Carter by Donna Michaels

Protecting her is his job…falling for her is unexpected.
Carter Sharp…isn’t always, especially when he’s in the presence of his sister’s friend, Mel. The sexy tattoo artist’s spontaneous, reckless attitude clashes with his ‘by-the-book, never-cut-corners’ creed—the one that saved his and his team’s lives on more than one occasion. His D-Force days are over but working for one of his former Delta brothers as a security expert/investigator has just begun, and it’s just his luck to land an assignment to secretly protect the artist.

Mel Richardson doesn’t want or need a man in her life—for his safety. She couldn’t save her father or her brother, so she refuses to let there be a third. But it’s totally safe to secretly crush on her friend’s older brother, and even harbor a fantasy or two of the hot, former military guy. Turning a blemish into a work of art, plus rehoming animals who survive the death of their owners are both emotionally rewarding and the perfect distractions to her growing attraction to Carter. Too bad his sister volunteers him to help Mel with some recent technical difficulties.

The hot woman is strong enough to kick his butt if she discovers he’s secretly assigned to protect her, but it’s the soft, vulnerable side he discovers underneath her tough persona that terrifies him. It makes her lethal enough to cut through his defenses and melt his cold heart.