Jennifer entered Barry’s penthouse apartment, feeling a bit nervous. She had come prepared to tell him that she was going to pass up the land at Gunderson Heights. She figured she would get that business done before leaving this weekend.
"Jennifer, thanks for coming on short notice," Barry said, motioning for her to sit down.
"That’s okay… I’m glad you did. There’s something I wanted to talk to you about… but, first, what is it that you wanted to show me?"
Barry walked over to the sofa and sat down next to Jennifer. He looked at her comfortingly.
"What? What is it?" Jennifer said, growing anxious.
"Jennifer… I hate to be the one to bring this to your attention, but I don’t want to see you get hurt…" Barry began, taking her hand.
Jennifer didn’t like the sound of this. She withdrew her hand and leaned away from Barry.
"There’s something you should know about Jonathan…" he continued.
Jennifer could feel the color drain from her face. "What – what’s wrong with Jonathan?" she asked.
"Nothing’s wrong with him … well, why don’t I just show you…" he said, standing and walking over to his desk drawer. Pulling out a large manila envelope, he brought it over to Jennifer.
She looked at the envelope and paused. Barry nodded for her to open it. Heart pounding, her hands slipped into the envelope and pulled out a small stack of photographs.
One by one, Jennifer looked at the photos without emotion. In each, there was Jonathan with another woman – a beautiful blonde. There were shots of them sailing, eating at a restaurant, and walking along the ocean. There was some of him with his arm around her.
"Where did you get these?" Jennifer said quietly.
"I have an acquaintance who works for the Hollywood Tattler. He knew we were working together on a project. He said they were going to run these pictures in the paper next week… I bought them from him. I wanted you to be spared the humiliation," Barry said smoothly.
Jennifer sat quietly, her eyes darting back and forth, trying to put the pieces together.
Barry continued on, "…I’m sure this is a shock to you. It’s a lot to digest."
Slowly, he put his arm around her shoulders and touched her soft auburn hair. Leaning closer, he inhaled the scent of her perfume.
Jennifer remained silent.
"Look," Barry said gently, "I know a good attorney. You have nothing to worry about."
Jennifer pulled herself away and stood up. The color in her cheeks returned, as her anger mounted. Barry stood and put his arms on her shoulders. Pulling her closer, he resisted the urge to kiss her pouting lips. Jennifer pulled away again.
"Stop it, Barry," she cried.
"Jennifer, I’m not going to let Jonathan treat you that way."
Jonathan paced the living room floor. He knew that Barry was behind the recent discovery about Jennifer’s car. Had he planned to take Jennifer to that motel all along? The very thought infuriated Jonathan. Yet, he knew that he had to proceed carefully. Jennifer clearly didn’t know what was going on, and he didn’t want her to get hurt. Just as soon as she returned home, he would talk to her about it.
As Jonathan was about to check the answering machine for messages, he heard the buzzer to the front gate.
"This is the Hart Residence. How can I help you?" Jonathan said, taking over Max’s duty.
"Mr. Hart? This is Corey. Can I come up?"
"Sure," Jonathan said, puzzled as to how Corey found where he lived.
Within minutes, Corey was standing at the front door.
"Come on in and have a seat, Corey. Can I get you a soda?"
"Ah, no Mr. Hart. No, thank you," he answered, wringing his hands.
Jonathan noticed how nervous he was. "Is there something wrong, Corey? You know you can tell me."
Corey stood up, unable to make eye contact. He jammed his hands into his pant pockets and drew a big breath. "Mr. Hart, I’ve got to tell you something…"
"What is it?" Jonathan said, a certain wariness in his voice.
"Well, I don’t know how to say it… but, I lied to you. I’m not who you think I am."
"You’re not Corey Hamlett?"
"Yeah…yeah, my name is Corey Hamlett… it’s just that, well…someone set me up to go to Bright Horizons and meet you…"
"I’m listening," Jonathan said without judgment. "Tell me everything."
Corey relaxed a bit. "I hang out at Lancaster courts and play basketball most nights. Well, about a month ago, some guy came up to me and offered me a thousand dollars to do something for him. The deal was that I would ask to be referred to this new program – Bright Horizons through DYS. I was to be a model candidate and ask for a man to talk to. He said I would be meeting you probably, and if I didn’t, then I was to contact him…" Corey looked up at Jonathan to see his reaction.
"Go on," Jonathan said matter-of-factly.
"Well, luckily I did get hooked up with you. Then, I was supposed to spend a lot of time with you and try and get you to sympathize with me."
"Who was this man?"
