Nic was finishing up a scotch at the hotel bar as he mentally went over his early morning business meeting. After a week of negotiations and contracts, it was a success to acquire the tech startup. It'd cost him a few million but millions were pocket change compared to the billions he was worth. Now, he only had to check out of the hotel and head back to his home in LA. After spending the past few days in Chicago’s “springtime” weather, it was just what he needed.

His plans changed quickly when a woman approached him at the bar. She pulled out the bar stool next to him, dropped her oversized heavy tote bag at her feet before sliding into the seat.

“Buy me a drink,” she said to him.

“Excuse me?” Nic asked taken back from her directness.

Cherise looked him up and down noticing his designer suit and tie. She took in his look, maybe mid-40s even though his dark hair was peppered with grey. He was classically handsome like a movie star of the olden days. She gave a forced smile then repeated, “Buy me a drink.”

“And why should I do that?” he asked.

“Because I deserve it,” Cherise met his sharp blue eyes and expected coldness but was only met with electricity that threatened to consume her if she dared to stare longer. She lowered her eyes, she saw his expensive gold watch and gold cufflinks. She was sure those cufflinks cost more than anything in her closet. “And I know you can afford it,” she added.

Nic smiled as he took in her appearance as boldly as she had his. She had the smoothest caramel toned skin he had ever seen, full lips, and expressive brown eyes. Unfortunately, there was sadness in her eyes now. She looked as if she had been crying, her eye makeup was smudged and her rose-tinted lipstick half rubbed off.

Nic was used to women approaching him, it was just one of the perks of being a billionaire bachelor. He first thought he was being propositioned by a prostitute, but upon a more studied look at her, he thought otherwise. She was beautiful, no doubt, but there was a realness to her. Despite her sadness, she had an air of confidence and education. She was way too smart to be a hooker. Her thick black hair was pulled back into a sleek straight ponytail. She wore a soft pink blouse with a modest neckline and a charcoal grey fitted skirt. He couldn’t help noticing how snug it hugged her curves. He felt a tightening in his pants as he appraised her figure.

His curiosity was piqued. He wanted to know why this beautiful Black woman was at a bar in the afternoon demanding that he buy her a drink. He gestured for the bartender to come over.

“A vodka martini,” she gave her drink order of choice, then added, “Make it extra dirty.”

“I’ll have another one of these,” Nic said pushing his rocks glass to the bartender.

After they were served their drinks, Nic watched as she took a long sip of her drink, moaning as the alcohol did its work. Nic suddenly grew very jealous of the little green olive as she plucked it from her drink and sucked it between her full lips.

That was the moment Nic had determined he was going to have this woman. Why not? He had time to kill before he was needed back in LA. First, he’ll start with learning her name.

“So, who am I having the pleasure of buying a drink for?”

Cherise didn’t usually give her name to strangers, but she also didn’t walk up to complete strangers and demand that they buy her a drink. Since he was courteous enough to do so, she could at least give her real name.

“Cherise. And you are?”

“Nicholas. Nic,” he said cautiously not to give her any more information about himself until he knew more about her.

She held out her hand to him, “Thanks for the drink, Nic. I really needed it.”

“I aim to please beautiful women who ask for what they want,” he grinned as his hand lingering on hers.

“Do you now?” she smiled.

He was captivated by the genuine smile that spread across her face. He was also puzzled as to why he really wanted her to smile more just for him. He had met plenty of beautiful women with beautiful smiles, all willing to smile for him, but for some reason, only this woman’s smile mattered at this moment.

“How do I keep that smile on your face?” 

Cherise couldn’t help smiling bigger. He was attractive and charming. Any other day she would've been aloof and shot him down, but his flirtation was making her feel better about her day’s misfortune.

“Buy me another drink and I’ll see what I can do.”

*****

On the elevator ride up to his hotel room, Cherise leaned against the mirrored wall. She couldn’t believe she was actually going up to the hotel room of this complete stranger. Yes, he was very attractive. The way that he looked at her made her warm and tingly inside or maybe it was the two very strong martinis she had just gulped down. Cherise kept telling herself to just live, have some fun for once in a while. After today, she would forget about him and never see him again. Her life didn’t have room for romance, especially now since she was jobless.

“Having second thoughts?” Nic asked as he towered over her.

