Karen bit her lip as she timidly sat on the edge of the huge fountain in the middle of Central Park. Although it was nearly midnight, there were several people strolling about the cobblestone sidewalks around the fountain, couples mostly. Karen watched, transfixed, as an elderly but sprightly couple, probably in their early 70s, sat together on a bench across the stone lawn from her. The old man whispered something in his wife's ear and she blushed, placing her hand on his. He smiled and they kissed, obviously very much in love. Karen wished she could be so lucky.

The light mist of the spraying fountain tickled the back of her neck; she pulled her scarf tighter and shivered. The knot in her stomach tightened. She tucked a strip of hair behind her ear, pulled out her cell phone to check the time. 12:03. He was three minutes late. Was he even coming? How long should she give him?

She closed her eyes and took deep breaths as she counted her heartbeats. How many beats away was he?

She looked at the screen of her phone; 12:07. A breeze fluttered her scarf, the old couple stood and left the bench. A man with a dog passed several feet in front of Karen, the little white pup stopping to stare at her and cock his head. Karen frowned; did the dog know something she didn't?

12:11. She called her voicemail just to see if maybe he had gotten stuck somewhere, if maybe there would be some explanation. She trembled slightly when the automated voice told her she had one new message, but was disappointed when she heard Jack's voice from earlier in the evening, telling her he was coming over to the manse.

Checking her messages had killed two more minutes. It was now 12:13, and still no Will. Karen sighed. She tried hard not to allow herself to be sad. She had brought it on herself; she had him, they had just begun something more special than any other relationship she had been in, and she had ruined it all. She didn't blame him for no longer trusting in her. She just wished he could understand that really, he could trust her with his life, that's how much she loved him. Karen hadn't seen Will since their meeting in the elevator, and her body ached for him. She needed to feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek, the reassurance of his hands around her waist. But she was beginning to realize that their kiss in the elevator had been their last. 12:17. He wasn't coming.

As she stood from the edge of the fountain, she tossed her cell phone back into her purse. All the people who had been hovering there under the lamplights when she had arrived 20 minutes ago were gone; and she suddenly felt not only disappointed but also slightly uneasy as she realized just how alone she was. Her head down, she threw her purse over her shoulder and huddled into her coat, the bitter November wind stinging her face. She turned to the left, back the way she had come towards 5th Avenue, where she would catch a cab back to the manse. She wondered if she would be able to get one at this time of night on the weekend.

And that's when she heard his voice.

"Karen."

He spoke her name loudly enough for her to hear it, but not loudly enough to disturb the still of the night. She stopped dead in her tracks and shut her eyes, wondering if he was really there or if she had simply imagined his voice.

"I'm here."

Her heart raced as she turned back towards the fountain, as Will stepped towards her out of the shadows. A slight grin played on his lips as their eyes met. Relief and joy washed over Karen as she dropped her purse on the spot and ran into his arms, his lips meeting her hair as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. She breathed in deeply, relishing his scent. She wanted to remember everything about this moment.

Her memory-imprinting was interrupted as he cupped her chin in his hand and brought her mouth to his, for the sweetest-tasting kiss either of them had ever experienced.

"Sorry I'm late," Will whispered into Karen's mouth, smiling mischeviously.

"I thought you weren't coming," she answered, not taking her eyes from his lips, hovering millimeters from hers.

"I'm sorry, Karen," he apologized, kissing her gingerly once again before elaborating. "Explaining this to Grace took longer than I expected."

"You told Grace?" Karen met his eyes this time, and he nodded. The question in her eyes was enough for him to know what she was thinking.

"She was upset at first, but promised to try and stay open-minded. We're going to talk more about it tomorrow," he told her. "The three of us."

"Four," Karen corrected. "I told Jack, too." Will rolled his eyes and scrunched up his face.

"Is he -?"

"He's fine," she answered. He smiled in relief and hugged her closer to him. He turned them back towards 5th Avenue as they slowly walked towards the edge of the park.

"Will, I'm so sorry - for everything," Karen told him as they walked. He shook his head.

"I'm sorry too. I pushed us into this way too fast. I should never have expected you to leave Stan for me like that," Will told her. She rubbed her hand along his spine.

"No, honey, you got the ball rolling on something that I had been putting off for a long time. I'm glad you made me face reality. And my true feelings for you." She kissed his lips.

"Let's just…take things slow this time," Will suggested. They were almost at the exit of the park.

"I like that idea," she agreed. As they reached the street, he hailed them a cab. "But can we start off slow tomorrow?" He looked at her, confused, as a yellow taxi pulled up in front of them. "You're coming home with me tonight."

Will grinned at her and she pulled him into the cab next to her, her hands immediately roaming his chest under his shirt as soon as he had closed the door. His breath was hot on her neck as they made out in the backseat of the cab, like teenagers. When they reached Karen's building after a few short minutes, Will practically threw their cab fare at the driver as Karen pulled him out of the car by his shirt.

In the elevator up to the penthouse, she backed him against the wall, their tongues battling as she bent her knee, running it up the inside of his leg to nudge his throbbing erection. He had four buttons open on her shirt by the time the doors dinged open, the two of them practically falling out of it as Will slammed Karen into the front door, his hands freely kneading her curves as his lips moved towards her cleavage. She giggled as she turned the doorknob and led him up the stairs to the master suite.

Will scooped her up in his arms as they crossed the threshold and swiftly carried her up the three little steps to her bed. He tossed her onto it and positioned himself on top of her, hovering carefully on his forearms as she reached down to undo his belt buckle.

"Karen," he whispered her name urgently, causing her to cease her motions and look at him intently.

"Yes?"

He rubbed his nose against hers and pecked her lips softly before looking into her eyes.

"I love you."

She wrapped her legs around his waist, her skirt riding up and falling loosely next to her hips.

"I love you too, Will."

He pulled her thong from her body and swiftly made their connection complete.

"More than you'll ever know."