Can was waiting for Sanem at the restaurant, he was nervous, pacing the lobby, hands running through his hair and down his face. He watched as a taxi pulled up and Sanem opened the door, she leaned over and paid the driver, smiling at him as if they were old friends. He smiled, that was Sanem always finding a way to make someone's day nicer.

She opened the door and walked in, stopping abruptly when she seen Can, her heart was pounding, hands sweaty and her breaths were coming fast. She made herself take several deep breaths and tried to calm down. She had wondered how she would feel when she saw him. She knew she would be nervous, but seeing him made her want to rush into his arms, her heart was about to burst. He looked good, a little thinner, his hair longer.

She smiled at him and he walked to her and wrapped her in his arms. She couldn't breathe, it felt right to be in his arms again. How she had missed his hugs, how he always smelled her neck and played with her hair. He held her tighter to him as if she were his lifeline.

"Sanem" he whispered "I was so afraid you would never want to see me again." "Can." she had tears in her eyes, he still had not let go of her, still holding her as close as he could. "Can, I can't breathe."

"Oh, sorry, it's just" he started to say something but stopped.

"I know Can, I know." He finally let her go and looked her over.

"You look beautiful, more beautiful than I remember."

"Thank you. You look better than I thought you would." he scrunched his eyebrows together "Leyla and Ayhan have been telling me how you were, well, they just told me things."

"I was a mess without you. I couldn't do anything, hardly worked, ate when your Anne forced food in my mouth." he laughed "Your Anne took good care of me, even though she could have told me to get lost."

"Oh, Can, she loves you like a son." Just then the hostess walked up and told them their table was ready. They followed her to the table, others in the restaurant following them with their eyes, they were a stunning couple, both beautiful people.

When they sat and the waiter took their drink order, Can took hold of her hands "I can't seem to stop touching you, I need to touch you. I hope you don't mind."

"No, I don't mind, it feels good."

They talked about what had been going on in their lives like two old friends meeting up. After they finished they dinner, they sat and talked a little longer then Can took the first step.

"Sanem, I am so sorry how I treated you at the hut. You were right to walk away, I had lost focus on the truth because I was so angry about the cream. It's funny, Polen was the one who put me in my place. But, I think it took you walking away to make me realize that the cream was not or ever would be as important as you."

"Can, this was not the first time you spoke to me this way, and I understand that I did my part in what caused you to be angry with me but you never listened just blamed. It was as if you were just looking for something so that you had an excuse to leave me."

"I can't say you are wrong, I have been this way for so long that when I really fell in love, when I knew you loved me, it was as if I couldn't believe you would love me. How could someone as sweet and kind as you love me." he stopped "Osman, asked me why I loved you and why the cream was so important to me. I told him that the cream was my first memory of you, when we kissed that night, your scent had me mesmerized, I knew you were not the person I was suppose to meet there, I had kissed a stranger and I couldn't get you off my mind. Do you remember the day at the agency when you were talking to Guilz and CeyCey about the bosses?" she nodded yes, afraid to say a word, afraid he would stop talking "When you turned and looked at me, all I could do was ask Allah to please let you be the girl I kissed. Then at my house when you tried to run away, I smelled your scent and I knew. It wasn't your scent that necessarily made me love you it was your scent that allowed me to find you. That is why it means so much to me."

Tears pooled in her eyes, he had never told her this before, now she had a better understanding of what her cream meant to him.

"Ah, Can, why didn't you tell me this before?"

He just shrugged his shoulders "I don't know." she changed the subject.

"you were so kind to me also. Remember when I wore the sign that I wasn't the other but Sanem?"

He laughed "Evet."

"I was always running into you, not watching where I was going. But, you never made me feel out of place, you were always concerned about me. You never made me feel stupid, even when I didn't know or understand something in the agency. You took care of me several times, when I hurt my knee, when I fell in the pit, when I was looking for you and I was cold."

"I already was falling in love with you, it was easy to take care of you."

"I tried so many times to tell you everything." "I know, I read your book. Thank you for sending me an advance copy. I read every word, I read it more than once. I was furious at Emre again and then furious with myself for treating you the way I did." he stopped looking her straight in the eye "I love you Sanem, no matter if we never get back together, if you can't forgive, I will understand, if you tell me you can't take a chance on loving me again, I will still love you. I will always love you."

