Escorting the Bodyguard

by Charli Calloway

He’s there to protect her. Not fall for her. Definitely not get her pregnant.

When a stalker starts leaving threats outside her door, high-end escort Gemma Quinn is forced into hiding.
The agency sends backup in the form of Ford Lawson, a brooding ex-soldier with a protective streak and a past he refuses to talk about.

He’s supposed to keep things professional.
She’s supposed to stay out of his way.
Instead, they’re stuck in a safehouse with one bed, zero personal space, and a growing attraction neither of them can ignore.

Gemma’s not into younger guys.
Ford’s used to keeping his distance.
But when one impulsive night leads to two pink lines, everything changes.

Now Ford has to decide if he can face the demons he’s been outrunning—or lose the only future that’s ever felt real.


*Escorting the Heir is a standalone steamy novella with no cheating and a guaranteed HEA*

Genres: Contemporary

139 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 6, 2025

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m really not a fan of this trope…

[Susan McWhinney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story in the Escort series and a quick easy Novella to read
Curvy Escort Gemma realizes she has an obsessed stalker in her midst, when she leaves the Gramercy Hotel after a job for the Elite Companions. Ringing Victoria with her suspicions that Tim Roberts is proving to be a problem, Victoria takes swift action and sends Gemma to The Bryant Hotel to await further instructions! Enter Ford Lawson....
As soon as Gemma realizes she has someone watching her, she looks up and straight into the eyes of Ford! He has come to be her protection until Tim Roberts is apprehended.
Both Gemma and Ford feel the spark. But keeping professional boundaries is important to Ford.
Forever wanting to keep everyone safe that has been placed into his care, is his goal!
A returned soldier with ghosts from the past that haunt him, Ford soon realizes that his fleeting feelings for Gemma had grown. Not wanting it to escalate into anything more he forces himself to remain aloof!
Gemma, knows she is older than Ford but he is the forbidden fruit that she just wants a taste of.
When the heat gets too much to ignore, sparks fly and both Gemma and Ford give in to their feelings.
The slow burn, heat is off the pages hot as both Gemma and Ford take from each other what they so desire. Being held in a safe house together for over a month, feelings become entangled.
Then the surprise that floors both Gemma and Ford.....an unexpected pregnancy!
And as Tim Roberts is finally caught, Ford realizes he needs to leave Gemma to get on with her own life.
A roller coaster ride for Gemma who thought maybe Ford would be her HEA with her news. But He leaves!?! Like WTH who does that to a pregnant woman....apparently Ford does!
You need to read this quick novella to see how Ford grovels his way back into Gemma's favour and heart. A great story with a heart warming HEA

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gemma works for Elite Companions. She knows the risks of the job that comes with being an Escort, so when she realizes she has a stalker she tells her boss. Her boss puts her on leave and sends her a bodyguard until the problem is solved. He's gorgeous, built, tall, very serious looking and his name is Ford.
Ford takes his job very serious but when he sees his client he is in trouble because she is beautiful, sexy, smart and not ashamed of her career or what people think of her.
Ford takes no chances, so he takes her to a safe house, which turns out not to be safe, her stalker found her. Ford will keep Gemma safe no matter what it takes.
When Gemma and Ford first met, they were instantly attracted to each other.
They give in to their to the sexual tension several times, but they both fall in love. Gemma finds out she's pregnant, she tells ford who freaks out then walks way until he gets his head out of his ass.
Gemma becomes the persons she's wanted to be for so long, then ford comes back into the picture. The confess how they love each other and want to create a family together.
Love wins again!
This is such a good read, it's definitely a re-read for me.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Escorting the Bodyguard is part of Hearts for Hire and I have enjoyed each of the standalone books in the series finding this newest to be another rousing and enticing contemporary romance.
MFC Gemma Quinn has a problem with a recent client stalking her and there is no denying that truth anymore. Victoria her boss with Elite Companions quickly contracts a bodyguard for Gemma and when she meets the younger MMC Ford Lawson sparks ignite. After the stalker gets too close to Gemma on his watch Ford packs her off to a safehouse where professional starts to fall apart for them both, and once that line is crossed all bets are off.
A fantastic story unfolds with delicious writing, nicely crafted characters, surprises, personal vulnerability, drama, danger, and passion, but with times I wanted to kick Ford right in his derrière as much as I understood his pain. Emotions will run rampant towards the end of this engaging story as it races to a very…thank goodness, HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a bit iffy on the premise to begin with - it’s a bit of an uncomfortable topic, but it wasn’t major for the plot, so it was kind of glossed over. I mean, anyone can get stalked, really…

I enjoyed the development of their relationship - there wasn’t a huge amount covered, but the inner dialogue and actions showing their issues/trauma, and the changes to their interactions led you to see the growing trust…

Then… What. The. Eff. Are. You. Doing. To. Me. Author!!!!
I did not see that coming - poor Gemma…. but I’m glad that some positives came out of it. She learned how strong she was and got a career out of it….
Ford… I felt for him, but geez… I was not happy with him at all.

