Never Again After Tonight

"You got one part of that right. You're crazy!" he exclaimed after a minute. "You come in here dredging up old storylines like they actually meant something to you."

"But that particular one did mean something to me," she said desperately. "You have to believe me."

"Why would you wait this long to tell me if it meant so much to you?" he asked. "I find it hard to believe that you really feel so deeply about it if you're only just telling me years later."

"I was too nervous before," she said. "But now..." She trailed her fingers up his arm slowly and looked into his eyes. "Now, I have more self-confidence."

"It's good that you have self-confidence," he said, trying to change the subject. He watched her fingers running up and down his arm. "Self-confidence is good."

"I know," she said. "I'm glad I finally have enough self-confidence to approach you..." Her hand traveled to his belt and tugged on it.

He looked her in the eyes, then caught her hand in his. "I'm a married man. I'm a father. I'm a role model to people of all ages. I can't condone this kind of stuff."

"Who asked you to condone it? I'm just telling you how I feel about you."

"Well don't!" he said angrily, pushing her hand away. "Family means so much to me, and confessions like that have the potential to completely ruin my family."

"It's not like you did anything out of the way," she said, surprised at his sudden anger. "It's not like you said you felt the same way or anything."

He looked away, mumbling something under his breath.

"What? I didn't hear you," she said, putting her hand on his arm again.

He mumbled something under his breath again, still not looking at her.

"Dwayne, look at me. I can't hear you when you're looking the other way and mumbling."

He whipped around to face her. "Don't you get it? You make me crazy, woman! Ok? You make me crazy!"

"Crazy how?" she asked, confused. "Like 'throw me in an asylum' crazy?"

"Trish, you'd never understand," he said. He reached up to touch her face and ran a finger over her lips.

"You'll never know until you tell me," she pointed out.

He bit his lip, then closed his eyes for a minute. Then he reopened his eyes. When she looked at him, she could see all the lust and desire he had been successfully concealing for years.

"Let me show you," he said shortly, then leaned in for a kiss.

When he pulled back, he was amused at the look on her face.

"What was that for?" she asked with her hand up to her lips.

"To show you how I've felt about you over the years," he said.

She smiled at him. "You have no idea how much I want you right now," she whispered.

"I want you, too," he admitted. "But it can't happen. I'm married."

"No one will ever have to know," she said. "I know that I personally would regret it if I never got the chance to make love to you the way I've only dreamed of in the past."

He looked at her silently, then spoke in a low voice that neither one of them recognized. "Just this once... Never again after tonight..."

And then they were in each other's arms...