Thankfully Christian slept most of the ride back to the hotel. She nudged him gently awake as they pulled into the garage and handed the keys over to the valet so he could park the car. "We're back."

Christian looked confused as he took in his surroundings, but as soon as he tried moving it all came flooding back to him.

"You're in pain," Sheila said grimacing. She quickly got out of the car and circled around to the other side. Upon opening his door she asked, "Should I ask someone inside for help or do you think you're strong enough to manage?" Unfolding himself from the passenger seat he stood leaning momentarily against the car for support.

"I should be able to manage with your help," Christian said leaning over to shut the car door.

This was not in Sheila's plans. She had hoped that once they reached the hotel she'd able to get the hotel staff to help him up to his room and then she planned on calling on James to look after him. Even if she had to guilt him into it. Instead, she stood beside him and draped his arm around her shoulder and wrapped the other around his waist for support.

"Thanks," Christian said. Sheila noticed that he put very little pressure on her trying his best to seem in less pain. Sheila, however, knew better. They rode the elevator up to his room in silence. Christian slid his key card into the slot and let them into his hotel room. "If it's all right with you. I think I'd prefer to go to bed." Christian told her as Sheila used her free hand to turn on the lamplight.

"Sure," she said admonishing herself for being selfish as she realized she unintentionally led him to his couch. She was, after all, his friend and he needed her help. Gently she moved him over to his bedroom, opened the door and helped him sit on the edge of his bed. She couldn't help smiling at him.

"What?" he asked managing that half-cocked grin she loved.

"You did say you knocked the other guy out, right?" Sheila asked with a giggle.

Shaking his head in shame Christian's smile grew wider. "I'm pathetic aren't I?"

"Well, truth be known I really didn't take you as the bar brawl type? What started the whole thing?" Sheila asked kneeling before him to untie his shoes. She was so incredibly gentle with him. Her special attention not to jar him in any way touched him deeply.

As Sheila removed his other boot she realized that he had become silent and didn't answer her question. She looked up at him, only to find him staring intently at her. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

"You really are beautiful. You know that?" he asked losing himself in her jade eyes for only a moment before she looked away. Standing up abruptly, she took a step back from him. His brows drew together in confusion but he continued talking. "It's true you know. You always were a beautiful person but now your even more lovely."

Sheila skin flushed slightly at his words. Things were getting uncomfortable and quick. Sheila smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear before burying her hands into her back pockets. She didn't trust herself not to try and touch him in some way. "Those pain pills must be really strong," she said her laugh sounding slightly forced. "You're delusional."

"I'm quite lucid I assure you," Christian said with a wry smile. He couldn't believe she hadn't been told how beautiful she is. If she were his he'd tell her every day. He wondered at the distance that she managed to put between them both physically and emotionally since their trip to the hospital.

Contemplating her actions he began absently unbuttoning his shirt. Sheila took a sharp intake of breath, how much is a girl expected to take. She was only human after all. "I promised James I'd give him a call," she said using it as her excuse to leave the room. James hadn't answered his cell so she had to leave a message. She felt guilty about leaving him alone but she was sure James would check up on him and he looked like he'd most likely sleep it off. Closing her eyes momentarily, she took in a deep breath and made her decision before opening his bedroom door. She had to go it was too dangerous to hang around his hotel room.

Pointing back towards the doorway Sheila announced, " I left a message for James. I am sure he'll be by to check on you soon. I should be going now and let you get some sleep."

Christian's eyes narrowed assessing her. "I have taken a lot of your time. I'm sorry but before you go can I ask another favor of you?"

Sheila's shy gaze turned to him. "What's that?" she asked in a rush as she finally exhaled.

"My shirt, it's stuck."

It took only a moment to realize his dilemma. His hand was cast to the wrist and was now too large to fit through his shirt sleeve. Sheila laughed and came closer. "You have to cut it off. I don't see any way around it." She said as she looked over the garment.

He grinned up at her and shrugged. "It never was one of my favorites. There's a complimentary sewing kit in that drawer over there." He informed her pointing with his good hand. "You should be able to find a pair of scissors in there."

Sheila looked shocked. "You want me to cut it off?"

Christian laughed. "Well I don't think I could manage it on my own, this is my dominant hand." He told her holding up his cast.

Sheila walked slowly over to the drawer in question. Of course, to make matters worse it had to be the drawer that contained his silk and flannel boxers. She ran her fingers over the black silk pair before pushing them aside to find the sewing kit she was looking for.

"What's the matter? Can't find it?" He asked.

Just then it turned up. " No, I got it," Sheila said and then starting giggling.

He loved hearing her laugh. "What?" Christian said hoping she didn't find his flannel Snoopy boxers that were a Christmas gift from his kid sister last year.

"You're kidding me right?" Sheila asked turning to him holding up the two-inch pair of scissors to which he was referring.

