Will read the text message over and over. How could something so simple be so powerful?

When his phone had vibrated on the nightstand next to him that morning, he hadn't thought anything of it. He had just assumed it was Grace, maybe wishing him goodnight (because after all, it would have been night in New York), or Jack, giving him some juicy details about his latest sexual conquest. But when he had seen that it was from Karen, his pulse quickened. When he saw what it said, his stomach turned.

Will tapped his foot against the carpeted floor as he listened to the shower running in the bathroom, where his previous night's activity was now preparing himself to leave. He couldn't think of any reason not to respond, and began typing out his reply message to Karen.

Miss u 2. xo

What are you doing?

Just woke up.

?? Isn't it like 1 a.m. there?

What do u mean 'there'? Where r u?

Paris for the week.

Will chuckled in spite of himself after reading this last message, incredulous. She couldn't really be here, could she?

Ha ha. I wish. ;)

What are you talking about? I am.

Will blanched. She didn't know he was there, of course she didn't. Jack and Grace were the only ones who had known that he had once again spontaneously hopped a plane. He hadn't even thought to tell Karen himself, figuring Grace would at the office. And he had no idea she had been planning a trip here. He guessed she was with Stan, and wondered vaguely if this was another vacation whose only purpose was to fix some problem in their marriage. He wondered if Stan had cheated again.

I'm here 2.

Could fate really be this cruel? This would be the second time that he and Karen were brought together accidentally, far from their lives in New York or anyone they knew, tossed into a situation of emotional intimacy and dependency. Except this time would be torture. Will was almost positive she was there with Stan, and there was no way he was going to be able to spend the time with her that he so desired. And even if he would have been able to, this was one temptation that he could not let win over him. Things were good between him and Karen how they were, and he didn't want to ruin that.

Over in her hotel room, Karen paced the length of the sizeable balcony. She couldn't believe what his last text said. He was in Paris? Since when did Will go to Paris? He probably wasn't lying, though. Why would he?

Karen leaned against the wrought-iron railing of the balcony and scanned the city before her. Which hotel was he in? Why was he there? Would she see him? She wanted to. She wanted to spend every day with him, holding his hand and whispering sweet promises into his ear. She shuddered as she thought of the touch of his strong hands on her bare back and hips, his warm lips on her neck.

No! No, Karen! She mentally chastised herself. She was back with Stan and had promised to try and focus 100% on him. She had been doing a pretty good job, too, except for those rare moments of weakness where Will invaded her thoughts. Sometimes it would happen during sex with Stan, when she would close her eyes and only be able to think back to the times Will had made love to her on the island. And sometimes it was when something insignificant happened, triggered by almost nothing at all. A stray memory here, a stolen glance in the office there.

Once, they had ended up together alone in the service elevator to Grace's office and it had gotten stuck for over an hour. It was about four months after their return from the islands, and they were both way beyond tempted as they sat, knees touching, waiting for someone to come help them. They talked; shared a friendly conversation that would have been absolutely normal, if not for the fact that Karen had one hand on Will's upper thigh the entire time. His hand caressed hers, drew small circles over her knuckles.

In the dark of the stalled elevator, they had moved closer to each other slowly. Before they knew it, Karen was stretched out between Will's legs, gently biting his earlobe, teasing it with her tongue. The warmth of his breath tickled her cheek as he whispered sweet nothings to her, his hands roaming beneath her shirt. Karen's mouth moved down his neck, leaving a trail of kisses as she unbuttoned his shirt. He reached down to the hem of her skirt and pulled it up over her hips as she pushed his shirt from his shoulders. Will's hard on throbbed as Karen lowered her face to his stomach, teasing his flesh with her tongue and lips as her hands undid the buckle of his pants. His breathing was heavy in anticipation as she seductively pulled the zipper of his pants down.

But suddenly, before things could go any further, the lights in the elevator flickered on and it lurched upward. Karen laughed as she remembered how she and Will had frantically scrambled to pull themselves back together before emerging in Grace's office. That was the only time, in the whole year, that they had almost given in to each other. Karen couldn't let that happen here, as much as she wanted it.

Hello? R u there?

Will's text message brought her out of her thoughts. She still hadn't replied to him.

Maybe we'll run into each other sometime…