Runaway Cowboy Bodyguard

Rough & Ready Protectors #4

by Engrid Eaves

The woman I’m hired to protect disappears before I can even reach her. Three days later, I find Clara West hiding in a roadside motel outside Reno with fear in her eyes and a fake name on the register.

She swears she doesn’t need my help.

Too bad I’m not leaving.

Not when someone’s tracking her across Nevada. Not when every instinct I’ve got says she’s one step away from getting killed. And definitely not when she starts looking at me like I’m the first safe place she’s had in a long time.

I’m used to running security details, not caring what happens after the job ends. But Clara makes me want things men like me don’t get to keep.

And when her past finally catches up to us, I’ll have to decide just how far I’m willing to go to keep her alive.

Runaway Cowboy Bodyguard is a steamy western romantic suspense featuring a rugged cowboy protector, forced proximity, a heroine on the run, motel-room tension, and a possessive hero who refuses to let danger take what’s his.

150 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 29, 2026

About the author

I publish short, sweet, and steamy romances featuring gruff alpha male protectors and the headstrong, curvy girls they fall head over heels for. My heroes may have painful pasts, but they always find forever with their soulmates.

Sexy, satisfying, heartfelt happily ever afters guaranteed! If you’d like to stay in touch or get your next delicious cowboy mountain man / curvy girl romance fix (and who doesn't?), follow me!

Website: www.engrideaves.com
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Email: engrid@engrideaves.com

Reviews

[Michelle Frater]

When Calico Rose (Rosie) helps her sister and niece escape an abusive ex, she never expects to find herself on the run with evidence that could expose everything she’s endured. But where do you turn when the man you’re running from is a cop? Beckett Cross is assigned to protect Calico when she contacts R&R Security, until she suddenly calls to say she’s changed her mind. But Beckett hears the fear and uncertainty in her voice, and he’s not convinced she really doesn’t need their help. So, he decides to find her anyway, completely off the books. When Beckett finally catches up with Calico, he finds a woman at the end of her tether. No money. No gas. Nowhere to go. Naturally, she doesn’t exactly leap into his arms just because he tells her he’s there to help. He offers to take her somewhere safe until she decides what she wants to do. That was one of the things I loved most about Beckett. He always told Calico exactly how things were, but then he gave her the space to make her own decisions. He never tried to take control of her situation or treat her like she was incapable of looking after herself. So, although Calico is understandably wary, she knows she’s running on empty and reluctantly accepts his offer. For the first time in days, Calico feels safe enough to tell someone what she’s been running from—and, most importantly, Beckett believes her. What she doesn’t know is that he not only understands her situation, but has a similar history of his own. As Beckett slowly earns Calico’s trust, he struggles to keep their relationship strictly professional. And Calico’s feelings aren’t exactly platonic either. I absolutely loved the moment when Beckett pulls her photo from his pocket and admits he’s been carrying it around with him all along. But despite that confession, I have a feeling Beckett wouldn’t have crossed that line if Calico hadn’t made the first move. I loved Calico’s bravery and the strength it took for her to stand up to her sister’s ex. In fact, I loved that both she and Beckett were willing to put their lives on the line to do what was right. Neither of them is willing to back down, and that made them such a compelling pair. With plenty of danger, suspense and twists, this is definitely a page-turner. The chemistry between Calico and Beckett is hot, but more than the spice, I adored the way Beckett never treated Calico like a damsel in distress. He simply stood beside her, ready to have her back whenever she needed it. This is an exciting romantic suspense that will have you swooning one minute and sitting on the edge of your seat the next. If you love strong women, protective heroes, plenty of danger and a romance that builds on trust, this one is definitely worth picking up!
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brandi Jackola]

Beckett’s new client at R&R Security is late. Quite late. Then he gets a phone call from said client, Calico Rose. She claims she’s changed her mind and she couldn’t afford to hire them anyway. But Beckett is no dummy; he can tell she’s under duress. Not that he has the full story yet.

He goes after her anyway. And it’s a pretty darn good thing that he does, though he’s not technically on the job. But as someone who was a witness to and victim of domestic abuse, he’s not about to let Rosie do this alone. And when he finally catches up to her, it’s a very good thing, because the skeevy guy at the gas station is trying to put the moves on her.

