by Julie Kenner
Originally published as Intimate Fantasy in 2001, this sizzling secret identity romance will sweep you away!
HIS FANTASY
When an accident puts firefighter Tony Moretti permanently on desk duty, all he wants is to be a hero one last time. And at Fantasies Inc., he gets his chance. Each night, he dons a disguise and patrols the island, rescuing unsuspecting guests from dangerous situations. But when he saves sexy Kyra Cartright, he has the feeling that he’s the one who’s in over his head…
HER FANTASY
Kyra wants to have an adventure—a sexual adventure. After putting her life on hold to look after her family, Kyra’s ready for a fantasy. And she definitely gets one! One whole week of steamy, sultry nights spent in the arms of a daring stranger, and lazy, decadent days falling for a sexy, mysterious guest…. Kyra’s losing her heart—to both men! Only, she never dreams they’re one and the same….
FANTASIES INC.—Do you have a secret fantasy?
Heat Me Up
Julie Kenner
CONTENTS
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Epilogue
PROLOGUE
CHARLIE “C.J.” MILLER cast a sidelong glance toward his dozing passenger. The poor girl had been awake for over thirty-six hours, thanks to thunderstorms in Texas and cancelled flights. Though she’d made polite small talk before they took off, she’d finally curled up against the pillow he’d offered, clutching a spiral notebook in her lap.
Despite being new to the job, C.J. had already transported a dozen or so people from the Miami dock to one of the four lush island resorts that made up Fantasies, Inc.—Wild Fantasy, Seductive Fantasy, Secret Fantasy, and today’s destination, Intimate Fantasy. His current passenger, Kyra Cartwright, was girl-next-door pretty, about the age of his oldest daughter, with sandy brown hair that fell in soft waves over her cheeks. Her lips were parted in sleep, as if she didn’t have a care in the world.
C.J. knew better, of course. Fantasies, Inc. existed for one purpose only—to make people’s dreams, wishes and longings come true. And a young woman with a yearning strong enough to send her to one of the islands definitely had a care or two.
As the resort’s only pilot, C.J. was privy to enough information about each guest’s fantasy to ensure that he didn’t accidentally say the wrong thing or make the guest uncomfortable. The portion of Ms. Cartwright’s application that he’d seen had put a smile on his face. She’d typed a thesis sentence—Why would a successful career girl from one of radio’s first families want to spend a week chasing adventure on a sun-splashed island?—and then carefully outlined her reasons. Below that, in descending order from most to least appealing, she’d laid out the types of adventures she had in mind.
Although the outline resembled a business plan, as a whole, the application was anything but dry and corporate. In her neatly typed list, Kyra Cartwright had bared her soul, explaining how she intended to save her family’s business by accepting her boyfriend’s marriage proposal. But instead of feeling excited or nervous or any of a dozen other bride-like emotions, she simply felt lost.
That conclusion had been followed by a list of possible reasons, along with adventurous—even sensual—solutions. C.J. knew exactly where she was coming from. She wanted to rid herself of that antsy feeling in her gut, needed to silence the little voice in her head that kept asking: Hey, kid, this is the rest of your life we’re talking about. Are you sure you know what you’re doing? Shouldn’t you maybe step out a bit and take a look around?
During his own youth that voice had taunted C.J., too. But unlike his passenger, he’d had no choice. The Vietnam War had called, and he’d had to go. After that…well, his path had been pretty much set.
Ms. Cartwright, at least, had Fantasies, Inc.
The owner, Merrilee Schaefer-Weston, handpicked each guest from detailed applications describing the desired fantasy. In Ms. Cartwright’s case, C.J. couldn’t help but wonder how much of a role Merrilee’s own comfortable but passionless marriage had played in her decision to offer the young woman a tantalizing week on Intimate Fantasy.
