Jonathan sat comfortably on the overstuffed chair next to the bed. Not in his wildest imagination would he have believed that an evening like this would ever actually happen. And not in his wildest imagination would he have believed that he could be so accepting of this, and so … turned on. At first, Jennifer’s suggestion threw him into a silent outrage – how could she agree to sleep with him? But then he had remembered his vow, his vow to support her no matter what her decision. She went a step further, however, pushing their marriage to new boundaries: asking if he would participate. He never really answered her, but here he was, at the Beverly Hills Hotel, watching this scenario unfold before his own eyes.
He watched, as if from some peephole in a boy’s locker room, as his wife kissed Tom. He could tell Tom was aroused immediately. Holding her face in his hands, Tom opened his mouth wider, drawing in her lips and taking her breath away. Slowly, his nervous fingers fumbled their way down her blouse, hastily unbuttoning it. Slow down, boy, Jonathan thought, or this will be over before it even starts.
Jennifer remained passive to his touch, allowing Tom to undress her, however awkwardly he proceeded. As he slipped off her silk blouse, his eyes took in her breasts, which were snuggly bound in a black lace bra. His breath became heavy and irregular, while his hands slipped her bra straps over her shoulders, pulling them down just enough so that her pink nipples peaked over the edge. Jonathan heard him grunt, as Jennifer finished unwrapping her soft, white mounds.
Jonathan could feel his own erection growing, and began taking off his shirt as he watched them move to the bed. Jennifer sat up on her knees, taking one of her breasts and offering it to Tom’s eager lips. Hungrily, he sucked her nipple, pulling it in to his hot, wet mouth and running his prickly tongue over it. Jennifer’s skin tingled to his touch and a moan escaped her lips.
Jonathan could not hold back any longer, his manhood straining to be released. Within moments, he was naked and moving over to join the passion. Jennifer smiled at him and seemed to relax when she felt his strong hand move from behind her back and cup her free breast. He gazed down as he watched Tom continue to plumage her nipple, while he caressed her other waiting bud. Finally, he switched breasts, allowing the swollen pink mass to tingle in the air.
Jonathan wasted no time, pulling Jennifer’s slacks and panties off. The sight of her round, firm bottom made him grunt so loudly, that Jennifer turned back and gave him an admonishing look. He shrugged helplessly.
"I want you so badly," he whimpered.
She smiled knowingly and winkled at him, but then turned her gaze back to Tom, who was struggling to free himself of his clothing.
Jennifer gently pushed Tom back onto the bed, hovering over him. She took his hardness in her hands and began stroking. Jonathan could tell that he was going crazy – the way it drove him crazy whenever Jennifer touched him there. Slowly, she swung her leg over his waist and guided him into her. The contact sent shivers throughout his body.
Jonathan held her hips from behind, slowly and rhythmically, pushing her up and down, watching their bodies slide in and out of each other. Jennifer continued to ride Tom, while Jonathan switched ends and came up in front of her. He looked into her eyes beseechingly, hoping that she would oblige.
Her hands seemed to understand his needs, as she took hold of him. He leaned in towards her, and hoarsely cried, "Oh, Jennifer," as she opened her mouth and took him in. Jonathan’s hands gripped her tussled, auburn hair as she sucked and pulled him in, keeping time with Tom’s thrusts. Finally, he pulled back, knowing he could not hold on another second. Taking several breaths, he returned to his former position behind her, allowing himself to slow down. He reached around Jennifer, sliding his fingers over her femininity, and knew he had reached her pleasure zone when she cried out, "Jonathan!"
Tom’s sweaty form bucked harder, hearing Jennifer’s cries. He knew she was nearing climax. Jonathan knew it too, and slowed his touch. There was one thing he wanted to do, and he knew this would probably be his only chance. Jonathan pushed his wife gently forward, so that her breasts were touching Tom’s chest. He reached down and took his member in his hand. Slowly and gently, he pushed himself into her already-occupied space. Jennifer writhed and moaned, as he continued to push himself in further, enormously enjoying the tightness of her cramped quarters. Tom cried out too, feeling the tremendous strength of Jonathan joining him in Jennifer’s womb.
The chain of their climaxes came one after another, with Jonathan finishing last.
"Jonathan?" she said, shaking him. "Are you all right?"
"Huh? What?" he answered, startled. "No… I mean, yeah!"
"You’re in a pool of sweat. Did you have a bad dream?"
Jonathan ran a hand over his face and felt the beads of perspiration. This was not the only place he was wet. Good Lord, he thought, I’ll be glad when Tom Landers returns to London.
