by J. L. Ryan
“No…” he argued.
Jeffrey chuckled, then looked back his way. “You weren’t jealous?”
“I was jealous, but this has nothing to do with why I’m here.”
“Is that so?” Jeffrey asked, “The way I see it is you hired a PI.
Then you realized that you didn’t trust the PI’s work, so you went on a hunt. You came across her and her lover at the same time that the PI did. You grew jealous, instantly filed for divorce and would have completely been satisfied with letting it go. However, you discovered that she was going to marry the guy she cheated on you with. So, that angered you and you vowed to do anything you could to make sure that she paid. How close am I?”
He looked between Marisa and Jeffrey. Marisa couldn’t believe how much information he was throwing out there about Troy. “I am not on trial,” he argued.
Marisa glanced at him, “Did she abuse the children?” She asked, softly. “Or, did you?”
She saw Jeffrey looking at her, but she didn’t turn away from Troy’s glare. “What?” He asked, but Marisa saw that he was not denying it.
Jeffrey turned to him, “Did you?”
Troy’s mouth dropped open, but he did not deny the accusations. “I’m apparently going to need a lawyer.” He spoke, looking at Jeffrey.
“You are and you won’t find one here.” He nodded, standing up and walking out of the office. Jeffrey reached for his phone and dialed a number. “Hey, Troy Houser is about to walk out of the building.
Detain him and call the cops. I’ll be out in a minute.” He disconnected the call. Jeffrey turned to Marisa, as she was standing up. She started to move past him, “How did you know?” He asked.
“I lived it, remember?” She shrugged, “It’s all the same.” She left the boardroom and headed back to her office. She closed her door and watched through the window as Jeffrey walked to the security station. She started to cry, feeling the pain from the years of abuse and knowing exactly what his kids had gone through.
***
Jeffrey waited until he knew that Marisa was leaving. He followed her out of the building and watched as she entered the hotel. He knew that it wasn’t any of his business. If she was having sex with ten different men, he wouldn’t be able to say anything. Although, that didn’t stop him from heading to the hotel.
He entered cautiously and saw her get into the elevator. He watched as the numbers went up, stopping on floor three. He got in the other elevator and pushed the button to floor three. He prayed that when the door opened, he wasn’t greeted by her. When the door opened, he peeked outside and saw her putting a key into the lock.
He held back, waiting for her to go in. He didn’t know what he would say to her, but he knew that he was interested to confront her. He walked up to the door and knocked lightly. It wasn’t long, before she was opening the door. She stared at him, “How did you know I would be here?”
“I saw you yesterday come into the hotel and today I followed you.”
“Followed me?” She asked, anger taking over.
“I’m not proud of it, Marisa, but I was a little surprised. I know that I have no right to be jealous, but—“
“Jealous?” She asked, frowning.
“Yes…jealous. I know that I don’t have any right to be jealous that you are having sex with someone else. I don’t own any right to you. We aren’t dating, but I do have strong feelings for you and I was going to tell you that yesterday if I could have gotten ahold of you.
Your phone has been disconnected and then I saw you with the guy yesterday….” He heard the sound of laughter, so he stopped talking. She was laughing so hard that she had to go back into the room and sink down on the bed. “What’s so funny?”
“You’re jealous…”
He rolled his eyes. He should have known that would be the only thing she would focus on. “Move past that and listen to the rest.”
“You have it all wrong, Jeffrey. You have no idea just how much.”
“Really, then explain it to me.” The words came out brash and he regretted that.
Her face turned red and she stood up from the bed. “I don’t owe you an explanation. Like you said…I can sleep with anyone I want.” She crossed her arms, as if to wager him.
“I know you can.” He glanced around the room, noticing the boxes lying around the room.
He looked at her. “I shouldn’t have come.” He stepped back, as her eyes wandered down to the boxes and then looked back at him.
“Aren’t you going to question the boxes?”
“You don’t have to tell me anything,” he said, reaching for the door.
“Jeffrey, you didn’t get ahold of my cellphone, because I cancelled it. The guy you saw is my best friend, Chad. He’s been the only friend that I have had and that has supported me.” He felt a pang of guilt hit him.
“Those boxes are here because I have been living here. I was evicted from my apartment exactly a week after I got this job.”
“Marisa, I had no idea.” He spoke, thinking back to when she asked for an advance and he shot her down. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Pride, stupidity, because I didn’t want to play the sympathy card.”
“You should have told me,” he spoke, softly.
She nodded, “In hindsight…maybe I should have, but it’s over and done with and hopefully in a couple of weeks I will be back on my feet…thanks to you and your job.”
His hand fell from the door handle and he moved closer to her. “I’m sorry that you have had to go through this.”
She moved in closer to him, “It hasn’t all been bad.”
He brushed her hair behind her shoulder and moved in closer to her, bringing his lips to hers. He would move slowly, if she would just give him the chance. He parted from the kiss and rested his head against hers, “I’m sorry Marisa that I just wasn’t honest with you,” he whispered, feeling her breath against his skin.
