Death by Temptation Read Free

bit like a stranger to her now. She needed time to
get used to being back with him. When she’d left for the Dominican Republic to
work on the last case alone, Cindy had thought that their engagement was
totally over. She’d thought that despite their love for each other, they’d
decided that their different needs and styles of life couldn’t be reconciled.
Now Cindy wanted to be open to what might be possible between them, but it was
a big leap into this honeymoon suite. Cindy wasn’t sure she was ready for it
yet, and obviously Mattheus must have felt the same way. Otherwise, he wouldn’t
have fallen asleep so fast, she thought.
    In
the morning Cindy woke early and got right out of bed. While Mattheus slept,
she headed to the bathroom to shower and dress. As the warm water from the
shower ran over her body, Cindy wondered how they would spend the day.
    Once
out of the shower, she slipped on a light, colorful summer dress and a favorite
hand-printed scarf. When she went to the sink to put on her makeup, Cindy
suddenly saw Mattheus standing in the doorway, looking for her.
    “You
certainly jumped up out of bed quickly.” He seemed disconcerted.
    “I
had a good sleep,” Cindy replied lightly, “and I didn’t want to wake you up.”
    “There’s
all kinds of ways you could have woken me up.” Mattheus tried to be playful,
referring to the many mornings in the past that they’d lingered together in bed
together for a long while, before approaching a new day.
    “Should
we go down for breakfast or order up?” Cindy deflected his comment.
    “Let’s
go downstairs,” Mattheus replied. “It seems like it will be good for us to get
out of the room and mix it up with others for a while.”
    “Great,”
said Cindy, not knowing exactly what Mattheus meant, but not wanting to make
much of it, either. She was hungry for breakfast and eager to explore the
magnificent island she’d found herself on.
     
    *
     
    The
hotel had several dining rooms and the one they went to for breakfast was
graceful and sprawling, taking up almost half a block. Cindy felt as if she
were entering a garden as there was a huge potted fern plant placed behind
every wicker table.
    Cindy
and Mattheus sat at a table near the front, in full view of the ocean. They
picked up the latticed menus and began scanning them for what to order.
    “Is
that Mattheus?” a young woman’s voice broke their concentration.
    Cindy
and Mattheus looked up over their menus at the same moment. A beautiful young
couple stood at their table.       “Yes, I’m Mattheus, but who are you?”
Mattheus looked puzzled.
    The
young woman had long, wavy brown hair, was dressed in expensive summer slacks
with a light lemon blouse. The young man beside her was tall and attractive
with dark, sandy hair and deep-set blue eyes.
    “I’m
Kara, Rod’s daughter,” the young woman replied, delighted to have taken
Mattheus by surprise. “And this is Rowley, my new husband. We’re on our
honeymoon here. First of all, thank you for sending us such a beautiful wedding
present.”
    Mattheus
paused and rubbed his forehead, incredulous.  “How in the world did you
recognize me?”
    Kara
laughed freely at the look on Mattheus’s face. “It’s simple,” she said in a
lilting, almost sing-song voice. “My father keeps pictures of his friends from
the past all around. And he updates them as the years go by.”
    Mattheus
grimaced. “The years have certainly gone by. I remember when you were born.”
    Kara
laughed again. “Do you really?”
    “You
were a beautiful little girl,” Mattheus mused.
    “And
she’s still beautiful now,” Rowley added, enjoying the encounter and thoroughly
proud of his beautiful bride.
    “She
certainly is.” Mattheus jumped on it. “Congratulations on your marriage.” Then
Mattheus turned to Cindy. “And I’d like to introduce you to my fiancée as
well,” he continued. “This is Cindy Blaine.”
    Cindy
stood up. “Hello,” she said,