It was the last place Libby Townsend expected to be during the brutal and unexpected ice storm in late March, but here she was, stuck on the island that was traditionally her happy place when everything wasn’t covered in ice and snow.

When she’d been contacted to work on a project on the island, she balked at first. Mackinac Island, Michigan, was traditionally still pretty cold in March. But when she discovered that the electrical engineer she’d be working with was her ex-fiancé, she felt a stirring inside that wouldn’t let her turn down the chance to see him.

It had been six years since Charlie Walker had left her standing humiliated at the altar after swearing to her that she was the love of his life. He left without explanation; she should hate him for that reason alone. But her heart still ached for him, and her treasonous body still longed for his touch.

Libby had managed to pick up the pieces, finished grad school, and became a licensed architect. However, she had avoided dating because opening her heart again was too risky. Losing Charlie’s love had been soul-crushing, mostly because he never gave her any reason to believe they wouldn’t be together forever. Any sane woman would have steered clear of a situation that could open those inner wounds. But if she were sane, she would have never traveled this far north, only to be stranded by an ice storm.

Looking out the window, she shivered. The wind howled, and the world outside looked surreal, with ice clinging to the trees in a crystallized glaze.

Grateful that she’d arrived a day early, Libby felt organized and prepared to hunker down. She stacked three fully charged power banks from her backpack on the kitchen counter, then checked her phone and saw that she still had nearly seventy percent battery left; there was no need to plug it in yet. She grabbed her thermos from the counter and poured herself a cup of tea. Seeing the steam rise, she breathed a happy sigh of relief. At least for now, she’d have some piping hot Constant Comment tea to help warm her up.

The shrill sound of her phone ringing startled her. A glance at the display made her hesitant to answer. It was Charlie. She let it ring three times before answering.

“Hello, this is Elizabeth Townsend,” she announced, trying to sound professional.

“It’s Elizabeth now, is it?” he asked. His voice, with its hint of an Irish accent, was still as sexy as she’d remembered. “Well, Elizabeth Townsend, it’s Charlie Walker. I’m calling to tell you not to come to the island. I’m not sure the boats are even operating now. The storm is brutal, and the power just went out.”

“Too late,” Libby answered. “I arrived yesterday afternoon. I took the last ferry from St. Ignace. They closed the Mackinaw Bridge shortly after I crossed over. So, even if I could get off the island, there is no way to drive from St. Ignace to the lower peninsula. Looks like I’m stuck here.”

She heard a heavy sigh on the other end of the phone. “Where are you staying?” he asked, annoyance dripping from his voice.

“I’m at the Village Inn over Kingston Kitchen. Where are you?” she asked, still trying to maintain an air of professionalism.

“I stayed at Danny’s last night.”

Libby felt a lump in her throat. “How are Danny and Katie?” she inquired of their once mutual friends, whom she’d lost touch with since they’d been Charlie’s friends first. They owned a house on the island, and she’d nearly reached out yesterday. Now she was glad she hadn’t.

“Aside from this storm, they are doing okay. Listen, I’m gonna head your way so you aren’t alone.”

“You should stay put, Charlie; I’m fine.”

“It’s not safe to be alone.”

“It’s not safe for you to brave this weather,” Libby responded. “I made it through the scary night with the howling winds and ice pelting the windows. I don’t need you to risk getting hurt out there when I’m perfectly okay here.”

“That was before we lost power. Libs, please don’t argue, okay? I will be there soon as I can.”

Irritation crept up her spine.  Funny how her well-being suddenly mattered to him. Where had he been on their wedding day or any of the days immediately following when her world had been shattered, and she could barely function? She didn’t need him to ride in like a knight in shining armor! She’d learned to depend on herself and didn’t need to be rescued. But there was no sense in arguing.

She sat at the little table next to the bay window and blew cautiously on her tea before taking a sip. Though it was morning, there wasn’t much light coming in the windows as the sun had failed to show its face amid the storm. So, she lit some candles and watched their reflection flicker as she thought about happier days with Charlie.

She closed her eyes and envisioned the times they had come to this island in the summertime. In her mind’s eye, his hands slid over her hips as their lips met – softly at first, and then urgently as their hunger for each other took over. The memory triggered an old, familiar feeling as her body recalled how his simple touch could make her melt. She moved her hand under the blanket and into her slacks, skirting around the skimpy material that passed for underwear. Fingers met with wet heat as she slipped them inside and reminisced about Charlie’s decadent tongue and magical oral skills.

Libby alternated flicking her little nub and rubbing tiny, sensual circles around until her breathing became ragged. She leaned back in the chair and allowed herself to fall deep into the fantasy that Charlie was there between her legs, devouring her. Soft moans escaped her lips as her hips rocked slowly in the chair. She edged herself time and again, as he used to do so well. Soon, she was panting and writhing as her back arched, and she allowed herself to let go. Her sweet release was disturbed by the trill of her phone. It rang three times before she realized Charlie was calling. Trying not to sound out of breath, she answered.

