Paula Graves: Fugitive Bride

THE BEST MAN…IN EVERY WAY

Watching his best friend marry the wrong man is Owen Stiles’s worst nightmare…until he and the would-be bride are kidnapped. Someone wants Tara Bentley out of the picture, enough to frame her for the murder of her fiancé. All that stands between Tara and destruction is Campbell Cove security agent Owen.

Moments away from calling off her wedding, Tara’s life is turned upside down. Now the man she’s always considered her best bud has transformed into some kind of sexy special agent. Owen is prepared to do anything to clear her name and secure her safety. But who’s keeping her heart safe from him?

Campbell Cove Academy

“You go without me,” she said.

Owen looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. “I am not leaving you,” he growled.

The sudden urge to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him caught her off guard. She’d set aside those nascent feelings of attraction to Owen a long time ago, valuing his loyal friendship far more than she valued any sort of sexual attraction she might feel toward him. To have it come back now, in this awful situation, was confounding.

“Now!” Owen growled, and he tugged her with him through the underbrush to their next bit of cover.

So far, she and Owen seemed to be staying ahead of the danger rustling around in the woods behind them.

But what would happen if they ran out of woods?

Fugitive Bride

Paula Graves

www.millsandboon.co.uk

PAULA GRAVES, an Alabama native, wrote her first book at the age of six. A voracious reader, Paula loves books that pair tantalizing mystery with compelling romance. When she’s not reading or writing, she works as a creative director for a Birmingham advertising agency and spends time with her family and friends. Paula invites readers to visit her website, www.paulagraves.com.

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For Melissa, whose cheerleading got me to the end of this book.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text THE BEST MAN…IN EVERY WAY Watching his best friend marry the wrong man is Owen Stiles’s worst nightmare…until he and the would-be bride are kidnapped. Someone wants Tara Bentley out of the picture, enough to frame her for the murder of her fiancé. All that stands between Tara and destruction is Campbell Cove security agent Owen. Moments away from calling off her wedding, Tara’s life is turned upside down. Now the man she’s always considered her best bud has transformed into some kind of sexy special agent. Owen is prepared to do anything to clear her name and secure her safety. But who’s keeping her heart safe from him? Campbell Cove Academy

Introduction “You go without me,” she said. Owen looked at her as if she’d lost her mind. “I am not leaving you,” he growled. The sudden urge to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him caught her off guard. She’d set aside those nascent feelings of attraction to Owen a long time ago, valuing his loyal friendship far more than she valued any sort of sexual attraction she might feel toward him. To have it come back now, in this awful situation, was confounding. “Now!” Owen growled, and he tugged her with him through the underbrush to their next bit of cover. So far, she and Owen seemed to be staying ahead of the danger rustling around in the woods behind them. But what would happen if they ran out of woods?

Title Page Fugitive Bride Paula Graves www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author PAULA GRAVES , an Alabama native, wrote her first book at the age of six. A voracious reader, Paula loves books that pair tantalizing mystery with compelling romance. When she’s not reading or writing, she works as a creative director for a Birmingham advertising agency and spends time with her family and friends. Paula invites readers to visit her website, www.paulagraves.com .

Dedication For Melissa, whose cheerleading got me to the end of this book.

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

Extract

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

The afternoon was perfect for a wedding, currently sunny and mild, with no hint of rain in the forecast until after the ceremony. Staring out the bride’s room window at the blooming dogwood trees that lined the church lawn, Tara Bentley had the urge to check her to-do list to see if “achieve a perfect day” was somewhere on the page.

Everything she had so meticulously planned had fallen into place with ease. Her dress fit perfectly. The white tulip bouquet brought out the delicate floral pattern of the lace in her veil. Her wavy hair had, for once, cooperated when the hairdresser straightened it and twisted it into a sleek chignon low at the back of her head, where the snowy veil provided a striking contrast. And she was ten minutes ahead of schedule, which gave Tara a few moments to simply breathe and think about what came next.

Robert. He came next. Robert James Mallory III, successful lawyer and all-around Mr. Perfect. Literally.

Two years ago, as her midtwenties suddenly became her almost-thirties, Tara had written out her list of perfect traits for a potential mate. It hadn’t been a particularly long list—she might be hyperorganized and prone to overpreparing, but she wasn’t a robot. People weren’t ever really perfect, so her list included only things that would be deal breakers.

Things like honesty. Hard work. Respect for her mind. Ambition. And, okay, a few bonus wishes, like a man who was good-looking, fit and amusing.

Three dates with Robert Mallory, and Tara knew she’d met the man who ticked off every item on her checklist. Now she was less than an hour from marrying him.

“I’m so happy,” she told the green-eyed woman who stared back at her in the full-length mirror by the vanity table.

Her reflection looked skeptical.

Dang it.

She turned away from the mirror and sat on the small vanity bench, taking care not to wrinkle her wedding dress. Without planning it, she snaked out her hand and snagged the cell phone lying next to her makeup bag. She gave the lock screen a quick swipe and hit the first number on her speed dial.

A familiar, growly voice answered on the second ring, his soft drawl as warm as a fuzzy blanket on a cold Kentucky night. “Shouldn’t you be practicing your vows?”

“Owen, am I making a mistake?”

Owen Stiles was quiet for a second. When he spoke again, the lightness of his earlier tone had disappeared. “What’s happened?”

The serious tone of his voice made her stomach hurt. What was she doing, dragging poor Owen into her self-doubts? As if he hadn’t already suffered half a lifetime of being her sounding board and shoulder to cry on.