Danger and Desire: A Romantic Suspense Anthology

by Kimberly Kincaid

  “Are you buttering me up before you tell me there won’t be a gunfight?”

  Apparently, that was his plan. Crepes and an omelet in bed while he covered the fine art of diplomacy.

  If Jason hadn’t known Roxana’s brother, he never would’ve believed that she’d suppressed her inner adrenaline junkie. That, or she’d had too much coffee with her crepes. Either way, by the time they’d checked out of the hotel and parked his truck in her driveway, she was ready for an altercation with Spiker and Vanka.

  Roxana crossed her arms. “Explain to me why on earth they’re still at my house?”

  “One, eventually you will come home, and, two, your fridge is stocked.”

  Her mouth fell open. “They wouldn’t—Spiker would.”

  “Don’t let Vanka fool you.” He nodded to her seatbelt. “Ready?”

  She squirmed. “I don’t know.”

  “Spiker might’ve slept in your bed,” he pointed out.

  Her mouth fell open again. “No way. Really?” She unbuckled. “It’s not like I don’t have a guest room.”

  “Good attitude.” He took her hand and walked up the porch steps, then rapped on the storm door before opening the front door and calling, “Hi, honey.” With Roxana behind him and his hand on his P365, he eased the door wider. “We’re home.”

  “About bloody time.” Vanka strutted down the narrow hallways looking better suited for a trendy business meeting than a slumber party in Kentucky. She crooked her finger toward Roxana. “Bravo. Well done. You got one by me.”

  “Did Spiker sleep in my bed?” Roxana asked.

  Vanka huffed. “I told him not too, the bastard.” Her attention turned to Jason. “And you?” She tsked. “I can only hope that you’ve promised her the world, ice cream sundaes every night after world-class sex, and a much bigger ring.”

  Jason didn’t always share his thoughts, but he was rarely without words. His lips parted, but that was all he offered.

  Vanka rolled her eyes and returned her attention to Roxana. “I read through your client files.” She lifted her hands. “Sorry and everything, but I was really impressed with your work. That advertisement piece for the orthodontists in Maryland? If I had a kid, I’d get them braces.”

  Spiker rumbled down the stairs, drinking coffee out of Roxana’s favorite mug. “About time.”

  Roxana plucked the mug out of Spiker’s hand—“This is mine”—and brushed by him on the way up the stairs. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to take my anxiety medicine before I flip out on everyone in my house.”

  They waited until Roxana stomped up the stairs before looking at each other.

  “She gets a little feisty when you’re around, huh?” Spiker ventured.

  “Brother,” Jason grimaced. “The acoustics in this house—”

  Roxana returned from upstairs, holding her empty mug by her side. “Spiker loses his balls when you’re around, huh, Jason?”

  Vanka snorted.

  “Look,” Spiker retorted. “That was the job. We were working with bad information.” He glanced from Roxana to Jason to Vanka and back to Roxana. “All right. Maybe I was a little heavy handed with the threats.”

  Roxana set her mug on a side table and crossed her arms. “I thought you were going to kill me.”

  Spiker lifted his hands. “The thought crossed my mind.”

  She glanced at Jason. “These are your friends.”

  “I’m joking,” Spiker added. “It was all hot air and bullshit. More or less.”

  Jason nodded them toward the kitchen. “Come on, asshole. I’ll get you another cup of coffee.”

  “Me too,” Roxana added.

  “Don’t know if you need one,” Spiker muttered.

  Jason shook his head and let his woman take care of herself.

  After Roxana shared her thoughts with Spiker as Vanka offered polite golf claps, they spent the next thirty minutes reviewing what happened with Jason and Buck, matching it to information Spiker and Vanka had received late in the day from Charles, the analyst in Harlan.

  “Everyone agrees,” Roxana cut in. “So what do you do about it?”

  Vanka pursed her lips. “Conference call?”

  “Nah,” Spiker disagreed. “Something like this has to be done over Zoom.”

  “I’m sorry,” Roxana interrupted again. “But are you three fucking with me?” Her eyes narrowed on Jason. “Because we’re not that level of okay yet.”

