“You need a tabloid alibi? I mean, you don’t have to answer.”
“Hmm, let’s see. I am the Bachelor, Beltway Billionaire, or is it the Beltway Bachelor Billionaire? Kieran got married last year, so the title is mine alone. I am linked to every DC socialite, Kieran’s wife—we share her. Multiple A-list actresses. I can’t comment because most are under Chase Security protection. Then there are articles about the company, my vacations—some real and some fiction. I do intend to go to Antarctica one day.”
Cassie’s sides hurt from laughing.
After pulling into a small lot adjoining the American Café, he hurried to the passenger side and opened her door, extending his hand to help her to her feet. Unlike earlier, Cassie placed her hand in his.
* * *
The American Café was decorated in Americana themes with kitschy decorations and expensive pieces of fine art. “I wonder if they know what they have here.” A small sculpture of an American eagle by an up-and-coming artist sat on a pedestal, and a large painting of three horses with coloring based on variations of the stars and stripes running along a pristine beach at sunrise caught Cassie’s eye.
“It’s stunning.” He lifted his chin in the direction of the spectacular painting titledTruth, Justice, and the American Way. “Do you know the artist?”
Cassie shook her head. “No!” The initials CME were entwined in the crest of one of the waves.
A young, perky, pink-haired hostess escorted them to a quiet corner table. Ian placed some crisp bills in the palm of her hand, and the girl gave Ian a goofy girly-crush smile before she walked back to her station.
Cassie wrinkled her nose, her eyes full of delight. “You must get that often.”
“What? I didn’t notice.” When he placed his warm hand on the small of her back while he pulled out her chair, the muscles beneath his fingertips quivered. “What can I get you to drink?” He sat across from her.
“Iced tea with lemon, please. This place looks like fun. Thank you in advance.” The words were on target, but her body language defied the sentiment.
“Thank you for joining me for dinner.”
“You’re welcome, Ian. Tell me your story. Christian and Caleb treat the family to anecdotes, but I don’t know anything about you. Well, except the magazines.”
“Ha, I knew it. So, which is it?”
“Billionaire Beltway Bachelor.” Cassie folded her lower lip beneath the top one.
The sweet smell of her fragrance made his body tighten with primitive, protective desire. He smiled at her, reading her continued fear. “You want my whole story?” Ian surveyed the surroundings for the exits and potential dangers.
“Please.”
Ian leaned forward, placing his palms face up on the table. “Well, let’s see. I was born thirty-eight years ago in Queen’s Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii. My mom was a Navy nurse in a clinic on Pearl. My dad was an intelligence officer. While he did that by day, he went to law school part-time at night. I lived with sand between my toes until my brother, Kieran, was born five years later.”
The waitress served their drinks along with a basket of warm rolls, flatbreads, and breadsticks. Soft, fragrant herbal butter filled a red, white, and blue china cup. They decided to share an order of corn fritters with a spicy aioli sauce as an appetizer.
“After Kieran was born, Dad asked to be transferred to Norfolk to make it easier on us as a family.”
“What do you mean?”
He never shared this with anyone outside his family before. “The time away. One partner has to face being alone and out of communication quite a lot. You need a unique disposition. When I was almost twenty-four, I was living with a woman, Olivia. I thought she was it. I was due to report for SEAL training in Coronado. Before I left, I proposed.
“Christian, I, and twenty-six other poor souls out of one hundred twenty-five just made it through hell week. We dragged our battered bodies to our bunks. Long story short, my ring and a letter were waiting for me. She couldn’t handle life with an active-duty soldier. The floor fell out from under me. I was exhausted; I couldn’t think straight.
“I called my dad, ready to ring out. Before he hung up, he told me to get some rest before I did anything. He also told me a story about my mom and him. I learned two things from that call. One was how much my parents love each other and Kieran and me. And two, I didn’t love Olivia.”
At the mention of his parents’ love, Cassie got misty-eyed. He didn’t miss her attempt to hide the tears by dropping her napkin to the floor. “Are they still active duty?”
“My mom retired from the Navy soon after we left Hawaii and took a civilian nursing job at Holy Cross. She still works in the intensive care unit as a nurse manager. My dad had an interesting career path. After he got to Norfolk, he was able to win a coveted placement to finish law school. He’s a one star in JAG out of the Navy Yard with two more years until mandatory retirement. Kieran and I maintain our reserve status.” A piece of the artisan bread and butter melted in his mouth, and an impure thought about the woman in front of him crossed his mind. “Lil and Declan live in the same house we grew up in… in Bethesda. My parents’ choices gave us a normal childhood.”
Cassie squeezed her lemon into her tea. “Sounds so nice. You didn’t grow up in the Beltway fishbowl.”
Ian watched her rub her lemon juice-covered finger against her lips. “Our father’s parents were both blue collar from Long Island in New York, and our mom’s parents were white collar from California. Our mom’s dad was involved in the infancy of computer technology. Both sides insisted education was essential.”
“My parents raised us that way too.” Cassie’s voice caught.
