"Mmmmm," Jonathan grinned from ear to ear. "You look magnificent." He leaned up against the doorway of the vanity, admiring his wife.
Jennifer dusted a purple hue of eyeshadow under each brow, and then leaned forward into the mirror. Jonathan watched as she took out a lip pencil and slowly traced the outline of her soft lips. With each curve and dip of the pencil gliding across her supple skin, Jonathan became more aroused. She picked up her lipstick and finished filling in.
"What did you say, darling?" Jennifer said, turning around to face Jonathan.
"You look incredible," he answered, stepping closer and sliding his arm around her.
"Uh, uh," she scolded seductively. "No messing the makeup. I have to be on time tonight."
He brought his lips close to hers without touching.
Looking into his clear blue eyes, she felt her knees grow weak. "I promise," she began, but then dropped to a whisper when Jonathan pressed himself even closer, "that you can mess up my make up when we get home tonight."
"Okay," he conceded grudgingly. "I'll hold you to it."
"I wouldn't want it any other way."
The Beverly Hills Polo Club was buzzing with excitement. The paparazzi had gathered outside early in hopes of catching a glimpse of the rich and famous: it was going to be a virtual Who's Who, all in the name of charity, of course. Most of the celebrities were there to see and be seen, but not without their checkbooks - Jennifer saw to that. Besides the Harts, many other philanthropists were there to lend their support - both personal and financial - to Bright Horizons, a newly formed foundation to serve disadvantaged youth. The charity benefit attracted over three hundred guests.
Jennifer had been the first in the Hart household to hear about the foundation, reading about it to Jonathan over breakfast a few months ago. She felt particularly drawn to the cause, knowing that her husband had had a rough childhood. She knew that if money and programs were available to underprivileged kids, then they too might have a chance to be successful. Not everyone had the good fortune of meeting up with someone like Max - the only reason Jonathan had escaped his troubled youth.
Yes, Bright Horizons became almost an obsession for Jennifer. After making a few phone calls, she had propelled the fledgling enterprise into a tremendous non-profit venture. The foundation suddenly had the keen interest of numerous benefactors. Because of her commitment, Jennifer was named director of the foundation and keynote speaker for this evening's event.
The Bentley drove up to the front entrance shortly after eight o'clock. The paparazzi strained against the barriers outside the club to hopefully catch a shot of Mrs. Hart - not to mention her very wealthy husband, Jonathan Hart. Jonathan looked out at the hungry photographers and grimaced.
"Darling, your public awaits," he said.
Jennifer gave him a half-smile. "I think they're waiting for Mel Gibson, actually."
Jonathan opened the car door, got out, and came around to open Jennifer's side. As she stepped out in her sleek, black Versace gown, the press went wild snapping pictures.
"Over here, Mrs. Hart!" several reporters shouted out to her, hoping for a front-page shot.
"Oh, yeah," Jonathan mumbled into her ear. "It's Mel they wanted to see."
Not that Jonathan was displeased. Indeed, he relished the envy of every man.
Barry Swarthmore stood amidst a throng of anxious women in the banquet room - all of them eager to befriend the handsome tycoon. Most of them were, in fact, married and longing for some passion in their lives. Their husbands sat in board meetings all day and played golf all weekend. They would have given anything to catch Barry Swarthmore's interest. And yet, Barry neither solicited nor encouraged their attention. In fact, he was attending tonight's gala for one reason and one reason only: to meet Jennifer Hart.
His fascination with Jennifer began two years previous, when he saw her at a polo match in France. She was strikingly beautiful, even in daylight with her hair tossed back in a youthful ponytail. She exuded so much energy and sexuality; he was drawn to her immediately. Barry had followed her career with interest, reading her frequent articles in National Geographic and other journals. He also watched for her pictures in the society columns. He understood her interests and passions so well, that he was poised to begin his pursuit.
When he had read about Bright Horizons in the newspaper, he immediately phoned the foundation to make a donation. Several days later, Jennifer called to thank him personally and to invite him to the gala. Just the sound of her voice recharged his passion for her, and he vowed that evening that he would make Jennifer his wife, one way or the other.
