Over the next two weeks Kim and Kenny saw each other nearly everyday. They went out to lunch, saw a show, hung out in the evening, and drove around the countryside. Their friendship picked up right it had left off. Kim was grateful for the company. She had not been looking forward to a summer with only her parents. Mathew was away at College and had decided not to come home for the summer. Zack had gone into the music program NYC and would be touring all summer in Europe. The few friends that Kim did still keep in touch with from high school were now spread all over the country and in fact two were already married. So it was to be just Kim, Jill and Jimmy all summer long. She was glad that Kenny had the time to fill part of her day.

"So what's on for tonight?" Kim asked talking on the phone with Kenny.

"Well actually I kind of just wanted to stay in. I am beat. You know I am not as young as you. I do need some down time."

"Oh right Kenny you're over the hill at age 37." Kim joked trying to get him to laugh. "So how about I come over and cook dinner. We can curl up on the couch and watch a movie."

"Sounds good. I will pick you up at 6:00 when I am done here." He got the go head from Kim and hung up the phone relieved that he would be able to crash early tonight.

Later that evening Kim was setting the dinner out on the table. Kenny had passed out on the couch. She laughed to herself "He really is tired". She moved over to his side and gently shook him to wake him up. He stirred and turned over on the couch to face Kim. Still not really awake he reached over pulled Kim into him and kissed her. She pulled back. "Kenny what are doing?" He sat up immediately and his face flushed.

"Kim! I am so sorry. I didn't mean to do that." He was shocked at his behavior but his blood instantly was rushing.

Kim's body was suddenly full of a tingling sensation. 'Did he really just kiss me or was that a response for Max?' The question flooded her mind. She was instantly driven to kiss him again and find the answer out. She bent her head back down to his. He didn't seem to move away as the distance between them closed. As their lips lightly brushed each other her heart jumped into her throat. The connection was sweet and gentle but full of hunger and longing. He opened his mouth ever so slightly and pulled hers in. She felt his hand wrap around the back of her head and pull her even tighter into him. She slid her body closer to his. She needed to feel him against her but he pulled back.

"Kim . . . we can't do this." Kenny said. His lips were already swollen and his face was flushed.

"Kenny, do you really want to stop?" Kim whispered in his ear as she leaned back into him.

"No." He allowed himself to brush his lips against hers once more. "But Kim this isn't right." He was trying with all of his will power to stop himself but the desire was growing instead of being distanced. Their kiss connected and deepened within seconds. He wrapped his arms around her tiny waist and pulled her onto his lap. She surrounded his neck with her arms and shifted closer and tighter into his chest. His muscles were firm and comforting and she could feel his heartbeat beneath his shirt. His hands slid up her back taking the tail of her shirt with them. She lifted her arms as the shirt freed itself from her body. "Kim, are you sure about this?" He whispered in a harsh voice. He was pleading that she would say yes but feared that she was going to stop them before they did anything they would regret.

"Only if you want to?" He didn't say a word just stood taking her hands with him and lead her upstairs to his room. He removed his shirt in one swift movement. She stood at his side watching the shirt fling across the room. It left a wave strength and definition in its wake. She couldn't fight the urge to run her hands across the wide width of his chest. She felt small beside him. He lifted her by her waist and held her securely against him. She was soft and delicate and seemed so fragile. He moved towards the bed not letting her go. Once placed gently on the bed he rose to his knees and eased her pants off. Once they had been discarded to one side of the room he worked his off and tossed them the opposite way. He stared at her petite frame taking in every detail before he eased back down to her side. They resumed their kiss. A kiss that was full of passion and lust and desire.

With her arms wrapped around his neck she pulled him on top of her. Needing him more fully then she had ever needed anyone before. It was at that moment that he stopped. He stopped amidst passion and concentrated on one spot over her shoulder. She turned her head to see what had caused the halt of activity. There on the bedside table was picture, a picture of him and Max and Katie. She could not quite read his face but could tell this may stop them altogether. It seemed to be full of pain. She tried to look him in the eye but his focus was on the picture.

"Kenny?" She asked trying to get his attention but his gaze never left the photo. "Kenny." She tried again. This time she moved her hands from his shoulders and cupped his cheeks in them. She stared into his eyes and guided his head to her. Once their eyes connected she spoke. "We don't have to do . . . ."

"No." He was instantly aware that she had noticed his laps in attention. "I want to Kim."

"But Kenny . . ." He stopped her mouth moving with the tip of his finger. "Listen Kim I know what I am doing here and who I am doing it with. I am sorry." He moved to kiss her but she pulled back.

"Kenny I want this too, boy do I want this but I don't want you to regret it in the morning. I have nothing to lose, you do." The only thing she would lose was her heart. The type of rejection that comes with regret is the worst kind. She wanted this but it would be better to leave it to the imagination than for him to regret it. After all she had been imaging it since she was old enough to know what it was to want a man. Kenny had always been her gage to which she measured any other man too. She had come close once to fulfilling her teenage fantasies. They had considered dating when she was still a high school senior. But the whole idea had been squashed before in could really be tested. Now she was here in his arms but her mind was screaming 'it's not the right time. He's not ready.' Her body on the other hand was demanding more.

"Kim she's not going to come back. I know that now. Truthfully I think she was gone long before she actually walked out the door. Now Please."

"But Kenny . . ." He placed his finger on her lips again to silence her. He guided her head in the direction of the picture. He reached behind her grasping the frame and slid it into the drawer.

'Out of sight, out of mind' he thought. However he knew that it was going to take more then the removal of the picture to Kim's anxieties about the situation. He started to wonder if he could even get her back to the place they had been before he noticed the picture.

Seconds later his lips connected with hers. She held back with every shred of will power she had left in her. But when he slid his warm, strong hands down her sides she thought 'to hell with it Kim. If he regrets it later at least you have tonight to saver.'

He felt her ease back into the passion that had consumed them before. Their lips and tongues played a dance that sent shivers through them both. As their mouths continued to assault each other their hands moved to caress every inch of their bodies. They became one she allowed a small cry to escape from her lips. Kenny responded with a deep rumble from his throat. As the heat surges through them they felt their bodies release. Release the tension of the day, of the last few weeks, even the last few years and finally the passion that had been building up between them since Kim had first entered the station two and a half weeks ago.

She looked different when he first saw her again. It had been two years and somehow she had transformed into the most stunning woman he had ever seen. Her hair was longer, her body more shapely, and her face held so much more maturity than before. She had always been older than her years but she had oozed femininity. She had changed from the girl that he watched grow up to the remarkable woman that now lay in his arms. Her eyes sparkled in the dim light of dusk.

Kim was gazing out the window at the sun's final glory for the day. She was filled with a sense if peace and contentment. "So what now?" She said with a heavy sigh.

"I don't know Kim. I guess we, . . . . . . . . . I don't know." He responded.

"Well what do you want to do for the rest of the night?" Her eyebrows arched in anticipation.

"Already?" His question was quickly answered when she stole his lips again. They spent the rest of the night in bed, enjoying each other.