Secret Fantasy(18)
Author: Carly Phillips

Dinner, some pointed questions and a quick return home—he reminded himself that was his plan. One that would minimize the risk to his heart, which he suspected was too far gone already. Finally they reached their destination on the other side of the island, and he transferred the horses to a stable hand.

“Where are we?” Juliette asked.

In response, he held out his hand and led her beyond the stables. Like much of Florida, this part of the island was decorated with pastel-colored stucco buildings, making the rougher city boy in him feel out of his element. He walked her toward a yellow house with lush tropical gardens he’d seen in the pictures this afternoon.

A birdbath with running water flowed freely out front. “This place is owned by a couple who used to work in a New York City restaurant and got tired of the pace. They hooked up with Merrilee, moved down here and they now cater to private parties,” he explained.

“So it’s just us?” He heard the hitch in her voice and understood the emotion because it obviously matched the feelings rioting inside him. His heart beat louder in his chest whenever she was near. The two of them alone was either a prelude to disaster or a trip to heaven in the making.

“I could call out the cavalry if you’d rather not be alone,” he said lightly.

“There’s no place else I’d rather be,” Juliette said. And her body agreed.

She’d dreamed of riding a horse as a child, but never had she envisioned the adult feelings the powerful beast could stir. Sitting on the horse, her concentration on both the romantic scenery surrounding her and the incredible man by her side, she’d discovered the pounding surf had nothing on the pulse beating between her legs. The ride had taken on aphrodisiacal qualities and its effect hadn’t lessened since she’d climbed down and into Doug’s waiting arms.

Still strung tight from the vibration of riding the horse and thinking about Doug at the same time, she tingled in anticipation of them spending the evening alone. And two hours later, full from a lobster dinner and light-headed from a glass of wine, she still felt the same way. There hadn’t been a lull in the conversation and they’d covered a broad range of topics, likes and dislikes, much like a first date.

She was more relaxed than she ought to be considering the intent way Doug studied her, yet she had no second thoughts about being with him, no hesitation or doubts that he was a good man.

“Are you ready to head back?”

She shook her head. “Are we in a rush? Because you wouldn’t want me riding drunk would you?”

He laughed but she caught a hint of something that resembled anxiety in his. “I didn’t realize one glass of wine over a two-hour dinner would hit you hard.”

“Can I tell you a secret?” She folded her hands in front of her and leaned forward in her seat, then crooked her finger, indicating he should do the same.

He closed the distance, only a small table corner separating them, but before he could respond the waiter stopped by their table. “Excuse me, folks.”

“Yes,” Doug said through clenched teeth.

Well, at least he wasn’t any happier with the intrusion than she was.

“I have a message from the main resort. There’s a storm moving in faster than expected. The horses are in the stable and safe here but you’ll have to take a car back. It’s waiting out front, ready when you are.”

“Thank you,” Doug said. The waiter nodded and left them alone.

A storm. Juliette inhaled. Her fear of storms was juvenile and unreasonable, the result of a childhood foolishness that had left eight-year-old Juliette and Gillian stranded in a tree house in their backyard long after it was safe to be outdoors. Fear of being yelled at had been greater than their fear of rain, and by the time the girls realized the severity of the storm, thunder and lightning prevented their easy return. Her father had found them, finally, but not before lightning had struck a tree branch nearby and Juliette’s fear of storms had been permanently instilled. Their parents’ punishment had seemed mild in comparison.

Doug turned to face her. “See? We get a ride back. No drinking and riding issues at all.”

She forced a smile and pushed her fear of storms away for now, in favor of Doug and more pressing concerns. “But there are other issues.”

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense.”

She inclined her head. “It’s not the wine that’s hitting me hard but…” She drew in a deep breath for courage and strengthened the resolve she’d been developing throughout dinner.

She’d come so far in letting herself go. Another woman might not think so, but from her change in clothing to her outward flirting and the tingling awareness in her body, Juliette knew she’d taken great strides. Problem was, she hadn’t gone as far as she would have liked, and she didn’t want to have regrets when her time here was through.

Now that he’d given her not just a simple glimpse into his life but an overt revelation of childhood pain, she was comfortable with the man and knew she was ready. Ready to take that next step—the one Doug the gentleman had been obviously avoiding. Out of fear of offending her? She didn’t know but it was time to find out.

He reached out and covered her hand. “But what?”

“It’s you. You make me light-headed and dizzy. You affect me. And I was about to tell you I’m not ready to go home if it means leaving you standing at my doorstep again.” She’d said it. Juliette let out a huge breath of air and waited.

Doug coughed, a sound that resembled a strangled groan and looked into her expectant gaze. The man who was attracted to her warred with the reporter who’d promised himself he wouldn’t use her sexually to accomplish his goal. But, he reminded himself, he was also on this island to make her wishes come true. If he turned her away, he’d be crushing both her fantasy and her need to feel desired by that one special man. The man he’d set himself up to be. And the man who wanted her as much as she wanted him. Weighing the circumstances, he knew he could convince himself that being with her—at her request—wouldn’t be using her for information.

But it was a thin argument. So he’d make damn sure she knew how badly he wanted her and make sure she enjoyed their intimacy. However, as he’d promised himself earlier, sleeping with her couldn’t, wouldn’t, happen.

He brushed his thumb back and forth over her soft skin before turning her palm up and grasping her hand in his. He rose, pulling her to her feet. “We should get going now, but we’ll talk in the car on the way back.”