“I have strong feelings for you, too,” she admitted. She closed her eyes, as they stood with their heads together and his hands caressing her neck. “Make love to me,” she spoke, opening her eyes.
He hadn’t thought she would speak the words, but he slowly began to remove her clothes. Her hands went to his outfit and she was removing them from his body. He flicked her bra off with his wrist and then lowered her panties, while she grabbed onto his boxers and pulled them to the ground.
His hand wrapped around her neck and passionately held onto a kiss. She parted from the kiss, to push him down to the bed. Once he was lying on the bed, she straddled him. He slowly entered her, as her lips went down to his.
His hands massaged her large breasts, while their tantalizing kiss took over. She gyrated her hips against his, moving him in and out of her. He pulled from the kiss, because of the intensity of his gyrations. “Ugh…ugh…oh God…ugh…” he moaned, moving his arm around her body and pulling her down to his thrusts.
“Ugh…ugh…” she moaned, moving on top of him with comfort. Her gentle whimpering was breathlessly encompassing him. She crashed down on top of him, as he slowly retracted from her. They kissed, while she wrapped her arm around him.
He was relieved that everything was working out and that all the confusion was gone, because he had no doubt in his mind that they would spend many days and nights exploring the possibilities and he was excited for it to begin.
Unexpected Romance
Chapter 1
The blaring alarm clock on the nightstand jolted Jennifer awake. Too groggy to function after a late night at the lab looking over patient case files, she clumsily banged her hand around until she found the annoying culprit and slammed her palm onto the snooze button. Even after years of being lectured that it was better to get up the first time the thing went off, she never could. Only after two snoozes would she allow her eyes to crack open. Not a good habit for a doctor. There were patients to see and research to perform. Who was she kidding? After banging snooze buttons for twenty years, this was
one habit she would never break.
After eighteen more luxurious minutes in her cozy warm bed, Jennifer couldn’t deny the fact anymore. She had to get up and get going. Waiting any longer and she wouldn’t have time for her morning run. No morning run meant a cranky woman--a cranky doctor at that. Not that she enjoyed running but it was the only time she could clear her head completely in order to focus throughout the rest of the day. Caffeine could only help so much so running had become her go-to activity. As much as Jennifer despised the bitter cold of a February morning in the nation’s capital, she threw back the covers to begin her day.
It would take at least a mile before the fog of exhaustion began to lift from her mind. The first mile was always the most torturous. After that though, Jennifer could run forever. Adrenaline finally pumping through her petite, 5’ 2” frame, she could take on the world. This morning in particular she needed the respite.
Being a pediatric oncologist was her life’s dream. That is, after Hannah, her best friend from elementary school suffered horribly and died from a brain tumor. It was the reason she became a doctor in the first place. No child should have to suffer like that, ever. And no parent should have to endure such a loss. But cancer was indiscriminate and unforgiving. Last night she suffered yet another battle with her childhood demon. A three year old child with lymphoma. Jennifer had been so sure her latest protocol would work. She had spent the rest of the night beating herself up for failing yet another patient, another distraught family. Sometimes her life’s dream was actually her life’s nightmare. This morning she welcomed the punishment of the frigid air filling her lungs as she near sprinted the remaining blocks from her small condominium on K Street to the National Mall. Her destination – the reflecting pond overlooking the Lincoln Memorial.
Once she reached the ice-speckled pond, she allowed herself a moment to rest and take in the beauty of the landscape. Still too early for the onslaught of commuters and tourists who flood the city daily. All was quiet except the occasional rumble of jets overhead as they were taking off from Reagan National. Whether from the freezing temperatures and wind assailing her eyes or from sorrow and frustration at her failure last night, tears ran down her freckled face. Jennifer didn’t know what was worse. Losing the patient or the fact that after so many years she still had not toughened up enough to make that pain any less.
Not wishing to dwell on the matter anymore, Jennifer raced back home. Shutting out all thoughts and allowing her body to operate on autopilot. New day, new challenge! She wouldn’t allow self-pity to stop her. After many battles lost, and a few won, her determination was greater than ever.
After a quick, scalding hot shower Jennifer towel-dried her short strawberry-blonde locks and made a beeline for the coffee pot. No breakfast. She couldn’t remember the last time she actually ate breakfast. Probably before leaving home for college when her overbearing mom would force her to eat before she could leave for school, even if it meant she was late. Her shift didn’t start until 10 AM so there was plenty of time to either tidy up her small, 640 square foot condo or aimlessly peruse the internet. Without a second thought, she plopped down in her oversized khaki arm chair with her laptop.
