"You're awfully quiet," said AJ as he handed Kevin a beer and sat down next to him on the deck chair. Kevin opened the bottle and took a long swallow. He was watching Jamie, who was animatedly talking to Leighanne. All nine of them were in AJ's backyard, having an impromptu party after arriving back in Orlando.

"No offense, but there are a few other places I'd rather be."

"You don't like my house? I'm hurt, Kev," said AJ slyly. He grinned when Kevin made a face.

"It has nothing to do with that. I just want to take Jamie and go home."

AJ shook his head. "You can't do that man. You can't be seen going home with a woman when your wife is still in the hospital. The whole point was to protect Jamie. Don't do anything to screw that up."

"I won't. But I need her, J. I really need her." He softly sighed, tossing aside the cap to his beer. "I want all this over and I want to get on with my - our - lives."

"I know you do. But I might have a solution. Come with me." AJ pulled a reluctant Kevin to his feet and walked with him back into the house.

AJ led Kevin up to a closed door in a remote part of the house, then stopped. Kevin stood still, waiting.

"Now wait here, and don't open the door." AJ tossed over his shoulder as he walked away. Kevin leaned heavily against the door jamb and stared at AJ's retreating figure, wondering what he was up to now.

AJ returned a few minutes later with Jamie. Kevin's expression never changed but his eyes lit up as soon as Jamie looked up at him and smiled. Walking over to Kevin, she slipped her arms around his waist, snuggling up close to his body. He hugged her back and held her close for several moments, before looking up at AJ, who was still standing there.

"Thanks, man, but I could have hugged her downstairs."

AJ laughed, "I know you could've, but I don't think any of us wanted to see this." Pushing Kevin aside, AJ opened the door with a flourish and gestured for them to enter.

It was dark inside except for the dozens of white pillar candles lit all around the room. The bed had a mound of black and gray satin and damask pillows propped against the headboard, matching the black, white and gray damask bedspread. There were two wine glasses and a carafe of sangria sitting on the nightstand, surrounded by more candles. Sensual jazz played softly from the stereo system.

Jamie stood openmouthed at the scene, and looked over at Kevin who shook his head. She turned, and kissed AJ on the mouth. Hugging him, she whispered, "Thank you so much! You're an angel."

AJ said softly, "You're welcome, sweetheart, but this was mostly Amanda's doing. But you can kiss me again like that if you want."

"I don't think so. . ." began Kevin, but AJ held up a hand to cut him off.

"I know bro, relax. You two just enjoy this, and we'll see you tomorrow morning. . . maybe."

"So this is why Amanda insisted on having the party?" asked Jamie.

AJ nodded. "She knew you can't go home, Jaim, and she also knew how anxious Kev was to spend time with you alone. If the whole crew is downstairs partying all night, I don't figure anyone would know you're up here together."

"She's a genius! You sure you can handle partying all night though, AJ?" teased Jamie. His shoulders slumped forward and he sighed, "Yeah I guess. The things we do for love."

Kevin smiled for the first time all night, "Thank you, AJ, really. I don't want to keep you from your partying, so. . ." He made a shooing motion, and AJ headed for the door.

"I'm going, I'm going. Don't do anything I would do, you could get hurt," tossed AJ as he headed out the door. Kevin closed the door firmly, locked it, then turned back around.

"Jamie," he breathed. She walked toward to him and reached for a hand. Pulling him over to the bed, she murmured, "You have some wonderful friends."

"WE have wonderful friends," he amended, "but I'd like to forget about them for a while. I have missed you so much, Jaim." They stood by the foot of the bed, just holding each other as closely as possible. As the melody on the stereo ended, Jamie leaned back enough to look up into Kevin's face and said, "I love you."

Kevin smiled down at his wife, "I love you too, baby." He leaned in for a kiss, which she responded to enthusiastically. When they both came up for air several minutes later, he swallowed hard before saying, "I definitely have missed this."

"I know. It feels like a lifetime since we've been together." She bit her lip and looked up through her lashes at him.

He cupped her chin, "Are you alright? Are you strong enough? I don't want to hurt you. . ."

She shook her head, "No, I'm fine. You won't hurt me. I'm just. . .I don't know." She sighed and rested her cheek against his chest, listening as Kevin's heartbeat sped up slightly.

"Nervous?" he guessed.

She scoffed, denying it. "Why would I be nervous, it's not like we've never made love before."

"I know, but you just feel restless to me. Like you want to be here, but you don't."

"Oh, no I want to be here with you Kevin, there isn't anywhere else I'd rather be. I just feel kinda grimy from the plane and all, and I want everything to be perfect. I mean look at this, Amanda went to a lot of trouble, and I don't want anything to ruin it."

Kevin's eyes sparked with green fire. "I think I can help there. You obviously don't recognize where we are."

"We're in the spare bedroom, I know where we are."

He shook his head, drawling lazily, "No, baby, I mean, do you remember what's over there?"

"Over where. . .oh!" Kevin had pulled Jamie over to a door on the other side of the room and opened it. They walked inside to the cool marble bathroom, filled with more lit candles, and scented faintly of jasmine and sandalwood.

"Amanda does think of everything doesn't she?" asked Kevin.

Jamie knelt by the Jacuzzi tub and turned the faucets, allowing it to fill with warm water. "Yes, she does. AJ is lucky to have her."