Jonathan walked briskly into his office on Monday morning. He was annoyed, however, to find that he and Justine Thurston were still the subject of gossip at Hart Industries. His managers had informed him that several issues of the Midnight Star had been found, and that the break room chatter was not favorable.
"Deanne, I’d like you to send out invitations to all Hart Industry employees. I’m having a party at my house Wednesday afternoon. Can you take care of that?" he asked.
"Sure thing, Mr. Hart," she answered. "Any particular occasion?"
He paused to think. "You can call it an Employee Appreciation Party… and can you get Simone Caswell on the phone for me?"
Deanne gulped. "Of the Midnight Star?"
"That’s the one. Invite her too. Tell her there will be celebrities there."
"OK, Mr. Hart," Deanne said, unconvinced that this was a good idea.
Tom sat in the room that Jennifer had reserved at the Beverly Hills Hotel, nervously tapping his fingers. At seven o’clock, she knocked at the door, just as she had promised. Hopping to his feet, he opened the door to find her freckled face smiling at him.
"Hi," she said sheepishly.
He returned the smile. "Hi. Come on in. It’s a beautiful room," he said ushering her in.
She sat down on the edge of the bed and crossed her legs. He couldn’t help notice how deliciously feminine she looked, wrapped in a French blue, floral dress – his favorite color. She noticed him looking at her legs and smiled.
Tom moved over to the bed next to her. "Are you sure this is all right for you?"
Jennifer looked at him tenderly and nodded.
His eyes caught the shimmer of gold around her neck, and he noticed that she was wearing a necklace with a charm he had given her years ago. The gesture touched him deeply. He reached up and brushed a lock of hair away from her face and leaned in to kiss her. The feel of her silky lips against his own was just as he had imagined it. He looked into her almond eyes, hoping for a sign to continue.
Slowly, Jennifer stood up. At first, Tom thought she might leave, but he was delighted to see her slide off her high heels.
"Will you unzip my back?" she said, almost in a whisper.
Tom swallowed hard, feeling his breath become uneven. He stood behind her and swept her hair to the side. Leaning down, he kissed the back of her neck and took hold of the zipper, slowly pulling it. Seeing the outline of her white lace slip underneath, he let her dress fall to the floor. She turned to face him, cheeks flushed. Her shyness made him long for her even more.
"Would you like some wine?" he offered.
She nodded, accepting a glass as he poured himself one. Tom turned on the radio, allowing the smooth sounds of jazz fill the room and lowered the lights. He could tell that Jennifer’s wine was loosening her up. Leading her to the bed, he began to remove his clothing.
She reached her arms around him and pulled his shoulders close to her. He could smell the fragrance on her neck and the touch of her breast against his chest. For so many years, he longed for this moment – the years that he had fantasized about touching her skin and smelling the intimate crevices of her body. And now he had his wish … never had he dreamt that it would be a dying wish … an event that would punctuate the end of his life. Just enjoy the moment, Tom thought, don’t think about dying.
"Jennifer, you are so beautiful," he murmured into her ear.
She responded by kissing him. He lingered, enjoying the taste of her mouth. He wanted to take pleasure in every sight, smell, and taste.
"What would you like me to do?" he asked, wanting to please her in every way.
She shook her head. "Let me please you," she said, lowering herself to his waist. Gently, she began stroking him. He moaned and held her head, as her mouth slid up and down over his masculinity. Knowing exactly when to stop, she backed off. He watched as she knelt in front of him, allowing him to take in the sight of her beautiful form.
Jennifer took her breasts in her own hands, massaging and pulling them toward him. He could see her nipples hardening under her touch. Gently, her hands drifted down across her belly and between her legs, caressing the softness. He reached down, holding her firm buttocks, and lowered himself until his face was buried in her. His view from under made him ache for her more – the sight of her swollen breasts and twitching stomach drove him to thrust his tongue inside of her. She gasped, holding onto his shoulders for support. With expert maneuvering, he navigated his tongue and lips throughout her delicate folds until he could hear her catching her breath.
"Oh God, Tom," she moaned.
He withdrew his tongue and slid his fingers in, enjoying the wetness that he had created. She slid her leg off him and laid down on the bed, allowing her breath to return to normal.
He turned over and positioned himself between her legs. In moments, he penetrated her, leaving the confines of this small hotel room far behind and entering a blissful state he had only imagined until now. His orgasm was strong and life-affirming, and he knew that this union with Jennifer had somehow completed him.
"Hey, you want breakfast?" Max announced at the doorway of the guestroom.
Tom awakened with a start, letting the reality of the moment sink in.
"Ah, sure, Max," he mustered, rubbing his eyes.
It may have been a dream, he thought, but it was the best damn dream he ever had.
