The Business Affair: Forever Mine

by Noel, Jaspira

  “If you get to close they will leave. It is better to let them come to you. They are very curious and sometimes they will come all the way up to the boat.”

  “Wow.” She said.

  “Come sit here.” Roman said pointing to the cushioned built in seat along the front of the boat.

  When she got close, he pulled her down and she found herself sitting between his legs. The bench was too narrow to sit anywhere else. It was just enough room for them to sit and put both of their legs up lengthwise. She took a deep breath and refused to give into the butterflies churning in her stomach.

  “Now, if they come up to the boat we will be close enough to touch them.” He said.

  “They are amazing.” She said watching them at play.

  Roman and Paula got lost in conversation for hours. They had so much in common. Somewhere in the midst of everything, Paula went from sitting between Roman’s legs to leaning back on his chest with his arms wrapped around her waist. They never left that spot. It was only when the sun was going down that they realized how long they had been there and the dolphins were long gone.

  “It’s getting late. I’d better get us back to shore. I am sorry Ann, we never made it to the grotto and that was the main thing you wanted to do.” He said apologetically. “ I can’t believe we spent all those hours talking.”

  Her emotions were soft as oil by this point. Marcus Grant, Roman Neilson – whoever he was, was truly someone that she wanted to know more. She stood up and stretched her legs and extended her hand pulling him up, until they were standing face to face. “This has been a perfect day.” She said.

  “I would love to have another perfect day, tomorrow. I promise I will take you to the grotto.” “I would like that.” Paula said, before she could realize what she was doing. She tipped up and kissed his lips softly. She caught herself. “I am so sorry. I did not mean to do that and…” Before she could say another word he covered her lips, deepening the kiss she started until she went limp in his strong embrace. It was minutes before he released her. He kissed her like they had known each other forever. “I’m not sorry,” he whispered, “but I do think I should get you back home.” All she could do was close her eyes and nod her head.

  ***

  That night Paula could not sleep. Her mind was swirling with thoughts of the Roman Neilson she was introduced to today. Every preconceived thought she had of him was flipped on its head. The kiss kept floating into her conscious wrapping her in very uncomfortable warmth. Her emotions ached for that kiss but her mind should have known better.

  Then anxiety would strike at the thought of how she was going to reveal herself to him or would she just simply leave Mexico without him ever knowing who she was and let the whole thing just be a summer fling. That thought un-nerved her even more. Surely if she took that path she would have to resign. The weight of this day was killing her. After much mental torment, she walked over to her bag and got his book out and read through the night. She could not stop turning the pages. She laughed and wept through the whole book. Every page was emotionally charged because she was not an ordinary reader. Many of the things in the book relating to his business she was aware of or a part of. The other parts of the book revealed a man she could never recognize. It was a very un-nerving experience to flip through those pages.

  Everything was there – who he was, how he got started in business, the role models in his life, the wild days with women, the time he thought he was going to be a father. The book talked about his destructive side, the damage power had done to him and his abuse of women. His love story with Stephanie was like a Hollywood movie, she loved him and tamed him, and his life was shattered the day she slid off the icy road into a tree. Then there was a phase of prescription drugs that took over his life to dull the pain, and when he got through that he emerged into the Roman that she knew – aggressive, determined, controlling and fixated to build an eternal empire that would keep him busy enough to forget. Somewhere in the midst of all of the drive, healing began and The Business Affair got started giving his life new meaning and a way to move past the love of Stephanie. Paula’s heart was ripped in two. She kept reading.

  “In my life I have only loved two women. I know that might be hard for many of you to believe in light of the fact that I was involved with numerous women. But you must understand that I did not know what love was until I met Stephanie. She led me to understand what love really is, and she got her definition from the Bible – love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves. Love never fails.”

  “By this time Paula was weeping. “Stephanie gave me so much pure love in those ways that it broke my persona. She taught me that life was so much more than what I had achieved. You know, those things I could boast about and the ways I could be rude to people and women thinking it was so cool because of who I was. The great Marcus Grant. As I was learning to become vulnerable she protected my heart and I trusted her with all of me. Her love softened me and made me see life from an entirely different perspective.

  I will never forget the first time I slept with Stephanie. She made me wait so long that I was just eager for the act for my own self-gratification. I would have gladly taken her clothes off and had a most pleasurable moment as I had done with so many others. But she refused and taught me to make love to her mind before her body. If I intended to get anywhere with Stephanie she would have to be completely assured that I wanted her, that she was the total object of my affection and not the pleasure she could bring to my member. That’s a revelation that I had absolutely no knowledge of. But she taught me and I loved her from mind, to spirit and then to her luscious body - in that order. She loved me in that order too.”

  “Oh God…” Paula cried. “For five beautiful years I had that kind of love in my life. I had all the stability that a man could ever want. She brought such balance into my life. I learned I could have love and an empire. I never thought that could happen. Then when she was taken from me, I went into the abyss and came out a very hard and cold man. I had lost my love and my mind. I became strictly business and did not let anyone enter my world.

