Catherine’s future had never seemed brighter, especially after her breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes with Robert, Jaclyn and Michael at Murray’s. Jaclyn had been surprisingly amiable ... so much so that Catherine had invited her to call her by her first name. Catherine had then almost floated in to work, and had spent the day remembering Robert’s kisses the day before and wondering why he hadn’t kissed her once that morning. Of course, Jaclyn and Michael had never left them alone to give them the chance to embrace, but still ...

“Catherine? CATHERINE!”

Catherine started, realizing that William had been calling her name for some time. “I’m sorry, William. I suppose I was daydreaming ...”

“There’s something different about you, Catherine. It’s that Wood man, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean?” asked Catherine, suddenly feeling defensive.

“Oh, I don’t mean anything other than asking a question. But you’ve done your hair differently ... and we missed you yesterday ... you were with him, weren’t you? He was the one who insisted you come in Christmas Eve to deliver his grandchild.”

“Yes.”

“You spent Christmas ALONE with him?”

“No need to sound appalled, William,” Catherine said, dryly. “His daughter, son-in-law and grandson were with us, too. And he returned me to my house, chaperoned by Michael. You really do NOT need to worry about me, you know.”

“I just feel responsible ...”

Catherine felt an unreasonable loathing of the word responsible. No wonder Robert hated her talking about her responsibilities and duties! It was not pleasant being considered merely a duty or a responsibility! “You aren’t.” She tried to speak gently. “I’m a big girl now, William.”

“And a beautiful one ...”

“It’s a good thing I know you’re devoted to Marina,” Catherine said lightly. “Thank you for caring, William, but I’M FINE.”

“If you say so ...” He still sounded doubtful.

“I say so.” Catherine was firm.

Robert was there to meet her after work, and he took her to his house where Lori had been ensconced with baby MaryBeth, Jeff was hovering and Jaclyn and Michael were playing Power Rangers. They had supper and talked as they ate. Catherine thoroughly enjoyed herself, finding herself much more at ease than she had anticipated. At one point, the talk centred on music, and Jaclyn turned to Catherine and asked if SHE listened to music, and if so, what type.

Catherine smiled as she explained her preference for instrumental classical music, but also recounted the story of the first ride she had given Robert and how he had interrupted her brilliant treatise with a terse ‘I just like how she sounds’. The others laughed, and Robert loudly defended his right to say what he thought.

“We know, Dad!” Lori patted his hand. “And now we know why you bought that new classical CD!”

“And why I have a Sarah Vaughn CD in MY possession now,” Catherine confessed with a laugh. She then turned to Jaclyn, saying, “I understand you’re an artist like your mother. You know, my favourite quote is one your mother also loved, your father told me. You know, ‘Feed the body food and drink, it will survive today. Feed the soul art and music, it will live forever.’ I am not very experienced when it comes to art, but I DO love music!”

“Since I can’t do art OR music, although Mom did teach me to cook, I guess I’m just the one to help people survive on a day-to-day basis,” Lori said mournfully as she struggled to her feet when MaryBeth began crying in the other room.

“I’ll get her,” Jaclyn said quickly, and she ran out.

Lori subsided with a grin. “I just LOVE being pampered!”

Having lost the coin toss Robert had insisted upon, the three women were soon in the kitchen doing the dishes while the men and Michael tended to MaryBeth. Lori took advantage of the relative privacy to say to Catherine, “It’s all right, Catherine. Jaclyn and I talked last night. We both agree that you’re good for Dad, and we hope you won’t hold our reticence against us.”

“Yes,” Jaclyn said quietly, “It IS your life and Dad’s, not ours.”

