“Actually, I’m sort of on vacation,” Hawk said. “Dilaver invited me for an extended stay.”
She had heard that it was Hawk who had saved Dilaver’s life. She wondered what the story was behind that. “Really?” Vacationing in Macedonia. She stopped herself from making a rude sound. “And what have you been doing for fun so far?”
“Nothing,” Hawk replied, to her surprise.
“I can second that,” Dilaver said. “The man’s been following me around and hasn’t had any time to really see our beautiful country, Amber. You should show him why you love it here, what made you choose to live here. You’ll be doing me a favor.”
The Slav appeared to want Hawk to stay here and was trying to convince him. Amber wondered how Hawk had become so close to the kingpin, and so suddenly, too. Dilaver wasn’t an accessible man at all. During her four years here, she had never been able to find someone close enough to the man to bribe.
She was getting more intrigued by the minute. Information like this would be worth something, and perhaps she could use it to secure her future. Away from the CIA. Away from Macedonia.
But she had a certain reputation, too. And, supposedly, a man of her own. “I’ll think about it,” she said. She looked at Dilaver meaningfully. “I don’t have much free time as it is.”
“Oh, I know you travel about with that new man of yours and go out of town to the art shows and whatnot. You have to keep everyone happy, yes? Including me. And it’s to my advantage that you enjoy a friendship with our new CIVPOL agent.” Dilaver leaned closer. “But sometimes you can make a man’s interest stronger by giving him some competition, my dear. He might get a bit more serious and you can get even more from him.”
“How…devious, Dragan,” Amber said dryly.
Dilaver laughed. “Aren’t I? Hawk, don’t you agree men like competition?”
“I think they like the chase,” Hawk said lazily.
“Is that what you like?” Amber asked. “The chase?”
His answering smile was slow and challenging. “Maybe.”
Amber perused his face slowly. He had the face of a cover model. Eyes the color of aged brandy, with that bold look in them that suggested intimacy. A straight nose. Strong sensual lips that would tempt a saint. She doubted the man had ever chased a woman in his life. She suspected it was easy for someone like Hawk McMillan to get any female he wanted. “I don’t believe you,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “I think a man like you gets chased a lot.”
“Yes, women attack him all the time,” Dilaver agreed. “He would be standing there and suddenly a woman would be next to him. And then they’re all over him. I’ve seen it.”
“Attack?” Amber locked eyes with Hawk.
“At the most unexpected times,” he said softly.
“Maybe they just want to test you.” She smiled. “Maybe they just want to see how tough you are…to get.”
He gave a low chuckle, his amusement sending an odd tingle down her spine. “One or two of them enjoy needling me.”
She blinked in surprise. Then laughed. A witty guy, too. “I’m sure most of them leave you a calling card,” she mocked.
“Some do it in the most original way,” he agreed, his eyes twinkling.
“Well, with all this female attention you get all the time, I suppose they have to do that to get yours.” She was enjoying this verbal duel too much. “What’s the most original thing a woman has ever done to get your attention, Hawk?”
“Now, that’d be telling,” he said. “Perhaps I’ll tell you when we meet again.”
“Oh, I see the ploy,” she mocked. “Keeping my interest going.”
“It’s part of the chase.”
“But who’s doing the chasing?”
“Depends on who’s got the hotter stuff.”
She almost choked on her beer. One thing was for sure. She’d have to be on her toes all the time if she were to work with Hawk. Dilaver was looking back and forth at them, a satisfied expression in his eyes. Obviously, he thought he was succeeding in engaging the interest of his American buddy.
“Is that how it all ends? The comparison of who’s got the hotter stuff?” Amber quipped, finishing her drink and pushing her chair back so she could get up. “Speaking of hot, Dragan, I really have to get back to the kitchen. I have the oven on.”
“You’ll get back to me with the information?” Dilaver asked.
