Suspect Lover

Dominic sighed and let his head drop against the pillow.

He was desperate to stop Caroline from moving away. A quick jerk of her wrist and she’d be stretched out flat against his chest. Another twist and he’d have her on her back. A button undone and a lowered zipper and he’d be pushing inside her warmth.

With everything he’d learned about her in the last month he could woo her. Seduce her. Prove to her that their connection was special and could survive anything.

He could win back her love.

If not her trust.

Dear Reader,

This book was inspired by an advertisement I read in one of those fancy magazines you find on an airplane. You know the kind—they sell foot massagers and battery-operated wine openers. This particular ad was for an exclusive matchmaking service that I seriously considered using. When I called the number listed I was told that the initial fee was $10,000. I figured I would try to find Mr. Right for free first.

Well, my search is still on, but this story is for everyone who has had success on the Internet or through dating services. If you believe the commercials on television, it really can work. Just as it did for my hero and heroine, Dominic and Caroline…after a few bumps in the road, that is.

I love to hear from readers. Come visit me at my Web site, www.stephaniedoyle.net.

Happy reading!

Stephanie Doyle

Suspect Lover
Stephanie Doyle

www.millsandboon.co.uk

STEPHANIE DOYLE

a dedicated romance reader, began writing her own romantic stories, some funny, some adventurous, but all delivering the quintessential happy ending, at age fifteen. At eighteen she submitted her first story to Harlequin Books and by twenty-six she was published. Now in her thirties, she struggles between the demands of her “day” job, her writing and trying to find a little romance of her own. She lives in South Jersey with her two cats, Alexandria Hamilton and Theodora Roosevelt. She wants to get a dog, but the cats have outvoted her.

To Eric and Brian.

Here’s another book for you.

Love, the Book Lady

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Epilogue

Chapter 1

“We’re here, ma’am.”

Caroline tore her gaze away from the structure on the hill. Realizing that the limo had stopped, she smiled politely at the driver in the rearview mirror.

“Different, isn’t it?” he said pointing with his chin in the direction of the architectural nightmare that was her destination. The stone slab building jutted out from the cliff like a bad sandcastle that had been pounded by too many waves.

It could be her next home. Possibly. Maybe. Wow. It was ugly.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” she admitted.

The driver chuckled and shifted his weight to exit the car. A second later, her door was opened and a helpful hand waited for her.

“Can’t say it’s the boss’s style, either,” he noted. “He’s more the downtown condo type if you know what I mean. But he likes his privacy.”

Caroline imagined he must. She looked around and saw only the ocean to her right and to the left the stone structure precariously perched on the cliff.

“What am I doing here?” she mumbled to herself as she struggled against the very logical urge to get back in the car, return to the airport and fly home.

Dear Ms. Somerville,

I received your profile from the service we’ve both chosen to utilize. I believe we might be compatible.

I understand you are a writer. That sounds like a very interesting profession. What would you like to know about me?

Sincerely,

Dominic Santos

“Excuse me, ma’am did you say something?”

Caroline snapped back to attention to find the driver dripping in luggage. She offered to take one of the bags but he smiled and headed for the house. She followed him to what she supposed was the front door. Only it didn’t look like any door she’d ever seen as the stone slab portal was skewed to the right. The driver rang the doorbell.

She wasn’t ready to do this. She wasn’t ready to meet this man right here, right now. Everything she’d hoped for, dreamed of and wanted was potentially beyond that door. Her breath caught in her chest. She might faint.

At his feet.

That would make a heck of a first impression.

The door opened and a young woman with short spiky hair wearing a top that didn’t quite cover her stomach and a skirt that didn’t quite cover her thighs greeted them both. “Hi! You must be Caroline. Mr. S. told me to let you in.”

A large black dog muscled past the girl to greet the new guests. Caroline instantly offered her hand for the dog to sniff, which it did before licking it affectionately.

“Oh, sorry,” the girl apologized. “Don’t mind her. She doesn’t bite or anything. Her name is…”

“Munch,” Caroline finished. “Her name is Munch.”

Dear Mr. Santos,

I received your profile. It was quite detailed. But I imagine that’s part of the sizeable fee we’re paying. This isn’t like any other matchmaking service, is it? Annual gross income, detailed personality profiles, education history. One might think we were applying for a job with the CIA rather than just looking for someone. You asked what I wanted to know about you. So many things, I suppose. What you like. What you don’t like. Your hobbies, your passions. Why you chose to go this route to find a wife.

As for me, you were right in saying I’m a writer, but I have to confess it’s not as exciting as most people believe. I spend a lot of time on my own. I had a cat, but he recently passed away. I’m thinking of getting a kitten. They are great company.

Regards,

Caroline

“Come on in. Mr. S. said to show you around the place.”