“Yes, it is ... but our lives are intertwined with yours. I don’t want to come between you. I’m not trying to replace your mother. That is the LAST thing I want to do! Lori, Jaclyn ... when I married Tom, I meant it to be forever. I never thought of another man while he was alive. I doubt your father thought of another woman while your mother was alive. But from what I understand, your mother died a while ago. Oh, her body was here until Thanksgiving ... but SHE was gone. That night I offered your father a ride, it was because I recognized the look on his face. I KNEW he had to get away from Shelby Manor. I had felt that way so many times with Tom. There comes a point when it is impossible to spend one more moment watching the suffering of the mate you love more than anything in the world. And with the blizzard, and the taxis unable to come ... well, I couldn’t leave him there. As you know, we were stranded for the night at the cabin. He probably told you about it, but I want to tell you again. We ate supper, we played scrabble, we talked, we finally fell asleep. All that evening and far into the night, we did not touch except ONCE to shake hands. When I woke up in the morning, he had already gone to see about getting the car out of the snowbank. We had a short talk when he got back, then you and Jeff arrived, Lori. It was all completely innocent ... yet it changed my life and your father’s. Our time together showed me that life WAS still worth living. Showed both of us, I think. There are always strangers yet to be met who will become good friends. The ideal of married life is ‘love until death do us part’. Tragically, both your father and I were parted from our mates. But we were true to our vows always. And I know that I still love Tom and cherish his memory as much as your father loves your mother and cherishes HER memory. It’s just ...” Catherine stopped. Both Jaclyn and Lori had tears running down their cheeks, and Catherine’s own eyes were wet. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to preach ...”

“Do you love Dad now?” Jaclyn whispered.

“I think I do,” Catherine said softly, unsure how much she should reveal to them. Then her voice firmed up a bit. “I KNOW I do.”

“I thought so. And he loves you, too. It’s obvious in his voice and his face, isn’t it, Jac?” Lori asked.

Jaclyn nodded, unable to say anything.

“I hope so. I do hope so,” Catherine murmured fervently.

“I hope you’ll forgive us ...” Lori began, but Catherine interrupted her.

“I hope you’ll forgive ME ... and try to accept me for who I am.”

They all might have dissolved in a puddle of tears if Jeff and Robert had not invaded the kitchen with a baby demanding a feeding and Robert with an invitation to drive Catherine home if she was ready.

Saying goodbye to the sisters, Catherine whispered a ‘thank you’ into their ears as she hugged them. She shook Jeff’s hand, eying the spectacular bruise on his jaw and trying not to grin as she idly wondered what he had told Lori about it. Michael hugged her tightly and asked if she would go for pancakes with them sometime again SOON.

“I’d love to, Michael,” she responded. “They were delicious.”

Vaguely disappointed that Robert hadn’t even tried to kiss her once that evening, OR that he hadn’t seemed to see that she had taken off her wedding ring, she put on her coat and waited for him.

Once in the Suburban, however, she noticed immediately that he was going the wrong way. “Robert! I thought you were taking me home!”

“I am.”

“Must be the scenic route then. Something more to show me?”

“No. I just thought we needed to talk, and there were too many people in that house.”

She smiled. “‘That house’ is your home, and ‘those people’ are your family, Robert. They love you very much.”

“And they will love you, too, Catherine, because I’m not giving you up ... not even for them.”

He turned onto another road, and her eyes widened. “We’re going to the cabin?”

“Yup. It’s special.”

“You’re right. It is. Robert ... Jaclyn and Lori told me tonight that they were willing to ... accept me because, and I quote, ‘I’m good for you.’”

“They’re right. You’re damn good for me! MaryBeth and I didn’t raise fools. I’ll bet you a thousand dollars that they know exactly where we’re headed and what is going to happen.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew a dollar bill which he waved in her direction.

“A thousand dollars?” Catherine shook her head, smiling. “That’s only one dollar, Robert!”

“It’s just a metaphor!” He reached over, took her hand and kissed it. Suddenly the temperature in the vehicle shot up and the air all but vanished. Catherine marvelled that the simple action could affect her so much.

As they neared the cabin, Catherine suddenly saw the outline of the tractor they had used on Thanksgiving. “Robert! There’s the tractor! Is the farm near?”

“No. It burned down, just as I said. All that’s left is that tractor.”

She stared at him, and he continued to look straight ahead ... but a grin spread over his face. Catherine laughed.

He slowed down and negotiated very carefully around the ice which had catapulted them into the ditch the previous morning. “I don’t know how much snow accumulated on the lane today in the various snow squalls we had,” he announced, “so I’m leaving the Suburban up here and we can walk down the lane.”

“Fine,” she murmured.

“It’ll just take a short while to heat up, and I left a fire ready to put a match to it the minute we get in.

