Seductive Fantasy
Setting the photo aside, Jackson indicated the report and pinned his friend with an unrelenting stare. “You do realize, don’t you, that you’ve given me nothing substantial to work with here.”
“What can I say, other than sometimes that happens.” Mike’s tone held a silent apology as he stood and closed his briefcase. “I can only give you information that’s available. I dug as deep as I could on Alexis Baylor, and while I have no doubt she stole your design, I couldn’t find anything personally incriminating on her.”
And that put Jackson back on square one and without a way of exacting personal retribution from Alexis as he’d hoped. “I know you did your best,” he acknowledged, still confident in Mike’s abilities, but disappointed nonetheless. “Thanks for your time and work on this case. I’ll catch you later for that cold beer.”
“I’m holding you to it.” Lifting his briefcase from the desk, Mike turned to go, then swung back around, his head tipped to the side. “I forgot to mention something. It’s in my report, but just so you know, Alexis is leaving this Saturday for a weeklong vacation.”
That snagged Jackson’s attention and he shuffled past the photo of Alexis and her VP to the summary Mike had given him. “To where?” he asked as he thumbed anxiously through the pages for the information he was sure Mike would supply.
“A place called Seductive Fantasy.”
Jackson glanced up sharply, certain his expression reflected his incredulity. “What the hell is Seductive Fantasy?”
“Believe it or not, it’s one of four island resorts off the Florida Keys that caters to people’s fantasies—for a price, of course.”
Jackson’s jaw opened, snapped shut, then he shook his head in disbelief. “You’re joking, right?” Mike had to be. He’d never heard of anything so ridiculous. So intriguing.
“I checked it out. Fantasies, Inc. is legit, and so is Alexis Baylor’s reservation.”
Which put a whole different spin on Jackson’s quest for personal revenge. “What’s Alexis’s fantasy?”
“All fantasies are confidential.”
“There has to be some way to find out—”
Mike held up a hand, stopping his tirade. “I called the resort directly. Trust me, Merrilee Schaefer-Weston, the woman who owns the place, is a stickler about confidentiality. And I can’t blame her, considering that she’s dealing with people’s deepest, most private secrets and desires. But it is a fascinating concept, don’t you think?”
“Very fascinating,” Jackson murmured, feeling a rush of excitement as he realized how Alexis’s fantasy vacation could work to his advantage as well. Anonymity. Close proximity. His fantasy. Could getting to Alexis truly be as easy as filling out paperwork, paying a fee and stepping into a role that would enable him to walk away the victor this time?
He managed, just barely, to tamp his exhilaration. “Is she going to this island with anyone?”
Mike shifted on his feet and reluctantly divulged more. “It’s a single seat reservation, so I’m assuming she’s going alone.”
“Perfect.”
Understanding dawned across Mike’s face. “I take it you have a fantasy of your own to request from Ms. Weston?”
Jackson gave him a smug smile. “I believe I do.”
Mike frowned. “I know you’re upset, but doing something like this is so unlike you.”
“What can I say?” Jackson said without a trace of an apology. “Alexis Baylor put my business and livelihood at stake. I’m tired of being used by women with agendas. This time I’m doing something about it.”
“Be careful what you wish for, Jackson,” he said in a low, cautioning tone of voice.
Jackson’s deep laughter filled his office. “Why? Because I might just get what I ask for?”
“Exactly. For as intriguing as I find this fantasy stuff, I can’t help but think that there are things and outcomes a person can’t factor in when they wish and pay for something that doesn’t come naturally.” He shrugged. “It’s like messing with fate.”
Or maybe this whole setup was fate. Jackson rocked back in his chair, refusing to allow his friend’s warning to deter him, no matter how logical Mike’s comment was. “That’s your suspicious P.I. nature talking, Mansel.” After all, what could go wrong?
“Maybe,” he acknowledged, but clearly wasn’t done expressing his concern. “You’ll probably get your revenge against Alexis Baylor in the guise of some other fantasy, but you might want to consider that the cost could be a personal one for you, too.”
Jackson rolled his shoulders, trying to shake off the premonition of doom Mike was conjuring up. He’d already paid personally because of Alexis Baylor, and couldn’t imagine walking away from that fantasy resort after a week’s time any worse off than he already was. “That’s a risk I’m more than willing to take.” His tone rang with finality.
