Last to Leave Series by Nicole Blanchard

These U.S. Marines are always the first to fight when it comes to their country...or the women they love. She's trying to take back her life.Peyton Rhodes is determined to live again. After losing her family to violence, all she wants is peace and a chance to rediscover her love of art, and of life. What she doesn't want can be summed up in two words: Ford Collier. Brooding and rude, Ford has secrets... moreThese U.S. Marines are always the first to fight when it comes to their country...or the women they love. She's trying to take back her life.Peyton Rhodes is determined to live again. After losing her family to violence, all she wants is peace and a chance to rediscover her love of art, and of life. What she doesn't want can be summed up in two words: Ford Collier. Brooding and rude, Ford has secrets. Secrets that are dug up again when they discover a body on the banks of the lake behind his cabin. When small-town fingers point in all directions, the only people they can rely on are each other. He may as well be dead. Former U.S. Marine Ford Collier is back in the states after a perilous deployment without his team, his career, or the respect of his country. Secluded in the Mountains of North Carolina, Ford doesn't want anything to do with the pretty blonde artist who gets under his skin. Even if he hadn't been at the scene of the murder, Peyton would still be terrified of man like him—a man with violence in his blood. The only way they'll survive is together. As dangerous complications arise—and passion heats up—it will take learning to trust again for Ford and Peyton to make it out alive. less

These U.S. Marines are always the first to fight when it comes to their country…or the women they love.He’s the one man she never wanted to see again.It’s been five years since Gwen Winston laid eyes on the man who took her virginity–and broke her heart. Five years since he told her he could never see her again–right after she married his brother. Now he’s back, almost a year after her husband’s death to pay his respects. The cause of death was suicide–but Gwen isn’t so sure... moreThese U.S. Marines are always the first to fight when it comes to their country…or the women they love.He’s the one man she never wanted to see again.It’s been five years since Gwen Winston laid eyes on the man who took her virginity–and broke her heart. Five years since he told her he could never see her again–right after she married his brother. Now he’s back, almost a year after her husband’s death to pay his respects. The cause of death was suicide–but Gwen isn’t so sure.Once her life is threatened, she begins to doubt everything she thought was true…including how wrong it would be to get close to Callum.She’s the one woman he can’t have.Callum “Cal” Reece is at loose ends after losing the only family he had left and leaving the Marines. When he sees Gwen again all he can think about is how much he missed her while he’d been gone, even if she’s his brother’s widow. Wanting her is wrong. Needing her is worse…but losing her is unthinkable.Sometimes the forbidden is a dangerous temptation.When they give into a passion they can’t deny and uncover secrets determined to tear them apart, Gwen and Cal realize it will take learning to forgive to survive.Operator is book eight in the First to Fight series. While it may be read as a standalone your reading experience will be enhanced if you read the series in order. less