Mr. Fantasy: (A standalone romance)

by Cambria Hebert

  Slowly, her eyelids fluttered, and unfocused blue eyes came into view. A few seconds passed before she seemed to realize I was there.

  Alarm flared, and her mouth opened to scream.

  Quickly, I pressed my palm over her lips. “The staff will think I’m torturing you if you scream.”

  Her heavy breathing puffed against my hand, and against my palm, I felt her tongue dart out to wet her lips.

  Carefully, the girl nodded, silently telling me she wouldn’t scream.

  Removing my hand, I sat back in the chair I’d parked beside the bed and watched her. She was beautiful. Even half drowned, drowsy, and confused, she was beautiful.

  I saw beautiful women on a daily basis. Hell, they flocked to the resort in droves. This good girl sitting in front of me wasn’t any more beautiful than the rest of them, so I wasn’t quite sure why I was so intrigued.

  Perhaps because I’d heard her talking about me. Because it seemed she’d been passing on other men because the idea of me was in her head.

  A girl who passed up reality because the fantasy in her head was that much more appealing made me think there was a lot of passion simmering beneath her skin.

  Her body slid up beneath the heavy comforter as she pushed into a sitting position. Immediately, she glanced down and gasped. Graceful-looking fingers pressed against the white silk draped over her as she fumbled with the buttons down the front.

  “Where are my clothes?”

  “Your dress was soaked. After your shower, I put this shirt on you so you’d be dry.”

  Swallowing, she glanced down at it again. “Is it your shirt?”

  “I thought you might like the feel of silk against your skin.”

  Her head shot up, and her eyes roamed my face. Recognition came into her gaze, and her mouth fell open. “You’re the guy from the bar. I spilled my drink on you.”

  I half smiled. “That’s two of my shirts you’ve managed to procure in one day.”

  Gazing around quickly, her hand pressed to her neck. “Where am I?”

  “On my boat. You fell overboard the one you were on, and the bartender left you there to drown.”

  Her body pressed against the pillows, blue eyes wide with alarm.

  Clearing my throat, I tried to gentle my voice, realizing I’d been a little harsh in the way I spoke before. “Are you okay? Do you need a doctor?”

  Her hand fell from her throat to clutch the blankets in her lap. Her hair was damp, and strands of it clung to her cheek.

  “How did you know about the bartender? How did you know I was in the ocean?”

  “I was watching you,” I said, matter-of-fact. Lifting the mug Aaron had brought for her, I held it out. “Here, drink this. It will warm you up.”

  She gazed between me and the offered mug. Her lips were colorless, and her cheeks were pale. “What is it?”

  Tilting the mug toward me, I gazed inside. I couldn’t tell, so I leaned down and smelled it. “Hot tea,” I replied. “The butler made it.”

  “The butler…” she echoed.

  “Are you worried it’s drugged?” I asked, lifting an eyebrow. I took a drink of the liquid and let her see me swallow. “It has honey it in,” I added. “Do you like honey?”

  She nodded.

  “Here, then.” I offered it. When she still didn’t take it, I sighed and lifted her hand to place it around the mug.

  “It’s warm,” she said, her fingers curling around the ceramic. Soon after, her other hand came up to wrap around the other side.

  “You were watching me?” she repeated.

  I nodded.

  “You know that sounds like the start of a horror movie, right? You have some kind of room on this boat where you grind up helpless women into fish food?”

  “I think the horror movie you’re thinking of is the one where a girl almost gets raped on spring break, but instead, the angry bartender just tries to kill her.”

  She collapsed back against the pillows, clutching the mug against her chest. “So that really happened, huh?”

  “It really happened.”

  “I guess I should be glad you were stalking me, then.” She glanced into the mug, then peeked up at me. “Thank you for rescuing me. I probably would have drowned.”

  I didn’t try to hide my smile. “Probably.”

  Offended I’d agreed, she sat up. “Hey! I might have survived! I was swimming back to shore when you showed up!”