"Why weren't you mad at me ?"

"Because I realized how innocent you were at the time, how Emre with the help of that witch made you believe that I could never forgive you. You had no reason not to believe them especially since I was so mad at Metin. Did you know that Aylin set that whole thing up? Emre told me she had switched the briefcases so that CeyCey would hand the wrong one to Metin."

Sanem had tears running down her cheeks and he reached up and wiped a few away. He kept his hand holding her face, leaning in she thought he was going to kiss but he stopped before their lips touched, the chemistry between them sending shock waves down her body.

"You told me once that everyone deserved a second chance, especially family, and maybe this is my third or fourth chance but please believe me, I am so sorry. Even if you don't want me in your life I need your forgiveness."

"Can, I already forgave you. It's just I had to make myself stronger, heal my broken heart. Your words destroyed me that night. To call me the other, I left the hut that night with nothing. You called Polen as soon as you left me and were ready to leave with her instantly." she stopped for a second to breathe "My soul was hurting, burning with love for you but not knowing if you truly loved me was killing me. You always described your love as my scent and if that were the reason you loved me, it wasn't enough for me. I need you to love me. Plus neither one of us was in a healthy place. I couldn't come back or talk to you again until I healed myself."

"I didn't call Polen that night, she just showed up. I didn't agree to leave with her, I told her so that night I couldn't leave. She knew I couldn't leave you."

He now had tears in his eyes and she cupped his face in her hand "I love you Can, I always will."

"But?"

"But, too many people interfere in our lives. How did Polen know we had a fight and to come to the hut? Huma told her, I am sure. I cannot live that way anymore." she gave him a sad smile " I am not ready to come home, not only because of you, but other factors. Huma, Polen, even Ceyda has played a part in putting distance between us. I also, now realize, that I am a strong person, I can depend on myself to make my way. I just don't think I can go back to living with my parents and not have the freedoms I have now. Plus I still need to heal a little more."

"So, what about me, us?"

"We can talk, go slow, become friends, get to know each. Can you do that? Can I have that for right now?"

"I will do anything for you Sanem. But, a long distance relationship, I don't want that."

"Can, we can't have a relationship if we don't know how to talk and listen to each other. So for right now this is all I can give you. If that is not enough, then I am not going to be, no, I can't be a part of your life."

"I can't lose you again. Will I be able to see you?"

"Evet, well, maybe, I have three more book readings, closer to Istanbul, I will invite you to meet me at to one. But, Can, you cannot come unless I invite you. I still need to feel I have some control in my life and at this point, with you, I don't have that control. We can talk or text until we see each other."

Can took a deep breath and looked up, when he looked back at Sanem he noticed a dark haired woman watching them intently, she smiled and nodded her head yes at Can, as if she was encouraging him to say yes to Sanem's offer. He looked back into the most beautiful dark eyes.

"I will do anything you need. I want, no need to have a chance to have you back in my life."

He looked once again at the dark haired lady and noticed her smile had gotten bigger. After she paid her check, she walked up to their table.

"I am sorry to disturb your dinner but I am a big fan. I was at your book reading today and you amaze me. I loved hearing you tell your story."

"Thank you"

"Sorry, my name is Mihriban." she reached her hand out to shake Sanem's hand. " I don't have my copy with me and didn't get a chance to have you sign. Would you meet me for lunch tomorrow so I can have you sign it?"

Can looked between the two ladies, he knew Sanem wouldn't say no so he would make sure he was nearby to watch over her.

"I would love to meet you for lunch, I am leaving for home tomorrow afternoon so do you mind if we meet at the restaurant in my hotel?"

Mihriban agreed and Sanem gave her the name of her hotel, they agreed to meet at Noon. Mihriban left them alone. Can had his full focus on Sanem.

"You always make sure to please others, you are selfless. That is one of the things I love about you."

"And what are some of the other things?" she laughed

"Oh, no, these are things you will learn as we get to know each other." he gave her a smile and he had a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. "So home?"

"My now home, Can, not Istanbul."

"Can I drive back to your hotel?'

"I would like that."

They stood and Can offered her his hand, she looked at him and then his hand, smiled shyly and placed her hand in his.