by Cherry Kay
Mark seemed to relax a fraction at that news and he picked out a strawberry from the bowl of fruit.
“Ari, if you even hear him again, you call me and then the cops okay?” Mark said, his expression was deadly serious as he repeated what he told Ari before.
“Okay,” Ari said, her heart swelling even more for Mark. He really did love her! “Mark…” Ari called his attention from the fruit bowl; he seemed to want to pick out only the nicest looking fruit to feed her. He was being too perfect again. Mark looked at her expectantly, a smile touching his lips. “I love you… and you can spend forever with me if you really want to,” Ari said with a teasing smile.
Mark forgot all about the fruit and tackled Ari onto the pillows. Mark, sex, and fruit… Ari could definitely live like that forever.
***
As Ari and Mark mulled over their dinner plans after a full afternoon of sex, Ari’s sister Sandy called her.
“Hey, I thought I’d remind you of the dinner party we planned for Lisa, it’s starting in an hour and you’re not at Mom’s helping us set up.” Sandy said when Ari picked up the call. Ari sat straight up in bed.
“Oh my goodness, I almost forgot!” Ari climbed over Mark and hurried into the bathroom for a quick shower.
“Yeah, you did forget, I just reminded you… which I can’t really blame you as I know Mark is back and he must be keeping you quite busy,” Sandy said with a chuckle to her voice.
“Okay, I’ll—we’ll be there in thirty minutes!” Ari said before hurrying off the phone with Sandy. Before Ari got into the shower, she remembered she left Mark confused in bed. She hurried back into the bedroom to remind him about the dinner party. Mark decided that the best way to save time was to shower with Ari. Needless to say, they were actually ten minutes late rather than a half hour early.
“Oh, there you are! I thought my own sister forgot about my birthday,” Lisa said as Ari came through the front door with Lisa’s present. Mark was outside on a business call he had to take and Ari thought it would be better if she broke the news of their getting back together before shoving Mark in everyone’s faces, though Sandy already knew. Ari hugged Lisa and wished her happy birthday while handing her the present Ari and Mark picked out together. It was certificate for a paid spa day Lisa could use any time, nestled inside Lisa’s new Louis Vuitton purse.
“Ooh, this bag is heavy, I wonder what’s inside! Do you know my husband bought us a trip to Paris?” Ari laughed while nodding, she did know, it’s why she bought Lisa the purse to match with her trip. “Well come on, we’re all having drinks in the family room. Did you know Sandy really hit it off with the guy from Marcus’s firm, Kevin? She brought him as a date.”
“Oh, Lisa, I have to tell you something really quick,” Ari said while holding onto Lisa’s arm before she could disappear into the house. Lisa looked at Ari expectantly and Ari couldn’t help but smile like a girl in love. “Mark came back, he’s here.”
Lisa’s expression changed from curious to shocked and happy within the breadth of a second.
“Oh my goodness! Ari! I’m so happy for you!” Lisa exclaimed while hugging her sister tight. The girls’ mom, Marie, peeked into the foyer curiously and walked in to greet Ari.
“We thought you had forgotten all about your family, good to see you remembered your own sister’s birthday,” Ari’s mom teased while Lisa let Ari go so she could kiss her mom on the cheek.
“Mom, I’m seeing someone, his name is Mark Robinson, yes that Mark Robinson, and he’s here so you’ll get to meet him today,” Ari said all on one breath. She smiled innocently at her mother and held her breath in case Marie decided she was a terrible daughter for not telling her she was seeing a man.
“Oh darling, I know, Sandy told me all about him. Where is he?”
Ari released a breath, her concern deflating at her mom’s pleasant tone. She wasn’t even annoyed with Ari. Maybe Sandy told her the whole story then.
“Right here. Hello, I’m Mark, it’s a pleasure to meet you, miss.”
Ari smiled, Mark hadn’t called her mom “ma’am” he already had a few points in his favor. Mark further impressed both her and Lisa by kissing Marie on both cheeks and smiling at her warmly.
