Keely nodded. "I know."
Her calm acceptance of the fact cut him deep. "Come on. I have something I want to show you." They headed off the main path through the woods, then up into a small clearing. The clearing offered a view of the entire lake, the dense forest that surrounded it, the windswept ice and a sunset that colored the sky pink and orange and purple. A hawk circled overhead, dipping and gliding on the cold air. "We're all alone up here. This cabin is the only place on the lake."
"No neighbors?"
"Nope. I own the whole lake and the property around it. Or Kencor does. We bought it about five years ago and we were going to develop it. Condos, maybe a resort, some larger vacation homes. But then I couldn't do it."
"I can see why," Keely murmured. "I wouldn't change a thing."
They sat down on a small boulder and stared out at the lake. "Whatever happens with your father, Keely, I want you to know that I never meant any of it to hurt you."
"I know," she replied. "And I understand what you need to do. We both have pasts that we need to fix. But my father is innocent. I believe that with all my heart. And I'm going to help my family prove it."
He took her fingers and brought them up to his mouth, pressing his lips against the back of her hand. "I hope you do, Keely."
KEELY PICKED UP the bottle of burgundy and sloshed a bit more into the casserole. Though she prided herself on her cooking skills, she felt like the Iron Chef trying to put together an elegant meal from the food in Rafe's refrigerator. They had a choice of frozen pizza, canned spaghetti, chicken Hungry-Man dinners or T-bone steaks. "Real manly food," she muttered.
Luckily potatoes qualified as manly food, as did onions. She was able to make a passable beef burgundy with a bottle of wine she'd found. Whoever had stocked the cabin had also purchased a bag of romaine so she toasted bread for croutons and whipped up a Caesar's salad-without anchovy or Parmesan cheese. As for dessert, they had four different kinds of ice cream. So she'd melted down some chocolate bars for ice cream sundaes.
As she was putting the casserole back in the oven, the lights flickered and Keely waited for the electricity to come back on. It had happened four or five times that afternoon, Rafe explaining that the snow was heavy on the power lines. In truth, it frightened Keely. She felt isolated enough without indoor plumbing. She wandered into the living room and found Rafe poking at the fire.
"Dinner smells good."
"It's done. The power should be back on soon. In the meantime it'll stay warm, so we can eat whenever we want." She glanced over at Rafe. "What if the power doesn't come back on?"
Rafe straightened, wiping his hands on his jeans. "We'll just have to build a very big fire and snuggle up." He paused, then smiled weakly. "I think it might be off for good this time."
"For the rest of the night?" Keely asked.
"Maybe." He reached up to the mantel and grabbed a box of matches. "It happens pretty regularly up here. Let's hope the pipes won't freeze. The last time that happened I had a real mess." He lit the kerosene lamp on the coffee table, then brought it over to her. "Why don't you put this in the kitchen? I'll dig up some candles and find the rest of the lanterns."
"And I have to visit the powder room before it gets any colder or darker." Keely pulled on the oversize boots she'd grown used to wearing, then grabbed her jacket from a hook beside the door. The flashlight was where she'd left it after her last hike to the outhouse.
"Don't let the bears eat you," Rafe teased as she hurried out the door.
"From now on I'm going to appreciate the convenience of indoor plumbing," she muttered as she trudged up the path.
The cold wind cut through her jacket and she rushed to get back to the warmth of the cabin. When she opened the door and stepped inside, her breath caught in her throat. The dark and gloomy interior had been illuminated by candles and lanterns scattered all around the room, the light dancing against the rough walls of the cabin and creating a cozy, romantic atmosphere.
Rafe reappeared from his bedroom carrying a boom box. "We can still have music as long as the batteries last," he said.
"It's beautiful," she said.
He nodded. "I kind of like it this way. Simple. Kind of rustic. I thought we'd eat in front of the fire. And we'll have to sleep in front of the fire. Why don't you bring in dinner and I'll get things set up?"
