I work a lot and don’t get much free time, but I think I’d enjoy traveling.

  That sounds like fun. I wouldn’t mind traveling if I had time. Only to warm places, though, I’m not too fond of the cold.

  Me neither. So, skiing is definitely out, but cuddling by the fireplace would be nice.

  Ali sucked in a breath. Images filled her mind. The two of them snuggled together on the couch, an afghan thrown over their feet, flames dancing in the fireplace, snow swirling outside the windows. She curled closer to him and looked up into his eyes. Mark’s eyes. Ugh…couldn’t she get him out of her mind for two minutes?

  She turned her attention back to Joe. It would be very nice.

  When the phone rang an hour later, she figured it was Kendra calling to see if she’d changed her mind about having company. She picked it up absently while continuing to talk to Joe. “Hello?”

  “Next time, I won’t miss.”

  She sucked in a breath. Icy fear charged through her veins.

  * * *

  Mark strode through the door, intent on convincing Ali to go home with him. She was on the couch, lost in the blanket she’d wrapped herself in. Ron stood over her, his notebook open.

  “Are you all right?” He approached her warily, unsure of what to expect after their earlier blow up.

  She shrugged, and the vulnerability in her eyes tugged at his heart, clutched at his throat and strangled him. He couldn’t help himself. Wouldn’t have stopped had he been able to, which he wasn’t. He went to her, pulled her up from the couch and folded her into his protective embrace.

  “I’ll be outside.” Ron caught Mark’s gaze before he left. The other man’s expression was serious, eyebrows knitted together, the anger emanating from him a punch to the gut. This situation had escalated out of control.

  Ali didn’t pull away, as he’d been afraid she would. Instead, she leaned into him, allowing him to comfort her, protect her, and make her feel safe. He could give her that, even if only for a little while. The door clicked behind Ron, and Mark pulled her even closer.

  The scent of strawberries tickled his nose, and a flash of memory jumped out at him. He was lathering her hair with the strawberry shampoo she always used. She relaxed into his touch as he massaged his fingers over her scalp, down her neck… It was a nice memory, a random moment they’d spent together on a lazy weekend morning. The heat started in his stomach and burned through his body. When she looked up and her eyes locked onto his, he was lost.

  His lips crashed down on hers. He moved his hands up to cradle her head and pushed his fingers through her hair. He couldn’t get close enough to her.

  “Damn it, Ali, I’m sorry.” He reined in his runaway emotions. Holding her away from him, he studied her eyes and found only acceptance and love. “Come on.” Taking her hand in his, he turned and started down the hallway toward the bedroom.

  “Mark…wait.” Her hesitation confused him, but he stopped and turned to her.

  “What’s wrong?” Her hands were so cold. He tried to rub some warmth into them while he waited for her to continue.

  She caught her lower lip between her teeth, drawing his gaze to her full mouth. Desire flared.

  Chapter Six

  Ali tensed. She wanted nothing more than to work things out with Mark, but she wasn’t ready to fall back into bed with him with no discussion of the future. She’d been hurt too badly and simply didn’t have the strength to go through that again.

  “Where are you going?” She looked down at his hands entwined with hers. Strong hands. She remembered the feel of them touching her. A tingle of awareness rippled through her, and she fought it. She forced her gaze back to his eyes.

  “To get your things.” He turned away and started down the hallway, once again, as if he’d explained everything. It was obvious he fully expected her to follow him, no questions asked. Had he no clue how totally he’d hurt her?

  “Wait.” Get her things? What things? She tried to force her mind away from thoughts of him holding her, touching her and loving her. “What are you talking about?” Confusion added impatience to her tone.

  “You’re coming home with me. I figured you’d want to pack a bag.” He waited, staring at her as if she’d lost her mind.

  “I never said I was going anywhere with you.” She tried not to sound nasty. Although she knew he only wanted to keep her safe, her words came out more forcefully than she’d intended.

