PRELUDE TO A SECRET

MELISSA SCHROEDER

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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

Prelude to a Secret

Copyright © 2014 by Melissa Schroeder

Published by Harmless Publishing

Cover by Brandy Walker

All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First electronic publication: March 2014

Dear Reader,

This is a prelude, or prequel, to A Little Harmless Secret. The story will not end with this book. To find out how they find their Happily Ever After, you will have to read A Little Harmless Secret.

Thanks,

Melissa Schroeder

Prelude to a Secret

Alicia Hughes looked out over the casino and fought the urge to cringe. Her ears rang from all the dings from the slot machines and the roar of conversation. Drawing in a deep breath, she counted backward from ten…then did it three more times. Too many people, too many noises.

Suck it up, buttercup. An agent for MI-6 doesn’t have breakdowns.

Her father’s voice was louder than the noise that surrounded her.  Even the memory of it bothered her. It wasn’t as if he could see what she was doing, what risks she was taking. But, then, she hadn’t heard from him for weeks, so she had no idea what the bloody hell he was up to.

She shook those thoughts away. He had given her an assignment. Even after the Americans told them to back off, she wanted to find this man. Her sources told her he was in Las Vegas and so here she was.

Drawing in another breath, she found a black jack table and made her way over to it. She didn’t like to gamble with money…just her career choices apparently. She knew her assignment liked this particular casino and black jack was his game. It was her fourth and final night before she had to get back to London.

Walking down the aisle was hard for her. The silver sequined dress barely covered all her particulars.  Every step she took, she had to fight the urge to tug the dress down. She wasn’t a woman who dressed to attract attention. Not normally.

Dress to draw attention only if it helps with the job.

Yes, her father had been repeating that to her since she’d hit sixteen. She hadn’t been an agent of course, but that didn’t matter to her father. He’d been training her since she’d been twelve, and their world had exploded. Now, though, she needed to draw attention to herself from one man in particular.

Alicia ignored the men who smiled at her as she passed by them. None of them interested her like the one she had been hunting for six months. She wasn’t the first agent to look for him, but she wanted to be the last.

Nothing like trying to outdo the boys, is there, Alicia?

Mentally, she silenced her father’s voice and picked the chair at the end. The dealer smiled at her, his gaze roaming over her but not in a way that made her think he was interested in her. He was sizing her up as a participant, nothing more.

She played a couple of hands when the man next to her cashed out and left. She was starting to get discouraged, when something brushed the fine hairs on the back of her neck. A man slipped into the chair beside her.

“Deal me in, Sanchez,” he said, his voice rumbling over the words.

“Sure thing, Mr. Stryker.”

It took her a second or two to gather her wits. Then, she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye to find dark blue eyes studying her.  He smiled, and her heartbeat tripped. Damn he was lethal.

“How goes your luck tonight, sugar?”

Any other man called her sugar, and she’d break his bloody nose. But, this was the job. Besides, she liked the way his voice sounded when he said the word.

“Not so good,” she said, allowing that thought to linger in the air. Then, she smiled. “That is until now.”

His smile widened. “Well, that’s nice to hear.”

*   *   *   *

The man known as Devon Stryker placed his bet on the table and relaxed against the back of the stool. The woman to his left interested him, but Devon did his best to keep that to himself. He’d only ended up in the casino tonight because he’d been frustrated as hell.  Every promising lead he’d had the last few years had been crap. The last one three weeks ago had been the most promising but it had been shit. There had been times in the last ten years where he hadn’t been able to track her but never this long. Now…he was desperate. It wasn’t a position he liked to find himself in.

“Do you always day dream when you’re gambling?”

The smooth, sultry voice of the woman pulled him out of his brooding. There was enough amusement in her voice to tell him she was teasing him. When he glanced at her, he realized she wasn’t looking at him.  Instead, she was fondling her chips and watching Sanchez.

“Not always,” he said, turning back to look at the cards he’d been dealt.

She said nothing else and damn him to hell, he was intrigued. Not many women would sit next to him, looking like that, and ignore him. Devon knew the way women looked at him and knew it had more to do with his money than his looks, but that was okay by him. His life didn’t allow for long attachments.

As they played through a few hands, she said little. Her voice was sultry, but what made it even more attractive was the hint of Scotland he heard in it. He wasn’t sure if he had the correct accent since it was so slight. But, then a lot of people wouldn’t pick up on it. The Company had thought he needed to detect things of that nature so they’d trained him. Big mistake on their part, but he was thankful for it today.

