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Authors: Lurlene McDaniel
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death. Her discussion with Ethan at the time had brought her neither understanding nor comfort. “Did he mean he feels he’s being punished over the way he treated Eli?”
“Yes. His heart was proud at the time. He showed Eli no mercy.”
Slowly a light of understanding flickered on inside Leah’s mind. “That’s really why you came, isn’t it? You don’t just want to see Eli again because you miss him. You want to make things right between Eli and your father.”
“I want to see my brother. I want to talk to him face to face. If I can persuade him to return home, even for a visit, then perhaps he and Pa can start anew.”
Disappointment hit Leah hard. She had hoped that Ethan had come mostly becauseof what he felt for her. “Sure,” she said. “I get it now.”
Ethan rose on his knees, took her hands in his and forced her to look into his eyes. “I have many questions, Leah, inside my heart. Not only about Eli, but also about you and me.”
Had he read her mind? She returned his gaze. The light from the fire burnished his cheek, turning his skin a warm copper color. The reflections of the flames flickered in his eyes. She could drown in those eyes. “I don’t have any answers for you, Ethan.”
“We will find the answers together.” He traced a finger down the length of her face, sending shivers up her spine. She wanted to lie in his arms, but she was afraid. “I will not dishonor you, Leah,” Ethan said. He had made the same promise to her in the summer at the campout. But now the winter winds howled, and the night was dark and long. They were alone.
“That’s the problem,” Leah confessed. “I don’t much care about my honor right this minute.”
He sat down behind her and wrapped his arms around her, nestling her back againsthis chest. She fit perfectly within the curve of his body. “I love you,” he said into her ear. “And it is because I love you that I will do nothing to shame you.”
He made her feel cherished, respected. The strength of his embrace, the warmth of the fire, the softness of the pillows and blankets covering them, combined to make Leah’s eyelids grow heavy. She listened to the wail of the wind and the rhythm of Ethan’s breathing. “I guess we’re bundling,” she murmured. “A nice custom, Ethan. I like it very much.”
In the safety of Ethan’s arms, Leah drifted off to sleep.
E LEVEN
B y morning the storm was over and sunlight flooded the house. Ethan had kept the fire burning all night, and Leah stretched lazily, feeling warm and snuggly beneath the pile of blankets. The smell of coffee forced her eyes open. “Is the electricity back on?” she asked sleepily.
“No, but I found coffee in your kitchen and have made it for us in the fireplace.”
She took a mug from him and sipped it, making a face. “This stuff always smells better than it tastes.” She smiled at him shyly. “Thanks for taking care of me all night.”
“A pleasure,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.
She blushed, remembering the night before. She had felt comfortable in his arms, but in the clear light of the day, she was glad he had respected her enough to not take advantage of their situation. “So,” she asked, “are you hungry?”
He grinned. “Are there more hot dogs?”
“We can have cereal,” she said.
She wrapped the blanket around herself and padded into the kitchen. Ethan followed, and together they prepared bowls of cereal and returned to the warmth of the fire.
“I will shovel the driveway,” Ethan said. “It will be clear for your mother’s return.”
“Once the electricity comes back on, we can do lots of things,” she said. “We have a big collection of videos. And tonight is New Year’s Eve.”
“And we can watch the ball drop?”
She laughed. “I’ll tell you all about it.”
Ethan stood. “I’d better get busy. The walkway is long and the snow deep.”
After he had worked an hour, Leah wentoutside to join him. “Time for a
“Yes. His heart was proud at the time. He showed Eli no mercy.”
Slowly a light of understanding flickered on inside Leah’s mind. “That’s really why you came, isn’t it? You don’t just want to see Eli again because you miss him. You want to make things right between Eli and your father.”
“I want to see my brother. I want to talk to him face to face. If I can persuade him to return home, even for a visit, then perhaps he and Pa can start anew.”
Disappointment hit Leah hard. She had hoped that Ethan had come mostly becauseof what he felt for her. “Sure,” she said. “I get it now.”
Ethan rose on his knees, took her hands in his and forced her to look into his eyes. “I have many questions, Leah, inside my heart. Not only about Eli, but also about you and me.”
Had he read her mind? She returned his gaze. The light from the fire burnished his cheek, turning his skin a warm copper color. The reflections of the flames flickered in his eyes. She could drown in those eyes. “I don’t have any answers for you, Ethan.”
“We will find the answers together.” He traced a finger down the length of her face, sending shivers up her spine. She wanted to lie in his arms, but she was afraid. “I will not dishonor you, Leah,” Ethan said. He had made the same promise to her in the summer at the campout. But now the winter winds howled, and the night was dark and long. They were alone.
“That’s the problem,” Leah confessed. “I don’t much care about my honor right this minute.”
He sat down behind her and wrapped his arms around her, nestling her back againsthis chest. She fit perfectly within the curve of his body. “I love you,” he said into her ear. “And it is because I love you that I will do nothing to shame you.”
He made her feel cherished, respected. The strength of his embrace, the warmth of the fire, the softness of the pillows and blankets covering them, combined to make Leah’s eyelids grow heavy. She listened to the wail of the wind and the rhythm of Ethan’s breathing. “I guess we’re bundling,” she murmured. “A nice custom, Ethan. I like it very much.”
In the safety of Ethan’s arms, Leah drifted off to sleep.
E LEVEN
B y morning the storm was over and sunlight flooded the house. Ethan had kept the fire burning all night, and Leah stretched lazily, feeling warm and snuggly beneath the pile of blankets. The smell of coffee forced her eyes open. “Is the electricity back on?” she asked sleepily.
“No, but I found coffee in your kitchen and have made it for us in the fireplace.”
She took a mug from him and sipped it, making a face. “This stuff always smells better than it tastes.” She smiled at him shyly. “Thanks for taking care of me all night.”
“A pleasure,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.
She blushed, remembering the night before. She had felt comfortable in his arms, but in the clear light of the day, she was glad he had respected her enough to not take advantage of their situation. “So,” she asked, “are you hungry?”
He grinned. “Are there more hot dogs?”
“We can have cereal,” she said.
She wrapped the blanket around herself and padded into the kitchen. Ethan followed, and together they prepared bowls of cereal and returned to the warmth of the fire.
“I will shovel the driveway,” Ethan said. “It will be clear for your mother’s return.”
“Once the electricity comes back on, we can do lots of things,” she said. “We have a big collection of videos. And tonight is New Year’s Eve.”
“And we can watch the ball drop?”
She laughed. “I’ll tell you all about it.”
Ethan stood. “I’d better get busy. The walkway is long and the snow deep.”
After he had worked an hour, Leah wentoutside to join him. “Time for a
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