Guarded - K. W. Roman

She needs to ditch her past. He needs to believe in his future.

Caroline Santos is chasing a clean slate. After a scandal shatters her reputation, she escapes across the country to take a lifeguarding job in her old hometown. As she settles in, she earns the respect of her coworkers and puts a toe in the water of forming new friendships. But she keeps her defenses up, unwilling to trust too deeply-especially with the handsome but annoying fellow lieutenant she can't quite read...and who doesn't seem to like her much either. Is the key to rebuilding her sense of community, safety, and happiness getting him on her side-or is he a threat she can't risk?

Jason Lowe has always loved the job. With the Cape May Beach Patrol, he thrives on the ocean, the responsibility, and the physical demands of guarding. Still, he struggles to see himself as a true leader, weighed down by his family's belief that lifeguarding isn't a "real" career. So, when Caroline arrives-confident, unapologetically proud, and razor-sharp-he's intrigued, but every attempt to connect with her seems to backfire.

As the team works, trains, and competes together, Jason catches glimpses of the woman beneath the tough exterior, and her opinions start to reshape how he views himself. For Caroline, the past constantly threatens the progress she's trying to make. To truly move forward, she'll have to learn to trust-and risk opening her heart again-or watch all she's worked for slip away.