Simone Caswell strode around the living room of the Hart home, catching her reflection in the Van Gogh as she passed. She was early, she knew, but she didn’t want to miss anything that happened. Jonathan’s mysterious invitation to attend this party had certainly caught her interest, and she had a feeling the day would be full of surprises... and perhaps even garner a tantalizing tidbit or two to bring back to the paper.
Slowly, guests began to arrive, almost all at once. Simone didn’t know any of them – she assumed they were just Hart employees. The staff from the office didn’t recognize Simone either, but had she been wearing her Midnight Star ID badge, they would have been quite interested in her presence. Jonathan mingled amongst the guests, thanking them for coming. Max made sure the shrimp cocktail was circulated appropriately.
Drifting over to Kelly and Joe, Marge joined her accounting department colleagues by the piano.
"Hmmm, I wonder where Mrs. Hart is?" she said, accusingly.
Kelly rolled her eyes. "I’m sure she’s just getting ready."
"I don’t know about that," Marge answered.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I heard from Jackie, whose cousin is neighbors with Deanne, that Mrs. Hart is jealous and they’re thinking of separating."
"Over Justine Thurston? No way!"
The crowd began to grow, and Jonathan opened the door to another group of friends – this time, not Hart employees, but friends who worked for Variety, LA Times, and Vanity Fair, to name a few. All of them, conveniently enough, wrote for their respective society columns. They were happy to oblige Jonathan on such short notice. Simone noticed them right away, and made her way over to their circle.
Several moments later, the doorbell rang.
"I’ll get it, Max," Jonathan gestured.
He opened the door and in walked Justine Thurston. Jonathan smiled broadly and embraced her. The place grew quiet, except for the sound of murmurs growing across the room. Simone’s mouth dropped open.
Leaning in toward Joel Kellog, she could barely contain her giddiness. "It looks like Jonathan and Justine are at it again, eh? I suppose Vanity Fair will be picking up on this story." She wanted to mention how her paper - the one they looked down their noses at – was the first to carry the story of their affair, but she didn’t want to come off too catty.
Jonathan took Justine’s hand and walked her into the living room, offering her a glass of wine. He made sure to stand in the center of the room, allowing everyone a chance to witness their interactions. Jonathan whispered into her ear, and they shared a laugh. On cue, Jennifer entered the room, sweeping in and capturing the attention of everyone. Marge held her breath, as did Simone Caswell.
"Justine!" Jennifer cried, embracing her warmly.
Justine smiled and returned the hug.
Joel Kellog leaned toward Simone and said, "Hardly a story."
Kelly smiled smugly at Marge. "I told you so."
Jennifer walked up to the front door of the Beverly Hills hotel, wondering how this encounter with Tom would go. She knew it would be the last time she would ever see him, and the thought brought tears to her eyes. Somehow everything about tonight – the setting sun, the delicate breeze playing with her hair, and even the beautiful notes of Chopin playing in the lobby of the grand hotel, made this evening all the more poignant. Would she be able to satisfy Tom, and bring him peace tonight? She certainly hoped so.
Tom opened the door on her first knock. "Punctual, as usual," he said, smiling.
Jennifer laughed. "I haven’t changed very much since our college days."
"That’s for sure," he said, tenderly touching her chin.
She walked into the graciously appointed room, sitting down in a chair. "Do you like the room?"
"It’s beautiful. Thank you and Jonathan for arranging it. It’s the most exquisite room I’ve ever stayed in."
Tom went over to the bar and poured her a drink.
"Jonathan doesn’t mind your coming here tonight?" he said, handing her the brandy.
Jennifer took a sip, and thought about it. "Jonathan and I have a very special marriage. He respects the decisions I make."
"I know he does… but you didn’t answer my question."
Jennifer smiled wistfully. "Ah, that’s the Tom I remember – catching every detail. Does he mind that I’m here? Yes, I suppose he does."
"Did you tell him what your decision was?"
"He asked, and I was about to tell him, but he stopped me. He preferred not to know."
"The thought of another man making love to his wife was a little too much to bear. I don’t blame him," Tom said, meaning it.
"Jonathan can bear anything… and besides, I haven’t agreed to anything yet. I told you I would come here tonight, but I didn’t know if I could go through with it," she said, raising her eyebrows.
Tom smiled sadly. "Is it that disgusting a thought?"
Jennifer grew silent, her eyes suddenly filling with tears. "No, Tom, that’s not it and you know it."
He didn’t mean to upset her. All he wanted to do, in fact, was to sweep her up into his arms and make love to her…just like in his dream.
Sitting down next to her, he took a sip of his brandy. "So, how can I convince you to make love to me," he said, giving a small chuckle.
"Come now… you don’t think I’m that easy, do you? Can’t we just talk first?" she said, returning the laughter.