As always, when he thought about Merrilee and their years apart, a wave of melancholy washed over him, bittersweet memories laced with fresh, new desire. Frustrated, he rubbed his aching neck and concentrated only on flying. With a light touch, he banked the resort’s sturdy Cessna 206 seaplane, correcting its course. He glanced at the fuel gauge and the altimeter, drawing reassurance from the familiar controls and the easy way the plane responded.
Life never responded that well. Certainly his—and Merrilee’s—had taken an unexpected turn. As much as he’d loved his wife, and as much as he’d mourned her death two years ago, the simple fact remained that Merrilee had been his first, best love. But no yoke, no rudder, no ailerons could have kept their love on course when the war had intervened. Fate had stepped in, and there hadn’t been a damn thing he could do about it.
Damn, but he’d wanted so much more for her—for them. And it was small comfort knowing that Oliver Weston had provided well for the woman who should have been C.J.’s. Upon Weston’s death, Merrilee had inherited millions, and she’d poured her passion into Fantasies, Inc. Now, it seemed, Merrilee thrived on bringing happiness to others.
Soon, C.J. hoped, he’d be able to bring some new joy to her as well. Lord knew, she deserved it.
“Intimate Base to Alpha-Victor-Oh-Oh-Niner, do you copy? C.J., where the devil are you?”
The voice rang in his headset, and he pushed the mike closer so he could respond without waking Ms. Cartwright. “Roger, I copy. I’m approaching from the east.”
“Roger that,” Chris said from the office on Intimate Fantasy.
C.J. peered down at the cluster of lush islands that made up the Fantasies, Inc. resort, then spotted the lagoon at Intimate Fantasy. “Got the landing area in sight.”
“You’re clear to land at your discretion.”
“Roger.” He cleared his throat. “Is Ms. Weston planning to meet the plane?”
A burst of static filled his ear.
“Say again?”
“Not sure,” Chris said, enunciating clearly. “Last I heard, she got held up on Wild Fantasy, but she’s hoping to make it.”
“Copy and out.” C.J. sighed, pulling the headphones off, wishing he knew for certain if he’d be seeing her today. So far, he’d only glimpsed her from afar. Up close, would she recognize him? He didn’t think so. His face was weathered, the ravages of both time and the war having taken their toll, and his once-black hair was now salt-and-pepper. Hopefully, she wouldn’t recognize him until he was ready. Just in case, he’d taken the added precaution of growing a moustache. And his reflective aviator sunglasses and battered Air Force cap didn’t hurt either.
Plus, she’d known him only as Charlie. He hadn’t been christened with his current nickname until the war. So as far as Merrilee knew, C.J. Miller was a complete stranger…at least for a little while longer.
Glancing down, he searched the blue water below, trying without success to see Merrilee’s small boat darting between the islands. Even after almost forty years in a cockpit, it still amazed him how tranquil the world looked from the air. Of course, the Florida Keys tended to look peaceful even from the ground, but there was something magical about the way the vibrant green islands burst out of the crystal blue ocean.
He chuckled. He was getting sentimental in his old age. Very sentimental, actually. Hadn’t he signed on as Fantasies, Inc.’s new pilot in order to be close to Merrilee? To see if, after all t
hese years, they could rekindle their love for each other?
Crazy old fool. There was no rekindling needed on his end. The love he’d felt for Merrilee all those years ago hadn’t faded one iota over the passing decades. And now, what he wanted more than anything was to run to her. To hold her in his arms and make the years melt away. But he also needed to be sure. The last thing in the world he wanted was to make Merrilee uncomfortable. No, he’d inadvertently caused her too much grief already.
He suppressed a shudder, holding the small plane steady as the memories haunted him, the wail of bullets and the screams of his buddies echoing through his mind. When his fighter had been shot down, he’d done what he had to do to survive. Wounded, he’d crawled through the mire until he’d come across the body of an officer whose life had already slipped away.
With a silent prayer, C.J. had exchanged his own dog tags—which clearly identified him as an enlisted man—for the officer’s. The N.V.A. often shot enlisted men on sight, but officers were kept alive for interrogation. As he’d hoped, the trick had saved his life, and not a day went by that C.J. didn’t thank the man for sharing his name.
