Duty, honor, and sacrifice.</p>Dedicating my life to these elements, for family and country, </p> leaves little for myself in return.</p>It's why I indulge in a no-strings hookup with a handsome stranger</p>mere days before heading half-a-world away.</p>Except one night turns into a week-long fling, </p>creating a connection at the most inopportune time.</p>And neither of us want it to end.</p>Staying in touch is easy at first, but dwindles to</p>radio silence and distant memories as time passes.</p>I didn't expect him to reemerge in my life months later, </p>now belonging to someone else.</p>It should be enough for us both to walk away.</p>To push down this relentless, aching want.</p>But we don't...</p>We can't.</p>Because the heart always wants what it can't have.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>