They played a few more hands, and he found himself more intrigued with each play she made. She wasn’t as bold as he was, but she definitely took a few chances here and there.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you here before.”

Sanchez gave him a strange look, but Devon ignored it. He knew most of the workers in the pit would be amused by the way he was acting. Devon wasn’t a man who used old pickup lines on women…not when he was playing. When she said nothing, he glanced at her in time to see her lips curve.

“That’s not a very original line, Mr. Stryker.”

Suspicion darkened a small part of his brain. “How do you know my name?”

She chuckled as she took a peek at her cards.  “I believe Sanchez called you by name.”

Damn. Heat rose in his cheeks, and he knew there was a chance he was acting like a fool now.

“Oh, okay.” He sounded like an idiot, but that was probably because he was an idiot. “Since you know my name…”

He left the question hanging.

When she looked directly at him, his brain melted. He’d met a lot of pretty women, but this one…she was stunning because she wasn’t perfect. Most of the women he had known in the last few years had probably spent a fortune to perfect their bodies. This woman did not. Otherwise, she would have fixed that slightly crooked nose.

“Alicia.”

For a second, he didn’t comprehend what she was saying. “What?”

She grinned, and sparks of heat danced through his blood. “My name is Alicia.”

He drew in a deep breath and ordered his body to take a break, but his hormones were ignoring him. It made sense since it had been weeks since he’d had a woman in his bed, but he’d been preoccupied with finding Marjorie. Maybe one night of fun would be good for him—especially with an interesting woman like the blonde next to him.

“You don’t look like an Alicia.”

One eyebrow rose in question. “Indeed?”

God, he loved that prissy tone. It made him want to get her to laugh, do something spontaneous. He wasn’t sure why, but Devon was convinced this woman didn’t do things on a whim. She was a planner.

“Nope.”

Then he turned back to the game. It only took her a few seconds to ask, “What do I look like?”

He turned to her again and studied her. “Ali. I like Ali for you.”

She snorted and for that one split second everything seemed to disappear from around them. It was so completely out of character for a woman as put together as she was.

“Ali. Well, that’s a first.”

“Don’t tell me no one has called you Ali before.”

She looked at him as the humor drained from her face. “Not for a very long time.”

“Are you hungry? I haven’t eaten dinner, and I was wondering if you would like to get a bite to eat.”

She seemed to hesitate, and that irritated him. He wasn’t a man who got mad if a woman turned him down, but for some reason, he wanted this. Wanted to spend time alone with her.

“Sure.”

“Would you freak out if I invited you up to my room? I have a suite so we won’t be sitting on a bed.”

She didn’t answer right away, and he wondered if he had pushed it too far.  Devon didn’t usually show his hand this early in the game, and if he thought about it, he might be more than a little worried why he was with this woman.

“Nothing else?” she asked.

“That’s up to you.”

She didn’t answer right away. Then, after a few long moments, she smiled. “Okay.”

* * *  *

Alicia was already a bundle of nerves but now she was even worse. Any other assignment would have her thrilled at getting into the private room of the mark. But…this one had her heart turning over, her pulse beating completely out of control.

She stepped into the suite and had to hide her reaction. This wasn’t the average suite, but a massive suite with a bar, a view of Las Vegas most people would kill for, and she was sure more than one bedroom. Her heels clicked against the marble floor.

“Nice room.”

He chuckled. The sound slid down her spine.

“Nice is what you get when you throw money around.”

Straight forward and honest. It was something she liked about him. The fact the CIA had trained him apparently didn’t matter. It only mattered that he wasn’t lying about this.

She turned and faced him. Immediately, her brain blanked for a few seconds. He was looking at her as if she were his next meal. Granted, she had done this so many times before, and she should be accustomed to that look. But it was different, so different this time. There was another edge to the arousal that she wasn’t comfortable with.

The panic slammed into her out of nowhere. What the hell was the matter with her?

Do the job, Alicia. Feelings, worries, that’s all for other times. Just get the man.

She cleared her throat. “Should we order?”

“I ordered for us already.”

Of course, he did. People like Devon Stryker did what they wanted. “That’s a bit presumptuous.”

“Most women go for that sort of thing.”

She laughed. “Learn now, Mr. Stryker, I’m not like most women.”

