CatelynThere are three rules I implemented five years ago that govern my safety around men. Never alone. Never stranded. Never unaware. In those five years, I've never broken those rules. Not once. Because I will not be a fool again. Then I do break those rules—willingly—to help the older brother of my best friend, Vikram. Vikram is trouble. Has always been trouble. Charming, a little arrogant, and flighty as a bird when it comes to women. I spent half my childhood adoring him, half crying over him. Yet he's always had my heart. Six years after last seeing him is no exception. VikramMy parents say I'm a mess. I agree.Four surgeries and a lost job create ugly arithmetic. What kind of woman would ever want to stay by my side when I can barely cope with the day-to-day of recovery? None of them. Which is why I've never tried.When recovery from my fifth surgery goes wrong, there's only one person at my side. Catelyn Carson. The last woman I ever expected to see there. Maybe the one that I've always wanted there.She has secrets to hide, and when those secrets come back to life and threaten her safety, I'm forced to reckon with my own ghosts. For her, I finally find someone worth fighting for. Protect Me is a clean, contemporary romance (but not religious) with a little sizzle and spice and a guaranteed happily-ever-after. It's the eighth book in the Coffee Shop Series. This book can be read as a standalone, but maximum enjoyment comes from reading the series from the beginning.