Secret Fantasy(13)
Author: Carly Phillips

The charade he’d willingly begun and needed to continue, his internal editor silently corrected. “I’ll make it easy for you and tell you something about me first. I’m a writer.” He leaned back in his chair and took a sip of his coffee.

She swallowed the last of her donut. “I’m a PR consultant for a pharmaceutical company,” she said. “And I’m single.”

He nearly choked on his coffee.

“I just thought you’d want to know.” She batted her lashes in a deliberate attempt to flirt and have fun.

He grinned. “Same here. I’m single, I mean.”

“Ever married before?”

“Nope.” That she’d delve into personal subjects surprised him and opened the door for questions of his own.

“Ever come close?” She asked before he could toss the question back at her.

Damn, she was good. She knew how to hit a question dead-on and leave him squirming in his seat. The woman had journalistic instincts she knew nothing about. He eyed her closely. She’d settled in, obviously content to eat her breakfast and wait until he decided to answer.

He let out a groan because he wanted to confide in her, yet sharing his secrets was in direct opposition to his goals. Still, he answered her anyway, not glancing away and not hiding his feelings from her curious eyes. “Is it possible to come close if you never intended to marry in the first place?”

“It is if you got caught up in the swing of things.” And Lord knew Juliette could understand that. She’d been so wrapped up in what she thought was reality, she’d been blinded to the truth.

“More like I got involved in a relationship where we each wanted different things only neither one knew it until it was too late.” His heavy sigh settled around her.

“Too late for what?” She leaned forward, needing to hear his answer. Needing to know she wasn’t the only one who could be fooled and betrayed.

His deep gaze locked onto hers. “Too late for someone not to get hurt.” His stare never wavered, his voice was strong and full of remorse.

Juliette let out a breath of air. “I know what that’s like.”

He tipped his head to the side, curiosity and something more in his eyes. “Guess we have that in common at least.”

“Mmm.” She didn’t know what had possessed her to question him on subjects she wanted to avoid herself but, like him, she was glad to see they shared an emotional connection. Glad to see they could relate on a personal level. But she wasn’t ready to divulge more, no matter how close she wanted them to get.

He shifted in his seat. Gearing up for a question in return? Juliette didn’t know but she had to back off. Now, before he turned the tables on her. She wiped her mouth with the napkin and placed it on the table. “So what do you have planned for today?”

His stare lingered and she sensed his reluctance to drop the discussion. But he pushed back his chair and stood, offering his hand for her to accept. “I thought we’d try some of the activities the resort offers.”

“Safety in numbers?” she asked wryly.

He laughed but didn’t look her in the eye. “Anyone ever tell you you’re too perceptive for your own good?”

“Not recently.” Nor would the events in her life back up his claim.

“Well, don’t let other people’s opinions make you sell yourself short.”

Talk about perceptive, she thought. She’d been measuring herself by Stuart’s standards for too long. “I need to shower and change.”

“And I have some things to take care of with Merrilee.”

Regarding his fantasy or just his stay on the island? Juliette narrowed her eyes, dying to ask. But she remained silent, knowing that if she respected the parameters of his fantasy, he’d do the same for hers. They never had to discuss her failings or the reason for her trip here—unless she wanted to confide in him. A shocking possibility.

“Let me walk you out.”

He shook his head. “You relax. I’ll head around the side of the cottage and meet up with you later.”

She smiled. “I hope so.”

He rose from his seat. “Count on it.” He treated her to a wink that sent tremors of heated awareness straight to the pit of her stomach.

She watched him leave, his cut-off denim shorts molding to his firm backside and his ragged short-sleeve sweatshirt revealing tanned, muscular arms. Good Lord, the man was sexy.

His character and strength had her stomach twisting in conflicting knots. Safe or not, stupid or not, she wanted all he had to offer. She wanted to attain her deepest desire. And for the moment, her needs were simple.

She wanted to be held in his arms. She wanted him to make her feel, not just desired, but also secure, something she had a hunch he’d do with ease. And she wanted to admit the pain in her life and let him help her heal.

He was the perfect man for the job, considering he knew about sharing and confiding. He’d given her a glimpse inside his soul, something Stuart had never done. In all their time together he’d never once looked at her so intently or discussed anything emotional. Except his campaign, she thought wryly.

Doug was different. He couldn’t possibly be faking the warmth in his eyes or caring in his expression. Although he was here to make her fantasy come true, she sensed she was learning about him as well. And her instincts screamed for her to trust him, stronger and more passionately than her gut instinct had ever believed in Stuart.

Having made a huge mistake last time, Juliette wasn’t planning on rushing into anything now. She had time to learn about Doug and relearn to trust herself as well. She could, and would, test her feminine wiles and her ability to tease and arouse, both Doug as well as herself. And when she finally made love with him—and oh, how she wanted to—the experience would be the answer to her dreams.

In the meantime, anticipation was half the fun, something Doug obviously understood well. He was building their romance slowly, with deep, drugging kisses and intimate gestures like flowers and breakfast.

And she was hoping for much, much more.

DOUG NEEDED a breather. He made his way to the beach and kicked back in a lounge chair, letting the ocean waves and the cooler morning breeze soothe his nerves and his conscience. After leaving Juliette, he’d called home to check on his father.

The older man hadn’t been released from the hospital; in fact, the doctor was running more tests. His mother insisted Doug stay on assignment because his father’s mood had greatly improved since Doug’s departure and promise to return with good news. And, besides, nothing more could be done until the tests came back and they decided whether to treat with medication or surgery. So, for now, his father was resting comfortably. But Doug wasn’t.