As Jennifer took the podium, Barry watched her intently, dismissing the women that hung in his presence. He was mesmerized by her grace and poise, and even found himself blushing when she recognized him publicly for his generous contributions to Bright Horizons. He nodded to her in appreciation.
Glancing around the filled room, Barry noticed Jonathan standing at the back of the room, he too admiring Jennifer's address to the crowd. Barry eyed him carefully, sizing up his competition. A handsome man, Barry admitted to himself, and certainly self-confident. But still, there must be something to undo Jonathan Hart. Everyone has a fatal character flaw - maybe not of Shakespearean proportion, but a vulnerability that, once identified, could be used to undermine even the most powerful of men. Yes, Barry mused, even Jonathan Hart has a weakness... and he would surely find it.
"Jennifer, that was a very inspiring speech," Barry said, reaching out to shake her hand. Jennifer smiled at him warmly. Her face was flushed with excitement.
"Thank you, Barry. I'm so glad you could make it. Have you met my husband Jonathan?"
"No, I haven't," Barry said, shaking Jonathan's hand. He continued to gaze at Jennifer, taking in her beauty. He loved when she wore her hair up, accentuating that theatrical widow's peak, and how her eyes danced with excitement as she talked about Bright Horizons.
"I just want you to know that I'm very committed to this project. I'd like to be involved in any way that I can," he added, flashing her a debonair smile.
"That's wonderful, thank you. It's a very worthwhile cause, right darling?" she said, nodding to Jonathan.
Jonathan postured himself squarely between Jennifer and Barry. "Yes, it is," he agreed, with an air of finality. "If you'll excuse us, Barry. We have to meet with the Rosenthals. It was a pleasure meeting you."
Barry nodded and smiled again at Jennifer. "The pleasure was all mine."
"Darling, why did you end our conversation with Barry Swarthmore so abruptly?" Jennifer asked, as she was taking off her jewelry. She was glad to be home and out of her high heels.
Jonathan had stripped down to his briefs, and wandered into the vanity hoping to catch his wife before she had taken off her gown. He loved unzipping her gowns and tracing his fingers down her back. Luckily, she was waiting for him, her arms folded against her chest.
"Did I?" he answered, pulling her close and planting a kiss on her lips.
She smiled. "Yes, I thought it was a tad abrupt, considering the fact that he was the biggest donor for the foundation. We should have spent more time with him."
Jonathan shrugged, dismissing the topic. "Turn around," he ordered playfully.
"Oo," she purred. "I love it when you get forceful."
Jonathan reached up and plucked her hairclips out, watching her wavy auburn hair spill to her shoulders. "Much better," he said, as he took her by the waist and turned her around.
Jennifer waited for him to begin unzipping the back of her gown, but was surprised when he gently pushed her forward so that she was leaning over the counter. She looked up into the mirror to see his mischievous grin. As he stepped out of his briefs, Jennifer could feel his hardness against her bottom. Jonathan reached down and began pulling up the end of her gown until it was bunched around her waist. Then, he pushed her hose and panties down until they were at her knees. Leaning down against the counter, Jonathan admired her from behind.
"Beautiful," he murmured.
"Well?" she said with a throaty giggle, wiggling her bottom slightly.
Jonathan groaned. He reached up, unzipped the back of her gown half way, and slipped it down her shoulders. It fell to the countertop, exposing her breasts. Jonathan held the back of her neck in one hand and himself in the other, as he guided his throbbing manhood inside of her. He groaned in pleasure.
Within moments, Jonathan was rocking back and forth, finding just the right rhythm. He kept his eyes closed enjoying a plateau of pleasurable sensation, and then opened them to watch Jennifer's face in the mirror. Gasping and moaning, she clutched the faucet, fully enjoying Jonathan's entry. Her breasts bounced slightly back and forth; her swollen, pink nipples brushing the countertop. Jonathan groaned seeing his wife writhing in ecstasy, and pushed himself deeper still. As he did, Jennifer moaned softly, "Oh, Jonathan!"
Her words brought him over the top.