  “Normally”—Vanka smacked the table for attention—“I’m the first to suggest a little one-shot, one-kill action.” She pantomimed sighting her kill and pulled an imaginary trigger. “But Buck signs my paycheck.”

  “Ditto,” Spiker agreed. “Can’t kill the boss.”

  “Not that we go around killing people,” Jason muttered.

  “Speak for yourself,” Vanka snipped. “But the paycheck thing is important unless you’re like our penny-pinching friend who stashed everything in stocks and savings or whatever.”

  Roxana eyed Vanka and then Jason.

  “Let’s stay focused,” he suggested. Seeing that wasn’t going to move the conversation along, he tacked on, “I have some savings.”

  “You sure as shit aren’t driving this year’s Audi,” Vanka volleyed.

  “Enough,” Jason warned. “I vote for Zoom.”

  Spiker nodded.

  Capitulating, Vanka sighed and stood with dramatic flair. “I need to get my makeup bag out of the rental.” She beckoned for Roxana. “I’ll meet you upstairs and we can fix your hair.”

  “We’re not friends,” Roxana pointed out. “You pushed your way into my house.”

  “Spiker’s the pushy one, dear.”

  Roxana pressed her hands to her temples. “If you’d talked this much yesterday, I’m not sure I’d have a concussion.”

  “Tell that to Buck,” Vanka replied. “I wasn’t lead.”

  Jason nodded to Spiker. “Get it set up.”

  Spiker pulled out his cell phone, made arrangements, and then asked for a small delay, as Vanka hadn’t finished getting ready.

  Finally, Jason and Roxana went into her bedroom with a laptop, Vanka set up an iPad in the office nook, and Spiker kicked back on the couch with his phone. Everyone connected to the virtual meeting room, including Buck.

  Jason positioned the laptop on a pile of magazines and leaned against her dresser.

  Roxana reached over and muted their speaker. “This isn’t very formal.”

  “We’ve never been business-suit-wearing, conference-table people.”

  “Of course not.” She caught sight of Buck. “He looks smarmy.”

  The corner of his lips quirked. “Because he is.”

  He unmuted their speaker and turned on their video.

  “You’re alive,” Buck grumbled when he saw Jason. “I guess I should be glad there’s not a body on my property.”

  Jason grinned. “Good to see you too, boss.”

  Buck’s eyebrows inched up. “You reconsidered my offer?”

  “No.” Jason shook his head. “Appreciate it though.”

  Roxana flung her arms to the side and groaned.

  “Spiker and Vanka checked into things, and I should’ve trusted you,” Buck added.

  “I’m sorry.” Roxana shoved her face in front of Jason’s. “Looked into things?”

  “This is the reason why?” Buck grumbled.

  “She is,” Jason confirmed.

  “Cannot believe I lost you to a woman.”

  “The woman.”

  “Gag me with a spoon,” Vanka added.

  “Not everyone can be as cold-hearted as you,” Spiker said.

  Jason wouldn’t bring up the changes at GSI or Buck’s questionable greed and sanity. He just wanted to wrap up that part of his life without bloodshed.

  “There’s no such thing as the woman,” Buck warned.

  Roxana held out her hands and shook her head. “You know I can still hear you?”

  Jason threaded his fingers with h
ers. “Might’ve believed you if she hadn’t walked into my line of sight.”

  “I like her,” Vanka volunteered. “Even if she’s the reason Jason loss his fuckin’ marbles.”

  “I always knew you were a romantic at heart,” Spiker said. “If this is done—”

  “Zoom doesn’t replace your report,” Buck snapped.

  “That’s a job for this project’s number two. Vanka, make sure to run spell check before you submit it.” Spiker waved and he signed off.

  Vanka signed off of Zoom and yelled at Spiker loud enough that the nosy neighbor might swing by with questions or call the cops.

  “If you change your mind,” Buck offered, “promise not to blow out your tires again.”

  “I’ll remember that.”

  “Until next time.”

  Roxana signed them off. “There won’t be a next time.”

