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

The Boss signaled everyone else to back off. “Take a couple of days to think about another partner, Vincent. If you’re still of the same mind, then we’ll talk about it at that time.”


“Not fucking likely,” I growled under my breath as I stalked out, glaring at the director, who was holding a red-stained handkerchief to his nose. My partner and sometime fuck buddy had been an okay guy, and of course a decent agent—the WBIS would have accepted nothing less—but having a partner had never been my choice, and I was determined never to be saddled with one again.


Now I was back in the attic apartment, intent on getting stinking drunk.


Problem was, I didn’t keep alcohol in my apartment, and the mood I was in, I would kill anyone who looked at me cross-eyed if I went out to a bar, which would wind up bringing attention to the WBIS, which would piss off The Boss, which was never a good thing, so instead I went downstairs looking for a shitload of drinks.


Chapter 65