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Forbidden Territory & Forbidden Temptation: Forbidden Territory / Forbidden Temptation
Paula Graves
WALKING AWAY FROM DANGER IS NOT AN OPTION FOR THESE MEN! FORBIDDEN TERRITORY Lieutenant McBride has no time for psychics–he has a kidnapper to catch and a little girl to rescue. But the honey-haired Lily Browning with the golden eyes sees things no one else does–including his own tragic secret. With a child's life at stake, he must trust Lily…even as each step plunges them deeper into danger and the uncharted territory of irresistible desire.FORBIDDEN TEMPTATION On a manhunt for the killer named Orion, hotshot criminal profiler Daniel Hartman is trying to put his ghosts to rest. Orion's latest target is Rose Browning, a matchmaker with a gift for predicting true love. Tempted by secrets she can't reveal, Daniel insists on offering some very personal protection. But can he safeguard this raven-haired beauty before his desire for revenge becomes an obsession?
Walking away from danger is not an option for these men! Two reader-favorite stories from Paula Graves.
Forbidden Territory
Lieutenant McBride has no time for psychics—he has a kidnapper to catch and a little girl to rescue. But the honey-haired Lily Browning with the golden eyes sees things no one else does—including his own tragic secret. With a child's life at stake, he must trust Lily…even as each step plunges them deeper into danger and the uncharted territory of irresistible desire.
Forbidden Temptation
On a manhunt for the killer named Orion, hotshot criminal profiler Daniel Hartman is trying to put his ghosts to rest. Orion's latest target is Rose Browning, a matchmaker with a gift for predicting true love. Tempted by secrets she can't reveal, Daniel insists on offering some very personal protection. But can he safeguard this raven-haired beauty before his desire for revenge becomes an obsession?
Praise for Paula Graves
“From the opening scene to the amazingly realistic and surprise ending, your ride through the pages of Forbidden Territory will take you where nothing is as it seems.”
—CataRomance.com
“4 stars…(a) wonderfully twisted story of compelling people dealing with a terrifying situation.”
—RT Book Reviews on Forbidden Territory
“Paula Graves delivers a chilling, thrilling cocktail of suspense and romance.”
—New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz
“She yanks the reader into the story as the first bomb explodes, and she doesn’t let go until the final page.”
—USATODAY.com’s Happy Ever After blog on Major Nanny
“The tension and romance kept me reading.”
—Fresh Fiction on Murder in the Smokies
“4½ stars… Top Pick! A top-notch psychological roller coaster…”
—RT Book Reviews on Forbidden Temptation
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, paulagraves.com (http://www.paulagraves.com).
Books by Paula Graves
Harlequin Intrigue
The Gates
Dead Man’s Curve
Crybaby Falls
Boneyard Ridge
Deception Lake
Killshadow Road
Two Souls Hollow
Bitterwood PD
Murder in the Smokies
The Smoky Mountain Mist
Smoky Ridge Curse
Blood on Copperhead Trail
The Secret of Cherokee Cove
The Legend of Smuggler’s Cave
Visit the Author Profile page at
Harlequin.com (http://www.Harlequin.com) for more titles.
Forbidden Territory & Forbidden Temptation
Paula Graves
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FORBIDDEN TERRITORY (#udf8d1f36-9ccf-5192-bb26-b80e59de49d1)
FORBIDDEN TEMPTATION (#litres_trial_promo)
Forbidden Territory
This book is dedicated to my mother, for not
laughing when I told her I wanted to be a writer;
to Jenn, for putting up with my doubts, my fears
and my dangling participles; and to Kris,
for believing in this story when I didn’t.
CONTENTS
Chapter 1 (#u21d1b85c-736c-5b5c-8b32-f50084c3ffe8)
Chapter 2 (#u57d0eb4b-d558-558a-b611-090b133cb7c1)
Chapter 3 (#u6f91f6ca-13cd-5633-96b5-90ec5aef732d)
Chapter 4 (#u930a9ca3-4571-5651-8a3b-8cc907b64783)
Chapter 5 (#u58fdc3d9-f678-52c0-927c-581166a92b46)
Chapter 6 (#u24ecfb56-505e-5fd4-8744-8dea34ecd39f)
Chapter 7 (#u6d7baccb-db30-5b69-a45e-e0ea6bffe2f2)
Chapter 8 (#u8b6fcecb-3103-59da-9a6a-52874be00954)
Chapter 9 (#ue95ef00f-3f95-56b7-817c-f9bcb191e1b4)
Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 14 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 15 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 16 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 17 (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter 18 (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER ONE
THE VISION CAME without warning, a door bursting open in her mind.
Frightened blue eyes, red-rimmed from crying.
Freckled cheeks, smudged with tears and dirt.
Red hair, tangled and sweat-darkened.
A terrified cry. “Daddy, help me!”
Lily Browning pressed her fingers against her temples and squeezed her eyes closed. Explosions of light and pain raced through her head like arcs of tracer fire. Around her, a thick gray mist swirled. Moisture beaded on her brow, grew heavy and slid down her cheek.
She opened her eyes, afraid of what she would see.
It was just an empty schoolroom, the remains of the morning’s classes scattered about the space—backpacks draped by their straps over the backs of chairs, books lying askew. The kids were still at recess.
“Lily?” A woman’s voice broke the silence. Lily jumped.
Carmen Herrera, the assistant principal, stood at the entrance of the classroom, but it was the man behind her who commanded Lily’s attention. His dark hair was crisp and close-cut, emphasizing his rough-hewn features and hard hazel eyes. His gaze swept over Lily in a quick but thorough appraisal.
The door in her mind crept open again. She stiffened, forcing it shut, her head pounding from the strain. Pain danced behind her eyes, the familiar opening salvo of a migraine.
“Headache again?” Carmen asked, concerned.
Lily pushed herself upright. “It’s not too bad.” But already the room began to spin. Swaying, she gripped the edge of the desk.
The man in the charcoal suit pushed past Carmen to cup Lily’s elbow, holding her steady. “Are you all right?”
Lily’s arm tingled where he touched her. Raw, barely leashed power rolled off him in waves, almost as tangible as the scent of his aftershave. It swamped her, stole her breath.
He said her name, his fingers tightening around her elbow. Something else besides power flooded through her. Something dark and bitter and raw.
She met his gaze—and immediately regretted it.
“Help me, Daddy!” The cry echoed in her head. Fog blurred the edges of her sight.
Swallowing hard, she fought the relentless under-tow and pulled her elbow from the man’s grasp, resisting the urge to rub away the lingering sensation of his touch. “I’m fine.”
“Lily gets migraines,” Carmen explained. “Not that often, but when they hit, they’re doozies.”
Lily heard a thread of anxiety woven in the woman’s usually upbeat, calm voice. A chill flowed through her, raising goose bumps on her arms. “Has something happened?”
Something passed between Carmen and the man beside her. “Lily, this is Lieutenant McBride with the police. Lieutenant, this is Lily Browning. She teaches third grade.” Carmen closed the classroom door behind her and lowered her voice. “One of our students is missing. Lieutenant McBride’s talking to all the teachers to find out whether they’ve seen her.”
Red-rimmed eyes.
Tearstained face.
Frightened cries.
Lily’s head spun.
Lieutenant McBride pulled a photo from his coat pocket and held it out to her. She shut her eyes, afraid to look.
“Ms. Browning?” He sounded concerned, even solicitous, but suspicion lurked behind the polite words.