By the time Keely brought the first course in, Rafe had tossed pillows and down comforters on the floor. He popped the bottle of champagne that had been cooling in a snowbank, then filled two wineglasses. Keely took one from his hand and raised it to her lips, but he stopped her.
"It's New Year's Eve," Rafe said. "We should have a toast."
"All right. What should we toast to?"
"To the fates that brought us together," Rafe offered.
And to the fates that would tear them apart, Keely mused. She touched her glass to his. But before she could take a sip, Rafe bent forward and caught her mouth in a long and lingering kiss. "I've always spent New Year's Eve alone," he murmured. "It just never seemed very important to celebrate. But now I kind of understand what it's all about."
"Old acquaintance and auld lang syne?" Keely asked, gazing into his eyes.
"I think it's about looking at the past, at all our mistakes and problems, and starting off with a fresh slate. It's about hope." He reached up and skimmed his fingers down her cheek.
"And do you have any New Year's resolutions?" Keely asked.
"Not that I've thought of. How about you?"
She stepped away from him, setting her glass down on the coffee table and walking over to the fire. "Well, first, I'm going to try to be less impulsive. But then that's been my New Year's resolution for most of my adult life."
"I like your impulsiveness," Rafe said. "I wouldn't change that if I were you."
"All right. Then I'm going to lose ten pounds."
Rafe shook his head and slowly walked toward her. "No, I don't think that's a good idea. You've got a great body. I like it just the way it is."
Keely sent him a grateful smile. "Well, I'm definitely going to take Spanish lessons."
Rafe didn't have a reply for that. Instead, her pulled her into his arms and kissed her once more. Keely knew that they were playing a dangerous game. They'd put their differences aside for now, but as soon as they left the isolation of the cabin, everything would bubble up around them again.
"We shouldn't do this," she murmured. "It will just make things more difficult."
"It's New Year's Eve." He smoothed his fingers along her jawline. "Let's just pretend that this is a beginning instead of an end."
Keely nodded and Rafe spanned her waist with his hands. As he kissed her, his tongue warm on her lips, she felt her knees go weak and her resolve falter. There was no way to refuse; she just didn't have it in her. From the time she'd met him, she'd been drawn to him in a way that defied logic and determination. He ruled her body, his command a simple touch.
Rafe's mouth drifted along her throat, then lower as he knelt in front of her. He lifted her sweater and pressed his mouth into her belly, then gently pulled her down to kneel in front of him. It felt like ages since they'd been intimate but it had only been last night when he'd left her shuddering with pleasure.
His hands skimmed over her body, dipping beneath her clothes, teasing her and then retreating as if he wanted to bring her along slowly. But Keely wasn't content to relinquish control this time. She wanted to prove to him how powerful she could be. She wanted to make him ache with need, then explode inside her.
She brushed his hands off her body, then pinned them behind his back. "It's my turn now," she said. "You do what I say."
Rafe smiled, ready and willing to comply. "All right," he murmured. "Seduce me, Keely."
She sat back on her heels. "Take off your clothes. I want you naked."
He stood, and as he removed his sweater, Keely watched the light from the fire dance across his muscled torso and flat belly. After tossing the sweater a
side, Rafe started on his jeans.
"Slower," Keely ordered. "Much slower."
He kicked off his socks, one at a time. "How's this?"
"Slower."
He unbuttoned his jeans and dragged the zipper down inch by inch to reveal silk boxers. His hard shaft pressed against the fabric, then sprung free as he skimmed the jeans over his hips. He was already fully aroused and Keely's fingers clenched, fighting the temptation to reach out and stroke him until he came in her hand. To be in control of his pleasure, she'd have to control her own.
When he was completely naked, she stared up at him. "Put your hands on your head," she said.
Rafe laughed. "What?"
"You heard me. Put your hands on your head. Those are the rules. If you touch me, it's over."
He grudgingly did as he was told, watching her all the time, his gaze wary. Keely pushed up on her knees then leaned into him, her mouth just inches from his arousal. When he pressed closer, she moved back, showing him another rule he'd have to follow. She was allowed to move. He wasn't.
