Love Another Day

by Gina Robinson

  Tate had to get in firing position. It was tricky. He couldn’t risk hitting Sophia with friendly fire. The ferry and the storm fought him every time he got close.

  He cocked his arm and got War and Peace against Lash’s temple.

  Tate’s ears began to ring. His limbs were going numb. He was having a hard time getting his finger on the trigger of the book. He couldn’t feel his hand to pull the trigger.

  Lash grinned. “Feeling sleepy?” He knocked Tate’s book arm, dislodging the gun from Lash’s temple.

  Lash got his pistol in position, pressed against Tate’s gut, which was nauseated with the motion of the ferry. In a second Tate would throw up.

  So this is how it ends, Tate thought as he struggled. It’s going to look like I was a coward who lost it at the end. His stomach clenched.

  Lash smiled as if he was enjoying the fight tremendously. “Good-bye, Cox. And good riddance.”

  The door to the cabin flew open. Mal charged in armed with her girlie pink gun. She pointed it at Lash and fired.

  Lash crumbled to the floor. Tate threw up all over the dying man and fell to his knees.

  “My sentiments exactly.” Mal held a smoking pink gun.

  The room smelled faintly of gunpowder and an awful lot like vomit. Like a lot of other cabins probably did at the moment.

  Tate clutched his stomach. The room was growing dim. He was weak and having trouble focusing on Mal. “You took a big chance. You could have hit me.”

  “Yeah? I thought about it. You probably deserved it.” Mal walked over and studied Lash. “One to the head. I’m good.”

  She was soaked. Her T-shirt was plastered to her body and transparent. Her mascara was running. Her hair was wild. She was the best sight he’d ever seen and might be the last one. “Is that wet T-shirt just for me?”

  “Shut up.” Her voice was tender. “I’ve just braved the outside of the ferry and gale-force winds to rescue you and you’re thinking about wet T-shirts. Some things never change.”

  He tried to grin, but his lips weren’t working. He had to get it out. He had to tell her what he felt. “Like how much I love you. And always will.” He took a deep breath, feeling as if his lungs were shallow. “Mal, about earlier—it’s not what it looked like.”

  He was getting double vision and trying not to heave again. The room was rocking.

  Mal looked calm. “I believe you.” She looked at his arm. “What happened there?”

  “Lash poisoned me. And drugged Sophia.” Tate swayed on his knees. “The symptoms are like RIOT’s usual poison of choice.” He took a rasping breath as the world was closing down. “Tell Kayla I love her, too. Don’t let her grow up to be a spy.”

  And then his world went black.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Tate woke up surrounded by bright lights and the beeping of medical equipment. There was a window and greenery outside. This certainly wasn’t hell. Someone was holding his hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

  “You’re back.” Mal smiled at him, looking more relieved than he deserved.

  “You’re here.” His throat was dry. His tone came out raspy.

  “I am. And have been all along.”

  “Where is here?”

  “Dublin.”

  He frowned, trying to remember. “I thought we were going to Belfast?”

  “We were. But Dublin was closer. They airlifted you here from the ferry in the middle of a whopper of a storm in the Irish Sea. It was quite the operation. You owe some brave emergency workers your thanks.

  “You’ve been in the hospital for two days. The doctors didn’t think you’d make it.” She smiled and squeezed his hand. “I never gave up. I know how tough you are.”

  “I shouldn’t have made it. That poison—”

  She smiled at him. “I took a chance and administered the antidote that was in my bag from Sir Herbert. We’re lucky RIOT isn’t more creative in their choice of poisons. Once I knew I was dealing with one of their top assassins, I was pretty sure the antidote would work. They have to stop worrying about signature kills. It gives away the cure.

  “Once I injected you with the antitoxin, you stabilized and they airlifted you here.”

  “Sophia?”

  “Still worried about her, are you?” Mal was smiling and her voice was tender with no signs of jealousy. “Lash, well, whoever he was, I don’t know what to call him.”

  “Lash will do.”

  She nodded. “He had only sedated Sophia to keep her quiet until he shot her and framed you. The paramedics checked her over. She slept it off and continued to Belfast where Mason met her. The two of them took our place on our plane for the States. She’s safely in custody now. Mission accomplished.

