Title: Our Dream Love
Author: Tasha
Feedback: lilbrattygirl13@hotmail.com
Rating: PG or PG-13
Category: Long WIP
Type: Alternate Reality/Romance/Mob/Angst
Summary: Courtney and Jason meet under completely different circumstances when Courtney comes to Port Charles. Is Courtney scared of love or is she just waiting for the right person to walk into her life?

Prologue

The sun was shining brightly and the ocean water glistened like millions of diamonds spread across the earth. The sky was clear, not a cloud to be seen as seagulls called to each other, flying here and there above the beach.

There were only two people, a man and a woman, lovers, in the water or even on the beach. Just the two of them in their own little world, basking in each other’s presence. The blue eyes man held the woman around her waist; his strong arms making her feel safe and secure. It was almost as if she could conquer the world, all she needed was him standing by her side. The feel of his rock hard stomach and chest against her bare back made her skin burn with desire.

He looked down at the beautiful woman in his arms, her blond hair glistening like the water under the sun, her eyes the color of the sky, a color that matched his own. Her beauty mesmerized him and it was only made more spectacular by her sweet personality shining through with every smile, with every look in her eyes. She was more than he could ever ask for, more than he had ever expected or wanted to expect.

Slowly, she turned to face him, his hands now at her sides as she did so. The sensation of his rough, strong fingers gliding over the smooth wet surface of her skin sent a wave of tingling up her spine. They looked deep into each other’s eyes before he whispered three magical words, “ I love you.”

He could see the smile spread across her face as she whispered back to him, in a voice that was meant for angels, “I love you, too.” Before either of them knew it, their mouths had captured the other’s in a breathtaking kiss filled with desire and adoration. It deepened by the second, as her arms wrapped themselves around his neck, clinging to him as if she’d die if she let go. His arms held her tighter around her waist, never wanting her to leave. Slowly, he knelt down in the water, stilling hanging onto their kiss and swept her fully into his arms…

Three thousand miles apart a blond haired, blue eyed beauty and a blue eyed man jolted awake, startled by the intensity of the dream they’d just experienced and completely unaware that there was another person they’d shared it with.

Chapter One

The next morning was bright and sunny on the west coast, bird flew through the sky, chirping and announcing to the world that a new day had arrived and to wake up and enjoy it.

Courtney Matthews didn’t need the birds to tell her that, she’d already been out of bed for an hour. Now, she sat at her desk, head in her hands, trying as hard as she could to get the dream from the night before out of her head. God, it was so real, she thought to herself. I can still feel his hands around my waist and the kiss!  It was just a dream but sensations from dreams never seemed this real or lasted this long.

Lifting her head, she saw the clock in the corner of her computer. 7 o’clock. She had to get ready for work or she’d be late. Not as if it would matter, since she owned the company, Phillips Co., the company her grandfather had given her when he died. It’d been small then, but she and her brother took it and built it up so now they owned most of the dock area, where a lot of marinas called home.

The young blonde was quite a woman and everyone in San Francisco knew it. At just 23 years old, she was one of the rare people who could manage a company at that age, even if her brother owned it, too. She impressed people with her independence, confidence and business know-how. She knew how to run a company and there wasn’t a person in the city who doubted it.

Courtney got out of the desk chair and retreated to her bedroom, where she set out an outfit, beige corduroy pants and a blue button down shirt She smiled at the selection as her brother’s voice popped into her head. “You’re the only woman I’ve ever known or seen who can dress as casual as you do and still look as if she belongs in the office.”

Leaving the clothes spread out on the bed, she undressed and slipped into the shower.

~*~

Perry Matthews was at his desk at the same time his younger sister was in the shower, He liked to be at the office before the secretaries and other office personnel arrived, just so he could do work without the constant sound of someone either hitting the computer keys in the outer office or phones ringing on a consistent basis. The sounds got to him at times and made him feel rushed, so he enjoyed the early hours.

