Julie glanced up as Simon leaned over farther, working on a very detailed cut that could lead to brain damage if he missed the margin at all. His handsome face was contorted in concentration, his glasses perched perfectly under a set of magnifying glasses.

"Almost there," he whispered and glanced up, his lip lifting in a small grin. "Something about having you near gives me peace."

"We're old friends before anything else." She moved back a little. "Wrap this up. You're making me nervous."

He stepped back and chuckled. "Done."

"Good." Julie glanced at the nurse. "Clean him up and watch his vitals for the next two hours before moving him to recovery. Call me when he's there and I'll stop by."

"Of course, Dr. Paulk. You were both incredible today." She smiled and turned to start working on the patient.

Julie glanced toward Simon. "That was pretty incredible. I've never seen that procedure actually done live."

"After ten years in our field? No?" He moved to the wash room and glanced over at her. "I'll invite you in the next time and you give it a try."

"I don’t think I could do it." She shrugged, feeling quite assured of her abilities. Simon had moved ahead of her quickly and taken the lead in teaching her and the other surgeons in their department.

"I know you could." He winked and turned his attention back to the sink. "What time do you want me to come by tonight?"

"I get out of here at seven, so come over around eight maybe?" She looked up, grateful for the normal conversation between them. There was no sense of hostility or angst. It was nice.

"Sounds great. I'll stop by that deli you like and get us an antipasto platter to munch on. We can make that pasta you love." He smirked.

"You love that pasta. I like it."

"Now you're just being picky." He chuckled. "I'll see you then, if not before. Great job, again. Really. You're incredible, Jules."

She glanced up, memorizing his look of approval. He wasn't going to be quickly removed from her life like she thought possible. The rich history of their long love affair had routed itself too deep into her heart. Where she wasn't sure about fixing what was broken in their current relationship, pulling newness from the ashes seemed very possible.

"Thanks. That means a lot to me."

He winked and walked out. She watched him move, the perfect swell of his ass grabbing her attention and causing her stomach to tighten. If they did end up moving on from one another, she would have to make her exit from the hospital sooner than later.

He was prime real estate and every single and eligible female in the hospital would want his digits. Even with most of them knowing about his cheating tendencies.

She dried her hands and walked out to find Cade waiting on her. The look on his handsome face told her that he was pissed.

"He did that shit on purpose," he bit out and took his place beside her.

"Simon? How so?" She glanced over at him, not at all liking how unraveled he had gotten with the prospect of Simon not playing fair. "It was a small room. I would have left you to watch as well. It's dangerous squeezing too many people in the ER. Certainly you know this."

"I guess. I just made a few comments about him being a dick to you earlier and he blew up. I figured his reaction back there was just paybacks for speaking the truth."

Julie stopped and turned to face her intern. "You did what?"

His eyes widened a little. "I told him that he was a piece of shit for hurting you. He is."

"You had no right to do that." She shook her head and turned, walking down the hall to her office. "I need a break. I'll see you in a bit."

"Julie. Don't do that. I was just upset."

She walked into her office and he followed her, closing the door and moving to stand in front of her.

"I'm serious. I don't want to talk right now." Julie glanced up at him and took a step back. He looked too much like Simon. Maybe that was the reason she let him even have an inch with her. Never before would she give someone the time of day.

"Okay. No talking." He slid his hands into her hair and jerked her against him, kissing her deeply and groaning deep in his chest.

Chill bumps broke out across her skin and she couldn’t remember anything for the moment. The sensation of being consumed was almost too much and she reached up, running her fingers up the strong muscles that wrapped around his side.

He licked and sucked at her mouth, whispering how good she tasted over and over.

The need to push him back faded more and more as he wrapped his strong hands around her waist and picked her up, sitting her on her desk and moving in between her legs. He leaned down and captured her lips again, rolling his warm, wet tongue over hers. The friction of his subtle hip thrusts left her panting and needy.

How had she ended up here?

She reached up and slid her hand around his neck and pulled a little more.

Grunting, he picked her up and latched his hands onto her ass, squeezing softly before burying his face against her neck. "I want to fuck you bad. I can't even describe how good I'm going to make you feel when you finally open up to me, Jules."

The nickname brought her back to the present and she pushed at his shoulders before untangling herself from him.

"Wow. That happened fast." She brushed her hair from her face and moved from him.

He caught her wrist and pulled her back, kissing her once more before letting her to. "Passion. It's the passion between us. You might be confused, but your body isn't. It wants mine. Stop fighting it. We're both adults."

