healing-hearts (38 page)

Yasmine reached over and grabbed Jason’s hand, lending him her support.

Jason looked at her, then turned his attention back to the company president. Jason lifted their joined hands and kissed the back of hers. Yasmine took it as a sign of gratitude.

Looking around the room, Yasmine could almost literally see everyone sitting on the edge of their seats in anticipation.

She caught sight of Raquel sitting two tables over, looking alluring and elegant in a silver velour, snug-fitting dress that stopped at her bust; leaving her arms, neck, and shoulders bare. Earlier, when Yasmine had seen her enter, she had been surprised, because for the first time Raquel did not have the full expanse of her legs showing. Amazingly, the dress dropped to the floor and seductively trailed a foot or so behind her as Raquel had executed something similar to a sexy catwalk to her seat.

Yasmine wasn’t fooled by the nonchalant posture she was putting forth, because Raquel’s apparent nervousness was evident in the way she subtly rotated the ring around her finger.

Coleman’s voice drew her out of her observation, when he continued by saying, “After days and hours of deliberation, David and I took a lot of factors into consideration. We have an excellent staff at Coleman and Weary and that knowledge just made this decision that much harder. Please stand to your feet and give a round of applause for Raquel Bellamy, the new vice-president.”

Yasmine didn’t know if she wanted to faint or scream. She felt sick to her stomach, but she figured it was nothing in comparison to how Jason must feel.

As Raquel gave a saucy trot to the front of the room, Yasmine placed her hand on Jason’s lower back and leaned into him in a subtle attempt to communicate her support. Selfishly she could not stop the thought going through her head that the best man had not gotten the job.

She was still in a daze as Mr. Coleman called Raquel up to the front, and began telling everyone about her history with the company.

Jason’s reaction surprised Yasmine as she caught a glimpse of the expression on his face. He was not only clapping with everyone else, but also the smile on his face appeared genuine and without malice.

After Mr. Coleman finished speaking, he gave Raquel the opportunity to say a few words, and then he began the rounds of congratulations extended to Raquel.

Yasmine and Jason finally had a semi-private moment while everyone headed toward Raquel to congratulate her. Yasmine turned toward Jason, but before she could say anything, Jason pulled her in his arms and kissed publicly and thoroughly.

As their lips parted, Yasmine heard Jason say, “I need to go and shake the hand of the winner and speak with Mr. Coleman. Don’t go far, I’ll be back.”

Yasmine was in a fog and had trouble keeping her mind focused on what Jason was saying after the kiss he had given her.

“I guess your little hopes of being the wife of a vice-president didn’t pay off...little Yasmine.”

Yasmine took a deep breath before she turned around to Raquel who had come up behind her.

“Maybe to an outsider it might appear that way.” Yasmine could only imagine what Raquel would think if she knew that this evening signified the conclusion of her marriage.

“Really?” Raquel lifted an eyebrow in her direction. “What, you think being president of your little health club compares you to this kind of status?” Raquel threw her head back bitterly and laughed.

“Raquel, there are other things in life that mean more to some people than position and power.” Yasmine was making a concentrated effort to keep her voice moderately low.

“Yasmine, the only people who say that are people who don’t have it.”

You can’t be serious. This overbearing hussy is an example of the best man winning?
Yasmine had enough; taking a step toward Raquel, she dropped her voice to barely above a whisper, “You know what
Miss
Bellamy? One day you’re going to wake up and realize you may have had your career, but you’re a lonely and bitter old woman.”

Before Raquel could respond, Jason walked up smiling broadly asking, “So, what are you two lovely ladies talking about?”

“Just ladies’ chitchat,” Raquel declared.

Yasmine couldn’t stop from rolling her eyes as Raquel turned to Jason with one of her exclusive only-for-you smiles.

“I’m glad you came over, it gives me the opportunity to tell you how much I enjoyed being matched with you,” Raquel’s voice held the husky tone of a phone sex operator.

“You will always be a worthy opponent in business, Raquel.”

“You always know the right words to say, Jason.” Leaning in toward him, Raquel kissed him on the corner of his mouth. “You know I’ll always be here for you.”

Yasmine couldn’t believe the gall of Raquel and Jason. It was as if she wasn’t even present in the room. Yasmine wondered how embarrassing would it be for Jason if she began to claw the other woman’s eyes out.

“Raquel, I respect the fact we have been able to maintain a professional relationship, even though there could never be anything romantic between us ever again. I appreciate how we have supported each other at work and hold our continued
professional
ties in high regard.” Then he took his handkerchief out of his inside pocket and removed the other woman’s lipstick from his face. He placed the white scrape of linen back in his pocket then laid a hand on the small of Yasmine’s back. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to dance with the beautiful lady I’ve been dying to hold in my arms all night.”

Yasmine was elated as she allowed him to escort her to the dance floor. She vaguely caught a glimpse of the rebuffed Raquel walking off in a huff.
Guess you can’t win everything
. Yasmine’s face held a secret smile.

Silently they danced to the orchestra’s slow ballad, as she enjoyed being in Jason’s arms. Her eyes closed, Yasmine was oblivious to the people surrounding them. She was caught in the pleasure of their bodies pressed closely together and the intoxicating feel of Jason’s tall frame sliding intimately against her.

She experienced a slight tickle as his breath fluttered against her ear. “Yasmine, I don’t want this to end.”

Yasmine’s breath caught in her throat, she took a shuttering breath, “I know, Jason. I could dance with you all night.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about, Yasmine.”

It seemed as if his breathing became more intense with each word.

“Jason, don’t.” Yasmine’s voice was thick as she stepped out of the circle of his arms and walked out of the restaurant. Once outside she quickened her pace until she reached the beach sand and couldn’t go any further without removing her shoes.

