Suspect Lover. Stephanie Doyle

cook for me?” she asked eagerly.

      “Cooking might be overstating it. I plan on grilling.”

      Together they headed for the kitchen. While Dominic put together a very basic meal of steak and baked potatoes, Caroline tossed a salad.

      “If you’ll open the wine, I think we’re ready.”

      Caroline selected the lone bottle from the wine rack mounted on the wall. “This is amazing. I love this label.”

      “I know. I read it on your Web site. It was on your Favorites list.”

      “You visited my Web site?”

      Dominic wondered if he should have admitted that. “Of course. I wanted to see some of the titles you’ve written.”

      He turned away from the grill on the range and watched her smile grow. It was a large smile, practically taking up her whole face.

      “I don’t suppose you actually bought any of them? Authors need our royalties.”

      “You seem to do rather well with that. I’ve seen your annual income, remember.”

      Her smile faltered.

      “I did buy one,” he said feeling the need to make amends although he wasn’t sure why. “I haven’t read it yet, though.”

      “You don’t strike me as having much time to read for pleasure.”

      “I don’t.”

      She nodded. As she poured the wine and Dominic laid out the food, Caroline pressed him for information regarding his business.

      “I don’t want to bore you,” he insisted between bites.

      “You have no choice,” Caroline insisted. “Unlike you, I wasn’t able to get much from your Web site. Just products and services and half of that I didn’t understand.”

      “Encrypton provides encryption software. We’re not one of the bigger names out there but we’re growing. Thankfully there is a tremendous demand. Government regulations require that much of the data being transferred over the Internet be secured. We secure it.”

      “How?” she pressed.

      “Generally speaking, the data goes into a box, the box is locked, then transmitted over the Internet. Someone on the other end has a key that opens the box. We make both the box and the key. Specifically I couldn’t tell you how the code works. That’s Denny’s department. I mentioned him, didn’t I?”

      “He’s your partner.”

      “One of them, yes. Steven is the other. Denny and I…got together about twelve years ago. He had the idea for the program and I had a talent for business. Steven joined the company later, but recently took on the role of partner. He is our financial man. We’re bidding on a large government contract and he’s making sure we’re in a position to do the work if we get it.”

      “I see.”

      Dominic poured her another glass of wine and prayed he wasn’t boring her to death. She didn’t seem bored, though. She seemed interested. “Ironically, I’ve been traveling to your side of the country lately. You said you were close to D.C?”

      “Relatively. I live in Leesburg, Virginia. How does one go about winning a large government contract?”

      “The biggest concern is stability. The government has to believe we can deliver. Second is getting the job done within the budget. I’ve been lucky to have some inside help. A former…employee of mine works for the FBI. Having dealt with the government for years, she’s been giving me advice on how to speak their language.”

      Caroline’s lips twitched at the edges. “You stumbled over the word employee.”

      “Did I?”

      “If she was a girlfriend, you don’t have to hide your former lovers from me, Dominic.”

      Dominic frowned. “She’s not a former lover. She’s a former employee. I wouldn’t lie about that, Caroline.”

      He watched her shift in her seat and he could practically feel her skepticism. Reaching across the table, he circled her wrist with his hand. “I wouldn’t lie about that,” he repeated. “I have no reason to. If there was a lover you needed to know about, I would tell you. I hope you would do the same. I want us both to go into this with our eyes wide open.”

      “This?”

      “Marriage,” he said firmly.

      He felt her retreat and regretted his haste in bringing up what was essentially the reason for this little get-together. But it was too late now.

      “Caroline, you must know marriage is my goal. I believe I’ve made that very clear from the beginning. The point of the service we hired is not casual dating.”

      “I know,” she said quietly. “You just startled me by talking about it so quickly. I thought we would have more time. I want to get to know you, Dominic.”

      “You know me. You know about my work. You’ve seen my home. I don’t know that there is much else to talk about.”

      That made her laugh, but there was no humor in the sound. “What about your family, your friends? Your whole life before you started your business?”

      “I have no family.” He shook his head and forced himself to take a deep breath. Slow down, he thought. “That sounds more melodramatic than it is. My father left my mother before I was born. My mother died years ago. She was Mexican. My father was American. Is that a problem?”

      “Your heritage? No. Besides, it was on your profile. But that isn’t enough. It isn’t nearly enough for two people to read each other’s résumés, have dinner and then decide on marriage.”

      Dominic sighed and leaned back in his chair. “I don’t have time for a drawn out romantic courtship. Hell, even if I did, I doubt I would be very good at it. I want to marry you, Caroline. I knew after a few conversations that ultimately you would be suitable.”

      She flinched and Dominic cursed under his breath. He was making a hash of the entire evening. He should have said nothing, had more wine and taken her to bed. The morning would have been soon enough to discuss the future.

      

      Dear Caroline,

      I told you my world resolves around work. However, last night during our conversation you seemed determined to find some other hobby or interest. I suppose I enjoy swimming, as well. I like the feeling of floating above the surface. Pushing my body in exercise. I love the freedom.

      D

      

      Unable to sit, Caroline stood up and wandered out of the kitchen and through the living room. Once there she could look down to the office and gym and from there see the glittering reflection of light on the surface of the pool. Beyond the glass house, the ocean crashed against the surf, leaving nothing but puffs of white to assure her that she wasn’t lost in space.

      It had taken so much courage to come here, she thought. So much to beat down the coward inside her. To pull herself away from her quiet little house and her quiet little town. The strength of ten men to leave her quiet little life and take a chance on the unknown.

      She hadn’t needed the therapist she’d worked with after her parents’ deaths to explain the obvious. Her life, the life she’d known until she was sixteen, had been suddenly and irrevocably altered. It had changed her from a free-spirited teenager into a coward. Someone who always played it safe, who didn’t take chances for fear of getting hurt again.

      This wasn’t safe. This had taken courage. Just to get on the plane and come here.

      Only Dominic was asking for more.

      “I don’t know that I can do this,” she muttered. It was the coward speaking and she hated it.

      “Why