Just in the Line of Duty

Sheridan stood there with her arms folded across her chest, tapping her foot. She was beyond hurt, beyond angry. She wanted answers this time and had no intention of letting Luis get away it this time. There was one thing he was right about, she would no longer let her pride get in the way. She wanted to hear Luis try to explain this one away because in her mind right now, there was no explanation.

Sheridan surveyed Luis' appearance. Since he'd left the bedroom he'd managed to straighten himself out. “You certainly managed to straighten out your clothing pretty quickly” Sheridan said sarcastically. “Let me guess your next conquest is waiting outside for you, is that it?”

Sheridan was stunned as she saw the barrel of a gun in Luis' chest. As soon as the gunmen entered, Sheridan screamed as she recognized the men immediately. Forgetting the events of the last few minutes she turned towards Luis for comfort, for answers and was in shock at what she saw. Luis never looked at her. He looked at the gunmen, with no sign of recognition on his face. `What is wrong with him?' she thought to herself. `He's not even surprised Antoine is with them?'

Sheridan was shaken from her thoughts when Pierre moved towards her side and grabbed her. She shook with fear as Roger smiled at her. “So the lovely Sheridan and I meet again” Roger said. “Did you really think we would be caught so easily? Not to worry, Mademoiselle, even your American cop hero here, can't save you this time.”

Antoine grabbed faux Luis by the arm and headed toward the door. Sheridan screamed “Noooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can't do that!” Sheridan was in a total panic at this point. “Look, I'm the one you want, not him. Kill me!”

“Don't worry, Sheridan. We will get to you, but right now we need you for insurance,” Roger said. “As for your lover here, he is definitely of no use to us. We will deal with him right now.

Tears were streaming down Sheridan's face. This whole thing was surreal. She watched Antoine as he cocked his gun and aimed it at Luis. She struggled against Pierre to no avail. “Luis, I love you!” she shouted through her tears.

Faux Luis totally ignored Sheridan's remark. He never even looked at her. He was panicked now, he needed to talk to these men and let them know he wasn't Luis. “Look, I don't know who you guys are, but I can help you” the fake Luis pleaded.

“Yes it is pathetic, nest ce pas?” Roger said with amusement. “I see I was wrong Mademoiselle Crane. He does not love you. It appears he is the same as all the other men in your life have been. He is interested only in himself. Good-bye Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald. ANTOINE! SHOOT HIM NOW!”

Antoine fired three shots directly into Faux Luis' chest. He dropped to the floor and Sheridan as well fell to the ground as she watched Luis die in front of her. She was sobbing uncontrollably as she saw the lifeless body of the man she loved and thought loved her. She crawled over to Luis' body and placed her head on his chest. He was dead, there was no question about it. “Why Luis?” she whispered. She just laid there, tears in her eyes, staring at his feet. She couldn't bear to look at his lifeless face.

As she stared at his feet she noticed something peculiar. Luis had socks on. She was sure he'd just slipped his shoes on before he went outside to investigate the noise. Sheridan sat up and wiped the tears away from her face. There was something very strange. Something wasn't right. As she was gathering the courage to glance at his face, she was grabbed from the waist and dragged away from his body.

Outside the Crane cabin, Hank was in a panic. He'd stared through the window and witnessed the shooting of Frank. He watched Sheridan as she dropped to the floor. He saw the pain on her face and realized how much she really must love Luis. He didn't have time to dwell on that right now. They all had bigger problems. Hank surmised that the men in there were the gunmen that had been stalking Sheridan. He needed Luis awake and he needed that now. He walked over to Luis and began shaking him.

“Luis! Luis! Come on buddy! Wake up!” Hank whispered anxiously. He returned to the window every few minutes to keep abreast of the situation. After awhile Luis began to stir. He started to moan slightly and Hank ran to his side.

“Well if you'd shut up a minute, I'd show you!” Hank said in a shouted whisper. “And keep it down. We can't be seen.” Hank helped Luis to his feet and took him over to the window. Luis peered through the window. He saw Antoine with a gun, Roger standing over a body and Pierre holding Sheridan tightly. Sheridan was sobbing uncontrollably.

The two men scooted down to avoid being seen. “Hank, do you mind telling me WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?” Luis whispered in a complete rage. “AND WHO THE HELL IS THE BODY ON THE FLOOR?”

Luis returned to the window for a better look. He saw the man was wearing the same clothes he was wearing, but couldn't get a good look at the face. “I can't see the face” Luis complained. “I see he's wearing the same clothes I am, but what makes you think they think it's me?” Luis asked.

“Will you trust me on this one Luis?” Hank asked. “I saw the guy. He looks like you, talks like you and walks like you. Hell, he was hired by Alistair Crane to impersonate you. He's who Sheridan saw that night on the wharf.”

Luis extended his hand for the phone. Hank handed Luis the phone. “Keep your eye on them for a minute. Call me if anyone does anything” Luis ordered. He then walked a few feet away and called Sam.

“Sam, all I know is that Alistair Crane hired someone to pose as me. He's the reason Sheridan turned on me the way she did and now they all seem to think it's me lying there” Luis told him. “Sam, I need some help here. They've already killed my double. I can't let them hurt Sheridan.”

Luis began wringing his hands together as thoughts filled his mind at the possibility of losing Sheridan. He began looking around him for a weapon of some sort. “Hank, I need to find some kind of weapon, a rock, big stick, just something I can use as a diversion” Luis said.

Luis looked at Hank in utter surprise. “You have a gun? Never mind. I don't want to know. Just hand it over and I'll tell you what we're going to do.” Hank handed Luis his gun and Luis explained the plan to Hank of what they would do to free Sheridan from Roger, Pierre and Antoine.

“Well Sheridan” Roger said as he hung up the phone. “I dare say you are worth something to your family. Your father is willing to pay handsomely for your safe return. He has also arranged safe passage for us out of the country. I must admit he did not seem displeased to hear your American lover is dead” Roger smiled at Sheridan.

“But you see Miss Crane, we will get away with this. By this time tomorrow, Antoine, Pierre and I will be basking in the sun in Brazil. There we will start a new life for ourselves and build an even bigger clientele than we had in Paris.”

“Well good for you” Sheridan said sarcastically. “Look since it doesn't appear you are going to kill me, would it be asking too much if I changed my clothes? You look like you could use a change yourself!” she said seething.

“Yeah, sure ”Sheridan said in a despondent tone. “Over there in that bedroom.” She pointed to the bedroom on the opposite side of the cabin from where she and Luis were staying.

Pierre and Roger retreated to one side of the cabin, while Sheridan retreated to the other side. Sheridan flipped on the lights and Antoine stood there waiting. “If you were expecting to see something Antoine?” Sheridan said in a questioning manner, “You were wrong!” Sheridan slammed the door in Antoine's face. He sneered at her behind the door.

Sheridan immediately ran over to the bed and checked the floor where Luis had taken off his socks. She found his jacket thrown in the corner, but where were his socks? `Please God, let me find them' she said to herself. She knelt down and looked under the bed. A huge grin appeared on her tear stained face as she pulled out two black socks. “Luis, you're still alive!” she mumbled. Tears of joy trickled down her face. Now that she was relatively sure he was still alive, she was once again confused as to where he was, who was dead and what happened.