His sister, however, liked to be at the office at the same time everyone else arrived, or a few minutes later. Courtney was a professional, beautiful and extremely business minded to the people who did business with the company, but deep down, she had another soft, fun side. A girly side. She hid it quite well from people who didn’t know her well enough, but Perry knew better. He stared at the picture of her on his desk, one at their parent’s house that had been taken over a year ago.

His thoughts drifted to the little sister he’d always loved, since the day she’d been brought home from the hospital. Even then, she’d drawn everyone in with her mini-personality. As she grew, in high school, guys were always vying for her attention, wanting a date, begging her to give them a smile or maybe just a little hello. But, she’d always turned them down and refused to be caught up in the dating scene. Courtney had never accepted a date then and she hadn’t accepted an invitation to dinner from anyone besides family or family friends since she graduated. In fact, she’d never been with a man in her life. Why? That was something he still continued to ask her to this day. Every single man they’d done business with since she joined him in co-ownership at the age of nineteen has asked her for a date and the answer was always the same.

Perry shook his head and returned his attention to the files on his desk, waiting for the real work day to begin in less than an hour.

~*~

Courtney Matthews walked into her office an hour later after picking up some file folders from the room next door to her office. Setting them down on her desk and putting her briefcase down on the coffee table, her blue eyes caught the flashing red button on her voicemail line.

“Messages already?” she asked herself aloud, pressing the button. A man’s voice floated out of the machine’s speaker phone.

“Ms. Matthews, this is Jasper Jacks, owner and CEO of Jacks, Inc. I was calling to request that you join me for dinner tonight…”

“Not interested,” she responded to the machine, talking to the air, as she immediately pushed the button that would erase the message from Mr. Jacks.  She was unphased and unimpressed by Jasper Jack’s dinner invitation.

She’d met him two days before when he wanted to buy dock space from Phillips Co., and had set up a meeting with her. The minute he’d stepped into the room, she knew he was just like all the other men she interacted with and within two minutes, Courtney knew that she would not consider selling him any dock space any further. Now, he was asking her for a date? That would be a no.

The second message was one from her grandmother, asking that she return her call because she wanted to meet for lunch that day. They had business to discuss.

~*~

Courtney and her grandmother, Louise Phillips, the woman whose husband had started Phillips Co. from scratch, found themselves in a small diner near the office building that housed Phillips Co.

Louise had a very little role in how the company was run, but she did handpick the presidents of the two companies that belonged to the family, Phillips Co. in San Francisco and Phillips-Matthews in Port Charles, New York. She liked seeing the companies in good hands and strove to keep it that way, hiring only the best.

Courtney looked at the menu, deciding what she should order while inwardly wondering why her grandmother had wanted to meet with her. She didn’t have to wait long to have her question answered. After they ordered and the waitress had removed their menus, Louise spoke.

“My dear, I’m sure you’re wondering why I asked you to meet me here.”

“Yes, I am.” Courtney responded, sensing that it was very important since her grandmother was speaking in a business-like manner, something that she rarely did. It had Courtney slightly alarmed. How serious was this business that they needed to discuss and why wasn’t Perry present if it was so important?

“Well, as you know, Gerald Fox has been planning to retire this year ever since he was made president of the company in New York. I’ve been thinking very hard on this and I’ve come to a conclusion and decision on his successor.” Louise explained, taking a sip of her water. She enjoyed the bewilderment she knew was going on inside her granddaughter’s head, it showed on her face.

Courtney was confused. “What does this have to do with me?” the young woman questioned the older. She’d never had any contact or interaction with anyone from the company before and only knew what was going on from what she was told.

“Courtney, I’ve decided that I want to have both companies run by family from now on. So, I’m going to offer you the chance to run Phillips-Matthews in Port Charles,” her grandmother responded as the waitress sat the two women’s food in front of them.

Courtney picked up her fork and took a bite of her chicken salad. If she ran the company, she would have to move to the east coast. That wasn’t really a problem since she was getting bored with living in San Francisco. She did want a change of scenery, something new and fresh. Maybe this would be her chance to get out of the city and live somewhere new. The prospect was very appealing to her, so appealing, in fact, that she already knew her answer.