Billionaire and the Sisters Ch. 03

I went into the building and knocked on Elsa's door exactly at seven. I could be punctual to a fault.

Cindy opened the door. Elsa stood a few feet behind her.

These were the two most beautiful women in the world. I was awed.

I had a sudden intake of breath. I gasped, "Elsa, you're ... beautiful." "Cindy, you as well. You're both amazing ... truly princesses. I'm doubly stunned."

Both women smiled. I wanted to kiss Elsa, but resisted lest I break some new boundary that wasn't there a week ago. I praised the two women for their looks, and how they made the dresses look so spectacular. The women sparkled, not only from the tennis bracelets, but also from the simple diamond necklaces that had replaced the strand of pearls I'd first considered.

The diamonds were Sheila's idea. "Diamonds are a girl's best friend," she'd repeated. She'd also assured me that diamonds were great groveling tools.

I awarded the corsages to each girl, favoring Elsa. I pinned them to the girl's dresses, aware that I was carefully operating near the full breasts of each woman on dresses that didn't leave a whole lot of maneuvering room. I managed to do the job without trembling too hard, and without sticking anyone with the pins. Sheila had again come to the rescue to show me how to do the job with élan.

I escorted the two women to the limousine.

Elsa saw the Jeep. "What's that?" she said as she pointed to the car. She knew the car, but not why it was there.

"My car. I bought it from Andy's son."

Elsa gave me an appraising look. "You like it?" She sounded disbelieving.

"It's fun to drive and not as pretentious as this." I gestured at the stretch limousine. "I guess it'll be my weekend and short errand car." For some reason, I felt that I'd just scored some points with Elsa.

The driver helped us each into the spacious passenger compartment of the limousine. He pointed to the bar. As we pulled away from the curb, I opened a new bottle of champagne and poured three flutes.

I proposed a toast, "To a fun and loving evening." We each drank, and then I set my glass aside in a convenient cup holder that held my glass perfectly. I made sure to include each girl in my eye contact and consideration.

I then knelt in front of Elsa, and watched her eyes get exceptionally large as I took her free hand in mine. I almost had tears in my eyes; I know they were glassy because I had trouble focusing.

"Elsa, I love you. I've loved you with increasing feelings of closeness and desire since I met you at that party six weeks ago. However, I made a major mistake and we know what that was – I did not represent myself to you the right way. I hid the truth. I didn't give you an accurate description of my job or economic position.

"At the time, I had reasons for what I did, at least the reasons that I am aware of. I have tried to have other relationships with women, but they have failed miserably because of my wealth and my status. Up until I met you I have attracted gold diggers, posers, and women who wanted to leech off what I had or what I had achieved. When I was more innocent, I believed that any woman that liked me could set aside my wealth and focus on me, but that wasn't the case time and again. Now, I'm worth a hundred or a thousand times what I had then, and so I figured the problems would be amplified.

"When I met you, I felt an instant chemistry only by then I knew several billion ways to turn that relationship to ... shit, pardon me. I didn't want that. I wanted a real girl, not some plastic trophy girlfriend who would try to be anything to please me just so she could have her name on my checking account or be able to flaunt that her boyfriend or husband influenced a sizeable chunk of the world economy. Unfortunately, that was my history before I went to that party where we met.

"I wanted to understand how you'd feel about a long-term relationship with a guy like me, only I felt I had to hide part of me. I have to admit I was scared. For the first time – the very first time – I found someone that I felt something really special with. I was scared that several billion dollars would intimidate you, or that my being the chairman of Worthington Industries would frighten you – or worse, change you to a person I didn't want you to be. I can travel to any country in the world, meet with world leaders, make multi-billion dollar deals, and I was scared of you, Elsa."

Tears were rolling down my cheeks. I wiped some of them with one finger, and went on.

"I was scared you'd run the other way, and that you'd reject me, or worse that you'd reject me in a different way by becoming one of those posers. You were and are the one person in the universe that I can't take rejection from. I had the embers of a nascent romance with you, and I had to fan those in a way that would help them blossom to a point where the parts of my life that might inspire rejection would be meaningless in the face of the love we shared. Because of those feelings, I put off telling you about myself.

"Looking back, I'm still not sure when or how I could have found the right time. In hindsight, I was doing a clumsy job of revealing who I was by trying to take you that charity ball a week ago. I thought I'd blurt it out in the limousine on the way to the gala, but I know now that wouldn't have been any better than how you found out.

"Anyway, I kneel here before you as scared as ever – scared that I blew it so badly that you'll leave. I love you. I apologize. Thank you for coming tonight and listening to my admissions and fears. Where we go from here – to the evening I planned, back to your apartment, forward as a couple, or going separate ways – is up to you."

I squeezed Elsa's hand, and studied her face. I kissed her hand. She'd been stoic as I spoke, watching me without facial expressions. Suddenly, I saw a tear roll down her cheek."