  “I can’t read anymore of this.” Paula sighed but yet she could not put the book down. “ I have only loved one other woman since Stephanie. That woman does not even know that I exist. I have been safe in that regard. I can love her at a distance and yet not ever put myself in a position to loose someone that I care for, ever again. It is a shield that needs to be shattered. It is a shield that I want shattered but have failed to gain the strength to crack through it with a hammer. This woman has stabilized my life in so many ways and since she does not know the real me, she does not know the extent of what she has done. She is the only person not afraid of the businessman that I have become. She tells me the truth when I ask and even when I do not ask. She makes sure that I stay organized, that my ethics are in line and she keeps me in check. She doesn’t listen to me when she does not want to. She will hang up the phone in my face, tick me off and then be right back in my life the next day as if nothing ever happened. She is the first face that I see in the morning and the last face I see at the end of my day. She threatens to leave me but never does. If she ever did I would go out of orbit.”

  By this time Paula was bawling. “Stephanie taught me to love a woman for their worth and their value, to see far beyond the physical into their soul. That is what I see in her. She is beautiful, strong, intelligent and has a powerful and commanding presence. She is a decision maker, hard working and preserves me. She typifies the type of love that is patient and kind, even when I am not. She is not proud or self seeking or rude. Most of all she has never done me any evil, though I have often been a total jerk. I trust her fully. I would love her completely if I could just shatter that glass. I have held on t
o the fear of loving too deep and then losing so hard for too long. Lightening rarely strikes twice.” The page was soaked with Paula’s tears. This time she closed the book and cried herself to sleep.

  Chapter 14

  It was nearly noon when Paula finally woke up. She was scheduled to meet Roman at 3:30 but had no intentions of making that meeting. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw a terrible mess. Her hair was matted and her eyes were puffy and red. There was no way she could explain to Roman about Ann Benet. He confessed that he trusted her, now what would he think. She was going to fly back to New York, turn in her resignation and start a new life somewhere far away from Roman.

  She showered and then restored herself to Paula Anderson. Then she called and charted a plane back to New York. She contacted the concierge and made arrangements to be transported to the airstrip within the hour. Her entire body was in a state of mental and physical fatigue. Afterwards she called Don.

  “So how did things go last night?” He said.

  “It was one of the most perfect days I have ever had in my life.”

  “That is great. I am happy for you! I did well too. I met a nice lady at speed dating last night. We are going to have dinner this evening.” Then Don heard Paula crying. “Paula what is the matter?”

  “I am leaving. I just charted a plane at the Riviera plane strip and am going back to New York and then I am leaving the company.”

  “What? Wait a minute you just said it was a perfect day. What are you talking about?”

  “I kissed him yesterday. I just lost it emotionally and kissed him. Then he kissed me back and it was so searing that I knew I had to get out of there.”

  “But that is good isn’t it?”

  “Good for Ann, but not good for Paula. I couldn’t sleep last night so I stayed up and read his book. In that book he confessed that he loved me and that he trusted me with his life. Now how can I go back and tell him about Ann. He would never be able to trust me again. I can’t do that to him. He is an idiot for not telling me how he felt. Yet at the same time he explained why he did not.”

  “Why did he not tell you?”

  “He said that he was afraid to get too close to a person for fear of them dying like Stephanie did. He just can’t get passed that.”

  “Paula, we can fix this. We can find a way to make it work. Don’t do this, it would be a huge mistake.”

  “I’ve got to go Don. I will call you when I get to New York.”

  When Paula clicked off the phone Don was devastated. He truly did not want to see Paula throw all of this away. Within the hour Paula was on her way to the landing strip. When she got there Don was waiting for her.

  “You can’t do this Paula. True love doesn’t happen that often.”

  “I would hurt him Don. I can’t do that.” He could see the tears swelling back in her eyes.

  “He can handle this. I promise. Just keep an open mind.”

  “No Don, I am going back to New York. Every story does not have a happy ending.” She pushed passed him and headed for the plane.

  “You are going to regret this.”

  “It is what it is. I love you Don and thank you for all your help.”

  “Keep in touch.”

  “I will and let me know about the lady you met too.”

  “I will do that.”

  Paula boarded the plane and strapped herself in the first seat she saw. Then leaned her head against the window and wept. As the plane made lift off she looked over the beautiful world she had just been a part of for so many wonderful days. This had been an incredible adventure and one she would never forget. She closed her eyes determined to sleep the flight away. Exhausted from the night before Paula did not feel the plane as it lost altitude and landed in a remote airstrip. Nor did she see Roman when he walked on the plane. He was so emotional that he did not know what to do. He stood there just beholding her beauty. After a few minutes when he gained his composure he sat down gently in the seat next to her and softly called her name.

  “Paula.” She did not hear it the first time and he called her again.

  Slowly she roused up, immediate alarm raced across her face. “Roman!”

  She passed out shocked from seeing him. He gently lifted her out of the seat and took her back to his house.

