In the darkness of her room, Kate watched Adam’s chest rise and fall. His soft rhythmic breathing was deep with sleep. She wiped away the tears pooling around her brown eyes and settled back on the pillow. The guilt gnawed at her the way water rubs on stone. If only she’d been able to resist. Headlights of a car shone in their window for a moment before plunging onward to the next house. She could hear another car passing on the street and watched its lights slide along the tope walls before it too was gone.

A mournful sigh escaped her lips and choked at the end. Her chest heaved as she fought down a sob. Crying wouldn’t do at this hour. For another moment longer she lay in the silence before dragging herself out of the bed. Warm quiet tears rolled down her cheeks and past her quivering mouth. If she hadn’t done it, if she had just gone home, if she hadn’t been there at all…

Oh she could still feel the touch of lips on the curve of her neck, powerful arms locked around her body. His scent was still all over her, wave after wave of him, strong and dominant still lapped against her like ocean waves. Along with the smoke of pleasure came the wrought iron whip of pain. Her heart ached like fire. Just one look at the man sleeping in their bed, completely unaware that she’d…god, she couldn’t bare the thought.

Kate turned her body so that she was completely facing him. He’d been all she wanted a long time ago. He was faithful and loyal, truthful and loving. Oh so much love. There was nothing in him that was unstable or unsure. Adam had always known what he’d wanted, had never wavered from that but that was what had finally pushed her. He wasn’t the adventurous sort, never one for just going. There had to be a plan, had to be a destination. The man from earlier that evening had been as free as the wind, playful and teasing, brilliantly handsome and interested.

She felt her chest give a painful jolt. Adam would know. He would be able to tell in the morning. All he would need to do was look in her eyes as he said “I love you,” and not see it returned. A trembling sigh seethed through pouty lips. A few hours of passionate lust would be the undoing of their years of love. She hadn’t said no, and so, Adam wouldn’t say yes to her ever again. Kate crawled into bed beside him and kissed his shoulder. He smiled in his sleep. She wanted to hold him for as long as she could, at least until the searing light of morning turned their relationship to ashes.