“Should I?” she asked, her voice sounding more sultry then she intended. She wondered where she had been hiding this sexy vixen all her life or maybe Nic brought it out in her.

Inside his hotel room, Cherise was awed. She’d lived in Chicago her whole life yet had never seen the city from this view.

“Oh, wow! This view is just beautiful. I’ve never seen the lakefront like this,” she said as she stood at the floor to ceiling glass windows.

"I think you're more beautiful," Nic said as he walked up behind her. He placed his hands on her waist, pulling her hips back into him. He rested the crack of her ass against the bulge growing inside his pants. Leaning into her, he placed a soft kiss at the joint of her neck and shoulder.

Cherise moaned softly as her nipples hardened from his feathery kiss. She turned around in his arms and his lips were upon hers instantly. He slipped his tongue between her lips. His kiss was soft yet demanding as he made his intentions clear.

Cherise wrapped her arms around his neck pressing her body firmly against his. It has been a while since she felt lustful like this. She unzipped his fly and pushed her hand into his pants. She caressed his cock causing him to moan into her mouth. Cherise smiled between kisses, as she slowly moved her hand up and down his growing shaft. She was impressed with how big he felt in her hand. Any nerves she felt earlier dissipated as she grew bolder with her strokes.

Nic removed her blouse and lowered his mouth to the full mounds that rose from her black lace bra. He buried his face into her cleavage inhaling her sweet scent. Unclasping her bra, he brought a dark peak into his mouth.

Cherise moaned and arched her back, pushing her breast into his mouth as his tongue teased and tantalized her. She needed to feel his skin against hers. She worked on unbuttoning his shirt, exploring his hard chest and back.

Unzipping her skirt, he let it drop to the floor and she stood before him in only black lace panties. Nic thought he couldn’t have been a luckier man. He moved her over to the edge of the big bed as he knelt between her legs. He tugged her panties off before he pushed her thighs up surrounding his neck. Softly, he placed kisses along the back of her knee, continuing down to the sensitive skin of her inner thigh. He kissed and licked every inch of her thighs and exterior lips except the one place that Cherise needed him so badly that she squirmed in his arms. Only then did he turn his tongue to her throbbing clit.

“Oh my God! Yes!” she moaned arching her back and running her fingers through his hair. Somehow this man knew exactly what she wanted and needed. It didn’t matter that they had only met a few hours ago over a drink. He'd tapped into her primal need and she wanted more.

Nic placed his hand on her belly, holding her down firmly as he sucked her nub into his mouth. Alternating between sucking her clit, his tongue dipped into her pink center. The sweet taste of her fueled him to please her even more. He let out a greedy growl as he lapped at her slick center with abandon.

“Oh my God! You’re eating my pussy so good!” Cherise cried out. “Oh fuck! Yes! Oh God! I’m going to come!” she cried out as she tried to push Nic away from her gushing all over him but he only clamped down on her more, licking and sucking every drop of her.

When her trembling ceased, Nic raised up from his knees. Placing kisses on her belly, he moved up her torso until he landed on her lips.

“You taste so sweet, so good,” he groaned between kisses, “I want you so fucking much.”

“Come get me,” Cherise teased with a mischievous smile as she crawled further into the luxurious king-sized bed. Nic followed on his hands and knees before he captured her waist in his hands and pinned her down underneath him.

“I have you know and I’m not going to let go,” he said before he kissed her hungrily again.

Cherise felt his thick heavy cock pressing against her belly. She wiggled free from his grip so that she could turn face down on her belly. Raising up on her hands and knees, she pressed her ass against him.

“Like this, huh?” he asked hovering over her as her ass stroked his cock wantonly.

“Yes,” she said with an edge of desperation.

Nic took her cue as he placed his knee between hers and gave it a nudge, making room for himself. He guided the tip of his cock to her wet lips. He pulled her hips back to meet him and they both moaned in unison as he penetrated her.

He was so thick that Cherise didn’t know if he could enter her completely without hurting her, but Nic was aware of his size and how tight she felt around him. He took his time, slowly and gently easing into her until she accommodated for his size. He was amazed at his own restraint but it felt good moving slow and deep within her. Her pussy was tight yet so wet that she held and tugged on him in all the right places.

Cherise began to rock back and forth on her hands and knees taking each thrust he gave until an orgasm overcame her.

“Harder. Fuck me harder,” she begged to Nic when she sensed he was holding back.

