by Cynthia Eden
She hates him.
Dexter Ryan is smug. Arrogant. Manipulative. And he is also…Lacey Amari’s new partner. Well, her partner on one case. A case she doesn’t even want to take, but when Dex—CIA super operative and all around puppet-master—basically blackmails her, she has no choice. Then he asks her the big question…
Will you marry me?
The proposal isn’t real. It’s just an undercover assignment. Dex needs Lacey to be his fake fiancée for a case. Not exactly her dream job. But, she’ll do it. He wants her to pretend to be head over heels in love with him, he wants her help on a dangerous investigation in a remote ski lodge, and he…wants her?
Their desire isn’t pretend.
Dex doesn’t work well with others and handling a case with a partner in close proximity—as in 24/7 close—isn’t his normal style. He’s pulled Lacey into the investigation because she is smart and resourceful, and maybe because he knows a secret about her that could prove to be very useful to him. After all, Dex uses people all the time. It’s his thing. Yet the more he is around her, the idea of using Lacey suddenly doesn’t seem like such a good plan. But getting her into his bed? Stellar idea.
He wants her, but so do the bad guys.
The attraction between Dex and Lacey burns red-hot, hot enough to melt the snow around them. Except, just as he planned, Lacey’s presence draws in the enemy. Now the bad guys are after her, and Dex has to stick even closer to her. He’s playing the role of the obsessed lover, only it’s not just a role. Because for the first time in his life, Dex is falling hard. He’s losing his control.
He’s lied. He’s cheated. He’s about to give up his heart.
When Lacey finds out the secret he’s known, her rage and pain break his heart. Dex has to find a way to make things up to her, and he has to stop the enemies who are closing in. Nothing he can’t handle. Maybe. Dex is a master multi-tasker—most days, anyway. Dex will use every trick in his very large arsenal to win this case. Lacey melted the ice around what the whole world knows is Dex’s very, very cold heart, and Dex will fight like hell to protect her and to prove to her that even master spies can fall in love.
Author’s note: Dex loves playing games. Some would even say he enjoys playing with other people’s lives, but this time…it is Dex’s life on the line. His life and his heart. The longer his pretend engagement to Lacey lasts, the longer Dex finds himself longing for the real deal. Prepare for lies, tricks, dangerous enemies, and romance hot enough to melt some heavy snow…Dex’s story will burn like fire and things will get WILDE.
By Cynthia Eden
This book is a work of fiction. Any similarities to real people, places, or events are not intentional and are purely the result of coincidence. The characters, places, and events in this story are fictional.
Copyright ©2020 by Cindy Roussos
All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without the express written consent of the author except for the use of small quotes or excerpts used in book reviews.
Copy-editing by: JRT Editing
(build 2)
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Say I Do
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Epilogue
Author’s Note
About The Author
Chapter One
“I want to know everything about her.” Dexter “Dex” Ryan put his hands on his hips and stared at the computer screen. Or rather, at the woman on the screen. “What she eats for breakfast. How she likes her coffee. Her favorite color. What makes her laugh. What makes her cry. What she fears—”
“Uh, Dex?” Antony Kyle paused with his hands curled over the keyboard. “Is this…personal? Because, I mean, I don’t know if we should really be using agency time to spy on your new girlfriend.”
Dex smiled and clamped a hand around Antony’s shoulder. A very hard clamp. Then he leaned in close to the other man’s ear. “Have you forgotten?” he murmured. “I am the agency. So if I say that I want you to investigate someone, if I say I want to know every single thing she does and every secret she has…then, obviously, it’s agency business.”
“Obviously,” Antony replied, but his voice said he was far, far from convinced. “And you wanted me to do this job for you instead of one of your normal techs because…?”
“Because I trust you. One hundred percent.” He did. There were only a handful of people in this world that he truly trusted, and Antony was one of those select few. A top operative, Antony’s tech skills had come in handy more times than Dex could count. By day, the man ran a huge, billion-dollar gaming business. But by night…
He works for me. “Now come on, man, stop dicking around. I know you can get the job done for me.”
Antony’s shoulders stiffened. “Well, of course, I can.” His fingers flew. “It’s me. But I just wanted to state—on the record—that I wasn’t down with helping you stalk your new girlfriend.”
“I am not stalking…” He stopped and sucked in a deep breath. “Someone is feeling pissy tonight.”
“Someone was pulled away from a date to handle your shit, so yep, pissy. Right here.” The light from the screen reflected off Antony’s glasses as he leaned forward.
Dex lifted his hand from Antony’s shoulder even as his gaze tracked to the screen Antony viewed. Hell, the room was full of computer screens. After all, this location was the best surveillance and data collection center on the East Coast. Completely off the books. Completely contained.
Completely his.
“Lacey Amari is an operative for Wilde.” Now Antony was pulling up data left and right. “She’s worked there for approximately eight months.”
Dex already knew all about her involvement with the security and protection firm—that involvement was what had brought her onto his radar in the first place.