He cocked his head as he studied her. “I have a feeling you don’t do that very often.”

Her humor faded. “What?”

“Laugh. And please, call me Devon. I feel weird having you use my surname.”

She walked away, trying to calm her nerves again. It wasn’t easy. Warmth spread low in her tummy. He’s an assignment, not a date. Hell, she didn’t understand dating to begin with, unless it was in the context of the job. Flirting was a way to bring in a job, entrap him. She could handle that. This time, it was different.

Of course, she wasn’t officially on the job. There was no one listening through well-placed bugs, and there wasn’t anyone to save her if he discovered she was MI-6.  She might not have heard from her father in a few weeks, but Devon Stryker was the only lead she had, and she would do anything to find her father.  It was a little too suspicious that her father sent her after Stryker right before disappearing off the face of the earth.

The fast text she had sent her cousin about finding Stryker was the only contact she’d had with anyone.

“Maybe I don’t have much to laugh about.”

“Then you’ve been spending time with the wrong men in my opinion. You’re a woman who should laugh and laugh often.”

She sighed as she stepped up to the windows. The ceiling to floor windows allowed for a spectacular view, but she didn’t really see it.  “You don’t know anything about me.”

And this byplay was making her feel worse. She didn’t understand why now her scruples would come to bother her, but it was there. Maybe it was because he was so genuine.

There was a knock on the door, and he rose to answer it. He was sexy, sure. But she had seduced other men women would have killed just to have a drink with. This man…there was something different.

Maybe it was because she was on her own. For the first time in a very long time, the seduction was private. It wouldn’t hurt to go a little further than usual…to go all the way. She had done it before, but for this night, she could pretend it was real.

She watched his reflection in the windows as he approached her from behind.  Why was her throat suddenly dry? He skimmed his hands over her bare shoulders as he held her eye contact in the reflection.

“I almost didn’t go down tonight, but I decided I needed to get my mind off my troubles. Needed a break.”

Stark honesty. She knew he was telling the truth. She turned to face him.

“And what does Mr. Devon Stryker have to worry about? You have everything you want right here.”

He opened his mouth, then snapped it shut and shook his head.

“You can’t always get everything you want with money.”

In her experience, she had always found the opposite was true. More people were ready to sell their souls for a few pounds.

“Why don’t we eat?” he asked.

She looked over his shoulder at the table setup in the living area. Two candles had been lit, and the dinner he had ordered had been set on a wide, square coffee table. He took her right hand and led her to the large sofa.

The nerves of steel everyone thought she had started to waver. It had to be the situation. It couldn’t be a man. Men came and went, and when they were a mark, she didn’t get attached. She couldn’t. But now…her blood was heating and every time he spoke, giving her hints of his New York accent, she felt something hot and molten move through her body.

“I hope you are okay with a steak. I ordered one well done and one medium rare, take your pick.”

She stopped short of the couch and looked at him. “You’ve thought of everything.”

And it was an odd feeling. This man had no idea who she was. At least she was pretty sure of it.  He was doing this all to impress her. Something she had ignored for years unfurled in her belly, but she tried her best to squash it. Alicia knew that she wasn’t a woman who had time for romantic entanglements, and she was here for something else. Still…enjoying the evening wasn’t against company policy.

Ali sat back as Devon filled her glass again. It had to be at least the third time.

“No more wine. It makes me behave badly.”

He smiled at her, and she curled her toes. Damn, the man was dangerous. No wonder they wanted him back so badly. A computer genius and devastatingly handsome. He would be too much to resist in her opinion. The CIA would love to have someone like him on the payroll again. Hell, MI-6 would too. Any secret agency would love to have a man who handled himself so well.

“What are you thinking about?”

She opened her mouth to tell him, and then reminded herself why she couldn’t be truthful. Instead, she smiled at him.

“That’s for me to know.”

Oh, bloody hell. She sounded ridiculous. She was just glad there was no recording of this since her father sent her on this rogue assignment.  She would never live down this banter.

He apparently didn’t agree with her. He chuckled and leaned closer. “I have a way of finding out secrets.”

“How odd.”

“What?” he asked looking at her mouth.

“People say I’m good at finding out secrets too.”

He moved closer and alarmed bells started going off. It wasn’t as if she had enough scruples that she wouldn’t sleep with him. Still, something told her that this was a mistake. A big one.

