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

“No, sir. We…. During college we fooled around a little, but I swear to you I don’t…I’m not….”


“Look, Matheson. As long as an agent’s sexual orientation doesn’t get me killed, he could hump sheep for all I care.”


He gave a surprised snort of laughter. “That’s a relief to know. But just to set the record straight, my taste doesn’t run to sheep, sir.”


“Good. So what was the story with Shaw?” I waited to see if he would tell me the truth.


“Michael was attracted to power. That was how he got involved with—” He stopped short.


“Yeah?” I cocked an eyebrow at him and started assembling a box.


“Mr. Vincent, let me be frank with you. Rumor had it that Michael was feeding information about you to the CIA. If he did something like that—”


“Then it was true?” He covered his eyes for a minute, shaking his head. “Oh, Michael, you stupid, stupid fool.”


“And yet you say he was your best friend.”


Chapter 74