As if being a prisoner of war hadn’t been terrible enough, the real horror had been coming home to discover his worst fear realized—that Merrilee, believing him dead, had married one of her father’s colleagues. And even though he’d eventually married a fine woman, and though he’d loved Evelyn with all his heart, C.J. had never stopped loving Merrilee, had never stopped thinking about her.
It wasn’t until too late that he’d learned through the grapevine that Merrilee’s marriage was a loveless one. When he’d first returned from Nam, he couldn’t bring himself to interfere with what he assumed was a happy, healthy marriage. He certainly hadn’t wanted to put himself between her and her new husband. It had seemed easier on both of them—and fairer to her—to simply let her believe he’d been killed during the war. And later, when C.J. gleaned the truth about Merrilee’s relationship with Weston, he had Evelyn and his girls.
About a year after he lost Evelyn to cancer, he’d thought about finding Merrilee. But by then, he’d lost track.
A few months later, he’d read about her successful resort in the Florida Keys, and the next thing he knew, he’d signed on as the company pilot.
You are a crazy old fool. He grinned. Maybe he was. But he intended to give this his best shot, to make it up to her. He wanted Merrilee to know she was still special and loved—and always had been.
In the right-hand seat, his passenger shifted, her eyes fluttering open.
“Welcome back,” he said. “How are you feeling, Ms. Cartwright?”
She smiled. “Kyra, please. And I’m much better, Mr….”
“Miller,” he said, reminding her. “C. J. Miller.”
She shifted her arm, revealing the notebook on her lap. He caught a glimpse of a few neatly printed items running down the page, each one with a checkmark beside it: plane ticket, cab fare, tip for bellboy, magazine for plane, undies and makeup in carry-on.
He glanced out the side window to hide his grin, deciding that more and more she reminded him of his daughter. When he turned back, she seemed a little less nervous than before.
She looked up at him, her gray eyes wide. “I still can’t believe we’re just going to land on the water.”
“Believe me, ma’am, in this type of plane, you don’t want me bringing it down on land.”
“Well, I did come to Fantasies, Inc. for an adventure.” Her laugh was warm and cheerful, but the way she twisted her hands in her lap suggested that she was simply doing a good job of hiding her nerves.
“I promise I know what I’m doing.”
She glanced down, sheepish, and untangled her hands. “Sorry. It’s not… I mean, it’s true I’m not crazy about small planes, but…” She trailed off, rolling one shoulder in a half-shrug.
He grinned. “But that’s not all you’re nervous about.”
Her hesitant smile was answer enough. “I guess you see a lot of this,” she said. “Guests, that is, scared silly of their own fantasy.”
“Not too many. Nervous, yes, I’ve seen a lot of that.” He turned to face her. “Are you? Scared, I mean.”
She pondered the question. “No, I suppose not. Not really. Not about this, anyway.” She looked down at the hands she was again twisting in her lap. “I’ve made up my mind to get married soon, and I suppose I’m a little nervous about that. But I’ve gone over all the pros and cons.” She clutched the spiral notebook to her chest. “I’m sure I’m doing the right thing. But I guess I still need a week alone before I do it.”
“That makes perfect sense to me.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Thanks.” She smiled, almost shyly. “I have to admit, I’m terribly curious as to how everything is going to come together. But I trust Ms. Weston.”
He nodded, trying to convey a wealth of understanding and support in his simple gesture. “You should. Merrilee would never steer you wrong.”
This time her smile was grateful. “I could tell that about her right off.” She frowned, as if trying to decide whether or not to say more. “I told my dad and my brother that I was going to a business conference. Sometimes I wonder what they’d say if they knew I was vacationing at a fantasy resort. I suppose they’d think I’m being silly and self-indulgent.”