“It is wonderful to meet you too, Mark. You can call me Miss Marie,” Ari’s mom said while smiling up at Mark, loving him already. Ari wondered who couldn’t love Mark with all his charm. Ari introduced Mark to Lisa and he wished her happy birthday with a hug and joked with her that he picked out her gift all on his own.
They all moved into the family room for drinks and Ari formally introduced Brooklyn and Mark. Brooklyn gave Mark the “big brother, I’ll kill you if you hurt her again” speech much to everyone else’s humor and Ari’s embarrassment. Lisa’s birthday dinner went by nicely and Ari couldn’t help but think that Mark would fit perfectly into her family.
Mark
While Ari slept soundly, Mark checked on the ring he ordered from Paris. He spoke softly to the master jeweler while pacing Ari’s living room. Mark managed to sneak and get Ari’s finger measurements while she was unaware… or sleeping rather. Mark wanted his proposal to be perfect. She had already told him that she’ll spend forever with him if Mark wanted. He did want that. He wanted it more than he had ever wanted anything else in his life.
Ari almost caught Mark just as he was hanging up the phone, she came tip-toeing out to the living room, looking all sleepy and adorable in nothing but one of Mark’s white t-shirts.
“You coming back to bed, baby?” Ari asked and Mark smiled, his chest felt like it would explode, he was so happy. Ari was his, all his, and soon she’d be his wife and they could finally start their happily ever after. “Well, all I asked was if you were coming to bed…” Ari said, smiling oddly at him, as if he had a few screws knocked loose. He supposed he did, he was just glad it was Ari that knocked them loose and no one else.
“I’m coming, you just look too sexy right now, and you’re all mine,” Mark said smiling broadly. Ari giggled and squealed when Mark gave chase, scooping her up into his arms and carrying her to bed.
“So when will your business get all settled here?” Ari asked Mark as she snuggled up to him in bed.
Mark sighed feeling content and at ease.
“Well, I found an open office space on the twenty-eighth floor of the Sunbelt building, it’s only ten minutes away from the house on Castilla Isle.” Mark said and Ari nodded thoughtfully. “You know… I want us to move into the Castilla house, but it needs some updates and I want it to be our dream house,” Mark said carefully.
“You want to remodel your house so we can move in together?” Ari asked, surprised. Mark was surprised that she was surprised; surely she must have seen that coming. Mark wanted to be with her, they couldn’t live in the condo if they were going to get married and have a family together.
“Of course, remember, we’re together forever?” Mark asked clarifying his meaning of forever—he was serious. “Baby, I want you and no one but you. We can’t grow in this condo, it’s really only a bachelorette pad.” Ari giggled and Mark smiled.
“You’re right… I guess I just have to get used to having a man again,” Ari said blissfully. Damn right she had to get used to it. Mark held Ari close while she fell asleep and soon he followed her into their shared sweet dreams of the future.
***
Today Mark had to go and lease the office he found. Other than that, he was free to be with Ari. Since it was a Friday, one of me’s busiest days of the week, Ari would have to go in to work and make sure everything ran smoothly. Mark checked on me’s progress and found Ari was already in the black as far as profits, she was no longer paying back loans, now she was putting money in her pocket. Ari was really smart and great at making lasting connections and her lounge was already an elite favorite. Mark could only imagine how great of an advantage it would be to put another lounge run by Ari in his hotel.
As Mark sipped his coffee and watched Ari as she poured herse
lf a cup. “Ari, have you given more thought to opening up a lounge in my hotel?” Mark asked and Ari pursed her lips before taking a sip of coffee.
“I did, seeing as me is a great success, I would like to open another lounge. Hopefully, we can keep the success going, it all depends on the staff and my managers, really,” Ari said truthfully.
“Well, finding good employees won’t be a problem, and I bet anyone would love to work for you,” Mark said, smiling proudly at Ari.
Ari blushed and they finished their morning coffee in thoughtful silence. Mark was forced to leave Ari as they both had to go do some work. On the way to his new offices, he made calls to New York. Most of his executive staff was able to follow him to south Florida, including their secretarial staff. The few that stayed in New York actually agreed to work out of the hotels they ran so Mark didn’t lose any of his employees. He was grateful to his assistant for managing to keep the panic down and everyone together.