"I don’t know his name," Corey said truthfully.
"And for what reason did this man tell you to do this?"
"Well, that’s what made me finally come to you … I think he’s after your wife."
The words stung Jonathan. Every muscle in his body became poised for action.
"Did he tell you that he was after Jennifer?"
"Not in so many words…but the other day, he made me bring a chick with me – I mean, that woman, Janice – and he told me to have her get close to you. You know, lean up against you and stuff like that. He said he would be having someone take pictures of the two of you together. I was supposed to stay out of the shots. He said they were part of his ammunition to ‘get what he wanted’. I figured it must be to get Mrs. Hart jealous… When you showed me Mrs. Hart’s picture the other day… and the way you talk about her, I can just tell by the look on your face that you love her. She must be something special."
"Was this man tall, about six feet two inches, black hair?"
"Yeah, that’s him. Do you know him?"
Jonathan clenched his jaw.
"Corey, why did you decide to tell me this? Is it because you didn’t get your money?"
Corey looked down. "No, that’s not it. I didn’t get the money… but I don’t want it either. I’m done with him… the truth is that I think you’re a good guy. I really had a great time with you this past week…. And I’m not lying about that," Corey said, his face flushed with embarrassment.
Jonathan put his arm around the boy’s shoulders. "I believe you. It took a lot of courage to do what you just did."
"You mean you don’t hate me?" he said, his face brightening.
Jonathan grinned. "No, I don’t hate you… and I still think you’ve got a good shot at getting into Bright Horizons… if you’re still interested, that is."
Corey smiled broadly. "You bet I am!"
"There’s got to be some mistake," Jennifer said, shaking her head. "I don’t know who is framing my husband, but I’ll find out."
Barry stroked the back of her hair. "Jennifer," he said gently, "do you know this woman?"
Jennifer swallowed hard. "No, I don’t."
"Well, it looks like Jonathan knows her very well. From the looks of it, he’s quite friendly with her… Jennifer, don’t kid yourself. Sometimes these things happen, even in the best of marriages. You just have to move on."
Jennifer looked at the pictures again. She recognized the outfit he was wearing – it was the day he told her he was taking Corey to the wharf. She remembered he had dressed casually in case they ended up sailing that day. Was Corey just a decoy? Jennifer put her hand to her forehead and closed her eyes. This cannot be happening, she thought to herself. Something is wrong.
Suddenly, she became aware of Barry’s hand sliding down her back and around her waist.
"What are you doing?" she said, pulling away from him.
"I’m just trying to comfort you," he said. He was growing weary of Jennifer’s resistance. How long could she hold out, or better yet: how long could he hold out? After all, he had been pining for her for over two years, and now was the moment of his conquest. He was not going to lose her, no matter what… and if she didn’t agree to be his, then he would take her against her will. It wouldn’t be the victory he had envisioned, but it would be a pleasure he would surely remember.
Jonathan continued pacing, this time with urgency. He was anxiously waiting for Jennifer to return home so that he could confront her. He rehearsed how he would tell her what he now knew, anticipating her reactions. He had to convince her that Barry Swarthmore was nothing more than a snake.
Finally, he got so tired of waiting that he walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water. Glancing next to the phone, he saw that Jennifer had scrawled 800 Pelham Place on the note pad. The address rang a bell: it was an upscale residence, popular with bachelors that Jonathan knew. His heart skipped a beat - she must have gone to Barry’s.
Jonathan grabbed his jacket and flew out the front door. He knew Jennifer was in danger.
"Jennifer, here… have a glass of water before you leave. You’ll feel much better," Barry said, handing her the glass.
Jennifer hesitated. "All right," she said, drinking it swiftly. The rush of cold water felt good going down. Barry smiled at her.
"Can I take these pictures with me? I’m going to get to the bottom of this…" Jennifer said, as she turned to walk to the door.
Suddenly, her vision began to blur and her body grew weak. She grabbed onto the side of a chair to regain her balance.
"Barry, I – …"
The last thing Jennifer saw was Barry’s smiling face before everything faded to black.
Barry caught Jennifer in his arms before she hit the floor. He carried her into his bedroom and set her down on the bed. Standing over her lifeless form, he bent down to slide a pillow under her head.
"Jennifer, my darling," he purred. "I’ve been waiting so long for you."
Barry loosened his tie, slipped off his shoes, and lay down next to her. Propping himself up on one elbow, he watched her chest rise and fall with each breath. Slowly, he began caressing her hair, and then leaned in to kiss her lips.
