Free A SEAL to Save Christmas by Trish Adams

CHAPTER ONE
The Job
    It turned out that private investigation work was not all that it was cracked up to be. It was highly romanticized in movies and fiction. The hardened detective who’s seen too much and keeps a bottle of whiskey stashed in the drawer. The seductive dame that desperately needs his help and is willing to do just about anything for it. The instant attraction. The torrid affair. The realization that the detective will never change followed by the sound heartbreak.  
    None of it was true.  
    When Jason Leonard left the Seals and began his private protection services, he’d wanted to help people. But he’d be lying if sexy women and interesting cases weren’t on his mind.  
    Mostly, the only part that came true was the bottle of whiskey and the heartbreak. His last case with Clare Laud had certainly started out interesting. When they carted baby brother Charlie away for threatening the rich oil tycoon, a promise of something bloomed between them.  
    But it fizzled before they had even gotten to the first part. As it turned out, Clare had a knack for doing her own research. And although she’d been attracted to his brooding and bad boy charms, when she found out what he’d done overseas, she decided he was too much of a bad boy for her. When she’d placed the evidence in front of him at dinner, he’d refused to apologize and lost his temper. What right did she have to listen to the rumors swirling about him? She wanted specifics, and he couldn’t give those out. Not only was he under orders to keep quiet, but he also wouldn’t give out that information. Not to anyone.  
    She’d stormed out crying and that was the last he’d heard from Clare Laud.  
    It was a shame really. She had so much potential.  
    Business had slowed down since then. That was an understatement really. Clare had only been his third client. After her, he’d escorted some snotty pre-teen to an uppity private school for a week. His parents thought he was being threatened, but it turned out the kid only wanted to look badass with a bodyguard.  
    Leaning forward in his chair, Jason tapped his pencil restlessly against the wood. Part of him was itching to go out and stretch his legs, but he had a strange feeling that he shouldn’t leave.  
    Instead, he got up to make another pot of coffee. Sleep had been elusive last night. Well, not so much elusive as filled with screaming.  
    So much screaming.  
    The nightmares didn’t come as often as they used to. He’d become jaded to the horrors that he’d seen long ago. He didn’t wake up in a cold sweat or yelling. He just woke up. Even he couldn’t sleep through that.  
    Jarring him from his thoughts, the phone suddenly rang shrilly. “Leonard Protection Services,” he said as he snagged his phone from the desk.  
    “Is your refrigerator running?”
    Jason narrowed his eyes. “I don’t know. Why don’t you come over and check it out for me,” he said in a low voice. There was a shriek on the other end as the kid hung up.  
    Almost immediately, the phone rang again. “Listen here,” he snarled. “I will take you apart piece by piece.”  
    There was a pause on the other end. “Is this Leonard Transportation Services?” a woman said on the other end.  
    What? “Sorry. I’ve been getting some prank calls lately. But you have the wrong number. This is Leonard Protection Services,” he muttered as he ran his hand over his five o‘clock shadow.  
    “I was just going through my late husband’s accounts, and I realized that we never settled the bill. If you could please meet me somewhere, I’d be more than happy to pay what I owe you.”  
    “Ma’am, I’m not sure you heard me. This isn’t a transportation service. This is a protection service. I do bodyguard duty and the occasional investigation. I’d love to take your money, but believe me, nobody owes me any. You must have made a mistake.”  
    “No, I’m sure. It’s right here. Please.” Her