Nic gripped her shoulders as he rammed into her harder, “Like this, baby?”

“Yes, like that! Oh, baby yes!” she cried out in pleasure as Nic pounded into her over and over again. “Don’t stop!”

Nic felt her orgasm shuddered through her body until she lost strength and collapsed face down into the bed. The sensation of her pussy tensing and squeezing his cock was shattering his resolve that he couldn’t control his own orgasm. He held her down as he continued pounding into her until he let out a deep husky moan and emptied deep inside her.

Nic rolled onto his back next to Cherise with a huge exhale. They were both breathless and speechless for a while before turning to one another with smiles on their faces.

“Wow! I had no idea how much I needed that,” Cherise said.

Nic sat up against the headboard and pulled her into his arms. “I’m glad I could help you out. You had a rough day. You’ve been crying?”

Cherise sighed as she settled into his arms. “I got fired from my job today.”

“I’m sorry. That must’ve been horrible,” Nic empathized as he placed a kiss on her forehead. Holding her and kissing her felt so natural. He liked how her golden brown body curled into him. Nic wanted to hear more of her story if only to keep her in his arms longer.

“Yeah, we got bought out by some multi-billion corporation that wants to outsource my department overseas only to add more money to their pockets,” Cherise explained.

Nic winced as he realized that his business meeting today did just that. It’s just a coincidence, he thought to himself. He made a mental note to look into the acquisitions he made today as soon as he could. No matter the outcome, Nic would call in some favors and get Cherise a new job.

“I got dismissed after seven years with the company, two years of that as Managing Project Director. I spent four years undergrad, another two and a half in grad school followed by a lot of thankless internships and low-level jobs to get this job. It was kind of my dream job and I was good at it. No, I was great at it.”

“With your experience, it won’t be that hard to find another job,” Nic said to make her feel better, or maybe himself as a sense of guilt crept over him. He ran his fingertips up and down her arm relishing in the smoothness of her skin, it soothed even himself. He couldn’t take his hands off her but he knew the moment would come when he had to let her go.

“I know. I just don’t want to start all over again,” Cherise sighed, then shook her head, “But for now, can I just enjoy this?” she ran her hand over his hard chest scattered with dark hair. She let her fingers tangle into the mass of hair before sliding further south to his hard abs. “I’ve never done anything impulsive like this before.”

Nic raised an eyebrow at her. “What else have you never done?” he asked curiously.

“Never been in the penthouse suite of the Hancock Towers. Never been fucked so good in such a luxurious bed with a great view of the lake.” She laughed at herself as she admitted, “I’ve never traveled outside the States. A year ago, I got my first ever passport and I was planning on a week-long Caribbean vacation this summer. Now, seeing how I’m unemployed, I’ll have to dip into the funds I set aside for my trip if I don’t find a job soon.”

Nic knew there were certain experiences that he took for granted, with an endless bank account he knew he could. He didn’t know why but he was ready to show Cherise that same world. “You don’t have to do that,” he said as an idea sparked.

“Um, I have a mortgage to pay, also a car payment. I don’t know about you, but money doesn’t just fall into my lap,” Cherise pulled the plush duvet from the bed and wrapped it around herself as she hopped out of bed.

“Hey, where are you going?” Nic asked reaching for her hand.

“I’ve never showered in a five-star hotel, I might as well try it out before I get back to my regular life.”

When Cherise disappeared into the bathroom, Nic picked up his iPhone and made a quick call to his assistant. He informed his assistant that his flight plans had changed and to make sure his plane was fueled and stocked for an international flight. He also had his assistant look into the buy-out he initiated today and see who the employees were. His assistant promised to get him results within twenty-four hours.

Satisfied that his assistant would provide answers, Nic disconnected the call. He walked over to the bathroom and pushed open the door. Cherise’s curvy brown silhouette was clearly outlined through the glass pane of the shower. His cock thickened just at the sight of her.

“What are you doing?” Cherise asked with a shy smile as he stepped into the shower behind her.

“I want to make you an offer.” Nic grabbed the bar of soap from her and began lathering up his hands before rubbing the suds onto her breasts. He concentrated as his fingers circled her dark chocolate areolae, he watched with restraint as the peaks puckered under his ministrations. “Before you go back to your ‘regular life’, come with me for a week. I want to show you things you’ve never seen before, do some things you’ve never done before.”

