“Charmaine?” Steven said her name with disbelief.  “What’s going on here?”

Charmaine literally jumped hearing his voice.  She whizzed around to face him and the stricken look on his face tugged heavily at her heart.  “Steven,” she said achingly, “I’m sorry,” was all she was able to muster out.

Steven turned from her to look at Raymond who was now standing beside Charmaine with a protective arm around her shoulders.  He asked flatly, “Is there something between the two of you?”

Distressed at having to confront him so suddenly, Charmaine could only utter again, “I’m so sorry.”  She walked out of Raymond’s arm to stand in front of Steven and again repeated those three words.

Steven looked down at her first with shock then it changed to confusion and finally torment when the familiarity between the two registered in him.  Bleakly he asked, “Sorry for what, for cheating on me or for getting caught?”

Charmaine shook her head urgently feeling more and more miserable at having to put Steven through this ordeal.  “It’s not like that.  Raymond and I, we…” she couldn’t finish because no matter what she said it wouldn’t justify what she had done.

Raymond walked towards them and placed his arm over her shoulders again.  With remorse he said, “I’m sorry Steven.  It’s all my fault.  If you want to blame someone then blame it all on me.  I was the one who kept pursuing her even when she protested and told me time and time again to leave her alone.”

Steven looked from Raymond to Charmaine.  His eyes wavered as he stared at them in silence.  Finally he swallowed the lump in his throat and spoke to Charmaine, “I love you and thought we were on the same page.  Was it all an act?”

Charmaine shook her head in despair and rushed in, “I truly wanted to be with you but I can’t help the way I feel about Raymond.  I’m so sorry.”

“Do you love me at all?” Steven asked his eyes locked on her face as he waited for her response.

Charmaine tilted her head to look at him.  In a soft voice she said, “I care a great deal about you and I’m very fond of you but those feelings are not the same feelings I have for Raymond.”

Steven turned to look at Raymond and quietly said, “You knew she was my girlfriend and yet you still went after her.  Is that how you treat your friends?  How could you?”

Raymond met Steven’s gaze without flinching.  In a firm voice he said, “I know it was selfish and wrong of me but I wanted her and not being able to do something about it drove me crazy.  So I had to take the chance.  I hope you’ll forgive me.”

“I see,” Steven said tightly, his gaze going back and forth between them.  After a moment his lips lifted into a small smile.  He looked longingly at Charmaine and said, “Charmaine is indeed one of a kind and I admit I’m crazy in love with her.  But I also want her to be happy.  If being with you makes her happy then you have my blessing.”

Charmaine looked at him in surprise, “You’re not angry at us?”

Steven shook his head and sadly said, “Love has to go both ways and you don’t feel that way for me.  All I can hope is that Raymond would cherish you the way I would if you were still my girlfriend.”  With a gleam in his eyes he said to Charmaine, “If he doesn’t let me know, I’ll personally take care of him for you.”

Raymond broke into a wide smile as he patted Steven’s shoulder, “Thanks for understanding Steven.  You’re a great friend to have.”

“Steven,” Charmaine began softly as she gently touched her hand to his arm, “You’re an amazing person.”

Steven blushed at her praise and said with sorrow, “Right now I’m a sad person for losing my girlfriend.”  When he saw the dejection on Charmaine’s face he grinned, “I was joking.  I’m truly happy that you two found each other.”

“Thank you so much for being so understanding,” Charmaine said and gave him a quick hug.

Steven held onto her a moment longer than necessary then finally released her.  Turning to Raymond he said, “I better be on my way to my meeting.  We’ll get together for dinner soon.”  As he strode away he called out over his shoulder, “We’ll get Frankie to join us too.”

When Steven was out of sight, Raymond looked down at Charmaine with a dour expression, his jaw set and his lips pressed together in a thin line.

 Puzzled by his sulky expression, Charmaine asked, “What?”

“Did you have to hug him?” Raymond said with irritation.  “You could have shaken his hand instead.”

Charmaine laughed and slid her arms around his waist.  With a mischievous smile she said, “Please don't tell me you’re jealous.”

Raymond saw the twinkle in her eyes and he felt stupid for even being jealous.  Charmaine had chosen him over Steven.  They had faced Steven together to break the news and she was still with him now.  He didn’t have reason to feel jealous but sure enough he did.  He couldn’t understand why she could bring out such raging emotions from him, feelings that he never had with other women.  Not to mention this strong possessiveness over her.  Usually when his past girlfriends hugged or kissed other men, he didn’t care and would joke about it.  With Charmaine, he didn’t want other men touching her.  She was his and he’ll be damn if he’s going to share her with anyone else.  Staring down at her now, with her eyes looking up inquiringly at him, he realized that the feelings he has for her weighed more than just being in love.  He was hopelessly, crazy in love with her.  With a serious expression, he held her by the shoulders and said, “I am where you’re concern.”

Charmaine looked at him, her body warmed and exhilarated by his words.  Standing on tiptoe she lightly brushed her lips over his and whispered, “There’s no need for you to be.  You’re the only one I want.”

Raymond tightened his hold on her and despite her protest, captured her lips in an overwhelming kiss that left them both panting and wanting more.