“Parents are deceased.” Another box opened on the screen nearest Antony. “Jason and Elora Amari died four years ago but…” He frowned. Tapped more. A new box popped up on the screen. “Jason Amari wasn’t listed on Lacey’s birth certificate. No father’s name was listed.”
Dex’s arms crossed over his chest. “You haven’t said anything to surprise me yet, Antony.” Frustration rolled in his voice. “I wanted more from you. Why do I pay you the big bucks if you can’t impress me?”
“You don’t pay me the big bucks. I make that on my own.” Antony glanced back at him. “I’ve had like…two minutes to work. Two minutes. You can’t expect miracles.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Of course, I can. They are the only thing I expect.”
Antony’s lips parted. He didn’t speak. Just stared. Then, finally… “Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to work when you are breathing down my neck? Like, literally, breathing on me.”
A long sigh broke from Dex. “Fine. Don’t appreciate me.”
“I do not. Especially when I’m trying to stalk—I mean, research—your new girlfriend.”
“Not fucking stalking,” he growled. It wasn’t. It was intel gathering. A normal tactical routine. Antony knew this crap. �
��You have an hour. Get me good intel. Then dig even deeper and get me better intel.” He inclined his head toward the screens. “But before I go, I want to know exactly where Lacey Amari is.”
“But…but how am I supposed—”
Dex rattled off her phone number. “Get her location from that. We both know you can.” Seriously? Was Antony going to play amateur on him?
Looking disgruntled, Antony quickly obtained her location. He even did a step better and hacked into the security feed at the club where Lacey was dancing.
When the feed appeared, Dex’s body tensed. Lacey was dancing way too close to some jackass who had his hands clamped on her hips. What. The. Hell?
“She likes to dance,” Antony noted dryly. “So I discovered something else about your target. She appears to be a, um, very good dancer. She’s limber. Flexible. Look at how she can undulate her hips and—”
“Fuck off, Antony.”
“Yes, consider me fucking off.”
Dex’s gaze narrowed on the security feed. Lacey’s dark hair was loose and tumbling over her shoulders. Her jeans fit her legs like a second skin, and the sexy, white top she wore slid off one shoulder. The dick dancing with her had his hands way too close to Lacey’s pert ass.
I will be breaking those hands.
He forced his back teeth to unclench. “In an hour, I expect you to have intel I can use.”
“Uh…if you could be more specific—”
“I already have been specific.” There was no audio with the feed, just a visual but the music in the club had obviously changed. The couple started gliding together slowly. Unacceptable. “I want to know everything about her. Good, bad, and all the secret parts in between.” He turned on his heel. “Now excuse me, but I have to make sure that bastard gets his hands off my fiancée.”
“Oh, sweet hell.” Antony’s shocked voice followed behind him. “That poor woman is engaged to you?”
He paused at the door and looked back. Antony’s horrified stare was on him. Dex tossed the guy a grin. “Not yet, but before the night is over, she will be.”
***
“Another dance?”
Lacey Amari forced a smile to her lips. She loved dancing. It was the perfect way to let off steam after a long day, and her day had been killer. Emphasis on the killer part. She’d ended her protection detail for a Broadway actress by stopping the stalker who wanted to attack the woman. The takedown had been textbook, but facing off with someone who had a gun aimed at her had left Lacey battling the aftereffects of a vicious adrenaline rush.
Dancing usually helped her with the rush.
But the fellow before her—Aidan something—was getting a little too close. She could tell by the look in his eyes—and the expression on his face—that he thought the night was going to end with more than just dancing.
He was wrong. She didn’t pick up strangers in bars. With her line of work, she knew exactly how dangerous the world could be. No, when it came to lovers, she was very, very selective.
And that was probably why she was in the middle of a dry streak.
Aidan’s fingers trailed over her side. “The band is about to play something slow and romantic. I’d sure love to have you in my arms again while we—”
“First, stop touching her.” The voice was low, hard, and coming from right behind Aidan.
Lacey couldn’t help but gasp because that voice—oh, no. It was familiar to her. And not in a good way. More in the please-God-let-me-be-wrong kind of way.
“Second, you’re wasting your time. She’s not sleeping with you. You’re playing a million miles out of your league, and you just need to be grateful for the time that she spent with you. Call that a win and drag your ass over to someone else.”
Lacey knew she wasn’t wrong about the voice. It was definitely familiar. The kind of voice that would haunt your nightmares.
Aidan had stiffened. His gaze was on her face as the speaker delivered his flat announcement. Aidan’s hold tightened on her.
“So, you’re still touching her, and I did warn you about that. It was my first point—”
Aidan spun to face the other man. “Who the hell are you?”
“I’m the guy telling you to get lost.” A shrug. “And you’re the guy who needs to listen.”
Aidan puffed up his chest in that annoying way men could do as he headed—with his chest out—forward. “Like I need to listen to anything you say!”
