A Jewel in the Sun (3 page)

“What do you have?
An island punch
?”

“Ok
,  p
unch
coming right up.” He watched her graceful
,
unaffected movements. He felt his body responded to her appeal. Whi
le he had dated many French women
, he had been jaded with their shallowness. He had
merely
wanted sex and
they wan
ted jewelry, the contacts he was capable of giving
or simple prominence.

With t
his woman,
And
while he admitted she was a rare species, it was her eyes that called to him. They had a bruised, lonely look. It was filled with
a most desperate
pain and
a haunting
sadness.
It had only been a trigger of a flash across her face, but he had had a glimpse of her agony.
He wanted to hold her, but he knew that she was the kind that grieved silently.
Like him. He was aware of the exact moment the native had left, but his instincts had taken over. He liked nothing better than to solve puzzles and she was an enigma to him.

While he didn’t see her response to him, he knew she thought him attractive. He knew that she felt his response. He knew also that the native lady saw it and was not surprised. In addition to all of this
knowledge,
Gastron
knew that this golden earth nymph
would go to the very extent to deny any attract
ion. She reminded him of a tigress
– all golden and defensive. He was intrigued. He loved her heart shaped mouth and had had thought of the many ways he could derive pleasures from it. It was full and the bottom lips luscious and coral pink.
He knew they would be delicious …..
as
delicious as the fruity musk that was her scent. She reminded him of the sweet burst
of tropical fruits he had eaten
on one of his stays in The Bahamas.
The burst of fruity flavor in
the mouth had been a most pleasant experience.
He wanted her. He wondered if he told her what he wanted to do with her, what would be her
response?
  Not that he would tell her.

Besides, while he could provide some entertainment, but he didn’t want to give her any hop
e
s
. He didn’t have time for an affair and nothing could possibly come out of it. They were too different. He prided himself on his constraint where women were concerned. He was not going the way of his grandfather, nor as per the case, his father.
As it was his time in The Bahamas was taking him away from what he loved best.

Having gotten mental clarity, he was able to let
his ey
es signal that he had recomposed
his features by the time she returned to
the room carrying a tall glass of some delicious concoction.

“
Here you are”. He rose to accept the drink and took a long, appreciative sip.

“Thank you,
its
really bet
ter in The Bahamas”, he said wry
ly. “Tell me about
Ane
Marie
, what
do you
mean she has passed?
” he demanded.

“Who’s asking?” She was equally blunt. She faced him squarely, lifting her chin, her eyes flashing
to
a
fiery golden hue
.
A tigress
, defensive with those she loves.

He handed her a card, which was embossed with his name as CEO of
Sabienne’s
Publishing
.
Azolee
was familiar with this firm.
Anyone who was anyone in the literary or publishing world was linked with this dynastic publishing firm that housed offices in various parts of the easter
n
and the western hemisphere.
Azolee
was well versed because this was the firm through whic
h she was publishing her book, b
ut her consternation rested with his questions referring to Nana.

Nana had taught her poker and she knew well how to keep her face expressionless. “What do you want with her?” she asked nonchalantly.

Unused to being stalled,
Gastron
replied impatiently, “I need to see her on a very private matter. Now tell me I need to know”.

Azolee
sighed
in
a heavy,
painful resignation. “She passed away
last week.” At
Gastron’s
incomprehensive look, “She is dead”.
His shock was not so profound that he did not
again
see the fl
ood
of pain in her eyes.

“How are you involved with her? She was French was she not? Who is her next of kin?” Business demanded that he look beyo
nd any pitiful look and get to the bottom of this dilemma.

“
She had no offspring.”
Azolee
offered little information.  The reading of the
will
was to occur
on Thur
sday.
Mr. Saunders, Nan
a’s lawyer sai
d that it was mandatory that
Azolee
be present at the reading. He had asked her to come in an ho
ur earlier to consult with her o
n a few queries that were raised.

“ I
appreciate your hospitality at such short notice. I
’
m sure you
’
re very busy, so I will leave you to it.” He made move to stand.

“
I
had just completed the task.
You’re welcome” she said stiltedly.

“In that case, have dinner with me at the Poinciana Club this evening,” he said in heavily accented English.
He was a businessman and he had learnt to
Carpe diem quam minimum
credula
poster
o
. Tomorrow no one knows, so he learnt to seize the day.
knowing
that she was grieving, but he also need
ed
information. It was the only reason that he extended the invitation.
Almost.

“No!” she said
dispassionately
. “I
– I
mean, I have a
d-
date already” she stammered.
Mama was expecting
her to show her some mixtures.