  “I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but I think her case of hero worship has transferred to Mason. He’s terribly attractive and there’s no complication of an interfering ex-wife and child to worry about.”

  “Almost ex-ex-wife. You promised to marry me again.”

  “I did, didn’t I?” Her smile deepened. “I’m a woman of my word. I guess I’m stuck. I’ll just have to become the ex-ex-Mrs. Cox. If only to keep the gossip media at bay.” She stroked his cheek. “We recovered the incriminating files and letter that RIOT had planted on Sophia. And we covered our tracks, though the cleanup crew wasn’t pleased with the mess you made on Lash’s body.”

  Tate laughed. It hurt his throat. “Set a date for the wedding. Kayla can be our flower girl this time.”

  “She’ll love that, especially if she can have a long pink dress.”

  “I seem to remember you dripping wet with your nipples showing through your T-shirt. It was quite erotic. And something about crawling along the outside of the ferry. Was I hallucinating?”

  “Nope. Your memory is spot-on.” She leaned over and pulled something from her purse. “Lash tricked me into waiting for him in his cabin. Then he used this shim from the outside to lock me in. I climbed out through a porthole, walked along a very narrow rim, and burst through a porthole in the next cabin. I’m very proud I was able to remove it, but I lost a good screwdriver in the process.”

  “Did you?”

  “Right into the sea.”

  “That’s too bad.”

  “Yes, and I arrived looking quite the fright.”

  “You were a sight for sore eyes to me.” He pulled her close. “Would you put on a wet T-shirt for me again? I didn’t get to take full advantage of it.” He pulled her into a deep kiss.

  She kissed him back until the monitors he was hooked up to went crazy, beeping and whirling. Mal eyed the heart rate monitor. “That’s enough of that until you get your strength back.”

  “What?” He grinned. “Where’s that shim? Why don’t you use it to lock us in? Then I’ll show you who has his strength back already.”

  She kissed him lightly. “It only works from the outside.”

  “Improvise. I’m due for a stress test anyway. You can play doctor.”

  STINGER

  CIA HEADQUARTERS, LANGLEY, VIRGINIA

  SEVERAL WEEKS LATER

  Emmett Nelson sat in his office at Langley, happy that another mission was accomplished successfully. And now he had two fewer agents with exes to worry about. Sophia had given them much valuable information. NCS now had valuable insight into the minds of the RIOT programmers and how they were planning future attacks.

  Relations with the Brits were stronger than ever. But Emmett’s nemesis, Archibald Random, RIOT’s chief, was getting bolder and more personal in his attacks all the time. It was no accident RIOT had gone after Tate.

  Emmett tried not to play favorites among his agents. They were all dedicated and damn good at what they did. But he couldn’t help favoring Tate. Tate was his godson. And his son.

  Tate had no idea Emmett was his biological father. And Emmett had no intention of telling him. The question was—had Random found out?

  Random was testing Emmett, seeing just how much he’d risk for duty. Wors
e, he was going after those Emmett loved.

  A wrapped gift sat on Emmett’s desk, which reminded him. He asked his admin to call Tate and Malene in.

  He smiled as he waited. They arrived together.

  “You wanted to see us, chief?” Tate said.

  They looked happy, which warmed Emmett’s jaded heart.

  Malene noticed the gift. “Going to a wedding, sir?”

  “Yeah, yours,” Emmett said. “I thought you’d want this present early. It’s not something you want to open in front of a crowd.”

  “Ours? You didn’t have to do that, sir.” Malene looked worried. “You gave us a gift the first time around. We’re not expecting anything from anyone this time.”

  “This is better than the first one.” Emmett indicated the present. “Go ahead. Open it.”

  Tate handed the gift to Mal. “You do the honors.”

  They sat in the leather chairs opposite Emmett’s desk. Malene opened the present gently. There are two kinds of unwrappers—those who tear through the paper and those who try to preserve it. Malene was the second kind. She carefully set the ribbon aside and pulled the wrapping off in one piece. Beneath the paper was a plain white box. She slowly removed the tissue and set it aside.

  Emmett watched with delight as she gasped and held up an expensive crystal picture frame that framed the famous shot of them in bed together. “For your eyes only. So you never forget what you two have together.”

  Malene blushed.

