by Mia Ford
“This falls on my shoulders as well. I should’ve been more diligent and done a detailed search on the Internet about their business practices. I went on the premise that everything was taken care of. I allowed you to take the lead on this one and I never even questioned how this was going to work. I know from my research of their culture that they can be stickler for details. Their laws are not up for interpretation. You do something wrong and you pay for it. Do you know that when they kill somebody here for a crime that they actually send the bill for the bullet to their loved ones? Like in business ignorance is not tolerated or accepted as an excuse or defense in a court of law.” I had already polished off the rice wine that they had brought over to the table for dinner.
“I was actually looking forward to learning about this city through your eyes. I’ve been here a time or two, but I never really took the time to look around. It was always about business. Being an architect is not the only thing that I have my hand into. I have the kind of money that allows me to invest in various ventures. I have lost my shirt, but that is par for the course.” August was ashamed of himself for letting his guard down. I imagined in some small way that he would blame me for that and rightfully so. I did take him off his game and made him vulnerable to the manipulation of others.
“This is not a good way to start a new business partnership. I feel that if it wasn’t for me coming into your life that you would’ve seen this coming. I hope that you don’t have any regrets coming here with me. I probably shouldn’t pull at that thread, but I need to know if what you feel is still as strong as it was before we left the states.” I waited for an answer and I thought that he would have given it to me quicker than he did.
It felt like forever, but it was only about a minute before he finally said what was on his mind. “I’m not going to lie and say that you didn’t affect the way that I do business. I can’t say for sure that things would be different if you were not in my life. I don’t mean that to sound like I regret anything. I don’t and I think that I can find a way out of this for the both of us and still save face with Michael and his father. I just don’t see it right now, but there’s always a solution. I’m sure that if we put our heads together that we will come up with some way that will benefit both parties.” I could see that his mind was whirling and that mumbling underneath his breath was his way of figuring things out.
“I’m sorry that you feel that way and maybe being together is not the answer to anything. I’ve never wanted to change you. I’m sorry to say that I did change you and it appears not for the better when it concerns seeing what is most likely obvious.” The food came, but I was in no mood to eat anything. I was not only mad at myself, but I was furious that he would even consider that I was at fault.
“You did ask and I thought that it was a good idea to be open and honest. We need to show each other the courtesy of being upfront at all times. There can be no secrets between us. I still feel deeply for you and the love that we share will overcome any obstacle. I know how that sounds. I heard it coming out of my mouth and I almost began laughing despite my best intentions. We have been through a lot and this is just another thing in our way that we’re going to have to make sense of." August was at least referring to me as an equal and not just a partner in business.
I felt like I had put him in this position. He was doing nothing to discourage that belief. I could tell that he was having second thoughts. It was a woman’s prerogative to change their mind like a man changes his pants. I couldn’t decide what to do, but standing by him seemed to be the right thing.
I wasn’t at all ready for the taste sensation that touched my lips. The food and the egg rolls that were made by hand and not commercial in some kind of factory were something that you would have to experience to enjoy. The fortune cookies were lying there after we had finished our meal and we were both hesitant to open it up to see what our fortunes would read.
“I feel that I need to apologize. This can’t be easy on you. You came here because I gave you every reason to think that this was a fresh start for the both of us. It hasn’t turned out the way that I had envisioned. I’ve always believed that we make our own luck. We can turn this around and we just need to find a way.” He took my hand and held it lovingly with his thumb moving across the back to ignite old feelings that had never gone away.
“Fighting amongst ourselves is not going to accomplish anything. I dressed in this beautiful red dress with a plunging neckline and skintight against my frame to get your attention. I thought that when I came out of the bedroom to get ready for dinner that you would have said something or at least had your mouth wide open and your tongue hanging to the floor.” I could tell that some of the patrons were looking my way. It was only when their wives were otherwise indisposed in the bathroom that they gave me that unwanted attention.
“I haven’t done anything right since the moment that we arrived in this god forsaken country. I was foolish to think that this was going to make us happy. My father always said that if it looks too good to be true then it probably is. He would be so upset with me that I didn’t see this coming. I’m just glad that he’s not around to see it.” His connection to his father was very deep and his approval even now was paramount on his mind.
“We can both agree that the food is exemplary. I don’t know if I could eat another bite. There’s an old wives’ tale that says that if you eat Chinese that you’ll be hungry an hour later. I’ve never witnessed that for myself. That was a filling meal and one that makes me want to come back here again.” This place was close to where we were living. They had put us up at a very nice penthouse suite. They did that to keep us happy and not ready to make any waves. They thought that if they gave us luxury that we would roll over like a dog.
“Let’s forget about all of this ugliness and get back to the romance. I’m not much for the sappy things in a relationship, but I think that I could be convinced under the circumstances. I do love the way that you touch my hand. It shows that you are able to show intimacy. I don’t want either one of us to shy away from this.” I was trying to let him know that there was a way that we could make the best out of a bad situation. We didn’t have to let them have the power over us.
