One Night Love Affair *COMPLETED*

Chapter Thirty Nine

Reluctantly she nodded, and before James knew it, they were seating in his car driving from the JFK to the Manhattan.

"Look, there's lady Liberty! And Brooklyn Bridge!"

James laughed at Eveline's enthusiasm about seeing all the monuments in New York City. She wanted to experience Manhattan like a tourist first, and maybe like a New York native later. She was like a small kid eating chocolate for the first time.

"So did you decide what is the first thing you want to do here? I mean right after I show you the most important place in the entire Manhattan - my office."

She laughed at him.

"And here I was, thinking it was your apartment. Well, your bedroom to be exact!"

"Forget about any sightseeing then. Heck forget about the office! If the lady wants to see my bedroom, who am I to decline!"

Eveline just hit his arm, and shook her head.

"I don't know where the tabloids got the idea you are a cold, ruthless businessman? You're too sweet."

Her word made James think. He took some time to answer the hidden question in her observation. He knew it was important to her to know he was a good guy to all people, not just to her. She got burned in the last relationship, because the guy wasn't who he claimed he was. Eveline was still not completely over the hurt her ex's betrayal caused her to go through.

"I am ruthless and cold when it comes to business. But you make me want not to be. I don't exactly how you see a good guy in me, but I'm glad you do. Because spending time with you make me happy."

James decided to tell her the truth, and it turned out to be the best decision.

"I like spending time with you too."

Her soft words made James pull her closer and kiss her cheek. She snuggled next to him and continued looking out the window, while James was reading some contracts on his phone. James's driver was safely driving them to his office in Lower Manhattan, where Chris and Neil were eagerly waiting for him to return.

James wasn't concentrated on the contract he was pretending he was reading on his phone, thinking about the child and the woman he thought he saw in the airport terminal. He was also surprised by the fact that even though, for the longest time he thought he was in love with Eveline, he was actually telling the truth before. He enjoyed the time they spent together, but it was more like they were brother and sister, than lovers.

They never even slept together. At first they couldn't because James was in the hospital and James didn't want to give anyone an option of being interrupted, which was likely to happen. Not to mention, that if they would get caught, it would probably cost Eveline her job and they would both have to pay a hefty fine.

Later on, when he was let go from the hospital, there just wasn't the right moment, and he didn't want to pressure Eveline into anything. So with the exception of a few make-out sessions, their relationship remained platonic.

"Mister Cornell, we have arrived at your office."

James's driver announced and James helped himself and Eveline get out of the car.

"Thank you for the ride Luis. We'll call you after about an hour to take drive us to Times Square, so we will be able to go sightseeing."

"Of course Sir."

Holding Eveline's hand they walked into the a modern skyscraper where his offices were located. They weren't on top floor, but that was just fine with James, who wasn't exactly fond of heights.

"So this is where you go to job otherwise?"

She looked at the skyscraper with big eyes. There were no such buildings in Baton Rouge. Considering the buildings, Manhattan was like a completely different universe from the town she was born and raised and spent most of her life in.

"It looks really cool."

James pulled Eveline into the lobby and simply walked into the an open elevator, like he owns the place. Technically speaking he did own the building, but he liked that only selected few knew that. He had more money than some third world countries. He just wasn't a person who felt like he has to rub it into everyone's nose. Most of his investments were silent, and all of his charity work was done anonymously. The only thing he noticed the public of was this company. It was his way of showing off his father.

Not that it was still important, since the man was already dead for more than a year. Of course his death made James even a wealthier man. They might never get along, but his father always believed that blood is thicker than water, thus James inheriting everything, with the exception for the major share in his father's company, which went to the son of his late father's housekeeper. James didn't mind at all, he was actually happy that he didn't have to think about what to do with another company. He gladly let him take over.

"Welcome to Cornell Inc."

Eveline looked around her, completely taken over by how different his company looked from the ones she saw on TV shows. Well, to be fair, the office was nothing special, but they also had a real kitchen, with a dining table, a game room with ping-pong table and billiard. But the biggest difference from all the other offices, were the people in it. It seemed that barely anyone was dressed up. Eveline swore she saw someone in dressed into something dangerously similar to flannel pajamas.

"It looks great."

She finally said and James just smiled at her.

"Don't worry, my employees are usually dressed in suits and dresses. Today is the 'wear whatever you want day'. We do days like this once every now and then, to boost creativity."

"Oh... I was thinking I misunderstood you, and you were actually a CEO of a startup..."

"Nope, it's not a startup. Though I have bought some of them, and I have some of the guys who come up with them work for me. Interesting people. Full of ideas."

He said the last two things more to himself than to Eveline.

"James you're finally here." Chris suddenly appeared right in front of them. "And nurse Eveline, it's nice to see you too."

She quickly shook Eveline's hand and focused back to work in a record time.

"There are twelve contracts waiting for you to approve and mister Reed is coming to your office in ten minutes, so we are running on a tight schedule."

She was ushering both James and Eveline towards James's office.

"I'm sorry Eve, but work calls..."

James tried to apologize about his secretary's bossy behavior.

"It's OK. I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to come to New York with you. I knew you will have to work, so go and work. Don't worry about me. I'll go and check out the game room I noticed. Maybe I can find someone who'd be ready to take some time off and play billiard with me."

She ushered him into his office and Chris threw her a thankful glance, before she pushed James into the office.

"There are the contracts. Read them and sign them. I'll bring you coffee in a minute."

Before James sat down on his chair, she was already gone, and he had no other option than to start reading the contracts.

Ten minutes passed in no time, but somehow he managed to get over all the contracts, and thanks to impeccable work of Chris and Neil, there were near to none changes needed to be made.

Just as he finished signing the last contract, Chris knocked on his door.

"Mister Reed is here."

James lifted his head and came eye to eye with a woman he thought only existed in his imagination. And she was holding a hand to the little boy he remembered was riding a horse and eating pie.

Suddenly a really bad headache spread in his head, and flashes of memories filled his head. He knew both the woman and the kid. Actually the kid was his son - Samuel James Reed.