A/N: Thanks for the reviews: singdance, hockeygrl125, bluebear48, DaleSnail, and Nelle07. And Nelle07 I totally agree with you and it's funny I had planned what your review initialed for this chapter already.

Than To Ever Live Without You

Chapter Seven

The weeks passed slowly for Kaelyn. Still she and Chuck were separated, but she had to find herself back into her professional life. She couldn't maintain her magazine by staying at home and she had to find her way back to the office to keep her business running. About twice a week when Chuck was in town Georgia would take Katherine to see him, but he and Kaelyn only saw one another in their counseling sessions that he did decide to keep going to and that made Kaelyn optimistic that they could last even though he was still with Amber. Kaelyn was extremely angry at him at the moment for missing Katherine's birthday party. The morning of the party he called and said he was on a flight to London and would be missing it.

Sitting at her desk Kaelyn was signing off on the December issue of the magazine and making any changes. She looked out the window to see the rain falling down. With a sigh she put her arms around herself as her mind wandered to her marriage. She had been so unhappy, but the only thing keeping her together was Katherine. Everything was going on around her, but it didn't seem to phase Katherine at all and that kept Kaelyn going. Sitting there her office door opened and Nadine walked inside holding a few folders that she sat on Kaelyn's desk.

"Mrs. Bass the photographer is downstairs." Nadine announced to her.

"Thanks." Kaelyn said as she put a marker in the page she was on and closed the binder before standing. Everytime she was called Mrs. Bass she thought about her marriage and it hurt to much to think that it might not be a reality anymore and she would have to go back to being Kaelyn Ryan.

Making her way down a floor she went into where her magazine did all of their photo shoots. They were now doing the cover for the December issue. They were shooting a cover with one of the biggest supermodels around these days Francesca Kamani. Kaelyn had just hired a new photographer to do work for the magazine and it was going to be her first time meeting him. She had hired him over the phone when she was going though her moments where she refused to leave her house. Walking into the studio she walked down to see a man standing over a table that contained a camera and a laptop.

"You must be Damien." Kaelyn said putting on a smile as she walked towards the table and he turned around. Kaleyn was taken aback by his appearance. In her mind she could only describe him as simply sexy. He wore a button up navy blue short sleeved shirt that was unbuttoned with a tight white T-shirt underneath that clearly showed his sculpted chest and stomach. "Hi." Kaelyn then breathed.

"Kaelyn Bass a pleasure to finally meet you in person." Damien said as he took Kaelyn by the hand and left a kiss on her hand.

"You two." Was all Kaelyn had managed out before she turned away to keep herself from blushing. She then walked over to where the shoot was taking place and she saw the model getting made-up. Kaelyn then walked towards where Nadine was standing.

"Is something wrong ma'am?" Nadine asked.

"No it's perfect." Kaelyn said as she stood and watched as the shoot got underway. She watched Damien's every move as he jumped around the room with his camera taking pictures of Francesca. Watching she smiled to herself and thinking things that as a married woman she shouldn't. Quickly she then scolded herself.

She sat in her office finishing the last of her corrections to the December issue when there was a knock at her office door. "Come in!" she called as she sat biting her lip as she looked at the binder. Her door opened and she looked up to see Damien walking into the office. Kaelyn gasped quietly as she saw him making his way towards her desk.

"I have all the pictures for you." He said as he pulled out a large envelope and sat it on her desk.

"Thanks." She said giving a small smile. Kaelyn looked him up and down and then quickly looked away.

"Your pictures fell." Damien stated as he looked at the frames on Kaelyn's desk that were turned down and started to pick them up.

"I did that on purpose." Kaelyn said quickly.

"Why?" he asked as he picked one up and at it.

"It's of me and my husband." Kaelyn answered.

"And that's a bad thing?" questioned Damien.

"Problems, but I don't talk about personal stuff in the office." Kaelyn said giving a small smile.

"Well we should leave the office. How about I take you to lunch?" Damien asked giving Kaelyn his sexy smile that made her melt inside.

"I don't have the time." Kaelyn said.

"Of course you do. Come on." He said as he continued to smile.

"Alright, alright." She said giving him a smile and closing the binder in front of her. Standing she walked around the desk and to him

Damien and Kaelyn sat at a café talking. He had asked her all about her and Chuck and she told him feeling good that she had someone to talk to about it. She couldn't figure out at all how he got her to open up to him especially with him basically being a stranger, but she assumed that its why she opened up because he was a stranger and no someone who has known her and Chuck.

"No idea how you got me to open up, but thanks. I really needed that." Kaelyn said happily as she took a sip of her latte. She was surprised in fact that she was even happy for once. It has been a long time since she actually felt like she was a little happy inside.

"No problem, so have you thought of dating other people while separated?" he asked as he sat back in his seat with his shirt still open. Kaelyn cursed herself for starring at his chest that was cearly seen even though he wore a white shirt. She quickly looked back at his face.

"Nope. I've really just been waiting and hoping that he comes to his senses soon." She answered as she tried to keep her eyes on his face and not wander at his body.

"You should try and date. It might help and keep you happy." Damien suggested. Kaelyn simply took a sip of her latte and shook her head.