“Good. It’s very cold.” Catherine shivered a bit, but it wasn’t from the cold. Robert’s eyes had met hers for a brief moment, and she was burning up from that heated glance.

O o O o O o

Robert helped her out of the Suburban after parking, then swept her up in his arms and began to stride down the lane. "I told you before you needed picking up, Catherine, and this way I can keep hold of you and you won't vanish!"

“Robert, put me down before you hurt yourself!” she struggled to get out of his arms. “I’m too big for you to carry and I can walk perfectly well!”

Rather than releasing her, he hitched her higher up on his chest. “You’d better stop fighting me,” he warned her. “You’re banging against a very sensitive and highly aroused part of my body, and I am bound and determined to carry you right to a bed tonight!”

“Up the ladder?” She clung to his neck now, and chuckled at the thought.

“God forbid.”

“Robert, what if you slip?” Catherine began to wriggle again.

He gave her a quick squeeze. “Stop wriggling or I’m going to drop you. You’re not heavy, but a full-grown woman weighs a lot more than a couple of bags of groceries and I’m finding that I’m pathetically out of shape.” He was starting to breathe hard.

“Please, Robert, put ...”

“No. I’m sweeping you off your feet, Catherine, so let me sweep.”

Catherine wrapped her arms more tightly around his neck. “If you drop me, we’ll probably both break something and I will never forgive you,” she warned him laughingly.

“Oh ye of little faith!” With a last burst of energy, he got to the door and leaned against it, his breathing sounding like he had just run a marathon. “O ... open the door,” he gasped.

“And if I don’t?” she asked pertly. She saw the flare of hunger darkening his eyes, and wanted to drown in the darkness.

“We might shock any woodland animal chancing to pass by, because I plan to ravish you tonight, and if you won’t open the door, it’ll be happening right here.”

Taking in a quick, deep breath of her own, Catherine reached around him and opened the door, and they almost went tumbling into the entryway. Robert’s quick stepping saved them. “Warn a guy next time,” he groaned.

She opened the next door for him, too, and after stepping in, he lowered her to her feet before bracing his hands on his knees, sucking the much-needed oxygen into his lungs. “I can’t do it, Catherine. Not all the way to the bed!” he gasped.

Catherine hurried to the kitchen and filled a glass of water which she handed to him. “Here. Drink this.” She no longer looked angry, but rather concerned for his health.

“Yes, Doctor,” he said, and gulped the water down in four huge swallows, handing the empty glass back to her. “So much for impressing you with my physical prowess. I was trying to make a good impression. I guess giving you the impression that you weigh too much isn’t it, right?” His hand reached out and gently brushed down her cheek. “You’re beautiful ...”

Catherine grinned. “So, Robert ... is this the part where you ravish me?” She felt as if she had been waiting forever. Had it really only been two nights ago that she had sobbed in the parking lot of Shelby Manor?

Robert closed and locked the door behind them. “You’re sure you WANT to be ravished?” His own grin was wicked, but she could see faint hesitation behind the cocky façade.

She dropped her coat to the floor and tugged off her hat. “More than anything,” she declared boldly. One good thing about growing older was that it became easier to express your feelings without worrying about what others might think. When she had been dating Tom, she never would have dreamt of telling him she wanted to make love with him. Now, however, times were different, and SHE was different! She was ready to grab her happiness with both hands.

Robert’s coat landed on top of hers, then he pulled her back into his arms. He felt her mouth tremble as his lips brushed hers once, then settled firmly. Heat, passion and desire exploded between them. Fiery and intense, they burned out of control. Catherine wrapped her arms around him and melted into the flames consuming them both. This was where she belonged ... in Robert’s arms. Yesterday’s kisses she had remembered so vividly all day were tame to what she was feeling right now!

Her lips slid to his ear. “How are you at fires?”

“Fires?” Robert sounded distracted as he smoothed over her back with trembling hands.

“Are you as good at putting them out as you are at starting them?” The gentle rocking of her hips against his left him in no doubt as to which fire she was talking about.

“I haven’t even begun to build this fire yet!” he growled, and he hauled her closer still to him.

Catherine’s heart was slamming against her ribs and her breathing was shaky and rapid. If she got any hotter, she would spontaneously combust.

“Marry me, Catherine?”