Antoine ran to the front door when he heard the engine start. He ran out the door, looking for the car. As he raced around the corner, he was greeted with the butt end of a revolver at the back of his head. He dropped to the ground unconscious. Luis immediately relieved Antoine of his gun. Hank, who had turned the engine off already, ran to Luis' side and took one of the guns from him.

As soon as Roger and Pierre had their heads out the door, Luis and Hank's armed hands came crashing down on their skulls. The two drug dealers were like their counterpart Antoine, out for the count.

Hank and Luis stepped over the unconscious bodies and into the living room of the cabin. Luis walked over to the body on the floor. He looked at the face and gasped. “Oh my God!” he said. "No wonder they thought it was me.” He continued to stare at his double when his thoughts returned to Sheridan.

“Sheridan! I have to find Sheridan!” Luis said anxiously. He ran to the bedroom they'd shared and turned the knob. He opened the door and called her name. “Sheridan are you here?”

Suddenly Sheridan popped out from behind the door. She saw Luis standing there, his shirt half buttoned on the outside, his hair all rumpled with no socks on. “LUIS!!!” she screamed as she jumped into his waiting arms. She held him so tightly he was having difficulty breathing. “It wasn't you! Luis, it wasn't you!” She sobbed in his arms. “You're alive!”

Sheridan released her death grip of him slightly. She backed up and looked deeply into his brown eyes, which were smiling down at her. She placed her arms around his neck and began kissing his face until her mouth settled upon his. She parted their mouths deepening the kiss. It was a desperate kiss, filled with a fire and passion that had not yet been released. Luis tried to resist her kiss, but it was so intense he succumbed almost immediately.

Hank, who had searched the cabin for rope, found it and tied the hands of the three gunmen, thus avoiding any untimely arousals by them. He knocked on the door where Sheridan and Luis were, finding them in their most passionate kiss to date.

“A-hem” Hank cleared his throat. He nervously watched them slowly part from their kiss, burying his jealousy deep within. When they finally took their eyes off each other and turned their attention to Hank, he said, “Sam just pulled up, Luis.” Hank was still unable to look Sheridan in the eye. Hank then walked away and returned to the living room to wait for Sam. Sheridan and Luis followed at a distance, but neither one willing to leave the other's side. Sheridan held Luis closely, almost to a point that hampered their ability to walk. After the ordeal she'd been through, she was not about to let go of Luis. Luis didn't fight it, in fact he rather enjoyed it He still only knew half the story.

Sam, Tina and a half a dozen officers entered the cabin. Three officers removed Roger, Pierre and Antoine, while the rest secured the crime scene. The medical examiner showed up shortly after that along with the police photographer. They went through their duties, as dispassionately as if it were a trip to the dentist's office.

Sam was thunderstruck at the likeness of the lifeless body on the floor to Luis. He kept staring at the corpse in amazement. Finally the medical examiner asked him to step aside, and he reluctantly broke his stare. He then decided it was time for some answers.

The group seated themselves at the table. There were only four chairs and five of them, so Sheridan gratefully sat in Luis' lap. Several days ago, Sheridan would never have been caught in public deliberately in such a position, but after everything that had happened, she now could care less who thought what.

Before they started, Tina decided to put on a pot of coffee for everyone. It was very late and the signs of exhaustion were evident. Sheridan offered to help, but Tina just winked at her and informed her she'd manage.

While the coffee was still brewing, Sam decided to get started. He decided to start with Hank, as his curiosity was getting the better of him as to what he had to do with the whole thing.

Hank's mind was racing. He was trying to come up with a plausible explanation for his involvement of this. He could feel Sam's eyes on him and knew he'd be the first to tell his story.

“Well, as some of you already know, I was pretty upset at Luis and Sheridan when I found out they have a `thing' going on behind my back. I became particularly angry when I found out that Sheridan never even wanted to go out with me on the dates we did have. It was more of a pity thing.” Hank glared at Sheridan who was not looking at Hank. She had her eyes downcast and her head leaning on Luis' shoulder.

“Anyway, like I said I was pretty mad and I vowed I'd be the one that ended up with Sheridan, not Luis” Hank continued. “Last night, or earlier tonight, actually, I ran into this guy in a bar. He must have known what happened, because he kept questioning me about Luis and Sheridan's relationship. He really got me steamed and I blurted out that I would do anything to take Sheridan away from Luis. He then told me he could make that happen. He said he wanted to teach Luis a lesson himself and I could help him do that and get Sheridan at the same time.”

Sam looked at his brother in distaste but said nothing, as he wanted to hear the whole story. Luis looked at Hank with anger, but he also said nothing. He too feared stopping Hank at this point would ruin any chance at getting to the truth. If this was indeed the truth.

“So this guy, his name was Frank. I didn't catch his last name. Frank got into my car and told me where to drive. He then had me stop the car and had to show me something. He made me get out of the car for a few minutes. When I got back in I saw his face. It was Luis' face. I was shocked! Then to make matters worse, when he spoke, it was Luis' voice coming out of his mouth!” Hank paused briefly as he remembered his first encounter with “LUIS”.

“It seems” Hank said, “that Frank was working directly for Alistair Crane.” Sheridan perked up and looked directly at Hank when she heard her father's name mentioned. “Frank used the mask once before. Back in March, Frank made a certain phone call down at the wharf. It was deliberately orchestrated so Sheridan would think it was Luis on the phone. He said things to make sure Sheridan thought Luis was using her.”

Sheridan's body tensed as she heard this. Tears began to form in her eyes. `My own Father!' she thought. `How could he do this to me?' She felt her cheeks get hot and her tears began to burn. Luis just held her close, gently rubbing her back in an effort to comfort her.

“I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this Sheridan, but this is what Frank told me” Hank said with genuine sympathy. “From what I gather, Julian was the one involved with the original set-up. Alistair blamed Julian for the two of you getting close again even after Frank said those things about Sheridan. His plan this time was to have Frank hurt Sheridan so badly, that she would NEVER speak to Luis again. I`m not sure what his plans were for Luis, but I do know he was planning on taking care of him somehow.”

“How could a father do this to his own daughter?” Sheridan asked in despair. Sheridan then laughed wickedly. “He claims he loves me. He claims he only wants what's best for me. He wants me to be happy. He calls hiring an impersonator to pretend he's Luis and saying he's using me for my own good making me happy?” Sheridan was becoming quite angry and her tone was getting louder.

“Luis,” Sheridan said looking deep into his eyes, “After the last few days we've spent together, there is nothing anyone could say to change my mind about you. But I have to tell you, it was the hardest thing I've ever done, standing there tonight listening to that man say the things he did.” Sheridan was choked up and the tears were falling freely down her cheeks. Luis gently stroked her cheeks wiping away the tears.

“Even though in my heart, I knew you couldn't possibly say those things about me, it was still your face and voice. I kept telling myself this isn't Luis. He wouldn't do this to me. He promised. That's why I chose to confront you, I mean him, this time. I never did get anything out of him, because almost as soon as he was off the phone Roger, Pierre and Antoine came in.”