  Several hours later she woke up, cradled in Roman’s arms on his bed. He looked deeply into her frantically panicked eyes. His emotional walls were caving; love began to flow out of his lips. “Paula shhh,” he calmed, “It’s okay. Don’t panic. I already knew you were Ann yesterday. Don called and told me you were leaving. That can never happen. You can never leave me. I paid the pilot to switch directions. I love you so much. I would be lost without you.” He gently began kissing her across her face.

  She was shaking and her hot tears were staining his shirt. “I love you. You can’t leave me. I saw your hand. That is how I knew it must have been you. I could not put all the pieces together, but Don filled in the gaps.” Paula wanted to slap herself for allowing her hand to become the “Achilles heel” of the entire master plan.

  “Remember when the lady knocked the book out of your hand?”

  “Yes.”

  “That was the first time I saw it. But it did not make sense because that person was not you, and I could not imagine someone else having that kind of burn. After Ms. Gonzales took the picture, what did I do?”

  “You kissed my hand.”

  “Yes, because I wanted to get a better look at it. When I realized that it was the same as the one you showed me before you left I knew it was you. Two people in the world could not have a burn like that. Then Don explained to me the plan. I love you for it because I should have been man enough to tell you myself. I am so sorry for what I put you through.” This time he gave a lingering kiss that spoke volumes to her soul. Erasing all questions and doubts. “I have been out of my head over you. Marry me.”

  “Oh God, Roman…”

  “Marry me.” He said trailing his lips down the side of her neck.

  “I love you and will marry you.”

  Her body was aching for him and she willingly submitted to him peeling away their clothing and devouring her with his passion. Every place their bodies fused ignited her. Like the threading of a needle, he sowed his love into her in a way that shattered his glass and rocked her world. He loved her from head to toe. Enamored with sounds of her satisfaction, prompted him to pleasure her more, until they both collapsed, well spent, under loves weight. Sleep wasn’t far behind. But it did not last long, as they found themselves enraptured continually throughout the night.

  Chapter 15

  The brilliant sun peaked through Roman’s window and awakened the lovers. This was one morning that he wished his side of the estate did not get the full rising of the sun. He pulled the covers over their head but it was still too bright to sleep. She rolled on top of him and nestled her head to the side of his neck, he wrapped his arms around her back. Nothing had felt this good to him for a very long time. They stayed in that position for a while soaking each other in. “I love you.” She whispered. “After last night, I am surely convinced of that.”

  She laughed and slid to the side of him, “You know I meant to ask you, how did you become Marcus Grant a best selling New York Times author? Out of all of this very baffling experience I am still amazed that you have another life as a romanticist and relationship expert. It blows my mind.”

  “I am Marcus Grant. That was my father’s name. He was Marcus Grant Neilson. I am Roman Marcus Grant Neilson. I started journaling my pain and so many women resonated with it that I just kept sharing my story. None of this was planned, it just happened. A few of my friends and associates had gone through some very traumatic relationship experiences and we would get together on Friday nights to try to deflect from the pain for a while. Then we wound up talking more than most men would feel comfortable doing. Each of us in our way wanted to start over and that became the seeds for The Business Affair. We had no ide
a it would be as huge as it is today. So what started off being a place to heal lives, wound up being a place to build lives. I am so grateful for the success of it all. So many people are happily hitched through our efforts.”

  “I read the book. Were you ever going to tell me how you felt?”

  “You don’t know how many times I wanted to. Many of those nights that we worked late, was not because I had so much to do. It was because that was the only time I could be alone with you. Fear has a way of silencing even the strongest people. When you left for vacation, it was too much. I could not handle it. I knew I was going to have to do something, but I never thought it would have turned out like this. Having you here with me like this is better than anything I could ever have dreamed.”

  ***

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride.”

  A few days later Paula and Roman were married at his grotto, with Ms. Gonzalez and his staff as witnesses. As one of his many wedding gifts, Roman took the picture that Ms. Gonzalez had taken of them, had it enlarged into an eight feet by five feet painting and replaced the one with Stephanie. He wanted to wrap it up and put it in the attic, but Paula refused to allow that. She told him that Stephanie was responsible for them being together in a very odd kind of way. She requested that he put the painting in the guestroom, so that she would always be a member of their home.

  The End

  Epilog – One year later

  This was a white tie event. Everyone was elegantly dressed. There was so many diamonds dripping off of the women and watches on men that could have paid an employees salary for two years. Paula looked stunning. Her sleek couture white dress hugged every curve on her body. It glimmered with white beading and was above the knee revealing her sultry legs. The back of the dress was cut in a V down to her mid back. It was strapless and shoulder-less. Her long blond hair was pinned in a twist and she glistened with her own diamond earrings and necklace. Her makeup was beautiful – wearing smoky eye shadow and highly glossed lips. Roman matched her elegance with his debonair GQ look. Their marriage was quite a point of conversation amongst The Business Affair circuit. People were ecstatic when they found out that he finally had tied the knot with the blue-eyed lady. Paula wrote a book about it and it too became a New York Times best selling book.