This time, when she rocked forward, he remained still. God, he was beautiful, his narrow waist and broad chest, his muscled legs and slender hips, his thick shaft brushing the hair beneath his navel. Keely slowly drew her tongue from the base to the tip of his penis and he sucked in a sharp breath.
When she retraced her path, Rafe moaned, the sound slipping from his throat in a low rumble. His belly quivered as he held his breath, anticipating her next move. But Keely was determined to tease him into submission, to make him beg for release. She pressed her mouth to the hollow beneath his hip bone, his hard-on brushing her cheek, then traced a path to his belly and back again. And when she was certain he'd had enough, she took him into her mouth more deeply, in the ultimate caress.
She didn't linger there long. He was too close and she had so much more in store for him to let it end so quickly. Instead, she worked her way around his body, higher and higher, to the small of his back, to the soft dusting of hair on his chest, then to the nape of his neck, all the while letting her fingers brush along his arousal. He clutched his hands over his head, his eyes closed, breathing harsh, his erection unflagging.
Her bold behavior was shocking, even to herself. Keely had always felt a bit inhibited when it came to sex, but when she was with Rafe, she seemed to lose herself in the pursuit of pleasure. Nothing was out of bounds or beyond imagination, as long as it felt good. And she knew if they could spend a lifetime together, intimacy would always be an adventure.
But they didn't have a lifetime. They had this one night. One more ascent to ecstasy and that would be all.
When she came back around to face him, Rafe looked down into her eyes. "Can I touch you now?"
She shook her head and, while he watched, Keely slowly undressed in front of him. His gaze drifted over her body as she gradually revealed more and more. But he was mistaken if he thought her nakedness was an invitation to touch. Instead, her goal was to torment him further by doing to herself what his hands couldn't.
She'd always been taught it was a sin to touch herself in such a way, but there were no rules and no regrets when it came to this game they played. And the next time he remembered this night, she wanted him to grow hard with the thought of what she'd done to him. She imagined him lying in bed alone, pleasuring himself with images of her swimming in his mind.
Keely met his gaze and she went still. "You've had enough? Or do you want more?"
He cursed softly. "If you keep that up, I'm going to come without you ever touching me."
"I didn't think that was possible," she teased.
"I didn't think so either. But believe me, it is."
"Then I think you'd better lie down and relax."
Rafe sank down into the blankets and pillows he'd spread in front of the fireplace. Keely stepped over his hips then slowly lowered herself until she straddled him. He reached up to touch her, but she grabbed his hands and put them above his head. "You're doing so well," she whispered. "Don't break the rules now."
She rubbed herself up against him, his shaft nestled between her legs. He arched, the movement clearly more instinct than a deliberate attempt to break her rules. A shiver raced through her body in anticipation of the moment when he would slip inside her, when he would fill her to the hilt.
She leaned forward and braced her hands on either side of his head, then whispered into his ear. She told him everything she wanted to do to him in great detail. And when she was finished, she teased at his ear with her tongue. "Have you had enough?" she asked. "Do you give up now?"
"No," Rafe murmured.
As she rose, she hovered over him, offering him a view of her breasts, the claddagh grazing his chest. Then she slowly brushed her nipple over his lips, daring him, taunting him to take a taste. "What about now?" she asked.
"Maybe," Rafe replied in a low voice.
She shifted above him, allowing him to penetrate her just slightly, then drawing away.
"How about now?"
"Yes," Rafe said. "I give up. You win. Are you happy now?"
Keely smiled, a soft sigh slipping from her lips. She caught his shaft between her legs and slowly sank down, taking him all in, burying him deep within her warmth. "Yes," she said. She pressed her palms to his chest and tipped her head back, then slowly began to move. "Yes, I'm very happy."
Rafe reached up and twisted his fingers around the necklace, then gently tugged her closer, until her lips were just inches from his. She opened her eyes to find him staring at her, his gaze clear. "I love you, Keely."
Her breath caught in her throat. She saw the truth of his words in his eyes and a wave of emotion washed over her. "And I love you, Rafe."
