Fast and Flirty: a short-length adventurous romantic thriller novella: STORM Transporters, #2

By Nina Bruhns

New York Times and USA Today Best Selling author Nina Bruhns brings you the latest in her acclaimed STORM series, a short-length, page-turning steamy suspense novella.

The top-secret package STORM Corps transporter Kade Maddox is hired to deliver turns out to be way more trouble—and a whole lot sexier—than he ever anticipated.

Nikki Phoenix is a die-hard rule-breaker and unabashed free spirit. So when her latest assignment for Interpol pits her against ex-Marine transporter Kade Maddox—who's about as flexible as a 357 Magnum—sparks fly like fireworks.

But somewhere along the twisty road through the Italian Alps being chased by bad guys, Nikki decides hard can be very nice...and Kade learns the unexpected pleasures of surrendering to the moment.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cajun Hot Press
• Release date: Jul 25, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386812678

Nina Bruhns

The mother of five children, Kylie Brant claims she began writing to save her sanity. Plotting stories became her method of escape from the reality of constant ball games, chauffeuring kids, and refereeing minor disagreements between her perfect offspring. In 1992 she was elated to get a call from Silhouette offering to buy her second novel. Home with laryngitis at the time, she still managed to croak out agreement, and her career was born. A few months later she went on to sell Rancher s Choice, the first manuscript she'd written. Kylie is married to her high school sweetheart, and they make their home in Iowa. She insists that all her heroes are based on her husband of 23 years because he possesses that most heroic of all qualities - ironing skills. Those abilities come in handy, as she juggles a full time teaching job with writing and a family. Doing things the easy way has never held much appeal for this multi award-winning author. She graduated with high honours from the University of Northern Iowa. A graduation photo shows her in cap and gown holding her two sons, one aged 16 months and the other three weeks. She went on to obtain a teaching job working with learning-disabled children while completing her master's degree at night and during summers. There was a time in my life when I could imagine myself as a life-long student, she recalls. I actually toyed with the idea of pursuing a doctorate. But instead, my life took a spin and I ended up writing romances. I've never regretted it! Her family has since been completed by the birth of another son and a set of twins, a boy and a girl. Kylie's books are regularly featured on bestseller lists. With over a million copies of books in print, her novels have been distributed in 20 countries and released in seven languages. Family and friends are the main focus of Kylie's life. When she isn't writing or teaching, she enjoys reading and flower gardening. She loves traveling, preferring beach, ocean, and room service. Readers may write her at: P.O. Box 231, Charles City, IA 50616.

Book preview

FAST AND FLIRTY

A SHORT-LENGTH

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE NOVELLA

by

NEW YORK TIMES & USA TODAY

BEST SELLING AUTHOR

NINA BRUHNS

Author of 40 award-winning novels

More than 2 Million copies sold worldwide

•••

The top-secret package STORM Corps transporter Kade Maddox is hired to deliver turns out to be way more trouble—and a whole lot sexier—than he ever anticipated.

Nikki Phoenix is a diehard rule-breaker and unabashed free spirit. So when her latest assignment for Interpol pits her against ex-Marine intelligence operator Kade Maddox—who’s about as flexible as a 357 Magnum—sparks fly like fireworks.

But somewhere along the twisty road through the Italian Alps being chased by bad guys, Nikki decides hard can be very nice...and Kade learns the unexpected pleasures of surrendering to the moment.

Chapter 1

The west coast of Italy

Nikki Phoenix whistled softly as the black and red sports car she’d been expecting to pass by topped the crest of the next rise and whipped around the road’s hairpin turn toward her. Holy mole. Kade Maddox had one sweet ride, that was for damned sure. One of the new Lotus Evora Roadsters, if she wasn’t mistaken. Wow. This was going to be even more fun than she’d thought.

She gave her tight sweater and miniskirt a quick zhuzh and leaned under the open hood of her BMW, bending over to give Maddox a good view of her backside and her long, bare legs. After a second, she reached in and loosened the alternator cable. Just in case.

The meticulous research she’d done after getting this assignment had revealed that STORM Corps transporter Kade Maddox always followed a firm set of self-imposed rules when he drove. He never broke them. Never. And one of his top rules was: No passengers.

Yeah, they’d just see about that.

Nikki stayed bent over and curled one designer high heel around the opposite ankle, doing her best to look cute and helpless as the Lotus took the nearest curve and sped toward the cutout where she’d parked the Beemer.

Come on, baby. You don’t need no stinkin’ rules, she murmured to the engine block, deliberately not looking up. Any former Marine intelligence operator worth his salt would smell a setup a mile away.

She smiled at the air filter as her target slowed. Oh, yeah. Who’s your mama, she whispered, satisfaction swirling through her. Hell, she might actually pull this off. She wiggled her butt. Just a little.

From the corner of her eye, she watched the Lotus approach. The highly-polished black and red convertible shone in the bright Italian sunshine, sleek and elegant, backdropped against the sparkling azure blue of the sea beyond the twisty ribbon of road that clung to the cliffs. The car’s top was down and she could clearly see it was Maddox behind the wheel wearing his usual STORM transporter uniform—a meticulously tailored charcoal-grey suit over a white button-down shirt and tie. His attractive dark hair was just long enough to be tousled by the wind, making him look deceptively casual and easygoing.

She knew better. From what she’d learned, the man was as focused as a laser.

The Lotus slowed to a crawl. She held her breath and pretended not to notice as the man studied her through his mirrored sunglasses. Then the engine gunned and the convertible sped away without stopping.

Damn.

She straightened up and stared after him with a puff of frustration, hands on her hips. Well, hell.

Okay, yeah, she’d suspected it wouldn’t be that easy. In fact, she might have been suspicious if it had been. Maddox wasn’t the only one concerned with falling into  trap. But for some strange reason, she’d been looking forward to sharing a ride with a somewhat legendary—and surprisingly handsome—STORM operator. Why? She had no idea. By all accounts this particular man was her polar opposite—stiff, stolid, predictable. A rule-follower to the Nth degree. Nothing like her.

Maybe a fascination of opposites?

Or maybe she was just horny. The guy was a looker, and he had a killer body, too, if the photos of him she’d managed to find online were anywhere near reality. And it had been a good, long while since she’d allowed herself the indulgence of a fling.

Not that he would indulge, she had a feeling. Rule number 7, no doubt: No monkey sex with strangers.

Whatever. She wasn’t interested in him, anyway—other than as a means to complete her assignment. A freelance investigator specializing in art theft, Nikki had been hired to acquire the package he was transporting, and turn it over to Interpol. Preferably without breaking any laws.

Yeah, yeah. But sometimes a girl had to do what a girl had to do.

Which was probably why they’d come to her in the first place, as opposed to any of the other investigators on the Interpol roster. Nikki Phoenix had been breaking rules since well before being unceremoniously tossed out of her career-diplomat father’s house at seventeen, and she had no intention of stopping anytime soon.

So, caveat Maddox.

With an extra spurt of anticipation spinning through her, she reconnected the alternator and slammed her car’s hood closed, climbed into the Beemer, and fired the engine to life.

Time to capture the eye of a STORM.

Chapter 2

It didn’t take Nikki long to catch up to Maddox. In less than half an hour she was easing the Beemer up behind him on the road.

She glanced down at the speedometer with a frown. He was actually doing the speed limit.

Really? The man was driving one of the most powerful sports cars in the universe, and he was going at minivan speed? Another one