"Are you going to help Mac take the bags to the car?" Janice asked her husband as she placed the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher.

"Yep. I'm going to give them a few more minutes to make sure that they have everything packed." Robert looked the kitchen window at the heavily falling snow and remarked, "But they really should get on their way soon. The weather will be awful for driving."

Turning on the dishwasher, Janice assumed her most nonchalant tone of voice to suggest, "Maybe you can talk them into staying a bit longer, or at least until after the storm passes." She knew that initially she'd given Mac a hard time but during the last 48 hours she and Robert had sincerely enjoyed Mac and Dara's company, and she secretly hoped the snowstorm would force them to delay their departure.

Moving behind Janice, Robert snaked his arms around his wife's waist and kissed her on the cheek. He knew that he pride would prevent her from coming straight out and saying that she didn't want Mac and Dara to leave yet so he voiced her feelings for both of them, "I would love for them to stay another day also but I think that Mac has plans for Dara that don't include having you or me in the room down the hall." Robert laughed out loud when Janice's jaw dropped upon hearing his knowing comment. "And short of an avalanche I don't think anything will make Mac and Dara stay another night. Don't worry. Port Charles isn't that far away, so let plan on visiting them there soon, O.K.?"

Hearing the guests come down the stairs, Janice and Robert quickly left the kitchen and meet Mac and Dara in the foyer. The couple had already donned their winter coats and boots and since they were traveling with only 2 small suitcases they'd brought the luggage downstairs without any assistance.

"You know," Janice said as she hugged her friend, "we did get a lot of time to talk, just the two of us. You give me a call as soon as you get back to Port Charles and we can have some time for just girl talk," and Dara agreed.

"We've really enjoyed ourselves this weekend," Mac told Robert, shaking his hand. "You're must visit Port Charles soon and let Dara and me return your wonderful hospitality." Mac then looked at Janice and throwing caution to the wind he quickly embraced her. "Goodbye Janice. It was nice finally meeting you."

"Goodbye Mac. Take care of Dara." Janice's parting words whispered to Mac were tinged with a slight warning tone. She had no doubt that Mac cared for Dara but she wasn't completely convinced Mac was the right person for her friend. She fervently wanted Mac would prove her wrong because Dara seemed genuinely happy with Mac and she hoped that it would always be that way. After a few more final hugs and waves of goodbye, Mac and Dara departed.

The drive from Buffalo to Union Springs normally would take 3 hours, but Mac slowed his driving speed considerably due to the hazardous driving weather. The conditions were almost blizzard-like and despite the best efforts of the road cleaning crews, the highways were covered with a minimum of 3 inches of snow due to the heavily falling precipitation. About 20 miles outside of Union Springs Mac steered the SUV onto a two lane road. An approaching Honda Civic driving far too fast for the road conditions spun out of control and crossed into the lane of Mac's SUV, veering directly towards the SUV. Telling Dara to brace herself, Mac maneuvered the SUV out of the Civic's path but in the process of avoiding the Civic, the SUV plowed onto the shoulder of the road and eventually skidded into a fence post. The large amount of snow on the ground actually cushioned the SUV's impact. Shaken and unnerved, Mac and Dara sustained no injuries from the accident and though the SUV's right fender and headlight were damaged, it was still drivable. They alighted from the SUV and immediately walked several yards to the Honda Civic. Mac surmised that the driver of the car, Donald Bender from North Carolina, probably had a cracked or broken rib but on the whole he was fine, considering that the Civic was totaled after it ran into a tree. They helped him to the SUV and Mac used his cellphone to contact the Union Springs police. After dropping Bender off at the local hospital and completing a police report of the accident, the couple was almost ready to continued to Mac's cabin.

"Do you have anyone you need to call Dara? There isn't a telephone at the cabin and the cellular service in the area is almost non-existent," Mac explained. When Dara replied there was no one she needed to contact, Mac used the speed-dial function on the phone to call Port Charles. Luck was with Mac in this instance; he'd hoped Felicia would not answer the phone and was rewarded when he heard Robin say hello. To his chagrin, Maxie and Georgie were not at home and Mac asked Robin to give them his love. He briefly mentioned the mishap on the road and that he planned to be back in Port Charles tomorrow night, weather permitting. It saddened Mac to hear the somewhat surly responses from Robin, who was no doubt still angry he was not spending more time with her, and Mac promised to spend as much time as he could with her before she returned to France in a few days. Noting that it was becoming dark and anxious to arrive at the cabin, Mac ended the call and proceeded to drive the last few miles to their destination for the night.

"It's a shame we're arriving after dark," Mac commented as they drove along the unlit snow covered roads. "You can't see it from here in the dark but Lake Cayuga is less than 50 yards from the road. We'll be able to see it together tomorrow morning right from the window of the cabin."

The quiet and serene atmosphere of the area was apparent, even in the dead of winter. "It is really peaceful and secluded up here," Dara noted, folding her arms and rubbing them from shoulders to elbows. "The forests and hills must be beautiful in the spring, summer, and fall. You don't come up here often, do you?"

