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that we spoke rushed back over me. Guilt accompanied them.
    God, forgive me! I was as bad as my ex-husband! I had always sworn I would never prey upon a man who was married. I knew what it felt like to be cheated on, and here I was doing it to another woman. Anger and guilt were new feelings for me. Dear God, how do I deal with this?
    Let go.
    I know. I needed to let him go. I needed to send him home, let him lead the life he was supposed to live, not one of lies and deceit. What must he really think of me? What would he think of me someday in the future if our relationship did grow into something more? Would he always wonder if I would stray?
    No. For his own good, and for my sanity, I needed to let him go. I glanced at the passenger seat. His head was turned towards the window, but the dark tint offered me a brief reflection of the soft frown on his face.
    Just as I knew he wanted me, I knew he felt the same distress at our situation.
    I parked my car beside his Harley, the dark paint and shiny chrome were almost ominous in the fading daylight. We sat quietly for a moment, both trying to come up with the words we knew we must say.
    I shuttered myself, willing the strength to come to my mouth.
    “Mitch,” I picked at a tread on my steering wheel, afraid to voice my thoughts.
    “Corey, don’t say it. Look at me, please.” He spoke quietly and I responded to his plea. “Don’t say it. I know, I know.” His left hand cradled my cheek. I leaned into it, willing back the tears that threatened.
    “I’m so sorry,” I whispered as the first tear rolled down my cheek.
    “Corey, please…please don’t cry. Oh God, Corey, you are tearing me apart.” He wrapped his fingers behind my neck and pulled me close. Our lips met in an emotional kiss that did not last long enough. A lifetime would not have been long enough.
    With our foreheads together, we touched each other’s faces, memorizing the planes one last time.
    “Go, Mitch.” I swallowed, “Please, go before I won’t let you leave.” My voice begged for two different things, for the right thing and the wrong one.
    He was stronger than I. He pulled away and opened the door. He hesitated in the open doorway, and mentally I begged him to turn back to me.
    He did turn back, but only to lean in to speak. “Be careful, Corey.”
    “Always, Mitch.” I smiled as another tear slid down my cheek.
    He closed his eyes and stood up, stepping back to close the door. I didn’t wait for him to climb upon his bike, and I didn’t trust myself enough to even peek in the rearview mirror as I drove away.
    I held myself together until I walked into my house. The lights in the kitchen ceiling were so bright against the stainless steel and granite that I turned them off. Leaning back against the metal fridge, I allowed my body to slide down to the floor as the tears took over.
    How I could cry for a relationship that had never existed did not make sense. I didn’t understand it. I only knew that my hope of true love, of being with the man who was the yin to my yang was over. No matter what, I could not come between a husband and wife. It did not matter what kind of a relationship they had, I would not do that.
    My head knew the right thing, but my heart broke in ways I didn’t think possible. Had I cried this hard when I knew my marriage was over with Matt? No. I had gotten angry, shrugged, and walked away, wishing him the best.
    I would not force someone to be with me if he didn’t want to—so maybe that was why this hurt so much. I knew Mitch wanted to be with me.
    He wanted me, yet I could not have him, and I knew that. The tears slowed, and I wiped at my face with the backs of my hands. A peace stole over me as I sat there surveying my dark kitchen.
    I had to let him go. No matter how much I cared about him, or how right I thought we were together, I could not keep him. He was not mine.
    I stood and walked to my room. I pulled a nightgown from my dresser and entered the