âIâm sorry I just hot-footed it out of there this morning. That was rude.â
âYou were there to keep us safe. You didnât owe us anything else. We appreciate it.â
So formal, he thought. âThatâs not all it was, and you know it. Donât you?â
The pained look in her eyes showed her reluctance to have this conversation. But ignoring the attraction between them hadnât seemed to work very well so far. Maybe getting it out in the open and putting it to rest was the only solution. âWhat do you want from me?â
âIâm not a good bet for happily ever after. Been there, done that, got burned.â
Her lips curved slightly. âSame here.â
âBut that doesnât mean Iâm not still a grown man.â
âWith grown man needs?â
He nodded.
âIs this some sort of proposition?â
For my editor, Allison, who trusted me enough to ask me to take on this project. And for my fellow Daddy Corps authors, who helped make this experience so much fun.
Alabama native Paula Graves wrote her first book, a mystery starring herself and her neighborhood friends, at the age of six. A voracious reader, Paula loves books that pair tantalizing mystery with compelling romance. When sheâs not reading or writing, she works as a creative director for a Birmingham advertising agency and spends time with her family and friends. She is a member of Southern Magic Romance Writers, Heart of Dixie Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America.
Paula invites readers to visit her website, www.paulagraves.com.
Stacy Giordano âA single mom to a child with Aspergerâs syndrome as well as the Texas governorâs aide-de-camp, the last thing Stacy needs to deal with is another threat to the governorâs lifeâespecially when it puts her and her young son in the line of fire.
Harlan McClain âThe governor taps the Corps Security and Investigations agent to head security for an upcoming fundraiserâand work side by side with Stacy. Can he keep the governor and her pretty aide safe from a ruthless assassin?
Zachary Giordano âStacyâs young son is struggling to fit into a world that makes no sense to him. But does he have a vital clue to the mystery of whoâs stalking his mother locked in his mind?
Lila Lockhart âThe Texas governorâs announced intention to run for president was greeted by a deadly bomb blast. Is she crazy to hold another fundraiser within a couple of weeks of the assassination attempt?
Bart Bellows âLilaâs dear friend owns Corps Security and Investigations. Did he make a mistake assigning Harlan McClain to the governorâs security staff?
Greg Merritt âGovernor Lockhartâs new campaign manager is a political shark. Can Stacy trust him to have the governorâs best interests at heart?
Trevor Lewis âThe young stable groom has taken a liking to Stacy and her young son, Zachary. But what are his true motives for befriending them?
Jeff Appleton âThe Freedom, Texas, deputy is leading the investigation into some very personal threats against Stacy. But is he looking in the wrong direction?
Planet Justice âThe anarchistic antiglobalization group is determined to hold a peaceful protest outside the governorâs fundraiser. But are there elements within the group whose intentions are anything but peaceful?
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Epilogue
The bomb went off, and for a minute, Harlan McClain was back on a dusty road in Iraq, his ears ringing. Everything around him moved in slow motionâdebris flying, people falling.
There were screams. Always screams. The training never prevented the screaming.
Youâre not in Iraq. Youâre in Austin, Texas, and a bomb just went off. Get your backside in gear.
Over a decade of Marine Corps training taking over as chaos unfolded around him, he scanned the area for a quick damage assessment. Car bomb. Not a huge oneâthe blast radius wasnât anywhere near the size of something like Oklahoma Cityâbut the dais where Governor Lila Lockhart had stood moments earlier was a ruin, reduced to jagged metal and splintered wood.
Was the governor buried somewhere under the debris?
The crowd surrounding the platform had already begun to disperse in panic, leaving behind some of the fallen. Many were still moving, trying to drag themselves to safety. Others lay motionless in the grass in front of the dais.
Triage, he thought, pulling out his cell phone to call 911. His call was one of many, he discovered. To his relief, the dispatcher told him units were already responding. But he couldnât sit tight waiting for the cavalry to arriveâsome of these people might not survive the wait.
As he hurried toward the first fallen victim, a slim, dark-haired woman raced across his path, heading toward the collapsed platform. Blood stained the side of her face without obscuring her delicate profile. Pretty, he thought. Scared as hell. She looked familiar.