“Well, good luck, then.” Mike’s chest expanded as he inhaled a slow, deep breath. Then one of his easygoing smiles graced his mouth. “Call me when you get back, and we’ll have that beer together.”
“And celebrate the success of my fantasy,” Jackson added.
Once Mike was gone and Jackson was alone, he contemplated the situation and what had so unexpectedly fallen into his lap. Before he called Fantasies, Inc., he needed to figure out what kind of revenge he wanted against Alexis—not that he’d give Merrilee Schaeffer-Weston any insight to his real fantasy. The other woman would ban him from her resort if she knew his true intentions, and rightly so. No, it was imperative that Merrilee believed his motivations for requesting a fantasy were sincere.
He only had a few days to put his plans into motion. Once his fantasy was set up, Jackson decided he would give his attorneys permission to go forward with the lawsuit, the day before Alexis was due to leave on her vacation to Seductive Fantasy. Alexis would be aware of the impending lawsuit as well as the name of Extreme Software, but most likely wouldn’t have the time to uncover specifics, such as who Jackson was, until he divulged the truth at the end of his fantasy. In a week’s time, when he returned, he could follow through with court dates and appearances. And every time she’d see him during the trial he’d accumulate another personal victory, because she’d have to face him day after day.
He glanced at the picture Mike had taken and remembered what his friend had said: she hasn’t had a steady boyfriend in the past five years. He didn’t know the reasons, and in the scheme of things it didn’t really matter.
He’d just chosen his private, personal fantasy.
He wanted plain and single Alexis to fall hard and fast and deeply for him. No woman could resist an out-and-out romantic pursuit. And in the end, once he knew he’d ensnared her emotions, he’d walk away with the knowledge that he’d stolen something integral from her.
Her heart.
2
DON’T LOOK OUT the window and you’ll be just fine.
Alexis Baylor chanted that litany over in her mind as the small seaplane started its ascent from Miami for the fifteen minute flight to Seductive Fantasy off the Florida Keys. Keeping her eyes closed since boarding the compact aircraft, Alex now forced herself to take deep, even breaths to ease her anxiety as the plane scaled higher and higher. Her entire body felt the building velocity, and the buzzing sound of the engine seemed to rattle her bones. Despite her best efforts to remain calm, her stomach insisted on gauging even the most subtle dips they encountered during their upward climb.
Relax, relax, relax…
Her muscles remained tense; her heart beat triple-time. Alex never believed she harbored a fear of flying. In fact, her flight from San Diego to Miami had gone smoothly and remarkably well, without any incidences or panic attacks. Sitting in first class and being surrounded by luxurious leather seats while listening to a soft jazz station on the supplied headset, she’d been lulled by the comfort and security of being in a big, sturdy jetliner. But the moment she’d stepped aboard the Fantasies, Inc. commuter plane, an acute case of apprehension and claustrophobia had seized her, along with a flood of painful childhood memories that had a more profound effect on her than she’d realized.
Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale…
Thankfully, the plane reached elevation and leveled out. Gradually, so did Alex’s erratic pulse, but she knew better than to open her eyes and look out the window beside her. She had no desire to see the vast blue ocean below, or think about the awful last moments her parents must have spent together before their own private Cessna airplane had plummeted, taking them to their watery grave off the coast of San Diego.
She settled back into her seat as comfortably as her rigid body would allow, determined to keep her mind on other, more delightful matters for the duration of the flight…like the fantasy she’d bought and paid for and would soon experience. Yet even that exciting diversion was encumbered with troubling thoughts when she recalled how she’d nearly cancelled this trip at the very last minute.
Yesterday afternoon, to be exact. Right after her company had been served with an unexpected and disturbing complaint alleging copyright infringement and seeking an injunction against Gametek. The plaintiff, Extreme Software, claimed that it owned the proprietary code she’d used in her game and was filing a lawsuit to keep Gametek from marketing Zantoid. A hearing had been set for the week after she returned from her vacation. Her lawyers assured her it wasn’t necessary for her to attend the proceeding, but she intended to go nonetheless and see for herself the parties who were suing her company—and trying to cash in on her success.
