Diamonds Are Truly Forever: An Agent Ex Novel 2 by Gina Robinson Read Free Book Online Page A

joking around?
    “We thought we’d stay here for a while before we move Drew back. A change of scenery. Neutral territory. No bad memories. That sort of thing.” She nodded, feeling her face grow warmer.
    “Drew’s already paid the rent this month. We may as well get some use out of the place.” She forced a smile. The lie hadn’t exactly rolled off her tongue. Nor did the condo look like the ideal spot for a romantic reunion.
    Sam gave her a pitying look and came over and gave her a hug. She accepted it stiffly. Sam’s hugs always felt a bit more like a feeling-up than strictly platonic comfort. What did her mother see in the man? Staci pulled away.
    Sam frowned down at her. “Don’t take this wrong.” He looked as if he was measuring his words for a fatherly lecture.
    Staci hated it when he tried to go parental on her. Sam was not her father. Never would be, never mind how he’d swooped in and assumed her late father’s wife and life.
    Sam had been her father’s best friend, his confirmed-bachelor buddy who often went on family camping and fishing trips with them when Staci was young. After her father died, he married her mother, which gave Staci the creeps. Had Sam been waiting for his opportunity all that time? Had something more been going on between those two behind her father’s back all those years?
    Her mother claimed it was their mutual love of her father and sense of loss that brought her and Sam together. Staci wasn’t so sure she believed her.
    She clenched her teeth to keep from saying something she shouldn’t.
    “You know your mom and I want you to be happy,” Sam continued. “But leopards don’t change their spots, honey.”
    Now he has to go patronizing on me, too? She worked at not frowning.
    “Whatever Drew’s promised you about changing may sound sincere now, but—”
    “He is sincere!” About reconciling until he catches the sniper. But at this point Staci would have contradicted anything Sam said. She lifted her chin. “He quit the job he loved just to prove it to me. He’s promised to be home more so we can work out our issues.”
    There! She sounded darn convincing and defensive on Drew’s behalf. It wasn’t hard to get her hackles up around Sam. “How could I not give him another chance?”
    As if Drew would ever really quit the Agency. Still, even playacting as if he had, her voice went involuntarily soft and her eyes got misty.
    Sam raised a brow. “So he’s unemployed now?”
    Sam would think the worst. Everything was money with him.
    Staci stood up straighter. “Of course not! He has a new job.”
    “Really?” Sam still sounded as if he was trying to play concerned father looking out for her welfare. “Where? Doing what?”
    Staci tried hard not to look wild-eyed and as panicked as she felt. What was up with Sam’s sudden inquisitive nature? Sir Walter Scott had it right about tangled webs and deception. No wonder she hated the spying life. She had absolutely no idea what Drew’s cover job was. She punted. “I’ll let him tell you all about it himself later.”
    Sam’s eyes narrowed as if he was suspicious of something. “Does your mother know about this sudden reconciliation of yours?”
    “No!” Staci said a little too loudly. Her heart pounded. “No,” she said more quietly. “I haven’t had a chance to tell her yet. As I said, it only just happened. You have to promise me you won’t tell her first. She’ll never forgive me if she isn’t the first to know.”
    Sam sighed. “I’m with you there. We don’t want Linda going postal.”
    “So you promise?”
    “It won’t be easy—”
    “Sam!”
    He laughed and nodded. “Okay, you have my word.” He looked around again. “Where is Drew? Already working this mystery job?”
    “Getting our kitchen window at the house fixed.” The words just slipped out. She could have kicked herself.
    “Broken window?” Sam frowned. “What happened?”
    Darn, now she was going to have to make something