"Swan is definitely an author readers need to keep an eye out for!"
Reviewed by Annie Tegelan
Posted August 21, 2012
Romance Suspense
Exotic locales, pulse-pounding action and sizzling sexual
tension -- Joan Swan has it all in INTIMATE ENEMIES!
Returning to her childhood home in the exotic Pacific Coast
of Baja, Mexico, Cassie Christo is hoping to escape her
grief. Six months ago, her mother and stepbrother were
killed in a yacht explosion that still goes unsolved.
Burdened by this heavy weight in her heart and the
knowledge
that the case remains unsolved, Cassie takes it upon
herself
to instigate her own investigation.
A year has slowly passed and Rio Santana is still
undercover
as Saul's right-hand man. As the top king in a smuggling
ring, Rio knows how dangerous Saul Flores is. However,
Cassie is more concerned about getting answers than her own
safety. It's now up to Rio to protect the woman who he once
comforted while still keeping his assumed identity intact.
He's worked too hard to jeopardize this mission. Swan presents readers with a heroine with more
determination
than concern for her well-being. Yet Rio won't let
anything happen to
Cassie if he can help it. Rio is very much the alpha hero,
but with a heroine who has her mind decided on what she
wants, she throws a few fast ones on him, making INTIMATE
ENEMIES a read about more than just the operation. It's
also about working together and exploring the newly
discovered passion between them.
INTIMAE ENEMIES is steeped in hard-hitting action, strong
characters, and
intense emotions, Joan Swan delivers a great page-turner.
Making a name for herself in the Romantic Suspense genre,
Swan is definitely an author readers need to keep an eye
out
for!
SUMMARY
She is on a quest for answers; answers that could just get
her killed. Six months after the mysterious yacht explosion that killed
Cassie Christo’s mother and stepbrother, authorities still
have no answers to the cause. Searching for closure, Cassie
returns to her childhood home on the Pacific Coast of Baja,
Mexico, where she launches her own investigation into the
accident. She never expected to find an adversary in the
man who had once touched her heart with kindness in her
darkest moment. Rio’s been fantasizing about reconnecting with Cassie for
months. But not here and sure as hell not now. As an
undercover agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement, he’s working the biggest sting operation in
all of northern Mexico, and he definitely doesn’t have time
for the wild attraction he feels for Cassie. Not only is his cover on the line, so is his heart.
Because as the end of a yearlong operation draws closer,
Rio knows if he tells Cassie the truth about who and what
he is, it won’t only jeopardize his mission, it may result
in him losing her forever. And if he doesn’t, his lies and
deception could get them both killed.
ExcerptCassie drew in a breath and knocked. Her hands
automatically returned to tangled, wringing fingers, and
she couldn't pull them apart before Rio opened the door.
Her heart tightened with apprehension, skipped with
hope. One look at his face, and her stomach dropped with
dread. Still pissed. And clearly disturbed. She knew how
hard it was to close the door on those horrible memories
once it had been opened. Knowing she'd been the one to
break that seal on Rio's demons flooded Cassie with guilt.
"You're the last person I expected to see tonight." He
looked over her shoulder as if he wasn't interested in her
presence. "What do you need, Cass?"
"I need to apologize," she said. "Are you going to make
me do it on your porch?"
He dropped his gaze to the stone at their bare feet and
rubbed the back of his neck. He'd changed into cargo shorts
and a T–shirt. He looked rugged and carelessly
sexy. "It's been a long, rough day. I don't want to fight.
Again."
"Okay. I guess I deserve this. I'll just say what I
came to say, then." Disappointment weighted down her
shoulders. "You were right; I was completely out of line.
And you were also right about me trying to get you to hit
me." That brought his gaze up. "But not because I like it;
because I was testing you. Not consciously. I wasn't
planning on testing you. But subconsciously, yes. Saul
brought up some bad memories for me, and I...needed to
know—for sure—that no matter how far I pushed
you, no matter what I did or said, I'd be safe with you."