But until that court date, Dennis Merrick, the VP of her company, assured her that nothing would be gained by her calling off the trip she’d booked six months prior. He’d insisted she go, relax, and have a good time, and promised to handle the lawyers, investigations, and any legalities that might arise in her absence. As always, he made it more than clear that she could always count on him.
A wry smile touched the corner of her mouth. If Dennis knew the nature of the vacation she’d been saving toward for the past two years, ever since she’d read a magazine article about Fantasies, Inc., she was certain he wouldn’t have been so supportive of her decision to leave. In fact, he would have been downright appalled. But his opinion made no difference. She knew what she wanted and nothing could change that. She wanted to be swept off her feet and seduced by a sexy man, no strings attached, and return home pregnant with the child she’d desired for years. A baby who would love her unconditionally and give her the sense of family she’d never really had.
Dennis would have gladly volunteered to fulfill her fantasy. Except she didn’t want the complication of mixing their business relationship with something more intimate. There was also the important fact that she didn’t connect with him on a physical and emotional level.
She’d known for years that Dennis harbored feelings toward her, but she’d always been careful not to lead him on or give him the wrong impression. She adored him as a friend, trusted him as an employee and respected him as a man. Dennis, for all his loyalty and obvious affection toward her, didn’t make her feel breathless with excitement. No man ever had. Then again, she wasn’t the type of sensual, sophisticated woman who inspired a man’s intense, sexual interest. And since she’d recently come to the conclusion that she’d probably never experience the kind of passionate, impetuous, devoted relationship her own parents had shared, this fantasy would be her last chance to embrace all those lush, uninhibited, thrilling pleasures she’d been denied before she settled into motherhood. Alone and on her own.
In the meantime, with an attractive, enticing stranger picked out for her sole enjoyment and gratification, she’d wholeheartedly indulge in the feeling of being desired and desirable. She planned to drench every one of her five senses in the luxury of being romantically pursued.
Alex released a calm breath and shifted in her seat. Because of the personal, intimate nature of Alex’s request, Ms. Weston had assured her that she’d do her best to make sure that her fantasy man would possess the same physical characteristics as she—black hair and blue eyes—so that there would be a much greater chance of conceiving a baby with her same traits.
Obviously, there was no promise that she’d leave with a child—only Mother Nature, not a paid fantasy, could guarantee that. But in five more days she’d be at her most fertile, and she planned to make the most of that opportunity.
Without warning, the plane hit an air pocket, and the cabin shook from the unexpected turbulence, jarring Alex out of the tranquility that had settled over her. She sucked in a sharp breath and her hand automatically shot out to grip the armrest between her seat and another passenger’s. Instead of cushioned upholstery she came into contact with the firm, sinewy muscle of a man’s arm. Hair roughened and incredibly warm and inviting, his skin disturbed her more than the aircraft’s brief change in altitude.
Chagrined that she’d latched onto a stranger, a very masculine, athletically built stranger if that strong arm was any indication, she immediately snatched her fingers back and settled her balled up fists in her lap.
“Sorry,” she murmured, keeping her eyes tightly closed, as if that could conceal her acute embarrassment. She might have been able to hide her eyes but there was nothing she could do to disguise the obvious heat spreading up her neck, across her cheeks, and all the way to the tips of her ears. The burning sensation made her feel restless in a way she didn’t fully understand.
Before she could contemplate her startling reaction, long fingers grazed lightly across her clenched knuckles, and her pulse skyrocketed. Someone, the man she assumed was sitting beside her, picked up her hand, drew it across the armrest separating them, and slowly and gently unfurled her fingers. She swallowed, hard, as he flattened her hand between two incredibly large palms, engulfing her in a strange mixture of heat and soothing comfort. She’d been alone for so long, she couldn’t recall the last time she’d experienced such a tender gesture.
He swept his thumb along the veins in her wrist, then pressed it against her rapid, erratic pulse. “Your heartbeat is unsteady. Are you okay?”
His voice was smooth and rich, like the decadent Amaretto truffles she indulged in on occasion. Spirals of awareness curled through her, wreaking havoc with the feminine nerves that had lain dormant for too long. Unable to speak for a variety of reasons, most prominent of which was her response to him, she nodded jerkily.