It takes some time before Rosie trusts Beckett. But she needs help, and tells Beckett what she’s up against — trying to keep her sister Celeste’s estranged (and violent) husband from locating her. And it’s easy for that jerk to con people, because he’s an officer of the law. Too bad for him that his soon to be ex-wife was smart, and gathered a lot of evidence, which she gave to Rosie before she and her daughter disappeared.

Keep in mind that all of this work that Beckett is doing, he’s not getting paid for it. Because this isn’t about doing his job. This is about protecting people from monsters, the ones who wear the skin of someone who should be trustworthy.

This steamy story is tense, but you will get your happy ending here. I love books like this, where people do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. I feel like we don’t see enough of that in the world. Maybe it’s because those people who do the right thing are not in it for themselves; they’re just good people. And Beckett is truly one of the best. Now get the book.

[Emily Pennington]

Beckett and Calico . . .

R&R Security is hired for a complicated case. The woman assigned to Beckett Cross for protection, however, disappears before he can even reach her. He sticks around hoping she will call about the no-show, and she eventually does, saying she made a mistake and asking them not to look for her. Boone contacts him to say that Calico's record is clean, but her sister is tangled up with an apparently corrupt police sergeant. It was a messy breakup, messier custody battle. Celeste Humphries little girl’s name is Erris Owen; and the ex is Rourke Owen. Beckett finds Calico Rose Humphries ("Rosie") 3 days later hiding at a roadside motel. Her situation is potentially more dangerous than others because she possesses convicting evidence against a powerful cop that would easily destroy his career. And now she claims she doesn’t need his help.

When he finally gets her talking, Rosie admitted to helping her sister and niece escape the abusive marriage. The ex-husband Rourke now wants them both back. Rosie needs to protect the evidence against him to prevent him from destroying it. The safest place Beckett knows of is his own cabin in Nevada. As he builds trust with her, he realizes she needs to be the one to get her own life back as Beckett stands beside her, leaving the decisions to her, and letting her take care of it. Can she deal with the ex? Can she make him realize she has no intention of running now and he needs to back off... because he will have even more to lose if he keeps after them?

[Carolee]

What a fun, heart-tugging ride! Runaway Cowboy Bodyguard by Engrid Eaves delivers that irresistible mix of danger, tenderness, and slow-building trust that makes a romantic suspense impossible to put down. From the very first setup—Beckett finding Calico Rose on the run with secrets, fear, and evidence that could change everything—I was hooked and ready to follow them straight to that remote Nevada cabin.

I loved the way Engrid Eaves balances protective cowboy energy with real respect for the heroine’s strength. Beckett is rugged, steady, and swoon-worthy without ever taking over Calico’s choices, and that made their connection feel especially satisfying. Calico’s courage shines, and watching her move from running scared to standing tall gave the story so much heart.

The writing is warm, vivid, and wonderfully addictive, with just the right amount of suspense, cabin-close coziness, and romantic sparkle. This book has the comfort of a favorite western romance with the page-turning tension of a thriller, and I finished it with a big smile. Five enthusiastic stars for a protective hero, a brave heroine, and an author who knows exactly how to lasso a reader’s heart!.

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

[Tasha]

Runaway Cowboy Bodyguard by Engrid Eaves is a fun, steamy cowboy romance with plenty of protective-hero energy, suspense, and chemistry. I really enjoyed the relationship between the main characters and watching their attraction grow into something deeper. I especially appreciated having a curvy heroine who is confident, lovable, and desired just as she is. The body-positive representation added something special to the story and made the romance even more enjoyable. The cowboy setting, danger, and protective bodyguard storyline kept things moving, while the romantic moments provided plenty of heat and emotion. The characters had great chemistry, and the story had the perfect mix of romance, suspense, and happily-ever-after vibes. Overall, Runaway Cowboy Bodyguard was an enjoy romance with a protective cowboy, curvy heroine, and a little danger mixed into the love story.

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

[Marie]

He doesn't decide for her....

He lets her choose....

And hopes she chooses him.

Ah! Beckett steals my heart the moment her hears Calico's voice and knows she's lying to them, she's under duress...he agrees with her on the call, but then searches for her anyway. Because he knows, she needs him, he doesn't question the feeling that tells him that, he just acts. It's the only time he doesn't give her a choice, because once he finds her every choice is hers. Where they go, who helps them, when he gets the full story....and what happens after.
He loses his heart to her photograph, once they meet she owns every part of him. His Rosie makes him want a life he wasn't looking for, but it's a future they both deserve....together.
I read this on Kindle Unlimited, it's a great series with growly Alpha protectors who fall hard, fast and forever, I look forward to more!