“Um, Aidan,” she began. This wouldn’t end well. Aidan was completely outmatched, and he didn’t even realize it.
Because he was facing off against Dexter Ryan. She’d been right about the unforgettable voice, and now that she could see his face…
Hello, Dex.
Tall, broad shouldered. Carrying a relaxed air of power. With kind of a…screw-the-world attitude clinging to him. He wore battered jeans and a faded t-shirt. He didn’t look at all like the type of man who managed one of the world’s biggest spy operations.
But he was.
“Your hair is darker,” she blurted. It was. She was sure it had been a bit blonder the last time—
“You know me, sweetheart,” Dex murmured without looking her way. His focus was on Aidan. “I am a chameleon.”
Yes, because the super spy looked just like all the other guys in that club. He didn’t look like the most dangerous man in the room, even though she knew with utter certainty that he was. She was sure that Dex could have Aidan crying on the floor in less time than it would take for her to blink.
“Sweetheart?” Aidan fired a glance back at her. “You involved with this jerk?”
Involved? Ha. “Not in a million years.” Her answer was automatic. She stayed away from trouble. She didn’t get into a relationship with it.
Dex smiled at her.
His smile made her stomach feel a little odd. It was a sweet smile. Almost tender.
Then Dex winked at Lacey. “Don’t make promises that you don’t intend to keep.”
She hadn’t made a promise. She’d flatly said “not in a million years” because it was a true statement and—
“You’re still here.” Dex waved vaguely toward Aidan. The band had started to play another of their slow, romantic tunes. “This is getting old,” Dex added. “You’re between me and my lady, and I need to talk to her so…I’ll ask nicely just one more time. Ahem. Get the fuck out of my way.”
That was asking nicely? Lacey could only shake her head. What would it sound like when he wasn’t being nice?
A snarl escaped Aidan. He jabbed his index finger into Dex’s chest. “Listen, asshole….”
Uh, oh. “Um, Aidan, you don’t need to—”
Too late. Dex had grabbed him—or rather, he’d grabbed the finger that Aidan had shoved into his chest. Dex did a quick twist, applied what she knew had to be wicked pressure, and had Aidan on his knees, with his hand locked behind his back in seemingly the next second. “Didn’t your parents ever tell you,” Dex asked in his cold, emotionless voice, “that you don’t put your hands on other people?”
“Dex!” Lacey surged forward. “Let him go. Now.”
Dex looked up at her. Smiled once more. And kept right on holding Aidan’s hand behind his back. “You look lovely tonight. Is that a new top?”
He wasn’t serious. But, yes, it was new. “Let go of his hand before you break the man’s fingers.”
Dex actually pouted. His lips curled down as he said, “Am I the kind of fellow that would do something like that?”
“You are exactly the kind of bastard that would do something like that.”
He shook his head. “You wound me. I was simply defending myself.”
She rolled her eyes. “Let him go.”
“L-let go…” Aidan gasped.
“Fine.” Dex immediately freed him and stepped back.
Aidan rose slowly, a bit shakily, and glared at Lacey.
Hold up. Why is he glaring at me? She’d defended him! If it hadn’t been for her, he would have still bee
n trapped by Dex.
“Your ex is an asshole!” Aidan spat. He fisted his fingers. “And you are not worth my time.”
Her jaw dropped.
Aidan began to storm away.
Dex casually stepped into his path. “Hello.”
Aidan flinched.
“If you will remember, I was counting points with you earlier. I think I started with my first point, then my second, and I feel I must end our conversation with our third point.” He smiled. “A very important point that you should never, ever forget.”
Uh, oh. She knew his smiles were dangerous things.
“Third…” Dex tilted his head and let his gray gaze sweep over Aidan. “She is worth far, far more than you are ever capable of giving. That’s why she was out of your league from the beginning. She just wanted to dance, not to fuck, and if you ever give her attitude like that again—if you ever look at her with that much rage in your eyes again—you’ll be sorry. You want to fight someone, come at me. Only me.”
But Aidan wasn’t in the mood to fight. He was in the mood to get out of there, fast. He shouldered his way through the crowd and didn’t look back.
“You have terrible taste in men.” Dex watched Aidan leave. “I mean absolutely horrible. What in the world were you thinking?”
She tapped her right foot.
His gaze slowly swung back to her. His smile came again and lit his eyes. “Want to dance?”
“You are not serious.”
He waved toward the dance floor and all the cuddled-up-close couples. “This is my speed, and I’d love to dance with you.”
Unbelievable. She shook her head and marched past him. She hadn’t seen Dex in weeks—a situation she was very grateful for—and now he’d just popped back up to ruin her night for shits and giggles—
His hand wrapped around her wrist. His touch seemed to send a surge of pure heat all the way through her body. She sucked in a sharp breath as her heart lurched. What in the heck?
Lacey swung toward him.
“I’m a pretty good dancer. Maybe you should see my moves before you reject me.”