“Luis” Sheridan said after a moment of thoughtful consideration, “I can't go back there. I won't go back to that house. To that family.” Sheridan gently rested her head back on Luis' shoulder.

“Sheridan” Sam asked gently, “I know this is hard for you right now, but if you just answer a few questions for me now, I can let you and Luis go for the night. I will still need you to come down to the station sometime tomorrow and give your statement, but at least you'll be out of here.”

“I'm sure. Pierre is the one that held me down when they shot Luis, er I mean the impostor,” she said. Sheridan was getting weary of all the questions and Sam decided she'd had enough for one night.

“Sheridan, that's it for tonight. Luis can bring you down to the station sometime tomorrow after you've had some rest,” Sam told her. Sheridan was very grateful for the reprieve.

Sheridan reluctantly stood up. She didn't want to leave Luis, but knew she couldn't stay there forever. Luis stood up with her and gave her a lingering kiss on the cheek. “I'll be right out Sheridan” he whispered in her ear. “I promise.”

Hank decided he was going to slip out of the room as well until Sam stopped him. “Hold on little brother” Sam said, “Not so fast. You and I still have a few things to discuss.”

“Luis, I just thought you'd like to know what happened at the hospital” Sam offered. “After I received your call I phoned the hospital and it appears that the other agent had been drugged. Probably by Antoine. The best guess at this point is he took the sleeping pills from Roger and Pierre and placed them in Jake's coffee. We won't know anything for sure until we get the toxicology reports.”

“I told you I had a bad feeling about this whole thing Sam,” Luis reminded him. “I never trusted Antoine. Now I know I was right when I thought he was trying to push Sheridan over the balcony in Paris.”

“Luis, I'll never doubt your gut instincts again. So far in this case they have been right on the money every time” Sam agreed. “I have a feeling you will be wearing that detective badge before too long buddy!” Sam said cheerfully.

“Thanks Sam” Luis said. “Right now my main concern is Sheridan. Not only did she think I betrayed her again, but she also thought she saw me killed. Add to that, she found out her father is responsible for all of it and that's an awful lot for a person to go through in one day.”

“Luis look” Hank was having deep feelings of regret and was unsure what to say to Luis. “I know what I did was wrong. I did it out of anger and jealousy. I didn't think the whole thing out ahead of time” he lied. Hank had thought the whole situation out ahead of time, but wasn't going to admit it to Luis. Hank had somewhat come to his senses and did regret his decision. “I had no idea Alistair Crane was involved in this mess. If I did, I never would have agreed to it.”

“Hank” Luis said angrily, “had the situation been reversed, I never would have agreed to it and YOU know it. I know we've had our petty differences and competitions before involving women. I also know that you don't always play by the rules. I've learned to live with that. But THIS? Hank, I don't know if I will ever be able to forget this.”

“Sam, I don't expect you to understand” Hank said defensively. “You've always been the righteous one, Brother! Always walking the straight and narrow! You have the perfect job, the perfect family! You have no idea what it's like to want a woman and lose her to another man. Grace was your first real love and she married you! You don't know what it's like to have your heart broken.”

Sam smiled. “That's what I thought. Hank, Luis IS in love with Sheridan and Sheridan IS in love with Luis. Those two have a love that is very rare. With all the obstacles they have encountered, all the trickery and backstabbing, they have managed to come through it more in love with each other than ever. I'm very sorry to say that my brother was part of the team that deems it necessary to keep them apart.”

“Oh, one more thing Hank” Sam said slyly, “don't ever think I have no idea what it's like to lose a woman to another man. I know only too well the pain involved in losing someone you are desperately in love with. But you see brother, then someone else comes along in your life, like Grace did in my life and helps take away the pain. So don't tell me I don't know what it's like.”

Sam paused for a moment. He watched the shocked look on Hank's face and immediately regretted telling him. “That's it for now Hank” Sam said changing the subject. “Don't EVEN think about leaving town.”

Sam stared after Hank until he was out of sight. He heaved a deep sigh wondering why his brother harbored so much anger and suspicious of his real involvement in the whole deal. *********************************

Tina motioned for Sheridan to move in closer so she could say something to her. Sheridan leaned in and Tina whispered, “When you're feeling up to it, you can tell me all about your evening with Luis. I mean before all this happened. I hope everything went well?”

Pilar turned to see them standing there and gave them a look of disapproval and relief at the same time. “Where on earth have you two been?” she asked inquisitively. There was faint suspicion in her glare.

“Dios mio!” Pilar exclaimed. “Actually Mama, they did kill me. At least they thought it was me, which brings on the next part of our night. We finally found out why Sheridan thought she heard me at the wharf that night. Alistair Crane hired an impostor to make Sheridan believe I was using her. He wanted to keep us apart and it worked for awhile. Tonight the impostor struck again. He was unfortunate however, because the French drug dealers struck at the same time.”

“It's really a long story and we're both exhausted Mama” Luis said wearily, “but basically the French Cop that was assigned to guard the two drug dealers was dirty. He helped them escape. At the same time, Alistair was having Sheridan watched and sent the impostor to make another appearance. He wanted Sheridan to believe I was still using her. I guess he figured if she heard him again, this time I'd never be able to convince her it wasn't me. I have no idea how Roger and Pierre found us. That's still a mystery, unless it was just a strange coincidence.”

“It was Pilar” Sheridan agreed. I was in a state of shock at first when I heard him saying the things he did. After Luis and I had just m... I mean it was incomprehensible to me that Luis would say those things after everything.” Sheridan gazed at Luis with a combination of love and sadness. Her cheeks slightly flushed, as she almost spilled everything to Pilar.

Now Sheridan did blush. “I'd rather not go into it right now, Luis” Sheridan said with a pleading look. “I'm absolutely exhausted and I don't want that to be the last thing I think about before going to sleep.”

“Well, you two will be able to sleep well today. No one will be home until late tonight” Pilar told them. “I'll leave something for you in the refrigerator, so you'll have it when you wake up.”

Luis walked into his room to find Sheridan sitting on a chair in the corner deep in thought. She didn't even hear him as he entered the room. He quietly walked over to the chair and crouched down in front of her.

Luis took Sheridan's hands in his own and gently squeezed. She looked at him. Her eyes expressing great sadness. He looked back with his big brown eyes and an encouraging smile. “Hey you” he said gently.

The sound of Luis' voice, the look in his eyes and the warm smile on his face gave Sheridan a sense of comfort and peace she'd never known. A tear fell onto her cheek. “Oh Luis” she whispered in a heartrending tone.

“Hey!” Luis said in a very passive voice. “It's ok, Sheridan. Everything is going to be just fine. I promise I won't let anyone hurt you like this again.” Luis gently gathered her up in his arms. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, never wanting to let go. Sheridan felt safe and protected.

“Luis” she whispered as she became lost in the feeling of his muscular embrace, “I really don't deserve you. You have done nothing but prove over and over again what a wonderful man you truly are and I... For a few minutes there, back in the cabin... I thought it was you. I didn't want to believe it, but it was so real and surreal at the same time.” Tears were now flowing down her cheeks. “I wouldn't blame you if you never wanted anything to do with me again.”