“Hello?”

“I’m downstairs, Libby. Didn’t you hear me pounding? The door to the stairs is locked. Come down and let me in; I’m freezing my ass off out here!” he bellowed.

She scrambled to her feet and left her suite to open the door at the bottom of the stairs for Charlie. He barreled past her and slammed the door behind him.

“Holy mother of God, it’s a nightmare out there!” he exclaimed as he shook the ice and snow from his outerwear. There was frost clinging to a day’s worth of growth on his face.

“Come upstairs and get warm,” Libby said, trying hard to avoid eye contact. Coming here had been a colossal mistake. But there was no turning back now. She was stuck on an island in a bitterly cold ice storm with the man who broke her heart. She hadn’t realized that being in such close proximity to him would make her feel like she couldn’t catch her breath. She tried hard to dig up all the old anger she’d felt for him when he left her, but all she could remember was the way it felt to be under him.

“I don’t have any coffee, but you’re welcome to have some of my tea,” she offered.

He paused momentarily, then said, “Sure, thanks.”

He shed his outer winter wear as Libby grabbed a cup and poured Charlie some tea from her thermos. His hand touched hers as he grabbed the mug of hot tea. Their eyes locked; it was as if they transcended time and were sitting here, madly in love, on a hot summer day, the scent of lilacs filling the air that wafted into the open windows. Libby moved her hand abruptly and looked away.

Charlie said nothing, sipping the tea slowly. He’d never cared for tea but was grateful for its warming effect.

When he first saw the memo saying he’d be meeting with an architect named Elizabeth Townsend, it hadn’t clicked that it was Libby. She’d clearly moved on, and he was glad for that, but he felt a pang of something he couldn’t put his finger on. Had he given her any other choice? Would he rather she still be pining for him? That would certainly stroke his ego. But the part of him that was a decent man was happy that she’d made a life without him.

She turned and caught him looking at her. Her blue eyes still took his breath away. But he watched as they narrowed, suspicion creeping in as her chin lifted in a defensively haughty move. It almost made him chuckle, but he didn’t have the luxury of poking the bear, so to speak. Instead, he looked thoughtfully into the cup of steaming tea and looked around the suite.

She had a cooler on the kitchen counter and a reusable grocery bag filled with non-perishable foods. Her tower of power banks made him smile. Libby was the ultimate Girl Scout when it came to being prepared. She was organized to a fault. He was suddenly thankful for her quirky need to be more than ready for any situation.

“No generator here, huh?” he asked, thinking aloud.

“There might be, but there’s no one here to turn it on.”

“At least they had candles and matches,” he commented. Then, noticing her raised eyebrows, he said, “You brought those, didn’t you?”

“Sometimes being overly prepared comes in handy,” she said, smirking. “I picked them up along with some groceries at Doud’s Market once I arrived on the island yesterday. Hungry?”

She assumed his nod meant yes, so she went to the cooler, pulled out some lunch meat and sliced cheese, and made them both sandwiches. It was as if no time had passed between them. She didn’t need to ask if he wanted mayo or mustard or if he wanted one slice of cheese or two; she’d made plenty of sandwiches for him in their time together.

He watched while she acted like it was the most natural thing in the world to make him lunch. He wasn’t sure if it warmed his heart or made him irritated.

“Why are you being so nice to me, Libby?” he blurted out unintentionally.

She didn’t bother to look up. She didn’t dare. He’d see what she was trying desperately to keep tucked away – that she was still very much in love with him. It would be humiliating if he knew and didn’t feel the same way. So, she kept her focus on the task at hand and said, “We’re two professional people who are supposed to be working together. Finding ourselves stranded together in the storm of the century doesn’t change that. I was hungry and going to eat, there is no reason not to extend that courtesy to you.”

He smiled weakly. “Well, I appreciate it.”

After lunch, Libby tossed a bag of plain M&Ms on the table. “Dessert,” she said. “Sorry, I don’t have the peanut kind. I wasn’t planning on having company.”

“Thanks, but I’m good.”

“Suit yourself.”

Libby opened the M&Ms, and they flung out everywhere. “Well, fuck! That’s a good waste of chocolate!”

Charlie knelt on the floor to help her clean up the spilled candy. When he went to rise, he caught a quick glimpse of the misery on her face. He wished he could kiss away the heartache. He imagined the expression had less to do with the candy and more with the fact that she was stuck spending time with him. Could he blame her? She had been remarkably calm and polite thus far, but the M&M debacle threatened momentarily to crack her carefully woven resolve.

Instead, he watched Libby carefully tuck her feelings away by changing the subject. “There are extra blankets in the closet if you are still chilled.”

