Fire and Ice

Fire And Ice Brenda Nyveld

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Published by WHISKEY CREEK PRESS Whiskey Creek Press PO Box 51052 Casper, WY 82605-1052 www.whiskeycreekpress.com Copyright © 2006 by Brenda Nyveld Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. ISBN 1-59374-421-8 Credits Cover Artist: Nora Baxter Editor: Chere Gruver Printed in the United States of America

Other Books by Author Available at Whiskey Creek Press: www.whiskeycreekpress.com Love, Honor, and What? The Marriage Sham Who Can You Trust

Dedication ~~For Nick. By far my best critique partner. I love you, Nick!~~

Chapter 1 Maddy Harrison woke with a start when she heard a loud thud. The ice storm had begun the night before and pellets continued to slam against her bedroom window as she lay awake in the dark. Had she really heard something? Maybe it was another branch falling off the old maple tree in the yard. Just as Maddy closed her eyes, another thump sounded against the house. It seemed to be coming from downstairs and this time, she heard what sounded like a muffled curse. The wind whistled eerily around the house as the ice pellets ticked heavily on the tin of the badly insulated roof. As independent as Maddy fancied herself to be, there was always a niggling fear at night. Perhaps it was because of her penchant for horror flicks, maybe it was due to her family's concern for her safety. Her father's voice echoed in her head at night. As a woman alone in God's country, are you really safe? Her imagination took over where her father's voice stopped. While the community in the surrounding area was a sleepy one, the fear a horrific murder would put it on the map was never far from Maddy's thoughts. She was a single woman, well, divorced anyway, living on her own. Horrible things always happened to woman like her on stormy nights, didn't they? At least they did according to Stephen King. Maddy screwed up what little courage she had and reached for the oil lamp beside the bed. She fumbled in the dark for the matches and lit the lamp. The stairs creaked beneath her feet as she ventured carefully down to the kitchen. She held the lamp out ahead of her as though it just might shield her from harm. At the very least, she'd see harm coming her way. Maddy glanced at the old cookstove in the far corner of the kitchen. Flames licked against the charred window. It was still burning strong, an indication she had not been in bed long before she heard the sound. Maddy jumped when she heard another thud ... and this time, the unmistakable curse of someone, a male, at the door. Her heart hammered with fear. She dashed to the cookstove and retrieved a stick of wood from the small pile beside it and set it down beside the door. Her hand trembled as she fumbled with the knob and slowly turned it as she pulled the door open. “Who's there?” Maddy's voice squeaked as she peered out into the darkness. “I'm down here,” the dusky male voice answered. Maddy lowered the lantern and saw the man lying on the cement floor of her porch. He didn't look very menacing as he laid spread eagle at her feet. She couldn't make out much of his body other than the black dress shoes that gleamed in the lamplight near the door. “Who are you?” Maddy asked urgently. “What do you want?" “Scott Clinton,” he answered. “My car is in the ditch up the road and I need to use your phone." Maddy's fear subsided as the man grappled on the ice. His shoes, the only thing she'd really seen so far, had no treads and he fumbled as he made an attempt to rise. This was the mass murderer who was going to kill her in her bed? She made a feeble attempt to stifle the giggle rising in her chest. The man was clearly annoyed. “If you don't mind, I could really use some help here.” He shuffled around so she could see him in the dim light. Maddy's heart constricted when she saw his handsome

face. “Do you have any idea what time it is?” Maddy asked coldly. “What the heck are you doing out on a night like this anyway?" A grimace sounded in his voice. “I was trying to get to Ottawa,” he told her. “Don't you listen to the weather forecast? There's an ice storm. They're calling it the ‘storm of the century'. The Ottawa area has been under a state of emergency for several hours." “Look, lady,” the man said sardonically. “I'd love to argue with you. But I have a more pressing problem right now. My car is in the ditch and worse than that, I walked, or rather, slid on my ass, for a quarter of a mile to get here. I'd love to talk about how stupid I am for trying to get to Ottawa, but,” he said as he fumbled around a little more before he gazed up at her with gleaming brown eyes, “I've gotta tell you, at this point, I don't give a sweet damn what you think!" Maddy bristled at his tone. For someone in need of help, he certainly wasn't very gracious. She stepped back from the door. “So come in then,” she said frostily. The ice storm had nothing on her when it came to men. She suppressed another giggle as she watched the man slide himself toward the door. She pushed a hand over her mouth to stifle the laughter as he gripped the doorjamb and pulled himself inside. She knew she was being rude for not offering to help him, but then again, he was an unwelcome guest. As he slowly found his footing on the hardwood floor of the kitchen, Maddy's eyes slid over his iceencrusted form. The grey wool coat he wore was thick with ice as he slowly maneuvered his feet under him and pushed himself upward. Her heart constricted again when he stood over her. He was surely at least six foot two and towered over her average five foot five stance. His dark hair was frozen in a style swept back from his face. Grey temples glinted in the dim light. Rich brown eyes focused on Maddy. “Thanks for letting me in,” he said in an all too scathing tone. “You'll have to forgive me, Mister ... what was it you said your name was again?" “Clinton,” he replied. “Scott Clinton." The name seemed familiar. “Right, Mr. Clinton,” she said, “you'll have to forgive me for not welcoming you with open arms. I don't usually have guests at this hour of the night and certainly not in such inclement weather." “Call me Scott." Scott Clinton. There was something about that name. She'd heard the name before, she was sure of it. Maddy felt her body thaw with awareness when Scott offered her a crooked smile. His dark brown eyes gazed down at her with interest. She felt her body warm slightly. She was no fool. Chase had seen to that. There may have been a time when she was swayed by the glance of a handsome man but she was far beyond that now. She resented the feelings this man caused to rise within her. She was a mature woman of thirty-one and would not be swayed by the man with thick, dark hair and bedroom eyes. And that smile, that stunning perfect smile. It would not change her tainted her view of men. No man could be trusted. Well, with the exception of her father anyway. “Well, Mr.... er, Scott, what now?" “I know this is an inconvenience for you, believe me. But I need to use your phone to call a tow truck."