Mac admitted, "Not nearly as often as I would like. I bought the cabin shortly after coming to Port Charles because the area reminded me of some of the more remote locations in Australia. But other than bringing Robin up here once, I've only come up here once every year or so by myself." Within a few minutes the headlight shined on a rustic cabin. "Here we are," Mac announced. Even though Dara relished being away with Mac, no one who knew her well would describe Dara as the rugged, outdoorsy type of woman and with a tiny bit of apprehension, she entered the cabin.

The cabin was quite large with virtually everything located in 1 huge open space. It primarily consisted of a fully functional kitchen, a dining area with a round cherry wood table and 4 chairs, and a living room with a caramel-colored leather couch and fireplace. The interior had a Knotty pine walls and everything was spotlessly clean, a surprise considering the fact Mac rarely occupied the cabin. About a dozen stairs lead to an open loft platform, located over the dining area, which was used as a bedroom. A queen-size bed, a 3-drawer chest, and a tall chest with doors used for storing clothes on hangars were the only pieces of furniture in the bedroom. Every piece of furniture in the cabin was of the highest quality and would last for generations. Mac beamed as he brought their luggage in and watched an awe-struck Dara walk around the cabin. Mac approached Dara from behind and wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her close to him, whispering in her ear, "It's not what you expected, is it? Do you like it?"

Dara shook her head and grinned sheepishly. "It's not at all what I expected and I love it. I really thought that we'd be roughing it out here in the woods. The cabin isn't luxurious but - how much did it cost you to furnish it?"

"During my PI days I handled a case for a fine furniture maker based in Maine. When I completed the case successfully for him, he agreed to furnish this cabin for me in lieu of paying me cash. I dare say that if I had to buy this furniture today, it would cost twenty or thirty thousand dollars."

"At least," concurred Dara. "And the cabin is so warm, even without the fireplace burning," she observed, still dressed in her down parka and boots.

"I had an acquaintance in town have someone to come in and clean up the place, deliver some food and supplies, and turn on the heat before our arrival." Turning Dara around so they were now facing each other, Mac said, "I wanted everything to be perfect. I just wanted to be here with you and for us to spend time together and not worry about anything - not work, or ex-spouses or ex-boyfriends." Placing her hand in Mac's hair, Dara gently pulled his face to hers for a smoldering kiss.

"Everything is perfect," Dara said when they broke the kiss. They quickly settled in, discarding their winter outerwear and unpacking a few items. The day had been long and tiring, due to the difficult drive and then the unexpected accident. Breakfast at the Williams' home in Buffalo was a distance memory and the couple went to the kitchen in search of nourishment. Prepared dishes of barbequed chicken, roasted potatoes, grilled salmon and shrimp, tossed green salad, fresh fruit, and pasta awaited them. Thinking of the possibility of Mac and his guest being snowed in at the cabin for more than a day, Mr. Blutner left enough food and supplies to last them at least 4 days. Mac started a fire as Dara brought the food to the table and they feasted on the excellent dinner and wine by candlelight and listening to the music on a portable radio/CD player. When Dara announced that she wanted to take a bath to relax Mac responded, "I was going to suggest the same thing for myself. Why don't you go on and start the bath water and I'll bring in our robes?"

Without any further prompting, Dara went to start the bath and within 5 minutes she had discarded her clothes and was soaking with her eyes closed in wonderfully warm bath water.

"Who needs to go to a spa to relax when you can come somewhere like this?" Dara murmured to herself. Almost on the verge of drifting asleep, Dara wondered what was taking Mac so long to join her in the bath. Upon opening her eyes she saw Mac wearing his bathrobe and standing just inside of the bathroom silently watching her. He had already hung her robe on the clothes hook located near the door. Dara's heartbeat quickened as she saw Mac's eyes grow dark with desire.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare at you. You looked so lovely and peaceful just lying there that I didn't want to disturb you."

"I was become disturbed by not having you in here with me," was Dara's saucy retort. Her taunting demeanor quickly and subtly shifted to shyness as Mac removed his robe and stepped into the bathtub. With incredible difficulty, Dara forced her eyes to focus on Mac's face as he settled himself in the water. Even though more than a month had passed since they'd become lovers, Dara sometimes found it difficult to not stare at Mac's toned, muscular body. She smiled coyly as she realized Mac had no inhibitions whatsoever at gazing openly at her body. Dara lathered a washcloth with a bar of soap and gently used it to wash Mac's chest and arms.

Mac pressed his lips together to suppress a groan. As much as he missed not making love to Dara during the last 7 days, he wanted to take his time and slowly, tenderly express his love for her tonight. Since entering the cabin he consciously restrained himself from sweeping Dara into his arms and putting an end to this love drought. Mac gasped with pleasure as Dara's hands moved lower, slowly sensuously sliding over his manhood. As Dara raised herself onto her knees and learned towards him so that she could lather his back, Mac could not take any more of the torture. Her glistening brown skin and full breasts were only inches from his face as Dara lathered his back. Tightly gripping her hips with both hands, Mac pulled Dara down until she straddled his lap and pressed his lips to hers in a searing possessive kiss.