Christian stifled his laugh and with quite a serious expression said, "Hey, If you got a better idea. I'm open to suggestions."

Smiling she shrugged and came to sit next to him on the bed. He gave her his arm and she began trying to hack away at his shirt. She bit her lip and seemed very intent on her progress, which was tortuously slow by Christian's standards. After five minutes she finally managed to get a small tear about two inches in length through the fabric. Christian sighed and Sheila stopped to look up at him.

"Hey, it's not my fault you chose to wear a denim shirt to dinner." She told him blowing the hair out of her face in exasperation.

"This is going to take forever." Christian moaned. "Just rip the damn thing."

"Really?" Sheila asked hesitantly.

With a raised brow, he smiled roguishly before saying, "I never joke about asking a woman to tear off my clothes."

His words caused her to lose her grip on the scissors sending them to the floor. "Shit," Sheila said which only caused Christian's eyebrow to arch further. Sheila practically sprang from the bed in search of the scissors.

"Will you forget about the scissors already and just tear the darn thing?" Christian demanded.

Sheila looked up at him from her kneeling position on the floor startled by his tone.

"I'm sorry." Christian said not wanting to sound so cranky, "It's just I'm tired and the sooner I get this thing off the sooner I can get some sleep."

Sheila immediately took pity on him. Sighing deeply, she rose to stand before him and with a slight wince grabbed the fabric and pulled. The cut was just enough to get the fabric going and within seconds his entire sleeve was torn up to his shoulder.

"Thank God." He said but looked to still be having trouble shrugging out of his shirt.

"I've come this far," Sheila thought and stilled Christian's hand. Her fingers moved over his chest and shoulders with butterfly lightness. Gently sweeping the material from his shoulders. He knew she wasn't removing his clothing to seduce him, only to help him as a friend but the effect her touch had was the same. She carefully tugged the shirt free from each arm and tossed the garment aside.

"Thanks." He said smiling at her. She now stood between his knees and as she straightened he realized her breast was at the perfect height to do some wildly wicked things to her. That thought alone made his next decision inevitable.

Before she could move away he had pulled her into his lap and encircled her waist with his bad arm while his good hand intertwined in her luscious hair to draw her to him. Sheila gasped as he captured her mouth with his. The kiss was the same as before only this time it was Christian who was kissing her. With his arm wrapped around her, he held her captive. He freed his hand from her hair wanting to explore and learn every curve of her body.

He sighed against her lips, "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this." and before she could protest he covered her lips again with a kiss that left no doubt in her mind how deeply he hungered for her as his mouth took complete possession of hers. Sheila wanted to resist but the way he was making her feel felt so wonderful before she realized what was taking place she surrendered to the sensations that racked her whole body.

It wasn't until Christian's good hand drifted to her breast and he began teasing her taut nipple through the fabric of her tee shirt that she was startled back to reality. "Chris! We can't do this," she said through panted breaths. She leaped off his lap. Christian only stared at her in confusion.

"Why not?" he asked. She backed even further from him. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She wasn't exactly proud of how she responded to him but she could hardly believe he would take cheating on his wife so lightly. He was no better than all those married men that hit on her at the club. She could hardly believe it but considering what almost happened...

"Because you're married," Sheila said in a condescending tone.

Christian stood with up slowly. "Who told you I'm married?"

Sheila huffed and threw her arms in the air. "Well, I noticed you didn't use the words "was married." Is that all I was to be to you? A layover in Philly? Something to remember your hometown by? Do I really look like the type of woman who screws around with married men? No, don't tell me. You planned on telling me but you were waiting for the right time, perhaps after we had sex?"

She didn't give him a chance to answer any of her questions before she threw his wallet at him that she frantically dug out of her pocket. "Here's a clue, genius. Next time you want to take a lover, don't hand her a wallet with your wife's picture in it?" Sheila said before storming out of the room.

Christian closed his eyes for a moment he couldn't believe he was that stupid. He had no idea why he even kept the picture of his failed marriage expect perhaps as a reminder not to make the same mistake twice.

"Shelly! Wait!" Christian said as he made his way to the bedroom door with some effort. Sheila was already paused at his hotel room door her hand on the knob. She willed herself not to cry although she really had hoped. That's what she gets for being a dreamer. It was time for her to wake up and join reality.

"You want to hear what the saddest thing of all this is, Christian?" she said without looking at him. "Is that I thought you were different. That you might actually be capable of caring for me as a person as I care about you," she said with a sad laugh. "And to think I actually thought I could fall in love with you."

The pain in her eyes hit him like a punch to his gut and hurt more than any blow he had taken that evening. She took one last look at him before opening up the door. "Shelly, please. You don't understand."

As Sheila opened the door to leave, she nearly collided right into James who seemed about to knock. James was shocked at Jeannie's look of disgust as she pushed past him. "He's all yours. Now I understand why you two are friends."