Luis smiled as he lightly caressed her back. “Sheridan, from what I understand, that impostor was good enough to fool my own mother. I can't blame you at all for thinking that was me for awhile. I saw his face. It was eerie! The only thing that's important here. is that you questioned it. You decided to confront him this time.” Luis took Sheridan's chin in his hand and gently raised it so her eyes met his. “Sheridan, you knew in your heart it wasn't me, didn't you?”

Sheridan gazed into Luis' eyes. She felt a sudden warmth overtake her body as his eyes remained fixed on her own, showing nothing but love. “Luis, I knew in my heart that the man I made love to last night, was not the man who said those hurtful remarks. But this man, with your face and your voice, knew we had just made love.” Sheridan was beginning to sob as she relayed to Luis what she heard the impostor say.

“He said he almost felt sorry for me, that I wasn't really like the rest of my family and that I was good in the sack too. He then started laughing, a long evil laugh.” Sheridan said her voice trailing off in sobs.

Luis was hurt beyond words as he watched the pain and sadness in Sheridan's eyes. “Oh Sheridan, I am SO SORRY you had to hear him say that” Luis said compassionately. He pulled her close to him and held her close to him.

“You're right Luis” Sheridan said as she wiped tears away from her eyes. “It will never happen again, because I am going to make sure my Father stays out of my life for good. He and Julian both. They won't get away with this, I swear they won't.” Sheridan had a look of determination on her face right now that made Luis smile. He knew that look only too well and knew when pushed into a corner Sheridan would push right back.

Sheridan laughed slightly when Luis said this. He always knew what to say to make her feel better and the thought of Luis `tucking her in' certainly made her feel better. “That's the best offer I've had all night” she grinned.

“Oh, don't you worry Luis” Sheridan said in a sultry voice. “I certainly haven't forgotten where we left off earlier. I also fully intend to pick up from there.” She grinned at him with a raised brow. “Unfortunately we aren't alone anymore, so it will have to wait for another time.”

Luis gave Sheridan a seductive look. “I have news for you Sheridan,” he said. “We will soon have the house all to ourselves for the rest of the day. Mama is going to work and Theresa and Miguel are going to school. None of them will be back until late tonight.”

Sheridan disappeared for a few minutes as she washed up and changed her clothes. She slipped into oversized nightshirt and returned to Luis room. She didn't see him immediately. She called his name, then suddenly discovered where he was. He had fallen asleep on the bed while she was gone. She smiled to herself. “It looks like I'll be the one tucking you in today Luis.”

She gently pulled the blanket up and covered him. “Sweet dreams, Luis.” She smiled and lay down next to him. Sheridan watched him for several minutes until she finally drifted off to sleep herself.

Julian Crane walked into his private sanctuary holding his head in his hands. Julian was used to his nightly decanter of brandy, but last night he'd emptied at least three decanters and was feeling the effects of it. He sat at his desk and buried his head on the desk. “What a nightmare,” he groaned softly to himself. “That's it, it was all a nightmare.” He formed a tiny smile on his face as he tried to convince himself his conversation with his Father the night before hadn't happened. Suddenly he was shocked back to reality by the loud ringing noise of his private line.

Julian jumped and groaned sharply at the sound of the phone. He nearly broke the phone as he banged the button in an effort to stop the noise. “Julian Crane here,” he snarled “and this had better be good.”

“That incompetent impostor you hired screwed up last night” Alistair reported. By now Sheridan knows everything. Try reading the morning paper Julian! It's filled with a wealth of knowledge. And this morning's paper is filled with STORIES ABOUT OUR FAMILY!! JULIAN YOU MUST PUT A STOP TO THIS NOW! DO YOU HEAR ME?”Alistair shouted.

“Yes Julian. See to it you do,” Alistair said with bitter sarcasm. “And Julian, if I were you I would expect a visit from your sister Sheridan sometime today. I imagine she's angry right now and will feel the need to blame her family. You must convince her WE had nothing to do with it.”

“Good. See that you do.” With that Alistair terminated the call. Julian hung the phone up and rolled his eyes to the back of his head. He headed out to the foyer to collect his morning newspaper and see what damage had been done to the mighty Crane Empire today. ***************************************************

“It worked perfectly,” Luis laughed. “I have Sheridan exactly where I want her. She'll do anything I ask her to do right now!” His laugh echoed in her head. The look on his face was sinister. She felt sick to her stomach and tears started trickling down her face. Sheridan was in shock as she listened to the man she loves admitting he was just using her.

Luis turned and looked at her. The demonic laugh became louder as his head shot back in his fit. “Oh Sheridan,” he said. “Why would you think I'd really love you? After all you are a Crane. Haven't you figured out by now that I hate the Cranes? They destroyed my family and they will pay! I could never love you!” He continued to laugh evilly.

“Oh, Luis!” she cried as she threw her arms around him and held him tightly. “I was dreaming about that man. The one who impersonated you.” Tears began to fall down her cheeks as she held him as tightly as possible.

“It's ok Sheridan” Luis comforted. “I'm right here and I'm never going to let you go. Do you hear me? Never, Sheridan. You're stuck with me I'm afraid!” He smiled sweetly at her and gently kissed her forehead.

“I think we should give your mind something else to think about. We need to give you pleasant thoughts right before you go to sleep so you dream about something pleasant rather than this” Luis explained.

“Well, kind of” he said. “Now first I want you to lie down and close your eyes.” Luis grinned at her with a raised brow. Sheridan smiled, unsure of his motives, but obeyed. She lay back down, not taking her gaze off of Luis.

Luis lay down next to her and wrapped his arms around her, her back against his chest. “Now close your eyes” he asked in a very deep voice. Sheridan sighed with contentment as her body became engulfed with a sense of warmth. She closed her eyes and she felt Luis hot breath on her neck.

Sheridan smiled. The only thing that even came to her mind was Luis. Despite all their ups and downs, she always felt safe with him. She began remembering the good times they had together and how much she loved spending time with him. She again let out a soft sigh of happiness.

Luis was pleased with Sheridan's expression. He knew she had thought of something to take her mind off of the terrible ordeal she'd encountered the night before. “You have someplace special in mind?” he asked in a tone that caused Sheridan to shiver.

“Well then” Luis continued as he reigned kisses from her shoulder up to her ear, “think about being with this person in a place that makes you happy. “Maybe it's a favorite city, a restaurant, a beach... It could be anywhere Sheridan. Can you picture it in your mind?”

Sheridan suddenly started fantasizing about what could have been in Paris had they only known the truth. Paris was the most romantic city in the world and she and Luis could have had so much fun together. Her mind then traveled back to the time she ran into him while jogging. She started imaging running with Luis along the beach, the two stealing glances from each other. She envisioned Luis shirtless with sweat glistening on his muscular body. Between her vision of Luis and the feel of his kisses on her neck, Sheridan was getting quite warm.

Luis was beginning to hear the same music as Sheridan. He continued sensually kissing Sheridan's neck as he began to gently tug at her earlobe She inhaled sharply as her body responded to Luis' arousing actions.

Her mind was whirling now. She was having difficulty concentrating, as the combination of Luis moist breath and tantalizing kisses was driving her mad. She regained the scene in her mind. Luis ran ahead of her and taunted her to follow him. She sped up, finally catching him in a secluded area of the beach. Sheridan lunged at him knocking him into the sand as she fell on top of her.