Jonathan opened his eyes slowly, glancing at the alarm clock. It was later than he thought. The morning rain had lulled them past their usual nine o'clock Sunday morning wake up. Even Max and Freeway seemed to have overslept. He peered over his wife's sleeping figure, looking thoughtfully at her serene expression. She was beautiful, even at times when most women weren't. Tussled, wavy hair half-covered her face, curling around her cheekbones like brushstrokes on canvas. Her eyes were closed lightly, dark lashes fanned delicately against her fair skin. It was one of Jonathan's private pleasures: to behold Jennifer in still life.
Jennifer rolled back slightly, her eyes fluttering open when she found Jonathan looking at her. "Darling?" she spoke softly. "What time is it?"
"Does it matter?" he answered back.
Jennifer smiled, her eyes still half-closed. "Well, I've got to meet with Stanley today and go over all of the donations," she said, remembering back to last night's events. "Last night was pretty successful, wasn't it?"
"Yes," Jonathan grinned, "I would say it was very successful. My favorite part was when you were clutching the vanity."
"Jonathan!" she said, suddenly blushing. "Was it?"
He slid his arm around her red silk pajamas, cuddling her closer from behind. "Yes, it was," he whispered into her ear.
Jennifer turned over and pushed Jonathan playfully on his back, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. Jonathan willingly succumbed to her moves. Slowly, Jennifer slipped a leg over his torso and perched herself on top of him, already feeling his hardness grow beneath her. Jonathan reached up and began unbuttoning her top, gazing at each inch of revealed flesh as he did so. Finally, he parted her pajama top fully to take in her soft, aching breasts.
Understanding his need without a spoken word, Jennifer bent down slowly as Jonathan's waiting lips opened. She guided one of her swollen, pink nipples into his mouth, as her hair spilled forward and tickled the sides of his cheeks. Jonathan's mouth latched on to her nipple, sucking it tenderly and then with increasing passion. His hungry groans and warm tongue sent waves of pleasure down Jennifer's body and teased the throbbing between her legs. She moaned, as she pulled back slightly, trying to slow down their mounting passion, and switched breasts to give her left nipple a reprieve. Jonathan plumaged this breast too, almost consuming it. Beads of sweat began forming over his brow.
Just as Jonathan reached down to begin removing her pajama bottoms, the door to their bedroom swung open. Freeway bounded into the room and leaped up on the bed, as Max walked in, a breakfast tray in his hands.
Jennifer collapsed onto Jonathan's chest to cover her exposed breasts, and sighed into Jonathan's ear. An awkward silence filled the room, but only momentarily.
"Ah, sorry, Mr. and Mrs. H," Max said plainly, setting the breakfast tray down on the night table.
Jennifer slid off Jonathan and buttoned her top.
"No problem, Max," Jonathan chuckled sheepishly.
Max was like family to the Harts, but he carefully avoided meeting Jennifer's eyes. Very rarely he would walk in on them while they were intimate - not an easy feat, considering their amorous lifestyle. But, still, when it did happen, he always felt funny around Mrs. H - embarrassed almost.
"Well, you know," Max said in his characteristic gravelly voice, "if you had kids, this would be happening all the time." He turned and motioned to Freeway to follow him. "Hey, why don't you guys have kids anyway?"
"Max, if we had kids, Freeway would be insanely jealous," Jonathan said, looking at Jennifer.
Jennifer smiled. "I know someone else who would be too."
"Well, Mrs. H," Stanley said, setting up a flipchart, "I must say, thanks to Mr. Barry Swarthmore, you had a very profitable evening last night."
Max poured coffee for the two of them, while Jennifer sat on the livingroom sofa looking at all of the figures Stanley had put together. She was delighted to see that Bright Horizons was getting off to an excellent start.
"Yes," Jennifer agreed, "Barry has been very generous. Is he usually this charitable?"
"Well, I did a little investigating," Stanley grinned. "Mr. Swarthmore is a very shrewd business man. He doesn't give to charities that often, actually. He travels quite extensively, and has many homes all over the globe."
Jonathan walked into the livingroom and bussed Jennifer lightly on the cheek. He was dressed casually and had a portion of the Sunday paper in his hands.
"Hi, Mr. Hart!" Stanley said.
