Claire could not believe what was happening. Mike Bellamy, the man who’d been her enemy for years, was doing every single delicious thing she’d ever dreamt about to her.

His dark head was bent over her nude body as he kissed and touched every inch of her with his hands and mouth. Her fists clenched on the bedspread as he knelt between her thighs and pushed her knees further apart. She felt flames reach her cheeks as he looked his fill.

“No, baby, don’t close your legs. Keep them open for me, that’s right,” his hand smoothed the soft, blonde curls that covered her and Claire bucked softly in response.

Her body knew what it wanted. Him. He lowered his head and dropped soft kisses on her inner thighs and then there.

Claire almost launched herself completely off the bed when his tongue found her most sensitive spot. He teased the tiny nub of flesh until she writhed like a mindless thing under his masterful seduction. She arched her back as white-hot lightning seemed to strike every single one of her nerve cells, but he still wouldn’t relent.

Then he was kissing her mouth. She tasted herself on his lips and, damn, if that didn’t turn her on. Then he was there, pushing himself inside of her, filling her to the brim with his manhood. Claire gripped his hips, loving the weight of him as he thrust into her.

The first time took minutes, but they had all night long. Neither of them wanted to stop. They basked in the glow of their newfound intimacy for hours. Mike wasn’t the type of guy who brought home many women.

She’d never heard of him being a player of any kind. Everyone assumed he’d been too in love with his wife to fool around. She felt insecurity rise in her, but as if he understood, he took her face in his hands and looked at her with his blazing steel colored eyes.

“I am only thinking of you Claire, I swear it,” he kissed her softly and nuzzled her cheek.

“You can’t imagine how I feel when I’m inside of you, Claire,” he whispered into her mouth.

He said other things too. Secret things that lovers told each other. Claire responded in kind. They laughed and told each other stories. She’d never imagined couples did that when they were making love.

It felt like love too. Real love. But how could she be sure? He got out of bed once to get them some cold drinks, and a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to share and Claire walked to the large window in his bedroom.

She was glad no one could see through them as they’d have been in for an eyeful for sure! Huge snowflakes still fell from the whited-out sky. The entire area looked as if a large white blanket was pulled up over it. It was beautiful.

She caught sight of herself in the mirror that hung over his dresser, and she was shocked. The tidy Claire that she was used to seeing was gone. This Claire looked worldly and well-loved.

If only that were true. She had no way of knowing whether or not this was some fluke like the storm. Did he want her for keeps or was he gonna treat her the same as always once the weather had passed and it was time to get back to their regular lives?

She worried herself with these thoughts until he returned to the room with a tray full of goodies. Her stomach rumbled, and she realized she was hungry. They sat on the rug on the side of the bed, him behind her, and they ate and laughed some more. But there was something between them that hadn’t been there before.

“What is it, baby?” He asked and licked some peanut butter from the corner of her mouth.

She leaned back and closed her eyes, loving the feel of him around her. He was strong and warm and everything she could’ve ever wanted. But he didn’t love her. Not like she loved him. The knowledge hurt.

“Nothing, I don’t want this to end.”

“Me neither,” he smiled against her cheek and hugged her tightly against him.

“I guess the snow will stop eventually though,” she said heavily.

“Yes, I guess it will. What are you saying?”

“Just that, I’ll understand if, if things go back to the way they were before when I thought you hated me.”

She felt his arms tighten around her and his breathing stop. Oh, Claire, why couldn’t you just leave well enough alone!

“Do you think this kind of thing is easy to hide or stop,” he asked against her hair.

“I don’t know, is it?”