A terrific book that had me hooked from the very beginning. The action started with a bang as a young woman is attacked and left for dead, and her infant son kidnapped. The victim's sister, Emma, is a PI and determined to find her nephew and bring him home. She doesn't expect to find a mysterious and sexy NCIS agent already on the case.

The first meeting between Derrick and Emma set the stage for their relationship. Both are accustomed to doing what is necessary without having to consult with someone else. There is also an undeniable zing of attraction between them that promises to complicate matters. Derrick is especially resistant to working with Emma because once before he had gotten involved during a mission and the consequences still haunt him. However, each has a different set of skills vital to the mission, so they have to figure out how to make it work. Their early interactions show Derrick's fear that Emma will be more of a hindrance than a help, and Emma's determination to prove otherwise. I loved the way that Emma quickly proved her worth and made a place for herself at his side. The chemistry between them awakens unexpectedly strong feelings between them.

I ached for Derrick, whose past mistakes still haunt him. Emma's missing nephew brings his pain back to the surface and makes this case more personal than he is comfortable with. His growing feelings for Emma also bring out an unexpected protectiveness in him that causes some conflict between them. I loved that he was honest about his desire for her, but he feared that his past has made him unable to have a permanent relationship. This was especially obvious at the end when he walked away before realizing that he needed to fight for what he wanted.

Emma has her own issues to work through. She has spent her life being very protective of her sister. It goes a little too far at some point, creating a rift between them. Her growing relationship with Derrick opens her eyes to the need for her to control things in her life. I loved her big moment at the end as she followed her heart.

The suspense of the story was intense and nearly non-stop. It was an emotional roller coaster as Derrick and Emma would get close to their objective, only to see it slip away, and have it happen several times. Though the culprit is unknown at the beginning, finding out who it is doesn't make things any easier. As the risks escalate, injury or death is a definite possibility. I was glued to the book as I watched Derrick and Emma survive ambushes, a desert escape, and betrayal. There were several twists at the end that increased the intensity until all was successfully concluded. ( )