Seriously, though, this book will have you feeling ALL of the emotions. It’s a short read, but it feels much longer, and boy, did it have me keep the pages turning.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debdutch · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Escorting the Bodyguard” by Charli Calloway

-Short but powerful, this Escort series entry hits hard with love, danger, and redemption. I received a free copy and am voluntarily sharing my honest thoughts.
Gemma, a curvy escort with a stalker, finds unexpected safety—and passion—with stoic bodyguard Ford. Their forced proximity sparks a slow burn romance full of trust-building, emotional scars, and sizzling heat. An age-gap twist, emotional growth, and a surprise pregnancy add depth to this steamy novella.

It’s rewarding to read about two individuals who suffered and recovered enough to open up to love and happiness.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gemma needs protection from a stalker client, and Ford is the younger, hot bodyguard assigned to keep her safe. She’s stunning, curvy, and quietly struggling with the pressure to be perfect to earn love. Ford’s running from his past, convinced he’s failed at everything that matters.

Their chemistry is instant, and no matter how hard they try to fight it, temptation wins.  Suddenly both their worlds flip upside down into a journey of growth, healing, and learning to trust love again.

Funny, emotional, and steamy in all the right places. Hearts for Hire continues to bring these women are fierce, driven, and bring so much more to the table than just their bodies.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Gemma is in danger from a stalker her agency hires Ford to protect her. When they are forced to go to a safe house and spend time together their attraction for each other is hard to resist. Soon both of their walls start to come down. Gemma begins to feel she doesn’t need the shield of makeup and being perfect. Ford finds it harder to let go of his survivors guilt and having people depend on him. The story was good and believable. A great forced proximity love story with a HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bailey Laine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gemma is an escort who had a bad experience with a client. Enter Ford, the sexy bodyguard hired to protect her. Their attraction is immediate and their bond as well. I’ve enjoyed this series so much because it’s unexpected and equal parts light and heavy in moments. Case in point, Ford has grief and mental health issues from trauma in his past. There is a healthy light shed on it and his battle to move past it. Overall, an entertaining, sexy albeit sometimes serious read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Heather Deaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartfelt novella with my favorite trope - older woman/younger man. Not that it seemed to get in the way for either of them. Their individual issues were actually a lot deeper than that, and it was so satisfying to see each of them work out those issues. They fell for each other quickly, and reconciled quickly, but hey, it's a novella, so it had to be quick! Very enjoyable fast read I'd recommend to anyone.

My rating system:
5=will read again
4=recommend to everyone
3=recommend to anyone liking that particular writing style/trope
2=do not recommend
1=DNF

[Patti Rapozo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. Gemma’s being stalked, Ford is her bodyguard. They go to a safe house for protection. He’s protecting her, but who’s protecting him and his heart. They fall in “like” and things progress until Ford panics. Gemma proves to be a self-sufficient, successful businesswoman (with a little unknown help from Ford) so Ford needs to up his game when he realizes all he wants is Gemma and the baby she’s carrying. An HEA that’s a good read.

[tre.wandereads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Things I absolutely liked:
- the intense and immediate attraction between them both
- the suspense of being stalked and having this capable man saving the day
- learning to love yourself even with pains of the past

Things that were just ok:
- there wasn't much of a buildup
- the reconciliation could have been more intense
- it was a bit too short

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. The main characters, Gemma and Ford, were both so wonderfully depicted. They were fully fleshed out and perfectly flawed. Gemma is known for her beauty and grace and always seems immaculately put together. But underneath are the emotional wounds her mother impressed upon her over her youth. She finds herself letting down her guard with Ford and wondering if she’s finally found someone worth letting in. Meanwhile, Ford has scars of his own, both physical and emotional. He’s battling a massive amount of guilt over the loss of a fellow soldier and his inability to save him. Gemma gives him a safe space, but it still isn’t enough to convince him he deserves more. These two were so great together and I loved the emotional depth of their relationship. Both had to let go and grow before they were able to make a commitment. It was a lovely thing to watch happen. And I also must say that I loved that Gemma was about ten years older than Ford. It wasn’t an issue that was addressed much and that was fantastic too. They were just two people falling in love and age wasn’t an issue for either of them. Kudos to the author for that. I highly recommend this book, as well as all the books in the “Hearts For Hire” series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kinara.Malialani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short and sweet novella. Gemma and Ford are equally flawed and relatable. Their chemistry is *chefs kiss*. Witnessing them be vulnerable with each other was beautiful. There is a 3rd act breakup and while there’s not much on page for groveling there is clear work done for Ford to be a better man.

[Evelyn Leon · Rating 5 out of 5]

So so good! I absolutely loved this book. The author does an amazing job with these characters and allowing the reader to really get to know them. I really felt for the characters Gemma and Ford and their individual backstories. This story even made me cry (in a good way), I highly recommend!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kween · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay so I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did haha. Gemma and Lawson were great together. I will say the ending was a bit cliché and easily predictable but it was a good short read. I'd totally recommend. I had many laughs. Swoony read.

[Suze82 · Rating 5 out of 5]

winners
I always enjoy when the good guys win in the end so I loved Gemma and Ford´s story about joining forces, building trust, fighting the enemy and finding love.