THE LAST of the flames flickered out and the fire turned to glowing embers and cold ash. Curled in the curve of Rafe's body, Keely listened to the deep, even rhythm of his breathing. She was almost afraid to acknowledge the dawn that brightened the cabin windows. Today, she'd return to Boston. She'd finally confront her family and begin an entirely new phase of her life.
But, after last night, she wondered if she'd be ready to make the choice. They'd made love once, then paused long enough for dinner, before they made love again. They rang in the New Year somewhere between her second and third orgasm, then fell asleep in front of the fire, wrapped in each other's arms.
In truth, she couldn't bear to think of going back to Boston. She wanted to stay with Rafe in this cabin forever, shutting out reality. It was so easy to need him-and now to love him. She'd never wanted to fall in love. She'd done everything in her power to avoid it. But she could no more stop herself from loving Rafe than she could stop breathing. It came as naturally as the rise and fall of his chest against her back.
A rumble sounded outside and Keely watched as headlights gleamed through the windows and reflected on the rough log walls of the cabin. The plow. Now there would be nothing to keep them here. Rafe would wake and they'd be faced with the uneasy realization that it was over-that they would return to the real world and go their separate ways.
Keely had tried to think of a way to make it work. Even though her brothers knew Rafe had been the cause of Seamus's troubles, they'd never met him. And she wasn't obligated to tell them that she was sleeping with the enemy. She and Rafe could go on as they had, as lovers, sharing stolen nights now and then. And they'd make a pact never to speak of her family or their differences, putting all that aside.
But, sooner or later, they'd be forced to stop living in limbo. Seamus would either be found guilty or innocent of a crime. If he was guilty, Keely wasn't sure she could ever forgive Rafe for the part he played. And if he was found innocent, Rafe would always wonder if Seamus had somehow eluded justice. The truth, whatever it was, would always stand between them.
Keely slowly rolled over and faced him, taking in the tiny details of his face, his boyish vulnerability and masculine beauty. She smoothed a strand of hair from his forehead. "You'll be hard to forget, Rafe Kendrick," she mur
mured. She touched her lips to his and he stirred, then opened his eyes.
At first he looked at her as if he wasn't sure who she was. Then he smiled sleepily. "Is it morning?" he asked.
"Not yet."
"Then why are you awake?"
"Outhouse," Keely replied. "I'm just working up the courage to go out in the cold."
He nuzzled her neck. "First thing today I'm going to call a plumber and have a real bathroom installed. I promise."
"Go back to sleep," Keely murmured, kissing him again. "I'll be right back."
She crawled out from beneath the down comforter. The cold air hit her warm skin, sending a shiver coursing over her naked body. Her clothes were scattered over the floor and she quickly tugged them on, her teeth chattering as she moved. But even completely dressed, she was still freezing, her breath clouding in front of her face. Keely tiptoed over to the fire and tossed a pair of logs onto the embers. They sparked and sputtered and then flamed.
She glanced down at Rafe once more, then slowly backed away. It would be so easy to forget all she'd worked for and become a part of his life. But she was a Quinn and she needed to find out what that meant. She grabbed her coat from the hook and pulled it on, then slipped into the oversize boots. Wincing, she tiptoed into the kitchen and found the keys where Rafe had left them, in the cupboard.
This was the best way. She knew if they waited to say goodbye she'd lose her nerve. She'd make the easy choice. She'd choose Rafe, the man she loved, instead of the family she'd never known. And she'd never find the courage to stand up for who she really was. She was a Quinn. Everything she'd become since that moment in Ireland proved it. Keely McClain was gone and Keely Quinn had taken her place.
Clutching the car keys in her hand, she walked back into the living room. She stood behind the sofa for a long time, staring at Rafe, her gaze skimming his face and imagining his body naked beneath the comforter. There would never be another man like him and, for that, she was sad. But she couldn't regret what they'd shared. Their affair had shown her who she really was-a strong, passionate woman, a woman capable of love, a woman who took chances in life.
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