Cherise looked at him stunned and skeptical. His touch on her was soothing yet sensual as he lathered her up. “What? I can’t just up and leave with you for a week.”

“Why not? You’re in between jobs, it’s just for a week, you can continue your regular life afterward. Imagine, just a week, you, me, and whatever new experience your heart desires.” His hands now moved down to the patch of trimmed hair between her thighs as his offer became more persuasive.

Cherise moaned as he gently massaged her clit. The slickness of the soap on her wet skin allowed his fingers to slip between her folds and enter her with ease. Before she knew it she cried out, “Yes!”

“Is that a yes you’ll come with me?” he asked increasing pressure on her clit.

“Yes!” she moaned again holding on to the wall in the shower so that she didn’t fall over, “Yes, I’ll come.”

Nic’s grin grew more wickedly as he lowered his lips to hers, “Of course, you’ll come,” he said as he brought her to orgasm once again.

Cherise threw her arms around his neck, not trusting that her wobbly legs would hold her weight on the soapy tile floor. Nic picked her up, wrapped her legs around his back as he entered her fully, pressing her back against the shower wall as he thrust in her over and over again.

*****

Back home, Cherise felt the reality of the past few hours set in. The stark contrast of her modest shared two-flat home to the plush luxury hotel suite of Nic’s was a startling reminder that she was out of her league. She shook her head to dislodge that thought. After her day at work, she had enough of feeling unworthy. She had just met a very attractive wealthy man who fucked her better than she ever could’ve imagined and he wanted to treat her to a vacation getaway. Her common sense told her she was crazy to accept his offer, but when would she ever get this chance again.

While she packed her bags she floated on clouds, not quite sure what to pack but she made sure her passport and birth control were essential items as she tossed various other toiletries and undergarments into her bag.

What if he’s a serial killer? she thought. Still feeling the soreness from the workout her pussy received from his thick cock pounding her relentlessly, she laughed out loud, “More like a pussy killer.”

Even so, Cherise thought it would be wise to do a little research, a background check. She pulled out her iPad and started to type his name into the search engine.

“Nic… Nicholas,” she typed then stopped once she realized she didn’t know his last name. She drummed her nails on the screen, second-guessing the risk she was taking when she heard her nosy neighbor, Lola, calling her name.

“Cherise! Cherise, girl, get out here!” Lola shouted.

“What is it?” Cherise yelled back as she opened the front door. She stopped in her tracks when she saw the black stretched SUV with tinted windows parked outside her walkway.

“He said he’s here to pick you up to take you to the airport,” Lola said in disbelief.

Cherise smiled as she heaved her overnight bag over her shoulder, “I’ll see you in a week, Lola.”

“Cherise! Where are you going? And who are you going with?” Lola questioned her as she slipped into the mysterious car.

Inside the car, driven by a hired driver, Cherise found a tray of fresh fruit, cheeses, and crackers along with a chilled bottle of champagne. Next to it was a note from Nic. He apologized for not picking her up himself and that he’ll meet her at the airport, in the meantime she was to sit back, relax, and enjoy herself.  

When she arrived at O’hare Airport, bubbly off the champagne, Cherise decided she was going to embrace this crazy life. She didn’t know the details of Nic’s life, but she trusted her instincts and she was ready for the kind of adventure he offered.

Cherise stepped out onto the tarmac at the private hangar and stared up at the small private jet awaiting takeoff. Nic walked over and greeted her with a kiss, “Are you ready?”

“Nic! Is this yours?” she asked in shock. She realized that he was a very wealthy man but to what extent, she had no clue.

“Yes, come. Let’s go somewhere warmer,” he said taking her hand in his as they boarded the plane out of the chilly Chicago wind.

Inside, the pilot, a very sharp older man, greeted them, “Mr. Starke, we’ll be ready for take-off in ten minutes.”

“Thanks, Daniel,” Nic said shaking the man’s hand before he disappeared into the cockpit again.

Cherise looked around her in stunned awe. Although the smallest plane she'd ever been on, it was outfitted in the most luxurious and supple leather seats with dark wood trimming including a desk and business station, an entertainment center, and bar stocked with the finest wines and liquor, fresh fruit, and imported cheeses.

Nic noticed her smiling at him, and inquired about it, “Is everything alright?”