"Hello, Stanley.... Darling, I thought I would just show you the front page of the paper," he said, holding up a large color photo of Jennifer at the podium during last night's gala. The caption read: Jennifer Hart draws huge audience and huge profits for last night's charity event.
"How nice," Jennifer said. "What did it say about Bright Horizons?"
"Well, it didn't go into much detail. There is a quote from Barry here about you though," Jonathan said, his eyebrow arching. "It says that Mr. Swarthmore believes that Jennifer Hart is truly one of America's great philanthropists. She gives not only her money and time, but her heart and soul as well," Jonathan read aloud, almost teasingly. Jennifer blushed.
"I was just telling Mrs. Hart about Mr. Swarthmore," Stanley chimed in. "You're lucky to have someone like him backing you up. He doesn't give as freely to other causes."
"Something tells me that luck doesn't have anything to do with it," Jonathan said, watching Jennifer's expression.
She shook her head disapprovingly. "Jonathan, don't be such a cynic."
Barry Swarthmore picked up the telephone and hesitated. It was uncharacteristic for him to be so nervous around women, but something about Jennifer made him feel like a schoolboy again. Ever since the gala last week, he had not been able to think about anything but her. During the day, at his office overlooking downtown Los Angeles, he often found his mind wandering to a place and time that did not yet exist: the day when he would experience Jennifer’s lovely touch for himself – when he would unleash her passions and make her cry out for him, and only him. The very thought both aroused and motivated him to map out his course of action.
The phone rang several times, when finally he heard someone pick up.
"Hello?" answered Jennifer, sounding slightly out of breath.
Barry’s pulsed quickened. "Hello, Jennifer. It’s Barry. I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time."
"Oh, no, not at all," Jennifer lied graciously. She winked at Freeway and smiled. She was already running late for a meeting, but thought it might be Jonathan trying to reach her.
"The reason I’m calling is about Bright Horizons. I was wondering if you had found a site yet for the center," Barry said, his fingers slowly tracing the keypad.
"Uh…not yet. Actually, things are moving so fast that I haven’t had the time to begin looking."
"Well, I happen to have a two acre parcel of land up on Gunderson Heights. It’s nicely wooded and has a vacant farmhouse on it. I was going to sell it, but then I was thinking that it might be perfect for Bright Horizons."
"Oh," Jennifer said thoughtfully. "Gee, Barry, that sounds wonderful. How much were you going to sell it for?"
"I wanted to gift it to the foundation… It would be an excellent tax write-off for me."
"Oh, Barry," Jennifer gushed, "I don’t know what to say!"
"Say you’ll come take a look at it on Friday with me," he replied, satisfied that he had snared her in his web.
"I will!"
Dinner had been waiting when Jennifer arrived home that evening after a series of meetings. Jonathan had impatiently wandered around the house, unaccustomed to having his wife away so much lately.
"I’m sorry I’m late, darling," she sighed, kissing him lightly as she sat down to eat on the patio.
"I understand," Jonathan said, happy to have her home. "You’ve been so busy with the foundation lately. How are things coming along?"
Jennifer smiled triumphantly and took a sip of her wine. "Just wonderfully. In fact, I was wondering if you could help me out."
"Anything for you, darling," he grinned. "What is it?"
"Well, believe it or not, we already have a referral for the program – our first! The Department of Youth Services contacted me today about a teenager whom they think would benefit from our program. They wanted me to meet him on Friday afternoon and I don’t think I can make it. Barry is showing me some land that day that we may be able to use as a site for our center."
"So, you want me to go look at the site with Barry?" Jonathan asked, hopefully.
"Actually, darling," Jennifer said softly, "I was hoping you could meet the boy. He’s sixteen and the social workers were hoping for a male role model."
Jonathan pursed his lips. "Well, I don’t know if I’m the right person. I mean, I’m not going to be his counselor."
"I know, but I just thought that he would have a positive impression of Bright Horizons if you met him first," Jennifer said, her eyes pleading her case.
Jonathan melted. "All right. I’ll do it," he said. "What is this land that Barry’s showing you?"
"Oh, I forgot to tell you. Barry wants to donate the land to the foundation. Isn’t that great?"