A date?
Who? He had no reason for jealousy, it was unreasonable.
“How about Tuesday night?” he asked silkily

“
I have a committee meeting
for the annual environmental ball”. She smiled, confident that she had it wrapped.
She walked to the door, opening it to allow him passage.

“Ok good, then I will wait for you.”
He didn’t expand Etienne’s Publishing by being without opposition.

Struggling to keep her poker face, she said brightly
,
“
Im
not sure when the meeting will close, sometimes we run for hours on end.

“
We’ll see how it works out”.

She walked to the door
, impatient for Mr. Arrogant to be gone.
He
strolled  to
the door, took
its handle from her
, looked at her with a pregnant pause and said, “See you then.”

Azolee
closed the door.
And sighed.
He was easily the most attractive man she had ever seen. Not only was he classically handsome, but he carried himself with a sexy swag that was stirring something in her. She was aware that he found her attractive and had seen the intense flare of interest when their fingers had touched. His eyes! God! They were intense and penetrating as if seeing beyond her façade. She resented his arrogance. He thought that she would melt at his feet? Hmmm, he had another thought coming. Many a tourists she met on the beach or in her volunteer work with some
ecotourist
companies made countless passes. She usually brushed them off or chose not to acknowledge the passes. She was aware that her unique coloring and long loose-limbed stride and her carefree way attracted unwanted attention.
Once bitten, twice shy. Once bruised, twice wary, she corrected bitterly.

CHAPTER
FIVE

Her mind reflected back to the painful experience with Sam
Soulier
. He was the manager of a fl
eet of yachts that had
an
branch
in The Bahamas, Florida and Italy. Sam and she had met at the service dock and had hit it off
immediately
. They had become good friends and even went out some nights. One night after a few beers, Sam
had
invited her on to his yacht,
Play Mate
. She hadn’t noticed that while he w
as
plying
her with wine, he had h
ad little himself. He asked her to dance and because she liked him and had told Nana about him, she allowed it all to flow. They started kissing and she was enjoying it.

It wasn’t until she felt a premonition to not continue that she met the real Sam. What has resulted had scarred her for the next six years and quite possibly the rest of her life. She shook her head,
recalling the pain and the shame. Sam had blamed her for teasing him. It wasn’t his fault, she wanted it but she liked it brutal.

T
w
o
good things came from it- she learned that men were after one thing and also that was what had drawn her closer to Nana.
She had called Nana, who had immediately come for her. Nana held her as she imagined her mother would
had
she lived. Nana, it was that nursed her and fought valiantly to restore here broken spirit.
She had also learnt that despite all of the girlish giggles
and  girls
talk, sex was over-rated.

The weeks following, Nana would hold her and she would look up to see a look of a strangely shadowed pain or
at time an intense look tenderness
on Nana’s face. It was Nana who first recognize
d
her love for holistic medicine and had encouraged her to enroll in college. Because of her love for nature, she was able to obtain a Master’s Degree in Environ
mental
Science and was in the final week of completing her
Desertion for her Doctor’s degree in holistic and ethnic medicine.
She was teaching part time at a University branch in
Exuma
and was al
ready gaining attention regionally
.
In addition, she net worked with a
variet
of physicians who were interested in her work and sharing theirs. Many of her discoveries were being featured in local and regional magazines. She was offered five contracts so far with various prestigious stations to stage talk shows about holistic medicine. Waiting her
consent also was the promotion for the present desertion that she was writing. Some dubbed as “Earth” woman, others just as “Doc”. By extension, Mama was receiving recognition for the part she was playing.

Nana had
once
told her
that
although the world was her audience,
she would always have her oasis
and had willed her the
exotic
cottage on the beautiful coast. Her attendance at the reading of Nan
a
’s will was only a formality
as Mr. Saunders had intimated.

With her mind firmly made up
Azolee
rose from the couch and went to continue work on her desertion. She read the note Mama left and worked for about three hours, then retired to watch her favorite
Tyler
Perry’s
Meet
The Browns
show. As much as she liked the lusty ignorance or the earthy comedy,
Azolee
was restless. The carton of ice cream in her hands told the full s
tory
.

She knew that she needed to rise about this period of lethargy. Nana had believed in her, but Nana was not here.
She had worked too hard to reach where she was today and she had to continue it. It was her responsibility, her purpose, her contribution and her legacy.
She would find the power from within to push until it was done. Then maybe, thee numbness would go away. Then maybe she could have a normal life. Unexpected a pair of piercing green eyes was brought to the forefront of
her mind. She tried to banish the thought, but deep within, she knew that ever since their meeting, he was never far from her mind.