Italian Ice (Precious Gems #2)

In this exciting sequel to Rarer Than Rubies, gay romance author Trent Copeland and former FBI agent Reed Acton head to Italy. What should be a relaxing and romantic vacation is interrupted when Reed’s not-so-former boss asks for his help with a case. Trent’s shocked to discover in the six months they’ve been living together in LA, Reed hasn’t been completely honest about his “retirement.”

Reed heads for Sicily on the trail of a suspected antiquities-smuggling ring and to find Peter Isett—a former FBI partner he also hasn’t been completely truthful about.  But when he overhears something that tells him Reed’s life is in danger, Trent follows Reed to a remote chain of ancient volcanic islands off Sicily’s northern coast. Soon Trent is caught up in the smugglers’ web, and Reed must decide between his heart and his mission—a decision complicated by his past with Peter. Reed’s position is perilous: unless he can learn to put the past behind him, he risks destroying everything he’s built with Trent.

Excerpt

“I went to the safe house, which is really a suite in the Grand Hotel on Via Veneto. A really nice suite. Two bedrooms and a big living room. Oh, Reed, it was even nicer than our room at the d’Inghilterra. They had this gorgeous Carrara marble in the bathrooms. And Bulgari bodywash.”

“Trent, this isn’t an interview for House Beautiful or a Conde Nast magazine feature article.”

“Ooh, I didn’t even know you’d ever heard of Conde Nast. Or House Beautiful, for that matter.” Trent gave a brief smile. “Bulgari bodywash, Reed. Imagine.”

Reed relaxed a bit. If Trent could joke around, it couldn’t be that bad. Trent was the only guy Reed knew who could get a hard-on talking about bodywash. Reed fought the urge to look in the direction of Trent’s dick.

“Well, the suite happens to be important, if you’d let me explain,” Trent said with more snark than Reed expected.

“Explain.” Reed made an encouraging gesture, hoping he wouldn’t have to hear about marble or bodywash again.

“So they took me to the hotel. Caterina and some FBI guy called Felton.”

“Jim Felton? I know him.”

Trent looked away for a moment, examining his shoes, then the doorknob before turning his gaze back to Reed.

What was that about?

“So, Caterina is the Carabinieri contact?”

“Yeah. We got to the hotel suite. I was really mad because I didn’t want to have some babysitters watching me.” Trent looked a little guilty at his admission, but it wasn’t exactly news to Reed. Or to White. Or to Felton and Caterina, most likely. “And she orders some dinner and some expensive wine.”

“I’m still not seeing any suspicious activity unless she ordered red wine with fish or something.”

“You’re not taking this seriously!”

Reed refrained from mentioning Trent’s bodywash tangent. “You haven’t said anything that worries me.”

“You’re the one who said one step at a time, and then when I do, you complain.” Trent got up and crossed his arms over his chest, then started pacing the room.

Reed watched him go back and forth and around the end of the bed, then back and forth and around the end of the bed. Damn, that was annoying. Reed liked to pace, but he hadn’t realized how fucking irritating it must be to everyone else. He’d have to stop doing that.

Trent stopped pacing and stared at Reed. “And while I was in my room, pretending to write, I was listening to Caterina and Felton talking. And Felton—” He stopped and put a hand to his mouth.

Reed waited to hear what Felton did or said, because now maybe it was getting good.

Trent pulled himself up his full height and sat back on the bed. “They were just talking, and Felton was drinking wine, and then he fell asleep. Only it was because she drugged the wine.”

“Trent, seriously?”

“He shouldn’t have been drinking, and they were making out, and he fell asleep in the middle of it.”

“Wait. You skipped over the making out part before. Get back to that.”

“Sure, now you’re interested.”

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Download the first 40 pages (6 chapters)