Jonathan grimaced.
"What," Jennifer said. "What’s wrong with that?"
"Beware of strangers bearing gifts."
Jennifer looked at him sternly. "He’s not a stranger. I think it’s very kind of him to do this… Jonathan, you’re not the only nice guy, you know."
"Well, you haven’t known him for very long, and suddenly he’s giving you everything. A man like that doesn’t give without wanting something in return," Jonathan said, just as sternly.
A heavy silence hung between them. Ever since the gala, Jonathan noticed that Jennifer was unusually driven. Her days were spent almost exclusively working on the Bright Horizons project. He knew it was worthwhile, but he was growing concerned with the amount of time she was spending on it. Jennifer was never prone to excess: she always seemed to maintain balance in her life… until recently.
Jennifer rubbed her eyes and sighed, realizing that she was tired. It wasn’t often that she and Jonathan quarreled, and it seemed that they were doing it more frequently these days. She raised her white dinner napkin and waved it slowly. Jonathan cocked his head and smiled wistfully at her. He had to remember that his dynamic wife could be vulnerable too. He got up from his seat and walked over to her.
"I love you, darling," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her. Her body relaxed into his.
"Please don’t worry about me, Jonathan. I know what I’m doing," she said, searching his blue eyes for understanding.
Jonathan frowned. "I’ll always be concerned about you," he said, choosing his words carefully, "and I think you could benefit from some time away from this project. Do you think you could get away with me this weekend?"
She smiled weakly. "I’d love that."
Friday seemed to sneak up on Jonathan and Jennifer quickly. Jonathan asked Max to make plans for them to get away to San Francisco for the weekend: they would leave as soon as Jennifer returned from Gunderson Heights. Max made sure that everything was set. He knew that the Harts needed time alone, so he planned the most romantic trip he could. Jonathan had told him every detail he wanted, but Max threw in some of his own special arrangements. He was sure that this trip would re-ignite their passions for one another.
Jonathan adjusted his collar, nervously waiting to meet Corey. He looked around the small Social Services office and wondered how people could work in such dreary conditions. But then he spotted some framed photos on the wall – children hugging their counselors, teens arm-in-arm – and he understood their passion. It was a passion that Jennifer had now embraced, and the very reason he was doing her this favor. It wasn’t that Jonathan disliked kids; in fact, sometimes he wished that he and Jennifer had had a child. It was just that he wasn’t sure if he could connect with teenagers. He was hardly up on all the latest rock groups, and surely his attire wouldn’t pass muster. But, nonetheless, he hoped that he would be the "positive role model" they were looking for.
A plump, cheerful woman emerged from a back office. Her face was care-worn, but her eyes had a friendliness that Jonathan liked instantly.
"Hello. You must be Jonathan Hart," she said, extending her hand. "My name is Cathy McIntire. I’m Corey’s social worker."
"Pleased to meet you, Cathy," Jonathan smiled.
Cathy motioned for him to take a seat. "Corey is playing ball outside. I just wanted to get a chance to tell you a little about him first. I also want to say how delighted we are that your wife is putting this program together. I’m sure they’ll be lots of children who will benefit from your efforts."
Jonathan nodded. "Jennifer is quite invested in Bright Horizons."
"Well, I think it will be great for Corey," she said, opening his file. "He is sixteen years old and lives alone with his mother. His father deserted him when he was an infant. His mother works two jobs to make ends meet, so Corey is often alone. We want to do everything possible to keep him off the streets and away from any gang involvement. He’s a quiet kid. You’ll have to do most of the talking in order to get him to open up. But, once you do, I’m sure you’ll find him very charming. I only got him on my caseload a few weeks ago, but I can tell he’s a good kid."
"What is it that you’d like me to do with him today?" Jonathan asked.
"Oh, I think if you take him out for a soda and tell him about the plans for Bright Horizons, you’ll win him over. It was actually his idea to apply to the program. He had read about it in the paper."
Jonathan grinned. "I like a kid with initiative."
"Great. Let me take you out to the court and introduce you."
