It’s 1996, and Mark Vincent, senior special agent of the Washington Bureau of Investigation and Security, is sent on assignment to Prague to cancel the head of a terrorist organization. He has no doubt it will be a simple operation. After all, he’s the best, isn’t he? Only another member of the WBIS gets involved, and when everything goes south -- including the loss of valued members of his team -- Mark vows to destroy the man responsible for this debacle. Refused permission to return to the States and ordered to take time off to decompress, Mark heads to Paris, where he meets an attractive rent boy who introduces himself as Louis. Unable to resist, Mark, portraying an ordinary businessman, gives his name as Rick, and they spend the week together. However, neither man is what he portrays himself as. With this unlikely pair, can this be the start of a beautiful friendship?

The Start of a Beautiful Friendship

"I regret to tell you your usual room is unavailable."


"That's okay." It was my own fault for not calling ahead. I'd been so steamed by what had gone on that it hadn't even occurred to me.


He seemed relieved. Had other guests given him a hard time? "Unfortunately, there is one other thing."


"You're not going to tell me you don't have a room for me after all?"


"Of course we do, M. Blaine!" He permitted a smile to cross his lips. "However, it is rather small for a man of your height."


I brushed that aside. While I was sure I could find other hotels with bigger rooms, I wasn't in the mood to go looking for them. And besides, H?tel de l'Espoir had always suited my purposes. It was the sort of hotel no one would expect me to be caught dead in. "Is that the only problem?"


Alain shook his head. "Your room will not be ready until after three."


Chapter 5