“Everything is perfect,” she smiled as she clicked her seatbelt in place.

“Good,” he smiled back as he placed a kiss on her hand.

“So, are you going to eventually tell me where we are going?” she asked.

“On that Caribbean trip that you’ve always wanted.”

Cherise lit up. As they settled into their seats as the plane took off, Cherise couldn’t stop smiling at Nic. She was impressed with his wealth, but that alone didn’t make her smile. He was handsome no doubt, even more so now dressed casually in dark jeans and a grey pullover sweater, but what kept the smile on her face was the fact that he was an incredibly generous lover. In just the few short hours they'd spent together, she orgasmed more than she had over the course of her past relationship.

When the signal for the seat belts went off, Cherise unbuckled hers. She gave Nic a mischievous grin as she went to her knees between his legs.

“Cherise, what are…”

She just grinned as she undid his pants and pulled out his beastly cock. “I’ve never done this before on a private plane,” she said as she softly kissed the head of his cock. “Just sit back and relax, right?” she said as she continued pressing kisses along his shaft.

Nic did just that as he watched her lower her kisses to his sac. Everything around him seemed to constrict, even the roomy leather seat seems too small for him as he felt the blood surge to his cock. He groaned as she lovingly sucked on each ball of his sac while her hand massaged his thick length. When he thought he couldn’t take anymore, she took his swollen head into her moist mouth and sucked. With her mouth gaped wide, she took him deep into her throat, bobbing her head up and down as she repeatedly swallowed his cock.

Nic grabbed a fistful of her hair, raised his hips and forced his cock deeper down her throat.

“Ah, baby!” he groaned hoping that he could hold himself together and not explode all over her.

Cherise stood and undid her jeans. She slowly removed her panties, teasing him with the view before she straddled his lap. She centered her moist pink on his head and settled her hips down on him, taking him deep inside her with a loud moan.

“Oh my God, you feel so good!” she moaned slowly grinding her clit against him. She rode him, taking every inch of his raging hard cock. Leaning forward, she licked his lips before kissing him. He kissed her back, seeking her tongue to twirl with his, to taste her.  

“You’re so sexy, so beautiful,” he whispered against her lips while his hands held her plump ass tight to him.

The slow grind was good, but now Cherise wanted to move. She wanted to feel him ramming hard inside her over and over. She planted her hands underneath his sweater on his bare abs as she began to bounce up and down on him.

Cherise cried out as her orgasm hit fast. She threw her head back as he rose his hips to meet her, slamming into her hard and fast.

“Oh fuck! Baby, I’m going to come,” she cried out.

Nic groaned as he felt his balls tighten and his own orgasm taking control of him. He filled her until his dick stopped throbbing, even then he couldn't stop kissing her.

*****

As soon as they landed on Martinique, there was a car waiting on them at the small island airport. Nic surprised her by taking her to the wealthiest shopping district on the island.

“What are you doing?” Cherise asked as he walked her into a high-end designer boutique.

“Unless you want to walk around naked, which you know I wouldn't mind, you will need an appropriate island wardrobe,” he said to tease her.

The shop attendant, a bronzed young woman with long dreadlocks, greeted them with glasses of crisp sparkling champagne. Nic handed over his gold card and smiled, “Whatever she wants.”

The girl's eyes lit up as she calculated her commission, “Oui, Monsieur Starke. We’ll take care good of Madame Starke.”

“Um, I’m not…” Cherise started to object as the girl assumed she was his wife.

“She prefers Mrs. Jackson,” Nic corrected the girl as she guided Cherise to a rack filled with colorful sundresses.

Hours later they left the shop with Cherise wearing one of the dresses, a bright yellow strapped backless dress with a flowy hem, sandals, and a pair of huge sunglasses on her face. Nic had also switched out of his sweater and jeans into light tan linen pants and a loose white shirt. The rest of their purchase they had delivered to the resort villa they would later end their day at. Cherise had to admit she enjoyed the shopping spree and star treatment. Her new wardrobe was worth her year’s salary, but to Nic it was nothing, especially knowing it made her happy.

They spent the rest of the day exploring the island, taking in the sites, some live music, and fresh seafood before they headed back to the villa resort. They made love all night until they passed out in each other arms.

