Good book. This is one series that should be read in order. The series follows both a suspense arc and Ree and Quint's developing relationship. At the end of the first book, Ree and Quint parted ways. The mission was finished, and they didn't expect to work together again. As this book opens, Ree has been home for a few days and is at Sunday dinner with her parents and siblings. Their picking at her has her ready to go home when Quint shows up with a new mission for them. Since their parting after the last case was less than warm and fuzzy, Ree is slightly reluctant to take it on. But now that she has some experience working with Quint, she has some conditions to her agreement. I loved seeing her call him out on those things that concerned her and how Quint admitted she was right.

This case sends them to Houston, still newlyweds, looking for information on a weapons dealer. While Ree works behind the bar at a trendy nightclub, Quint is still posing as a computer student/geek. Her job is to get close to Lola; a bartender believed to be dating the weapons dealer. I loved seeing Ree work - her instincts are terrific, and she does a great job learning about Lola and her life. They also have several lucky breaks that help them learn more about the dealer.

Matters get complicated when they get word that another agency is also working on the same case from the drug trafficking side. This sets Quint off because the death of his former partner happened when multiple agencies worked on a case and didn't fully cooperate/communicate. It doesn't help that the head agent from the other agency isn't cooperative and is obnoxious. There are some tense interactions between Quint and the other agent, with the "partnership" saved by the two level-headed women in the teams. The case resolution was intense and action-packed, keeping me glued to the pages until it was over. This investigation had a successful conclusion, but some loose ends will continue to drive the series.

I enjoyed seeing the progress of Ree and Quint's relationship. The sparks that fly between them in the first book intensify in this one but both of them have baggage that holds them back. For Ree, she sticks to short flings, more interested in her career than in anything long-term. For Quint, the guilt over his partner's death has left him feeling that he doesn't deserve happiness. He also finds his protective instincts kicking in at inconvenient times, and I enjoy seeing Ree call him out on it when she needs to. Neither Ree nor Quint knows what to do with their growing attraction or the feelings that come with it. It was fun to see their random public displays of affection, done to maintain their cover, get away from them. It will be interesting to see how things progress in the next book. ( )