"Jennifer, now that Jonathan is out of our lives, I can have you all to myself… and I think you’ll find that I’m a much better lover than Jonathan…" he said hungrily.
Barry began unbuttoning Jennifer’s blouse slowly, and slipped it over her shoulders. The sight of her breasts straining against her lace bra aroused him immediately. He traced his finger along the edge of the lace, savoring every moment. Just as he bent down to uncover her breast, he heard a rapping at the door.
Barry sprung up off the bed. Growling to himself, he left the room and shut the door.
"I’m coming!" he shouted angrily.
When he opened the door, he was surprised to find Jonathan standing in the doorway. "Where’s my wife?" he yelled, storming into the room.
"If you must know, Jonathan. She left here about a half hour ago…she’s gone to meet with an attorney."
Jonathan screwed up his face. "What?"
"I suppose you’ll find out sooner or later, Jonathan… Jennifer and I have been having an affair."
"You make me sick," Jonathan sputtered. "Now, where is she?!"
"I told you… she left. Oh, man, she is good, Jonathan," Barry smiled slyly.
Jonathan wanted to unleash the anger that was cresting inside, but he had to find Jennifer first. His eyes darted around the room, looking for signs of his wife.
"Hey, I told you she wasn’t here, so get lost before I call the cops," Barry said angrily.
"Oh, yeah? And I’ll bet the cops will be very interested to hear about how you sabotaged Jennifer’s car and paid off a teenager to implicate himself in this psychotic scheme of yours."
"You can’t prove anything," Barry laughed. "Face it, Jonathan. You lost her. Jennifer is mine…and I must say, I have been enjoying every bit of her," he said, drawing out the words.
A spark ignited in Jonathan’s mind, and he could not control the rage that was building in him. He drew a fist and let it slam into Barry’s face. The pain of the punch shot through his knuckles and up through his wrist, but he enjoyed every bit of it. Barry recovered easily and threw an upper cut that sent Jonathan sailing against the wall.
"What’s the matter, Jonathan? Is it hard to believe that I’ve been screwing your wife?" Barry egged him on. Jonathan threw another punch into Barry’s gut.
Barry laughed. "Last week, up at Harper’s Inn, did you really think we were just coming in from the rain?… I had the most incredible hot shower with Jennifer."
Jonathan came charging at him again, sending him careening into the sofa and tipping it over. They both landed on the floor in a deadly wrestling match. Barry soon gained the upper hand and straddled Jonathan, hitting him again and again. Just as Barry was about to deliver a crashing blow, he felt a cracking in his skull that sent pain searing through his head. Barry opened his mouth to speak, but only blood trickled out. Slowly, he fell forward and slumped onto the floor. Jonathan sat up, holding his jaw, and tried to focus on what was happening.
Jennifer gave him a pained smile. "Well, what took you so long?" she said, holding the base of a ceramic lamp in her hand.
"I was about to ask you the same thing," Jonathan answered.
The sun was beginning to set over the Pacific Ocean. Jonathan and Jennifer had spent the better part of Saturday walking the streets of San Francisco. They had meandered around the city - a city they had come to know so well - simply content to be together. It seemed as if their worlds were returning to normal once again. Jennifer, however, had a nagging sense that not everything was quite right yet, although she wasn't sure what it was.
After a stop for Irish Coffees at Buena Vistas, they made their way back to the Fairmont Hotel, arm in arm. They entered their room and sat down on the bed, both feeling uncharacteristically shy in each other's presence. Jennifer slid off her shoes and lay down on top of the bed, while Jonathan poured them both a glass of champagne - compliments of Max.
Jonathan sat down on the bed. "Do you realize that we haven't made love in over two weeks?" he said, passing her the wine.
"Sixteen days…but who's counting?" she grinned.
Jennifer took a long sip of her wine and then slid over closely to Jonathan.
"I hope you haven't forgotten how," she whispered teasingly into his ear.
He laughed, and then turned to look her in the eye. He was about to reply, when he caught himself in a full gaze. Looking into those almond eyes - eyes that were looking back at him so lovingly - he felt as if a wave had passed over him, pulling him out to sea.
Jennifer too felt the instant tug of emotion, as she looked into Jonathan's eyes. How she has missed being this close to him over the past two weeks! Unable to speak, tears sprung to her eyes. Jonathan shook his head slowly, his expression telling her not to be sad. Finally, he brought his warm lips to hers, hoping to squelch her burning tears. He kissed her over and over again, not a lingering, sensual kiss, but the kind that healed.
Finally, he took her in his arms and held her tightly.