The next morning Cherise took advantage of the resort spa. She had been enjoying the hard hot sex with Nic, but it was taking a toll on her tender lady parts. She scheduled a full body scrub and massage with hot stones before her first full wax treatment. She felt so relaxed and pampered that when she returned to their villa suite and saw that Nic was wrapping up a phone call, she knew she could go another round with the beast.

“Where did you go?” he asked.

Cherise just smiled as she swiped the straps of her dress from her shoulders letting the airy material fall to her feet. She stood before Nic completely naked.

Nic’s glance zeroed in on the newly waxed patch between her legs. His growl was involuntary as his cock sprung to attention and his mouth watered.

“See something you like?” she teased him.

“You know I liked it before, now, I…” he growled again and couldn’t finish his thought as he dropped to his knees before her. He pulled her to him and buried his face in her crotch eliciting a giggle from Cherise. His stubbly facial hair abraded her soft skin in a way that was pleasurable yet tinged with pain.

“Mmm, oh, fuck!” Cherise moaned as his tongue slipped between her lips to find her clit.

Nic reclined back on the floor, pulling her down to sit on his face. He sucked her clit into his mouth causing Cherise to buck her hips, pushing her pussy into his mouth. He gripped her ass in his hands as she slowly gyrated on his tongue.

After the wave of her orgasm crested, Cherise watched as her smooth mound rode his face. She couldn’t help thinking, What is this man doing to me? He had spoiled her, not just with his wealth but his sexual appetite. She knew she wasn’t going to be able to find another lover to live up to the experiences she had with him.

After they dressed they had a big breakfast to replenish their energy before Nic whisked her out the door again.

“Where are we going, now?” she asked not really caring as long as she was with him.

“It’s a surprise,” was all that he said.

When they arrived at the docks, Cherise was nearly bubbling over with glee. She had always wanted to cruise around the Caribbean and now Nic was making that dream come true. Yet she still had not expected exactly what was waiting for them when they stopped in front of a huge yacht.

“You, you rented a yacht?”

Nic shrugged, “Maybe I brought it,” he said.

Cherise smile widened as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, “Who are you?”

Nic smiled back but inside the guilt ate at him. He wondered if Cherise would still look at him the same way if she knew who he really was, knew his business dealings was the reason for her firing. He planned on eventually telling her, once he had secured a place for her within his company. But for now, it was better to enjoy this moment with her, “Come on,” he said taking her hand and leading her aboard the yacht.

They spent the next two days island hopping and meeting the local people of the Lesser Antilles islands. Nic enjoyed watching Cherise interact with the people. Although many found him charming, she was more of a people’s person than he was. In Barbados, a young boy around the age of five or six latched on to Cherise and she beamed with a natural maternal instinct as she showered him with adoration. Nic’s chest swelled as he took in the sight of her with the young brown boy. He found himself wondering if she wanted to be a mother, how many children would she like to have, and would they have her beautiful smile or-- his? Nic shook his head dismissing the many questions that he wanted to know about her. That wasn’t the deal. Just one week. That’s all she promised him. That’s all he had before returning her to her regular life in Chicago.

On the third evening of their Caribbean adventure, Nic walked out on the deck of the yacht and saw Cherise as she stood at the railing taking in the calm ocean breeze and staring at the star-filled sky. For a moment he just stood there admiring her. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have met this woman. He didn’t want to let her go, not just yet. He wondered how she felt about continuing to see him after this week. His heart skipped a beat at the thought of not seeing her again. He realized he would move the moon and the stars to keep her in his life.

Cherise turned and saw him staring at her. She crooked her finger and bade him come to her. When he did, she nestled into his arms.

“I don’t want this night to end,” she said in a soft breath.

“Me either,” he held her tighter. “This is all happening kind of fast but I live a very fast-paced world. Cherise, I want you to know this isn’t only just about sex. I mean, yes it will always be about sex because I could never have enough of you,” he said as he playfully nibbled her neck then turned serious, “But not only. This is about us. Together for more than this week, because I can’t see myself without you anymore. I don’t want you to walk out of my life as easily as you walked in. Please say you’ll be mine.”

Cherise smile widened as her heart fluttered. She turned in his arms and placed a kiss on his lips, “I’m yours, Nic.”

Unlike the last few days, their lovemaking was slow and sensual because for the first time they knew they had more than this heated moment. They enjoyed the touch and taste of one another all night long as the moonlight swept over the water.

