The Spy Who Loves Me by Julie Kenner Page B

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    Drake had pushed the envelope all his life, and his reward had been misunderstanding and misapprehension. He should never have ended up a criminal, but the government fools hadn’t understood his particular brilliance. So now he had to move in shadows, cast in disguises. The theatrics of it suited him well.
    But despite the shadows and the disguise, there was no escaping Drake’s dark good looks. The man emitted some compelling force. Diana had counted five women as they’d passed through the spa to their private room, and each of the five had turned to watch Drake pass, their perky little breasts practically saluting.
    But they couldn’t have him. Drake was all hers. She was the one his eyes burned for at night, and no matter what, she intended to be the only woman who ever graced his bed.
    â€œI don’t want to speculate,” he said, his eyes still closed. “I want to know who this wild card is.” His eyes opened, dark and demanding. “It’s your job to find out.”
    Diana pulled back, away from the persistent brush of his foot against her thigh. Her body tensed, anger flaring. But she tamped it down. He was right. Drake had trusted her with this mission, and that included dealing with her damn nosy neighbor. Still, justified or not, she didn’t like it when Drake was mad.
    â€œMaybe he’s just a guy,” she said, her voice even. She traced her fingertips down her neck and between her breasts. “Maybe he thinks I’m hot.” She added a little pout to her voice, just for effect. It worked.
    A chuckle erupted, starting from somewhere low in his chest. “Di, you’re right. I’m an asshole.”
    Victorious, she leaned back, sliding her foot up to nestle at his crotch. “I just want you to remember what’s important.”
    â€œYou know I’d never forget.” He closed his hand over her foot, pressing his fingertips into the tender arch and sending a flurry of activity racing through her blood. There were a lot of reasons why she was with Drake Mackenzie; the fact that together they could turn a bed to cinders was only one.
    He rubbed her foot against him, and she pressed down with her toes. She wanted to feel him harden beneath her, to know she’d won, but already he was back in control. One slight concession to her ego, and then he’d replaced his blood with ice. It was the trait she most admired in him. And most despised.
    â€œWhat else?” he asked, pure business once again.
    She licked her lips, tempted to turn the charm up, to try once more to win their little game. But she didn’t. It wouldn’t work, anyway. “The truth is, I can’t figure out what he’s up to. It’s driving me nuts.” Diana didn’t like things messy, and her neighbor had the potential to create a very big mess.
    Drake nodded, rubbing his chin. “Well, you’ll just have to keep trying, won’t you, babe?”
    â€œI’ll do what I can,” she replied tersely. “I seem to recall being assigned a very tight schedule.”
    â€œOne we need to keep. Our bidders have already RSVP’d for the demonstration. Any more mistakes and we’ll not only lose face, we’ll lose billions.” He squeezed her foot. “And our Oscar-worthy performance will be nothing more than a dim figment of your imagination instead of a pyrotechnical reality.”
    Her heart went pitty-pat. How many men would threaten to blow up the Hollywood sign? Not many. But Drake was doing just that for her. Well, not only for her. But that’s what made them so good together. The way their goals intertwined. His for money and revenge, and hers for, well, money and revenge. “I love you.”
    â€œI know,” he said.
    She frowned. “But surely this guy isn’t a serious threat. You said we were under the radar on this one.” Of course, he’d said that before their test run, too, and