  He groaned. “Not this again, Ali.” Shaking his head, he dropped her hand.

  “Not what again, Mark?” Ali rubbed at her eyes, hoping to ease the tension headache that had settled behind them. She wanted to tell him she loved him, didn’t want to live without him, but the words just wouldn’t come. “I’m not a yo-yo. You can’t keep bouncing me back and forth. You want me, you don’t, you want me, you don’t…” She looked down and shook her head in an effort to clear some of the fear that filled her--fear of her potential killer, fear of being alone, fear of not being with Mark, fear of being with Mark. It was all too much.

  “What are you talking about?” His voice rose.

  “First you say I’m moving in, then you say I can leave when this is over, then you say I’m moving in. I’m confused. What is it you want from me?”

  He reached for her, once again, but this time she backed away. His teeth ground together when he clenched them tight. “Look, Ali, right now my only concern is keeping you safe. After we find whoever’s stalking you, we can worry about the rest.”

  The words were a physical blow, a punch in the chest that left her gasping for air. “I’m sorry.”

  He started to turn back toward the bedroom.

  “I’m sorry, Mark, but that’s not enough.” The words were spoken quietly, a whisper of sound that fell like a giant wedge between them.

  His jaw clenched tighter. “Why do you have to be so difficult?”

  “Difficult? Me? You’re the one that can’t make up your mind what you want. Who you want.”

  “Right this minute, all I’m worried about is keeping you safe, isn’t that enough for you?”

  “No, it’s not.” She couldn’t hold back the sob.

  He forked his fingers through his hair. Frustration radiated from him. He turned and stormed out the door, slamming it behind him. Apparently having thought better of leaving her alone, unprotected, he stuck his head back in. “Lock this,” he growled.

  Ali locked the door and then fell against it, her back resting against the cool wood. She slid down to sit, wrapped her arms around her knees, and allowed the trembling to subside.

  * * *

  Joe walked into the house and slammed the door. Frustrated and angry, he went directly to the bathroom cabinet and shook a handful of Tums out into his palm. He tossed them back, returned the container to the cabinet and closed the door. The reflection that stared back at him from the mirror was scary. His hair stuck out in tufts around his head, evidence of the number of times he’d raked his hand through it in frustration throughout the day. His eyes sat amid deep, puffy circles and his mouth was stretched into a thin line.

  I can’t keep doing this. His life had spiraled out of control and so far he’d found no way to get it back on track. He didn’t know how much more of the stress he could take. After spending the night at the hospital with his father, he’d started the day exhausted. Thankfully, his father’s chest pains turned out to be nothing, but the doctors had wanted to keep him in a few nights for observation despite his father’s incessant grumbling. Although things were okay this time, that didn’t stop the tension, the possibility that next time it might be something worse.

  Work. No, he couldn’t even think about work. He turned on the cold faucet and scooped water onto his face. His ex. No, best not think about her either. That woman could frustrate the crap out of him. Why did she always have to choose the worst times to create some kind of drama? Well, that was it. There was nothing left to think about that wouldn’t cause him added stress. After drying his face, he threw the towel onto the counter and flipped off the light, careful to avoid catching another glimpse of his reflection.

  When he passed his desk, though, a smile played at the corners of his mouth. He grabbed his laptop, flopped back into the reclining chair, kicked up his feet and adjusted himself until he felt just right in the worn chair. Jane. The thought brought another half-smile.

  When Joe opened the computer, he went straight to Anonymous. There were no messages from her, and his heart sank a little. He’d enjoyed their conversation the night before, had talked to her for more than an hour before she’d suddenly had to go. Maybe there was something to this anonymous dating thing, after all.

  He sent her a message, set his computer to notify him when she opened it and settled back to watch TV. Instead of flipping the channel when the commercial came on, he focused his full attention on the screen. A vacation…hmm… maybe a few days away were just what he needed. He thought back to the conversation he’d had with Jane the night before, and an idea began to form. His sister could look after his dad for a couple of days. He shouldered a tremendous amount of responsibility, especially now. With carefully laid plans, he could make sure everything was taken care of before he left. He didn’t have to go far, just a little getaway, before he went completely crazy.

