The Prince's Forbidden Bodyguard

by Leslie McAdam

As the crown prince of Sweden, I need a security detail, especially while traveling in a foreign country. What I don’t need are feelings for my hot, tattooed bodyguard, Logan. My rule, which I’ve followed for the past two years, is to ignore him. I never let on how he affects me, and I keep him at arm’s length.

After all, I’m straight.

Ish.

But on the Sunshine Coast, I get up close and personal with one of Australia’s dangerous animals, and Logan rescues me. In the aftermath of that experience, I’m exhausted and my barriers are down, and there he is, as always, taking care of me and seeing to my needs.

Maybe I’ve been wrong to distance myself from him. Maybe here, Down Under, I can make an exception to my rule.

The Prince’s Forbidden Bodyguard is a steamy 10k word short story originally published in the Southern Skies anthology. It’s about the brother of Prince Jasper from Off Track.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, LGBT, Queer, Royalty, Fiction, Short Stories

52 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 6, 2025

About the author

Leslie McAdam is a California girl who loves romance and well-defined abs. She lives in a drafty old farmhouse on a small orange tree farm in Southern California with her husband and two small children. Leslie's first published book, The Sun and the Moon, won a 2015 Watty, which is the world's largest online writing competition. She's gone on to receive additional literary awards and has been featured in multiple publications, including Cosmopolitan.com. Her books have been Top 100 Bestsellers on both Amazon and Apple Books. Leslie is employed by day but spends her nights writing about the men of your fantasies.

USA Today interview: http://happyeverafter.usatoday.com/20...

Cosmopolitan: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love...

Reviews

[Alyssa Reads and Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Prince’s Forbidden Bodyguard is a delightful story! Featuring Erik, Prince of Sweden and Logan, his hot and attentive bodyguard, this short snack of a romance hits the spot. This story is set in Leslie McAdam’s Off Track world, but is easy to read as a quick, queer romance treat.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a young Prince develops confusing feelings for his bodyguard it opens a bundle of problems. A short but lovely tale packed with emotions and discovery.

[Sarah☀️ Somerville · Rating 1 out of 5]

Look, this was pretty bad. But it might not have been quite so bad if I hadn’t spent the whole book distracted by the fact that it was the middle of winter in Sweden… and they went to the Grand Prix in Australia. Um, that’s in March. Why not just say it’s March?

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prince Erik has a problem. He has had a crush on his bodyguard for the last two years and the crush only keeps getting worse. There are a million reasons why can’t and shouldn’t act on it. But it doesn’t mean his crush lessens. He’s done his best in the last two years to keep it to himself and it helps to see that he can’t read Logan that well either thanks to his stoic expressions. But when Erik finds himself in a bit of trouble and Logan is there to rescue him. Well, his walls are down and in doing so, he learns that he isn’t the only one who has been shoving his feelings down. Turns out Logan has been doing the same and his control is about to snap. This was a really cute short story! I so wish it was a full novel. Logan and Eric have some great chemistry and I would love to see their story continued. It was nice seeing characters from Off Track and being back in that world a bit. If you are lookign for short, sweet, and steamy, definitely check this story out!

[Betty Loves Books Galore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a prince x bodyguard romance, featuring Erik and Logan, and is a standalone novella.

Swedish crown prince Erik tries to ignore his attraction to his tattooed bodyguard, Logan, insisting he’s straight…ish. But after a dangerous encounter in Australia leaves his defences down, he starts to wonder if it’s time to let Logan get closer.

This is a fun little novella. Erik and Logan have great chemistry, and the “straight…ish” prince and bodyguard discovering their feelings is both sweet and entertaining.

Things to expect in this book are:
Standalone novella
Linked to series
MM romance
Set in Australia
Prince x Bodyguard
Rescue
Both have secret crush
Pining
Double bi awakening
Confess feelings
Spicy times
Spanking
Secret relationship
HFN

[Helen Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rate this story 3.25 stars, rounded down to 3 stars. I love Leslie McAdam's wonderful writing, and I enjoyed seeing cameos by Jasper and Cristian from the excellent Off Track. But I found Erik and Logan's story to be more of an appetizer than a fully-fleshed story. If this were the first few chapters of a full-length novel, I would be eager to read the entire thing. But the way this story ended left me wanting.

[Heather Duff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun short story with some mutual pining from a Prince and his bodyguard. All it takes is some misadventure in the Australian ocean to finally bring them together.

It's a quick read, with the promise of a loving future.

[Amanda Nan Dillon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published in a charity anthology that was print only and available only in Australia. The short story/novella abruptly ends with no HEA/HFN in sight.

Tropes: forbidden love, vacation, hurt/comfort

[Megan Moser · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m assuming this leads into something but it felt like an unnecessary novella. I love a good MM romance and love a bodyguard romance but it felt rushed and like it lacked real emotion. The concept is cute though.

[Erica G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sexy and Fun Quick Read!

Erik and his sexy bodyguard had me hooked from page 1! This steamy and sweet romance comes to a head when Erik finds himself...in over his head... in the ocean and with his feelings.
Hope there's more coming for their love story!

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆
🅢🅟🅘🅒🅔:🌶🌶
🅛🅐🅤🅖🅗🅢:🤣
🅣🅔🅐🅡🅢:🥲
🅜🅒🅢: Logan, Erik
🅟🅞🅥: Duql PoV, 1st Person
🅣🅡🅞🅟🅔🅢: Prince/Bodyguard

[Xein · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Monique Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad for super short

I really like this intro but it could have been a full length story and I would have liked it just as much.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet! I didn’t realise this was a short story.

Got to love a quickie when it’s nearly year end.

I do love Leslie McAdam’s books, short or long.

[Esther Laso Grupeli · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es demasiado corto.

[Indyannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

that was so delightful! my only complaint is that it was so short!

[Alexa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute but not very memorable