I'm staring at the nightstand clock and 2:33am is staring back at me. I should go. I don't want to, but the risk of me staying much longer is too great. I turn over slowly, creating the first separation between Fitz and myself in hours. As I face him, he reaches out for me, even in sleep anxious to close the distance.

"Fitz," I say. "Fitz, I have to go." I'm not sure he hears me so I say it again. "I have to go."

His eyes blink open, confusion crossing his face. "Is it time to get up?" he murmurs.

"No, not yet. But I have to go before it gets too late. Someone could see me leaving your room. Besides, you need to get what rest you can. You'll be exhausted tomorrow."

"I sleep better with you here."

Oh, this isn't going to be easy. I sit up, hoping to avoid what I feel like is going to be an argument. Fitz's eyes follow me and even in the dark, I can feel them drinking me in.

"Don't," he says, pulling me towards him. "We still have time."

"We have to be up at 5:00. You can get a couple of good hours before then."

He blinks a few more times and sighs. "Okay. I'll let you go on one condition." I raise my eyebrow at this. "Stay with me tonight."

"Fitz, we have to be careful. If anyone knew I was here—"

He sits up now, fully awake, his hands resting on my arms. "Liv, please. When you came into my room, I thought, okay, one time and I'll get it out of my system and I'll be fine. But it's not enough. Once wasn't enough. I haven't kissed you enough. I haven't touched you enough. I haven't heard you say my name enough."

I'm steeling myself against this emotional onslaught and it's killing me. I want nothing more to stay with him again, but it's playing with fire. "One more night isn't going to fix that."

His grip loosens slowly and a wounded look fills his eyes. Oh, shit. I've hurt him. "One night was enough for you?" he whispers.

"No, no, of course not. But I can't. I can't fool myself into thinking that anything's going to change because we had sex."

Fitz releases me completely and pain has clearly seeped into the lines on his face. "This wasn't just sex to me, Olivia. You have to know that."

"I do know that. I do." I'm so torn. I know he understands how hard this must be for me; he just can't right now. And I can't give in. What we did was…wrong. He's married. He's running for president for God's sake.

"Then…you don't feel the same about wanting to spend another night together?"

Now it's my turn to sigh. "Yes, I do. But, Fitz, I can't want this. You're right about the one night thing. I told myself that too. It's one night and after that I'll be fine. I want nothing more than to stay here with you until 5:00. Hell, stay here until 9:00 or 10:00. Until tomorrow for that matter. Forget the prayer breakfast. Forget the fact that I'm on a campaign and you're running for president of the United States. But I can't do that. I have a job to do. And my job is to get you elected—no matter what." I force myself to get out of bed and start searching for my clothes. If I'm going to leave, now's the time, before the sight of him naked entices me stay.

"No matter what, huh?" His words are biting. "So you don't get to feel anything? You don't get to relax, to let someone who cares about you hold you, caress you, make love to you? When was the last time you let someone in, Olivia?"

I've found my pants and abruptly stop fastening them to turn to him. He's struck a nerve. A big ass nerve. "You're missing the point," I snap.

"No, I'm not. You want to make this about me being married. Fine, I'm married. But that fact is you came here last night because you wanted to. And you want to tonight but you won't let yourself. Because emotion is a sign of weakness, right? That's how you've gotten through life. That works for running a campaign but it makes for a lousy personal life."

I'm apoplectic now and fighting the urge to pick up the lamp at my feet and throw it at his head. "And just when I think you weren't listening to me during our debate prep. Deflect and rephrase the question." I decide to keep going when he doesn't disagree. "You don't get it, do you? I thought you did but you don't. There's nothing for me here. There's last night and maybe tonight and that's it. You are married. I can pretend all I want. We can have all the 'one minutes' we want. But it doesn't change the fact that I am here to get you elected president. That's it. Nothing more."

Fitz has gotten out of bed too and put on his pants. He's crossed the room and is standing in front of me. "Do you really believe that? Do you really believe the only reason you're in my life right now is to help me become president? Because I beg to differ. You're here to change my life. Make me see things differently. Maybe even give me the life I always wanted."

I'm almost stunned silent. I don't know where he's going with this. "I thought you wanted to be president."

"So did I. But maybe…maybe other things are more important."

"Like what?"

"Like love."

"Then why didn't we meet sooner?" I retort.

"If I wasn't running for president, would we have ever met?" he counters. And if he wasn't running for president, would he be the man that I care for? Love? Fitz's hands are on my shoulders again and he's so close I can hardly stand straight. "Stay with me tonight, Olivia."

I shake my head, trying to clear it of the crazy thoughts I'm having. The thoughts that say I won't be here until 5:00 if I only reach out and touch his chest, if I only lean up and give him a little kiss; that I won't get my heart ripped out if I let this continue. "I'll think about it." And I grab my suitcases and head for the door. "Be on the bus at 5:30."

"Yes, ma'am."

I check the hallway carefully before I leave and I know, defying good sense, that Fitz is watching me in the muted light, because his door doesn't close until I open mine.