Diamonds Are Truly Forever: An Agent Ex Novel 2 Read Online Free Page A

something. Maybe we’re remodeling the house.”
    “A new pantry door and window constitutes remodeling now?” She smiled, and looked for a moment as if she might full-out laugh.
    Even though he had the feeling her good humor had more to do with hysteria and shock than anything else, he surprised himself. He liked the sight of her smile. “Get out of the car. I’ll let you in and make sure the place is secure before I come back for your suitcase.”
    *   *   *
     
    Staci followed Drew into his condo where he disarmed the security system. The garage entry led into a laundry room and up a flight of stairs onto the main floor. She stepped from the stairs into a spacious combination living and dining area. The kitchen sat off to her right, along with a small bathroom.
    In front of her lay utter mayhem—unpacked boxes lining the walls, TV and video remotes scattered far and wide, every closet door open.
    She clamped her mouth shut, fighting to hold in the Oh, look, someone’s tossed your place comment that sprang naturally to mind.
    But the mother of her dismay hung in front of her on the living room wall in all its sixty-five-inch LCD glory—the TV he’d been angling for before the divorce proceedings started, underscored by a Blu-ray player and at least four game consoles. The cost of the TV alone would have made her mortgage payments for several months. She was laid off and unemployed, carefully managing her resources, and he was buying electronics as if money were no problem.
    Drew stood beside her, probably waiting for her to say something. She forced herself to speak. “So this is the Batcave?”
    “Yeah.”
    As she took a step forward, he blocked her with his arm.
    Staci felt a headache coming on from trying not to frown. She wondered if an emergency shot of Botox would make the not-frowning any easier and if Drew’s insurance would cover it.
    “What’s the matter? Haven’t deactivated the disintegrator stairs or the spear-throwing painting? Fireplace supervacuum controls a little touchy? Or maybe you forgot to lift the invisible wall?”
    “Watch it or I’ll stuff you in the cube of safety and not let you out until I catch your assassin.”
    “Attempted. Attempted assassin. He didn’t get me.”
    “Yet.”
    She shivered involuntarily and frowned at him. “Anyone ever tell you your sense of humor is too dry?”
    “That’s a bad thing?” He did a visual of the room. “Your room’s this way. Up the stairs.” He motioned for her to follow him.
    Her room? Although his apparent indifference toward her cut down on the need to fend off any awkward sexual advances or expectations, it piqued her all the same. He was supposed to desire her. They’d always had chemistry. Much as she hated to admit it, she still felt it, though it would take a truth serum to drag that bit of intel out of her.
    He showed her up a second flight of stairs and walked past a spacious master suite, opening a door into a cramped second bedroom. “Make yourself at home.”
    He’d obviously been intending to use the room as an office. A laptop sat on a desk cluttered with boxes.
    He caught her staring at it. “I’ll just move that.”
    He went to the desk and scooped the computer up before she got so much as a glimpse of anything interesting on it. Not that he wouldn’t have everything password-protected and secured, but a girl could dream.
    She’d have to learn subtlety, quickly. She’d have loved a peek into his computer life.
    Disappointed, she scanned the room. He’d furnished it with the desk and the ratty hide-a-bed he’d inherited from his parents. She shuddered at its dinginess, remembering what they’d done on those worn-out old cushions. She tried not to blush.
    “I suppose you have sheets?”
    He stared at her as if she were asking for platinum jewelry. “I might be able to scare up a sleeping bag.”
    “You should have warned me. I would have grabbed some from the house.”
    He shrugged. “Stay put.