Seven-Card Stud
Page 19
“My name is Oliver,” he tried in his rudimentary Greek.
“Keep staring at the water,” a familiar voice said from beside him in a British accent.
Oliver jolted violently. Collin!
“Don’t look at me,” Collin bit out more sharply.
Oliver froze, staring at nothing but pointing his face toward the water. “How did you find me? Where have you been? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. I had to make a few changes before I came for you, but I’ve been watching you ever since the night you dumped me.”
“I’m so fucking sorry about that—”
“No apologies necessary. And we don’t have long to talk. I’ve been sent to help you infiltrate Erebus, if you’re willing. I would act as your handler and give you whatever support you need. The idea is for you and me to develop a relationship over the next few months. In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve had a little cosmetic work done, and your employer should not be able to identify me.”
Now that he mentioned it, Collin’s voice had shifted to a distinctly American accent in the past few sentences. New Jersey, maybe. And even he hadn’t recognized the face of the man he loved.
Collin continued tersely. “If you turn me in to your employer, they will kill me for real this time. If you choose to work with me, your life will be in serious danger. But you will be able to help me take down a powerful criminal organization that’s doing harm all over the world to enrich itself. It’s your decision. If you want to accept my offer, meet me here the next time a fresh breeze blows up some decent breakers.”
“Since when do you know how to surf?”
“Since I went under deep cover to rescue the man I love.”
And with those stunning words, Collin jumped to his feet and jogged off down the beach. Oliver watched him go, so elated he could hardly breathe.
Collin was alive. And he was here. And Collin loved him! Hot damn.
THE next few days passed in an agony of suspense for Oliver. He fiddled around with his algorithm, delaying finishing it with a series of test runs that were entirely unnecessary, but which fooled his supervisors by producing long and incomprehensible lists of numbers.
The winds had shifted to the west, and the sea was glassy calm out his window day after day. He was losing his mind bit by irrevocable bit. And then, on the ninth day since he’d briefly seen Collin, he woke up to a hot breeze through his window. From the southeast. The wind had finally shifted.
He worked through the morning, keeping one eye peeled out the window for a tanned blond working the waves like a pro. A little after noon, he spied a flash of golden hair wading out into the surf.
“Callista!” he shouted through the open door. “I’m going surfing for a few hours. If anyone complains, tell them the program will be operational tomorrow. If I don’t lose my mind staring at these four walls, that is.”
“Yes, sir.”
He had to stop himself from sprinting down to the beach, and from throttling the surfboard guy, who took forever to rent him a damned board. But then he was paddling out to sea. To Collin.
The Brit—correct that: the American—was straddling his board, watching waves roll in from the open sea as Oliver paddled up beside him and said, “It seems that we’re destined to keep running into each other in the middle of bodies of water.”
“You came,” Collin said in relief, smiling without looking at him.
“I came. For you. So how’s this going to work?”
“If you’re prepared to work inside Erebus to help me take it down, you and I will meet for coffee tomorrow, maybe have a lunch or two, and then, when it makes sense, progress on to a more serious relationship.”
“My father won’t stand for it.”
“He will when that algorithm you’re working on makes him and his buddies a fortune.”
“How do you know about that?”
“Sorry. Classified.”
Oliver turned that over in his head for a minute. The authorities—of what country was anybody’s guess—were on to the Erebus Consortium. Outstanding. He’d been banging his head against a wall trying to figure out how to take it down from the inside, but the bastards had the organization so compartmentalized that he’d found no way to destroy the whole thing at once.
As for his father standing for him taking a gay lover, Collin had a point. George was not in charge of Erebus and was far from the only voice in votes or decisions. If Oliver made them enough money, they wouldn’t care who he took to bed.
“I’d like a do-over with you,” Oliver said slowly. “I’d like to do the whole develop-a-relationship thing like normal people.”
Collin grinned, and Oliver was startled. He’d gotten caps on his teeth, and the faint imperfections from before were gone. His smile was now movie-star perfect. In fact, just about everything about him was now movie-star perfect.
“You clean up pretty good, Yankee.”
Collin’s smile widened. “The plastic surgeon said the only way to make me unrecognizable was to make me really ugly or so handsome no one could see past the razzle-dazzle to recognize me.”
“Thank you for choosing hot,” Oliver replied “Although I’d still love you if you looked hideous. After all, you came to rescue me yet again.”
Collin’s gaze, through the same rich, complex, fascinating gray eyes as always, softened. “I’ll always come for you, Oliver. I love you.” He shrugged and added simply, “You’re the one.”
“I’d lean over and kiss you if I could.”
“Patience, Oliver. We’re in this for the long game. There will be plenty of time for kisses later. And I’m not going anywhere.”