"Dara, darling, I need you now," Mac groaned fiercely as their lips parted. "I can't wait any longer."

"I know," Dara confessed. "I want you too."

Without further delay, Mac lifted Dara and brought their bodies together in a single swift movement. Dara welcomed Mac's lips to hers as she opened her mouth and they moaned in unison, as their bodies started moving, first slowly but within minutes the movements became frantic and uncontrolled. Soon they lovers were crying out from the emotional and physical satisfaction that claimed them. For many minutes afterwards they held each other in silence, just enjoying the pleasure in being in each other's arms.

As they were drying each other Mac cupped Dara's face with his hand and murmured, "You're far too desirable. That wasn't what I had planned."

Putting on her robe and tying the belt, Dara smiled broadly and blushed, thinking that their lovemaking had just been perfect. "Maybe the unplanned events turn out better than the planned ones," she teased.

Mac gave Dara a look that could melt the snow outside and said huskily, "O.K. You tell me which is better."

With uncanny ease while his lips continually feathering kisses on Dara's face and neck, Mac pinned Dara against the bathroom wall and opened her robe. Dara moaned as Mac moved provocatively against her and pressed his groin into her hips. Still pressing her against the wall Mac slowly lowered himself to his knees, kissing and sucking her breasts and stomach on his slow, tortuous descent. Grasping the nearby doorframe for balance when Mac lifted one of her legs and rested it on his shoulder, Dara nearly delirious with passion asked in a rasped voice, "Are we going to make it out of the bathroom anytime soon?"

In lieu of a reply, Mac used his fingers to invade and caress Dara's body as he kissed her raised trembling inner thigh, causing her to cry out loud. Continuing to caress her and hoping to give her a fraction of the pleasure she had given him moments earlier, Mac looked up at Dara's face and he seductively promised, "Not for quite some time if I can help it."

~~~***~~~

Mac's slow, steady breathing and the sound of the wind blowing outside were what Dara heard as her eyes fluttered open. It was 3 a.m. according to the travel alarm clock sitting on the dresser. Dara looked over at Mac who was sleeping peacefully on his stomach with his arm draped around Dara's waist. She sighed and thought of all the things he had done this weekend to make it special for her - not canceling their trip because of Robin's surprise visit, winning over Janice, serenading her at the club Chances Are on Friday. But tonight, she was most touched when he brought champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries, and several photo albums to the bed with him earlier. The photo albums contained pictures and mementos from Mac's life before he came to Port Charles - pictures of his parents, family members, friends, and colleagues - Mac's world before he met Dara. They only made it through one album but Dara had the feeling that this was a side of Mac very few people knew, and he felt it was important to share this part of himself with her, and this gesture of his meant more to her than she could ever express.

Shifting her position slightly, Dara's movement disturbed Mac's sleep and his hand lazily stroked across Dara's lower stomach. It never ceased to amaze Dara how the slightest touch from Mac could trigger an erotic response on her body. And Dara swore she was going to check Mac's luggage for evidence of some popular blue pharmaceutical tablets, chuckling silently to herself as she replayed instances of Mac's stamina earlier in the night.

"What are you thinking?" Mac asked sleepily after he observed Dara's smile through half-closed eyes.

"I was thinking what a perfect night is has been," was her honest reply.

"It's not over yet," Mac said seductively as he nuzzled her neck and his hand began roaming Dara's curvaceous body. Dara involuntarily gasped in surprise when Mac's body moved closer to her and she realized that he was fully aroused. Giving her a devilish grin, Mac's mouth found Dara's as he gave her a thoroughly possessive kiss. Rolling on top of her, Mac took her arms and positioned them above her head, molding her fingers around the openings of the design in the bed's headboard. As he moved down her body, Mac reminded Dara in a breathy whisper, "I do believe that I suggested for you to get a lot of sleep in Buffalo..."

~~~***~~~

After a day of persuading and entreaties, Felicia finally convinced Robin make the 80-mile drive from Port Charles early Monday morning and show her the location of Mac's cabin. Mac's car accident and the awful weather were the pretexts Felicia used for going to the cabin unannounced and uninvited - that and her insincere comment, "Mac really needs me right now; I can feel it." Felicia argued the snow had gotten worse overnight and it was possible that Mac and Dara were stranded there with a damaged vehicle with no way to contact anyone. And despite the state of their marriage at the moment, she proclaimed she would always be there for Mac, just as Mac would always be there for her and the girls.

Felicia hoped that the unexpected arrival of his wife and niece would force Mac to face how unseemly his affair with Dara was and would pull Robin more to her side. And in the unlikely case that Mac still wouldn't come home, her pal Bonnie Fitzgerald would run a follow-up story of how Felicia's unselfish good deed turned disastrous when she found her husband and the ADA in the getaway bungalow. Grimacing at the thought of actually have to see Dara in the cabin, where she herself should rightly be, Felicia told herself that it would all be worth it if Mac would come home soon. With luck, she and Robin should arrive at the cabin by 11 a.m. at the latest.