Forbidden Grump Protector

Forbidden Grump Protector An Age-Gap Surprise Pregnancy Romance Mila Appleford Vibenize Press Copyright Copyright@ 2022 by Vibenize All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or dead), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred. All brand names and/or products used in this book are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names of their respective holders, and the author and the publisher are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned or implied in this book. Preface To all the beautiful souls out there, This book is dedicated to the women who have struggled with self-image and felt unworthy of love. You are enough, flaws and all. Let it remind you that you deserve love, passion, and happiness. Embrace your unique beauty and never settle for less. You are amazing, dear reader, and I hope it inspires you to stand tall and never forget it. With love and admiration, Mila Appleford. Get a FREE ebook by joining our elite mailing list today! Plus, receive recommendations and exclusive offers on all of our favorite books and authors. Copy and paste the link below to receive a welcome free book today. https://dl.bookfunnel.com/p21a1yoxqt Contents 1. Chapter 1: SOPHIE 2. Chapter 2: MARCO 3. Chapter 3: SOPHIE 4. Chapter 4: SOPHIE 5. Chapter 5: MARCO 6. Chapter 6: SOPHIE 7. Chapter 7: MARCO 8. Chapter 8: SOPHIE 9. Chapter 9: MARCO 10. Chapter 10: SOPHIE 11. Chapter 11: SOPHIE 12. Chapter 12: SOPHIE 13. Chapter 13: MARCO 14. Chapter 14: MARCO 15. Chapter 15: SOPHIE 16. Chapter 16: SOPHIE 17. Chapter 17: MARCO 18. Chapter 18: SOPHIE 19. Chapter 19: SOPHIE 20. Chapter 20: SOPHIE 21. Chapter 21: MARCO 22. Chapter 22: MARCO 23. Chapter 23: SOPHIE About Author Also By Mila Appleford Chapter 1: SOPHIE Costa Rica really is so much sunnier than New York City. It is summertime back home, but it pales in comparison to this place. Everything here is brighter, more colorful, more real in a way that I can’t describe. Especially the beach, where I found myself standing, so far away from home. I’d never heard of Jaco before, but I’d never be able to forget this place now that I’m here. The waves glitter like diamonds and rush in like the sweetest thunder. A cool saltwater breeze drifts over my skin, giving me some strangely pleasant goosebumps. I adjust one of my bikini straps, doing my best to not feel too self-conscious in it. The new bikini my best friend Jessica got me is a bit too flirty for my liking, with a peephole for my cleavage and narrow ties on my hips that emphasized how wide they are. But she had insisted that it was perfect for me, and I can’t deny that it looks really flattering, if not a little skimpy for my usual tastes. I sigh, already feeling some of the tangled threads of stress and anxiety beginning to unwind. Jessica had convinced me that maybe it would be nice to get away for a bit. I would still have to come back to all of the stress, but maybe I just need a little bit of recovery time, and I’ll be able to handle it better once I have more gas in the tank. My gentle admiration breaks when I hear a bit of laughter springing up near me. By sheer reflex, I turn back towards the beach crowded with sunbathers and families just in time to see a dark-coated dog jump like an Olympic swimmer into the tide just a few feet past me. I giggle a little myself, fondly watching him doggie paddle his way into the waves. “Somebody loves the beach,” I mumble to myself, charmed. A figure passing in my peripheral makes me glance up, and I feel my smile freeze. Towering above me, walking by like a goliath, was the most handsome man I’d ever seen. His skin has the gorgeous russet brown tone of the locals, well-tanned by years of this paradise climate. The shorts he has on leave so very little to the imagination, and I gawk openly after him. He looks like a god of the sea descending from the heavens down to the water, all power and masculine grace in each and every stride. The muscular ridges of his virile back, the marble-carved arms, and those tree-trunk legs make the surfboard he’s hauling under his arm look lighter than air in his loose grip. But I imagine with how big it is that I’d surely drop it if I tried to carry it so casually. I’d only seen his face for a few moments, but that glimpse alone was gorgeous enough that his diamond-cutter jawline and intense gaze cast out to the water are already burned into my memory. Maybe I love the beach now. After I spend a few moments getting my jaw off the ground, I walk right to the water’s edge and feel the cool water lap around my ankles. My mind clears as I admire the clear water flushing over my feet. Skimming white foam runs over my skin, and the summer sunlight dapples dreamily through the gentle waves. It was pretty enough I wished I could take a picture. But my phone was safely tucked away in my purse, which was currently being safeguarded by my best friend back at our spot among the other beachgoers. The temperature of the water is definitely a bit colder than I thought it would be, but I’d been baking beneath the summer sun long enough that it is a very pleasant shock. But I still take my time to acclimate a bit,