Roger brushed a strand of hair away from Holly's face. She had not even stirred when he had carried her from the car to her bed. He blew a kiss to Blake before she left.

After watching Holly sleep for a few more minutes, he went to sit on the floor with his back to the door. He very much wanted to lie beside her, but he figured that if he guarded the door, she would not be able to leave the room before they got a chance to talk. He stretched his arms and tried to find a comfortable position. He looked around him at the familiar surrounding. He could not believe that he was back in that room where he had spent so many happy nights. His mind soon started to wander to the last few hours.

It was clear to him now that Megan had lied to Holly about him standing her up. He wondered if she had lied to him also about Holly's decision not to see him anymore. He hoped so.

That little brat, he thought. He had totally underestimated her attraction to him and the lengths she would go to get him into bed, he who prided himself in his ability to size people up. Blake certainly gave him an earful about his hiring skills on the way to the house, she who had seen "right trough the shrew" from the start, as she put it. Megan sure was as ruthless in love as she was in business. At least, he would not have to see her again. Smart like she was, she had surely figured out that the jig was up and she was probably long gone by now. If not, he would relish in firing her, although, if he was being truly and perfectly honest, a part of him hated to send an asset like her right into the competition's arms.

He gazed at Holly once again, wondering if maybe she was dreaming about him. So many questions still lingered, unanswered, between them. He could not wait for her to wake up to tell her how he felt. He soon fell fast asleep, knowing she was near.

He woke up the next morning with a sore neck and the distinct feeling that someone was staring at him. It took him a few seconds to realize where he was.

"Rise and shine and leave, Roger!"

Holly was standing in front of him, massaging her temples, looking grumpy.

He hastily got up, determined not to let her say another word before he had his say. "Holly, Megan lied to you. She lied to me, too!"

Holly pushed passed him and went to the kitchen. "And why is it, Roger, that you always surround yourself with liars and schemers like Alex and Megan? Please, tell me, I am dying it to hear it," she deadpanned.

Roger knew that tone and geared himself for a bumpy ride. At least, she had not thrown him out and even wanted to hear what he had to say, although her request was dripping with sarcasm.

"I guess it's because I am a liar and a schemer myself. At least, I was."

Holly stopped moving, holding her coffee pot in midair. She had not expected that answer.

"Holly, I had a lot of time to think in the last few months about what has gone wrong in our relationship. I always put business first and I lied when it suited my purpose. I wasn't honest about what I really wanted and needed to be happy. I don't have to go trough all of my faults again because you were there, you know what I did to you."

Holly had put the coffee pot down and was staring at him, her face like a mask.

He cleared his throat and continued. "So basically, it was pretty much all my fault. I wish you could have trusted me more and not assume that I had slept with Alexandra, but I guess I have no one but myself to blame for that. When I lost you…"

He had to stop for a moment and went to sit on the couch, looking at his hands. The memories of the weeks following their breakup were still raw in his mind. "For a while there, I thought I would die."

"I thought I was dead," he heard her whisper softly. He could not see her face but he could tell by the sound of her voice that she was crying now.

"But you have to believe me Holly when I say that my sole purpose in the last few months has been to win you back for good."

"Then why did you stay away? Why did you send me that letter saying that you needed a fresh start away from Springfield, away from me?"

Roger looked up at her in surprise. He saw that tears were streaming down her face.

"I never wanted to stay away from you Holly, but I had too. The last time that we talked, you practically stabbed yourself to make me go away."

He got up and began pacing the living room. "I knew that the only way to ever get you back was by learning how to be true to myself. I am an ambitious man, Holly, it's in my blood. I need excitement, business deals, first-class plane tickets, seven-course meals!"

He paused and looked at her again. "If I lied before, if I schemed, it was because I desperately wanted the excitement that only Spaulding could provide me in this town. Now I know that I can be fulfilled without Spaulding, because I have started a business that's really mine, and that gives me all the action that I need! I don't need to plot anymore; I can just work hard, be myself and be happy."

Holly took a sip of coffee, still listening to him. There was not a sound in the house besides the ticking of the clock.

"So, you see, I could not come back right away, not without something to convince you that it could work this time between us. Ideally, I would have waited for the business to really take off before coming back, but something happened and hastened my return."

"What was it?" Holly asked warily.

"You should know that I live in Chicago now. I saw you there with Fletcher Reade. You looked very close."

Holly felt herself blushing. "It's not what you think."

"But it almost became that, didn't it? You don't have to defend yourself to me; you had every right to start over with someone else, although the thought of it makes me want to tear the house down. I don't know why you chose not to be with him, and you don't have to tell me, but I am sure glad that you didn't."

"I didn't love him like that," Holly simply said. "He's gone now."

"What about the Reardon playboy?"

Holly smiled for the first time since they had started talking. "Don't call him that, he is a good man." She related to him her conversation with Matt and explained why she had followed him to his room.

Roger laughed, feeling relieved. "Wow, I could not understand for the life of me what you were doing with that guy. I thought I had finally driven you crazy!"

Holly looked insulted. "What would be so strange about it? He is kind, charming, not to mention TOTALLY hot. I would not have beaten myself up this morning if something had happen, let me be clear about that!"

She put her cup of coffee down and joined him in the living room. She decided to sit on the other couch. "Speaking of hot young people, what's the deal with Megan?"

It was Roger's turn to feel embarrassed.

"She is a business consultant. I hired her for my new company."

"So she is not your personal assistant?"

"Did she tell you that? No, she isn't."

"Did something happen between you two?"

"Never. I only discovered last night how much she wanted to, though."

"What do you mean?"

"She told me that she ran into you last night, and that you said that you decided not to see me again."

Holly almost screamed in surprise. "That conniving bitch!"

"And I believed her Holly, and for that I am very sorry."

It took a while for Holly to answer. "It's ok. I believed her too when she told me that you were gone for the night."

Roger gave her a tentative smile. "Only Blake could tell from the start that Megan was not to be trusted. Our daughter is much smarter than both of us combined."

"Speak for yourself".

Roger could not help but grin at the insult. How he had missed her humour, even if he usually ended up being the target! He almost reached for her hand, but forced himself to stay still. This could still go either way, he reminded himself.

He got up, grabbing his coat. "Well, I rest my case, Holly. I have laid my cards on the table. I want you back and I hope that you want that too. Will you think about it?"

Holly ran a hand trough her hair, thinking. She slowly nodded.

Roger reached for the doorknob. She called out to him. "Roger."

He looked back at her, expectantly.

She wrapped her dressing gown more tightly around her. "How about you start making breakfast while I take a shower, and then you can tell me all about this new business of yours?"