Tom sighed appreciatively. "Oh, Jennifer, I’ve missed that in my life…I’ve missed you. Do you know I’ve never found a woman that I could joke with like this?"
"How come?" she wanted to know.
"No one has ever held a candle to you."
"That’s a bunch of bull."
"Why do you say that?" he said, getting up and looking out the window.
"You’re trying to tell me that you’ve been pining for me for the past fifteen years?"
"No, I didn’t hold my breath waiting for you. I knew you were in love with Jonathan. I remember reading about his proposal to you over the London Bridge. It was in all the papers in London – you made quite a story."
Jennifer smiled at the memory. "I guess we did."
"How could I ever compete with Jonathan Hart’s money? Do you know how much money it must have cost to orchestrate that proposal? Believe me, it would have taken an ordinary citizen months to get clearance to do that," Tom said, unable to hide the annoyance in his voice.
Jennifer clenched her teeth. It wasn’t the first time someone had accused Jonathan of being too powerful, too wealthy, too influential. Still, anyone who knew Jonathan knew he never threw his power around.
"He had everything to give you," he continued. "How could I – or anyone else – compete with that?"
Jennifer stood up, the anger stinging her cheeks. "Tom, I’m not going to stay here and defend my relationship with my husband, okay?" She would have turned around and walked out, but she knew she couldn’t. She couldn’t leave Tom for the last time in anger.
"I don’t want you to defend it. I…I’m sorry," he stammered. "I guess I just want you to realize that … life isn’t fair."
It was indeed what he had wanted to say all along – what he wanted to shout to the world. Yes, he wanted to take a banner and unroll it over the London Bridge himself and tell the world LIFE ISN’T FAIR. It wasn’t fair that he never reached a pinnacle of success in his career. It wasn’t fair that his novels were never published; his written words, his testament to the world – rejected by publishers. And it certainly wasn’t fair that he had never been blessed with the love of a good woman.
The silence hung heavily in the room. It wasn’t until several minutes later that Tom realized Jennifer was crying. Unable to move, he watched as she held her face in her hands, her muffled sobs filling the room. Go to her, he told himself. But, something kept him in his place, not wanting to stop her flow of tears.
Slowly, Jennifer picked up her head. Tom’s heart lurched, seeing the pain on her tear-streaked face. She took a deep breath and grabbed for a tissue on the nightstand next to her.
Tom moved toward her and cupped her face in his hands. Gently, he reached down and kissed her swollen lips. They looked into each other’s eyes, and then both broke into smiles.
"Jennifer, I think you should go."
Jennifer blinked. "You do?"
He nodded. "Yeah," he said gulping. As much as he wanted to be with her, as much as he wanted to hold her forever, he realized that he loved her too much to complicate her feelings…her relationship with Jonathan…her life.
Jennifer looked away. "Well then," she said with a quiver in her voice, "I guess this is good-bye."
He turned her chin back toward him. "I try not to think of it as an ending, but as a beginning. Who knows, maybe our paths will cross again… in another time, another place."
Jennifer nodded, somehow trusting his words.
"Thank you for being such a beautiful part of my life," he said.
"Thank you for being a beautiful part of mine."
She turned to leave, and then stopped, slipping her hand into her purse. As she passed through the doorway, she pressed something into the palm of his hand, and then vanished into the hallway.
Tom looked down and smiled when he saw the gold charm he had given her years ago. It read: Love is Patient… Love is kind…Love endures all things.
"Darling?" Jennifer called out from behind him.
Jonathan turned his head, smiled, and motioned for her to join him. The sun was just setting over the Pacific Ocean.
"Max told me you were up here," she said, joining him on the cliff at Jackson Pointe.
Jonathan looked out over the water. "Beautiful, isn’t it?"
Jennifer sighed deeply, watching the sky turn brilliant shades of pinks and purples. "It sure is," she said, slipping her hand in his and squeezing gently.
Jonathan turned to her. "How did it go?"
"All right," she paused. "Everything’s going to be all right."
"Good." He put his arm around her.
"I didn’t, you know," she said, finally.
Jonathan didn’t realize how he had been feeling, until her words released the tension in his gut. He had wanted to show his trust and support for her throughout the whole ordeal, but who was he kidding? It had been eating at him for days.
"So, are things back to normal at the office?" she asked.
"Yes. The Midnight Star has vanished from the break rooms," he laughed. "Our plan with Justine worked. Thank you for making amends with her."
Jennifer turned to him and brought her arms around his neck. "Darling," she said, searching for the words that would sum up all her thoughts and feelings. But words failed her.
"I love you."
He brushed a wind-blown curl away from her eyes.
"I love you too."
