Sharon Sala - Mission - Irresistible

Easton “East” Kirby

Strong and powerfully built—and guaranteed to melt hearts with his mesmerizing brown eyes.

SPEAR’s head honcho wasn’t playing fair when he assigned enticing Agent Alicia Corbin to bring East Kirby back to the field. Now, a diabolical maneuver by the traitor has raised the stakes for East—making his partnership with Alicia imperative!

Alicia Corbin

A green-eyed beauty with a body sure to bring even the strongest man to his knees.

Her loyalty to SPEAR knew no bounds. But would she gain the upper hand in this seductive stalemate with formidable legend Easton Kirby?

Jonah

Though his identity is top secret, this mystery man has enough presence and authority to keep his agents on the alert.

As the shadowed entity at the helm of SPEAR, Jonah has a fierce code of honor. He’s not about to let anything—or anyone—bring SPEAR down….

Join twelve top agents in their search to safeguard the country—and lose their hearts to love—in twelve novels guaranteed to provide you with A YEAR OF LOVING DANGEROUSLY.

Dear Reader,

As you have no doubt noticed, this year marks Silhouette Books’ 20 thanniversary, and for the next three months the spotlight shines on Intimate Moments, so we’ve packed our schedule with irresistible temptations.

First off, I’m proud to announce that this month marks the beginning of A YEAR OF LOVING DANGEROUSLY, a twelve-book continuity series written by eleven of your favorite authors. Sharon Sala, a bestselling, award-winning, absolutely incredible writer, launches things with Mission: Irresistible, and next year she will also write the final book in the continuity. Picture a top secret agency, headed by a man no one sees. Now picture a traitor infiltrating security, chased by a dozen (or more!) of the agency’s best operatives. The trail crisscrosses the globe, and passion is a big part of the picture, until the final scene is played out and the final romance reaches its happy conclusion. Every book in A YEAR OF LOVING DANGEROUSLY features a self-contained romance, along with a piece of the ongoing puzzle, and enough excitement and suspense to fuel your imagination for the entire year. Don’t miss a single monthly installment!

This month also features new books from top authors such as Beverly Barton, who continues THE PROTECTORS, and Marie Ferrarella, who revisits THE BABY OF THE MONTH CLUB. And in future months look for New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard, with A Game of Chance (yes, it’s Chance Mackenzie’s story at long last), and a special in-line two-in-one collection by Maggie Shayne and Marilyn Pappano, called Who Do You Love? All that and more of A YEAR OF LOVING DANGEROUSLY, as well as new books from the authors who’ve made Intimate Moments the place to come for a mix of excitement and romance no reader can resist. Enjoy!

Leslie J. Wainger

Executive Senior Editor

www.millsandboon.co.uk

This book is written in honor of the nameless people who have dedicated their lives to making my country safe and secure.

Your identities may be unknown, but the sacrifices you have made have not gone unappreciated. I dedicate this story to you with the hope that if the favor had to be returned, we would be strong enough to withstand and endure.

A note from Sharon Sala, bestselling, award-winning author of over ten books for Silhouette and MIRA Books:

Dear Reader,

Being asked to launch the first book of A YEAR OF LOVING DANGEROUSLY was an honor, as well as an exciting venture for me. The twelve-book series is a romance-filled, adventure-packed journey through the lives of some very extraordinary people—people who are willing to sacrifice their lives and personal happiness for their country and its safety.

The characters are strong and heroic, often drawn into situations that are out of their control, and yet they manage not only to survive, but triumph.

Mission: Irresistible, the first book in the series, is a testament to the strength of family ties and to the power of love. The story line is an all-too-familiar echo of today’s headlines and will draw you quickly and deeply into the unfolding drama of innocents caught up in a situation not of their making.

I hope you like my story, as well as the stories to come. I enjoy hearing from my readers and can be reached at P.O. Box 127, Henryetta, OK 74437, or online c/o www.eHarlequin.com.

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Epilogue

Washington, D.C.—July 4th, 2000

The American flags above the tall man’s head popped smartly as the hot July breeze whipped them into a frenzy; colorful reminders of a nation’s gratitude for the dedication and sacrifices of countless soldiers over the centuries who had kept the country free.

But gratitude was the last thing on the man’s mind as he stood before the black, polished surface of the Vietnam War Memorial. The petals of the rose that he carried were beginning to droop, but it hardly mattered. The man for whom it was meant had long ceased to care for anything of this earth.

It wasn’t the first time he’d been here on the nation’s birthday, so the unusual number of visitors did not surprise him. Yet as he moved through the people, he was struck by the silence of so large a crowd.

The memorial in itself was an emotionally moving sight. A seemingly endless stretch of gleaming black marble with nothing but names etched upon its surface. Names of fathers and of sons, of brothers and of uncles, of friends and neighbors who’d given their lives because their country had asked it of them.

His heart swelled painfully as he began to scan the surface. It was here—somewhere near the center and about a third of the way down. He stepped around a small, stoop-shouldered woman, then in front of a young couple with two small children, his gaze centering on the names. The farther he walked, the harder his heart began to pound. And then suddenly he stiffened.

There it was: Frank Wilson.

He traced the letters of the name with his forefinger. By the time he got to the last letter he was looking at the world through a blur and all he could think was, Damn you.

His jaw clenched and a muscle jerked at the side of his temple as he dropped the rose at the base of the wall and turned to walk away. As he did, the wind gusted, causing the flags to flutter, and ruffling the streaks of gray at the temples of his short, dark hair. He squinted against the sunlight and dropped a pair of sunglasses in place as he moved toward the grassy area beyond. But the sound of the blowing flag became mixed with the memories in his mind, turning from wind and heat to the rapid fire of machine guns, the unforgettable thunder of landing helicopters and the nightmare that was Vietnam.