  Jason shut the laptop and pulled Roxana into his arms. “What’s a guy gotta do to get you bed?”

  Her nose wrinkled. “Wash my sheets.”

  “Maybe we stay on the carpet?”

  Roxana pressed her lips to his and let them linger. “Not until you kick those love birds out of our house.”

  Jason wanted to run that first part by Roxana again, but he decided the second part was more important. “Our house, huh? Thought this was yours.”

  “Get rid of your apartment.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and let him pull her into his lap. “We’ll stay here or we’ll move. But we’ll always be together.”

  Jason could’ve done without the past twenty-four hours, but if life had to hand him a stress test, he didn’t want to prove himself to anyone but his bride. “Always.”

  A Note from Cristin: I hope you loved Roxana and Jason’s adventure! If you’d like to read Hagan and Amanda love story, you’ll find THE SURVIVOR in Kindle Unlimited along with my other military romance and romantic suspense novels.

  Cristin Harber is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author. She writes sexy romantic suspense, military romance, and contemporary romance. Readers voted her onto Amazon’s Top Picks for Debut Romance Authors, and she’s an Amazon All-Star with her series available in Kindle Unlimited and Audible Escape.

  Join Cristin’s newsletter! Text TITAN to 66866 to sign up for exclusive emails.

  Also by Cristin Harber

  The ACES Series: The Savior, The Protector, The Survivor, The Guardian, The Defender

  The Titan Series: Winters Heat, Sweet Girl, Garrison's Creed, Westin's Chase, Gambled and Chased, Savage Secrets, Hart Attack, Sweet One, Black Dawn, Live Wire, Bishop’s Queen, Locke and Key, Jax, Deja Vu

  The Delta Series: Delta: Retribution, Delta: Rescue, Delta: Revenge, Delta: Redemption, Delta: Ricochet

  The Only Series: Only for Love

  7 Brides for 7 Soldiers: Noah

  7 Brides for 7 Blackthornes: Phillip

  Scout by Janie Crouch

  Linear Tactical’s Wyatt Highfield is running for his life with intel that will break up a human trafficking ring.

  The last thing he wants is to bring danger to Nadine Macfarlane’s door. The gentle beauty has been through enough, and has the scars—physical and emotional—to prove it.

  But she’s his only option.

  Trying to heal from wounds caused by trusting the wrong person, Nadine has spent the past year hiding from nearly everyone. The only exception has been her online relationship with Wyatt. So when they meet face-to-face by sheer chance, she thinks it’s a sign from the universe that it’s time to start living.

  Not that it’s time to start dying.

  As Wyatt’s secret comes out, Nadine realizes she has to face the past in order to save the future.

  Chapter 1

  “I’m not a recluse, Chloe.”

  Nadine MacFarlane heard the snicker on the other end of the call that her best friend made no attempt to muffle.

  “Seriously, I’m not.”

  “Hang on,” Chloe said. “I’m looking up recluse in the dictionary right now and...yep, just what I thought, it’s a picture of you next to the word.”

  Nadine loved Chloe Jeffries like a sister, she truly did. Growing up in foster care together had given them that closeness. But right now, she was just a pain in the ass.

  “Dictionaries don’t have pictures,” Nadine muttered. “Besides, my job lets me work from home, so why wouldn’t I stay here? I like it here.”

  Chloe let out a longsuffering sigh. “Um, human interaction, maybe? Not just on the computer. Getting outside of the house kind of interaction.”

  “I leave my house.” Rarely.

  “Going to the Fresh Market once a week does not count as leaving the house.”

  Nadine grimaced, glad they weren’t video-chatting so Chloe couldn’t see it. “I go other places.”

  “Oh yeah? Like where?”

  It wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation, and she had the feeling it wouldn’t be the last. Chloe worried about her.

  She had reason to. And they both knew it.

  Nadine let out a sigh. “It’s not like I don’t try, Chlo. I honestly do. I’m not interested in being around people.”

  “Which is the definition of a recluse—”

  “Hush, woman. Where’s your sexy new husband? Can’t you go bother him? Isn’t there anything with the show that needs your attention?”