Not obsessed about politics and news like everyone else in this town, Jennifer decided on lighter fare. How long had it been since she’d been on Facebook? Probably since her high school reunion that had been organized via the website, forcing her to get an account. Surprised that she actually remembered her password, the site loaded. Wow! Fifty-two “Friend” requests?! Jennifer was surprised she knew that many people. The newsfeed was filled with funny pictures of cats and babies. Quickly scanning through all the miscellaneous vanities, she noticed a posting from one of her best friends from her days at the University of Colorado. It was a picture of her tall, slender, runway model friend Jacy Standish with her college beau Ethan Davis III. The posting showed the couple with Ethan on one knee and Jacy with the biggest smile ever. Yes, it was the couple’s engagement announcement. “Well, it’s about time!” Jennifer thought. They have only been together since forever, it seemed.
The posting was a few days old so thankfully Jennifer still had time to send them a congratulatory message. The announcement declared that the wedding was to be at the end of May in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The couple had been living there since Ethan graduated with an advanced degree in aeronautics and went to work with NASA. In lieu of formal invitations, since there was nothing formal about Jacy nor Ethan, the Facebook announcement was also serving as the wedding invitation. Any friends and family that could make it should reply to the posting. “Well, that’s certainly a modern approach.” Jennifer grinned as she knew it was typical of the couple to be that nonchalant about their own wedding.
After clicking the “Like” icon and commenting a quick “Congrats!” Jennifer noticed she had messages. There were five messages from Jacy. The bride-to-be was curious why Jennifer never answered her home phone and why didn’t she have voicemail. The next message scolded her for not keeping in touch and providing her friends current contact information as she was desperate to talk to her sorority big sister and best friend. Another message instructed Jennifer to call her STAT because she had a very important question to ask her. Looking at the clock, she realized it probably wasn’t too early to call so she picked up her phone to dial the number listed in the last message.
A groggy Ethan answered the phone but was more than delighted to disturb his soon-to-be wife who was already awake and had just returned from walking the dogs. Jacy’s squeal of delight nearly ruptured Jennifer’s eardrum. After letting Jacy run on for several minutes about the upcoming wedding and lecturing her friend on her lack of manners for not staying in touch, she excitedly asked the burning question… “Jennifer, will you be my maid of honor?” This was followed by more declarations that she HAD to be her maid of honor and she was NOT taking no for an answer. Typical Jacy.
Promising to check her schedule and to get back to her later that day, Jennifer ended the call hoping she would not have to disappoint Jacy but uneasy with the thought of attending a wedding. Her own personal life was, well lacking the personal part. She was not a big socialite, even though the Chief of Pediatric Oncology enjoyed forcing her to attend fund raisers to benefit the hospital whenever he saw fit. Social settings were just not her thing.
Jennifer noticed another message in her inbox. This time from a blast from the past male friend, also from college, Lorenzo Esposito. Now what could he want? They hadn’t spoken to each other since graduation. Despite being close friends in those days, she realized she didn’t even know what his post-grad plans entailed. Although they had hung out quite often, going to sporting events together and the occasional party, Jennifer had been too busy trying to get into medical school and Lorenzo chasing skirts around campus for anything more to ever develop between them. Friends had teased that they should stop trying to fool everyone because they obviously belonged together. She and Lorenzo would just laugh it off with a mischievous wink at each other. Never had anything other than a platonic “just friends” relationship ever entered their minds.
Curious what Lorenzo had to say after so many years, Jennifer clicked on the message. It was short and sweet. The usual, “Hi, how are you? I’m fine. Long time, no see.” He had heard about the wedding and Ethan had asked him to be the best man but he was lacking a date to the event. Even though they had not kept in touch he was hopeful she would save him from having to RSVP as “1”. He went on to explain that he was uncomfortable taking a “date” since weddings were seen as either the kiss of death for a relationship or as getting in line to be the next sucker down the aisle. He could do without the hassle either way. Lorenzo went on to note that he noticed her scant profile on Facebook as showing she was still unattached so he was pleading once again for her help, just like the good ole days in college. He needed a no-frills, no-strings attached wedding date and was hoping she would agree. “Wow! What a romantic?!” she thought sarcastically. He end
ed the message with his contact information if she was interested in helping him out.
Signing out of Facebook without responding, Jennifer took up her now tepid coffee and thought back to the outgoing, charismatic, undeniably handsome man Lorenzo had been in college. Tall, dark, and handsome didn’t come close to describing him then. For a moment she allowed herself to imagine what he might look like now years later. She had to admit, the picture in her head was nice…very nice, indeed. Throughout college Lorenzo had always attracted the ladies, in droves. At one point their group of friends had taken to calling him “Casanova” because of his love’em and leave’em attitude.
After college the gang had all gone their separate ways. Jennifer had been horrible about keeping in contact with anyone. However, she did remotely recall Jacy mentioning that Lorenzo had married a woman he met at his first job after graduation. Jennifer had been surprised the mighty Casanova had fallen so soon. It must not have worked out if he was hitting her up for a wedding date.
While heading out the door to the hospital, she promised herself to clear her schedule at work so she could attend her friend’s wedding. Besides she had not taken time off from the hospital in all her years working there. Not even for holidays to go visit her folks in Denver. She was due some R&R and this was the perfect excuse. As soon as she cleared the time off with her boss, she would contact Lorenzo.