“Thanks; I’m good right now. Do you want to look at the drawings for the project?”

“By candlelight?”

“I brought a flashlight.”

Libby shrugged. “Sure, why not. Not much else to do. Let’s use the kitchen counter; there’s more space there. We can prop the flashlight so we can see.”

“Clever thinking,” he said, flashing his winning smile.

Libby shrugged again and tried desperately not to notice that he still wore the same cologne and smelled amazing. She felt her resolve to stay aloof waning.

Charlie tried to focus on the work. But he also couldn’t help notice Libby’s perfume. It was her signature scent. The one he had created for her in Paris. He sighed inwardly and recalled how fantastic that trip had been. The cruise on the Seine and the dinner at the top of the Eiffel Tower, where he proposed to her, were etched in his mind forever. The flicker of the candles reminded him of that night, and he wished, more than anything, he could turn back time and fix things.

“This all looks good,” she said. “I can adjust the dimensions of those cabinets in the laundry room to accommodate your electrical panel.”

“Thanks,” he said, studying her face. She lit up when she spoke about work. He was happy she’d found her niche.

~~~~~

As the afternoon went on, the ice continued to rain from the sky like frosty daggers, wreaking havoc with the surrounding trees. Libby did her best to occupy her time by reading a book by candlelight. But it was hard not to be distracted by Charlie, who sat on the other end of the couch, paging through trade magazines. Thinking about him planting a trail of wet kisses along her inner thighs made her panties go damp as she shivered with desire.

“Are you cold, Libs?” he asked, concerned. “I can get you another blanket.”

“Sure,” she lied. Better for him to think she was cold than know she was hot for him.

After gently placing another blanket around her, he got up to use the bathroom. When he returned to the living room, he noticed her eyes welled up with tears. She looked at him and asked, “Why did you leave?”

“I had to take a piss,” he answered, hoping his crass response would stop the conversation in its tracks. He knew what she was asking. How could he tell her?

She rolled her eyes. “Never mind,” she said softly.

Charlie sighed. He longed to hold Libby like he’d done so many times before on this island. When they had come up during the summer after they’d gotten engaged, they had stayed in a house on the West Bluff, spending countless hours touching, tasting, and enjoying each other. They’d play all day in the sun and all night under the covers. She’d been the perfect mate sexually. He found himself semi-aroused at the thought of her sliding to the floor between his legs, engulfing his cock in her fabulous mouth, teasing him with her talented tongue, and taking him deep in her throat. Nobody gave head like his hot little redhead.

“Charlie?”

“What?” he asked as his glorious reverie was disturbed.

“I asked if you were hungry for dinner.”

“Oh,” he said, blushing. “Yes, thanks. What do we have?”

“I have some chopped Caesar salad in the cooler and a thermos of hot chicken noodle soup. It’s just Campbell’s, but I’m sure it’ll warm our bellies.”

“You really are the perfect woman, aren’t you?”

“I used to think so,” she said softly, making Charlie wince.

The soup was still remarkably hot as they sat at the little dining table, looking out the window at the raging storm. The silence was deafening, but neither knew what to say.

~~~~~

They spent the next several hours ignoring each other, both unaware they were fantasizing about having sex with each other. Eventually, Charlie set up a makeshift bed on the couch and watched Libby head to the bedroom. How he wished he could join her there!

“Goodnight, Libby. Hopefully, the storm will pass soon. Maybe by morning things will look brighter.”

Libby merely nodded. She was cold and exhausted, and her heart ached. She climbed into bed and slept fitfully.  

Charlie couldn’t sleep. How could he tell Libby that he’d made a horrible mistake and that he still loved her? He’d expected her to act shrewish all day, but she was kind and had shared her food and space with him without hesitation. How could he possibly make things up to her after hurting her so deeply? He’d been an idiot for not trusting her to believe him, and a coward for running away, leaving her to be the jilted bride. All because his supposedly deceased first wife, Carrie, turned out to be very much alive with a child she falsely insisted was his. He’d had to deal with that nightmare and didn’t want to drag Libby into that. Sadly, it had taken longer than he’d hoped to untangle the mess, be cleared of intentional insurance fraud, and secure an annulment based on Carrie’s deception. By then, he figured it was too late to make things right.

Now, he was stranded with Libby in an ice storm on an island that had once been their respite, their break from the real world — Mackinac Island, where they would ride bikes, fly kites, and make love in the middle of the day or all night long. It was magical. And he’d been the fool who fucked it all up.

Suddenly, an uprooted lilac bush crashed into the window. He checked and found the glass intact, then went to the bedroom to check on Libby. In the glow of the flickering candle, he saw that she’d thrown her covers off in her restless slumber and was shivering.

“I’m so cold,” Libby said, half-asleep.