  Ding. The TV was forgotten as he reached for the computer.

  Chapter Seven

  Ali opened the message, glad to have a distraction from the fight with Mark. Without it she would just end up crying all night, again. One new message awaited her, and a small flutter of excitement shot through her. Joe. It had been nice talking to him, having a conversation with a man that didn’t end in a fight. He seemed like a good guy. She’d have to remember to fill Kendra in and thank her for suggesting the site. Maybe then she’d forgive her for cancelling their plans for the second night in a row.

  She opened the message, and her heart warmed. A virtual bouquet of daffodils popped up from a virtual vase. “Smile” was written beneath them. It brought tears to her eyes. Such a simple gesture, but he’d remembered daffodils were her favorite flower.

  Hi

  Her smile widened. Hi, yourself. Thank you for the flowers.

  You’re welcome. How was your day?

  I’ve had better, how about yours?

  I’ve had worse.

  She laughed. Me, too, I suppose.

  Do you want to talk about it?

  Nah. I’d rather just forget about it and think about something that makes me happy.

  Me too…You make me happy.

  Heat crept up Ali’s cheeks. She tried to decide how to respond. Talking to you makes me happy too.

  I have to admit, I didn’t really think I’d like a dating website. I laughed at it.

  Me too. What made you decide to join? Ali waited. It took a few minutes before he answered. She got up, made a cup of tea and turned on the stereo, filling the apartment with soft rock and the scent of apples and cinnamon.

  When she snuggled back into the couch, wrapped in her afghan, tea in hand, a message waited.

  I was lonely. I never realized the importance of companionship, of having someone to share your life with. Someone who’d be there for everything—the excitement, grief, joy, sadness and the day to day. I think that’s what I miss most from my marriage, having someone to share the routine of day to day life with. Wake up with, talk to, come home to. I miss that.

  Ali’s chest ached for him, and for herself. Those were the same things she missed. A picture jumped into her head. Mark smiling at her, his hair tousled from sleep, as he pulled her into his arms and tumbled her across the bed. The two of them laughing together while streams of sunlight poured over them.

  She shook off the vision. I know what you mean. It’s lonely coming home to an empty apartment at the end of the day. She hit send then sucked in a breath. Was she that desperate for company that she just told a total stranger she comes home alone? The blood pounded through her temples. The relentless headache hammered, reprimanding her.

  I get what you’re saying. When I get home, the house is dark and quiet. I especially miss having someone to curl up with when it’s stormy.

  Ali tried to rein in her racing heart. Maybe it would be all right. That was the purpose of Anonymous. No one could find her. Her mind jumped to the gray envelopes, the black sedan and her head slamming into the sidewalk. She shuddered. She had to be more careful. Unable to regain the level of comfort she’d been enjoying, she went to double check the door was locked.

  If you could get away for a few days, where would you go?

  She took her computer to the bedroom with her. Hmm…she hadn’t gone away in ages. Where would she go? She changed into pajamas, brushed her teeth and climbed into bed with a pile of pillows behind her and the computer in her lap.

  I’d love to go on a cruise. I’ve always wanted to, but I never have. How about you, what would you do?

  I’ve never been on a cruise, either. I’ll tell you what, why don’t we do it? It’ll be fun. I’ll book two rooms, we can meet only in public places and we’ll take a cruise. It’ll be completely safe. We’ll go next weekend.

  Whoa! Her breath caught in her throat. Her heart rate accelerated. But, was it fear…or excitement? The logical part of her mind ran through all the reasons she couldn’t go on a cruise with a man she didn’t know. The rules of Anonymous stated very clearly you shouldn’t meet with someone for at least three months, and then only in a public place. But, they did do background checks on all of their clients. Granted, it was only a quick check, but still…she shrugged off the unease threatening to overwhelm her.

