their own individual abilities, and a sense of pride for what they accomplished in their quest to win. On a more personal level, her fondest wish was that her guests made a more intimate connection with their partner. Sometimes love happened during the course of fun and games, and other times the couple parted as friends. Either way, everyone was guaranteed a good time, along with a personal fantasy request of their own to be fulfilled during their stay.
Merrilee had received many letters from her guests about the Wild Fantasy Charity Event she hosted, thanking her for not only her generosity in helping various charities, but for bringing someone special into their lives. Soul mates had met and fallen in love with a little direction and guidance provided by the event.
Merrilee sighed, knowing exactly how it felt to connect with someone who was intrinsically part of your soul. For her, that person had been Charlie Miller, a man who’d captured her heart, then died in the Vietnam war before they could begin a life together. The personal loss had left her empty deep inside, the kind of devastating void not even her marriage to Oliver Weston had been able to fill.
Recollections of Charlie Miller prompted thoughts of C. J. Miller, the new, evasive employee who’d been hired on as Fantasies, Inc.’s commuter pilot. There was something about the man that kindled a warmth and the kind of forbidden desire she hadn’t experienced in too many years to count. Absently, she fingered the heart-shaped ruby necklace she wore, a gift from an “admirer” whose identity remained elusive—just as elusive as C. J. Miller.
Wild Fantasy. Where anything goes and anything is possible.
The phrase echoed in Merrilee’s mind and called upon a fantasy or two of her own. Maybe it was time for her to see what was possible, and discover who, exactly, C. J. Miller was.
Feeling a spark of excitement, she approved the ad copy, then attached a note to Danielle and let the words she wrote be her guide as well.
Let the Wild Fantasy begin.
1
HE’D RECOGNIZE that thick tumble of honey-blond hair and incredible body made for sin anywhere.
Eyes riveted to the enticing sight, Mitch Lassiter watched the long-legged beauty follow the hostess across the crowded dining area of the country club where he was waiting for his mother to arrive for their lunch date. Dressed in a coral-colored cotton tank dress that accentuated her golden summer tan and enhanced her lush, toned figure, she effortlessly captured the attention of every red-blooded male in the near vicinity.
Her stride was confident, the sway of her hips inherently graceful. An affable smile tilted her lips as she connected with various appreciative gazes. Yet for all her outward friendliness and warmth, there was something elusive about her that kept Mitch guessing about the real woman beneath the easygoing, independent facade.
Nicole Britton. Bold and spirited, wild and impetuous, and sexy as hell with a competitive streak a mile wide. He’d known her for the past seven years, ever since their mothers had become good friends and had discovered her competitive nature a few years ago at a family get-together when she’d invited him to play a game of pool. Winning had been her sole focus. Assertive and controlled during her shots, yet tempting and teasing him with her overtly flirtatious behavior during his, she’d claimed victory…three times in a row.
Despite losing, the evening had been one of the most enjoyable he could recall in recent memory. His Executive Fleet Auto Sales business and family obligations had consumed his life since his father’s death, leaving little time to indulge in fun, or even a relationship with a woman. But that night he’d nearly given into the undeniable attraction between them and asked her out on a date, until he’d caught their mothers watching them with a little too much interest. He knew what a mistake it would be to give either one of their parents any reason to hope or believe their involvement would lead to something serious and lasting.
At the time, Mitch hadn’t been looking for anything binding or long-term, and judging by Nicole’s carefree, noncommittal attitude since her breakup with an up-and-coming city councilman about a year before, he was fairly positive she felt the same. In a split second he considered the possible strain to their mothers’ friendship if things didn’t work out between him and Nicole. He also considered the unwanted pressure and expectations that might be placed on either of them if they were to become involved. With these factors in mind, he had resolved to keep things between them casual, amicable and uncomplicated the whole way around.
But that decision hadn’t stopped him from wanting her. And it certainly hadn’t curbed Nicole’s inclination to tease and flirt with him when they were together, which only served to build and heighten the sexual tension between them.
He shook those thoughts from his mind just as Nicole turned her head in his direction, causing her silky, shoulder-length hair to ripple with shimmering highlights. Vibrant green eyes searched the area and came to an abrupt stop on him seconds before the hostess halted beside his table.
Surprise lit her gaze and a slow, beguiling smile curved her mouth. “Fancy meeting you here, Mitchell,” she drawled, her tone infused with familiar sass.
He inclined his head in greeting and smiled easily in return, feeling that beginning tingle of sexual chemistry the two of them generated whenever they were near each other. “It’s nice to see you again, Nicole.”
Very nice, indeed. Up close, she not only looked spectacular and incredibly sexy, but smelled soft and feminine, with a hint of warm, ripe apricot—an intoxicating, alluring combination that clenched his stomach muscles with heated awareness.
With effort, he shifted his gaze back to the hostess. “I’m here to have lunch with my mother, Heather. I think you’ve directed Ms. Britton to the wrong table.”
“Oh, no, Mr. Lassiter.” The young girl shook her head emphatically and placed another menu on the table. “Your mother and Mrs. Britton reserved a table together and instructed me to seat you both if they didn’t arrive first.”
Mitch watched Heather return to the front of the restaurant, letting her words sink in. “That’s…interesting,” he murmured, returning his gaze to his new table guest.
Nicole looked just as taken aback by the girl’s announcement but slipped into the vacant seat next to Mitch to await their mothers. “Interesting, to say the least, considering I was expecting to have lunch with my mother.” She hooked the thin leather strap of her purse over the back of her chair, then straightened in her seat to face him again. “She called this morning and insisted she had something important to talk to me about.”
“Same with my mother,” he replied wryly. “I can’t imagine what the two of them are up to that they’d both conveniently forget to mention a foursome.”
A naughty twinkle entered her gaze as she lowered her voice to a husky, teasing timbre for his ears only. “A twosome would be much more pleasurable, wouldn’t you say?”
Heat rushed through him at her daring double entendre and, though he knew she was merely toying with him as she always enjoyed doing, he toyed right back. “Oh, most definitely. What do you say you and I slip out the back door and sate our hunger privately?”
“Ummm.” The word rumbled provocatively in her throat, and she laced her fingers beneath her chin and considered his suggestion for a moment. “Sounds like a decadent proposition, but I don’t think our mothers would appreciate walking in on the gossip we’d leave behind.”
He laughed softly,