“Move over, I’m going to share my body heat with you,” Charlie directed. It was a bad idea, but it was the only way to warm her up. Spooning her, he covered them with several blankets and whispered, “I’ve got you, Libby. I’ll keep you safe and warm.”

Despite the several layers of clothing and the many blankets, Libby still shivered.

“Take off your clothes,” Charlie instructed.

“What? No. I’m not…”

“I want to give you skin-to-skin contact to help get you warm. I promise, I have no ill intentions.”

Libby hesitated, but reluctantly undressed, tossing her clothes aside. Her perfect breasts with their perky nipples stared Charlie in the face. It took every ounce of energy for him not to take one in his hand and bring it to his mouth.

He removed his clothes as well, keeping his boxers on, and pulled the covers back over them, holding her close to his body. Her skin was so soft, her scent so intoxicating. His body responded involuntarily, and he prayed she didn’t notice.

“Jesus, Charlie! Is that your dick poking me in the butt? I thought you said you didn’t have ill intentions!”

“I promised not to act on my desires, not that they didn’t exist,” he explained, holding her tightly as she tried to wriggle out of his grasp. “Stay put. I’m not gonna fuck you, I’m just trying to keep you from freezing.”

“Fucking me would accomplish that,” she blurted out unintentionally.

“Libby, I…”

“Never mind. I know you don’t want me; it’s just hard to be this close to you and not want you to make love to me. But I can behave if you can.”

Charlie inhaled sharply. “What if I don’t want to behave? I have no right to touch you, Libby. But I…”

“You’re right, you don’t. But I need you to touch me – even if it’s only for tonight.”

After a moment’s thought, he decided he should give her what she asked for before either of them changed their minds. He slid his boxers down, allowing his erection to spring free, and nibbled playfully on her neck and shoulders, reaching around to cup her right breast.

“God, I want you,” he growled. “I’ve never stopped wanting you.”

She felt her juices flowing as he reawakened feelings in her body that she’d forgotten existed. Moaning softly, she whispered, “I never stopped wanting you, either. Please, Charlie, make love to me. I need you inside me.”

Typically, he’d have preferred a more extended foreplay, but it had been six long years since she’d been in his arms. Somehow, though she shouldn’t, she still wanted him. He wet his finger in his mouth and rubbed his saliva across the slit of her pussy, finding that move completely unnecessary. She was drenched! He teased her for a moment with the head of his prick before sliding into her from behind.

“Oh, fuck! You’re so tight and wet, Libby. You feel so good on my cock.”

“God, yes! You feel so amazing inside me,” she murmured.

As if no time had passed, their bodies remembered each other. They moved in sync in slow, deliberate strokes. It felt like heaven!

“Lie on your back, I want to see your face while I make love to you,” Charlie demanded.

Libby hesitated. It was easier not to look at him, but she rolled onto her back and felt her body ignite when he reentered her.

It was delicious torture as their eyes locked, and he stared into her soul. She’d shut down this part of herself for so long. But within minutes, Charlie brought it all back to the surface.

Pushing all thoughts of anger aside, she allowed her body to respond to his and enjoyed the decadent feeling of him moving in and out of her, his hard cock impaling her soft, wet pussy. Looking at her as if she were the only woman in the world, he grinned impishly before bending down to capture a nipple with his teeth. The result was an instantaneous orgasm, the first of many for Libby as they reconnected.

Charlie used his tongue, teeth, and fingers to help drive Libby crazy with need. He teased her pert nipples, tormented her hard little nub, and he tantalized her hot, wet pussy. Soon, she was so aroused that she was no longer begging to be made love to, she was demanding that he fuck her, good and hard. Aiming to please, he picked up the pace and drove into her like a man possessed. She came again several times while he hammered into her – her signature tells letting him know each time when she was close. He toyed with edging her but decided against it.

Suddenly, he felt his balls tighten.

“I’m gonna cum, Libby; shall I pull out?”

“No! I want to cum together! Please, cum inside me, Charlie!”

Grateful for this unexpected gift, he felt her hips buck, her back arch, and her pussy tremor as he emptied himself deep inside her.

A short while later, as he held her in the darkness, Charlie pressed his lips to her forehead. “I’m so sorry, Libby. I never meant to hurt you.”

“You left me at the altar and never contacted me again. Did it not occur to you that it would devastate me? Why did you leave without explanation? Did you fall out of love with me? Did you marry someone else?”

“I never stopped loving you, and I’m not married. I would never have touched you if I weren’t free to do so.”

“Then what happened, Charlie?”

“It’s a long, complicated story.”

She looked up at him with trepidation in her heart. “Does it have a happy ending?”

“It might – if you can forgive me.”

“Well, we’re stranded on an island, there’s a perfect storm raging outside, and we have all night to talk. Let’s find out.”