It had been a few months since Jake had seen Lexie last. His dark curly hair had grown out a bit, but Lexie recognized him in a second. Maybe it was just the 'oh gosh' Richardson swagger he had, but she would know him anywhere.

To Jake, Lexie looked like hell. Tired and strained, her face looked pinched, even behind the sunglasses and an Old Navy baseball cap. He went right up to her and silently took her in his arms, burying his face against that old hat.

"Shhh, I'll take care of you now." He whispered and felt her body choke on some tears. "Let's go."

Arm in arm, they walked from the Tampa International Airport and headed for home.

"Been rough, huh?" He mused as they sat poolside with drinks.

"Yep." She sighed.

"It's written all over your face."

"Thanks for telling me I look like shit."

"I didn't say that." He groaned. "You women are tough like that."

"Yeah, we're evil." She sighed again.

"Won't hear me deny it." Jake laughed, reaching for some more chips. "We should probably eat some real food this weekend."

"What the hell for? You didn't say anything about eating real food."

"Okay, some real food? You just look like you could use a few pounds."

"I've always been thin, thanks to AJ."

"I'm sure the stress isn't helping. I'll go order in some Chinese, and we'll eat it out here."

"I'd rather eat crackers in Nick's bed." She grumbled.

"We can put that on the agenda." Jake got up and headed inside to use the phone and order them dinner.

Even with food in her stomach, Lexie was carrying a pretty good buzz by the time midnight rolled around. She spoke too much and cared too little as the night wore into morning.

"I think it's time to head to bed." Jake yawned at her nearly sleeping form.

"I don't wanna. . ." She slurred.

"C'mon, let's go." He got up and took her hand, effortless pulling her to her feet. "If I throw you over my shoulder, are you going to puke?"

Her dark eyes looked up into his rugged face and blinked, "I don't think so."

"Okay, here we go." He laughed, bending down and effortless lifting her over his shoulder.

Her soft skin was pressed against his cheek as he gingerly took her upstairs to her bedroom. He could easily caress her rear under her bikini bottoms, but he didn't. The last thing she needed right then was him hitting on her, besides she was drunk.

He put her on her feet in her bedroom and she teetered her way into the bathroom and came out in nothing, but her silk bathrobe. He watched her stumble and fall into bed and he went to sit on the edge with her.

"I'm pathetic." She groaned.

"You're not pathetic." He smiled, smoothing his hand down her back. "You do need to sleep it off." Jake got to his feet, but her hand latched onto his wrist.

"Don't go." She mumbled.

"I'd better go." He pried her fingers off of him and she gave a sad sob.

"Just lie here with me. We won't do anything. I'm just tired of sleeping alone." She began to cry.

"God, you know I hate it when you cry." He groaned.

"Then don't go." She protested with a slap to the mattress.

"Okay, but stop crying." He wagged a finger at her.

"Okay." She sniffled, sitting up and wiping her eyes. She moved over in the bed and Jake kicked off his sandals, and then lay in the bed next to her. She instantly curled up against his side, tucking herself under his arm.

He looked down at her as her breathing smoothed out and she began to fall asleep. He watched the steady fall and rise of her ample breasts, which had been partially exposed from her robe.

Nick Carter is a fool.

"You still mad at me?" Nick asked gently over cereal in the morning.

She just shrugged her slender shoulders at him. She looks just like her mother when she doesn't want to talk to me.

"You really hurt my feelings last night."

"You're hurting me and Lexie's feelings by not being at home." She said quietly, playing with her spoon.

Nick gave a heavy sigh and then rubbed his eyes, "You don't understand about me and Lexie. . ." He sounded less gentle than he had when he started the conversation.

"I know you promised to love her forever." CJ looked up into his eyes. "You still love her, don't you?"

Nick hesitated, but he knew the answer and finally admitted, "I love Lexie." I'll always love Lexie. No matter what she does. I have always loved her.

"Then why are you doing this? Dad, we need to go home to Tampa. We can't stay here." She said with such earnest, that it almost sounded like wisdom.

