Elle James - Deadly Allure

An ex-military man relies on the skills he’s never forgotten…

When former special ops soldier Dave Logsdon nearly hits a beautiful motorcyclist in the thick Oregon fog, nicknamed the Devil’s Shroud, he never expects to be thrown back into a world of espionage, deceit and danger. But secret agent Nicole Steele is desperate for an out-of-the-way place to hide, and Dave’s run-down yacht is the perfect spot. The emotionally wounded warrior is powerless to deny her request…and his rising desire for her.

Nicole must decrypt the database she’s stolen before it’s too late. She soon learns the threat is bigger than she could ever imagine and U.S. national security is at stake. Will her unexpected bond with Dave survive once the enemy’s identity is finally uncovered?

“Why did you let me stay?”

Dave snorted. “If you recall, I didn’t want you to stay.” His brows pushed down over his forehead as he stared at her chest. “Is that my T-shirt you’re wearing?” he asked, his voice low, gravelly.

Nicole tipped her head back. “I found it in a drawer.”

“Give it back.”

“Fine.” She reached for the hem and dragged it up over her head and tossed it into his face. She moved past him, naked, her head held high.

His eyes widened, the dark brown turning almost black. He reached out and grasped her arms. “Put the damn shirt on,” he said through gritted teeth.

Nicole attempted to pull her arm free, her jaw tight, her body cool in the night air. She was beginning to regret her rash decision to strip in front of the man. He held her steady, refusing to release his grip.

The heat his body gave off did nothing to smooth the chill bumps rising on her skin, which had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with the animal attraction this man exuded….

Dear Reader Dear Reader Title Page About the Author Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Extract Copyright ,

I love coming back to Cape Churn and revisiting my characters from previous books. In Deadly Allure we get to see Nicole “Tazer” Steele’s story unfold. I looked around for a man for her in Cape Churn and almost didn’t find him. Then off-the-fishing-dock Dave Logsdon appeared from an earlier book, Deadly Engagement.

In my mind he reminded me of Captain Ron from an old movie I’d watched—a reprobate who could care less about what anyone else had to say. It was great getting into his head and learning what had caused him to leave the military and have such a jaundiced view of the world and people. Pairing him with the ultra-intense Nicole “Tazer” Steele, I knew sparks would fly.

In Deadly Allure, we have all the excitement and danger of the first three Devil’s Shroud books and more. We follow Dave and Tazer on a dangerous mission that leads all the way to treachery in the White House.

Here’s another tidbit for you. Nicole “Tazer” Steele can be found in other books I’ve written. Look for her in the following Mills & Boon Intrigue titles: Nick of Time, Alaskan Fantasy and Blown Away.

Enjoy the journey!

Elle James

Deadly Allure

Elle James

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ELLE JAMES

A Golden Heart Award winner for Best Paranormal Romance in 2004, Elle James started writing when her sister issued a Y2K challenge to write a romance novel. She has managed a full-time job and raised three wonderful children, and she and her husband even tried their hands at ranching exotic birds (ostriches, emus and rheas) in the Texas Hill Country. Ask her, and she’ll tell you what it’s like to go toe-to-toe with an angry 350-pound bird! After leaving her successful career in information technology management, Elle is now pursuing her writing full-time. Elle loves to hear from fans. You can contact her at ellejames@earthlink.net, or visit her website, at www.ellejames.com.

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This book is dedicated to my editor, Dana Hamilton, who has been with me for most of this series, dotting my i’s, crossing my t’s, fixing my grammatical errors and encouraging me to be a better writer through her gentle editing and suggestions. She’s my cheerleader and coach, and a joy to work with. Thank you, Dana, for being there for me!

(Now could you please perform your magic on this dedication to make sure I didn’t make a grammatical faux pas?) Hugs!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text An ex-military man relies on the skills he’s never forgotten… When former special ops soldier Dave Logsdon nearly hits a beautiful motorcyclist in the thick Oregon fog, nicknamed the Devil’s Shroud, he never expects to be thrown back into a world of espionage, deceit and danger. But secret agent Nicole Steele is desperate for an out-of-the-way place to hide, and Dave’s run-down yacht is the perfect spot. The emotionally wounded warrior is powerless to deny her request…and his rising desire for her. Nicole must decrypt the database she’s stolen before it’s too late. She soon learns the threat is bigger than she could ever imagine and U.S. national security is at stake. Will her unexpected bond with Dave survive once the enemy’s identity is finally uncovered?

Introduction “Why did you let me stay?” Dave snorted. “If you recall, I didn’t want you to stay.” His brows pushed down over his forehead as he stared at her chest. “Is that my T-shirt you’re wearing?” he asked, his voice low, gravelly. Nicole tipped her head back. “I found it in a drawer.” “Give it back.” “Fine.” She reached for the hem and dragged it up over her head and tossed it into his face. She moved past him, naked, her head held high. His eyes widened, the dark brown turning almost black. He reached out and grasped her arms. “Put the damn shirt on,” he said through gritted teeth. Nicole attempted to pull her arm free, her jaw tight, her body cool in the night air. She was beginning to regret her rash decision to strip in front of the man. He held her steady, refusing to release his grip. The heat his body gave off did nothing to smooth the chill bumps rising on her skin, which had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with the animal attraction this man exuded….

Dear Reader Dear Reader Dear Reader Title Page About the Author Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Extract Copyright , I love coming back to Cape Churn and revisiting my characters from previous books. In Deadly Allure we get to see Nicole “Tazer” Steele’s story unfold. I looked around for a man for her in Cape Churn and almost didn’t find him. Then off-the-fishing-dock Dave Logsdon appeared from an earlier book, Deadly Engagement. In my mind he reminded me of Captain Ron from an old movie I’d watched—a reprobate who could care less about what anyone else had to say. It was great getting into his head and learning what had caused him to leave the military and have such a jaundiced view of the world and people. Pairing him with the ultra-intense Nicole “Tazer” Steele, I knew sparks would fly. In Deadly Allure, we have all the excitement and danger of the first three Devil’s Shroud books and more. We follow Dave and Tazer on a dangerous mission that leads all the way to treachery in the White House. Here’s another tidbit for you. Nicole “Tazer” Steele can be found in other books I’ve written. Look for her in the following Mills & Boon Intrigue titles: Nick of Time, Alaskan Fantasy and Blown Away. Enjoy the journey! Elle James