Chapter Two

Jaime nestled against Steve's chest as they stretched out on the sand to watch the waves and share an occasional soft, lingering kiss. They were both careful to keep it light, allowing things to progress no further, so Jaime was confused when Steve suddenly broke away in the middle of a kiss, stood up and walked a few yards away from her. He stood silently, his arms folded in front of him, staring unseeingly out at the ocean.

She waited on the blanket, giving him a little time, but he didn't come back. When she moved to his side, Jaime longed to wrap her arms around him, kiss him and make him forget what was troubling him. She settled for placing a gentle hand on the small of his back, alerting him to her presence. "Wanna talk about it?" she asked, very softly.

"Not really."

"Steve..."

He turned to face her, and Jaime could see the anguish in his eyes. "Why did you agree to come here?" he questioned. "After what I did -"

"Ok – back it up!" Jaime shook her head. "First of all, it isn't what you did; it's what Lisa did – to both of us." She reached up to touch his face, trying to ease his pain. "It was ugly – it makes me sick to my stomach – but it wasn't your fault! Do you hear me?" She smiled as Steve snaked a tentative arm around her waist. "We can either let it destroy us...or pull us closer together." Jaime took another step toward him and physically moved his other arm around her waist. "Personally, I vote for closer together."

"Lady, I like how you think," he conceded, finally smiling. No one else ever felt as right in his arms as Jaime did at that moment. He couldn't help himself; he had to kiss her. Jaime's body leaned easily into his as the kiss deepened. Their eyes met and delved deeply for the answers they both sought as their hearts began to beat in perfect harmony. Their breath grew ragged and their bodies hungered for each other, and then...the same thought hit both of them, almost at the same moment.

What if we're in bed together, and I start seeing that With the same synchronicity that had pulled them together, they separated, breathing heavily with need but held back by fear.

"We have..." Jaime began.

"...lots of time," Steve finished for her. Smiling just a bit uncomfortably, they took each other's hand and headed back to the villa to eat.

- - - - - -

That afternoon, Steve went for a walk while Jaime returned to the edge of the water. She walked along, digging tiny trenches in the sand with her toes and idly watching as they filled with water. In the past, being near a river, lake or stream had always seemed to bring her peace, but Jaime couldn't shake her conflicting emotions or her frustration. I love Steve – finally, I really can feel that – and I want him! The inner dialogue would've been easier if she'd had stones to skip across the water, but there was nothing underfoot except sand. She'd just have to make do without the rocks to help her focus.

Jaime had spent several sessions discussing what had happened with a psychologist (at Rudy's insistence) and she knew that part of her conflict came from the anger she felt at what Lisa had done, intermingled with happiness at the return of her feelings for Steve. Was she glad it had happened? Those feelings – and their love – could have been gone forever. How could something so ugly result in something so beautiful, and did that mean she was grateful to Lisa? Hell, no! But...she just couldn't sort out all the directions her mind was traveling in at this rapid, confusing pace.

A gentle tap on her should brought her back to the present. Steve smiled hopefully at her, one hand behind his back. "I can leave you alone for awhile, if you want, but I thought you might like to have these." He brought the hidden hand forward, opened it, and extended it toward Jaime. In his palm, he held a half dozen smooth, flat stones, perfect for skipping.

- - - - - -

As the sun disappeared, so did the last of the bottle of wine they'd shared at dinner. They sat together on an old wooden porch swing, and Steve watched Jaime as she looked out into the night sky.

"You're deep in thought," he probed gently.

It took her a moment to blurt it out, and when she did, she couldn't look at him. "Steve...was she...good?"

Steve cupped Jaime's chin with his fingertips and carefully turned her face toward his, looking straight into her eyes before he answered. "Honestly, I was ecstatic – because I was finally with you again. At least, I thought I was. Jaime, I love you. When I was...with Lisa...every bit of me – my heart, mind, body and soul – was with you." As he sat with her face in his hands, Steve saw a new light in Jaime's eyes. Finally, she understood. They spent another hour just sitting there, enjoying being together, before they kissed and said goodnight, hoping for dreams as happy as the day had turned out to be.

- - - - - -