check in with Hatch about all Kelly’s recent “accidents” that Ethan’s gut insisted were nothing of the sort.
Agents who believed in coincidences died.
The defective weight machine. An overheated hot tub. And a tail during one of their runs that Kelly didn’t even know about.
What the hell was going on?
Whatever it was, he had enough on his plate finding Alex Morrow, stopping a jewel heist, and figuring out what the hell one had to do with the other. He didn’t need to waste brain cells trying to uncover Kelly’s tattoo.
An outside door to the pool area clicked, then swung open, admitting a cold blast of air and a bundled duo. Matt Tynan and Samantha Barnes made a damned striking pair, even if they were friends rather than a couple.
A rogue thought snuck into Ethan’s mind. How could he know these people well enough for them to be comfortable letting themselves in the back entrance to his home, when they knew so little about him personally? What kind of life had he set up for himself, keeping secrets beyond what even ARIES demanded?
Matt strode toward him with urbane assurance, brushingsnow off his shoulders. “Good Lord, it’s as cold out there as the mother-in-law I’ll never have.”
Ever the charming playboy, Matt played hard, worked hard and lived large. He might be fickle as hell in the romance department, but the guy made a fiercely loyal friend. He’d jumped right in to support Samantha, ambassador pro-tem to Delmonico, after her ambassador husband had died…six or so months ago? Matt made a better friend than Ethan ever had.
“Thanks for driving out.” Ethan reached to take Samantha’s coat. “Jake and his fiancée are running late.”
Samantha smiled over her shoulder, tugging her auburn hair free of the overcoat. “That will just give us first dibs on dishing out all the Ethan stories to this mystery woman.”
What would Kelly think of Matt’s stories of their college days at the University of Chicago? He, Matt, Jake and Eric, the fourth member of their Blues Brothers group, hadn’t come close to living the same sort of bookworm existence Kelly had.
Maybe Samantha might be a safer companion for Kelly for the evening. Given her new position in the embassy, Samantha knew Ethan had CIA connections, just not about his operative status or about ARIES.
Ethan squeezed her shoulder. “Hey, Samantha. How are you hanging in there?”
Samantha drew in a shaky breath. “Better today than yesterday. Maybe not so great tomorrow, but I know eventually the day after will be easier. Standing in as ambassador pro-tem keeps me busy. And there’s solidifying the economic treaty between Delmonico and the US before I head back.”
She’d been working nonstop since her husband had died, leading Matt to insist on bringing her along tonight as his date while she was in the country. Matt had worried she wasn’t giving herself time to grieve. Ethan knew time didn’t necessarily help.
Who did she turn to for support? He should have offered more than superficial condolences. “Call if you need totalk.” He forced himself to offer more now. “I know where you are right now and it’s not a good place.”
Eyes wide, she kept tears back by not blinking and nodded. “Thank you.”
But he knew she wouldn’t. Indomitable Samantha Barnes never needed anyone.
Matt gravitated to the caviar. “So where’s this Venus who brought down our fleet-footed Ethan?”
“Kelly and I are just dating.” Why the defensive answer? Convincing them guaranteed success.
“Yeah, right.” Matt nudged the tray toward Samantha. “Like he brings all his dates to stay with his aunt? I don’t think so.”
What could he say? Matt had a point.
Ethan tucked behind the bar and poured drinks for his guests from memory. “Kelly will be down in a minute.”
Matt winked at Samantha. “Women and their makeup rituals.”
She elbowed him. “Brat.”
“Princess.”
“Bite your tongue.”
He grinned at her. “So you
Agents who believed in coincidences died.
The defective weight machine. An overheated hot tub. And a tail during one of their runs that Kelly didn’t even know about.
What the hell was going on?
Whatever it was, he had enough on his plate finding Alex Morrow, stopping a jewel heist, and figuring out what the hell one had to do with the other. He didn’t need to waste brain cells trying to uncover Kelly’s tattoo.
An outside door to the pool area clicked, then swung open, admitting a cold blast of air and a bundled duo. Matt Tynan and Samantha Barnes made a damned striking pair, even if they were friends rather than a couple.
A rogue thought snuck into Ethan’s mind. How could he know these people well enough for them to be comfortable letting themselves in the back entrance to his home, when they knew so little about him personally? What kind of life had he set up for himself, keeping secrets beyond what even ARIES demanded?
Matt strode toward him with urbane assurance, brushingsnow off his shoulders. “Good Lord, it’s as cold out there as the mother-in-law I’ll never have.”
Ever the charming playboy, Matt played hard, worked hard and lived large. He might be fickle as hell in the romance department, but the guy made a fiercely loyal friend. He’d jumped right in to support Samantha, ambassador pro-tem to Delmonico, after her ambassador husband had died…six or so months ago? Matt made a better friend than Ethan ever had.
“Thanks for driving out.” Ethan reached to take Samantha’s coat. “Jake and his fiancée are running late.”
Samantha smiled over her shoulder, tugging her auburn hair free of the overcoat. “That will just give us first dibs on dishing out all the Ethan stories to this mystery woman.”
What would Kelly think of Matt’s stories of their college days at the University of Chicago? He, Matt, Jake and Eric, the fourth member of their Blues Brothers group, hadn’t come close to living the same sort of bookworm existence Kelly had.
Maybe Samantha might be a safer companion for Kelly for the evening. Given her new position in the embassy, Samantha knew Ethan had CIA connections, just not about his operative status or about ARIES.
Ethan squeezed her shoulder. “Hey, Samantha. How are you hanging in there?”
Samantha drew in a shaky breath. “Better today than yesterday. Maybe not so great tomorrow, but I know eventually the day after will be easier. Standing in as ambassador pro-tem keeps me busy. And there’s solidifying the economic treaty between Delmonico and the US before I head back.”
She’d been working nonstop since her husband had died, leading Matt to insist on bringing her along tonight as his date while she was in the country. Matt had worried she wasn’t giving herself time to grieve. Ethan knew time didn’t necessarily help.
Who did she turn to for support? He should have offered more than superficial condolences. “Call if you need totalk.” He forced himself to offer more now. “I know where you are right now and it’s not a good place.”
Eyes wide, she kept tears back by not blinking and nodded. “Thank you.”
But he knew she wouldn’t. Indomitable Samantha Barnes never needed anyone.
Matt gravitated to the caviar. “So where’s this Venus who brought down our fleet-footed Ethan?”
“Kelly and I are just dating.” Why the defensive answer? Convincing them guaranteed success.
“Yeah, right.” Matt nudged the tray toward Samantha. “Like he brings all his dates to stay with his aunt? I don’t think so.”
What could he say? Matt had a point.
Ethan tucked behind the bar and poured drinks for his guests from memory. “Kelly will be down in a minute.”
Matt winked at Samantha. “Women and their makeup rituals.”
She elbowed him. “Brat.”
“Princess.”
“Bite your tongue.”
He grinned at her. “So you
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