  Besides, maybe it’d be good for her to get away for a while and forget about the death threats… and Mark. Mark. She rolled her eyes. He’d be furious, but was that a reason to say no, or a reason to say yes?

  She dismissed the anger. It was really pointless.

  Are you there?

  She hesitated. I’m sorry. I don’t know.

  That’s OK. I understand, and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply anything. I just meant we could go as friends. I’ve been under a lot of stress lately, and a couple days away from it all would really help. I’ve enjoyed your company the past few nights and would like the chance to get to know you better.

  The more she thought about it though, the more she liked the idea. Something totally unpredictable and completely spontaneous. Maybe this was just what she needed. It’d be safe, as long as they each had their own room. There would be plenty of people around all the time. She took a deep breath, shocking herself, as she typed okay.

  * * *

  Mark sat with his elbows resting on his desk and his head cradled in his hands. The stack of work in front of him should have been more than enough to keep his attention, but his mind kept dragging him back to Ali.

  Ali. What was he supposed to do about her? It was obvious she was never going to forgive him for the one night he spent out with Laura. He’d apologized already, and his ego wouldn’t allow him to beg for her forgiveness. His pride stopped him from pleading with her to believe him. If she didn’t believe he hadn’t done anything wrong, then how could she ever trust him again?

  Ugh… actually he had to admit, if only to himself, that going out with Laura that night had been wrong. If Ali had gone out to dinner with an ex-boyfriend, he’d have been irate.

  His thoughts turned to Candi. Was she the kind of woman he wanted to be with? He’d expected her to be exciting and fun. When, in all honesty, she’d turned out to be so full of herself, he couldn’t stand it. Confusion beat at him. Maybe he needed to approach this differently.

  What did he want from his life? “Ali.” Startled by his unexpected response, he jumped then glanced around to see if anyone had noticed. Yeah right, like she was ever going to take him back. He’d been looking for excitement, some pleasure and fun. Instead, he’d found only loneliness and heartache. He couldn’t do this anymore. He couldn’t wait forever to see if Ali would eventually forgive him.

  He picked up the evidence bag from his desk and studied the letter again. Still no clues magically appeared. Even though he couldn’t salvage their marriage, at the moment, he still needed to keep her safe. It was the only thing that really mattered for now.

  Who would want to hurt her?

  “Have you talked to Ali?” Mark tossed the note on top of the growing pile of folders and papers that littered his desk.

  “Yeah,” Ron answered absently, using his pencil to tap a staccato rhythm on his desk, while the phone lay cradled on his shoulder.

  Mark waited until it was obvious Ron wasn’t going to elaborate. “And?”

  His partner held up a finger and moved the phone into place, speaking to the caller. “Yeah.” He wrote something down before hanging up. “I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?”

  Mark sighed. What now? “Just give me the good news. I don’t want any more bad news.”

  “A witness just came in. He was on a bus when Ali was run down. He got a look at the driver and a plate number.” Mark gathered his paperwork together, shoved it into his briefcase and fell into step beside Ron as they headed for the elevator.

  “So, what’s the bad news?”

  “They ran the plates. Stolen.”

  Mark’s heart sank. He’d thought they were on the verge of finding Ali’s stalker. They’d still go through with the interview, but he wasn’t as excited as he’d originally been. He scrubbed a hand over his face. The numbers dropped while he waited for the elevator doors to open. “Look, Ron.” He hesitated, uncertain how to approach the subject.

  When they stepped off the elevator, Ron turned to him. Eyebrows drawn together and forehead creased.

  Knowing how Ron felt about the situation between him and Ali made the admission more difficult. He shifted the briefcase to his other hand. “I have a full security team in place for Ali. She’s being watched ’round the clock.”

  Ron nodded.

  Mark blew out a breath. “I can’t…” He shook his head and shoved his hand back through his hair.

 

1 2 3 4 5 6