“I know you’re right, but it’s hard to think of anything else. I can’t get over the way that he spoke to me like I was beneath him. He probably feels that way every time that his father talks to him. It’s a vicious cycle and one that I regret making you a part of.” This wasn’t the first time that things had gone astray. His words did cut deeply like a cleaver that a butcher would use to make short work of a slab of beef.
“You can only account for your actions, August. What he does shouldn’t concern either one of us.”
“You’re being very understanding. I’m not sure that I would feel the same way if I were in your shoes. I do have to let this go. I’m thankful that you are around to ground me. Without you, I think that I might go mad and actually do something that would get me into a lot of trouble. You don’t know how close I was to smashing his face in. I could see it already happening and when I grabbed him, I felt like I could throw him through the window.” Those windows were probably reinforced for that specific reason. The building was a fortress with enough security measures to give it the appearance of a prison that was in lockdown.
We took a walk and we did stick out from those that were going about their daily business. There was a disturbance approaching and I had a feeling that Michael was not going to be any kind of pushover. His father had already ingrained in him the way to do things and getting away from that was going to take a drastic change in his attitude.
I felt like he was miles away and this was not the time to take things to the next level. I thought that after our meeting with Michael that we would be in the mood to celebrate. I had even packed the very outfit that I was going to use to seduce him before my ex-boyfriend came into the picture. My body might have been an acquired taste, but the stares that I was getting from the local
men had me feeling like I was a steak ready to be devoured.
There wasn’t much that could be said about what we were facing. He was definitely in no mood for bedroom activities. He had the weight of the world on his shoulders and I was right there with him to carry my fair share of that load.
“I’m always apologizing to you. It’s not just for my behavior. I want to give you a reason to stay, but I don’t feel in the mood. I don’t have a headache, but I don’t think that my mind would be into it. I want our first time together to be special and something that we can build on. I don’t want to be like some dead fish lying there as you use me for your amusement. I’m sure that it would be good for you and I would most definitely get there, but it wouldn’t be the same as having my undivided attention.” August had me curious and there was no way that I was going to ruin our first time by jumping his bones.
The penthouse suite had a spiral staircase that went up to the second floor. There was a master bedroom and the master bathroom was something that was even more spectacular. It had a sunken tub and a shower that could fit at least four people comfortably. The view of the city from the panoramic windows gave an atmosphere of love. It was just too bad that neither one of us were in any frame of mind to strip our defenses and do what came naturally.
We did sleep together, but that was all that we did. I didn’t notice before, but he breathed heavy when he gets into that deep slumber. There’s a whistle that comes from his nose that is quite unnerving. There was a moment there that I wanted to use my two fingers to cut off that distraction. I managed to put a pillow over my head and drown out any stimuli that were going to keep me from getting a full nights rest.
I woke with a start and I didn’t know what had caused me that much concern, but it was like I was tapping into a woman’s instinct about their baby being in trouble. I snapped forward and had to cover the sheet over my pendulum breasts. Standing at the foot of the bed was Michael with his arms crossed and shaking his head in disbelief that we would even entertain the idea of going back on our word.
I turned to August and I shook him until he fluttered his eyelids. He saw the angst on my face. We both looked to where Michael had been at the foot of the bed and there was nothing there. I was just my paranoia and a manifestation of my fears playing a deadly game. He was not there. He had already told us that he was going to be out of the country for the next couple of days.
“You look worried. I was up earlier talking to my lawyers and they had some distressing news. They had an army of lawyers go over the fine print. There is no wiggle room. They say that we can fight it, but it would do us no good. They would have is tied up in court, costing thousands if not hundreds of thousands of dollars to put up the necessary defense. They basically told me that I made my bed and now I had to lie in it. Of course, I fired them in a knee-jerk reaction. After calming down a little, I said that I didn’t want to fire them and keeping them on retainer was the best for everybody. They will take my money because they know that I am always good for business.” August was wearing nothing and we had reached a point in our relationship that being naked around each other was commonplace.
“I don’t like having no idea what is going on around me. I’m with you all the way to the end. Whatever you decide to do is something that the both of us should discuss beforehand. I do have my own opinion and I just hope that we don’t find ourselves arguing. Five years is a long time and yet it can be gone in the blink of an eye. We could fold and just do what they ask us.” This was my test to see if he was willing to compromise and bend a little.
The black silk sheets molded around my body, but there was no denying that my breasts were a focal point for his excitement. The tent in the sheet underneath him was quite pronounced. I wanted to reach out and touch it. I didn’t feel that it was a good time to lay hands on the man that I loved.