  “There’s something else,” Emmett said. “There’s a small data card in there with what we believe is the last remaining copy. Our techies searched the Internet and scrubbed it pretty clean. I can’t guarantee there isn’t a copy somewhere. But if one surfaces, we’ll get it down.”

  Malene shot Tate a loving gaze. When she turned her smile back on Emmett, it was radiant. “Thank you, Emmett. You’re right—this is a better gift.” She reached across and squeezed Tate’s hand as if getting his confirmation. “In fact, it and the mission are the best gifts I’ve ever received.”

  ALSO BY GINA ROBINSON

  License to Love

  Live and Let Love

  Diamonds Are Truly Forever

  The Spy Who Left Me

  Praise for Gina Robinson’s

  DIAMONDS ARE TRULY FOREVER

  “A fast-paced and exciting thriller. Jam-packed with funny dialogue and hot sex … There’s never a dull moment. [This] is one book you definitely will NOT lose interest in; instead you will be unable to put the book down. Excellent and innovative read!”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “Readers are in for a fun, rollicking read with Diamonds Are Truly Forever … If you love a romantic suspense that is long on funny situations and romantic to boot, then you’ll love [this book].”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  LIVE AND LET LOVE

  “Secret agents, mysterious identities, and a love that just won’t die make for a sweet, clever escape from reality.”

  —Kirkus Reviews

  “Robinson’s action-packed tale doesn’t shy away from the fact that the hero is an assassin. Featuring plenty of interesting gadgets for spying and killing, as well as some delightful dogs—and a good dose of humor and suspense—this book ensures readers will race to the perfectly fitting finish.”

  —RT Book Reviews, 4½ stars

  “Gina Robinson is a talented writer … if you are a fan of her stories … this book is worth adding to your wish list.”

  —Night Owl Romance

  THE SPY WHO LEFT ME

  “This first Agent Ex novel is good, old-fashioned fun. Full of laughter, intrigue, and, of course, steamy spies, it’s a great weekend escape. Robinson knows how to balance a book with lighthearted romps and serious romance.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “At times laugh-out-loud funny, Robinson’s foray into the world of James Bond has its poignant side, assuring that readers will be back for more.”

  —Booklist

  “Punctuated with Bond-worthy downhill car and bike chases and near-death surfing parties, Robinson’s clever concoction of lust and longing is a refreshing tropical cocktail.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Mystery, mayhem, sexy spies, and lots of laughter. Gina Robinson writes a damn good book!”

  —Christie Craig, award-winning author

  “The action is fast and furious and the plot twists turn on a dime. Ms. Robinson seamlessly adds humor to her story that will keep the reader laughing as things keep going wrong.”

  —SingleTitles.com

  “A hilariously brilliant romp into the world of espionage and intrigue. Ty and Treflee are amazingly sympathetic characters, and the world that Ms. Robinson has built for them to play in is dazzling and colorful. It isn’t much of a stretch for the reader to hear the native birds sing and smell the coconut oil as they read this delightful novel!”

  —Reader to Reader Reviews

  “Firmly establishes Gina Robinson as one of today’s most exciting new authors of romantic suspense. It’s bold, it’s brassy, it’s full of spy-goodness with a wicked sense of humor that’ll leave you both shaken and stirred.”

  —The Big Thrill

  “Gina Robinson takes drama, comedy, and action and whips them together to make one delicious read!”

  —Joyfully Reviewed

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Gina Robinson has always been a storyteller—just ask her parents. An avid book lover, she grew up reading romance, mysteries, and suspense novels but, somehow, ended up majoring in Electrical Engineering at school. After marrying her college sweetheart, she began to write—software—for several large defense contractors. Eventually Gina gave up the glamorous engineering life for the equally glamorous life of a stay-at-home mom, somehow finding time to write a novel about villains with guns, handsome strangers, and mail-order brides. The book won several awards for unpublished manuscripts but, so far, remains unpublished. Her first published novels, Spy Candy and Spy Games, received rave reviews, establishing Gina Robinson as one of today’s most exciting new authors of romantic suspense.

  You can visit her website at www.ginarobinson.com

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  LOVE ANOTHER DAY

  Copyright © 2014 by Gina Robinson.

  All rights reserved.

  For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

  www.stmartins.com

  eISBN: 9781466826519

  St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / March 2014

  St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.