“Then open your eyes and look at me so I can see for myself that you’re okay,” he coaxed in that deep, delicious tone.
For the first time since boarding the seaplane, she lifted her lashes…and stared into a dark, velvet blue gaze that made her own blue eyes pale in comparison. Her stomach dipped, and this time being thrown off balance had nothing to do with the plane hitting an air pocket, and everything to do with the man sitting next to her.
He was big, solidly male and gorgeous in a way that made her feel extremely self-conscious of her own ordinary features. For the sake of comfort during her long ten-hour trip to Florida, and admittedly, out of routine, she’d twisted her hair into a French braid to keep it neat and tidy, and had worn a comfortable loose skirt and blouse to travel in. Never in her entire life had she been more aware of her appearance…and how frumpy she must look.
“That’s better.” A charming grin lifted the corners of his mouth. “At least now I’m assured that you’re not going to pass out on me.”
No, but she was feeling a bit light-headed from all this attention. She struggled to find her voice. “I’ll be fine…just as soon as we land.”
“Which can’t be soon enough for you, I take it?”
She shook her head and laughed, the sound strained with nerves and the kind of tantalizing awareness she wasn’t used to feeling. “No. The sooner the better.”
His hair, she noticed, was cut into a neat, executive-type style that accentuated his handsome, chiseled features. The thick strands were an inky black, and a perfect complement to her own ebony mane. So far, he had the makings of her own personal fantasy man.
A staggering excitement rushed through her blood at the thought, though she couldn’t be certain that he was the one. He could be just as he presented—a gentleman assisting a woman in distress. And most likely he was exactly that.
He tipped his head, regarding her curiously. “Are you afraid of flying?”
“Sort of,” she admitted. “My parents died in a small plane just like this one.”
“Aah,” he said in understanding, giving her hand a gentle, compassionate squeeze that tugged at something equally elemental within her. “I’m sorry.”
“It was a long time ago.” She rested her head against the back of her seat, keeping her gaze averted from the window. “I was only ten at the time, but being closed in and flying over the ocean brings back memories of how they passed away.”
“Understandably so,” he murmured.
Realizing he still held her hand between his, and sure he’d rather let her go but was being polite, she attempted to withdraw from his grasp. He held her captive, his hold firm, his fascination with her undeniably genuine. Pressing her splayed fingers against a taut, denim-covered thigh, he lightly trapped her hand beneath the press of his palm.
As if she was going anywhere!
Absently, he stroked the skin between her thumb and forefinger, the caress so intimate and sensual it made her quiver deep inside. “Maybe I can help keep you distracted for the remainder of the flight.”
Oh, she was most definitely distracted…and mesmerized. His sole focus was on her, which was beguiling in itself.
“I suppose we should start with introductions,” he said, another lazy, sexy smile making an appearance. “I’m Jackson Witt. And you are?”
Completely smitten. Alex supposed that’s what happened when a woman was the focal point of a gorgeous man’s attention. She’d dated a handful of men, one long enough in college to constitute a relationship, but none had ever made her feel so entranced and infatuated at first glance.
She noticed the suddenly intense way he was staring at her, as if he was waiting for some kind of reaction. Well, she was definitely affected by him, except there was no way for him to see the internal flurry of rippling heat and sultry desire he evoked.
She called up a reciprocating smile that she found came easily to her lips. “It’s nice to meet you, Jackson,” she said, and was taken aback by the visible relief that passed across his expression. It was gone so quickly, she had to wonder if she’d imagined the odd emotion. “I’m Alexis Baylor, but everyone calls me Alex.”
“Why?” he asked abruptly.
She shook her head in confusion. “Why what?”
“Why does everyone call you Alex when Alexis is such a beautiful name?”
She ducked her head, contemplating his comment. Honestly, she’d never felt much like an Alexis, a name which to her implied elegance and grace.
Slanting him a glance, she shrugged, having long ago grown used to the boyish nickname. “My uncle, who raised me after my parents passed away, always called me Alex, and I suppose it became a habit.”
He grinned with sinful intent, his blue eyes sparkling mischievously. “One I intend to break…Alexis.”