  “You were going in the wrong direction. You would have ended up farther out to sea.”

  She pursed her lips and said nothing. After a tentative drink of the hot tea, she asked, “Why were you watching me?”

  “I was intrigued after our meeting.”

  “You could have just asked for my number,” she grumped.

  “I like to let fate do her thing.”

  Grabbing the blankets, she tossed them back. “I should go. Val is probably out of her mind with worry.”

  The second she tried to stand, she pitched sideways, her legs giving out.

  Catching her around the waist, her body fell into mine, making my heart race. The silk of my shirt beneath my hand was all that separated my palm from the skin of her back.

  “You need to lie back down,” I said, setting aside the mug and picking her up completely.

  Hearing her breath catch, I looked down. Our eyes locked and time froze for unspecified moments as sparks ignited between us.

  “Can I borrow your phone?” she finally asked, breaking the spell we were both under.

  I tucked her back in the bed and went across the room to my cell.

  “I’ll have her meet me at the dock. That’s where you’re taking me, right?”

  “I’m taking you to my island.”

  She forgot about the cell in her palm. “Y-your island?”

  “Weren’t you curious about the man who lived there?”

  Her mouth dropped open again. She seemed to do that a lot. It made me want to kiss her. “You heard our conversation?”

  “I’m pretty sure everyone within earshot heard it. Your friend is not quiet.”

  “She was drunk,” she refuted, surly.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Don’t you already know?” she rebuked.

  “I want you to tell me.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Why?”

  “Because then I’ll have permission to use it.”

  Her eyes dipped to the bed, but she replied, “Nora.”

  “I’m Carter, Nora.”

  “Carter,” she repeated. “So are you trying to tell me, Carter, that you are the guy who lives on the island and owns the resort?”

  “I actually own several resorts, not just this one.”

  She blinked. Had she thought I’d been joking?

  “There is one thing you got wrong, though.”

  “What?”

  “I didn’t get rich from selling an app. I got rich off selling a video game. But I’m working on some apps now.”

  She started to cough, and I pushed the mug back under her. “Here, drink this.”

  Obediently, she took the mug and drank.

  “I must have hit my head,” she murmured after swallowing. I watched her search her head for bumps and cuts.

  There weren’t any. I’d already looked.

  A second later, she gasped again. She was very dramatic. “How did I get in this shirt? And in the shower?”

  “I dressed you.”

  “You saw me naked?”

  “Yes.”

  Her fingers clutched at the neckline of the silk shirt.

  “Should I have left you drenched and in that tiny dress?”

  “You didn’t see anything, right?”

  Staring at her intently, I replied, “I saw everything.”

  “You could have at least pretended to be a gentleman!”

  “I’m no gentleman. And I think you already know that.”

  Red spots formed on her cheeks, and it pleased me because it was better tha
n seeing her pale.

  “Drink more of that. Do you want something to eat?”

  “No,” she refuted, but the loud grumble of her stomach betrayed her.

  “Call your friend,” I said, going over to the phone attached to the wall. “Word about a missing woman at my resort will not be good for business.”

  I hit a button on the phone and held it to my ear. Aaron picked up on the first ring. “Yes, sir?”

  “Bring a sandwich and some bisque.”

  “Right away.” He agreed, and I hung up the line.

  “I’m fine, Valerie. I promise.” Nora was assuring her friend on the other end of the call. After a moment of listening, she made a sound. “Tell them to call off the search. I’m fine.”

  “He said what?” Nora exclaimed after another minute. “That liar. Liar! He purposely tossed me off the boat! He’s a scumbag! When I see him next, I’m going to kick him so hard in the balls he’s going to have to get them medically pulled back out!”

  Feisty.

  Amused, I crossed my arms over my chest and watched her.

  “Wait, what?” she said after a minute. “Seriously? How…?” After a few beats, she looked up at me while speaking to her friend. “A witness?”