"I know." He dropped his head into his hands.

"I don't really hate you, Dad. I just got mad, that's all. I'm sorry." CJ apologized.

"I know. I'm sorry, too." He lifted his head to face her. "I do have studio time planned for this morning and then I was going to take John and Tyler out. Do you think we could go visit Howie, too? We can go home on Sunday, okay?"

"Okay." She nodded quietly.

"I'm sorry this has been so hard on you."

"It's okay, but Lexie's upset. Are you going to apologize to her, too?"

"I'll talk to her on Sunday, I promise."

"You okay?"

"I have cotton mouth."

"You had quite a bit to drink last night."

"Don't remind me." She groaned over the plate of toast he had made.

"You'll feel better once you've showered and have been up awhile. I'm thinking of hitting the beach today, you game?"

"Not like I have much else to do." She shrugged.

After a shower and a fresh bikini, Lexie was ready to join Jake down on the boardwalk to the private beach. It was a beautiful day, and the water was perfect. They took some short boards down and rode some waves until late afternoon and they were both hungry.

"Feeling better?" Jake laughed as they hauled themselves up the stairs to the house.

"Much!" She smiled over at him, her long hair wet and plastered to her body. "But I don't think I'm going to be drinking tonight."

"That's probably for the best." He wrinkled his nose at her.

Lexie changed into a slim summer dress while Jake traded his swim trunks for shorts. His toned chest shone bronze in the summer sun as he walked past the glass windows that overlooked the ocean. Jake caught her staring as he moved into the kitchen and he smiled.

"You're staring."

"What?! I am not!" She protested as she turned her gaze away.

"Yes, you are!" He laughed.

"I just don't remember you looking so good before." She tried to joke, but heat filled her cheeks. He came up behind her at the kitchen counter where she was working on a light dinner for them and wrapped his strong arms around her. She could feel his breath on her bare shoulder.

"It's okay." He purred. She shrugged out of his gentle grasp and continued cutting the melon.

"You shouldn't talk like that." She said plainly.

"Why not?" He moved around to her side so he could see her face. "I hate what he's doing to you, Lexie."

"I'm married to him, Jake." She felt his hand gently cup her cheek. "Don't, it's not right." She pulled away from his touch, setting down the food and knife, looking up at him.

"I think what he's done to you, does make it right." Jake murmured as he leaned closer to her. "It's right that you're allowed to stop hurting, at least for a little while."

His lips were amazingly tender. He tasted her gently, slowing pressing closer to her until she was completely in his arms and his tongue slipped past her once resistant lips. Her moans vibrated through him, and all he wanted was to make her experience more.

Jake's fingers hitched into the fabric of her skirt and lifted it, until his hands cupped her bottom and his fingers slipped effortlessly under the elastic of her panties. Her head tipped back as he trailed her neck with his lips, causing her to writhe against him. Her trim fingernails dug into the flesh of his biceps and the pain made him feel her even more.

Then he felt her push him away. He didn't fight her. He just let her go. Just like he always had.

"Is this why you came here?" She asked him, trying to catch her breath.

"No." He protested. She only arched a dark brow at him in response. "Okay, okay. I won't deny that I've always been attracted to you. I have been since we met in Seattle. Did I come here expressly to kiss you? No. I swear."

His fingers lifted and ran through his dark hair, his green eyes eager for her to believe him. He sighed and folding his hands together as though in prayer and let them stand between them.

"I swear it, Lex. I just hate what Nick is doing to you. God, he's a complete moron. I told myself I would be okay with you being with him, as long as he was good to you. When all of this happened and all those nights we spend on the phone with you crying your eyes out, it just makes me sick." Jake began to grow angry. "Goddamn it, you don't deserve this, especially since you love him so much. All I wanted to do on this visit was to make you stop crying."

Jake took her face in his hands.

