"I can't do this anymore."

"Why not?" she replied, as he yanked the keys out of the ignition.

"Because of my wife."

Her face stiffened, but she covered it with a smile and a chuckle. "Oh, that."

He looked at her again. "Yeah, that. It's killing me."

She swallowed. "So what are you saying?"

He leaned back in his seat and sighed. "I don't know what I'm saying. I love this... affair. What we have. I think about you all the time. But I love her, too. Bonnie's not you, she's different, and in some ways I wish... But she needs me, and I can't leave her. Not now."

Not ever, Sally murmured. "All right. If that's what you want."

"Dammit, it's not what I want. It's what I need. No, you're what I need. It's... I have no idea." And for a grown man unused to tears, he sure was close to them right now. Sally put her hand on his shoulder, and he leaned over and kissed it. "Come on."

Their doors opened on opposite sides, and the car parted them briefly. When they left the parking garage, and entered the hotel, they were holding hands like newlyweds.

The key card clicked in the door, and before the door had even slammed shut she was atop him. Pressing him to the door, body wrapped around his like a second skin. His hands fumbled with the hem of her dress, and sought to remove her panties. Difficult, since she hadn't worn any, again. Sans underwear, his fingers found her cunt, and he knew from the wetness there that she was ready for him, that no foreplay would be requested, or even allowed.

"Lover... slave... take me, now," she hissed in his ear as she unzipped his fly and held onto his cock. She knew his eyes had glazed, now, that she could make him do whatever she willed, and that he would do it eagerly, thankfully.

The hotel lights were dimmed as the fucking commenced.

It was powerful, dark, and deep. She took him twice to the brink, but didn't let him come. Squeezing with the muscles in her pussy, possessively, using him for her pleasure. She rode him until he cried out, and when he burst inside her, she thrust herself at him desperately, trying to somehow, any how, drive him deeper into her. She held him with her legs, and with her hands. And with her eyes, most of all.

When she was finally satiated, when the hormonal rush had subsided, she held him closely, and whispered new commands in his ear.

He resisted, even in trance.

She was insistent.

He weakened.

She demanded.

He consented.

She woke him.

He laid back, and gave a gratified, exhausted sigh. "Oh, who am I kidding? I could never, ever give this up." He smiled, tenderly, and buried his face in her hair. "I love you so much." She exulted in the feeling of being in his arms, of being the only one in his world.

"Christopher, my love... I free you."

The words pushed him away like a physical force, like a wall had been constructed between them. He looked confused, for an instant, conflicted. He looked at her, then looked away. "I have to leave."

"Do you?"

"Sally..." He avoided her gaze. "I don't know how to say this, but... it has to end now. I need to... I'm going to stop this... this... whatever we have..."

"Are you?"

"Y-yes. Dear, I love you passionately, vividly, with all my being. You must believe that."

"I do."

Chris was putting on his socks now, and he still couldn't look at her. "But, now, all that I have with Bonnie, all that I need in that part of my life... Well, this couldn't go on forever, we knew that, right? And... I'm resolved to make it work with Bonnie. So it's not that I don't want to love you, don't want to hold you forever... it's that I can't. I can't love you, so I won't. Do you... do you understand?"

"I understand, darling. I always did."

His trousers were on, and he was buttoning his shirt. Finally he could look at her again, and he studied her expression. "You saved me, you know. From my life, when I felt depressed and frustrated. You rescued me, and I will always be grateful."

"You rescued me, too, Chris, from my loneliness. You..." She sighed. "Let's not make this go on all night. You won't stop calling me, will you? Just to talk?"

"No, Sally, I won't. You're still an important part of my life... just not the most important."

"Promise me?"

"I promise." She looked... content. "One more kiss?" she asked, then, smilingly, "For the road?"

He looked at her eyes, and almost shook his head, no. But he couldn't leave it like that, he owed her too much. His lips met hers, with the embers of the passion they'd just shared, slow, moving, and infinitely delicate. To last forever.

He broke from her and went to the door. Over his shoulder, as the door opened to his hand: "Goodbye, love."

She smiled at his retreating back. "Goodbye."

Sally collapsed to the mattress and wept.