Distracted by his lips and his hands, Catherine moaned his name as a plea. “Robert ...” Her fingers tightened on his shoulders.

“Soon, Catherine.” His own voice was strained. “We have to take it slow and easy!” he added. “After all, it has been a while for both of us ...”

Not wanting slow or particularly easy the first time they made love, Catherine wanted Robert as hungry for her as she was for him. Did he really think they should go slow and easy? She would never survive that! “Robert?”

“Hmm?” He nuzzled her neck and his hot breath made her shiver. Immediately he drew her closer again.

Catherine had wanted to say something profound, something special about this not being just about two lonely people finding release in each other’s arms but rather that they make love together for the first time. The words to express that, however, stuck in her throat. What if release WAS all he needed from her, as Jeff had implied yesterday? She didn’t want to believe it, but the thought was insistent, so she shakily tried to make light of what meant so very much to her. “Robert, do you have something against a bed?”

“Yeah. It’s too far away. All the way up the damn ladder. And if you think I’m gonna climb that ladder tonight ... or any other night, for that matter ...”

Catherine chuckled. “We don’t even have the fire lit.” She was actually amazed at herself for continuing to stand at the door of the cabin in Robert’s arms.

“Oh, we lit a fire all right.” Robert shifted his weight and pulled her closer, leaving her in no doubt as to which fire he meant. “Are you cold?”

“Surprisingly, not in the least. Not yet. But I WOULD like to sit down.”

“You never answered my question, Catherine.” Robert’s fingers were drawing circles on her back.

“What question was that?” she asked innocently, suddenly knowing full well what he meant and thrilling to it. It was no wonder she had forgotten with the maelstrom of sensations he was causing to wash over her!

“You know damn well what question it was!” Robert growled. His hands swept up her back then down and he cupped her bottom and lifted her once more.

Catherine squealed and wrapped her legs around him, hanging on to his neck with trembling arms as he stalked over to the couch where he deposited her with a grunt.

Putting a match to the wood already set, he made sure the flame was catching, then turned back to find her openly admiring him. With a husky chuckle, he fumbled in the pocket of his jacket before drawing something out. Carefully kneeling in front of her, he took her left hand, then stared at the ringless finger wordlessly for a long moment before looking up at her, tears in his eyes.

Swallowing back her own tears, Catherine bent forward and kissed him softly and meaningfully. “I love you now, Robert. Yes, I loved Tom, but he is gone. It’s time to move forward into the future.”

“A future with me, I hope.” He kissed her back when she nodded wordlessly, then said, “I took my wedding ring off last night, too. I said my goodbyes to MaryBeth.” He swallowed. “I didn’t think of it in the same words ... but you’re right. I’ll always love her and will never forget her, but I’m ready to be with you. MORE than ready to be with you, and to share your life for the rest of mine.” He slid a sapphire ring onto her finger. “I thought it would match your eyes,” he said gruffly. “I noticed you didn’t have an engagement ring, and if you’d rather not have one this time ... I called in a favour and made a pal who owns a jewellery store open up today so I could buy it for you. I had to guess the size ... and I must say, I’m impressed with my ... What am I saying? This is a marriage proposal, not the news section of the paper! Catherine, in spite of my family, who, as you noticed, are coming around to accepting you as part of our family ... who obviously like you already ... Damn, I’m messing this up. I haven’t done anything like this for a long, long, long time! So here it is straight. You WILL marry me, won’t you, Catherine? After all, I DO plan to compromise you tonight ...”

“Oh Robert,” she breathed, torn between laughter and tears, between looking at him and at the beautiful token of love he had given her. “You really have to ask? After what just happened?”

“I need the words, Catherine. You might have just been checking to make sure our equipment was still working,” he grinned brazenly.

“I’d say there’s not much doubt ...” She choked back her laughter and allowed him to push her back on the couch and stretch out over her. “Robert? Yes, I would be proud and happy to be your wife ... and what is this ... another check?”

“Always do test runs ...” he muttered against her lips. “After all, gotta make sure the fire is still burning in the old furnace ...”

“We can always light a thousand candles ... if the fire dies down ...” Her words died away as their bodies melded once more.

The fire in the fireplace was out and cold long before the fire of passion Catherine and Robert lit between them even began to wane.

THE END