Early morning Cherise and Nic woke up to the sound of an insistent buzzing.

“What is that sound?” Cherise groaned.

“I think it’s my phone,” Nic said reaching for it.

Cherise groaned louder not wanting him to leave her arms, “Ignore it, stay in bed.”

Nic smiled as he placed a kiss on her full lips before looking at the caller ID. He sat up. It was his assistant. “I have to take this, it’s kind of important to me.”

Cherise pouted, “And this isn’t important?” she said gesturing to her naked body.

“This,” he spanked her bare butt, “is always important to me. I’ll make it quick.”

“You better!” Cherise smiled at him as he pulled on a robe and answered the call. As he talked he walked out onto the ship’s deck.

Cherise laid back in bed, feeling like a queen floating on clouds. Nic was right. It was happening all too fast but she didn’t care. The feelings that were taking root in her were unstoppable. Nic was everything she wanted plus ten times more. When he had asked her for more than a week, it was the exact thing she was wishing for. She didn’t know how it would all work out once they were back in her reality. At this moment, she didn’t really care, she just wanted this man to love her the way she was falling in love with him.

Cherise smiled impishly as she slid out of bed and crept up behind Nic. She stopped in her tracks when she heard him mention the name of her former employer. She had never shared the name with him. She recalled how he told the boutique attendant her last name which she hadn’t given to him either. Actually, she hadn’t shared much with him other than her body. She also didn't know much about him other than the fact that he was very wealthy. She had no idea how he actually made his money.

Backing away quietly, Cherise decided to finally Google her rich and generous new lover. After entering his name, Nicholas Starke, into the search engine, an array of articles popped up. Most were articles from the Wall Street Journal or Forbes. She skimmed to find the most recent posting about him, an article from the Chicago Business Journal. The article was about his company, Starke Enterprises, most recent business deal where he bought a local tech startup for 2.3 million dollars. The article went on to mention that his entire net worth was now at 7.2 billion.

She couldn’t believe what she just uncovered. It wasn't the dollar figure associated with his name that was the most shocking, but that his company was the one responsible for her firing. As Cherise read more of the article, her heart sank. She realized that Nic must have known about their connection before they left Chicago. As her disbelief gave way to anger, she grabbed her overnight bag, packing whatever personal belongings she could find, making sure not to include any of the things that Nic bought for her. She slipped off of the boat unnoticed before running out onto the pier.

After his phone call, Nic was excited to share the news with Cherise. He finally felt like he could share the truth with her. To tell her how he planned to keep her in his life right by his side. But Nic's high spirits were quickly deflated when he find Cherise missing from his boat. He looked in every room of the yacht calling out her name.

Maybe she went for a walk, he thought as he wandered the dock area before expanding out to the shops and cafes surrounding the area. It wasn't until he branched out further into the island that he found her lugging her old tote bag and trying to hitch a ride.

“Cherise, babe, what are you doing?” Nic asked concerned as he approached her.

“No! Get away from me,” she held her hand up to him.

“What did I do? Cherise, talk to me!” he demanded.

“Starke Enterprises,” she said shaking her head. “Why didn’t you tell me? It was because of you I lost my job.”

Nic exhaled, “You overheard my phone call but not all of it," he realized. "Come back to the boat and we can talk about it.”

“No, there’s nothing to talk about. You lied to me!” she shouted continuing down the road. By this time a few people stopped to witness the altercation.

“Where are you going? Come back to the boat. If you’re unhappy we can leave right away. I’ll take you back home.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you! How can I trust you after this? If a relationship doesn’t start with trust and honesty, not even all the money in the world will save it. I’m not a charity case, Nic. I don’t need you to take me around the world or buy me expensive things. You can’t buy me!”

“So, where are you going to go now? You don’t know where you are or anyone here.”

“Exactly, I don’t know you either,” she said storming off.

Her words cut deep into him that he couldn’t move. He just watched as she disappeared down the road. If only he’d shared his life with her as easily as he shared his bed. He hated that she was walking away from him just when he had everything all worked out. Nic wanted her back but he knew she would only come back on her own terms.

*****

Two weeks later, Cherise is settled in at a lower level job, barely getting by. She’d spent a significant amount of her savings getting a plane ticket off the island and getting back to Chicago. She spent most nights huddled on her couch binge watching trash tv shows while trying to forget the man that had shown her a life she could never have.