"I don't want to take you away from Nick. You belong with Nick. I know that. You know that. The whole goddamn universe knows that. I just want you to stop crying so damn much." He said gently. His thumbs caressed her cheeks. "I want to make love to you, Lexie. I want to give you kindness and gentleness. I want you to feel love again. I want to love you until Nick comes back."

Tears welled in her eyes and her heart began to race. Jake stepped even closer and kissed her again, but she hesitated.

"Tell me to go. If you want me to." He told her.

"No, don't go." She whispered. "Please don't go, Jake."

The walk upstairs was slow and steady. Lexie held his hand and as Jake turned toward the master bedroom, Lexie stopped him.

"No, not in there." She shook her head and took him down the hall to a distant, if not discreet, guestroom at the end of the hall.

"Here?" He asked as he opened the door and she nodded in agreement. She was shaking as he took her to the edge of the bed. "Are you alright?"

"I've never been with anyone else but Nick before."

"I understand." Jake took her face in his hand and lifted her face to his. "I love you and it'll be alright."

Jake kissed her and Lexie shivered in his arms. Her trembling did not cease as his mouth moved against hers and his fingers tangled in her dark hair. She opened her mouth and welcomed him in, their breath becoming more ragged as they began to undress each other.

The lines of his body were hard and precise, each screaming his youth and vitality. Although Nick was more than fit, his body did not have the definition that Jake's did. His muscles rippled under her fingertips as he moved against her.

With her dress on the floor, Jake cupped each of her breasts and made them his own. His hands ran down her sides to her angular hips, "You're too thin. Promise me you'll take better care of yourself." He murmured.

"I will. I promise." She agreed, her hands resting on his shoulders as he removed her undergarments.

Jake's own shorts dropped to the floor with her clothing and stood naked before each other.

"I love you." He smiled gently. When she didn't respond he simply added, "Call me Nick if you have to."

With a defiant shake of her head, she looked up at him, "I'd never do that." Lexie reached for Jake's hand and turned toward the bed. She climbed up on it, pulling him along. "Show me the love you promised me."

Jake kissed her as he pressed her back into the mattress. Each movement of his body as he entered her was pouring out his soul to her. She never uttered Nick's name, but screamed his in her passion. Each stroke, each buck against him and every time her flesh caressed his told every fiber of his being the truth.

Nick Carter is a fool.

Everything about him was different. His skin, his hair, his body, his touch. . .everything. She didn't wake up expecting to see Nick; everything about him and what happened screamed his name.

She also knew in the morning, she could not take any of it back.

She had always been taught to save herself for marriage and then stay faithful to her husband, but she hadn't done that.

Lexie stood by the window, watching the waves of the ocean gently lap at the shoreline. Nick had stood at a stormy window like this when they had first been together. He had told her they had made a mistake, but she wouldn't. . .she couldn't. . . say that to Jake.

While their bodies were still intermingled, they promised to never tell and to take this secret to the grave, even if they were asked point blank. She would go back to Nick when he came back. IF he came back.

She took a deep breath and knew the risk she had taken last night. Then again, who was to stay she still had a husband left to be faithful to? Who knew what he was doing in Orlando these days? She knew of his reputation before they had gotten married, had she really changed him that much?

Lexie looked over at her shoulder at Jake, still asleep in the bed. She could barely remember how many times they had made love last night and each time he emptied his heart onto her. He loved her in a way she didn't understand.

She just didn't.

Sure she loved him. As a friend, but his love was different, and she prayed as they went out and lived separate lives, she could honor him and his love. She would never do anything to hurt him.

She missed Nick. She missed him so much. She missed everything about him. Everything that Jake wasn't. His confidence, his humor and his love. She missed that most of all.

"Regrets?" Jake's voice sounded so unsure.

"Never." She smiled and returned to his side. "No one will ever love me like you do." Her hand smoothed his stubbled cheek, her thumb tracing his cheekbone. "I love you, too." Her voice so soft. "Regrets?"

"No. Never."

"Even if Nick comes back?"

"Especially not then. I know he loves you, and I hope he realizes that before it's too late."