Dumas purred like a contented cat when Mari ran her hand through his hair.  As if compelled by his own craving, unruly curls tangled around her fingers, reluctant to let them go.  Now that he was rested, desire stirred inside Dumas.  The sweet smell of Mari’s skin, the softness of her body pressed against his own -- it made him want to do for her what he’d accidentally done for her other self.  That had been so good, before it became hideously tainted by his realization that he’d had sex with the wrong woman.  Surely making love to the real Mari would be even better.<br/><br/>But that had been an impulsive act, driven too strongly by his own desperate loneliness.  And it had nearly destroyed them.  Before they went that far again, they needed to talk.  They needed to find out where they stood and what they both wanted.  So Dumas settled for cupping Mari’s face in his hands, holding her gently as he kissed her lips.  “I’d like that,” he admitted, in response to her question.  “I can’t think of anyone I’d rather wake up and see.”<br/><br/>Was that true?  Dumas’s heart clenched as he thought about the name written on his back.  He’d never believed that he could feel that way about anyone again.  And now that he was starting to, guilt marred his joy.  He knew that Davy would want him to go on, to be happy -- that was what they’d promised each other.  But the conflicting emotions inside Dumas made him worry that he was betraying both his old lover and his new one.  Wearing a slightly wistful smile, Dumas traced the shape of Mari’s mouth with his thumb.  She was so different from Davy in all the obvious ways.  And yet, when he gazed into her eyes, he saw Davy’s compassion and gentleness staring back at him.<br/><br/>Another kiss temporarily banished Dumas’s melancholy.  Then he reluctantly disentangled himself from Mari and sat up, yawning widely as he stretched his arms heavenward.  “I’ll make us both something to eat,” he offered.  His cooking skills weren’t nearly as advanced as Mari’s, but he was a master when it came to grilled cheese sandwiches.  “And we can talk.  Did Ches tell you about what happened this morning?  Other than what happened between us, I mean.”