She slipped away and rose from the couch. “So, why do you live in this massive suite all by yourself? I mean, you could have one of the regular rooms.”

“I like my space and I like the privacy.”

She could guess why, but she said nothing as she stared out over the Las Vegas night. In all her travels, she had never seen a city like this one. She liked it, but she didn’t know how Devon lived there. The constant activity would drive her up the bleeding wall.

“What are you thinking about now?”

She jumped a bit because she didn’t realize he had snuck up on her. Damn, she had to keep her head in the game, no matter how much wine she had.

“How do you live here? So much activity and lights…it’s too much.”

“So you’re not a local?”

She could hear the smile in his voice. Alicia knew she stood out amongst the droves of tourists and senior citizens who packed the casinos. It had been part of her plan.

“You mean I didn’t fool you?”

He shook his head and smiled. “No. I found that you were a bit overdressed for the casino tonight.”

His voice had deepened and rolled over the words. That American accent of his should irritate her, and many times it did with other men. With him, she wanted to hear it whisper in her ear.

“Is that so?” she asked as she turned to face him. “What would you suggest?”

His mouth turned up into a lopsided smile that shot right to her heart…not to mention a few other important body parts.

He stepped closer. The scent of him filled her senses. Warnings were going off, an alarm that normally would tell her this was dangerous. And stupid. Really, really bloody stupid.

The touch of his fingertips sliding up her arm should have sent her running. This was a man the CIA and MI-6 had labeled as dangerous...a killer. And she was contemplating sleeping with him.

“You can walk away right now, Ali. I would understand because you don’t know me. But, I beg of you, if you think you won’t let me touch you tonight, tell me now.”

The sincerity of the words touched her somewhere. For the first time in her career, she felt shame. It shouldn’t bother her, but for some reason, it did. He might be the key to finding out what the bloody hell was going on with her father. She should be ruthless because this wasn’t just for the job, but for family.

But it still didn’t feel right.

“I should go.”

She didn’t move. She couldn’t.

“I won’t lie, and I am pretty sure that you know I want you. But, I also need you.”

Alicia rolled her eyes, but he shook his head.

“No. I do. I can’t explain it, but it has been a bad few months…and I just need to forget.”

He wasn’t lying, and God help her, she understood. She wanted to be touched, to enjoy the moment, to forget all the bad things for just a few minutes. It was wrong…it was bloody stupid, but she couldn’t say no. Just for once, she would surrender.

“Well?”

“I…yes, I’ll stay.”

“Thank God,” he said, his tone filled with equal parts humor and relief.

Then, before she could think of how to respond to that, he pulled her closer. The heat of his body warmed her. Not that she needed it. She felt as if she were burning up from the inside.

Inch by inch, he skimmed his hands up her arms, over her shoulders to cup her face. When he bent his head, the world and all her worries seemed to dissolve. If just for this small moment, she would let it go and just indulge.

He brushed his mouth over hers, once…twice…then he pressed against her lips. His tongue stole into her mouth, and she shuddered. She needed this…needed him. As heat danced over her nerve endings, he was pulling back. She opened her eyes and frowned.

He smiled. “I will take that disgruntled look as a good sign.”

“Devon—“

“I like the way you say my name, but I would rather hear you moan it in my bedroom.”

He stepped away and pulled her with him. She didn’t hesitate or even think of resisting. Tonight was just for pleasure. Facing the consequences tomorrow would be soon enough.

*  *  *  *

Devon couldn’t remember ever being this nervous with a woman before. Maybe it was because he had been so fucking honest with her before. He did need her. He couldn’t explain why or how it had happened. It was probably because of the circumstances. He really didn’t give a damn.

He led her into his room and shut the door behind him. He wasn’t a prude, but he wanted something secluded, for only the two of them. The light from the bathroom was enough to illuminate her.

He didn’t waste time. With ease, he crowded her against the back of the door and nuzzled her neck. Damn, she smelled like heaven. He scrapped his teeth against her pulse, then slid the flat of his tongue over the same spot. She shuddered against him. Even through their layers of clothes, he could feel her hardened nipples. Everything urged him to rush through it. He’d wanted to get inside her for hours, but now he wanted to savor…to draw out the pleasure.

He pulled back far enough to allow room for his hand. With his palm, he cupped her breast. He couldn’t wait to see her fully naked, but there was something else he wanted right at that moment.

A taste.

