Chapter One
Year 2210
Federation Earth Council
Daygon Office
“Do I understand you correctly? You want me to infiltrate a sex-therapy club with Rebecca Halian as my partner.” Agent Holton Varz narrowed his eyes at his commanding officer. He couldn’t believe his ears.
“You have an issue with the assignment?” Commander Maverick Spencer’s expression never changed as he returned Holt’s stare.
Actually, Holt had several problems with Mav’s reasoning. “Yes, I do. Rebecca has no experience.”
“Oh, I’m sure she does.” Mav leaned back in his chair and smirked in a way that set Holt’s nerves on edge. He knew Mav had chosen Rebecca for this assignment just to irritate him.
Holt blinked once but refused to allow his agitation to show. “As a field agent! She’ll be a liability to the assignment.”
“Rebecca is the most accomplished computer hacker in the galaxy.”
“I don’t doubt her skill but I’ve always managed on my own.” There was no way in Jesper’s Galaxy he’d agree to take Rebecca as his partner, especially to a sex-therapy club.
“You can’t enroll for sex therapy by yourself. This club specializes in couple’s therapy. If you don’t want to go with Rebecca, I’m confident Johnson won’t refuse to accompany her.”
“Have you lost your ability to reason?” Holt lunged to his feet, clenching his jaw as he fought to reel in his anger. Calling on years of practice, he controlled his rage before he went across the desk at his commanding officer.
The chair grated across the floor as Mav scooted back and stood. “It is your choice. Rebecca goes, either way. This mission is too important. The club is under suspicion of dealing in the sex-slave trade.”
Closing his eyes, Holt squeezed the bridge of his nose and sighed. “What does the assignment entail?”
Mav riffled through the papers on his desk. “At this time, all we want is a hard copy of the data stream on their compu system. It’s a retrieve-and-depart assignment.”
“That will take me five minutes. I don’t need a partner. We can find another excuse to get me in the resort to retrieve the data.”
“Can’t risk getting caught. If they are involved in the sex-slave business, we can’t risk tipping them off.”
Flopping back in his chair, Holt considered his options. It sounded easy enough but he couldn’t take the assignment with Rebecca. Neither could he allow her to go with Johnson. He gritted his teeth. The last one was definitely not an option. “Fine! I’ll take the assignment. Just make it clear to Rebecca that I’m in charge.” Rebecca’s forward, boisterous personality unsettled him. Against his will, he’d formed an attraction for the petite redhead. Ordinarily, he wasn’t attracted to domineering women. He preferred a submissive woman in his bed but something about Rebecca got under his skin as no one else ever had. Regardless of her nature, if they took the assignment together, she would play the submissive in any interaction they had.
“I’ll make sure she knows you are the senior agent.”
“Have the arrangements been made?”
“Yes. You are scheduled for arrival in two days. You’re going in as Mr. and Mrs. Holt Markum . We’ll keep your first names the same so there is less chance of a mistake.”
Two days! The words echoed in his head. In two days, he would be attending sex therapy with Rebecca posing as his wife. “Exactly what is our reason for attending therapy?” It certainly wouldn’t be because he couldn’t get it up for Rebecca.
“You answer all those questions at check-in. I’ll allow you and Rebecca to choose which sexual dysfunction you wish to have treated.”
Holt snorted. “Wonderful!”
“Here’s the digifile on Sexual Healing.” With quick reflexes, Holt snagged the disc Mav tossed his way. “You’d better meet with Rebecca and go over it. You’ll need to make a convincing married couple.”
The hairs on the back of Holt’s neck stood
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