Military intelligence officer Lieutenant Barb Carolus is ordered to investigate Colonel Locke, a rogue officer suspected of selling military weapons on the black market. Colonel Locke is from Barb’s home planet and she knows exposing his crimes will tarnish the reputation of those rare people like her who’ve escaped the poverty and gangs of their home world to become officers. But orders are orders and she always does her duty.<br><br>For the mission she’s teamed with the unconventional -- and in Barb’s opinion, entirely unprofessional -- undercover agent Taya Borovsky. Working with Taya will test Barb’s by the book approach to the limits, especially when attraction overcomes her irritation with Taya. Bitter about upholding standards nobody else does, Barb gives in to her desires.<br><br>When the mission goes bad, Barb and Taya are on the run and outgunned. To survive, Barb must learn from Taya’s unconventional methods and improvise a solution to complete her mission and save their lives.

Loose Cannon

“I’m sorry,” Barb murmured as she drifted toward sleep, pressed against Taya, mind full of the scent of her.


“It wasn’t your fault.” Taya patted Barb’s shoulder. “These things happen in the field.”


“Like losing the money.” The last time she’d seen the case with the money in it, it had been lying next to Vince’s body.


“Ah, yeah. I’ll be honest, I never expected us to come back with the money.”


“Believe me, if we get home with the proof about Locke, it will be money well spent.”  6


Barb woke up spitting out a mouthful of Taya’s hair she seemed to be inhaling. She was sweating. God, they were supposed to be in danger of freezing to death, and she was sweating.


“How high is that heater turned up?” she asked.


“Must be lying next to a hot babe like me.” Taya smirked. “I am, too. It’s because we’re in our clothes. The sharing body heat works best if you’re naked.”


Chapter 18