Gunning For The Groom
USA TODAY bestselling authors Debra Webb and Regan Black spin off the unforgettable Colby Agency series!As a former Interpol agent, private detective Aidan Abbot knows his way around covert operations at the highest levels. But nothing could have prepared him for his latest mission: infiltrating family dynamics. His new client, Francesca “Frankie” Leone, believes her late father, a US Army general, was framed for treason and has heartbreaking reason to suspect her own mother was behind it. Suddenly, Aidan is deep undercover as Frankie’s fiancé, investigating his “future MIL” with unusual dinner-table access. But the closer he gets to the truth, the more Aidan wants to protect the woman he was never supposed to really fall for.
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Aidan had to show Frankie this engagement ploy was a mistake.
“Are you prepared to be my fiancé?” she asked.
“Of course,” he replied automatically. “I always go the distance in my investigations.”
“And in other areas?”
“Are you flirting with me?”
She closed the distance and pressed her lips to his. Warmth spread from that point of contact down his arms, sizzling in his fingertips as her gaze held him captive. Then her eyelids drifted shut. She pushed her hand into his hair and drew him closer for a full, sensual kiss that blasted through him like a flash grenade.
She was like a double shot of whiskey with a drop of honey—all fire with a hint of sweetness. He changed the angle, tipping up her chin and taking control of the kiss. When her lips parted on a sigh, he slid his tongue across hers with bold strokes.
“I think that will convince anyone,” she said. It sure as hell convinced him.
DEBRA WEBB, born in Alabama, wrote her first story at age nine and her first romance at thirteen. It wasn’t until she spent three years working for the military behind the Iron Curtain—and a five-year stint with NASA—that she realized her true calling. Since then the USA TODAY bestselling author has penned more than one hundred novels, including her internationally bestselling Colby Agency series.
REGAN BLACK, a USA TODAY bestselling author, writes award-winning, action-packed novels featuring kick-butt heroines and the sexy heroes who fall in love with them. Raised in the Midwest and California, she and her family, along with their adopted greyhound, two arrogant cats and a quirky finch, reside in the South Carolina Lowcountry, where the rich blend of legend, romance and history fuels her imagination.
With many thanks to Kim, for your wealth of patience, love and priceless friendship!
Contents
Chicago, Illinois
Wednesday, April 6, 5:30 p.m.
Victoria Colby-Camp rose from her desk and turned to her beloved window. She watched the gentle spring rain falling upon the city she would always call home. Evening lights twinkled, reminding her that it was time to go home. Home. A smile tugged at her lips. How had she considered for even a moment that any other city on earth could take the place of Chicago?
The most wonderful years of her life, as well as the most painful ones, had played out here. Her son was here, as were her beautiful grandchildren. No matter how warm it was or how much sun south Texas had to offer, it would never be the Windy City.
Sensing Lucas’s presence, she turned, her smile widening automatically. She had loved this man for so very long. Even when her first husband, James Colby, was alive, Lucas Camp had been her dearest friend. The two of them waited many years before allowing that lifelong bond to bloom into a more intimate relationship. Their wedding day had been one of the happiest of her life—in part because that momentous occasion came almost at the same time that her son found his way back to her. Jim Colby had been missing for twenty years when he came back into her life. So many miracles had happened that year.
Victoria’s life had come full circle now. Her family was safe and happy and she was back in the city she loved.
“You’re ready to go?” she asked, when Lucas remained in the doorway.
“No hurry. I could stand here forever just looking at you.”
“Lucas, you’re too kind.” Even after all these years as man and wife, she could feel her pulse react to his voice, as well as the compliment. “I’m ready.”
Tomorrow was another day at the Colby Agency offices and she couldn’t wait to see what it held.
Savannah, Georgia
Thursday, April 7, 8:05 a.m.
“Morning, Frankie!”
Francesca Leone, Frankie to everyone who knew her longer than a few minutes, smiled on her way to the office she shared with two other people. It wasn’t much more than a converted storage space, but she didn’t mind. She’d worked in tighter quarters during her time with the navy. Life in Georgia had been good to her. Landing this job as an analyst with the Savannah Police Department gave her a healthy, long overdue sense of renewed purpose.
The past eighteen months had been an arduous journey personally and professionally. An act of terrorism and the resulting injury had ended the navy career she’d loved. For too many months, her life had narrowed to a pinpoint focus on surviving the physical trials, only to be assaulted by the emotional upheaval that followed. She hadn’t realized how much of her identity had been tied to her military service until it was gone. But here she’d found a fresh start and was building a strong new foundation, far from the looming shadow of her father’s name and the constant worried gaze of her mother.
Feeling her back aching a bit from yesterday’s extended run, she eased into the desk chair, setting her mug of tea to the left of her computer monitor and locking her purse in the bottom drawer. When her computer booted up, she wasted no time getting to work. A string of recent robberies crossed several precincts, and it was her job to find any connections to help the detectives create a list of suspect traits.