He dropped to his knees in front of her and pushed the skirt of her dress up. Lord, she was wearing stockings. Not thigh highs, honest to God stockings with the garters and no panties.

Damn.

“Devon?”

She sounded unsure of herself, and that was weird. But he guessed he had been staring at the tiny triangle of curls for a little longer than was normal. He forced himself to look up at her.

“Nothing…just most women don’t wear the garters and everything. I like it.”

She smiled. “So do I.”

It was all he needed to hear. He leaned forward and pressed his mouth against her pussy. Damn, the woman was hot, wet, and so fucking delicious he didn’t know how long he would last. He slipped his tongue inside of her, allowing the intoxicating taste of her to dance over his taste buds.

Her moans continued to grow as he slipped a finger inside of her. Her muscles clamped down hard, and he groaned against her. He added a second finger, then teased her clit with the tip of his tongue. Once…twice…then she screamed his name as she bucked against him.

He looked up at her and watched in awe as the last of her shudders died down.

Damn.

Standing up, he turned her around and unzipped her dress. He let it fall to the ground as he leaned forward to kiss her shoulder. He wanted her like this, up against the wall, taking her from behind. But…not the first time.

He led her to the bed. She sat, then reached for her garter belt.

“No.” His voice was a little harsh. Ali looked up at him with wide eyes. “Leave them on.”

She hesitated, then smiled. That smile alone had him practically ripping off his clothes. He grabbed a condom from the bedside table drawer and set it on top of it. Then, he joined her on the bed.

Ali reached for him then, wrapping her hand around his cock. Fuck. Damn.

She slid her fingers over his sensitized flesh. Then, as he kneeled on the bed, she rose to take him into her mouth. She teased him, just taking the tip of his dick into her mouth, then a little more. By the time she had taken him completely into her mouth, he was shaking. Slowly, easily, she was driving him mad with that talented mouth.

He knew if he didn’t stop her soon, he would lose it, and he didn’t want that. Not this time. This time he wanted to be deep inside her when he came. Pulling away from her, he reached over and grabbed the condom. He dropped it on the bed. His hands were shaking. Damn.

He finally got the package opened and rolled the condom on. He covered her body with his. As he kissed her, he slipped his tongue into her mouth. When she slid her tongue alongside his, he almost lost it then and there.

Rising to his knees, he grabbed her hips and entered her in one, long, hard thrust.

She gasped, and then moaned as he started to move. She was wet, and it didn’t take him long to push her up and over the edge again. She screamed his name again as she bucked against him. It wasn’t enough.

He wanted to come, could feel his orgasm just out of reach.

“Come with me, Ali.”

She opened her eyes, and he leaned down to take her mouth in a quick, hard kiss.

“Please,” he said.

She arched up against him, and he could feel all those little muscles contract against him. Ali cupped his face.

“Come with me, Devon.”

It was enough. One last hard thrust and he let ecstasy sweep over him and take over him. He collapsed moments later, falling on top of her. Her arms came around him immediately.

“Sorry.”

She kissed his temple. “Don’t be.”

“Okay, I won’t.”

Then, for the first time in a week, he fell into a deep sleep.

*   *   * *

Devon watched Ali sleep. She had fallen into a deep slumber after their second lovemaking session.  He breathed in her scent and sighed. She was a delight of the most decadent kind. Still, there was a fragile about her that he couldn’t resist.  The woman had smudges under her eyes as if she hadn’t slept in days. He wondered why such a wonderful woman would look so damned tired.

Granted, she was still beautiful. So beautiful she took his breath away. Still, he knew she wasn’t exactly who she presented to him. From his time with The Company, Devon knew how to spot a liar, and Ali was one. She was a damned good one—just as he was. Still he hadn’t been able to resist her charms. There was something going on behind those gorgeous eyes. Not truly deceitful, but definitely something that wasn’t good. And it bothered her.

A woman who had no problem lying wouldn’t look so sad.

Knowing he was getting too caught up in a woman he’d only met hours before, he forced himself out of bed. He tugged on a pair of jeans and grabbed his phone on the way out to the main room. It was dark, so he turned on the light and headed over to his computer. He felt better than he had before…ten times better. He couldn’t remember when sex with someone he barely knew made him feel so damned right. True, there was nothing wrong with raunchy, back scratching sex—the kind that could leave a man in pieces. But this…there was an added feeling to it, as if he’d known her longer.