All Mark had to do was sign off on some finishing touches here in Florida, as well as secure a place for his parents, and the more Mark thought about it, the more he figured a condo in Ari’s place would be the perfect size for them. Something with a guest bedroom and they’d be set.
Mark rode to the Sunbelt building; it was impressive and had a view of New River, which Mark couldn’t pass up.
Mark’s car stopped outside the building and he got out to meet the leasing agent on the twenty-eighth floor. Mark stepped into the busy lobby and ran into a fellow hotelier. Mark recognized the tall and fit Ron Windsor. He was in his mid-fifties and had a head of white hair that was a shock against his café au lait skin tone.
“Mark Robinson, what a surprise it is to see you here.” Ron shook Mark’s hand, his dark brown eyes openly curious as to why Mark was there.
“It’s good to see you, Ron. How are you doing these days?”
Ron smiled, one of those carefree smiles that the successful businessman occasionally wore.
“Oh you know, better than most and all that, I can’t complain. I heard your rumored merger with Ivory fell through,” Ron said, feigning contrition, but clearly fishing for the inside scoop from Mark himself.
“Yeah, you know how business goes. I wasn’t as interested in the merger as I thought I would be. It works better in the long run, I’m competition for the old man and he knows that.” Mark grinned and Ron laughed.
“Well good for you, Robinson. So why are you back in Florida?” Ron asked.
Mark grinned; this guy was a real gossip, Mark could tell.
“Well I’m moving my offices, in fact I’m meeting with the leasing agent in ten minutes.”
Ron’s expression changed to that of surprise.
“Big change, so you’re moving into the suite on the twenty-eighth floor then?” Ron verified and Mark nodded.
“Yep, are your offices in this building too?” Mark asked and Ron nodded, smiling slyly.
“Just on the twenty-seventh floor. I have to say, Mark, this makes me think about some things. You know I’m looking to retire soon and my son isn’t nearly ready to take up the reigns of Windsor Resorts yet. How about we set up lunch and talk about a partnership?”
Mark had to admit, Ron was a gossip, but he got right down to business when he wanted to.
“You know what Ron, I’d be open to that idea. Have your assistant set up something for noon today.”
Ron smiled, ideas already running through his mind, Mark could tell from the gleam in his eye. Ron assured Mark he’d see him at noon and Mark rode up to the twenty-eighth floor with a smile. Moving to south Florida had its benefits. Partnering with Windsor’s luxury resorts in exclusive parts of the world, like the south of France, Milan, and Casablanca, would definitely have its benefits. It would make him that much more of a competitor in the industry.
Mark’s meeting with the leasing agent went smoothly and Mark left the Sunbelt with a new office. Now all he had to do was have a designer come and get it ready for his employees.
Mark had enough time to drop in at me and check on Ari before his lunch with Ron. me was busy for day time hours and Mark couldn’t find Ari at first, until he went upstairs and found her at the second bar talking to a bartender. She smiled at the bartender and put her hand on his arm before squeezing it reassuringly and turning away from the guy. Mark grinned at Ari and she smiled, relieved to see him.
“You’re here,” Ari said happily, stretching on her tiptoes to kiss Mark soundly on the lips.
“Of course, I couldn’t go all day without seeing my favorite girl.” Ari smiled girlishly and Mark couldn’t help but kiss her again. “So how is everything going here?” Mark asked and Ari filled him in on the day’s busy events.
me was particularly packed today because they had a few famous guest singers visiting all throughout the day until closing. Ari would be at me until they closed at two in the morning, which Mark pouted over, until Ari reminded him that he could come back later if he wanted.
“All right, I’ll be back a little later then,” Mark promised Ari before kissing her goodbye and leaving her to continue keeping things in order. Mark stepped outside, ready to get into his car when he saw him. Darrel, that fucker just did not get it. Darrel was leaning against the building’s façade and kept glancing at the doors. Darrel spotted Mark and stood up straight, trying to exude an air of aloofness and strength.
Whatever, Mark would show him who was stronger and scare Darrel away for good. Mark walked over to the guy and he stepped back into the shadow of the building, out of the view of the street.
