Second Skin

By Thea Landen

Anna’s career as a high-level CIA operative is put on involuntary hiatus. When a trusted colleague passes along the information for the 1Night Stand service, Anna decides to take the plunge against her better judgment and seek some intimate company. But her CIA instincts can’t be ignored, and when she contacts Madame Eve, she uses an alias.

Brendan owns a lucrative manufacturing company, but he’s yet to achieve the goal of finding a woman with whom he can share his successes and joys. But beneath his polished, capable exterior hides the painfully shy teenager he’s never been able to escape. When his own efforts in the dating scene fall short, he turns to 1Night Stand.

It would be so easy to fall in love with Brendan, and Anna’s protective mask slides away, piece-by-piece, revealing more of herself than she should dare. Before she can slip away with the sunrise, Brendan shows their encounter in a new light. Will Anna take a chance on their future, or will she choose to return to her undercover, but lonely life?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Decadent Publishing
• Release date: Mar 19, 2014
• ISBN: 9781613336717

Thea Landen

Thea Landen writes erotic literature, frequently in a sci-fi/fantasy setting. When she's not writing, or thinking about writing, her hands and mind are occupied by either yarn crafts or role-playing games.

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Second Skin

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2014 by Thea Landen

ISBN: 978-1-61333-671-7

Cover art by Tibbs Designs

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

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www.decadentpublishing.com

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~Dedication~

To Vlad, Andrew, Amy, and TJ, my partners in adventure and crime, and to Michael, my partner in adventure and love.

Second Skin

A 1Night Stand Story

By

Thea Landen

Chapter One

Sonia Wallace.

Katarina Volkova.

Maria Milano.

The list of names cycled through Anna’s mind as she stared out the window of the airplane. One week earlier, she’d spent hours rifling through her folder of dossiers. Though keeping the paper files in her apartment posed a risk, she preferred it to any of the electronic alternatives as her locked safe was less prone to hacking than phones and computers. Each name evoked a different reaction and series of memories. But one name kept grabbing her attention.

Samantha Coburn.

Anna had easily memorized the list of details accompanying Samantha’s photograph long ago—height, weight, last known address, place of employment, and so on. Anna’s own brown eyes stared out at her, full lips pressed into a straight line. Brilliant financial analyst Samantha Coburn worked alongside many powerful people, yet kept her own name out of the spotlight. Polished and professional, she had access to considerable monetary funds without being a flashy or noteworthy character. Whatever influence she possessed, she wielded it from the shadows behind bigger figures.

She would be perfect.

Anna leaned back in her first-class seat and sipped her drink, alleviating her dry throat and some of her anxiety. Earlier in the month, her superior at the CIA had strongly suggested she take her accumulated vacation time, more of an order than a suggestion, given his tone of voice. He’d made a reasonable request. Operatives high in the ranks were at risk of burning out. But, despite the dangers, she loved her job enough to want to keep it for as long as possible.

In the quiet cabin, the names rang through her head loud and clear, each representing a different alias she’d taken in her career. Some, like Samantha, felt as effortless and comfortable as the old hooded sweatshirt she wore on the flight to ward