She nodded and licked at her lips, the tenderness from his aggression leaving her a little shaken. He was everything she wanted in her bed, much like her husband was as well. She needed a moment to collect herself, but she obviously wasn't getting one.

A knock at the door resounded and before she could get to it, Simon poked his head in.

"Hey..." He paused and looked over toward Cade.

The bastard had the nerve to turn and readjust his cock, which was obvious from the way he moved. Simon turned toward her as his eyebrows pulled together and anger rushed across his features.

"Not what you think." Julie held up her hands.

"Surely not." Simon forced a smile. "Right. So I was just stopping by to tell you that the proposal for the optics project was accepted. We'll need to find a week to fly to Washington later this month. I'll get one of the admins to jump on it for us." His voice lost steam by the end and the color had drained from his hauntingly beautiful face.

Julie walked toward him as he held up his hand to stop her.

"Just check your calendar and e-mail me."

"I'll do that and we can figure it out tonight." She tried to control the need to hyperventilate. He had almost caught her making out with her fucking intern. And after she had invited him over for dinner and sex. What the fuck was wrong with her?

She was no better than him.

"Yeah, about tonight. Something came up. Maybe another time." He winked and turned as she caught the sadness in his expression.

The door closed and Cade turned to face her. "That was close."

"Get out. Now." She pointed to the door and pressed her hand to her mouth as her vision blurred.

"Jules."

"It's Dr. Paulk. Or Julie if we are out of the hospital. Now get out. You're going to ruin my career if I let you. Our day is over, so talk to Elijah about who else you can work with. I don't think Simon is a good alternative." She moved around to sit in her chair and turned her attention to her computer screen as a few wayward tears dripped onto her cheeks.

"Don't do this. It wasn't my fault or yours that he came to the door." Cade pressed his hands to the desk. "You're getting a divorce, right?"

"Yes. Thank you for the reminder."

"And you want the divorce."

"I don't know anymore."

"You do. No one deserves..."

"Get out! I'm serious." She looked up at him and pressed her angst into the meanest stare she could muster.

"Okay. Text me later. I'm sorry if you're upset with me." He stood up and turned, walking out and not saying another word.

She shot Simon an e-mail with the dates she could get out of town, turned the machine off and laid her head down for a long, much-needed cry. When she was done she got up and walked to his office, knocking once and walking in without waiting for a reply.

He stood by the window, his hands clasped behind his back as he looked out at the center of the city.

"Simon." She pressed her back to the door.

"It's okay, really. I deserve all the hell I have coming my way." He glanced over his shoulder. "I called my lawyer and let him know what you were up to in terms of filing. He's ready to fight, but I'm too tired. Just take what you want and if there is anything left, great."

He turned back to the window and she forced herself from the wall. There wasn't anything she could say to take back the affliction of pain he was suffering. It was obvious that he had interrupted something between her and Cade. A make-out session was as bad as anything.

She slid her arms around his waist and leaned against his back, pressing her cheek to his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for anything to happen."

"Yeah, I know the feeling all too well, but it did." She squeezed her arms and turned, wrapping his around hers. "I don't expect you to share me, so know that I'm not sharing you. If you chose the boy, then I'll back off. I'm not making love to you only to know that you've been in bed with someone else. It sickens me."

She looked up at him. "I haven't slept with Cade."

"But you want to and you will soon." He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"I don't know what I want." She tightened her grip on him and pressed her nose to his neck, breathing in deeply. "Please come over tonight."

"I don't think so, Julie. I'm weary and my heart aches beyond what I care to admit." His voice broke a little as she pressed her lips to his neck and laid several soft kisses to his skin.

"Please. I'll make you feel better."

"Tonight perhaps, but tomorrow I have to wake up knowing that all of this... my cheating, your cheating, our marriage falling apart, is all my fault. And with that I'll have the smell of your pleasure on my skin and the feel of your tight body in my mind to haunt me for who knows how long. I can't, baby. Don't ask that of me."

She nodded and kissed him one more time before moving back. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Thanks for the e-mail on the dates. I'll get the trip scheduled for us." He turned and looked back out the window. "You'll like our other colleagues. They're brilliant..."

"Just like you," she whispered and walked to the door. The heaviness inside of her seemed to grow with each step. She started to beg him to reconsider, but the soft curve of his shoulders told her quickly that he was beyond broken. It wasn't fair of her to ask him to shatter for a night of remembrance. "I love you. I think I always will."

He nodded and glanced over his shoulder with tears in his eyes. "Ditto, Jules."