Fresh Temptation

board the Monarch Enterprises private jet at promptly six-thirty the next morning. And Alexis did so, without question.
    The three hour flight passed quickly. Alexis was alone in the plane’s cabin with champagne, magazines, and movies to keep her busy. Most of her time was spent re-reading the note and fantasizing about Victor. She was determined not to make him feel badly about the past few months. He had finally come to his senses, just like she knew he would all along. He had to find a lover to rebound after their break-up. But Cara Green was now living in Chicago, and today’s trip was obvious proof that the relationship was over. All it took was a little distance… Alexis smiled proudly at how well her hard work had paid off.
    It must have been when I jumped in his arms…he couldn’t stop thinking about me, holding me and loving me again. The thought made her giddy.
    But a chill of concern crawled up her spine when the plane landed and she took notice of the tiny airport. Something wasn’t right. The dusty old building was small and unkempt, practically rural. It looked so desolate beside the beautiful blue ocean.
    The pilot smiled and helped load her bags into the back of an old Jeep and said something in Spanish to the driver before turning back to the jet.
    “Wait!” Alexis stood outside the vehicle, afraid to get in.
    “Yes?” The pilot turned around.
    “Is this safe?” With a hand over her eyes to block out the sun, Alexis nodded toward the long dirt road where the vehicle was set to drive. The road was narrow and winding, running parallel to the ocean and disappearing a short way off in the distance.
    The pilot gave the area a quick glance. “Yes, it’ll be fine. The driver’s taking you to a villa a few miles away.”
    “Oh.” Alexis smiled. “So, this is Victor Barboza’s private island?”
    “Something like that. I don’t know the details. I do know we have a trip scheduled to pick you up in a week unless otherwise notified. You can leave earlier if someone radios the mainland.” He started toward his plane, and over his shoulder nodded quickly at Alexis and said, “Good day, ma’am.”
    Someone has to radio the mainland to get me out of here? Startled by this revelation, she hesitantly took a seat in the back of the Jeep. The driver stepped on the gas, kicking up dirt and gravel under their wheels just as she was pulling out her cell phone. No signal. She continued to stare at it, waiting for those lines to appear. Her eyes were often distracted by the beautiful deep blue ocean to her right. To her left, the landscape was dotted with rocks and sand and the occasional ramshackle hut.
    Alexis tapped on the driver’s shoulder. “Where are you taking me? How much farther?”
    The driver shook his head and pointed up the road, uttering a word that sounded like, “ Cuanto .”
    A few minutes later they rounded a corner and there was a building—the first structure that looked at least semi-habitable to Alexis. It resembled a giant sandcastle, but there were tropical trees in front of it, and it had walls that looked sturdy and well-built.
    Alexis exhaled with great relief. When the vehicle stopped, she jumped out, leaving the driver to carry her bags to the door as she ran toward the building, her heart pounding furiously as she anticipated the opulence awaiting her with Victor inside.
    As she reached the door, she heard a familiar voice from the side of the building.
    “ Alexis, mi amor! ”
    Oh no. She turned to the bare-chested man she saw running toward her out of the corner of her eye.
    Esteban.
    Her mind reeled as she attempted to process the situation with a gleeful Esteban rambling away in front of her. Their affair ended soon after Victor caught them together. Alexis hadn’t seen Esteban in several months.
    “ Mi princesa, mi amor. He esperado mucho por ti. Vamos adentro. Quiero llenarte de besos placenteros …”
    Alexis slowly began to cry as she watched the driver silently carry her bags inside the dwelling.
    “What is wrong?” Esteban put his hands on her shoulders, a sweet look of concern on his tanned, chiseled face. “You don’t want to be here?”
    “Um…I…um…”
    “Oh, mi amor .” He took one of her hands and placed it against his smooth, bare chest. His voice was soft. “My heart wants you. Perdona …” He stopped and let out a grunt of frustration. “My English suffers, mi amor . The locals, they speak Spanish.”
    “Locals?”
    Alexis