“I’ve caught an Angel of mercy and there are moments that I see this very bright light behind you. I have corrupted a young mind and you would think that I would feel guilty about something like that. For a culture that doesn’t take women seriously in business, it surprises me that they even mentioned you in the contract. In fact, they made it abundantly clear that you were a part of the package. They must see some value in having you working with me. It could be that I have praised your work. You could take it as a compliment that they would want you to stick around, but it’s a backhanded one that probably stings a little.” He was standing with that fine ass within reaching distance.
I had both hands in the air mimicking squeezing those cheeks, but not actually going through with it. I let the sheet fall from my bosom with the nipples standing strong and hard as ever. My body was ready to receive him in kind.
“I can’t think of anything other than your body. We did promise each other that this was going to be fun.” It seemed like a dream what happened with Michael. “I liked the way that you felt in my hand. I want to take things further, but I don’t want to do anything that you’re not comfortable with. What is your next move concerning Michael and his father? You must have something up your sleeve. I’ve come to learn that you never take chances without having a backup plan.”
“I was thinking about threatening them with legal action and actually putting things into place to let them believe that I was true to my word. It’s a bluff and one that I hope that they won’t see through. Michael might be convinced, but his father who has seen and done it all will see through my ruse. He will call my bluff and I will be left with egg on my face.” August was pacing back and forth and I was watching his love stick swinging and bobbing with a life of its own.
“You must be preoccupied not to notice that I’m sitting here completely naked and waiting for you to do something.” This seemed to break him from whatever thought was running around in his head. He actually licked his lips like he was contemplating giving me more than a good morning kiss.
“I’ve been blind, but now I can see. I’m not going to give up and there has to be some kind of loophole that we can use for our own purposes. My lawyers said that they will continue to comb through every word with meticulous detail. Their research department is better than anything that I have seen. Whoever is in charge of going through legal precedent has a mind like a steel trap.” August was hopeful and I could tell that his demeanor had changed slightly from the angst that I had seen on his face last night.
“I’ve been hot for your form for as long as I can remember. When I came to work with you it was like a dream come true. It was unfortunate that you couldn’t stop ogling me and making me feel like I had to call human resources. I see now that you only needed me to break you free from the monotony. You were at a point in your life that you weren’t looking for any kind of commitment. Imagine your surprise when I gave you a reason to think that commitment was the answer to your happiness.” I used my fingers to turn myself on. Watching him naked so near and yet so far away was more than any woman could bear.
“I was afraid to say the words and I actually needed to change my ways. Women have come and gone from my life like my bedroom was a revolving door. You rebuffed my advances. I saw you as a challenge. It was only after I pursued you and worked with you that I started to realize that there was more here than a one night stand.” He had broken up with Julia because he knew that love wasn’t in their cards.
“I want you and I thought that you wanted me, August.”
“If you haven’t guessed it by now, I want you and I should’ve introduced us both to the mile high club. I’m just not sure that is the way that I want to start my relationship with you. We can do better and this bed looks like it can take a pounding. Don’t think that I haven’t noticed the scent of you. That new perfume that you bought has been driving me insane.” He was still naked and standing at the window. This place had wall to wall windows and gave the impression that you could see everything for miles.
“If you’re not careful, you’re going to put on a show for the neighbors. I’m sure that these eastern
girls have never seen anything quite like you. Most of the Chinese men are smaller.” I had nothing left to say. He was still the same man that I remembered. “We have a chance and I don’t think that it’s a good idea for us to squander it. Tonight is the night and I’m not taking no for an answer. I’m willing to leave it up to you. You can plan every detail. Let’s hope that your lawyer gets back to you with something that you can use to hold over Michael and his father’s head.”
“Amanda, you have been amazingly patient. I have a few ideas that involve a deep tissue massage and a day at the spa to get you ready for a night of love. We have to stop taking this too seriously and it’s only going to cause us to act before thinking. I promise that tonight will be something that you won’t be able to forget. I’m going to pull out all the stops. I want the surprises to make you that child about to open a present in the morning on Christmas Day.” August was painting a pretty picture and one that I hoped that he wasn’t going to renege on.
“There’s no reason to go overboard. The only thing that I really want is you in this bed completely naked and a smile on your face. I’m not just a pretty face and body to match. I have more going for me than the curves that you wake up to every day. I can be a little bit shy, but you don’t let me get away with it.”
“You deserve so much better than me. There are many men with money that don’t have the baggage that I do. Don’t you think that you would be happier with one of them? They can give you the world and I wouldn’t hold it against you to leave me holding the bag.” He was playing the martyr and willing to fall on his sword to protect me from five years of never ending hell.
“If I was any other woman, I would probably take your offer and run with it. I feel that loyalty is a cornerstone of any partnership in business. We need to be vigilant and we can’t expect them to be honest with us. If they can be sneaky, then we can be twice as sneaky. I don’t like stooping to this level, but sometimes it’s necessary. This will be just between you and me.” I was looking forward to being pampered and then treated like a princess. I knew that my argument about him not going overboard was going to fall on deaf ears.