Reach for the Stars

Sean and I ended up going for a long walk around different parts of Manhattan. The night was beautiful with shiny stars accenting the blue black sky with their brilliance as we walked along the city streets. With his arm in mine we strolled along at a lazy pace, the smell of his aftershave tickling my senses with its sweet smell.

The kiss that we had shared in the restaurant had been wonderful; not too long but not too short, with just a hint of tongue and enough to make me want to do a lot more with him. Even though we hadn't spoken about it, I had the feeling that he was looking for someone special to spend time with; a woman who was his equal in all ways. The thought both excited me and scared me. I decided to not think about it too much for fear that I would ruin everything.

"So, how old are your kids again?" He asked as we walked toward the parkade where his Porsche was parked.

"Emily is sixteen and Charlie is twelve."

"I always wanted kids." He said, a faraway look crossing over his handsome face. "Two boys and two girls."

I laughed. "That's a lot. I don't know if I could deal with that much stress."

"I bet you could. You seem to be a very strong woman, Faith."

Strong? Well, that was one word to use. One that I wouldn't have picked first, but it sounded good coming from my present company. I tightened my grip on his arm and snuggled my head against his shoulder for a second and to my surprise he leaned down and gently kissed the top of my head.

"This has been a really great night, Sean. Thank you."

"You're welcome." He answered, un-linking his arm from mine and draping it across my shoulder and squeezing it gently. "I can't remember having this much fun since Sarah left."

"Sarah?" I said, and then it dawned on me. "Oh, your ex-fiancé?"

"Ya. She really took it outta me, you know. After her I thought that my life was over and I didn't see myself ever meeting anyone new." He said with a hint of sadness in his voice. "Until now."

I blushed. "Me either. I havn't had a date for years and years and I was totally freaked out at the prospect of seeing someone new."

He stopped walking and turned my shoulders toward him. "And how do you feel now?"

"Now?"

"Are you still freaked out?"

"In a good way."

"Good." He said, and drew me into his arms. He leaned down and gave me another kiss. "I knew that Mo was right about you."

"Right? About what?"

"Well, he told me one time that no other woman could hold a candle to you." He said, as we started walking again.

That made my heart stop. What the hell did that mean? That was the kind of thing that a boyfriend or husband would say, not a best friend. Was it possible that Bosco had deeper feelings for me than he cared to admit?

"I might just be the only female on the planet that can put up with him. That's probably what he meant." I said, feeling a little strange. "Bosco isn't exactly the easiest guy to be around sometimes."

"Either way, I'm just glad that you didn't take him up on his offer to go camping this weekend. Otherwise I would have missed out on this amazing night." He said as we reached the parkade. We walked into the elevator and took it to the forth floor and out into the top deck where he was parked.

"Camping? He didn't ask me to go camping." I said slowly, not understanding what he was talking about. Camping? "He said that?"

"Ya. He said that the two of you had plans for this weekend to go to Cagadaska Lake at some cabin that he was renting. That's why I was so surprised that you wanted to go to dinner tonight."

I stood there looking out over the city, its lights twinkling magically, the wind blowing my hair around my face in soft wisps, and didn't know what to say. Why would Bosco say something like that? Why would he bother lying to Sean? It didn't make any sense.

"He never asked me to go camping, Sean. I don't know why he'd say that." I confessed softly. "The only thing that I had plans for this weekend was washing all of the squad cars on Saturday morning."

"Why would he tell me that then?"

I shook my head, which was starting to ache. "I don't know. He seems a little weird lately." I said, turning back to him and offering a weak smile. "Maybe he just wanted to keep your friendship to himself. After all, he didn't want us to go out. Maybe he thinks it's too weird or something."

Sean laughed as he unlocked the passenger side door. "Ya. Or maybe he wants you all to himself."

"He doesn't feel that way about me, Sean. I'm not his type and you can trust me on that."

"If you say so."

I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself protectively, feeling the chill inside as well as out. It seemed that I was about to embark in a tug-of-war between my feelings for Bosco and Sean. So far Sean was wonderful; he was sweet and kind and the kind of man that really knew how to take care of a woman. But then there was my partner of almost thirteen years. His face loomed before me as I walked around to my side of the black sports car and sat inside, mutely pleading for me to stop and think things over before I got in too deep. The thought crossed my mind that maybe Bosco knew something about Sean that I didn't and that was why he didn't want me to go out with him.

What if Sean was the kind of guy who used a woman and then dumped them flat? Would I be one of his conquests or was he serious about wanting something real?

Sean shut the door and then walked over to his side and slid in easily. His graceful hands guided the wheel casually as he drove toward my apartment. I watched him out of the corner of my eye for a moment and then turned and stared out the window, a huge conflict growing within me.

Even though I had had the best date of my entire life; had the best kiss and was treated like a queen, why was it that all I could think about at that moment was Bosco?

By the time Sean pulled up in front of my building I knew that I had to stop torturing myself with questions that I would never have the answers to. I bit down on my lower lip, wondering why I was feeling this way after one of the greatest nights of my life. I felt confused; I felt guilty and most of all I felt empty.

What the hell was wrong with me?

"Penny for your thoughts."

I turned around and faced him, smiling faintly, almost ruefully. "Just thinking that this was the best date I've ever been on. Sad huh?"

He shook his head and smiled winningly. "Not sad." He said, reaching over and tucking a strand of hair behind my hair. "It's wonderful, classy and very much a turn on." He rubbed my cheek with his thumb. "Very much."

"Do you always know the right things to say?" I teased, leaning my cheek into his hand more firmly. I half closed my eyes and gave him a dreamy smile.

"When it's right I do."

"Well, thank you for a wonderful evening." I said, putting my hand on the door handle.

"Any chance I'll get another kiss out of you before you go?"

"I think that could be arranged."

As I leaned in and kissed him, the taste of his lips and the way he moved made me want to melt. I got so caught up in him that I almost missed the knocking on the window of the car. Since it was tinted we couldn't see who it was clearly.

Until Sean rolled down the window.

I wish I hadn't seen at all from the surprised and then angry look on his face.

It was Bosco.