"Not as lucky as I am to have you, baby. Come here," he commanded. Jamie stood up slowly, but it was Kevin who walked over. Carefully, deliberately, he freed her hair from its ponytail, then pulled her shirt up and over her head, tossing it by the door.

Shaking her head to get the hair out of her face, Jamie began unbuttoning his shirt, following her fingers with her lips and tongue. Kevin stood still until his shirt hung open and she reached for his belt buckle.

"Jaim," he groaned as he pulled her hands away. His control had been slowly evaporating, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold on if she continued. Breathing heavily, he looked down into her gold-brown eyes, which sparkled with anticipation and mischief.

With a knowing grin, Jamie stepped out of her pants. But as she reached up to slide the straps of her bra down her arms, she stopped and the relaxed look in her eyes disappeared. Glancing down and away from Kevin, she again appeared shy and nervous. Though she was standing in front of him, she kept her left side slightly shielded from him and turned back to the tub.

"Jaim," he repeated. She wouldn't pull her eyes from the water pouring into the Jacuzzi. Firmly holding her right shoulder, he carefully reached for her and turned her gently until she faced him once again. Then he slowly removed her bra.

The scar at the top of her breast was still angry, pink and slightly raised. He turned her again and looked at the matching raised pink scar on her back, high on her shoulder. Jamie's eyes were transfixed on the wall as she stood, silent and tense. Despite her best intention, a tear fell from her eye and trailed down her cheek.

Kevin suddenly understood. His fingers gently traced the scar on her shoulder, then leaned forward to kiss her there. Jamie shivered and let out a small moan, involuntarily stepping away. He immediately straightened, and apologized. "Baby, I'm sorry. I didn't realize it still bothered you. I didn't mean to hurt you."

He reached for his wife and turned her to face him. With the back of his hand, he smoothed the tears from her cheek while she said softly, "No, it doesn't hurt. It's just so. . . ugly."

Kevin gathered her close, "Jamie, oh baby. It's not ugly. And it doesn't make you any less beautiful to me." He kissed her.

She pulled back and shook her head. "She's ruined everything."

"She hasn't ruined anything. You're still here with me, we're still married, and I still love you just as much as I did before, more even. She changed nothing," he said firmly. "She will never change anything between us."

"But every time you see it, you'll remember. All the pain she caused, and what could have happened. I don't want to see the hurt she caused you every time you look at me." Jamie stepped out of his embrace, and quickly sank into the tub, covering herself with the rushing water from the jets.

Kevin stood silently for a moment, cursing the woman who created all the havoc in their lives. Then he quickly shed the rest of his clothes, and joined Jamie in the Jacuzzi.

Jamie was splashing water gently between her hands, not looking at him. He reached for her and held her. She held herself stiffly for a moment before finally melting into him. Carefully, he tipped her face up and showered her with kisses.

"I don't know what to say to convince you. I don't know that I can. All I can do is this. . ." he said. He slanted his mouth over hers and kissed her deeply. The swirling of the water mimicked their swirling tongues as they collided and danced again and again. Kevin's hands ran continually up and down her back, pulling her closer to him. Jamie just held onto Kevin as if for dear life.

When they broke the kiss, Kevin half smiled at her, then reached for the soap and sponge lying on the rim. With careful and delicate movements, Kevin ran the lathered sponge over Jamie's flushed skin. He made sure to caress the scarred areas to show her that they didn't bother him.

True, he wished the scars weren't there. Kevin could have lived his life peacefully and very happily with Jamie without any of this having happened. But despite the words he'd thoughtlessly said to her in the hospital, Kevin never really blamed Jamie for what happened. His own guilt for not protecting her better overshadowed everything else. He had to show her that his love for her was undiminished and undamaged.

Rinsing her off, he stood up abruptly, pulling Jamie with him. Stepping out of the Jacuzzi first, he helped Jamie out, encompassing her in a large fluffy towel, before wrapping one around his own waist. Telling her to remain still, he gently dried her off, following the towel's path with a trail of kisses, especially over her scars.

By the time Kevin finished and stood back up, Jamie's shyness was forgotten, but fresh tears sparkled in her eyes. Wiping them away tenderly, he asked, "What's wrong, baby?"

"Nothing," she replied. "I just love you Kevin, so much. I'm sorry."

"I love you too, and don't worry. What's done is done."

"I almost spoiled tonight."

"Well then, " he drawled, leading her back into the bedroom, "I guess you'll just have to make things right again."

A tentative smile appeared on Jamie's face. "I guess I will." Dropping her towel to the floor, she drew him down onto the damask pillows.

Lying amidst the pillows, auburn hair fanned out behind her, Jamie stared breathlessly up at Kevin. Slowly caressing her face, Kevin's fingers began a familiar trek across her body, lazily exploring and reacquainting himself with every inch. His fingers brushed her scar, and instinctively she began to shrink away from him.

He wouldn't let her retreat as he captured her lips for a deep, earth shattering kiss. While his lips caressed hers, Kevin deliberately traced the raised ridge of the scar with his finger. He tried to infuse in the kiss all his feelings, the ones he could never articulate, the ones he couldn't express in any other way. The kiss was not one of desperation or fear, but simple, quiet and all-encompassing love.

Jamie forgot what Kevin was specifically touching. His fingers became trails of fire, blazing all over her flesh, and she became lost in the conflagration. She couldn't tell where she ended and Kevin began, but it didn't really matter anymore.