Sheridan gasped. Her heart was pounding. She saw herself smile at Luis. He gave her a sexy grin in return, one that melted her heart. She wanted to kiss him. She leaned in and kissed him fiercely on the mouth. She could feel the sand, as it stuck to their sodden bodies. “We're both covered in sand now” she said breathlessly.

Luis was beginning to increase the intensity of his kisses. His hand roamed Sheridan's side, coming to rest on her thigh. He gave it a gentle squeeze and slowly moved his hand upward.

Sheridan found herself becoming more and more caught up in her fantasy. Not only was she imagining a special moment with Luis, but she was living one at the same time. He too was sharing her fantasy as she was describing it to him. Her entire body felt alive in a way no one else had ever made her feel. As she imagined kissing Luis with raw passion, she felt his hand traveling up her thigh giving her even more pleasure than she could imagine. She quickly turned over to face Luis. He was too, breathless. His eyes filled with love and desire. Luis' breathing was becoming shallow. As his hands continued their travels, he discovered Sheridan was wearing nothing underneath her nightshirt. This caused a wave of pleasure to flow through Sheridan's body and Luis face showed his approval. Sheridan leaned in and kissed Luis. She kissed him with everything she had in her, which caused Luis to moan instinctively.

Sheridan quickly flipped herself on top of Luis and began to kiss his chest as she undid the buttons of his shirt. She lay succulent kisses on his muscular torso, which now caused Luis to feel his heart beat wildly. He too was caught up in the moment. He kept hearing that tango music in his head and suddenly bolted upright in bed. She was stunned as he quickly climbed out of bed and ran out of the room.

Sheridan was wondering what she had done to upset him. She didn't have much time to worry, however when Luis came running back as fast as he'd gone. He looked at her with an ever so sexy smile as he slipped a CD into his stereo. “I thought a little music might be nice” he said in a deep voice. He then climbed back into bed and pulled Sheridan on top of him, resuming the exact position they were in before he left. He raised his brow in an alluring manner.

Sheridan pulled herself up higher and this time kissed him on the mouth. She kissed him softly. Short sweet kisses. The cd player began to play and suddenly Sheridan recognized the familiar music. It was the tango music she'd been listening to all those months ago. She paused for a moment and smiled. Luis smiled back. The both returned to their kissing as they heard the tango music playing in the background.

It only took a second before they were both lost in each other. Luis deepened their kiss and Sheridan let out a soft moan. She frantically tried to unbutton the remainder of Luis' buttons while he continued massaging her thigh.

Sheridan and Luis were completely lost in their love for each other. Nothing else in the world mattered. They had each other, giving freely to the other all the love in their heart. The passion within them was unleashed and became more intense with each passing moment. As they listened to the tango music playing, they remembered the spark that started so long ago between them. That spark had now developed into a raging inferno, as Luis and Sheridan made love to each other. Somehow Sheridan had the feeling she wouldn't have nightmares after Luis inventive cure.

Hank walked into the Book Cafe and seated himself at a table. He had just gotten up, even though it was already afternoon. Beth walked up to him and noticed his appearance. “Well, did you have another late night Hank? “ Beth asked with a curious grin. “Any chance you managed to woo Sheridan away from Luis last night?” Beth was hopeful, but not stupid.

“Yes Sheridan” Hank answered, not even looking up from his coffee. “Unless Alistair Crane has another plan to keep Sheridan away from Luis, I'm afraid nothing will ever separate those two.”

Beth fought back the tears. In all the time they dated, Luis had never made love to her. She'd tried to get him to, but he kept telling her he wasn't ready for that kind of commitment. “Hank, how do you know this?” Beth asked, her voice cracking.

“OK,” Hank said, resigning himself to briefly telling Beth the story of what happened last night. His version that is. “Do you remember how Sheridan turned on Luis suddenly a few months ago?”

“Sure, I remember that” Beth said nodding her head. “I've never seen her more upset with Luis than I did right before we had the party for her at the Youth Center. I mean they used to fight all the time, but I never saw her act the way she did that night.”

“Well, that was the reason she left for Paris. She overheard Luis talking to someone on the wharf. He was telling this person he was using their spoiled princess Sheridan to get back at the Cranes for everything they'd done to his family.”

“Well Sheridan didn't think so either, Beth. That's why when she and Luis finally talked, they cleared it up. But in all fairness to Sheridan, I can see where she thought it was Luis saying those things. I saw the guy. He was the spitting image of Luis and had his voice. He even walked like him Beth!” Hank said, trying to emphasize to her the reality of the whole thing.

“No, not our Luis, the phony Luis” Hank corrected himself. “I'd better explain. Alistair Crane hired this guy Frank to impersonate Luis, so Sheridan would think Luis was using her. I'm not sure why, but he really doesn't want them together. When it turned out they patched things up he hired him again, this time saying things that would devastate Sheridan to a point she'd NEVER speak to him again.”

Beth shook her head. Granted, she wanted Luis for herself, but what her own father did to her. She was beginning to understand why Sheridan so much wanted to fit in with “normal” people and have a loving family like the Lopez-Fitzgerald's. “That's awful Hank. Is Sheridan o.k.?”

“That's not the half of it!” Hank said. “The two drug dealers that tried to kill her in Paris and followed her here? Well they escaped and found Sheridan. They were the ones who killed the phony Luis, thinking he was the real one. Sheridan didn't know about the impostor until after Luis and I captured them.”

Hank's cheeks turned red. “I'd rather not go into it now Beth” he said. “Just know that I am not going to interfere with Sheridan's love life anymore. I wish her all the luck in the world finding happiness with her father out to destroy it.”

Beth nodded her head and took a deep sigh. `Is this it?' she thought to herself. `Is it time to give up my dream of being with Luis?' She looked back at Hank and knew she'd lost. Luis would never be her man.

“Tina, I'm always looking for good officers, so if you'd consider a move I'm sure we could work something out,” Sam offered. “With what you've already done for this town, there would be no objection at all from the mayor or town council, so basically the job is yours. If you want it that is.” Sam gave her a friendly smile with a bit of a pleading look.

“Sam, I really appreciate the offer” Tina said. “This is a great little town. It also doesn't lack for excitement, I'll grant you that. This would be a big change for me, though, so I really need to think it over for awhile. Is that O.K.?”

“That's where you're wrong Tina” Luis said seriously. “It's us who need to thank you. I can't speak for the department, but I'm thanking you both professionally and personally for everything you have done. I know Sheridan feels the same way.”

Luis laughed as he remembered the reason they met Tina in the first place. She was his jailer who was an integral part in showing Luis and Sheridan they had feelings for one another. “Whatever you do, don't leave town without talking to Sheridan first,” he said. “She'd never forgive me.”

“I wouldn't dream of it!” Tina said. “I've become quite fond of her. She's a great lady, Luis. You are one lucky man, did you know that?” `And she's one lucky woman to have Luis. Talk about sex on a stick!' she thought to herself.

“No, Ethan is going in with her. She called him this morning and told him everything. We thought it best not adding fuel to the fire by having me there” Luis admitted. “They won't touch her with Ethan there. He was pretty upset when he heard what happened.”