“Thank God. I’ll never leave you again, I swear. And believe me. I’ve got the resources now to make that happen.”
“I’ll look forward to hearing all about them.” Collin held out his hand for a shake. “My name’s Rick. It’s nice to meet you Oliver.”
“Likewise. So tell me about yourself, Rick….”
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author AVA DRAKE grew up in the heart of the rural Midwest but beat a hasty retreat to the big city and bright lights as fast as humanly possible. Armed with a pilot’s license, fluency in several languages, a large dose of daring, and her dashing good looks, she took off to travel the world.
She flew everything from single-seat private airplanes to supersonic jets and the western world’s largest airplane, the mighty C-5 Galaxy. In her adventures, she visited forty-two countries on five continents, was detained by the KGB and East German secret police, got shot at, flew in the first Gulf War, met her shockingly handsome husband, and amassed a lifetime’s worth of war stories. Along the way, she engaged in a little light espionage and met more than her share of dark, dangerous, and good-looking men.
Travel weary at last, she came home and settled down to the business of writing stories of romance and adventure, which may or may not be autobiographical. Winner of a Golden Heart and Holt Medallion for writing, Ava is a five-time finalist and two-time winner of the prestigious RITA Award for Romance Fiction. She’s also a two-time winner of RT Book Review’s Best Harlequin Romantic Suspense Novel of the Year, and is a Romantic Times Lifetime Career Achievement nominee.
By Ava Drake
WILD CARDS NOVELS
Ace in the Hole
Seven-Card Stud
Published by Dreamspinner Press
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Now Available
Surveillance, seduction, and extra-dirty politics.
Christian Chatsworth-Brandeis has a problem. A huge one. The US senator he works for has run away with his latest mistress on the eve of a make-or-break fund-raising event, and it’s up to him to cover his boss’s irresponsible tracks.
Stone Jackson, the senator’s new bodyguard, looks enough like the senator that, with some extensive grooming, he might pass for Senator Lacey. Christian and Stone hatch a plan to fool everyone by substituting Stone for the senator, but Miami madne
ss and the incendiary heat between them are throwing obstacles in their way. It’s a race to find the senator and pull off the con of the century before the attraction between them spins completely out of control.
Coming in December 2016
#23
Catching Heir by Julia Talbot
Professional snowboarder Cullen Patrick is successful and kinda famous. So when he inherits an old Colorado hotel from an unknown relative, he really should leave well enough alone.
Matt Nathanson has been managing the Treeline Estates since college. He loved the elderly former owner, and he stands to inherit the place if no one claims it in the next week. Of course, Cullen shows up, and Matt thinks it’s time to move on. He doesn’t want to like Cullen, no matter how engaging the guy is, or how hunky.
Cullen has grand ideas for the Treeline, but he doesn’t want to implement them without Matt, and he’s not sure he’s ready to give up snowboarding. Can Matt convince Cullen that putting down roots is worth it… and maybe catch his heir at the same time?
#24
Striking Sparks by Ari McKay
Beau Walker, owner of the Barbecue Shack, needs the help of Jake Parnell, his one-time rival and secret crush, in a televised barbecue competition. Beau is a proud man, but the stakes are high, and smart, sexy Jake is his only hope, even if being around Jake reawakens the attraction he’s fought for years.
Jake left his hometown, determined to build a life somewhere his sexuality wouldn’t hurt his family’s restaurant business—and far away from hunky, obstinate Beau Walker. Then after his twin, Josh, is killed, Jake returns to support his brother’s wife and children. Despite his reservations, he agrees to go head-to-head against Beau on national television. Between stress and grief, as well as pride and determination, only one thing is certain—the heat between Beau and Jake extends well beyond the kitchen.
Don’t Miss Dreamspun Desires!
Love Always Finds a Way
Dreamspun Desires Subscription Service
Love eBooks?
Our monthly subscription service gives you two eBooks per month for one low price. Each month’s titles will be automatically delivered to your Dreamspinner Bookshelf on their release dates.
Prefer print?
Receive two paperbacks per month! Both books ship on the 1st of the month, giving you exclusive early access! As a bonus, you’ll receive both eBooks on their release dates!
Visit
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
for more info or to sign up now!
Published by
DREAMSPINNER PRESS
5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Seven-Card Stud
© 2016 Ava Drake.
Cover Art
© 2016 Bree Archer.
http://www.breearcher.com
Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or www.dreamspinnerpress.com.
ISBN: 978-1-63477-564-9
Digital ISBN: 978-1-63477-565-6
Library of Congress Control Number: 2016912703
Published November 2016
v. 1.0
Printed in the United States of America