  Uncrossing my arms, I strode across the room to snatch the phone out of her hand. Putting it up to my ear, I said, “Nora won’t be home tonight. She’ll be back tomorrow. Don’t worry about her. She’ll be fine.”

  “Who are you?” her friend yelled into my ear.

  “I’m the guy who lives on the island. Surprise, I’m not old enough to be her grandpa.” The second I said the words, I disconnected the call.

  A second later, it started ringing in my hand. “Ah, sometimes the call back feature really is annoying.” Instead of answering, I powered down the phone completely.

  Nora was staring at me when I looked up. Raising an eyebrow, I asked, “Is there something you want to know?”

  “Valerie said the bartender was already fired and taken to the police station on charges of assault.”

  “Did you think I would let him get away with what he did?”

  “You can do that?”

  “Protect you? Protect my resort and everyone in it? Of course.”

  “You seriously own this place?” Her eyes began looking around the large bedroom, then back at me.

  “I don’t lie,” I deadpanned.

  “This is all just a little… unbelievable.”

  “Most fantasies are.”

  Realization dawned over her face. “I’m dreaming,” she whispered. “I must have blacked out in the ocean, and I’m still dreaming.”

  Aaron rapped on the door and entered, carrying a large tray with a plate and bowl in the center. Nora’s eyes widened, and she lifted the covers as if she could hide behind them. Aaron pretended not to notice but set the tray over her lap and then left the room without a word.

  “Eat,” I commanded.

  “This is some dream,” she mused, looking over the food.

  Stalking close, I leaned over the tray, making her sink back into the pillows once more. Taking her chin in my hand, I lifted it so I could stare into her good-girl face.

  “This might be a fantasy, but it’s no dream. Before this night is over, you’ll learn to tell the difference.”

  Before she could reply, I lowered my head, fusing my lips to hers. I felt her shock, but I didn’t pull away. Instead, I moved, caressing my lips over hers and drinking in the faint taste of salt still on her skin.

  A few seconds ticked by, and I felt her relent. I knew without looking that her eyes drifted closed because the mouth beneath mine began to move.

  Desire so swift cut into me like a deadly sword. Aggressively, I went at her mouth, trying to quench the thirst, trying to satiate the need she so desperately made me feel.

  One kiss wasn’t going to do that, so I yanked back and put some distance between us.

  Nora stared at me with giant eyes and pink, swollen lips. Slowly, she fingered her mouth, and the urge to kiss her again was swift.

  Holding back, I cleared my throat. “Eat,” I demanded again, pointing to the food. “You’re gonna need all the energy you can get.”

  Nora

  Was I insane?

  Someone just dumped me in the ocean and left without looking back. Then another guy came along and hauled me out, saw me naked, put me in his bed, admitted to being a stalker, then kissed the crap out of me.

  What was I doing about these events?

  Sitting in his lavish bed, wearing his silk shirt, and eating lobster bisque like nothing was wrong.

  I had to be insane, right?

  Or maybe I really was dreaming. Maybe I was dead, and this was the afterlife I was given. If that was the case… death wasn’t so bad.

  The spoon dropped into the bowl, splashing a little of the soup.

  “Careful,” my savior said without even looking up. He was lounging in the chair beside the bed, his feet propped up on the side of the mattress. A tablet was in his lap, and his fingers were flying over the screen.

  “I should wake up,” I murmured, then slapped myself on the cheek. “Wake up, Nor. Wake up!”

  I went to slap myself again, but a large, warm hand wrapped around my wrist, preventing me. My eyes met his very dark, very intent ones. The grip around my wrist was gentle, but it was imposing.

  “Now why would you want to wake up? We haven’t gotten to the good part yet.”

  I swallowed, my arm going slack in his palm.

  “I’m going to let go now,” he intoned.

  Why was the sound of his voice so damn delicious? Why did he look like so dangerous yet make me feel so safe?

  “Don’t try and hit yourself again, or I’m going to get angry.”

  I pulled my arm back, but he wouldn’t let go. His eyes implored me, and I found myself nodding, silently promising I wouldn’t hit myself again.

