Chapter Ten
Samiyah’s eyes fluttered open. A delighted smile creased her lips knowing instantly where she was. When she moved, the tight muscles in her thighs, legs and back told a story of their own. She was sore and rightfully so. Looking next to her the smile quickly turned into a frown. Jonas was gone. Samiyah swept her legs over the side of the bed and came face to face with a banquet of room service trays. She removed the top to the first tray and there lay a single red rose sitting on top of a note.
My love, I wish I could have been here when you awakened, but I am needed on a conference call. Please accept my apologies and enjoy your breakfast. The dress laying across the chair is a replacement for the one I destroyed last night. I would apologize for that, but, I’m not sorry. J. A. R.
Samiyah felt warm all over. She pulled the rose to her nose and inhaled lightly taking in the fresh fragrance of the beautiful flower. The breakfast trays were loaded with everything from bacon, eggs, grits, and potatoes to fresh fruit and orange juice. Although she wouldn’t eat all of the food, it was fitting for her hearty appetite.
After breakfast, Samiyah thought about showering in his bathroom, but her essentials were still in her suite. For that reason, she decided to shower in her room. It only took her a minute to dress and make it to her quarters. Samiyah’s thoughts never left Jonas. He made love to her like nothing she’d ever experienced. David was nowhere close to the passionate lover Jonas was, and Samiyah couldn’t believe she’d been missing something so erotic all her life.
Jonas had taken her to new levels and how in the world would she move on from him to someone else? She didn’t even want to think about it, but the reality was she would have to. Jonas was as unattainable as they come. With him being a celebrity, there was always a woman waiting in the wings to do or be whatever he wanted them to. Samiyah knew about his type, and there was no keeping a man like that. A moment of sadness fell over her but Samiyah quickly shook it off.
It’s not like I’m trying to date anyway. That would be a total disaster, and it wouldn’t be fair to him because he’d definitely be my rebound.
She reasoned with herself. This was just a weekend of fun. When she got back to work, things would go back to business as usual. After all, that was her method of operation. She finished her shower and stepped out wrapping herself in a towel. At the mirror, Samiyah wiped the glass trying to clear up the steam. She pulled the blow dryer off the wall and dried her hair. As she leaned to the side letting the heat dry her tresses, she combed through her thick soft mane with more thoughts of Jonas.
Samiyah had to snap out of it, and soon. Yeah, he’d put it down, but it was important that she didn’t get lost in what was just a one-night stand. Jonas did say he’s straightforward, right? If it’s a fling, then it’s a fling, she reasoned.
But he never said that about you.
Samiyah was driving herself half crazy. Hurriedly, she put on her clothes, grabbed her handbag, and left the room. She needed to put her mind on something other than Jonas, and she knew just what to do to accomplish that.
When the elevator reached the first floor, Samiyah made her way to the clothing boutique. A bell chimed as she entered the store.
“Hello, welcome to Johanna’s Fashionista,” a young Asian woman approached her. “Let me know if I can help you with anything.”
“Actually, can you point me in the direction of your evening gowns?”
“My pleasure. If you tell me what the occasion is I can point you in the right direction. We have a plethora of different evening gowns, right down to cocktail dresses.”
“It’s a fundraising event, red carpet,” Samiyah confirmed.
“Aaah, yes, step right over here.”
The woman led Samiyah around some mannequins dressed in elegant evening gowns and spotted one that was strikingly beautiful. She floated to it touching the silk fabric.
“I see you’ve spotted one, you like. That one would be perfect for you. Would you like to try it on?”
Samiyah beamed, “Yes, I definitely would.”
In the dressing room, Samiyah twirled around in the dress. Surely, she could get a bid with this ensemble on. The all white sexy spaghetti strap gown fit snugly opening down her back. The front held her breast up firmly in place showing an adequate amount of cleavage. From there the tightly fitted dress curved her apple bottom stopping right above her knees before sprouting into a thin layer of silk material that sat around her ankles. To say it fit perfectly was an understatement showing every curve that she owned. This was the one. She took out her phone to snap a picture and send to Claudia when she noticed the twelve missed phone calls.
Alarmed, Samiyah redialed Claudia and got an answer on the second ring.
“Tell me all about it!” Claudia shrieked, sounding excited about something Samiyah had no idea about.
“What are you talking about? I’ve got twelve missed calls from you; you tell me all about what’s going on. Is something wrong at the office?”
“No, no, no,” Claudia repeated. “You seriously don’t know?”
Samiyah didn’t have the slightest clue why her friend was so frantic. “I don’t, what is it?”
“Girl what are you doing, hiding in a cave?”
“I’m standing in the dressing room in the gown I’ve picked out for the auction benefit. I was getting ready to send you a picture of it when I saw the missed calls. I don’t know how my phone ended up on silent and I have no idea what you’re blabbering about. Now can you stop beating around the bush and tell me what’s going on?”
