Burke?” he called to Toby, who staggered into the kitchen just then, loaded down with their gear. “She says I look the part.” He made quick introductions.
“Silvia, this is Special Agent Toby Burke. Toby, this is Naomi’s grandmother.”
“Take this,” Toby grunted, unburdening himself onto Jackson and capturing Silvia’s hand. “Pleasure ma’am,” he said, with a smile reserved exclusively for members of the opposite sex.
As Silvia’s face reddened, Jackson mentally rolled his eyes. Toby’s reputation with the ladies hadn’t been exaggerated. “Where would you like us to put our stuff?” he asked pointedly .
“I’ll show you.”
Naomi escorted them through to a hallway at the back of the house where two furnished bedrooms, a luxurious bath, and a small office supplied all the space they needed .
Promising he’d rejoin her in a minute, Jackson ducked into his room to change. Seconds later, feeling much more himself in a mint-green Polo crewneck, khaki shorts, and loafers, he stepped into the hall, running into Toby, who’d donned a pair of ragged jean
Sitting back in his seat, he focused his thoughts on a different young lady, one he knew he couldn’t live without. So why had he made work such a priority and missed so much of her childhood?
Ten minutes later, that question pegged him in the heart when a stunning young lady burst out of the riverfront rental with a long-legged run. “You’re here!”
Jackson barely had time to shut the car door before his daughter launched herself into his arms. Nose buried in her auburn hair, he swung her in a circle. Naomi smelled as she always did, of sunshine and laughter and everything good in this world .
“Dad, you are so going to love this place!” she declared, unaware of his private heartbreak as he took in how much she’d grown since heading off to Girl Scout camp at the start of summer. She was coming to resemble her mother more and more, only Colleen’s skin had been fair where Naomi’s was a caramel brown.
He cut a critical glance at the cedar-sided contemporary home. “What’s so good about it?” The damn place had better be a castle considering what he paid to rent it .
“Wait till you see the inside!” she said, oblivious to his satire. Just then Toby stepped into her line of sight, and she lapsed into shyness .
“Honey, this is a friend I work with, Mr. Burke. Toby, meet my twelve-year-old, Naomi.” He watched with amusement as Naomi offered Toby a formal handshake. In the very next instant, she lapsed back into the child he knew and tugged him toward the house.
Leaving Toby to collect their technical equipment, Jackson let himself be dragged inside. “Wow,” he breathed, knowing it was expected of him.
The vacation home was everything he’d hoped it would be, with an open floor plan, inventive architecture, and a cathedral ceiling. Soaring windows offered a stunning view of the Patuxent River flowing leisurely along a sandy shore some thirty yards below them, at the end of a long run of steps. The house smelled of freshly cut flowers and Windex.
“Isn’t it awesome, Dad?”
“It’s awesome,” he agreed, glad to have done something right .
“She’s been swimming and fishing from sunrise to sunset,” reported his mother-in-law coming down the spiral steps from the loft.
Jackson greeted Silvia with a stab of guilt . “What about you?” he asked. She ought to have been enjoying her retirement instead of raising his child.
“Oh, I love it,” she assured him. Her once-red hair had lost its luster, fading to a muted auburn, but the former school teacher claimed the face of much younger woman. “How are you making out, Jackson ?” she asked with a sympathetic hug. “You certainly look the part.” Her gaze flickered with distaste over his attire .
“You hear that, Burke?” he called to Toby, who staggered into the kitchen just then, loaded down with their gear. “She says I look the part.” He made quick introductions.
“Silvia, this is Special Agent Toby Burke. Toby, this is Naomi’s grandmother.”
“Take this,” Toby grunted, unburdening himself onto Jackson and capturing Silvia’s hand. “Pleasure ma’am,” he said, with a smile reserved exclusively for members of the opposite sex.
As Silvia’s face reddened, Jackson mentally rolled his eyes. Toby’s reputation with the ladies hadn’t been exaggerated. “Where would you like us to put our stuff?” he asked pointedly .
“I’ll show you.”
Naomi escorted them through to a hallway at the back of the house where two furnished bedrooms, a luxurious bath, and a small office supplied all the space they needed .
Promising he’d rejoin her in a minute, Jackson ducked into his room to change. Seconds later, feeling much more himself in a mint-green Polo crewneck, khaki shorts, and loafers, he stepped into the hall, running into Toby, who’d donned a pair of ragged jean
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