“He’s not here?” Caroline tried to decide whether she was disappointed or relieved.

“Gosh no, Mr. S. is like never here. I take care of Munch during the day. I walk her a few times and sometimes I even have to come back in the evening if Mr. S. is pulling an all-nighter. This is the foyer, obviously. Off to the right is the kitchen. It’s totally tricked out with the best appliances.”

Caroline nodded and reached down to find Munch pressed up against her leg. She rubbed the animal’s short silky fur and thought how sad it was that such an affectionate creature was so often left alone by her master.

“Down those steps to the left is the living room. There is a really cool flat-screen over the fake fireplace. Then from there down another few steps is the pool house. Wait until you see that. It’s wicked.”

Tuning out her tour guide, Caroline tried to study her surroundings. A house could say so much about the person. Hers certainly did. Every stick of furniture she’d chosen. Every picture she’d hung. Antique pieces mixed with modern. The local artist she discovered at a small gallery opening in D.C. There was her mother’s milk pitcher collection. Her aunt’s dolls. Those she held on to, too. But they were still part of her.

There weren’t many pictures on Dominic’s wall. Two modern-art blasts of color that were probably recommended by a decorator. The few items of furniture were quality, but the space still seemed empty. The outside was a study in cutting-edge architectural design with rounded stone levels that resembled a weathered staircase. The inside reflected none of that radical theme.

Caroline followed the girl, who had eventually introduced herself as Cindy, to another open area that on one side looked like a very high-tech office space and on the other an advanced gym. Her attention was quickly captured by the pool that gleamed through the glass doors.

Drawn to it, she ignored Cindy’s explanation of the various different aerobic machines and opened the door that led to what was a room entirely enclosed in glass. The smell of chlorine punched her in the face, but it was a clean smell. Beyond the pool, looking out the glass walls she could see the waves rolling up against the sand below. The effect was amazing. She predicted that swimming in this pool would feel like swimming high on top of the ocean.

“I know,” Cindy said apparently reading Caroline’s thoughts. “Isn’t it, like, so awesome? Mr. S. says I can swim in it any time I want when I’m here. And in the winter it’s heated.”

Caroline nodded. Yes, it was awesome.

Dear Caroline,

My hobbies, my likes, my passions all revolve around the same thing: my work. My partner, Denny, and I founded and built Encrypton into a successful business. We’ve recently taken on a new partner to help grow it into something even bigger. It’s a very busy time for us. I want to be clear—I am what most would consider a workaholic. I don’t apologize for that and I don’t see it changing. You asked why I chose this method to look for a wife. The truth is, this was the least time-consuming. If you would still like to communicate perhaps I could call you.

Dominic

P.S. I have a dog. You mentioned you once had a cat. I don’t know if you like dogs. Her name is Munch. She used to chew things as a puppy.

“That’s the tour,” Cindy proclaimed as they stood in what was Dominic’s master bedroom. More glass walls provided another perfect view of the ocean. It was an odd contrast, this sense of isolation mixed with a feeling of openness.

“I appreciate you showing me around.”

“No problem. I guess I’ll go. You’re okay with Munch, right?”

The dog was plastered against her thigh and her tail was wagging so hard Caroline wondered if the poor thing would shake apart. Maybe she knew that Caroline had come to give her company.

“I’m fine. Enjoy the rest of your day.”

Caroline didn’t bother showing the girl out. She didn’t feel completely comfortable with the ritual as it wasn’t really her place. She was more of a guest than Cindy.

When the house was completely quiet she sat on the bed and saw that her suitcase had been left in this room. His room.

“Can I tell you a secret, Munch?”

“Roof!” Munch replied.

“I’m really a coward.”

“Roof. Roof.”

“No it’s true. I thought I wanted this. A husband. A baby. But now I’m not sure this is the right way. I don’t even know this person. I don’t know if I can do this. If I’m brave enough.”

“Roof. Roof!”

“All right. If you say so.”

Caroline patted her new friend’s head and contemplated the large king-size bed behind her. She was so tired. From the trip, the anticipation, the anxiety. Lying down, she instantly felt a dip as Munch leaped onto the bed with her and settled down at her back. The faint hint of a masculine aroma drifted up from the pillow. Caroline thought it smelled rather nice.

She reached behind her and patted Munch. The dog’s presence was ridiculously reassuring. “Seriously, what if this is the biggest mistake I’ve ever made in my life?” she whispered.

This time there was no answer.

Dominic Santos stared out the window of his office which overlooked a valley that, despite its name, wasn’t really made out of silicon. Frustrated by how little he’d done all day, he returned to his desk but only to check the time on his computer again.

It was only one minute since the last time he looked.

