Sheila sat back she felt she would burst if she ate another bite. "This has been awesome. Thank you! I really needed this."

Wes didn't like the fact that Sheila once again looked a little sad. "This guy has really done a number on you, huh?"

Sheila smiled a sad, sweet smile. "I did it to myself. I know better than to get involved with any guy without knowing all the facts. I guess I took how wonderful he was in my past and just jumped him into the future. I forgot that people can change."

"It's been my experience that people can change their outward appearance but usually stay very much the same on the inside," Wes told her. "You look different but you are still the sweetest person I have ever met. Don't ever change. Especially not for this guy."

Sheila sighed. "I won't. I promise. You know Kyle still cares about you."

"I know," Wes admitted, "I still care about him too. I just can't take the jealousy and disagreements all the time."

"It's hard to see someone you love with someone else. Even if you know nothing is going on."

"Been talking to him haven't you?" Wes accused.

"I work with him. It's hard not too. Especially when he looks so sad."

"The great fixer," Wes said, "that's you in a nutshell, but you can't fix everything."

Thinking again about Christian, Sheila laughed, although without humor "I believe I am starting to learn that the hard way."

Wes shook his head. "Enough of this crap. We had an awesome time, let's not ruin it with all this relationship talk." He picked up his cherry and gave her a wicked smile. "Care to give it a go?"

Sheila was all smiles again. She took the cherry from him popped it into her mouth and in a few seconds stuck out her tongue with the knotted stem dangling on it.

"Yeah, definitely sucks that I'm gay or that you weren't made a guy."

Sheila laughed, taking the stem from her mouth. "I love you, you know that don't you?" She leaned over the table and kissed his cheek again.

"Tease." Wes admonished but couldn't help laughing with her.

It was a beautiful fall night and she was glad to have her cardigan as the night held a slight chill. Sheila loved the city but at times she missed the stars as she looked up at the sky. Just too many lights.

"Sheila?" His voice was but a whisper but she would know it anywhere. Her breath sucked in. She nearly jumped out of her skin when he touched her shoulder.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

Shiela looked at Christian in disbelief. "Did you follow me here?" She was only a few blocks from the ice cream shop.

Christian knew it looked bad, hell it was borderline stalker material but she really gave him little choice. "I had too, I need to talk to you."

He saw her eyes do a quick scan around them and it irked him. Don't worry I waited until you were alone so your date wouldn't see me."

"Date? Look I..."

Christian cut her off not wanting to hear and needing to get out why he was here? "You don't owe me an explanation. You made your opinion known. There is no us, you are free to see whomever you wish, but I just believe if you knew the truth you would have been sitting in that shop with me and not that other guy."

She too wished Christian was the man she met tonight. It would have made the night perfect but she knew it couldn't be. "Christian, we can't keep doing this?"

"You just don't get it, do you? You act like I have a choice. Don't you understand? I love you. I've loved you from the moment you accidentally stumbled upon my dorm room Freshman year."

Whatever Sheila was about to say died on her lips, so shocked by his confession she couldn't think of another blessed thing.

"You didn't want me then. James was your fixation, but that's all different now."

"No," was all she could say.

"You can try and deny it but I know that you want me. Perhaps even as much as I know that I want you."

"No, don't do this," Sheila begged. To know that he loved her but she still could not have him was more torture then she was willing to endure. She turned to walk away from him.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. She practically stumbled into his arms. "Don't do what? This?" and claimed her lips. He was tired of this game of cat and mouse. He wanted to leave her without a doubt of his want, his need, his love of her. At the same time demanding with that kiss, she acknowledges those same feelings within herself.

It was sweet torture. As his arms tightened around her and she swore he would devour her very soul with his kiss. She could feel his want, his need, he was holding her so close she felt as if they were melting into one being.

"Let her go!"

Upon hearing Wes' voice Sheila came crashing back to reality and pushed away from Christian breaking away from the kiss.

Upon seeing the tears streaming down her face, Wes whirled his opponent to meet him face to face. Both men as surprised to see the other.

"You?" who said it first Sheila could not tell but it was obvious they recognized one another and it only took the briefest of seconds for her to put two and two together.

Gripping him up by his shirt. Wes looked like he wanted to kill Christian. "You've got to be effing kidding me?"

Christian did not back down. Easily breaking Wes' hold. He turned on Sheila. "This is your date? How can you be with this guy?"

"Seriously, Shells I know you are way smarter than this?" Wes said waving his hand in a gesture that encompassed the whole of Christian's body.

Angered, Christian fired, "Hey, here's a little known fact about your date. He was at a bar with a stripper the other night."

"At least I ain't married," Wes fired back.

"Stop it, the both of you! I've had enough. Neither of you owns me. I do and go as I please. I neither asked for your protection or your opinion. So, back off!"

Both men looked surprised and took a step back from one another although murderous looks were still being exchanged.

"You did this to him?" Sheila accused standing between them not trusting them to be in such close proximity.

Christian was shocked to realize she was looking at him and pointing to the guy's face behind her. "You forget?" he said holding up his cast.

"Serves you right. I would say. First, you play me and then proposition a dancer at a club. I'm sure your wife would love to know this about you."

"Sheila about Debbie, we're...wait I did not hit on that dancer at the club," Christian said.

"He's right there." Wes chimed in, "It was his pal who hit on Roxie. He just made the mistake of trying to defend that jerk."

Sheila pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. She was beginning to get a really bad headache. "James?"

"That was the guy you liked in college? If I had known that I would have made sure I hit him harder."

Sheila smacked Wes in the chest. "You are not helping."

"James thought the woman was you. You know he's been looking for you. She had the same color hair and body style. Seems James and this guy share the same type," Christian said.

"Well then I guess that's something we all got in common and this guy has a name," Wes said annoyed to be constantly referred to as "guy".

"Really, I could care less," Christian said in response.

Making Wes take a step forward but held in check by Sheila's hand on his chest. "Wes, please."

Wes stood down but only because of Sheila.

"It doesn't matter. Nothing changes the fact that you are married and that this conversation is over." Looking to Wes she asked, "Can you please take me home?"

"Sure thing," Wes agreed immediately taking her arm to lead her away.

Christian would give anything to wipe the look of triumph off of "that guy's" face.

"Sheila, please?" he was begging and it was killing her.

Wes could feel her starting to waiver and put his arm around her to keep her steady.

Sheila walked on and this time he did not follow her. She had made her choice and they both would have to live with it.

Once they got in his car, Wes stole a glance at her. It wasn't good. "You okay?"

Sheila just looked crushed, she always wore her heart on her sleeve. You never really ever had to ask how she was feeling, it was always clearly on display.

"Shit," Wes said and he pulled her to him. His show of affection became her undoing. She sobbed like a little girl and she was not the crying type. Wes just held her. It was several minutes before she gained control of herself again.

"Sorry," she said wiping at her eyes.

"No, I'm sorry. I let my temper get the better of me. I shouldn't have baited him. I should have just got you out of there in the first place. Just seeing your tears made me lose it."

Sheila grinned. "What made you follow me?"

"This," he said pulling her credit card out of his back pocket, "you left it on the table."

"Thanks," Sheila said placing the card back in her bag. "I always forget that place is cash only."

"Sure," Wes teased, "you just wanted me to pay for our "date". He did the bunny ear air quotes when he said the word date.

This got a chuckle out of Sheila, "If he only knew right?"

"You are going to be okay." It was a statement not a question

"How can you be so sure?" she asked as he started the car and headed for her home.

"Because," Wes smiled, "You got me."