Quinton Mann is CIA through and through. Mark Vincent is WBIS for life. There is no way they could end up as anything other than adversaries -- and yet, Quinn takes Mark out to dinner on his birthday -- the one no one is supposed to know about -- and gives him one hell of a present in the restaurant's restroom. Mark, not to be outdone, has decided to escalate this game, because it has to be a game, right? There's no way it can be anything else.<br><br>But as the game continues, as Quinn shows up to a WBIS funeral, as a friend of Mark’s penetrates the CIA computer network to get information on Quinn, as Mark breaks into Quinn's house and gives Quinn a very interesting encounter, both Quinn and Mark realize that this is becoming the most real thing in their lives.<br><br>Can they find a way to do their jobs and keep this surprising, intriguing connection?

Houseboat on the Nile

I saw us as friends, but Susan saw us as much more than that. She’d been livid when I told her it might be for the best if we saw other people, and she’d called me a number of things, not the least of which was “an inconsiderate, self-centered jerk.”


“Oh, Quinton. She wasn’t the one, then.” Mother sighed. “I rather thought not.”


“Why do you say that?” I’d known I hadn’t loved Susan, but I was fond of her.


“Just a feeling I had.” Thankfully, she changed the subject. “You know, you really didn’t sound yourself earlier. You’ve been working much too hard. Why don’t you give some serious consideration to relaxing today?”


“I will. I promise.” She knew me very well. At least three weekends out of four would find me spending a good deal of time at Langley.


“Gregor is pulling up at the restaurant, so I’ll say goodbye now.”


“Of course. Unless I hear otherwise, I’ll expect to see you at our usual time. Oh, and Gregor says please do something he wouldn’t do.”


Chapter 58