He wanted to tell her that the one thing she needed to do was follow her heart. Instead, he simply smiled. “No, not silly at all. I think you’re being honest.” He reached over and patted her hand. “If you were my daughter I’d be proud. It takes a lot of guts to realize there may be other paths our lives can take. There’s nothing selfish about wanting to rack up a few experiences before moving on to the next phase of your life.”
“Thank you,” she said, her words almost a sigh.
“You’re welcome. And thanks for keeping me company during the flight.”
“Some company.” She laughed, her cheeks flushing. “Unless I talk in my sleep.”
He matched her laugh, then nodded out the window at the water rising up to meet them. “Ready?”
She raised her eyebrows. “Do I have a choice?”
“Not unless you feel like parachuting.”
“Then by all means, Mr. Miller, take us down.”
Water landings were always choppy, but this one was smoother than most, and C.J. congratulated himself for not shaking Kyra up any more than necessary. He taxied to the dock, then killed the engine as the staff moored the plane and opened Kyra’s door. C.J. slid out of his seat and climbed into the back of the plane, gathering her luggage and passing it out the back door to Stuart, one of the college kids who did odd jobs during the summer months.
Ducking to keep from whacking his head on the doorframe, he climbed out of the plane, careful not to slip on the wet dock. When he stood up, there she was.
His Merrilee. Standing right there in front of him. Just as beautiful, just as vibrant, as he’d remembered her. Over the past few weeks, he’d seen her, sure. But not this close, so close he could almost smell her perfume. White Shoulders. For decades, his eyes had scoured the room whenever he caught that scent, but never once had he found Merrilee. Until now.
He realized she was smiling at him, one hand held out for him to take. He grasped hers firmly, glad for the glasses and cap, wondering if she had even an inkling as to who he really was.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” she said, the curl of her fingers over his wreaking havoc with his head. “I’ve been trying to come by and welcome you to the Fantasies family, but we seem to keep missing each other.”
“Fancy that,” he mumbled.
“Yes. Well…” She took her hand back, then cocked her head slightly, her eyes lingering on him before she finally blinked. “At any rate, please come by the office later and let’s schedule a time to talk. I like to take every employee through an orientation, and you’re long past due.”
&nbs
p; “Of course,” he said, intending no such thing.
Her smile was a little shaky, but when she turned to Kyra, her professional demeanor was back in place. “I’m sure you’re going to enjoy your stay.”
“I know I will,” Kyra said. She nodded toward C.J. “And thanks again, Mr. Miller. I especially appreciated the landing.”
With a grin, he tapped the brim of his cap, his finger hesitating there when he noticed the puzzled expression on Merrilee’s face.
“Ma’am?”
Her cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry. It’s nothing. You just…you remind me of someone. But, no, that’s silly. It’s not…” She trailed off, then shook herself, standing straighter as C.J. marveled at the poised, confident woman she’d become. “Never mind,” she said and took Kyra’s arm. “Stuart will take you to your cabin. After you’re settled, we’ll have dinner and I’ll give you a brief orientation.”
C.J. watched Merrilee guide the younger woman down the dock toward the waiting Jeep, his stomach in knots. There had been a spark of recognition in her eyes, extinguished by disappointment when she remembered what she believed to be the truth—that her Charlie was lost to her forever.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm the dogfight going on in his stomach. Soon, he’d tell her the truth. And maybe, just maybe, they still had a chance to make both their fantasies come true.
CHAPTER 1
FROM HER cabana doorway, Kyra looked out over the private beach, watching as the tropical sun reflected off the near-white sand, and the froth from the breaking waves launched tiny rainbows into the sky. The place fairly sparkled with magic, dripping with possibility and promise.
The perfect place for a fantasy.
A shiver of anticipation tingled up her spine, and she hugged herself. “This is it, kid,” she whispered. “Now or never.”
With a determined tug, she pulled the jacket of her favorite Anne Klein suit over her shoulders and tossed it into the corner. One quick tug on the zipper and the rest of the outfit followed, the skirt falling to the ground in a pile of fine linen.