“Hold on,” Claudia said. The phone went silent for a minute before Claudia came back to the phone. Samiyah’s phone buzzed. “Okay check your text messages.”
Samiyah pulled the phone away from her ear and opened her messages. She froze and her mouth dropped open. It was a newspaper clipping of the Chicago Tribune. It read;
“A blazing love affair for the most eligible bachelor, businessman, and former boxing world champion Jonas Alexander Rose?”
The clipping showed a picture of them last night on the dance floor in the most romantic embrace. Her hand was softly touching his chest, her face flushed with a demure smile lingering. The look on his face was adoring, sexy, and exotic and his lips were inches away from hers.
“Oh my God!”
On the other end of the phone, Claudia squealed, “You lucky, lucky girl!”
Inside the San Juan conference and business center, Jonas looked away from the detailed analysis report that displayed projections of key factors for Rose Bank and Trust Credit Union’s next branch expansion located in New Jersey. He listened to Tim Harper from The Harper Group go over the report through a speaker phone sitting in the middle of the conference table. As the man spoke about, population, age distribution, per capita income, past household growth, among other things, Jonas’ mind seemed to only be focused on one thing, Samiyah Manhattan.
It was common for him to meet a beautiful woman, take her to a hotel and rock her world before disappearing without so much as a trace of his scent left behind, but never had a woman gave the same amount of passion in return as he did. Besides that, he’d never had his thoughts dominated by a woman to the point where he couldn’t focus on day to day business. It was true, Jonas didn’t expect to be pulled into a conference while on vacation, but it had happened before, so he wasn’t one hundred percent surprised.
However, when he woke that morning and gazed at the sleeping beauty next to him, his heart leaped, and wanted to stay enthralled around her. Jonas had a mind to plant kisses on her soft, delectable lips but there was no time. He slipped out of bed and made his way to the meeting after ordering her room service and having his assistant shop for a dress.
“That’s good news,” one of his board members shouted.
Jonas glanced at the members around the marble glass table one by one, his eyes landing on his brother Jaden who was staring at him intensely. Jonas leaned forward in his chair.
“Thank you, Tim, for that long, detailed report that could’ve waited until I got back in my office on Monday.”
Everyone in the room snickered. “You know when we get the information we like to be prompt with our findings,” Tim said.
“I know, I know,” Jonas repeated, “I’m just giving you a hard time.”
“I’ll let you get back to it. Look to hear from you on Monday,” Tim said.
“You got it.”
The called ended and members of the board shuffled around gathering their papers, filing out of the room. As they exited, Amanda Davis, Jonas’ assistant entered the room handing him a copy of the Chicago Tribune. There he was front and center with the woman that riddled his thoughts. Whoever the cameraman was had taken an ideal shot of them, and they looked like a couple in love. It didn’t surprise him; there was nowhere Jonas could go that would keep paparazzi from getting a shot of him. Except for Terrance’s back home in Chicago.
“It’s in every major newspaper across the country.” Amanda spoke flatly.
She didn’t sound too enthusiastic about it. Truth be told, after going through stringent background checks, drug tests, and health screenings, Amanda was delighted when Jonas chose her six years ago as his assistant. She had the same hopes as many women who applied for the job; to show hard work and one day possibly be chosen as his love interest. Amanda had sat on the sidelines and watched as Jonas was with one model after the next, but they never lasted long, and in her spirit, she hoped this latest one wouldn’t either.
“Thank you, Amanda, anything else?” he spoke disarmingly.
Reluctantly she replied, “No sir, that will be all.” Amanda went towards the door then turned back suddenly. “I’m going to lunch would you like to accompany me?” She held her breath, when he didn’t respond quick enough she said, “Or I can grab you something if you’re hungry.”
He was hungry. He’d left for the meeting this morning without eating breakfast, and his tank was running on empty.
“I think I will.”
Jonas rose from the swivel chair. Amanda gleefully smiled.
“Give me just a moment,” Jonas said. He turned to Jaden who’d been watching him all morning. Amanda closed the door leaving them alone in the conference room.
“What can I help you with little brother? Looks like there’s something on your mind,” Jonas said.
“I was just thinking the same thing about you. How’s it going with Samiyah? I see you managed to get her here.”
“Get her here? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Jonas said it with a straight face. Jaden gave an incredulous grin, “I think you do.”
When Jonas didn’t respond, Jaden laughed slapping him on the arm.
“You’re good. She is gorgeous, stunning, actually. Since you’re not interested, maybe I’ll try my luck with her. Seems like my kind of woman,” he winked.
Jonas crossed his arms over his extensive chest with a look of dare in his eyes. “Go right ahead, if you want me to ball you up like I used to when we were kids, the difference being I’m a little bigger than that one-hundred and twenty-pound middle schooler you use to know.” Jonas grimaced showing no signs of a joke.
“That’s what I thought,” Jaden said chuckling. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, whistling on his way out the conference room.