  Satisfied, he let go, lounged back into the chair, and resumed whatever he was doing. “Finish eating, and I’ll show you the island.”

  “Really?” I asked, excited.

  His lips turned up even though he didn’t break focus on what he was doing. What is he doing?

  “Yes, really.”

  I went back to eating. I guess almost dying made a girl hungry.

  “Aish!” he spat, sitting up.

  The sudden outburst startled me, and the spoon slipped out of my mouth. “What happened?”

  He glanced at me, then turned the tablet around for me to see the screen. “I died.”

  He was playing a game. Some colorful, simple game on the screen with the word DEAD flashing in red in the center.

  “I’ll beat it next time.” He encouraged himself. “Next time.”

  I couldn’t pull my eyes away as he tossed the tablet at the end of the bed and dragged a hand through his sleek, dark hair. The second he let it go, it fell over his forehead and brushed over the tops of his eyebrows.

  Desire curled my toes, and even though it was overwhelming, I didn’t look away.

  When his eyes met mine, he laughed beneath his breath. “You’re not too good at feeding yourself.”

  “Huh?”

  Leaving the chair, he dropped on the side of the mattress again. I forgot to breathe when he leaned near, his eyes straying to my mouth. The rapid pounding of my heart thundered in my ears as I anticipated his closeness.

  I thought he was going to kiss me again, so I slammed my eyes closed and waited. His chuckle brushed over my body, and then something brushed against my lips.

  “You have soup on your face,” he said softly.

  My eyes snapped open. Carter was still as close as before, but his thumb was brushing away the mess I’d apparently made of my mouth.

  When he was done, he sat back just a little and pushed the pad of his thumb between his lips to clean it off.

  The bottom dropped out of my stomach, and my limbs tingled.

  Carter glanced at the tray between us. “You fini
shed?”

  I nodded.

  When it was gone, he reached for my hand and pulled me out of bed. My legs were bare beneath the white shirt, the silk fabric brushing over my thighs like a caress.

  I started to tug it down, though it was longer than the dress I’d had on earlier.

  He noticed my fidgeting and reached for my other hand to pull it away. “No one else is here to see.” He assured me. “And I’ve already seen it all.”

  Ducking my head, I tucked some damp hair behind my ear.

  “You steady on your feet now?” he asked.

  I nodded.

  Truth was I was starting to wonder if I’d ever be steady again. Good Lord, he had some power. He tilted everything inside me so much I seriously wondered if it would ever right itself.

  When he didn’t walk forward, I glanced up. He was gazing at me with dark, unreadable eyes.

  “I don’t think you are,” he said as if it were a sincere observation.

  “I really am,” I argued, wanting to see the island. “I feel much better after the food.”

  His lips pursed and doubt was written plainly on his features. Releasing my hand, he turned and crouched.

  I stared down at him, dumbfounded. “What are you doing?”

  He patted his shoulder. “Come on. I’ll carry you.”

  Before I could, he reached around, tugging my hand, and I fell against him. Carter rose, tucking his hands beneath my legs and lifting me farther onto his back. My arms looped around his shoulders and clasped in front of his collarbone.

  The balmy night slipped against my exposed skin and my cheek when he stepped onto the deck. Without thinking twice, I buried my face in his neck, seeking warmth.

  “Look,” he beckoned, so I did.

  We stood on the deck, a perfect view of his private island laid out before us. Drawing in a breath, I gazed at it all incredulously, resting my chin on his shoulder. “I seriously haven’t seen anything this amazing.”

  He didn’t say anything, but I could feel my words pleased him.

  The island was filled with swaying palm trees. Even in the dark, the sand glowed bright white. Nestled farther up between the palms was a lit-up house with giant windows and a deck wrapping around the entire back.

  The yacht was pulled up to a giant private dock, which looked as if it stretched for miles before we actually got to the beach. On the way, we passed jet skis and smaller boats, which all bobbed in the water quietly, waiting to be used.