one chapter left... thanks for sticking with me guys...read and review please.

The next morning came slowly; it was only as the sun was coming up did Chris manage to drift into sleep. This wasn't the way his mother had raised him, he wasn't a cheater...yet last night he found himself in the arms of a woman who he didn't call his girlfriend. Last night his morals slipped through the cracks in the throws of passion.

And he wasn't just feeling that way because he didn't get what he wanted. Even if Stephanie was still there beside him, a free woman, he would have still felt just as guilty. Trish didn't deserve to be cheated on...she was just a sweet girl who didn't even know what the hell she was walking into. She didn't know about all this baggage, she didn't know that he was holding back from loving her because someone else still owned his heart. She didn't know anything.

He sighed and rolled out of the bed, he had to see her. Chris knew that he needed to find Trish and tell her exactly what had happened. He needed to explain the past and tell her that he was sorry for what he did to her. It seemed that he would forever be without the one he loved more then himself, but he still did have real feelings for Patricia. The feelings weren't the same, or as strong...yet he knew she was special to him. He wanted to tell her the truth, and maybe he could salvage some form of friendship with her. Chris knew that there was no way she could fully forgive him, but he hoped that she could accept the fact that he was sorry.

Grabbing a pair of pants and a t-shirt he hauled them on along with his shoes and took off for her room. It was only a few doors down so it wasn't long until he was standing in front of her door, hand curled into a fist and knocking.

She answered quickly, and Chris could see that her smile was being forced, "Feeling better?" She asked him, resting her head on the doorframe.

"I'm sorry about last night Trish," He replied, his voice hushed, "I think we both know I wasn't really sick."

It was then that Trish stopped pretending she was happy to see him, "Yeah I think we do," She spat, turning to slam the door.

His foot stopped it from closing, "Listen I deserve for you to swing this door as hard as you can and break every bone in my foot right now....But I'm asking you not to and to let me in, we really need to talk."

A heavy sigh escaped her lips, "Fine." She told him, stepping aside so he could make his way into the hotel room.

Chris took a seat on the small chair across from the bed, "Listen last night...last night..." The Canadian man stopped and ran a hand back through his hair, how did he start?

"Spit it out," She stated, suddenly loosing any and all patience she had for him.

His face fell into his own hands for a moment, "Ok I'm just going to come out with it, I couldn't sleep with you last night because I wasn't ready."

Her head titled to the side as she folded her arms over her chest, "You weren't ready, what kind of excuse is that? I want the truth Chris, do I disgust you or something?"

"God no," He said, jumping to his feet and moving to her side, "It's nothing like that, my body wanted too, I mean really really wanted to. But my heart just wasn't there, and it wasn't fair to me or to you to take that big step when I wasn't ready. The truth is that I still have very strong feelings for someone else."

Tears filled her eyes, "Stephanie."

A sudden look of shock washed over his face, "How'd you know it was her?"

Her palms found her face, pushing the tears from eyes, "A lot of people know Chris; hell Paul is probably one of the only people who doesn't know...Locker room secrets are hard to keep."

"And you pursued me anyway?"

She laughed a little, "Yeah I was dumb enough to think that you'd put her behind you."

Chris took her hand, "I'm sorry that I've caused you so much pain..." His thumb brushed over her fingers, "But I came here to be completely honest with you..." She looked at him and instantly knew that he was about to tell her something big. "Last night," He started, the shame cutting into his voice, "I slept with Stephanie..."

"You what?!" She yelled, dropping his hand and moving back away from him.

"I was so confused, she showed up after you left telling me she loved me. She was telling me that she had been wrong to stay with Paul, that she needed me in her life... It was everything I ever wanted to here from her. Then one thing led to another and we wound up in bed together. But it turned out that she hadn't left Paul like I thought she did, and now I'm more confused then ever. Yet no matter what I was feeling you didn't deserve that, I'm so sorry Trish."

The blonde let out the breath that she had been holding in, as angry as she was it didn't change the fact that she cared about him. "Well what do you want?"

He looked up at her, "Honestly? I don't know...."

"I should hate you Chris, any normal woman would slap you so hard right now that your grandparents would feel it..."

He cut her off, "And I deserve that..."

"But I can't do it; I care about you too much Chris. It hurts to know that she's still in your heart and that I'm not in there...but I don't want to give up on you, if there's even a slight chance that this could work out for us. If you don't want to move on, then let me go...but if you're ready to let somebody into your life who loves you and only you...then I'm right here." Chris opened his mouth but before he could speak she put her fingers to his lips to silence him, "Don't say anything, not yet."

He nodded and got up to go... he knew without anymore words that it was what she wanted. His mind was racing, how had he left there with more questions then answers?

Trish wiped the last of her tears away as he walked out the door. She was in love with someone who belonged to someone else...was that really what she wanted out of life?

Chris had only been gone maybe five minutes when there was another knock on the door. She had no idea who it could be, it was still pretty early and she wasn't expecting anyone.

Her expression turned to confusion when she saw Jay standing on the other side of the door, "What are you doing here?" She asked, completely bewildered at the sight of him.

He didn't say a word, he simply put his hands on either side of her face and pulled her in to kiss her like he'd wanted to last night. His tongue parted her lips and tangled with hers urgently, then finally pulling back he smiled. "I've been wanting to do that since last night, I've be awake all night kicking myself in the ass for not doing it. I like you Trish, weather Chris is my best friend or not, I can't hide that any longer. You don't deserve to be second best. "

She put her hand to her lips, completely shocked.

"Remember that." He told her, leaving just as quickly he had came.

Trish just stood there...stunned.