Chapter 4 The Ferry Ride

Dominic Cross became a regular on her ferry.

Every morning at nine. Every evening at six. Like clockwork.

Grace told herself it didn't matter. He was just another passenger. The fact that her stomach did a small flip every time she saw him waiting on the dock meant nothing.

"Morning," Dominic said as he stepped onto the ferry. He wore jeans again and a dark jacket. His hair was slightly messy like he had been running his hands through it.

"Morning," Grace replied without looking at him. She focused on untying the ropes, on starting the engine, on anything that wasn't his face.

But she could feel him watching her. He always watched her.

The ferry pulled away from the dock. The water was choppy today. Storm coming in from the west. Grace kept both hands on the wheel and her eyes forward.

"You're avoiding me," Dominic said.

"I'm driving a boat Sir."

"You know what I mean."

Grace glanced at him. He had moved closer without her noticing. He was leaning against the railing about five feet away. Close enough to talk without shouting over the engine. Far enough to maintain the pretense of casual distance.

"I'm not avoiding you," she said. "I just don't have anything to say."

"Really? Because I think you have a lot to say. You're just choosing not to say it."

"What do you want from me, Dominic?"

The question came out sharper than she intended. More honest.

He tilted his head slightly. Studying her. "I want to know why a former prosecutor is running a ferry in the middle of nowhere."

Grace's blood went cold. "What did you say?"

"I did some research. Grace Whelan. Former assistant district attorney. Left the city three years ago. No forwarding address. No contact with former colleagues. You disappeared."

Her hands tightened on the wheel. "You had no right to dig into my past."

"You accepted my job offer. I wanted to know who I was working with." He moved closer. "What I can't figure out is why you left. You were good at your job. Rising star, according to the articles. Then you just vanished."

"Maybe I got tired of the city."

"Or maybe something happened. Something that made you run."

Grace forced herself to look at him. To meet those blue eyes directly. "Why do you care?"

"Because I don't trust people with secrets." His voice was soft but there was steel underneath. "And you're hiding something big."

"Everyone has secrets."

"True." Dominic stepped closer still. Now he was right beside her. She could smell his cologne. Feel the warmth of his body. "Want to know mine?"

"No."

"I think you do." He reached out and his fingers brushed her hand on the wheel. Just barely. "I think you want to know everything about me. The same way I want to know everything about you."

Grace pulled her hand away. "This is inappropriate."

"Is it? You agreed to work with me."

"On the resort project. Not on whatever this is."

"And what is this, Grace?"

She didn't have an answer. Or she did but she wasn't ready to say it out loud.

The ferry reached the other side. Grace tied it off with quick, practiced movements. Dominic didn't move to leave.

"We should set up a meeting," he said. "To discuss the project. That's what you agreed to."

"Fine. When?"

"Tonight. Dinner at my hotel. Seven o'clock."

"That's not a business meeting."

"It can be both." His smile was dangerous. "Unless you're afraid."

"Of what?"

"Of being alone with me."

Grace wanted to tell him she wasn't afraid of anything. But that would be a lie and they both knew it.

"Seven o'clock," she said. "And this is strictly professional."

"Of course." But the way he said it made it clear he didn't believe that any more than she did.

Dominic left and Grace spent the rest of the day telling herself she could cancel. She didn't owe him anything. Didn't need his money that badly.

But when seven o'clock came, she found herself standing outside the River View Hotel wearing the only dress she owned.

The hotel was the nicest building in town, which wasn't saying much. It had been built in the twenties and still had some of its original charm. Dominic had rented the entire top floor.

Grace took the stairs instead of the elevator. Needed the time to calm her racing heart.

She knocked on his door and It opened immediately like he had been waiting.