Prologue

      ALEXIS BAYLOR wanted to have an affair and conceive a baby, and Merrilee Schaefer-Weston would do her best to accommodate the other woman’s request. Merrilee’s business was, after all, all about fulfilling her guests’ fantasies.

      “Ms. Weston, the seaplane is due to land at Seductive Fantasy in half an hour. The express boat is ready to take you to the island to greet our arriving guests.”

      Merrilee glanced up from reviewing Alexis Baylor’s fantasy requisition papers and smiled at her assistant. Fantasies, Inc. encompassed a cluster of four lush paradise resorts off the Florida Keys. While her main office was situated on Wild Fantasy, the first of four island retreats, she traveled daily via boat to the other three themed resorts: Seductive Fantasy, Intimate Fantasy and Secret Fantasy.

      “Thank you, Danielle.” She glanced at her wristwatch, noting the time. “I’ll be at the dock in ten minutes.” Before her assistant turned to leave her office, Merrilee asked, “By the way, has personnel hired another pilot to replace Mark?”

      “Yes, they have.” Danielle thumbed efficiently through her notes on the clipboard she carried. Her finger came to a stop halfway down the page. “Here he is. C. J. Miller is slated to take over Mark’s position next month, as scheduled.”

      Miller. As always when Merrilee encountered the very common last name, a head-to-toe chill swept through her, along with a flood of bittersweet memories of being young and head over heels in love. Those beloved recollections of her soulmate hadn’t faded one iota over the thirty-five years that had passed between her romantic love affair with Charlie Miller, his unexpected and devastating death in Vietnam, and her marriage of convenience to a man twenty-three years older than her.

      Merrilee had struggled through the lonely years that ensued, being a dutiful, faithful spouse to a cold, unemotional man who treated her more like a possession than a wife. She hadn’t even had the luxury of having children to fill her life with joy; her husband’s impotence had prevented that.

      Upon his death five years ago, she’d inherited millions—more money than she’d ever realized Oliver was worth. She’d never enjoyed the role of pampered wife and couldn’t imagine spending the rest of her life languishing in a mansion. And so, Fantasies, Inc. was born.

      It might be too late for her to find ultimate happiness, but she’d decided to use her inheritance to fulfill other people’s fantasies. She lived vicariously through the pleasure and satisfaction they discovered while on her island resorts. There was no fantasy—be it romance, adventure, or deeper desires that bared one’s soul—that Fantasies, Inc. couldn’t provide.

      Never in her wildest dreams would she have believed her concept and themed island resorts would be so hugely, phenomenally successful.

      “Ms. Weston?”

      The distant voice of her assistant effectively pulled Merrilee back to the present. She blinked, shook the past from her mind, and focused in on the concern etching Danielle’s features. “I’m sorry, what were you saying?”

      The young woman tipped her head, regarding her curiously. “We were talking about the new pilot, C. J. Miller.”

      This time, Merrilee kept her thoughts firmly grounded and on business. “C. J. Miller. Right,” she murmured, jotting down the name—as if she could forget it—and the date the man was scheduled to take over Mark’s position.

      “I’ll go tell the boat driver you’ll be at the dock shortly.” With a swish of her perky ponytail, Danielle turned and left the office.

      With only a few