THE ISLAND IS CALLED Saffron Isle, named after Jeff’s late grandmother Saffron Vandercourt. It’s shaped like a letter S from above and has the whitest beach I’ve ever seen. The beauty of it lessens my fear that Venezuela is just a three-hour flight away. But I know I’m safe. Jeff is with me. He brought four men with us who I suspect are his bodyguards.

The nap on the plane has recharged me. Jeff was so sweet to let me sleep in his luxurious jet’s cabin. I was out like a baby for more than two hours.

He woke me up gently when we have finally landed. I didn’t even feel the plane touch down. The island is equipped with its own air strip.

Ah, the lifestyle of the fabulously wealthy is overwhelming. They can just leave the country on the fly without too much worries.

The villa is sprawling and simply breathtaking. Perched on the highest point of the island, its architecture is one with nature, nestled in between trees and natural rock formations. I was already in awe of Everland but this villa is a tropical haven. It’s made of stone, bricks, hardwood and whitewashed walls.

The villa’s staff welcomes us warmly. Indeed, they’ve been expecting us. They are elated to see Jeff they all hugged him.

We enter the villa.

Vast open spaces dominate the interior as air freely comes in and out. Light pours in from the tall windows that line the villa’s perimeter giving an almost 360-degree view of the entire island.

The living room is a spacious lounging area. Padded recliners and sectional sofas covered in white fabrics and filled with colorful throw pillow with tribal designs are clustered here and there. Huge tapestries adorn the white walls. Sisal rugs and Turkish carpets cover parts of the buffed granite floor.

“What do you think?” Jeff asks me.

What do I think? Is he kidding me? I never thought I could ever set foot in a place like this. A private island with a fabulous villa. It’s so hard not to be swept into a Cinderella moment.

His arms wrap around me from behind. I freeze. Just a little.

“Like it?”

“It’s…it’s beautiful, Jeff. Your homes are beautiful.” I tell him with a bit more emotion than I intended.

“Relax, Mara,” he murmurs in my ear, nuzzling my neck. Goosebumps erupt all over my skin. He hasn’t touched me like this since our kiss at the balcony, and now he’s doing so freely again.

I sigh and lean back against his chest, trying to calm my nerves. I have to get used to his touch. He’d be doing more than this later.

“Good. I want you to feel at home here.”

“Do you come here often?”

“Not so much in the past months.”

I wonder about his family. They have these awesome places to go to and they are hardly together.

“How many people live on this island?”

“More than a dozen families, plus a score of free-spirits who want to live an idyllic life. Roughly, fifty people. They have their own houses somewhere on the island.”

“Wow, that many? They all work for you, I suppose?”

“Yeah. This is a small community of very happy people. This island is actually income-generating. I’ll show you later.”

Two men come into the living room carrying our luggage.

Jeff lets me go.

“You go ahead to our room, freshen up if you like. I’ll go talk to the staff and check the island. Come down after an hour or so. We’ll have dinner at six. You’ll love the sunset here.”

I smile at him. He’s so considerate and sweet. No wonder Mama Zon adores him. “Okay, I’ll see you in a bit.”

The two men walk toward the stairs.

“Follow them,” Jeff tells me. He looks so relaxed now.

He’s getting even more gorgeous every passing hour. It’s his smile. They come more and more often, disarming all of my defenses.

Heart fluttering, I turn around and rush after the two guys. We climb a winding stairs made of huge slabs of hardwood. The guardrails are made of glass and buffed stainless steel. I’m not an architecture nut but I’m in awe of the details of this villa. So modern and yet charmingly rustic.

We reach the second level. My eyes are arrested by the fine details I’m seeing. More tapestries. Sculptures. Murals. I’ll need more time to scrutinize the artworks later.

There are two hallways converging into a spacious lounging area at the center. One of the men open the double doors at the end of the hallway in the west wing.

I gasp faintly. “Oh wow.”

The spectacular view of the blue ocean greets me immediately. Again, tall windows everywhere. The white drapes are dancing with the soft breeze, giving a very tranquil ambiance.

I get a glimpse of the huge four-poster bed on one side of the room. It has a white gossamer fabric hanging over it. The white sheets are quite inviting. It must be so good to snuggle into such luxurious fabrics, but I avert my eyes from it.

The guys give me a respectful nod and leave the room, closing the doors quietly.

I walk toward the balcony and find that the beach can be accessed from here through a stone stairs. The room is wide open and yet I know somehow it’s very private.

This is Jeff’s room and I’ll be sharing it with him for as long as he wants.

I feel comforted by this beautiful place. Indeed, Jeff is treating me well. I didn’t even expect that I would live with him. We could have just done the deed in some impersonal space like a hotel in some remote area and wait for the result, but he’s making a huge effort not to make me feel like I’m merely an instrument and a vessel for this baby-making project. It’s as though we’re lovers who at least care for one another. I feel grateful for his consideration.

I inspect the room with joy blossoming in my heart. I shouldn’t make it too hard on myself. I can learn to enjoy the process as Jeff put it. I must make it work so that we’ll both get what we want in the end.

I go into the bathroom. The door opens into a spacious walk-in closet that resembles a boutique, with shelves and cabinets and full-length mirrors all around.

I can see part of the bathroom. I walk further inward. A tub is situated in one corner with a view of the ocean. There’s a shower stall made of glass on three sides. I’ve never taken a shower in a cubicle where one can see me inside from almost all angles! I can even see the sky above! The roof is glass. This is probably the only place in the villa that is very high-tech in design, and I’d bet, the kitchen.

This bathroom is so grand I almost don’t want to touch anything lest I ruin its perfection.

I pick up a soap from a basket full of colorful bars and bring a shell-shaped one to my nose. I don’t know what kind of scent it is but it smells like heaven.

I smile. No, I shouldn’t make it too hard on myself. I can pretend I’m the lady of the house and Jeffery Vandercourt is my man.

The thought settles in my heart like magic. I sigh deeply, feeling light for the first time since yesterday.

I decide to take a scented bath.