Elsa

Mark had all but prostrated himself on the floor of the limousine to apologize to me. He was down on his knees in the limo right in front of me. I felt such empathy for him. He was right. I could see every point he made – how the concept of a billion dollars or being CEO of the rapidly growing international empire that he owned most of would either intimidate a woman or bring out such greed and lust for power that she'd cease to be a lovable person. Hell, it totally intimidated me, and maybe that was part of my anger – anger at myself for being unable to cope with that reality. Those facts also might make a girl like me run in the opposite direction.

I had run, but that hadn't been the initial impetus – it had been Mark's failure to be entirely honest with me.

Mark sat back down opposite me on the bench seat after his apology statement. The ball was back on my side of the court, and I was in control. He looked at me with those puppy dog eyes of his, visually pleading for me to take him back. He wiped tears away again and blinked rapidly to prevent more.

"Mark, what will you do differently if we remain a couple?" I asked.

He responded, "I will give the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I won't intentionally hold back little tidbits that I might know would irritate you in some way."

"What else?"

He looked puzzled. He thought he'd addressed the specific issue, but I wanted more.

I said, "Mark, you're a workaholic. Except for our few times together – and even then much of the time – you are obsessed with your work. Will that ever change?"

Mark sat back with a thoughtful expression on his face. He picked up his champagne and took a sip. The only sound in the car was the traffic noise filtering in from outside. I imagined the odor of burning cedar and sandalwood emanating from his brain as he thought about what I'd asked and all that it implied. I was basically suggesting a fundamental change in his life; a total change to how he'd lived the past twenty or thirty years, and he was only in his early-thirties. I figured he'd been born with that burning focus.

He finally nodded. "Elsa, you deserve a mate and eventually a husband who dotes on you with his time, gifts, and attention. I have been letting my work dominate my life for many reasons – positive and negative. Because of this, I will do several things. First, I will attend relationship-counseling sessions with you so that we create a work-relationship balance acceptable to both of us. Second, I have thought about promoting Andy to the COO position and giving him much more responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the company; this is a good time to do that and that will free up some of my time; I will guard against filling it with business things. Third, I will try to be 'The' man for you – I think I know what you're suggesting. The work is uneven, and there will be days and weeks when I can't do it, but then there'll be many days and weeks when I can. If you can accept that up and down cycle ... well, I'll really try to be the man and life companion you want."

I had not expected his answer at all, quite the opposite. I thought he'd be defensive, explaining how his work was his life and how he had to work because it was at the core of his being and manhood, that Worthington Industries was his baby. The idea of counseling blew me away even further.

"What about Cindy?" I asked.

"Cindy? I don't understand." He gave me an expression that clearly showed how puzzled he was by my question. He smiled warmly in her direction.

I explained in a serious tone, "We are very close, and if we continue our relationship I want her involved to the same level that I am with you." I started to open my side of the relationship; Mark hadn't been the only person who hadn't revealed all.

Mark posed, "So, you want me to spend time with her in the same way I do with you? I'm not sure I'm understanding what you want me to do." He continued to look puzzled.

"Exactly. Could she come to counseling with us, for instance? Could you 'dote' on her as well, without screwing up our relationship? Could you form a relationship with her as well?"

He nodded but was deep in thought, "Of course, if that's what you want. I like Cindy. I think she liked me a little, but I only have our dinner on Wednesday to go by. I felt the same kind of chemistry I felt with you when we first met."

Cindy nodded enthusiastically to reinforce his assumption that she liked him and that she'd felt something too.

I told Mark, "I'm going to ask you some questions, and I'd like you to respond quickly with the first thoughts that come to you mind. Ready?"

Mark nodded still with a look of uncertainty.

"Would you mind if I kept working?"

"No. I want you to be fulfilled. How you choose to do that is for you to decide. I will help any way I can, the way any friend, lover, or spouse would do."

"Do you objectify women?"

"Yes, sometimes. I try to be conscious of that, and correct myself ahead of time."

"Are you religious?"

"No, spiritual. Sometimes I meditate, but I often let that practice give way to work."

"If we got more serious and you wanted to marry would you want a pre-nup?"

"Yes. I would want to protect what I've built, but I would also make sure you were provided for."

I asked, "Do you get jealous?"

Mark frowned, "I'm not sure. I've never felt that about a person except in rare business situations when someone made a better deal with someone about something I wanted to buy or sell."

"What kind of friends do you have?"

Mark shook his head, "Not many. Andy and Sheila, but they work for me. I'm not sure I have any real friends. I do get lonely."

"Are you close to your family?"

"I guess I have to answer no to that, although I do see my parents and brother a few times a year. I have provided for them, but I know that's not the same."

"Would you ever want to live together?"

Mark grinned, "God, yes, Elsa. That would be a dream come true."

"What if Cindy were there?"

"I guess that would be all right, if that's what you wanted."

I asked, "Do you have certain situations or events where you especially need a steady girlfriend or wife?"

"Maybe, but I wouldn't force you to go. There are events, such as last week and tonight that I would like to have you with me because you would make it more fun, more palatable, and because I don't want to be away from you."

"Are you kind?"

"Yes."

"Do you have a favorite sexual fantasy?" I gave Mark a lascivious grin.

"Yes; you and me on a private beach in the Caribbean making love."

"What about Cindy?" My grin broadened considerably.

"Huh?"