SNOWFIRES by Caroline Clemmons Page B

chest. "Damn, now you really have a reason
to hate me. I wanted this so much. Being with you is all I thought
about today. I kept picturing you naked in my arms."
    "I don't remember fighting you off." She
traced his nipple with her finger and slid the same finger along
the line of his scar. As in her dream, she followed the scar with
her mouth.
    "Do you have any idea what that does to
me?"
    She sensed his manhood swell within her.
"Mmm, I think maybe I do."
    "Princess, you've been in my dreams since the
day we met. You have no idea how much sleep you've cost me."
    She stopped the progress of her mouth to
raise her head. "Then it's a good thing we've gone to bed so early,
isn't it? Now you can catch up on your sleep."
    "I don't think so." He sought her mouth with
his. Breaking the kiss, he drew her beside him. "Since we have all
night and a few more condoms, let's slow down and let me savor
you."
    * * *
    The room lay in darkness when Holly awoke.
Her head rested on Trent's chest, her breathing matched to his.
Yesterday's roller coaster of emotions left her exhausted, but
their lovemaking brought a new contentment. Never had she been this
relaxed, this complete.
    Did Trent feel contented, trapped, or merely
sated? She wondered if he regretted the lovemaking they’d shared.
Perhaps he experienced this sort of night often, and it meant
nothing to him. How little she knew about him.
    A myriad of emotions tumbled through
her--with the absence of contrition. Unused to living for herself,
she relished this new feeling. How lovely to live for today and
forget tomorrow. Why had she waited twenty-nine years to experience
contentment?
    This once she vowed to enjoy the moment.
    This once she gave herself permission to be
spontaneous, even irresponsible.
    This once she forced her mind away from
worries about the future or the past.
    Trent stroked her back, nuzzling her hair
with his chin. "Are you lying awake because you have regrets?"
    She slid her palm along his chest. "No, just
savoring. This is a new feeling for me."
    His lips brushed her temple. "What feeling is
that?"
    "I guess it's a sort of bliss. It's as if
time stands still for us here. There's only the two of us in this
big white world and nothing else matters."
    "That will only work for a while longer,
Princess." He slid his hand along her shoulder and down her
arm.
    "Yes, then it’s back to the real world. It
sounds as if the wind is finally losing gale force." She sensed him
drifting back to sleep, yet she wanted to know more about him. That
knowledge might hold back regrets tomorrow.
    "There's still some of that wild boy in you."
She slid her hand to his chest. Her fingers traced the scar before
twirling the hair at the base of his navel.
    "Let me show you just how wild this boy can
be."
    ***
    Later, Trent lay awake. No matter how much
he’d enjoyed this night with Holly, threats of the future cast
their shadow. Panic swept over him as he thought of the stakes
riding on the meeting he’d missed today.
    Their discussion tonight of his time aboard
ship and the reason for his nickname stirred up too many memories.
The old feelings of anger and betrayal came back to him as if it
were yesterday. What a living nightmare! He sighed and ran his
fingers through Holly's silky hair and inhaled her vanilla
scent.
    Her sweet smell replaced the memory of acrid
odors of the ship's hold and the taste of blood and fear in his
mouth. Holding her helped keep at bay the demons of his recurring
nightmare. Several times at work he had caught the fragrance of
vanilla as she passed, or when she sat near him in a meeting. Her
use of the scent replaced the bitter memories its aroma once evoked
with a new and erotic association.
    He had new nightmares, dreams where he was
once again a penniless orphan with nowhere to turn, and wanted by
no one. How could he sleep with his very life's blood poured into a
stagnant company that even now might be doomed? How could he enjoy
being with this beautiful