“A threat to what? What are they afraid of Sam? Julian keeps telling us he has nothing to hide? If that's true, then why go to such lengths to keep us apart?” Luis asked curiously.

“Don't worry Sam,” Luis assured him, “I have no intention of letting my guard down. I also plan on getting the answers I wanted on my father's disappearance as soon as the dust settles.”

Sheridan and Ethan walked into Julian's study and stood before his desk. Julian was sitting behind his desk looking at papers when he noticed them enter. Sheridan and Ethan were stone-faced when Julian greeted them.

Ethan placed his hands on Sheridan's shoulders for moral support. He glanced at his father in a most disapproving way. Sheridan's blue eyes were ice cold right now. She looked at Julian with sheer contempt. “Get Father on the phone now, Julian” Sheridan said in a very quiet but authoritative voice.”

Sheridan said nothing. She just stood there glaring at Julian. Julian picked up the phone and dialed. Alistair answered the phone. “Yes Julian” Alistair said wearily. “What is it this time?”

“I just wanted to let you BOTH know, I know what you've been up to. I know all about the impersonator you hired to make me think Luis was using me,” Sheridan spat out in anger.

“I'm not here to listen to more of your lies or any excuses. I'm here to tell you to STAY OUT OF MY LIFE!” she shouted. “I can't believe that my own father and brother could hate me so much they would destroy my one true chance for happiness. I finally found the ONE MAN who loves me for me and not the Crane name or power.”

“Shut up, Julian!” Sheridan bellowed. “I'm not listening to lies anymore. I could never understand how you were SO sure Luis was using me. I can't believe I was so blind not to see your involvement before last night! I wanted so badly to believe my family could not be so callous with other people's feelings! I wanted to believe that despite your shortcomings you at least cared about the happiness of your own family. Now I know I was wrong.”

“Sheridan, honestly dear, I have no idea what you're talking about” Alistair said in a hypnotic voice. “We would never hurt a member of our own family. We only want what's best for you.”

“The hell you do!” Sheridan shot back. She knew what her father was trying to do and it wouldn't work this time. “You and Julian hate Luis. You've made your feelings quite clear on that. You tried to forbid me from seeing him, then you tried to bribe him, and then you tried to plant doubts in my head. None of it worked until you concocted this hideous scheme.”

“There's more to your hatred of him than the fact he's the housekeeper's son, or that he's half Hispanic. You're afraid I'm going to tell him some family secret aren't you? Well let me give you a little clue, unless you've been lying to me all these years, I don't know any secrets that would be worth mentioning. The only thing Luis has ever wanted from either of you is information on his father. If what you say about Martin Fitzgerald is true, then you have nothing to worry about.”

“Sheridan dear” Alistair said in the same easy voice. “Our dislike of Luis has nothing to do with that. He's just not your type. He's all wrong for you dear. You've always been such a poor judge of men, Sheridan.”

Julian couldn't help himself. He flew into a fit of laughter. “Oh my Sheridan, he does have you under his spell doesn't he? You're depicting Officer Low Life Fitzgerald as some sort of Saint! I must look for his halo the next time I see him!” Julian barely got the last line out when he returned to his fit of laughter.

This outburst by Ethan caused Julian to laugh harder. “Tell me Sheridan” Julian managed between laughs. “Where does LU-IS put his wings when he's dressed as Harmony's finest? Are they detachable? And I bet he sleeps in a feathered bed too!” Julian was now holding his gut because it hurt from laughing.

Sheridan's face was crimson. She was furious. Beyond furious. “Let me tell you something Julian” Sheridan said in a very quiet voice, “You can have all the fun you want at Luis' expense. But from now on when you insult him, you insult me. I love him Julian and he loves me. I mean he REALLY loves me. I'm not a possession to him or a showpiece. He cares about me, which is something that no one in this family ever has, with the exception of Ethan. I came here today to say good-bye. I will no longer live under the same roof with people who can be so cruel.”

“Sheridan, dear” Alistair said in his sweet voice,” Pay no attention to that buffoon brother of yours. He didn't really mean what he said. He also doesn't speak for the rest of the family.”

“Save it Father!” Sheridan sneered. “I've listened to enough excuses and insults for one night. Good-bye Father. Good-bye Julian.” Sheridan turned on her heels and proudly walked out of the study with Ethan in tow.

“This problem is much worse than I feared, Julian. I have a big decision to make that will take me sometime to think about. I must weigh the odds very carefully or the Crane Empire could be destroyed for good” Alistair said.

“That's exactly what I mean, Julian. If I choose to implement my plan, Sheridan will have no choice but to break things off with Luis. So just leave her alone for the time being. Let her get comfortable in her new found independence. It won't last long once I've made my decision.”

“Of course I do Julian” Alistair said. “I'll be in touch.” With that the phone call was terminated and Julian reached for his decanter of brandy. ****************************************************************

Sheridan walked into the police station in search of Luis. She was feeling funny. She couldn't quite describe how she felt. She'd just told her family she wanted nothing more to do with them and it scared her. She also felt elated to be free of the tyranny of Alistair Crane and her brother. They didn't give one hoot about her happiness, all they cared about was the Crane name. Money, power, position, contacts, were the only things that mattered to the Crane men. `How could Ethan be so unlike any other Crane man? Ivy must be the influence,` she thought.

Sheridan blushed. “Well don't think for a minute I haven't enjoyed it as well.” She matched his look and threw in a wink. “But if I get my own place to live, you can come over anytime you want and stay for as long as you want” she suggested. “There won't be anyone there to interrupt us either!”

“Of course I want!” she laughed. “From now on, as far as I'm concerned, you are part of my life. I want your input in decisions. Especially when they effect both of us. And I definitely hope where I live will affect both of us.”

“Let's see. If you find a place to live tonight, then I'll make it worth your while. If you don't find one, then you'll have to make it worth my while, which will be more interesting since Mama, Theresa and Miguel will be home.” Luis flashed his sexiest smile and his eyes were dancing.

Sheridan grinned from ear to ear. She about melted watching him look at her that way. She loved his smile, but the idea that he wanted her as much as she wanted him was still overwhelming. “Sounds like a win win situation to me” she said. “I'm not sure if I want to win or lose this dare!”

“Oh, I'll be counting the minutes, beautiful” Luis responded. His eyes surveyed her body in a deliberate fashion. Sheridan felt the heat from his stare as she left the police station to make some arrangements.

Exactly one hour later Luis walked into the Book Cafe to meet Sheridan. She was sitting there sipping a cup of tea, which actually surprised Luis. He expected she'd be late as she was trying to do the impossible. He grinned as he walked up to her and put his hands over her eyes. He leaned down and laid sensual kisses on her neck. “Any guesses?” he asked playfully.

“Only one” she answered softly. “I think it's the sexiest guy in Harmony.” Sheridan reveled in the feel of his touch and the scent of his cologne, which always had a stimulating effect on her.

Luis grinned as he moved to sit down with her. Chad who had been asked to deliver it as soon as Luis arrived promptly greeted him with a cup of coffee. “That's what I call service!” Luis said.

Sheridan caught her breath. She could hardly stand the anticipation of what tonight would bring. She blushed slightly before answering his question. “Tell me the truth Luis, before I answer your question,” Sheridan asked. “Which would you prefer?”