Jennifer drove up the long pathway to Gunderson Heights. She parked the Mercedes next to Barry’s, and walked into the old barn. She could tell by the layout of the land that she was going to love this site. Barry was looking out the window, when he turned and greeted her.
"You made it all right?" he said, walking over to her.
"Yes. Your directions were perfect," she said, smiling.
Barry took note of how Jennifer was dressed, allowing his gaze to drift down the center of her blouse and admiring how her jeans fit snuggly around her hips.
"Take a look at the loft," he encouraged, appreciating Jennifer’s backside as she went over to examine it more closely. "Wouldn’t that be a great place for the kids to hang out?"
"Oh, Barry," she gushed. "This place is just wonderful – so full of light. It’s got great energy!" She walked around the large, open area taking in a deep breath.
"That’s not all," he said, gesturing to the side door. "Come see this."
They walked out into the fresh air and faced west. Dark clouds were rolling in off the ocean.
"What a view!" Jennifer sighed passionately. "Looks like we’re in for more rain though…Are you sure you want to give this place away? I mean, it’s prime property."
He gazed at her. "For you, Jennifer, yes."
"Well, I hope you’re doing this for Bright Horizons, and not for me."
"Why not both?" he said, patting her gingerly on the shoulder.
They continued to walk the property lines. Barry was careful to point out all the benefits of the land, including the numerous hiking trails. When he was finished, they walked back into the barn, and then exited through the back door. Barry walked Jennifer to her car.
"Well, thank you, Barry," Jennifer said, turning the ignition. "I think Gunderson Heights is a perfect home for Bright Horizons." She paused and frowned when the car didn’t start. She tried again. "That’s strange. I wasn’t having any problems with the car."
"Let me try," Barry offered.
The key clicked, but the engine was silent. He got out and looked under the hood.
"Well, I don’t see anything wrong, but I’m no mechanic. Why don’t I give you a lift home and we’ll call a tow."
"Barry, why are you so interested in Bright Horizons?"
Barry looked in his rearview mirror. The sky cast an ominous glow over the area. "I never got a chance to do anything like this – you know, make a real contribution. Most charities take your money and end up using it to pay their staff. It doesn’t go to the people who need it. I don’t know, call me jaded, but I just don’t trust most charities. With Bright Horizons, I know you’ll put the money to good use… I trust you."
"Barry, can I ask you a personal question?"
He shrugged. "Go ahead."
"How come you never married?"
A smile slid across his face. "I’ve never found anyone who was special enough."
"Come on, not anyone?"
"Well, maybe just one. I’m working on it."
"Good for you. Don’t give up," she smiled.
Several miles down the coastline, heavy torrential rains began falling. Barry turned his wipers on full speed, but he could hardly see.
"Boy, we’ve had some pretty heavy rains lately, huh?" Barry said, trying to concentrate on the road.
"Can you see all right?" Jennifer asked, beginning to feel nervous. It had become pitch black outside, and the wind had picked up considerably.
"No, not really… wait, I see flashing lights ahead," he said, slowing down.
A police jeep was blocking the road. Barry pulled up and rolled down the window. Rain pelted his face.
"What’s wrong, officer?" he yelled.
The drenched State Trooper peered in, his flashlight catching Jennifer in the eyes. "The road’s washed out! There’s a fear of mudslides in the area – you’ll have to turn back!" he shouted, making himself heard over the thunder of the rain.
Jennifer groaned. "Where will we go? This is the only road out to the freeway from here."
"I think I know a place we can stop," Barry said, turning the car around.
A mile down the road, Barry’s Mercedes began slowing considerably.
"What’s wrong?" Jennifer asked, her anxiety mounting. She wished Jonathan were here.
"I think the water on the road is getting too deep… she’s gonna stall out," he said, pumping the brakes. "We’re only about a quarter mile away from Harper’s Inn. It’s on higher land. We’re going to have to walk the rest of the way, I’m afraid."
Jennifer’s face froze in fear. She looked out the window and trembled.
"Don’t worry," Barry said gently, "I’ll make sure we get there safely, okay?" He reached over to touch her hand and gave it a small squeeze. She looked at him and nodded, pushing herself to trust him. If only Jonathan were here, she thought.
