Cooper Security 06 - Secret Intentions
Read Cooper Security 06 - Secret Intentions Online
Authors: Paula Graves
AS A MAN OF ACTION, HE’D NEVER BREAK PROTOCOL. BUT HE’D NEVER BEEN SO TEMPTED…
Although he was trying to crack a global conspiracy, former soldier Jesse Cooper had an even more important mission: keep new hire and girl-next-door Evie Marsh safe. Shocked to learn Evie could be the key to bringing down this secret plot, the head of Cooper Security had to stifle his attraction to her. After all, the case was on the line—and so were their lives. But between dodging bullets and staying one step ahead of the enemy, temptation became impossible to resist. As a man made for danger, Jesse thought sweet Evie had no place in his world. Then, in the heat of the moment, she proved she’d always have his back—or die trying.…
“What happens now?”
His hand lingered a moment, his fingers warm against her jawline. “We’re going to a safe house.”
“We?”
“You and me.”
“Oh.”
He cocked his head. “Is that a problem?”
She shook her head. “No. No problem.”
Except it was. It was a huge problem. It was hard enough getting over her lingering feelings for her boss when she passed him in the hallway at Cooper Security three or four times a week.
How was she supposed to move on with her life stuck in a safe house with him 24/7?
Paula Graves
Secret Intentions
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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 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. 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
.
Books by Paula Graves
HARLEQUIN INTRIGUE
926—FORBIDDEN TERRITORY
998—FORBIDDEN TEMPTATION
1046—FORBIDDEN TOUCH
1183—CASE FILE: CANYON CREEK, WYOMING*
1189—CHICKASAW COUNTY CAPTIVE*
1224—ONE TOUGH MARINE*
1230—BACHELOR SHERIFF*
1272—HITCHED AND HUNTED**
1278—THE MAN FROM GOSSAMER RIDGE**
1285—COOPER VENGEANCE**
1305—MAJOR NANNY
1337—SECRET IDENTITY‡
1342—SECRET HIDEOUT‡
1348—SECRET AGENDA‡
1366—SECRET ASSIGNMENT‡
1372—SECRET KEEPER‡
1378—SECRET INTENTIONS‡
*Cooper Justice
**Cooper Justice: Cold Case Investigation
‡Cooper Security
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Evie Marsh—
Cooper Security’s junior accountant thinks she’s over the secret crush she had on her boss. But when she’s the target of a deadly group of guns-for-hire, and Jesse Cooper deems himself her personal bodyguard, will her resolve be put to the test?
Jesse Cooper—
The former marine has dedicated all the resources of Cooper Security to bringing down a conspiracy that threatens countries around the globe. But when Evie Marsh becomes a target, will he risk her life to find the answers he seeks?
The Espera Group—
The oil policy group has been pushing for nations across the globe to sign the Wolfsburg Treaty creating a multinational agency to control oil production and profits. But to what lengths will they go to get what they want?
Special Services Unit (SSU)—
The ruthless mercenaries are paid well to thwart the Espera Group’s enemies. They’ll stop at nothing to use Evie Marsh against her father, a man whose secrets are putting his whole family at risk.
General Baxter Marsh—
The retired Marine Corps general was one of three generals who uncovered a global conspiracy to manipulate the price and production of oil. So why is he determined to keep his secrets?
General Edward Ross—
The late army general kept a coded journal during his last few years of service. But he died without revealing his part of a three-layered code key that could unlock the journal’s secrets.
Rita Marsh Kingsley—
Evie’s older sister was once engaged to Jesse Cooper. Though recently married, does she still hold the former marine’s heart?
Nolan Cavanaugh—
The computer genius knows more than he’s telling—and now he’s in danger. Can Evie and Jesse find him before the SSU does?
For my Aunt Marie, one of my most avid fans. I love you.
Contents
Chapter One
“Have you seen Rita?”
Jesse Cooper peered through the binoculars and wondered if he could avoid answering his sister’s question. He could pretend he hadn’t heard her or fake a reason to get off the phone. But she’d just ask again.
He lowered the binoculars and leaned against the headrest. “Briefly.” He’d spotted Rita Marsh and her mother entering Millwood Presbyterian Church a half hour earlier. Her father, General Baxter Marsh, had arrived a few minutes later alone. No idea where Evie was.
“She didn’t see you, did she?”
“No.” He hadn’t been invited to the wedding.
“You sure we should hang back so far?” Isabel’s voice held a hint of doubt. She hadn’t been the only one of his brothers and sisters to question whether Jesse’s “go it alone” decision had been the right one.
Jesse wasn’t sure he was right either, but he couldn’t pretend he wasn’t worried. And because Rita’s father had hired his own security for the wedding, Jesse and his Cooper Security agents couldn’t exactly form a perimeter around the church without drawing notice.