He shook his head as he grabbed his laptop and settled on the couch. He was getting a little fanciful, and that wasn’t like him. That was for his sister Marjorie.

Devon pulled up his email, and the first one grabbed his attention. It was a lead he had an investigator follow up on for him.

About fucking time.  He read the email and tried not to shout with relief. It looked like he found his sister—at least where she was reported to be living. It could be another wild chase, as the last few tips had been, but he couldn’t ignore it. He shut down his laptop and stood ready to leave. He should tell Ali that he had to leave. But the moment he stepped into the room, he knew he couldn’t tell her. There was something that had been bothering him since he first met her…and while she’d given him one of the most memorable nights of sex he’d ever had, he knew he needed to be cautious.

It made him scum, he knew it, but where his sister was concerned, not to mention their father, he had to be careful. He leaned down and kissed Ali’s forehead. He wanted to linger, slip into bed beside her and wake her up to make love with her again. Knowing he had to leave, he forced himself to turn away. After pulling on a shirt and slipping into his shoes, he grabbed the ready bag he always had waiting. With just one last look, he slipped out the door. He waited until he was out of the suite to pull out his cell and call his pilot.

“Sorry, Jay, but I need you tonight. We need to make a quick trip to Hawaii.”

* *   *   *

The sound of her phone vibrating woke Alicia up. She blinked and looked up at the ceiling.

Not her room.

Then the night came back to her in a vivid swirl of images. The way Devon had smiled at her, the way he had tasted, and the way it had felt each time he had thrust inside of her body.

And he was a job.

Bloody hell.  She had screwed up on this one. She was enough of a woman to admit she had fell for him a little. In all the years she had done this, no one had come close to shaking her composure, but this one, he had toppled it over with just a little romance. And she ached for him. For the first time in her career, she craved the touch of her mark.

Speaking of which, where was he?

She ignored the buzzing of her phone as she sat up and looked around. He was nowhere in the room, but that didn’t mean anything. It was a large suite so he could be just in the next room. She rose and went to the bathroom. After she was done, she grabbed a robe and wandered out into the living area.

The absolute silence almost deafened her.  There was little sun out this early in the morning and even with the drapes open, and shadows cloaked the room. Something was off.

She wandered around, keeping an eye out for something that would tell her what happened to her host. A cold chill spread over her flesh, then sunk into her soul. Something was definitely wrong.

Alicia walked around, then noticed an envelope with her name written on it sitting on the bar. The strong masculine script told her exactly who wrote it. Of course, he was the one who wrote it. He was the only one in the room with her.

She stared at if for a few seconds, then pulled out a note written on the hotel’s stationary. Swallowing, she opened it.

Sorry, had to leave on a family emergency. Would love to see you when I return, but not sure when that will be.

D

Ali swallowed past her embarrassment and shame. She had failed. Worse, he had skipped out deciding not to face her. Sadly, she didn’t know which one to be more pissed about. Before she could completely process that, she heard her phone buzzing again.

She reached for it, expecting it to be some inane message from her supervisor. It was her last day of vacation, and she needed to get back to London.  When she saw the number, she knew it couldn’t be good news. Her cousin Annabeth always called with the worst news.

By the time she was off the phone, she was grabbing clothes and rushing to the door. The job forgotten and the only thing on her mind was reaching her father before he died.

Want to find out how Devon and Alicia find their Happily Ever After? Get A Little Harmless Secret, releasing September 23, 2014.

A LITTLE HARMLESS SECRET

HARMLESS, BOOK 10

Just because you love someone doesn’t mean you can trust them.

Devon Stryker is a man with no past—not one anyone can dig up that is. His made up identity has kept him safe from everyone, except one woman. Five years earlier he let his guard down once, one night of unforgettable passion. He has yet to get her out of his mind. When he thinks he sees her in Seattle, he becomes obsessed with finding her.

Alicia Hughes hasn’t forgotten Devon either. She had been on assignment from MI-6 to find him. Since he disappeared, her life has fallen apart. When she comes face to face with the one man she loved—and the one she fears the most—she panics. When he catches up to her, he finds the woman he has always loved—and the child they made together.

As the old lovers form a tentative alliance, the feelings they both had for each other rise to the surface. They have to let those things go to protect everything they hold dear in the world because someone is intent on destroying them…by any means possible.