One such evening a black SUV pulled up to the front of her house. Nic stepped out wearing dark slacks with a matching blazer with a white buttoned up shirt underneath. He looked so out of place in the working class neighborhood that Lola was the first to bring his presence to Cherise's attention.

“Cherise! There's a fine ass white man standing outside. You never told me he was fine!” Lola said as she stood at the window looking out at Nic. “Girl, money like that and fine. What is your problem with him again?”

“He lied! He’s the reason I was laid off!” Cherise huffed as she crunched on a pretzel stick smeared with peanut butter.

“Maybe he didn’t know you worked for the company he just bought,” Lola played Devil’s advocate.

“He knew. He knew before he whisked me away and he said nothing. But, it’s not about the job or his money, it’s about honesty. He wasn’t honest with me!”

“Look, didn’t he say he wanted to be with you. You don’t need a job with all the money he has. Girl, what are you waiting for? That man took you halfway across the world, bought you designer clothes, and I know you fucked him..."

Cherise blushed trying to forget all the great sex she has with Nic.

Lola continued, "Girl, someone else will surely swoop in and take his fine ass off your hands. I know I’ll definitely give it a shot. You think he’s into thick Latinas?”

Cherise didn’t know why her heart broke at the thought of Nic lavishing another woman with gifts, making love to her, and showing her the world. Well, she knew she just didn’t want to admit it. Now, who’s being dishonest? she scolded herself.

She whined and threw a little tantrum, “Okay, okay, okay! I’ll talk to him,” she finally said tossing the bag of pretzels aside and heading for the door.

“Uh-huh, wait,” Lola stopped Cherise before she opened the door to swipe pretzel crumbs off her face and chest, then gave her ta-tas a lift. Cherise was wearing an oversized nightshirt so that was the best Lola could do to improve Cherise’s look. “Gotta let him know what he’s missing.”

When Cherise stepped out on the porch, Nic looked up and smiled at her. He couldn't believe how beautiful she looked.

“How long are you going to stand out here?” she said as she crossed her arms in front of her. It was her strategy to keep from reaching out to him which she was surprised at how much she wanted to do so. It’s been two long weeks since she left his yacht. Two long weeks without his touch that she had grown so comfortable with over just a few days.

“As long as it takes,” he said his smile more charming than ever.

She nodded to his car, “A car like that won’t last long in this hood.”

Nic shrugged, “It’s just a car. I would rather lose ten of them instead of you.”

Cherise had to bite her lip. It was a good line and on an older version of herself, it might have worked. She reminded herself it was about his lack of honesty.

“Anyway, I came here to give you this,” he reached into his jacket.

Before he could pull anything out they heard Lola shouting. “Girl, Cherise, say yes!”

Embarrassed, Cherise turned around and saw Lola at the window. She shooed her away before she turned back to Nic. She was aware of the contradicting emotions of relief and disappointment when she saw that Nic had a manila envelope in his hands and not a little velvet box.

“What is this?” she asked skeptically as he handed her the envelope.

“Something you deserve. A job offer to come work for Starke Enterprises.”

“I don’t need…” Cherise started to protest.

“It’s not charity or a handout. You are more than qualified to head the International Project Development Division. My team looked at your resume and they came up with this offer package for you.”

As Cherise quickly read through the contract, her eyes widened when she got to her benefits and yearly salary, a figure with six zeros behind it. She bit her lip reminding herself it wasn’t about the money.

“Of course there’s room for negotiation if you think it’s inadequate,” Nic said. “Plus, you’ll have a travel budget since you’ll be out of the States quite a lot to oversee various projects.”

“I don’t know, Nic. You hurt me. I don’t know if I can forgive that,” Cherise said trying hard to protect herself from that hurt again despite the hurt she inflicted onto herself.

“This is just a job offer. I’m not asking for your forgiveness.” He struggled with his next words, “Even, even if you never want to be with me again, this job is yours whenever you want it.” He smiled at her one last time before he turned and walked back to his car.

Cherise watched him walk away and felt some of the pain that he must have felt watching her walk away. How easy it would have been to run to him, to throw herself into his arms, and promise to never leave him again. But the reality was that they were still strangers to one another. Her trust in him was thin and would take some time to rebuild. In the meanwhile, Cherise thought as she looked down at the contract clutched in her hands, she could never refuse a great deal.