Luis chuckled. The thought of sneaking around in his own house to be with Sheridan excited him, but also made him feel terribly guilty. He knew if his mother caught them, it would hurt her terribly and he didn't want to hurt her. “The truth?” he said.

“The truth is, if we were caught at my house I would hate to hurt my mother. She's not stupid Sheridan. She knows how we feel about each other, but I'm not sure I could flaunt it in her face” Luis stated.

Sheridan smiled warmly at him. She loved this man more each passing minute. He always respected the wishes of others and did whatever possible to avoid hurting people he loved, putting aside his own wants and needs. “You amaze me Luis. That's one of the reasons I love you so much. And for that you will be rewarded.”

“Let's just say that I couldn't find an apartment on this short notice, so you win the dare. But I have booked a suite at the Harmony hotel for the next month, so I have a place to stay while I'm looking for a place of my own. Hey, I lived in a suite in Paris for years. This should be no different. So tonight, I will make it worth your while and we won't have to hurt Pilar in the process.” Sheridan waited for Luis' response.

“I'd like that very much” Sheridan admitted shyly. Sheridan longed to do things that other people did all the time. The only time she could remember having a normal casual date was the night Luis had taken her to the Pool Hall. For some reason when she dated, men always wanted to take her to the finest restaurants trying to impress her. All she ever wanted were the simple pleasures in life. The kind a fat pocketbook couldn't buy. Luis always managed to give her these simple pleasures.

At the Lopez-Fitzgerald house, Sheridan decided to change into something more appropriate for `moving.' She put on a pair of jeans and a pink oxford shirt. Luis gave her an approving whistle when she emerged in her new attire. “It amazes me how you can make a pair of jeans and a shirt look so sexy, Sheridan” Luis said as he checked her out.

The two of them were just staring, admiring each other's physique. They weren't getting much accomplished at this point. “I'm all packed” Sheridan finally said, still unable to take her eyes off Luis.

“Great” she said quietly. “The sooner the better. I'm beginning to get a little hungry.” She was now staring directly into Luis' eyes. She felt as if she could see right into his soul.

Luis finally took a deep breath and picked up the telephone and ordered a pizza. Sheridan finally managed to come out of her near trance when he made his call. She began taking her packages downstairs. She'd barely made it to the bottom step when Luis was on top of her removing her load from her. “I'll do that for you Sheridan” he said.

“I'm sure I can think of something” Luis said seductively as he walked over to her. Sheridan's heart began to beat rapidly as Luis closed the distance between them. He now stood right in front of her. His face only inched from hers. She could feel his breath on her face and she felt her knees go weak. Sheridan managed a smile and slipped her arms around his neck. Luis pulled her close and inched his face closer to hers until their lips barely touched. He pulled back and once again looked deep into her eyes. He did the same thing again, this time the kiss lingered for a few more seconds.

Sheridan was quickly losing her breath. His gentle sweet kisses, his penetrating looks, the feel of his hot breath on her skin were stirring her every emotion. Luis finally leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. He parted their mouths deepening their kiss, sending an electric charge through Sheridan`s body.

Luis delighted in the exploration of Sheridan's mouth. He was lost in the wonderful sensation he was feeling and suddenly pulled back. He was catching his breath as he kissed Sheridan gently on the forehead. “We'd better not get too carried away, Sheridan” he said. “We'll never make it out of this kitchen if we don't stop now.”

“Seriously Luis I understand” she agreed. “I've spent so many months hiding my true feelings from you and myself for that matter.” Sheridan gave him a quick, but full kiss on the mouth. “Now all I want to do is show you how I feel” she said smiling seductively.

“You and I have so much in common Sheridan. I feel exactly the same way” Luis admitted with an affectionate grin. He then kissed her passionately for a brief minute. “Now, let's go eat!”

Sheridan thanked the doorman and handed him a generous tip as she closed the door behind him. Luis placed the pizza on the table and looked at Sheridan. Suddenly they were both nervous and neither knew exactly why. “Ready to eat?” Luis asked with a quick laugh.

“It sure is” Luis grinned. “You seemed to like it that night, so I thought you might like it again. Tonight seemed to be a good choice. Besides, we needed something to wash the pizza down with, didn't we?”

“Certainly” he grinned. Luis poured them each a glass of wine, while Sheridan served them each a slice of pizza. As they ate their dinner, Luis kept looking at Sheridan with a devilish grin. Sheridan would giggle at his looks, but every time she looked into his eyes, her body would tingle. As Sheridan was eating her pizza and sipping her wine, a thought struck her and she started laughing out loud.

“O.K. Luis” Sheridan said, once she'd composed herself. “Remember I said it was a crazy idea and I wouldn't even expect you to try it. A few minutes ago, when you kept looking at me the way you were, I kept thinking how much I wanted to kiss you, right then.”

“Then I started thinking about how long we'd last not being able to kiss each other if we were being seduced by each other” Sheridan finished. She was slightly embarrassed. “I told you it was silly.”

“Then you are saying I have no self-control! I bet I can handle anything you can dish out.” Luis replied with a grin. “I'll bet you couldn't last half as long as I can last.”

“Oh really?” Sheridan returned. “You think you're so `hot' no woman could resist your charm, is that it?” Sheridan was beginning to really enjoy this conversation and where it was going.

“It's been known to happen, Sheridan,” Luis told her. “Besides, you just admitted you wanted to kiss me. And you told me earlier you were having trouble keeping your hands off of me.” Luis was beginning to really get turned on by this idea.

`I don't know how I let myself get talked into this one' Luis thought to himself. `She certainly is full of surprises. This should be very interesting' Luis began shaking his head as he stared at Sheridan. Just looking at her alluring smile just then made him want to kiss her. "How about one last kiss before we get started" Luis asked.

"On second thought, I'm glad you came up with the no talking rule Luis" Sheridan said with a slight laugh. She felt her body become hot just with those few words and one look. This was not going to be an easy contest.

She suddenly had an idea pop in her head. She ran to one of her bags and grabbed something quickly hiding it from Luis' view. She then grabbed the phone. “I have to make a quick call Luis. I'll be right back.” Before he had a chance to answer, she ran into the bathroom and disappeared.

“She's up to something” Luis said in a low tone. “ I know she's gotta be up to something!” He grinned, wondering what was going to happen next. Before he could think too much, Sheridan emerged from the bathroom, with the phone in her hand. She smiled innocently at Luis.

“How about a little music Luis?” she said. “Before we start?” Sheridan walked over to the stereo and fiddled with the radio until she found the station she was looking for. “Perfect,” she muttered to herself. She then walked over to the lights and dimmed them considerably, making the mood very romantic, thus making this contest more of a challenge.

“When!” he said grinning back. The contest had started. Sheridan and Luis just smiled at each other for a long moment. Sheridan slowly walked up to Luis and stood right in front of him. His face inches from her own. Their eyes locked, their lips smiling. Sheridan put her arms around Luis' neck and pulled him into a slow dance.

Sheridan was already having a very difficult time and the contest had been going for less than a minute. She was in the arms of the man she loved, dancing as close as possible for two people to dance and unable to kiss him. Why did she make that deal! She raised one hand and gently traced the outline of his jaw.