And now that she'd said it out loud, she realized how
incredibly screwed up she still was even after she'd
escaped rape, put her attacker behind bars, and been
through years of therapy.
She threaded her fingers, feeling more defeated than
victorious. Rio's disinterest was probably better for both
of them.
"I feel horrible that I touched such a painful place
for you. If I'd known..." She shook her head. "It doesn't
matter; I shouldn't have done it in the first place.
That's...what I came to say."
She stared at his chest and held her breath. Promised
herself she'd wait three seconds before she turned to
leave. One one–thousand. Two one–thousand.
Three one–thousand.
Four one–thousand.
Five one–thousand.
"You never answered my question," Rio finally said. "Do
you have a boyfriend...now?"
The air left her lungs on a sigh, and a fresh wave of
embarrassment surged. She could have avoided this whole
mess with just a simple answer to his original
question. "No."
When he didn't say anything, didn't move, she added, "I,
um...haven't had one in a long time
and...honestly..."—fear pinched her stomach—"I
haven't had many."
Still nothing. Aggravation edged out her relief. She
looked around the dark night. Heaved a breath. Finally met
his eyes. "Are you really going to make me stand out here
to talk about this?"
"What happened at the clinic today?"
Her shoulders slumped. She should have known she
couldn't simply show up and end up in his bed two minutes
later.
Irritation burned, and she let it flare in her eyes when
she met his again. "Take a wild guess, Rio."
"Nina."
"Yes. Nina. There are consequences to a lousy
reputation. And not all of those will keep you or others
safe." She crossed her arms. "And now I'm pissed. You ass.
I can't even apologize without getting pissed at you."
He smiled. Just a little.
"Oh my God." A mix of humor and aggravation burned in
her chest. "Don't you even."
His grin grew wide, and her heart stretched in spite of
her irritation. He reached out, grabbed one of her forearms
still crossed tight at her chest, and pulled her toward the
door. "Since you don't have a boyfriend, I guess you can
come inside."
"Maybe I don't want to come in anymore." She resisted
just enough to make him put some effort into getting her
over the threshold.
Cassie's gaze skipped over the familiar
space—really just a tiny one–bedroom cottage,
but with the amenities of a five–star hotel. Marble,
stainless steel, leather. High ceilings, lots of windows.
Flat–screen television, surround–sound stereo,
minibar, granite kitchen and bathroom.
Rio had set up a weight system in one corner of the
small living room—which explained all those muscles
she'd been dreaming about. A silver laptop sat open on the
coffee table, its screen dark. The room had a soft glow
from the single low light in the corner.
He closed the door, ran both hands over her upper arms,
his gaze on the exposed skin of her chest. "I was pretty
out of line too."
His hands curved over her shoulders; one slipped around
her nape, the other caressed her cheek with the backs of
his fingers. Cassie's frustration transitioned into that
fiery want she'd come with. Only on a whole different,
deeper level. She unfolded her arms and curled her hands
into the cotton of his T–shirt.
"What happened to my sister"—he shook his
head—"I've never quite let it go. I'm overly
sensitive. I shouldn't have blown up like that."
She leaned in, pushed up, and pressed her lips to his.
Hadn't planned to, just needed to. And now that they were
there, a whole lot of other need exploded in the foreground.
Rio hummed in pleasure. His eyes fell closed a second
before Cassie's did. His hand tightened on her neck,
drawing her into him. His mouth opened and took hers with
all that amazing heat and skill.
Within ten seconds, Rio had her body molded to his,
controlling her hips with an arm low on her back,
controlling her mouth with the hand at her neck. Within
twenty, Cassie's head was swimming, her body straining.
She broke from his mouth and sucked air. His hand fisted
and released restlessly at her hip. Cassie's did the same
in his T–shirt.
"I want you," she said, breaths uneven and fast. "No
more excuses. I want you right now."
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