The way her name rolled off his tongue was like a silky, sensual caress to her senses. Adding to that pleasant mental stimulation was the featherlight stroke of his fingers between hers, where she’d suddenly become ultrasensitive. While his touch was innocent, her entire body hummed with a luxurious warmth, one that was provocative as well as enjoyable.
“So, where are you from?” he asked.
She knew he was trying to make idle conversation, and she appreciated the diversion. “San Diego.”
A dark brow winged upward. “Considering how uncomfortable you seem in a plane, how did you manage to get to Miami? By train?”
She laughed, and this time the sound was light and carefree, lacking the tension that had engulfed her earlier. “I flew, of course. It’s the smaller commuter planes I have a problem with, not big, sturdy jetliners. And where are you from?”
“Atlanta.”
She toyed with the end of her braid, which curled over her shoulder and rested just above her breast. “And I take it you’re going to Seductive Fantasy, too?”
He nodded, his gaze shifting from the play of her fingers to her mouth, then her eyes, his perusal slow and lazy. “Yes.”
So, he either had a fantasy or was someone’s fantasy—or maybe both. “For a fantasy?” she asked, hoping the obvious question would unearth deeper information about the man.
His eyes darkened, turning a smokey shade of blue. “Most definitely for a fantasy,” he murmured.
She shivered at the sudden intensity cloaking him. Unable to help herself, even though she knew she was venturing into private territory, she asked, “What is your fantasy?” Was that her voice that sounded so breathless?
Beneath her trapped hand, his muscles bunched, belying his relaxed expression. He sent her a chastising look, tempered with flirtatious charm. “Why, Ms. Baylor, shame on you. I believe that information is confidential, as is your fantasy. Unless you care to share yours first?” he invited.
Her skin flushed, at being so bold as to ask about something so intimate, as well as at the thought of divulging her own deepest desires. Not only did she not really know this man and his personal intentions on Seductive Fantasy, but she wanted her request to play out on its own accord, without planting any preconceived notions in another man’s head. Though with him admitting that he had his own fantasy to explore at the island resort, she didn’t hold out much optimism that they’d be paired as a couple.
She let out a regretful sigh. “No, I’d rather not share my fantasy, and I apologize for asking about yours.”
“No apology necessary,” he said sincerely. “I suppose the nature of this vacation retreat does stir one’s imagination. I have to confess that I’m equally curious to know what you’re looking for on Seductive Fantasy.”
Unadulterated passion. Uninhibited desire. A father for my baby. She kept those secrets tucked away. “Let’s just say I’m trying to cram a lifetime of missed opportunities into one short week.”
He turned the hand resting on his thigh over and traced a long, tapered finger against her palm, tickling her skin and arousing her to a fever pitch at the same time. “Well, I hope all your fantasies come true, Alexis.”
She stared into his compelling eyes, hopelessly lost in the sea of sensuality she saw shimmering in the depths. She licked her suddenly dry lips. “I hope so, too,” she replied huskily.
He continued doing incredible things to her hand, her fingers. Subtle, yet provocative caresses that had her breathing deepening and her body softening against her seat. Despite her best efforts to remain immune to his alluring touch, her belly quivered and her breasts swelled against the lacy webbing of her bra. The man was very close to providing the unadulterated passion part of her fantasy—and she couldn’t help but wonder if that was part of his plan, or merely just a coincidence.
“We’ve arrived at Seductive Fantasy.” The voice of Mark, their pilot, drifted from the cockpit and into the cabin. “Please stay seated a moment longer, until the plane is secured and the door is unlatched.”
Alex’s eyes rounded in shock. “We’re here?” she asked incredulously.
Jackson’s chuckle vibrated with a wealth of amusement. “Yep. I think it’s safe for you to look out your window now.”
Trusting him, she glanced out the small portal, stunned to discover that they had, indeed, landed. Water lapped at the floats attached to the seaplane as they glided smoothly on the ocean. They were slowly drifting toward a wooden walkway extending from the white sand beach of a lush island. Beyond stood a gorgeous hotel designed with Mediterranean appeal, and surrounded by bright tropical plants. Excitement blossomed within her at the sight of such beauty and elegance—the backdrop for her personal fantasy.