[Korkoi]

Review of Advance Copy:
Accepting Help was the Best Decision she Made -
This was a great slow build protector romance with secrets, danger, worries, heated moments and enough twists to keep you eagerly turning the pages. Beckett and Calico’s story will keep you on tenterhooks and at the edge of your seat, as they build trust and find a way to not only keep her and her family safe, but also deal with the reason she was on the run, so they could get a chance at building a beautiful and free future for all of them.

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

[Debdutch]

“Runaway Cowboy Bodyguard” by Engrid Eaves

-This is Calico and Beckett’s enjoyable story! I received a free copy and am voluntarily sharing my honest thoughts.

Beckett is protective and charming, but I especially like that he never tries to make decisions for Calico—he stands beside her and lets her choose. There’s plenty of suspense, chemistry, and danger, but also a lot of heart as Calico learns she can trust him. Beckett is definitely one of those heroes who does the right thing simply because it’s the right thing to do.
A fun, heartfelt, steamy read with a happy ending that leaves readers smiling!

[Sandy]

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

Overall, I enjoyed the story, minus minor tweaks like some f-words and a few other things.
I liked the hero’s gut instinct that told him to search for the heroine and keep her safe. In dangerous circumstances, it was interesting to see how he introduced himself without making her run from him, how everything unfolded after that, how they confronted their connection and after that dealing with threats.

I checked the internet for the name Calico, as I suspected that no real people are named after tricolor cats, or it is so rare that no one mentioned it on the internet.

[Margaret]

Calico and Beckett have so much chemistry. From the moment he answers her phone call and can hear the fear in her voice, he knows he has to find her and protect her. He knows from experience that monsters don't alway show their true selves, so he believes her when she says her former brother-in-law is not the perfect officer he presents himself to be. Beckett doesn't force Calico, he lets her make her own decisions, but he stands beside her and helps her be strong enough to bring justice for her sister. This is a beautiful, heartfelt romance.

[Reads lotsa stuff]

Beckett and Calico. A quick phone call asking for protection. Then a race across Nevada never knowing safety. Enter six foot four inch tattooed hot cowboy. He finds her. He follows her. He tries to get her to trust him. A story that has plenty of edge, a little fear & a man who is always there, until he isn’t. This tale is able to fulfill multiple romance tropes. With defined characters with few secrets and a good haircut to top it all off.

[Angi]

The client had called to say she didn’t need him and couldn’t afford him but Beckett knew that something was really off so he goes after her. When he does and she finally trusts him with what she is up against, he’s all in even though this is not a job and he’s not getting paid, he will make sure they’re all safe. This is such an intense, steamy, sweet and dramatic read. Absolutely loved it!.

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

[Cynthia Khan]

Book 4 of Rough & Ready Protectors story of Calico Rose Humphries and Beckett. Wow talk about nail biting, attention grabbing, page turner of an action adventure romance that will leave you giggling and smiling so big your face will hurt ending.

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

[DEBBIE GG]

wow !! this is a intense, fun, exciting security romance. she is on the run. he was supposed to be her security but now he is on the chase. this plot has enough twists, turns, dangerous situations to keep you turning pages not to mention sizzling chemistry and characters who are well written and keep the story interesting. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Heather]

Calico and Beckett both wonderful characters, She is in danger and on the run not knowing who to trust, He is following her and trying to show her she can trust him. The story is wonderful has action, suspense and chemistry,.

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

[Mylene Williams]

Calico Rose is on the run. Trying to keep ahead of the law who are not on her side. To protect her niece and her sister, the evidence she has must get to the right hands. But Beckett her body guard does like Calico's odds and steps in to get to safety and help her survive the law enforcement.

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

[Sarah Freilinger]

Beckett and Calico Rose

She is running for her life and doesn't know who to trust. She knows she needs help, just not from who. Until he comes along and proves to her that he is one of the good guys. Together they can take on anything.

[Georgia Murphy]

He is so sweet and so understanding and gives her exactly what she needs all the damn time.

I love how she made the first move. He brought it up but she kept the conversation going.

It was really really good in a very simple way. Really fun quick read.

[Debbie Benson]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I liked how Beckett follows his instincts and protects Rosie. They fall in love. I really liked how they caught Rourke red handed and that her sister and niece are safe.