Katherine opened her eyes, remembered and smiled. She and JR had had an extremely active and enjoyable night together before falling into a deep sleep. She reached over but did not find him next to her. She sat up to see him emerging from the shower, a towel draped around his lower half. "Good morning" he greeted her cheerfully. "Good morning, JR. Shall I order some breakfast?"

He shook his head. "No thanks, I've got to go. I've a meeting at nine and can't be late. I'll take coffee when I get to the office." Disappointed, she realised that this was the end of their "date." "Of course" she replied. "I have a busy day too."

Sensing her disappointment, he sat down on the edge of the bed and kissed her. "You were on fantastic form last night, sugar. I really enjoyed myself. I hope you did too?" His words cheered her up slightly. "Oh yes, JR, even though I am quite exhausted this morning." He stroked her cheek in response causing her to want to ask the dreaded question- when would she see him again?

She bit her lip instead, unwilling to let her guard down completely. She had been there before, at the news station when she had fallen for one of her colleagues whom it transpired was interested only in sleeping with her, and had her heart broken in the process.

She reached for her robe. JR snatched it back from her playfully making her giggle shyly. "Let me take one last look, Katherine. It will help me get through the day." She let the sheet drop at which he growled lasciviously. "You are very beautiful, but then you know that don't you, Katherine?" "It's nice to be told" she replied suddenly feeling even more insecure. Was this when he was going to let her down gently, tell her that all they had spoken about the previous evening was just a sad fantasy, that there was no way that he could divorce Sue Ellen and risk losing his son?

He kissed her once more wanting to taste her, to remember how it had been during the night when she had submitted to him enthusiastically, drawing him further under her spell. He knew he was playing with fire but couldn't help it. After the Holly Harwood debacle he had had to work very hard to get things back on an even keel with Sue Ellen. If his wife discovered that he was playing away again, this time with someone he actually felt something for, it would mean the end for them both and a second outing to the divorce court where the only issue would be the custody of John Ross, he warned himself. However, he just couldn't bear to end things with Katherine right then. He knew he had to make a decision but it was impossible at that moment. In the meantime, he resolved to carry on, albeit exercising the utmost caution in order not to be found out.

Katherine stared at him as he fastened his tie, still unsure of where she stood with him. He put on his jacket, still staring in her eyes. "I can't come back tonight" he volunteered, instinct telling him that she at least deserved to know when they would next come into contact with each other. "Two nights away from home would be bound to arouse suspicion." "Of course" she replied, attempting to appear casual. "What about next week?" he asked, anxious to let her know that he did want to see her again.

She shook her head. "I'm going to New York on business I'm afraid, JR." "How long for?" he asked, visibly irritated by the fact that things were not going completely his way. "For the week" she responded in a matter of fact tone, secretly gratified by his annoyance at her lack of availability.

"Where are you staying?" "At my apartment. I decided not to sell it when I moved here" she told him. Suddenly, he was struck by an idea. "How about I join you just for a few days? I can always think of some credible cover story."

Katherine paused before she responded, feeling a mixture of excitement and trepidation. "I don't know if that would be such a good idea, JR. It's not that I don't like being with you but…" "Honey, it's like I said last night. We need to get to know each other better. Being away together for a few days would be a marvellous opportunity for that to occur."

"What if your wife suspects? I mean, it's not like you haven't got a history of being unfaithful" she answered doubtfully. "Don't you worry about Sue Ellen. I can handle her" he replied determinedly, now convinced that the risk was well worth taking. "Let me think about it, alright? I'll let you know."

JR nodded, content with the proposed compromise, and kissed her before finally taking his leave. As she heard the door to her hotel suite close behind him Katherine rolled over in bed and sighed in resignation. She knew that she would not say no to him when it came down to it, she couldn't. Last night had confirmed it for her. Falling asleep in JR's arms, knowing that he wasn't going to get up, dress and leave, had her hooked. Now there was the prospect of two or three nights holed up together in her Manhattan apartment, a city where the name JR Ewing counted for little, a place where they could at least pretend to be a proper couple. It was such a tantalising notion that she knew she was incapable of rejecting it. JR was bound to know that too.

She reached over and picked up the telephone. Speaking to the concierge of her apartment building, she made all the necessary arrangements for her place to be cleaned thoroughly and stocked up nicely for her, their, stay together in the city. However, she would let JR stew, at least for a couple of days, before informing him.

Tbc