WARNING: This title includes secrets, guns, a sexy know-it-all hero, spies, a heroine who doesn’t trust the hero, meddling in-laws, even more spies, double crosses, cool computer things, and two people who can’t seem to keep their hands off each other even though they know it isn’t the right thing to do. Remember, it’s a Harmless book, so have ice water and towels nearby.

*  *  *  *

That’s when Devon heard it, that laugh. It was one that he had heard only once or twice years ago. He knew it was her, knew she was there. Everything in the marketplace faded as he turned to look for her. Devon walked away from Dee and her family as he scanned the crowd.

The crush of people seemed to grow as he tried his best to move toward the sound. Then, in a split instant, he saw her. Her hair was longer, darker, but he knew it was her. He saw the curve of her jaw and the way she walked.

“Ali,” he yelled, trying to gain her attention.

The sound of the crowd drowned him out. He continued to yell her name as he drew closer and closer. Then…she turned. Devon was sure she had seen him. Her eyes widened a bit, then she turned. He fought his way against the crowd but after a few minutes, he realized he had lost her.

Micah caught up with him. He was alone.

“Where’s Dee and her MiniMe?”

“They’re getting us a table. What was that all about?”

Devon sighed. “A woman.”

Micah chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder. “It always is. Can you see her anymore?”

Devon shook his head. But he would.

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 About Melissa Schroeder

From an early age, USA Today Bestselling author Melissa Schroeder loved to read. First, it was the books her mother read to her including her two favorites, Winnie the Pooh and the Beatrix Potter books. She cut her preteen teeth on Trixie Belden and read and reviewed To Kill a Mockingbird in middle school. It wasn’t until she was in college that she tried to write her first stories, which were full of angst and pain, and really not that fun to read or write. After trying several different genres, she found romance in a Linda Howard book.

Since the publication of her first book in 2004, Melissa has had close to fifty romances published. She writes in genres from historical suspense to modern day erotic romance to futuristics and paranormals. Included in those releases is the bestselling Harmless series. In 2011, Melissa branched out into self-publishing with A Little Harmless Submission and the popular military spinoff, Infatuation: A Little Harmless Military Romance. Along the way she has garnered an epic nomination, a multitude of reviewer’s recommended reads, over five Capa nods from TRS, other twelve nominations for AAD Bookies and regularly tops the best seller lists on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. She made the USA Today Bestseller list for the first time in September of 2013 with her book The Santinis Collection.

Since she spent her childhood as a military brat, Melissa swore never to marry military. But, as we all know, Fate has her way with mortals. She is married to an AF major and is raising her own brats, both human and canine. She spends her days giving in to her addiction to Netflix and thankful after 20 years, she and her husband, and all those military brats, get to live where they want.

You can connect with Mel all over the web: 

WEBSITE

TWITTER

FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

HARMLESS ADDICTS

HARMLESS SERIES

THE SANTINIS

THE CURSED CLAN SERIES

Or email her at: Melissa@MelissaSchroeder.net

Other Books by Melissa Schroeder

Harmless

A Little Harmless Sex

 A Little Harmless Pleasure

A Little Harmless Obsession 

A Little Harmless Lie 

A Little Harmless Addiction

A Little Harmless Submission

A Little Harmless Fascination

A Little Harmless Fantasy

A Little Harmless Ride

A Little Harmless Military Romance

Infatuation

Possession

Surrender

The Harmless Shorts

Max and Anna

The Harmless Preludes

Prelude to a Fantasy

Prelude to a Secret

The Cursed Clan

Callum

Angus

Logan

By Blood

Desire by Blood

Once Upon An Accident 

Lessons in Seduction 

The Spy Who Loved Me

Leather and Lace

The Seduction of Widow McEwan

Leather and Lace—Print anthology

Texas Temptations

Conquering India

Delilah’s Downfall

Hawaiian Holidays

Mele Kalikimaka, Baby

Sex on the Beach

Getting Lei’d

Bounty Hunters, Inc

For Love or Honor

Sinner’s Delight

The Sweet Shoppe

Turning Paige

Cowboy Up

Tempting Prudence

Connected Books

Seducing the Saint

Hunting Mila

Saints and Sinners—print of both books 

The Hired Hand 

Hands on Training

Cancer Anthology 

Water—print

Going for Eight

A Calculated Seduction

Stand Alone Books

The Last Detail

Coming Soon

NEW

A Little Harmless Secret

A Santini in Love

Seduction by Blood

REISSUES

The Accidental Countess