Italian Ice by EM Lynley (Password Clue)

Synopsis From Publisher:

Gay romance author Trent Copeland and former FBI agent Reed Acton head to Italy for a Roman holiday.  What should be a relaxing and romantic vacation is interrupted when Reed's not-so-former boss asks for his help with a case.  Trent's shocked to discover in the six months they've been living together in LA, Reed hasn't been completely honest about his "retirement."

Reed heads for Sicily on the trail of a suspect antiquities-smuggling rig and to find Peter Isett - a former FBI partner he also hasn't been completely truthful about.  Stung by Reed's dishonesty, Trent questions what else Reed might be hiding.  But when he overhears something that tells him Reed's life is in danger, Trent follows Reed to a remote chain of ancient volcanic islands of Sicily's northern coast.  Soon Trent is caught up in the smuggler's web, and Reed must decide between his heart and his mission - a decision complicated by his past with Peter.  Reed's position is perilous: unless he can learn to put the past behind him, he risks destroying everything he's built with Trent.

Italian Ice is the second book of a three part series, unless the author writes another one, which I would be all for, and it's just as good as the first.   There is love, hot sex, diamond smuggling, missing FBI agents, murders, femme fatales, kidnappings, and lots of adventure.  It's like watching a really good episode of Scarecrow & Mrs. King, if both leads were hot gay men.  And now that I think about it, they could even keep the young Bruce Boxleitner in it, they would just have to recast Kate Jackson.

Now this being the second book, you know there is bound to be drama between the two main characters, and boy is there ever.  Reed is having to fight with feelings he still has over his previous partner, and those are all tied together with memories of months of torture.  He is still wrestling with his feelings for Trent, who he does love, but isn't sure he should or does all the way.  You know he does, he is just trying to hold onto his lone wolf status, not needing anyone.  Trent on the other hand, is madly in love with Reed, but isn't sure he can fully trust him.  He has his doubts, especially when he finds out how many secrets Reed has been keeping, but like Kate Jackson always did, he quickly forgives and moves on.

I love these two guys together, and they complete each other in many ways.  I'm not sure it's a relationship where the two of them "need' the other in their lives. It's more of a case where the two of them truly want the other one around, and in my opinion, that's so much better.   They have to get through a lot of turmoil and real physical pain before they both really truly understand that, but in the end, they are more solid then ever, and are more than ready to take on drug dealers, diamond smugglers, lovers from the past, or errant agents; as long as they do it together.

Challenges: Password (Italian), Men In Uniform