What the hell was he doing? He was behaving like some love-struck teenager and he didn’t appreciate the feeling. That’s not what this visit was about. This was a test—for both of them—nothing more.

Four days to determine their compatibility and their adaptability. Four days to see if the service had correctly matched them based on their personalities and life goals. There was absolutely nothing to be nervous about. They had e-mailed and spoken on the phone for several weeks now. This was just the next step.

Abruptly he opened the drawer of his workstation and removed the manila folder inside. Flipping it open, he caught his breath as her picture smiled up at him. Beneath it were copies of their exchanged e-mails. He wasn’t sure why he’d felt the need to print and save them, but he had. He lifted the photo and studied it. It hadn’t changed since he’d first gotten it. It still captivated him.

Dear Dominic,

I enjoyed our conversation last night. I hope you don’t mind the follow up e-mail. Words tend to fall easier from my fingertips than they do my mouth. I know I hesitated regarding your offer, but I have had a chance to think about it and I will accept. I would feel more comfortable paying for my ticket. I have some revisions to finish up on my latest manuscript, but, say in two weeks?

I suppose it’s time we met.

Caroline

Dominic cursed, put away the folder and checked the time again. He wasn’t pleased to see that it hadn’t changed.

She had to be at the house by now. He had his secretary, Serena, call the airline to verify that the plane had landed on time. It had. Given that information, then factoring in the time it would take for her to freshen up, meet Henry at the baggage claim, get underway, and allowing for the traffic at this time of day, he calculated that she should be arriving at his home a little after five.

It was 5:01.

Perhaps he should leave now. It would take him a little more than an hour to get home in the rush hour. Plenty of time for her to get settled, maybe even take a nap to fight off the jet lag. Or maybe he should call first to see if she was there yet.

He picked up the phone and then put it down. Just like he had at least a dozen times this past week. Once she’d made the decision to come, he hadn’t felt the need to continue calling her. No, that wasn’t true. He’d wanted to talk to her; he just hadn’t wanted to give her an opportunity to change her mind. He had, however, sent another e-mail.

Caroline,

I must insist on paying. You’re making the trip. Let me at least do this. I’ve booked your ticket, first class. Attached is the itinerary.

Dominic

No, calling would have been overkill. If he’d missed the sound of her voice after talking nearly every day for a week, then it was a small price to pay for not jeopardizing this meeting. Dominic hoped his strategy paid off. After all he knew the plane had landed. He just didn’t know if she’d been on it.

Impatiently, he hit his intercom. “Serena.”

“Yes, Mr. Santos?”

“Get Henry on his cell phone, will you? And put him through to me.”

“Yes, Mr. Santos.”

Dominic turned back to his computer and tried to focus on work, but gave up when his eyes once again strayed toward the clock. This was insanity, and frankly it was pissing him off.

Maybe this was all a big mistake.

His intercom beeped. “That’s Henry on line one, Mr. Santos.”

Dominic snatched up the receiver. “Where are you?”

“Just leaving Half Moon Bay, sir. Ms. Somerville’s plane arrived on time. I dropped her off at the house a few minutes ago. Was there anything else you needed today?”

“No. That will be all.”

He hung up the phone and tried to convince himself that the overwhelming relief surging through him right now had more to do with his plans and less to do with Caroline. He’d started on this path with a very specific goal in mind. He wanted a wife. He wanted a child. He’d taken the most expedient path to obtain the first objective by hiring an exclusive matchmaking service. Caroline’s had been the third profile he’d received and the only one he considered making contact with. At first he’d been wary of the idea of a long-distance situation. She lived in Virginia, on the other side of the country from San Jose, California.

It was the picture. She wasn’t strikingly beautiful, but she was pretty. And there was serenity in her face that appealed to him. It made him imagine that she was someone people found easy to be with, easy to look at. He’d gone to her Web site to see the photo she used for the back covers of her books. In that shot she looked even prettier, but the soft smile wasn’t there. Instead she looked very studious.

He preferred the other picture. His picture. Now, he wanted to see the real thing.

Dominic beeped Serena again. “I’m going to be leaving in about thirty minutes. No more calls get through.”

“Leaving for the day, sir?”

He heard the incredulousness in his employee’s voice. In the ten years she’d been working for him, he’d never left his office before eight.

“Yes.”

“Denny wanted to meet with you.”

Denny. Damn.

His partner and senior programmer had sequestered himself in his office for the past few weeks working on a project that he said was explosive. Of course he wouldn’t give any indication about what the hell that meant. Worse, his behavior was starting to alarm their newest partner. But Dominic had assured Steven this was Denny’s way. All or nothing. And the end result had always been worth it.

Apparently he was finally ready to reveal the big secret.

