Steve watched Shane leave the room and shut the door behind him. "Can you believe the nerve of that dude?" Steve said to Kayla, still staring at the door.

"He's just concerned," he heard her say. "Yes, he stepped over the line, but you've got to figure this is pretty hard on him. He means well."

Means well, my ass, Steve thought. He's still trying to steal you, baby.

Steve looked at Kayla and saw the small trickle of blood running from her nose. Suddenly, Shane was forgotten. Grabbing the towel from the floor, Steve gently wiped the blood away, asking, "Baby, are you okay? How did this happen? Did you trip or something?"

Kayla was silent. She took the towel from Steve, stood, and walked over to the washbasin where she dipped the towel in the water. Steve was about to ask her the question again, when she turned back and quietly said, "You had a nightmare."

Steve flashed back to his nightmare. He had heard Kayla's voice, calling out to him and he had been trying to get out of the restraints to get to her. He had jerked his arm away. Suddenly, he felt a cold chill run through him. He had done this. He had hit Kayla. It was the one thing he had vowed he would never do.

He stood frozen as Kayla walked back towards him. He wanted to run, wanted to hide from the pain he had caused her, and wanted to escape the fear and loathing he knew he would see in her eyes. His father's long-buried words came back to him. "Someday, you'll be just like me, Stevie-boy." He had vowed that he would never be like Duke. Just another broken promise.

Kayla stood before him and reached for his hand. "Don't," he said, choking on his words. "You need to stay away from me, baby." He looked down; he could not make himself meet her eyes.

"I could never stay away from you," Kayla said softly. "Don't you know that by now?"

"Look what I did to you, Kayla. You're bleeding. I did that."

"It was an accident, Steve. That's all it was. You were having a nightmare and you struck out in your sleep. You didn't even know I was there."

"It doesn't matter, Kayla. I hit you. Don't make excuses for me. 'He didn't mean it. He's just under a lot of stress.' It's all BS. There's no excuse."

"Stop it," Kayla said firmly. She lifted his chin and forced him to look her in the eyes. "You listen to me, Steve Johnson. You are not like him. You could never be like him. You could never intentionally hurt me. . . . You're not capable of it. What happened here tonight was an accident and that's not an excuse. It's the truth."

Steve turned away from Kayla, pulling away from her touch. He reached for his robe and said gruffly, "I'll sleep in the other room. You won't have to worry about me hurting you."

Before he could move towards the door, Kayla grabbed his hand and arm and pulled him to their bed, forcing him to sit down beside her.

"Look at me, Steve," Kayla insisted. He turned to face her, but could not meet her eyes. "I said, look at me," she repeated. He raised his head as she said, "I spent far too many nights without you and I'm not letting you walk away from me tonight or any other night. Not out of anger - and certainly not out of fear."

God, she was so beautiful. He searched her eyes, looking for the fear and the disgust that had to be there somewhere. Instead, they shone with love, with compassion, and with desire.

Steve reached down to brush some of her hair away from her face, but stopped, his hand hanging in the air. He didn't have the right to touch her, not after what he had done. He started to drop his hand, but Kayla grabbed it and brought it to her face. She kissed his palm and then placed his hand on her cheek, all the while her eyes never left his. He caressed her cheek, reveling in the softness of her skin.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry I hurt you," he said, barely able to control his emotions.

"I'm sorry I hurt you, too." Her words were hesitant and her voice cracked as she spoke.

Then there was silence as neither said another word. They just stayed that way - their eyes locked and his hand softly resting on her cheek. Then Steve moved his hand slightly and gently traced her soft, full lips. Kayla's eyes closed and she pressed her lips against his fingers. Steve tried to push his fears aside. His wife was here beside him. She loved him and she wanted him. God knows, he wanted her. He pulled his hand away, waited until she opened her eyes again, and asked the unspoken question. When her eyes answered, he lowered his head and kissed her. It was not a soft kiss, but forceful and demanding and, for an instant, he feared she would pull away.

But Kayla did not seem to mind. Her lips parted, letting his tongue explore her. The kiss was long and slow, so slow that Steve thought he might run out of air before they parted.

"God, baby, do you know what you do to me?" he whispered. "It's been so long. Too long."

Kayla responded, her voice shaking. "I love you so much, Steve. I need you so much."

She shifted back onto the bed and Steve followed. Kayla ran her hands along his chest until they grasped his shoulders and she pulled him down so his bare chest met the soft silk of her chemise. Through the silk, he could feel the heat radiating from her.

They kissed again and again, even as his hand began sliding the thin strap of the chemise down her arm. Steve's kisses traveled down as well, running along her neck and throat, and Kayla moaned.

Only I can make you moan like that, he thought. "Oh, Sweetness, I want you so much," Steve breathed. He kissed her neck and then slid higher, his lips reaching her mouth. His tongue parted her lips and he taster him again.

As they parted, their eyes locked. He could see the need and desire so plain. "Please. . ." she said, in little more than a whiper.

"That's right, Sweetness. You want me," Steve said, with a sly grin, and he kissed her. "Only me." Another kiss. "Me."

Kayla moaned again. "Ohh . . . Yes . . . Only you, Steve . . . oh . . . don't stop."

Not a chance of that. A thought flashed briefly in his head. The doctors saying he should not be doing anything strenuous. As he continued kissing Kayla, he thought, What did doctor's know. He could keep this up for hours. It would be hours before they reached 'strenuous.' Steve grinned again. "Oh, don't worry, baby, I'm just getting started."