Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

" I t's time you were married," Erica's father announced from behind his massive desk. A big man, his suit custom tailored to hide the fact that muscle had long since turned to fat, he was the epitome of a successful lawyer. Every expensive detail of his imposing office shouted his credentials.

He made the statement the same way he said everything—as if there could be no possible doubt that he was correct. That confidence served him well when he appeared in court, but it had the opposite effect on her.

She stared at him in appalled horror. "Why would you say that? I'm not even dating anyone."

"You could be." His eyes traveled over her dismissively. "If you put some effort into making yourself attractive."

Her nails dug into her palms. He meant if she spent hours on her hair and nails and makeup, like his fourth wife—the one who was the same age as Erica. He conveniently ignored the fact that she spent almost every waking hour working. For him.

Ignoring the familiar argument, she returned to his original statement. "Why do you want me to get married?"

"I need an heir. Someone to carry on this firm when I'm gone."

Her teeth clenched. "What about me?"

He waved a dismissive hand. "I mean a male heir."

"Then why don't you get Melody to give you one?" she asked, keeping her voice level.

He frowned. "She has been a disappointment in that regard."

Since Erica suspected that his young wife was taking birth control, she barely managed to stop herself from rolling her eyes.

"And anyway, despite her other faults, your mother was an intelligent woman. You come from good stock."

The mention of her mother caused the familiar pang. She couldn't really blame her mother for leaving, but she wished she'd been strong enough to fight for Erica to accompany her. Then again, her father's wealth and power made him a formidable opponent. But Erica wasn't about to give into this latest outrageous demand.

"I have no intention of getting married."

"You will do as I say or that precious charity of yours will not receive one more penny of my money."

She winced. The small facility devoted to rehabilitating wild animals was her one escape from work, the one place she could escape her father's constant demands, and they were in desperate need of a new medical clinic. Her father paid her a decent salary—although far less than he would have paid a male employee—and she had little opportunity to spend it. But she didn't have enough to cover the cost of the clinic.

"You promised me."

His eyes gleamed triumphantly. "I thought that would get your attention. I've drawn up a list of acceptable candidates. I will allow you to choose one," he added, gracious now that he had made his point.

"What if none of them want to marry me?"

"Turn down an opportunity to be part of the Cunningham empire? Of course they won't." He looked her over again. "But for God's sake, get some decent clothes and make an effort to look like an attractive woman for once."

A month later, Erica barely managed to make it into her apartment without slamming her latest suitor's hand in the door. She leaned against the closed door, her knees shaking. For a moment there, she really thought that Ronald wasn't going to take no for an answer.

As she turned away from the door, she saw her reflection in the entryway mirror and she shuddered. Her father had provided the dress—with strict orders that she wear it—and it would no doubt have looked stunning on Melody's curves. On Erica, the long, straight silk slip only accentuated the size of her hips and the meagerness of her breasts. Even the color, a dark gold, gave her creamy skin a sallow hue.

"All of which only confirms that Ronald was more interested in Father's money than in me," she muttered.

With a tired sigh, she stripped off the jewels her father had also insisted she wear, unfastened her cloud of frizzy brown hair from the too-tight updo, and headed for bed.

The phone rang before she made it.

"How did it go?" her father demanded.

"It was terrible. Ronald practically raped me."

To her horror, her father actually chuckled. "That's a good sign. He must be interested."

"No, it's not a good sign. And I'm certainly not interested in anyone who won't listen when I say no."

She could almost hear him shrug over the phone. "That's what makes him a good negotiator. I think he's the best candidate yet."

"I don't, and I have no intention of seeing him again."

"You will do as I say, my girl, or you can forget about your precious animals getting their new facility."

He hung up before she could respond, leaving her staring at the phone in despair.

As much as it would break her heart not to be able to provide the funds for the new clinic, she couldn't bear the thought of another date with Ronald. She shuddered at the thought of his hand closing painfully over her breast as he tried to force her lips apart. No.

Tomorrow, she would inform her father that she refused to go on any more of his arranged dates. And if he reacted as she expected, perhaps she would finally summon up the courage to quit. A smile actually curved her lips as she scrubbed her face and pulled on her comfortably worn nightshirt. She had hung on this long out of misplaced loyalty and a foolish desire to win his approval. She had to face the fact that it was never going to happen.

An unexpected sense of relief washed over her. Yes, it was time to leave. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea. She would turn in her resignation, and then she would finally go on that vacation she had been postponing for the past five years. A little sun, a little sand, a few umbrella drinks…

She drifted off to sleep already envisioning the sound of the waves.

The slow susurrus of the waves filled her ears as she floated awake, and she smiled. Her dreams had been filled with visions of palm trees and sandy beaches, and she could still picture herself there.

Then a cool froth of water swept over her bare foot, and her eyes flew open.

She wasn't dreaming. She was lying on a curve of pink beach while the remnants of a small wave retreated from her foot and rejoined a deep purple ocean.

Where the hell was she? She had never seen water that color before, let alone the long blue leaves that dripped from a palm-like tree.

She looked around frantically, half-expecting to see a camera hidden amidst the strange vegetation, but there was nothing. No one. She was completely alone.

Perhaps that should have bothered her more, but at least her father wasn't part of this dream. Or Ronald.

And it had to be a dream, didn't it? Even if the water rushing over her foot had felt as real as the sand beneath her butt. Her naked butt.

What had happened to her clothes?

"I know I said I wanted a vacation, but this wasn't what I had in mind." A hysterical giggle escaped her lips. "Where are the umbrella drinks? Where's the cabana boy?"

As if in response to her words, a man—no, not a man —started to rise from the ocean. Gleaming blue-scaled skin, almost iridescent in the sunlight, covered a huge, muscular body. Nictitating membranes slid back to reveal a fiery silver gaze, fastened directly on her.

As he strode out of the water, she realized that he too was completely naked. A massive appendage hung heavily between his legs, and she could have sworn it started to grow as she looked. She yanked her gaze back to his face and saw him grin, revealing a mouth full of very sharp, white teeth. He lifted a hand containing a long wooden spear with a gleaming silver tip.

Oh, hell no. He was most definitely not a cabana boy, and she was getting out of here right now. With a squeak of dismay, she ran, praying he wouldn't chase her.