“
Yasmine
.”

Yasmine’s eyes filled up with tears as she heard the sound of her name spoken tenderly, as an endearment; Jason had been mere seconds behind her.

She could feel the dry cool sand under her feet as she gazed out over the water. “Jason, please. We both knew this was going to end, that it had to end.”

Standing beside her but not touching her, “Tell me why, Yasmine.”

“I’ve failed you.”

“In what way?”

Yasmine could feel the heat of his body, standing close to her.

Yasmine turned to face him. “I didn’t uphold my end of the bargain. You didn’t get the seat, Jason. I got the twins, but you’ll walk away empty handed.”

“I don’t plan on walking away.” Jason reached his hand out and touched her cheek.

Yasmine yearned to lean her face into his warmth, but in the coming months, she would have to learn to live without it. “Jason, it’s inevitable. You don’t need to worry about feeling as if you abandoned your obligation to me or the kids.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I release you from it.”

“Release me? You release me?”

Yasmine did not like the tone Jason’s voice was beginning to take on.

Yasmine took a small step back. “Yes.”

Jason, ever perceptive, noticed her retreat, took a step forward, and closed the gap she had made.

“I don’t need you to free me from my obligations, Yasmine.”

“Why?” It was Yasmine turn to be curious.

“If I wanted the freedom, I wouldn’t have told Mr. Coleman to give the position to Raquel.”

Yasmine knew her eyes were round as saucers. “What?”

“That’s right. I met with my boss yesterday and told him that I didn’t want the job.” Jason looked into Yasmine’s almond shaped, light brown eyes. “Don’t you want to know why?”

With trepidation, she turned away from Jason’s all-knowing eyes, not wanting him to look into her soul and see her heart breaking. “It doesn’t matter. None of it matters, because it’s over, Jason.”

“Not even how I feel?” Jason questioned.

Yasmine wrapped her arms around herself as her tears ran down her cheeks unchecked. “I told you from the start I couldn’t risk my heart to anyone.”

Taking hold of her arm, Jason pulled her around to face him and looked deep into her eyes. “Tell me your secret, Yasmine. Tell me how you can stop your heart from aching every time you are away from someone? How you no longer yearn to hold and touch and be touched? How do you turn every fiber of your being off when it wants to reach out to them when they are around? Tell me your secret, Yasmine, how could I have kept myself from falling in love with you?”

Ashamed, Yasmine buried her face in her hands. “I don’t have all the answers, Jason.”

“It’s simple,” he placed her face between his hands keeping her from turning away. “I love you, Yasmine, with every breath that I breathe, and I’m willing to sacrifice my heart to you.”

Yasmine closed her eyes and a new flow of tears ran down her face.

“Look at me,
damn it
.” The tremors in Jason’s voice betrayed the tension that shook every fiber of his being, “And tell me you don’t feel the same.”

Using the only weapon she had to keep him away, she forced a laugh. “You didn’t make it Jason, you’re not the vice president; regardless of your claim that you turned it down. You don’t have to prove anything, anymore—no more performing. The audience has gone home and the curtain has closed.” Yasmine pulled her face out of his grasp and aggressively wiped the tears from her face.

Jason paced across the sand in front of Yasmine, “If I have to walk back in there and get Coleman to tell you what I told him in order not to lose you, I will, Yasmine. For two hours, I sat in his office while he tried to convince me why I was the
best
man for the job. Why, he and Mr. Weary had decided two weeks ago to give
me
the job.” Stopping in the tracks he had made in the sand, Jason faced Yasmine and continued, “After Mr. Coleman had completely exhausted every tactic, I looked directly at him, Yasmine, and told him that he could offer me the CEO position and I wouldn’t take it. I may love my job, but I love you and the twins more and I refuse to give up another second to anything that will keep me away from the three of you.”

Yasmine spoke, her voice soft and quiet. “Jason, you’ve worked too hard to give up your career for a fairy tale.”

Jason spoke in a voice filled with deep sincerity, “This
life
we’ve been living has been real for me for a long time. I won’t give it up for the company…or your stubbornness. Yasmine, let me heal your heart.”

The pleading sound in his voice was more than evident to her; she turned toward the ocean in hope of finding solace there.

“Jason...” A heavy pain in her chest radiated through every limb as her heart wept. She knew Jason was a proud man and it cost him a lot to open himself up to her, but she continued to war with herself as much as with Jason.

He walked up behind her, enveloping her in his arms. “Say you love me, Yasmine.” He kissed the sides of her neck, her shoulders, turning her around and placing adoring kisses around her face, down to the swells of her breasts, all the while repeating the request.

She wanted to fight her feelings. She wanted to fight what Jason was requesting of her. After all she had been through with Blake, could she really trust again? She thought about the days and nights she and Jason had spent together as husband and wife, as a family, and she realized she had already done it; she’d been trusting Jason. She had let him into her home and her heart a long time ago and she was just too afraid to see it.

Too afraid to admit it to herself.

Finally, Yasmine could take no more. Surrendering, she threw her arms around his neck and cried, “
Amo-o
,” then repeated it in English, “I love you, Jason.”

They both brought their lips together in a kiss that promised forever.

When they separated, Yasmine smiled and requested, “Take me home, Jason, to our children and the rest of
our
life.”

“Is she going to grow any hair, Mommy? I want to brush it.” Six year old Jessica stood beside the hospital bed frowning at her new baby sister’s round small head with barely a dusting of dark brown hair on it, resembling her father’s color.

Jason chuckled at their oldest daughter. Yasmine was sure he was recalling all the hours he spent with Jessica styling the hair of all her baby dolls.