"I wouldn't know where to start. I've been with him for 10 years, the first two were on and off, but after we got married 8 years ago it's just been him and I. I really have no knowledge of dating at all anymore and I wouldn't know who to date or even try and start dating." Kaelyn explained as she thought back to the last guy she had dated besides Chuck and that had been Ian back in high school. The guy she thought was super sweet who ended up brutally raping her at Senior Prom and then killing himself because of her. Kaelyn quickly vanished those thoughts not wanting to ever think about that time because the pain and sadness she had then was almost like what she was feeling now.

"Try me." Damian said giving her a wink.

"Excuse me?" questioned Kaelyn as she tried to not choke on her drink.

"Date me, just try. It will be fun." He said as he took a hand and ran it over hers that was on the table. "Please."

"I, really…" Kaelyn was lost she didn't know what to say about even dating someone and then him.

"You really want to and you think tonight would be great in fact and I will pick you up from home and we will have dinner and enjoy ourselves." He said simply as he then took her hand in his. Kaelyn was speechless as she sat there and all she could do was nod on response to his proposition.

Kaelyn stood in the closet starring at all of her clothes and out of everything she couldn't find a single thing to wear on her date. She hadn't even thought of ever going on a date with anyone and now she was and being faced with this scared her half to death. She pulled out three dressed and walked into her bedroom where both Serena and Blair sat waiting for her choice. Kaelyn put the front dress in front of her and both girls shook their heads. Then the second and the same response came. She finally took out the third that she really didn't even like in the first place because for her it seemed too short and too low. It actually was Chuck's favorite dress on her because it grabbed at her curves and he loved every time she wore it.

"Perfect!" Serena said as Kaelyn held up the last dress.

"Seriously?" Kaelyn asked as she made a face at the dress.

"It's a little sexy, but just right. You are back on the market and you want it to show." Blair said.

"I'm not on the market. It's just one date because he feels sorry for me." Kaelyn said as she sat the dress on her bed. "It's more like dinner with someone from work."

"It's a date." Serena then said.

"You told us your conversation. It is a date." Blair then said.

"I'm so scared and I feel wrong doing this with dating and being married." Kaelyn said as she started biting her nails.

"Don't bite." Serena said as she snatched Kaelyn's hand from her mouth.

"So what about dating. You are separated, plus Chuck is fucking that Amber girl you have every right to go on a date." Blair said as she started going through Kaelyn's jewelry to find something to go with the dress.

"Agreed with Blair." Serena said as she took Kaelyn's hand and pulled off her wedding ring.

"What are you doing?" snapped Kaelyn.

"You are going on a date. Seriously this needs to be off." Serena said as she tossed the ring into Kaelyn's jewelry box.

"But." Kaelyn said in protest.

"No buts." Blair said.

Stepping out of the elevator Kaelyn saw Damien standing in the lobby waiting for her. He greeted her with a bouquet of tulips that looked extremely fresh.

"These aren't in season how did you get them?" Kaelyn as she as she observed the beautiful flowers.

"Special order just for you." Damien said.

"Thanks they are beautiful." Kaelyn said before walking to the doorman. "Have these sent up to my apartment to be put in water." Kaelyn instructed.

"Yes, Mrs. Bass." The doorman said. Kaelyn shuddered for a moment to be called that and be on a date with another man.

"Ready?" Damien asked.

"More than." Kaelyn responded.

Walking out of the restaurant together Kaelyn couldn't help, but smile. The entire dinner was perfect especially being that it was at her favorite restaurant. She walked down the street with a smile on her face as Damien held an arm around her waist. They walked for a few blocks just enjoying the city. It was something that Kaelyn and Chuck would occasionally do, but they hadn't done it in over a year and with Damien, Kaelyn seemed to enjoy it a little more. They stopped back at the apartment building where they stood for a moment in silence.

"Thanks." Kaelyn said in breaking the silence. "I had the best time."

"I'm glad. It's good to see you smile." He said as he ran a thumb over Kaelyn's cheek and all she could do was smile. "I'll call you tomorrow. We have to do this again."

"Definitely." Kaelyn said happily.

She then felt his hand move to her shoulder and down her arm where it then settled on her waist. He pulled her closer to him. Kaelyn felt his breath on her face and she felt faint for a second, but she held her composure. His lips then inched towards her. She suddenly wanted to pull away, but her body wouldn't let her as he neared and their lips finally touched. As he kissed her Kaelyn moved her arms where they settled on his shoulders. The kiss got a little more passionate and then Kaelyn moved away.

"I'm sorry." Damien said.

"No, no, it's alright." Kaelyn said as she felt her cheeks warming up. Damien then moved in and kiss her again, but not as strong and for only a quick moment.

"I'll call you." He whispered against her lips giving them a slight lick.

"Alright." Kaelyn breathed. He then kissed her again before moving away. Kaelyn gave a small wave before walking into her building and making it up to her quiet apartment. She walked in to find that Georgia had fallen asleep on the rocking chair in Katherine's room. Slipping away and down the hall Kaelyn made her way to her bedroom where she sat down on her bed shocked. She couldn't believe that she had had such a wonderful night with a man. She wanted more and she expected more.