Secret Fantasy
Juliette Stanton is ten minutes away from vowing to love, honor and cherish a scheming mobster-connected liar. For the rest of her life.And so with the media watching her every move, the high-profile senator's daughter flees her own wedding. Dubbed "Chicago's Runaway Bride," Juliette needs somewhere to hide out, and heal her broken heart. So she heads to a "fantasy island" and pays big bucks for anonymity and the chance to meet an honest man who'll love her for who she really is. Total fantasy, right?Day one, she falls for tall, dark-haired, ocean-blue-eyed Doug Houston. He's everything she's ever wanted. Except he's not exactly who he says he is, either….
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Praise for the novels of
CARLY PHILLIPS
“Fast-paced and fabulously fun, Carly Phillips entertains with witty dialogue and delightful characters.”
—New York Times bestselling author Rachel Gibson
“Popular Phillips’ first attempt at romantic suspense should be eagerly received by her loyal readership, and the denouement hints at a future romance for Hunter as well.”
—Booklist on Cross My Heart
“Who doesn’t love a reunion of long-lost loves? Add a diabolical villain as Carly Phillips does and you have everything you need for a beach read.”
—Columbus Dispatch on Cross My Heart
“Contemporary pizzazz with a good old-fashioned happily ever after.”
—Michelle Buonfiglio, Romance: B(u)y the Book, WNBC.com/romance
“Cross My Heart engages readers with a light and perky story that will absorb you from start to finish…. You’ll be smiling while you read the book, and grinning when you finish.”
—Lezlie Patterson, MCT News Service
“Phillips has penned a charming, fast-paced contemporary romp.”
—Booklist on Hot Item
“A great summer read that should not be missed.”
—BookReporter.com on Hot Item
“A sassy treat full of titillating twists sure to ring your (wedding) bell.”
—Playgirl on The Bachelor
“A titillating read…on a scale of one to five: a high five for fun, ease of reading and sex—actually I would’ve given it a six for sex if I could have.”
—Kelly Ripa on The Bachelor
Carly Phillips
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Secret Fantasy
CONTENTS
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
PROLOGUE
MERRILEE SCHAEFER-WESTON flipped through the freshly delivered paperwork on her desk. The file in her hand held detailed information on Juliette Stanton—her likes, dislikes, dress size and even shoe size. Everything and anything necessary to prepare and make a woman’s fantasy come true. Juliette Stanton, otherwise known as Chicago’s Runaway Bride, was an unwilling public figure thanks to the scandal surrounding her aborted wedding and her illustrious senator father’s reputation. Now she was a client of Fantasies, Inc.
Merrilee read the first question she posed to all clients, though she knew the words by heart. What is your fantasy?
The answer always proved to be elusive. In Juliette Stanton’s case: To experience the luxury of being catered to and doted upon by a very special man. To feel desirable, be the center of his universe and forget the hurt of a broken engagement.
Now this was what Fantasies, Inc. was all about. Merrilee’s four lush island resorts were founded for the express purpose of making people’s dreams, wishes and longings come true. And though she could give Juliette only what she sought, Merrilee always tried to go that one step further, by giving her guests a happier ending than she, herself, had had.
A knock sounded at the door, calling her attention. She rose, expecting her ten o’clock appointment. “Come in.”
The door opened and a tall, imposing-looking man entered the room. “Mr. Houston?” At his nod, she gestured for him to enter. “I’m Merrilee Schaefer-Weston. Welcome to Secret Fantasy. I hope you had a good flight?”
He settled himself in the chair in front of her desk. “Perfect. Call me Doug, please.” He treated her to a charming grin that no doubt worked wonders on any eligible, breathing younger woman.
She braced her hands on the desk and got to the point. “I assume you have a fantasy you want fulfilled?”
“Doesn’t everybody?”
“Thanks to this business I’ve discovered that to be true.”
Though he laughed, Merrilee recognized his reluctance to talk. “Would you prefer to tour the island before revealing your fantasy?”
He shook his head and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I’m a reporter for the Chicago Tribune.”
Interesting, Merrilee thought. And as she looked into his eyes, she realized his discomfort was real. “Go on, please.”
He cleared his throat. “I’m coming off a relationship that ended badly. I was involved with a woman for the last two years but I wasn’t ready to commit. I didn’t tell her that though.” He ran a hand through his black hair. “Still, I thought things were going well—but appearances can be deceiving.”
“And relationships can be messy and sometimes unpleasant.”
“You understand.”
She nodded. More than he knew. She glanced at the thin band of gold and rubies encircling the third finger on her right hand—a symbol of the love she’d had too briefly and lost as a result of the Vietnam War. Her life hadn’t gone as planned, but then whose did? Fate generally took over. “How does your recent past relate to your present desire?” she asked Doug.
“My ex and I shared business and pleasure. We had fun and because she was well-connected in certain social circles, I trusted her information.” He shook his head, his frustration obvious.
“I take it she wasn’t reliable?”
“She was reliable until she asked outright when I’d be ready to get married. I wasn’t. But she seemed to accept it well, or so I thought. But she decided I was using her and fed me information that, inexplicably, I could no longer confirm once my story ran.” His lips twisted in a wry grin. “The typical woman scorned.”
