Accused
Atlanta’s Finest Series
by Sharon C. Cooper
Publication Date: October 5, 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
He wants
to forget his past… She’s hiding from hers…
Former
FBI agent Kenton Bailey traded in his badge when an assignment went horribly
wrong. Now he provides personal security to high-end clients. But falling for
Egypt Durand, the Queen of Supreme Security, wasn’t part of the plan. She’s
smart, classy, and ignites a fire in him that only she can extinguish. Except
she retreats from his advances…and she’s shrouded in a veil of secrecy.
Egypt has
never met a man as sexy as Kenton. Funny and smart, he’s hard to resist. But
her past leaves no room for a happily ever after. Still, with him, she dreams
of a future.
Finally,
Egypt’s startling truths are revealed, throwing Kenton off
balance and forcing him to confront the past he left behind. And
when threats from a dangerous crime family send Egypt bolting, Kenton
convinces her to stay. Together they will fight to bring closure to their
pasts, but will they live long enough to explore the passion brewing between
them?
Excerpt
“Why do I
always have to go through this with you, Hamilton, and Angelo? Don’t get me
wrong, I appreciate you guys looking out for me, but I’m a big girl. I don’t
need my big brothers, going all He-Man whenever I have a date.”
“You know
not to include me in the big brothers’ scenario,” Kenton said in a low voice
close to her ear, his hand moving to her hip.
Had he
not known for a fact that their feelings for each other were mutual, he
wouldn’t have made such a bold move. He was close enough to feel Egypt shudder
against him.
“I
definitely don’t see you or consider you as a sister. In fact, the things I’d
love to do with you would not fall into the brotherly love zone.”
Her hand
went to his chest, and her touch scorched his skin right through his shirt. At
5’9” she was tall for a woman, but even with her high heels, the top of her
head only came up to his nose. He had always been attracted to tall, curvy
women and she didn’t disappoint.
“Kenton,
I…we,” she started, but stopped and dropped her gaze. When her tongue slid
across her bottom lip, an uncontrollable growl rumbled in his throat.
“Cancel
your date, and go out with me,” he said, caressing her soft cheek with the pad
of his thumb.
Egypt
glanced up at him, and the urge to kiss her was stronger than ever.
“I
already told you. I can’t go out with you.”
“You
can’t or you won’t?”
She
stepped out of his hold but didn’t move away. “Is there a difference?”
Kenton
shoved his hands into his front, pants pockets to keep from touching her again.
“Yeah, there is a difference. Have you ever seen the movie, Pretty Woman?”
Egypt’s
brows shot up. “Are you kidding me? There’s not a woman alive who hasn’t seen
the movie, at least twice. Question is, have you seen it?”
“I have
three sisters, two who are older. It was impossible for me not to see it and
every other chick flick that exists. The point is, toward the end of the movie,
when Edward asks Vivian to stay with him for one more night, she gives a
teary-eyed I can’t. That’s how you say I can’t, but without the tears.”
Egypt
stared at him with her mouth hanging open but didn’t say anything.
“When you
tell me you can’t go out with me, that speaks volumes. It means you can’t go
out with me because you’re afraid, or it’s because of something that has
happened in your past. Deep down, you really do want to date me.”
She shook
her head, and Kenton didn’t miss the soft smile spreading across her lips.
“You’re too much. You know that?”
“Tonight,
there was something else behind your words, and I can’t put my finger on it.
Have I done something to make you think that you and I can’t date? And don’t
give me that shit about fraternizing. That rule is not included in our employee
handbook.”
“Kenton…”
He
grasped her arm gently and pulled her close. “If you told me that you won’t or
will never go out with me, I would’ve backed off a long time ago. You haven’t
done that. So which is it? You can’t go out with me, or you don’t want to?”
Egypt
folded her bottom lip between her teeth as if debating on whether to tell him
the truth or lie. As a former undercover FBI agent, he’d been good at reading
people, and he already knew the answer. She wanted to be with him as much as he
wanted to be with her, but something was holding her back. He didn’t know what,
but he had every intention of finding out.
“Sweetheart,
your silence tells me everything I need to know.”
*Copyright
© 2018 Sharon C. Cooper
*
About Sharon C. Cooper
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