I look at her, lying there next to me, and dont stop myself when I lean in to kiss her. Not a true kiss, just a light brush of my lips on hers. Because I can. I can kiss her but not Dana. I can touch her but not Dana. Never Dana. And it occurs to me that Shane is here with me right now and I can have her. Attached, bound but shes not my property. Shane doesnt belong to anyone. She certainly doesnt belong to me but, then again, neither does Dana.

As if sensing my thoughts, she rolls us over until Im under her and the whole length of her body, warm and welcoming, is pressed up against me. Mine, she declares but the end of the word is already being swallowed by me as I cover her lush lips with an impatient kiss.

Shane doesnt belong to me, but I can belong to her. Thats enough for me.

~~

Shes in tears, and my heart breaks right along with hers. Shes plopped down in front of me on my couch crying, and the sympathy pains are overwhelming. Shes in hysterics, a string of incoherent words falling out of that beautiful mouth of hers, and Im speechless. She reaches for me, and I hold her tightly in my embrace.

There so much I want to say, so much I need to say. I want to tell her that she shouldnt cry because each tear shed is like another slash at my heart with a sharp knife. I want to tell her that everything was going to be alright and that if Tanya could not see how amazing and incredible she was could not appreciate that then Tanya did not deserve her. Because she deserves the best. She deserves someone better. Someone who will love her forever. Some one like me, I want to say but I dont. I cant.

I want to tell her that shell always have me, that Ill never leave her. I want to tell her that I love her, love her like no one else ever has, but I dont. I cant because there is nothing left of me to offer her. She already has all the parts of me left to give. My heart, my soul. Everything else was already bound to someone else. I want to tell her to leave Tanya for me, for herself but I dont and I cant. I have no right to ask her to give all of herself to me when I could no longer give all of myself to her. For once in my life, I say nothing.