“Hmmm. That’s pretty much what Brent and John were saying too.”

“Tony?”

“What?” he answered, as he pulled her back to his chest.

“Did you hate it? I mean, you didn’t seem like you did. Yet I know you didn’t used to like to be around so many people.”

“I didn’t hate it. There were times I wanted to be alone with you and Nichol, but I didn’t hate it.” He sighed. “We’ve both been alone, and I know how much you enjoy having other people around. If that’s what you want, I want it too.”

Claire smiled against his warm skin, enjoying the tickling sensation of his soft chest hair against her cheek. “I do. I’m happy to be with people and with friends. I know the Meredith thing was strange at first, but no one knows how much she helped me. I love seeing her with Jerry and the kids. The risks she took for me… well, I can never thank her enough.”

“I think you have. Just like you enjoy seeing her happy with her family, I think she feels the same way. Once in a while, I’d notice her watching you with a hopeful smile. I may have been skeptical when I first heard about her connection, but not anymore. I’m glad she and Jerry took us up on our offer and came with us.”

“I also love this,” Claire added.

“This?”

“Being alone, just the two of us, or three of us.”

“Or six, if you include Eric, Phil, and Shannon,” Tony corrected.

Claire sat up quickly, pulling the blanket dramatically around her nightgown-clad body, and mocked, “What? Eric, Phil, and Shannon are in here?”

With only the embers of the dying fire illuminating his devilish grin, Tony reached for his wife and pulled her close. Laughingly, he said, “Mrs. Rawlings, what have I said about that smart mouth of yours?”

Raining a trail of kisses from his chest toward his lips, Claire replied, “As I recall, you said you like it.”

Suddenly, her world was reversed. No longer was she above him: now, with her head on her pillow, Tony hovered mere inches above her face. The weight of his chest pressed against her suddenly sensitive breasts.

Claire’s insides tightened as she watched in amazement and wonder at the emotions swirling through her husband’s chocolate-colored eyes. The suede of exhaustion mixed with the shimmer of amusement both faded into the darkened abyss of desire. How had there ever been a time when she couldn’t read his every thought? His current thought—his current intention—was not only visible, but becoming more prominent by the moment. “Versatility?” she baited.

“Hmm, yes,” Tony cooed, as he teased the slender strap of her nightgown. “Those amazing lips can not only spew smart comments and retorts, but I believe they’re also capable of untold marvels.” Kisses to her exposed shoulder interrupted his words. “I don’t believe. I know.”

With his continued encouragement, Claire’s previous thoughts of sleep quickly morphed into a smoldering heat: one that possibly exceeded that of the one burning in the grate. As the tension within her continued to build, the seclusion of their private suite lifted any inhibitions they may have maintained during their crowded retreat. “You seem quite confident, Mr. Rawlings.”

Easing her nightgown over Claire’s head, Tony tossed it to the floor, creating a puddle of silk near their bed while his lips moved from her collarbone to her breasts. With deliberate precision and painstaking leisureliness, he moistened each nipple causing them to harden as his abrasive cheeks brushed the sensitive skin. Arching her back toward him, Claire’s playfulness turned sultry. No longer did she want to offer bold retorts. The only thing on her mind was the man skillfully teasing and caressing her exposed body. Despite the warmth of the crackling fire, goose bumps formed on her arms and legs. Each move of his mouth, inch by inch downward, over her stomach, nearing the place she needed him most, helped to build the frenzy within her.

When his advances met the only remaining obstacle, Claire lifted her hips to help him remove her panties. Tony’s deep voice pulled her from her endorphin-induced trance. “There were definite advantages to my previous rules.”

At that moment, she couldn’t have agreed more. Grinning, Claire began to ease the lace panties from her hips.

“Wait,” Tony commanded. Sitting upward on their large bed, Tony reached for Claire’s hand. “You’re so damn beautiful. I want to watch you take those off. I want to see you… all of you… as you give yourself to me.”

Blood rushed to her cheeks as she tried to hide her gaze. Tony cupped her chin and pulled her green eyes towards him. “Don’t look away. I love you. We’re finally alone. I want to see all of you, including your beautiful eyes.”

Watching the man before her, Claire smiled, accepted his hand, and stood. With the soles of her feet upon the soft satin puddle, Claire waited. It wasn’t the warmth of the fire that filled her with the confidence to do as he’d asked. No, it was the sultry heat she witnessed in his dark eyes. The fire within him wasn’t a reflection of the one burning across the room. It was the culmination of weeks surrounded by too many people, the need to connect to one another, and the desire that stems from a connection that surpasses all boundaries.

With the glowing embers inside and the reflection of snow outside illuminating their world, Tony led his wife to the rug in front of the giant fireplace, moved to the sofa, and sat before her. “Now, Mrs. Rawlings, let me see. Show me what’s mine and mine alone.”