“What part of leave her alone didn’t you get, Darrel?” Mark asked, yelling in the prick’s face, not caring who heard at this point. His patience was tried and he was this close to making Darrel disappear for good. The guy looked gaunt compared to the last time Mark saw him, but he didn’t care, that only made Darrel less of an opponent in a fight.
“I am leaving her alone, Mark, I can’t be on the sidewalk if I want?” Darrel asked, getting in Mark’s face, which was a bad idea. Mark pushed Darrel back against the alley wall harder than he intended, but Mark didn’t really care.
“You’re in front of Ari’s place of business; if she saw you, she’d call the cops and I have half a mind to right now if not for my need to punch your sorry ass,” Mark said, getting right in Darrel’s face, just as brazen as Darrel was trying to be.
“She hasn’t gotten the restraining order yet, I can be anywhere I like and if you put your hands on me again how about I call the cops. Let’s see how your businesses will fare if their founder is locked up for assault.” Mark pushed Darrel against the wall once more, though Darrel didn’t make any move to retaliate.
“Darrel, you come around Ari again, you call her again, you even think about her again, I swear on everything I own that I will see you beaten within an inch of your life and shipped off to a third world country,” Mark threatened Darrel in all seriousness and was satisfied when he saw a frisson of fear slip into Darrel’s eyes.
“Man, whatever.” Darrel tried to brush off Mark’s threat to seem unafraid, but Mark saw what he needed to see. Darrel brushed past Mark and left. Mark took several deep breaths before he made sure Darrel was gone and left to go have lunch with Ron. Mark really did need to do something about Darrel; he wasn’t going to have that man haunting Ari’s steps.
Mark arrived at the restaurant Ron arranged to have lunch at and the restaurant’s host led him back to a relatively private area of the dining room.
“Mark, good to see you again,” Ron greeted Mark briefly before Mark sat down and ordered his drink.
“So, this partnership, what are your thoughts about it?” Mark asked Ron and he chuckled.
“We haven’t even had our drinks yet, Mark, don’t worry, we’ll get there… unless you have an appointment.” Ron was going to draw this out then, Mark stifled his sigh.
“Sorry, just eager I suppose. So how is your son?” Mark asked, changing tact. Ron laughed this time; he was a seasoned b
usinessman and knew every trick in the book.
“My son is doing well, he’s just graduated from the University of Florida’s business school. I have him managing my resort in Paris, he’s enjoying it and doing well there,” Ron said. Mark nodded thoughtfully and took a sip of his brandy when it arrived.
“So he’s just starting out then, but he’s showing promise?” Mark asked and Ron nodded.
“Precisely. He isn’t ready yet to take the reigns of the company and I need a care taker of sorts until my son is ready to take my seat.”
Mark mulled this over for a moment. He tried to imagine what that sort of partnership would look like. Once Ron’s son was ready to run his father’s resorts, then it would seem like Mark lost the few resorts he would acquire.
“Ron, when you said partnership, I see a long-term commitment. Not something that would benefit us for only a few years and then…” Mark trailed off as Ron nodded his head in understanding.
“I know how it sounds, but it would be a complete partnership. Just how you have your executives running your many hotels and resorts, you’d have a temporary executive, me, running my branch of resorts. So when I retire, my son will take over. Of course, we’d keep our name or what have you, it’d just be in partnership with your brand.”
Mark thought about what Ron was proposing. Ron just wanted some security for his company and Mark understood that. Plus, it would give Mark the added benefit of having those prime locations Ron always seemed to have snatched up for his resorts.
“I like the concept, Ron, I think we could do that,” Mark said and Ron smiled, pleased with their agreement.
“Good, I’ll want to get this in writing soon so you don’t decide to change your mind like you did with old Ivory.”
100Mark chuckled and the two exchanged small talk before their waiter returned for their lunch orders.
“So now that business is out of the way, how about we discuss why you decided to up and move your executive offices to Florida? Could it have anything to do with that gorgeous woman you were seen with down here on two occasions?” Ron asked directly. He wasn’t afraid that he might have offended Mark in the slightest.