Not tonight. “Tell Denny I’ll catch up with him. And no more interruptions for the rest of the day.”

“Yes, sir.”

Now all he had to do was concentrate on work for thirty minutes. He checked the clock.

It was 5:07.

Chapter 2

She was asleep on his bed with Munch pressed up against her back. That was how he found her. Their first introduction in person and she wasn’t awake for it.

Her blond hair brushed over her cheek and he could see the steady in and out of her breathing. Just like her picture. Easy to look at. A sudden and surprising surge of lust flooded him.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought about what it would be like to make love to Caroline. He had. While he only had a photo and the sound of her voice to work from he’d allowed his imagination free rein. It had been a long sexual dry spell for him so his imagination didn’t have to work that hard. The idea that this weekend might serve two purposes was suddenly very real to him.

He wanted her. Badly. And he hadn’t even seen her eyes yet. He told himself there was a chance he was willing himself to want her because it would make things so much simpler if they did marry. While he didn’t have any romantic illusions about what his marriage would be, he sure as hell expected to share a bed. But as he felt his sex stir and grow, he knew he wasn’t forcing his body to do anything.

He wondered how she would respond if he went to her and began kissing her in her sleep, arousing her before she was even awake. His very own Sleeping Beauty. He imagined her eyes opening just as he pushed himself inside of her.

“Roof!”

Startled out of his fantasy, Dominic looked over at Munch and scowled.

“Shh. You’ll wake her.”

Too late. He could see her eyes flutter open. She stretched out languorously, and the sight of her twisting on top of his bed didn’t help to cool his ardor. As if suddenly realizing that she was awake and wondering what had brought her to this point, she turned her head and saw him.

“Hi,” she said softly.

“Hi.”

He watched as she sat up and smoothed her hair, clearly embarrassed to have been caught napping. She shouldn’t have been. She was compelling in her rumpled state.

“I wasn’t sure if this was the right room. The driver left my bags here so I thought…”

“You picked the right room.” Dominic swallowed hoping to ease the gruffness in his voice. “I want you to have this room. It has a beautiful view. I’ll sleep in the guest room while you’re here.”

“Oh. Okay.”

She stood and he took in her tailored jeans and lightweight sweater. The soft pink color made him think of the inside of a shell and he couldn’t help but wonder if she would be as soft to touch. She stretched out her hand.

“I suppose we should start with the basics. I’m Caroline Somerville.”

“I’m glad,” he said taking her hand, which was small and delicate in his. “You came. I’m glad you came.”

She nodded even as she continued to watch him, study him. He couldn’t help but wonder if she liked what she saw as much as he did. Dominic wasn’t a self-conscious man, nor was he lacking in confidence, but this woman standing in front of him in her white socks was twisting him in ways he hadn’t imagined. This was supposed to have been a practical and efficient way of meeting and interviewing a potential spouse.

All he wanted to do was kiss her.

“Roof!”

They both smiled as Munch hopped off the bed and maneuvered her way in between their legs. Dominic gave her head a rub and was glad to see that Caroline wasn’t afraid or bothered by the dog.

“I’ve already met Munch. I think we’re getting along very well.”

“Obviously. You’ve already been to bed together.” Dominic surprised himself with his attempt at humor. Sexual humor, no less. Probably not his strong point.

Still Caroline laughed softly.

“You must be hungry. I have food for dinner. I thought it might be better for us to eat here rather than at a crowded restaurant. Give us a better chance to talk without interruption.”

“Did you just say you were going to 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 did you come, then?”

She turned and found him nearer than she would have expected. Unnerved by his closeness, she took the stairs down to the pool room.

Maybe it was the pool that brought her here. His description of swimming gave him character beyond his curt e-mails. His one-syllable answers during their phone calls. It made her believe there was more to him. More of what she wasn’t sure. It was too intangible to name.

“I asked you a question.” This time he left a few feet between them but he still had followed her.

“Why did you pick me?” she asked instead. “Of all the profiles what was it about mine?”

He looked away and she wasn’t sure if he was searching for the truth or the answer she wanted to hear.

“I picked you because of your career,” he finally said. “I thought you would be used to a quiet life. Being on your own for so long, I didn’t think you would make unnecessary demands on my time. Time I don’t have to give.”

The truth. It was certainly brutal enough. She supposed she had to respect him for that.

“I’m sorry if that upsets you,” he said.

The truth couldn’t upset her. It helped to ground her in a reality that was quickly slipping away.

“Answer me. Why did you come?” he repeated.

He took a step closer, his eyes fixed on hers forcing her to meet his gaze.

Why had she come?

Why hadn’t she stayed home? With her work and her small circle of friends. Her fuzzy slippers and flannel pajamas. Why hadn’t she just gotten a damn kitten?