“We have to play it this way,” he said. “I’ll call if anything starts to go down.” He said goodbye to his sister and lifted the binoculars again, focusing on a compact car swinging into a parking spot near the side of the church.
Ah, there she is.
He adjusted the lenses to watch Evie Marsh stride toward the side door of the church, muscles flexing beneath her slim-fitting jeans. A long black garment bag draped over her shoulder no doubt held her bridesmaid’s dress. Jesse idly wondered what she’d look like in that dress.
Maybe he’d catch a glimpse after the wedding, when the bride and groom emerged for the rice throwing. At least he hoped it would be his first chance to see Evie in her dress—it would mean the wedding had proceeded as planned. No matter what his family thought, he’d love to see Rita Marsh married to her nice professor without incident. What he and Rita had shared had been over a long time ago.
His cell phone rang. He smiled at the name on the display. “Hi, Evie.”
“Where are you positioned?”
Not much got past Rita’s brainy little sister. “In the side lot of the convenience store across the street from the church.”
“How many agents with you?”
“Just me. I have others ready to move on my order.”
There was a faint rustling sound on the other end of the line. Jesse’s mind wandered into dangerous territory, imagining Evie undressing to put on the bridesmaid dress. He dragged his thoughts back under rigid control as she said, “I told you Dad hired a whole security team for the wedding.”
“That’s why I’m across the street.” He checked his watch. Eleven-thirty. The wedding was at two. Attendees would be arriving soon, making it that much harder to keep an eye out for anything strange.
“I should have asked you as my date,” Evie muttered.
“I don’t think Rita would have appreciated that.” Their relationship might be over, but he wasn’t exactly one of his ex-fiancée’s favorite people. “Or your dad.”
“It’s just stupid you’re sitting over there instead of here where you can see what’s going on.”
“I’m hoping nothing happens and all this worry was for nothing.”
“But you don’t really think that’s true, do you?” Evie asked. Jesse could tell she wanted to hope for the best, but she had never been a cockeyed optimist. Little Evie Marsh had always been a realist, even as a gangly teenager following Jesse and Rita around during their courtship.
“It’s best to prepare for any eventuality,” he answered.
He heard Evie’s soft sigh over the phone. “I’d better check on Mom and Rita. I don’t know who’s more high-strung today.”
“Is she really happy?” he asked before he could stop himself.
There was a long pause on Evie’s end of the line. “Yes, she’s really happy. She loves Andrew a lot.”
Jesse waited for a familiar twinge of pain, but it never came. “Good,” he said, meaning it.
“I’ll check in again before the ceremony,” she said and hung up.
Jesse closed his phone and picked up his binoculars, scanning the area for trouble and praying he’d find none.
* * *
E
VIE LAID HER PHONE
on the dressing table and eyed the closed door of the bride’s room’s inner dressing room. Rita was in there, talking with their mother as they finished the last touches on her hair and makeup. Evie wondered if her mother was asking the same question of Rita that Jesse had just asked of her.
Was she really happy?
There’d been a time Rita would have answered no. She’d spent a lot of time mourning her breakup with Jesse Cooper, although she’d been the one to end things when Jesse wouldn’t give up his Marine Corps career for her.
Rita shouldn’t have tried to force Jesse to be something he wasn’t. He was a leatherneck through and through, even now, years after leaving the Marine Corps. It was written all over him, from his masculine bearing to his hard-toned body and high-and-tight haircut. It had never made sense to Evie that the same qualities Rita had found so irresistible were the very qualities she’d wanted him to change to be her husband.
She supposed everything worked for the best. Rita had found a man who adored her and treated her like a queen. A woman could do a lot worse than Andrew Kingsley.
Evie eyed her bridesmaid dress. She didn’t relish the idea of squeezing herself into the tight bodice until absolutely necessary, but she didn’t want to mess up her hair again by re-dressing in her T-shirt and jeans just to go take a look at the sanctuary. The florist had delivered the flowers earlier that morning, so she hadn’t been able to get a look at the final decorations during the rehearsal the night before. She knew from her sister’s description that the sanctuary was going to be beautiful. She just wanted to see it for herself.
She compromised by slipping Rita’s white silk bathrobe over her slip before she padded barefoot into the corridor.
The sanctuary was at the far end of the hall, accessible by a double door that opened into the auditorium next to the piano by the altar. Evie stuck her head inside and took a quick look around.
Rita had selected an autumn palette for her wedding, her flower arrangements consisting of gold, russet and burnt-orange roses, lilies and chrysanthemums. The bridesmaid dresses were a rusty red that reminded Evie of dogwood trees in autumn. The pews were adorned with simple copper bows and the unlit unity candles at the front were a soft peach.
“Pretty, isn’t it?”
Evie turned to find a man in a black tux watching her from the front pew. On the pew beside him sat a large black trumpet case.