Luis inhaled sharply as Sheridan slowly caressed his face. She was so close, her touch so gentle, her skin so soft. As he inhaled, the scent of her perfume wafting through the air caused him to gasp slightly. He stared at her, her face glowing in the dimly lit room. `I may lose this contest' he thought to himself.

Luis knew he couldn't kiss her, but that didn't mean he couldn't touch her. He too reached out and began caressing Sheridan's cheek. Sheridan closed her eyes as she felt his hand on her face. He sent chills down her spine and she felt her heart begin to beat rapidly. Luis was beginning to breathe shallowly, as he let his hand leave her face and begin to stroke her slender neck. It was now Sheridan's turn to gasp. She felt her body come alive at Luis' touch. She slowly opened her eyes to find Luis staring down at her with such love it made her heart melt. She also saw mischief in his eyes, which caused her to grin.

Sheridan at this point really didn't care if she won the contest or not. She was in the arms of the man she loved. No one in her life had ever caused her to experience the myriad of emotions that Luis did and she was reveling in it. She did want to hold out for a few more minutes though, until she could pull off her surprise.

Luis was really beginning to feel the effects of the dance. He kept staring at Sheridan's lips. He could feel himself kissing her in his mind, reminding him of how soft and sweet her lips were. Again he watched her mouth, slightly parted, inviting. He had to get his mind off her mouth. He grinned sinfully as his mind took him to a different place. Luis let his hand slowly roam down her neck until it reached her shoulder. He gently squeezed her shoulder a few times as he let it fall further down her body. His hand was now moving slowly towards her breast.

Sheridan knew exactly what he was going to do and she felt the heat within her escalate in anticipation. Her breathing quickened as she felt his hand methodically move its way down her chest. When he reached her breast, she let a soft moan escape her lips. She took a deep breath as she felt Luis begin to massage her. If he kept this up, she'd never make it long enough to pull off her little surprise. She needed to even up the score a little. `Just a few more minutes'she thought.

It was now Sheridan who began to let her hands travel. She removed her hand from his face and returned the favor. She placed her hand on his chest and began to lightly rub. She felt Luis' heart beating rapidly, but wanted more of a reaction than that. She could hear his words echoing in her head, `you can untuck, but not undress'. She looked up at Luis and gave him a wicked smile. She then reached for his beltline and slowly ran her fingers around his waist. Luis grinned with pleasure as Sheridan began pulling his shirt out of his pants. Once his shirt was un tucked, she slipped both hands under his shirt and began massaging his muscular physique. She was actually glad she couldn't see his upper body, as this would only cause her to want to kiss him that much more.

Luis just stared at Sheridan. His eyes ablaze as he felt a surge of energy flow through his body. Sheridan looked up to see the intense fire burning in his eyes and knew neither of them would be able to last much longer. She had the feeling Luis was about to lose the bet when she heard a familiar song play on the radio. She smiled at him and placed her fingers up close to his mouth, holding him back for a moment. She then held her hand up in a manner that said stop and slowly walked over to the bathroom. She silently conveyed to him that she would be back in a moment as she closed the door.

Luis shook his head and caught his breath. This was the hardest contest he'd ever allowed himself to enter and he vowed he'd never torture himself like this again. Just the idea of not being able to kiss her made him want to even more, never mind having her mouth within inches of his own and her hands caressing his body. One thing he knew for sure, when this contest was concluded, both the winner and loser would have a night they'd never forget.

As he thought about what pleasures lay ahead of him for the rest of the night he suddenly heard the song that was playing finish. The DJ came on and started talking to all the lovers out there tonight.

“I have a very interesting request here for a Tom Jones classic” the DJ announced in good humor. “It seems as though someone has something special in mind for the love of her life, so here is Leave Your Hat On. This special request goes out to Luis from Sheridan! Good luck Sheridan and have fun Luis!”

Sheridan suddenly appeared from the bathroom wearing a very sexy and very tiny red satin negligee. She contoured her body in a very pleasing fashion as she held onto the doorframe for a moment. She stared straight into Luis' eyes, burning a hole through to his very essence.

Sheridan began walking toward Luis in a very slow, very deliberate manner. Her eyes never left his. Luis was still in a state of shock, but was enjoying what he was seeing thoroughly. He knew immediately that the minute her dance was over, so was the contest.

Sheridan finally reached Luis and placed one hand on his chest and caressed him, as she slowly and seductively circled his body. Their eyes barely lost contact as Luis kept turning around following her every move. He could feel his heart pounding with excitement as his eyes surveyed Sheridan's scantily clad body. His breathing was becoming labored. He placed his hands on her bare arms. He slowly let his fingers gently run from her wrists up to her shoulders, leaving goose bumps in their wake. He made his way up each side of her neck, until her face was engulfed in his gentle hold. Sheridan smiled at him, all the love in her heart now showing in her glowing face.

Luis softly caressed her cheeks with his thumbs as he smiled back. His smile was genuine, filled with passion, love and desire. He ever so slowly pulled her closer to him. Their bodies practically one, their mouths, only mere inches apart. Sheridan could feel Luis' warm breath on her face, which sent shivers through her entire body. She knew he was going to kiss her. She longed for that kiss; she wanted and needed him to kiss her.

She finally couldn't take it anymore. Luis as well, had had enough. At the same time, they both leaned in and kissed each other. Their mouths parted, and their kiss was wildly passionate. Neither one of them could get enough of the other. They'd tortured each other and themselves for the last hour or so and now it was time for their reward.

Sheridan had one arm wrapped around Luis neck, the other rummaging his hair frantically. Luis was massaging her back in small circles, moving his hand slowly down her thigh. Sheridan suddenly gasped as Luis hit a certain spot and she changed her attention to unbuttoning his shirt.

With his shirt now completely undone, Sheridan started to remove it from his shoulders. Luis helped her and roughly tore the shirt from his body, tossing it across the room. She ran her hands over his exposed torso. She began kissing his muscular chest, leaving a trail of sloppy wet kisses.

“Oh Sheridan” Luis moaned in a raspy voice, “Do you have any idea... (gasps) what you are doing...(gasps again) to me?” His eyes were closed as he reveled in the pleasurable sensation he was feeling.

“I hope it's the same thing you are doing to me” she responded in a deep voice between wet kisses. She kissed her way back up towards his mouth. Luis met her lips and kissed her with unrestrained fervor. He held the back of her head, causing their lips to practically meld together.

Sheridan's heart pounded wildly. “I want you too, Luis. I want you to make love to me like never before” she barely whispered. She began fumbling like mad with his belt, undoing it as quickly as possible. Luis then unzipped his pants and stepped out of them, nearly falling in his desperation to get out of them quickly. He then picked her up and carried her to the bed. He gently laid her on the bed and climbed on top of her.

They gazed at each other with complete adoration. Nothing in the world mattered to them at this point except each other. They smiled lovingly at their partner. “Since we both lost,” Luis said with a sinfully playful look, “Do you have any requests?” He raised his eyebrows in a very suggestive fashion.

They then proceeded to make love for the first of several times that night. They both knew they'd finally found that one person to share the rest of their lives with and nothing would ever come between them again.