  Chloe was the creative director of Day’s End, one of the most successful programs on television for six years running.

  Chloe laughed. “Shane is at a security meeting for the show. You know him, takes my safety so seriously. Even though there hasn’t been anything since…”

  She didn’t need to say it—they both knew what she was talking about. Chloe had almost died thanks to Nadine’s shitty choices in men.

  Nadine still bore the scars in every way someone could bear them.

  “I love you, Nay-Nay. It’s been a year. Nobody blames you for what—”

  “I know.” Nobody blamed her except herself. “I’m not ready to jump back into the world. I’m taking it slow.”

  “You know there’s always room back here in North Carolina. You should at least come for a visit. It’s been too long.”

  Nadine’s move to Idaho—not only Idaho, but Warm River, Idaho, the least populated city in one of the least populated states—had changed the daily dynamics of their friendship.

  “I know. I want to. I miss you.” But returning to North Carolina was still too hard. Too entwined with the pain she was trying to forget. Idaho was better, safer.

  “Plus…” she could hear the smile in Chloe’s voice, “I could definitely use an assistant here. My last permanent one spoiled me for everyone who’s come after. There’s no replacing her.”

  “If you hadn’t recommended me to so many of your Hollywood acquaintances as a virtual assistant, you’d probably have an easier time luring me back. I have so much work, I have to turn away clients.”

  “I’m glad work is good and fulfilling for you, but it’s not enough and you know it. Go out to a restaurant. Or have a drink at a bar. Someplace where you can talk to people face-to-face. Talk to a man face-to-face.”

  What exactly would she say? Nice to meet you. I’m the idiot who didn’t realize my last boyfriend was a psychopath intent on killing my best friend.

  Supposing she could find someone she could trust, the thought of having to eventually tell him about what had happened made her feel physically ill. And it wasn’t as if she could keep it a secret. The incident and all its fallout had made national headlines.

  “I don’t have time for a man, Chlo. Being a virtual assistant takes just as much time every day as being your assistant ever did, but over the computer.”

  Chloe’s voice got softer. “This isn’t about scheduling. This is about being willing to open yourself up. About having balance.”

  “My life has balance.” But it didn’t, not really. “I would rather be home, is all. Or hiking or walking in the woods
. I even kayak. That’s a healthy activity, right? I get outside. I get plenty of fresh air and sunshine.”

  “Alone.”

  “I like it that way.” Nobody stared at her when she was alone. The trees and little animals never gaped at the scars on her legs. She didn’t have to wear long pants on hot days the way she would if she had to be around people.

  “Nadine.” Chloe’s voice dropped in pitch, which always meant she was serious. “It’s been a year. I know you needed a change. But there has to come a time when you start living again. I don’t want you to be lonely.”

  “I’m not lonely. It’s just that my friends live in the computer. And my clients. I’m almost always talking to somebody.”

  “Like Wyatt Highfield? Are you still talking to him?”

  Oh, Chloe could be so sly when she wanted to be. This was probably what the entire call was about. “We email sometimes; maybe once or twice a week. Or call sometimes. That’s it.”

  “Well, you know what Shane thinks about him.” Chloe’s husband had served in the Special Forces with Wyatt for nearly ten years. “He’s a good guy. In Shane-speak, that’s a huge compliment.”

  “I’m sure it is. And I don’t doubt Wyatt is a good guy. But, you know… he was there. He saw me at my lowest, my most stupid. Why would he want to spend time with me?”

  There was silence—the calm before the storm. “You’re lucky you’re in BF-Idaho so I can’t slap you upside the head—”

  “You’d need a step stool—”

  Chloe spoke right over her. “You’re a good person who got taken advantage of by an asshole. It happens. That doesn’t mean you were stupid. Travis wasn’t worthy of the ground you walk on, and he’s sure as hell not worth your emotional energy a year later.”

  Nadine knew better. Smart people didn’t think they were in love with someone who was only using them. Not just using them, but willing to leave them to die horribly.