"Jonathan?" she said, after a long pause.
"What is it, darling?" he said, stroking her hair.
"I'm sorry," she said, her voice trembling.
"Sorry about what?"
"That I didn't trust you."
"It wasn't that you didn't trust me…you were giving him the benefit of the doubt. You weren't judging him on my terms," Jonathan said. "That's one of the things that I love about you. You believe people are good, unless they prove you wrong. You never pass judgment before you get to know someone."
"Well, Barry certainly proved me wrong," Jennifer said quietly.
They sat in silence for several moments.
"Darling…I accept your apology," Jonathan said tenderly, knowing that his wife needed to hear those words from him. She smiled and sighed.
"I guess I'm back to the drawing board with Bright Horizons. Now that Barry is out of it, I'll have to pare down my projections this year."
"Didn't Stanley call you?" Jonathan asked.
"No, why?"
"There was an anonymous donor who made a contribution to Bright Horizons yesterday - one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, I believe…enough to purchase a place for the program," he said, watching her expression.
Jennifer looked at him. "Jonathan, you didn't..."
"Did what?" he said, feigning innocence.
She shook her head slowly. "Jonathan Hart, you are the last of the nice guys, you know that?"
"Give me a kiss," he said.
"Oh, I'll do more than that," she said with an impish grin.
Jonathan's eyes brightened at the prospect. Jennifer slowly pushed him back onto the bed, removing his socks first. Unbuttoning his shirt, she peeled it away, kissing his chest softly. He moaned as her lips touched his nipples and her hair fell forward, tickling his chest.
Jennifer inhaled slowly, taking in his strong scent. A small gasp escaped her lips as she held his powerful shoulders and closed her eyes. The warm throbbing between her legs begged to be satisfied, but she continued her quest to please him.
Slowly, she unbuckled his pants and slid them down. Jonathan pulled her on top of him, wanting to feel her warm body close to his. He kissed her passionately, until she had to pull away to catch her breath. He ran his hands up her sweater and pulled it over her head, wanting to take in her flesh.
Jennifer kneeled over him and unhooked her bra, letting it fall to his chest. He groaned, as he swept it away and reached up to touch her soft breasts. His agile hands took each breast, massaging and rubbing them until her nipples swelled. He pulled them toward his face, wanting to push himself into her cleavage and take in her fragrance. His lips found their way to her aching nipples, nearly swallowing them.
Jennifer cried out in passion, as Jonathan continued to suckle her breasts. Finally, she pulled away from him, slithering lower until she reached his manhood. She slid his briefs down and lovingly stroked him. Holding him firmly, she opened her mouth and took him in.
"Jennifer," he moaned, his fingers getting lost in her hair.
Hearing him call her name, she sucked and pulled harder, devouring him. Her rhythm made him pant, until he finally pushed her away, out of breath. Wanting to return the pleasure, he pushed her down on the bed and removed her pants and lace underwear. He pried open her legs and began kissing the sides of her soft thighs.
Jennifer's eyes rolled back, as she felt Jonathan's tongue enter her, sending waves of pleasure throughout her body. He playfully teased her with his tongue and fingers, feeling her muscles tighten, and then withdrawing. "Please… Jonathan," she gasped, grabbing onto his shoulders. She wanted him to submerge himself in her - to take her fully.
Jonathan obliged without hesitation. He lay down on top of her and kissed her hungrily. In one smooth motion, Jonathan was inside, feeling his passion explode. Jennifer's body trembled in ecstasy, as the two of them reached new heights.
"That was incredible," Jennifer said, cuddled up against Jonathan's chest. Jonathan smiled.
"You know, I've been meaning to ask you…" she paused.
"Ask me what?"
"About that woman in the pictures…"
"What woman?"
"The blonde."
"Oh, that woman."
Silence.
"Well?"
"Well, what?"
"Who was she?"
"Oh, just a friend of Corey's."
"She was very beautiful."
"Was she? I didn't notice."
"Oh, come on. She was very beautiful. How could you have not noticed?"
"Honestly, I don't remember anything about her."
Jennifer sighed. "All right… well, goodnight Jonathan."
"Goodnight Janice."
"Mmmm," Jennifer said, beginning to drift off. Suddenly, she bolted upright.
"Janice?!"
"Oops, did I say that?" he said with a devilish grin.
"Be careful or I'll start calling you Barry."
"You wouldn't dare."
Jennifer raised an eyebrow. "You're awfully lucky that I'm such an understanding wife."
Jonathan smiled and kissed her cheek. "Among other things."