“I wish I could help you,” she began, “but the storm has not only knocked out my phone service, it has also halted any efforts the area tow trucks can make. It's not safe for anyone out there, including tow trucks drivers." She struggled with the next few words. They seemed to stick in her throat as she spoke. “You'll have to stay the night." “Well,” he replied, “if I have to stay the night, I promise to get out of your hair early tomorrow morning." Maddy felt no threat from this man. There was no logical reason to protest his presence. He could take one of the three spare bedrooms in the house, all of which were always prepared for guests. Her family had recently left after celebrating Christmas with her. All the sheets had been washed and replaced on the beds. Yet she felt uncertain about Scott Clinton being in a bed so near hers. It was bad enough he was in her house at all. Upstairs was defiantly going to be a problem. She pursed her lips, took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You can sleep on the couch. I'll get you some blankets." Scott's voice halted her movements as she turned to retrieve some blankets. “I wouldn't mind something to eat either." Maddy pivoted. Her brows wrinkled into a slight scowl. “Do you have any idea what time it is?" Scott pulled his coat sleeve from his wrist and glanced down. “It's too dark in here to see my watch." Maddy's gaze slid over him. He looked out of place in his designer wool overcoat and three piece suit. Even though his matching tie was loosened slightly and offered a certain casual flair, she knew he did not belong here. “I am not about to make a meal this late at night,” she said coldly. Scott's brows furrowed. “I don't expect you to make anything for me. I was just hoping you wouldn't mind if I made myself a sandwich." She sighed. Well, that was a switch, a man who didn't expect her to wait on him hand and foot. “There's bread in the breadbox on the counter and butter in the dish on the table.” She pointed across the kitchen toward the fridge. “You can find some jam or cheese in the fridge. Just don't leave the door open too long because it'll cool off fast without power." She left Scott standing in the dark kitchen with only the glass door on the cookstove for light and headed up the stairs to the linen closet. She placed the oil lamp on the floor and pulled open the closet door. Damn it all! This is all I freaking well need. Why couldn't he have just gone on a little farther to the neighbors? The angry wind howled in agreement and the house shuddered as Maddy made her way down the stairs to the kitchen with an armful of blankets and two pillows. She found Scott sitting at the large kitchen table, an oil lamp lit in front of him. He looked up from the task of slathering homemade strawberry jam onto a thick slice of whole-wheat bread. “Hope you don't mind,” he said as he indicated the lamp. “I found it in the cupboard above the stove." What the hell are you doing searching through my cupboards? Maddy's frown deepened. “Sure,” she

said stiffly. “Make yourself at home, I guess." She could feel his eyes follow her as she dropped the bedding onto the floor near the counter and walked around the table. When she stooped to put more wood into the stove, he inquired. “May I ask why you live out here on your own?" Maddy straightened and pierced him with a glowering stare. “You're very assuming, Mr. Clinton. You've been here all of five minutes and you've already made the judgment that I live alone." Scott's eyebrows rose. “Don't you?" Best to ignore questions she didn't want to answer. “You'll find the living room through there.” She pointed to a door just beyond the staircase. “There are lots of blankets so you should stay warm, even after the fire in the cookstove dies out in a couple hours. Good night, Mr. Clinton." When Maddy got to the top of the stairs, she pushed the painted tongue-in-groove door closed behind her. “Hey,” Scott called after her. “Wouldn't it be better to keep that door open? It'll get cold up there without the heat from the stove." Maddy didn't answer. She walked to her room and flopped down on her bed. Yep, it would get cold up here all right. She needed to have some kind of barrier between herself and the man downstairs. **** Freezing rain still battered the house when Scott woke the following morning. He groaned as he shifted off the couch. If it wasn't bad enough he'd fallen several times on the icy gravel road as he walked from his car to the first house on the side road off the main highway, he'd been left to sleep on a lumpy old couch he was certain was really meant for torture. Scott considered the bruises and just how his lovely host might tend to them. Kisses, sweet and tender, came to mind. However, judging by the welcome he'd received last night, the woman may well have known just how torturous the couch was. She certainly hadn't welcomed him with open arms. No matter, he knew he would soon see her as part of his past, and his attraction to her would be, too. With any luck, he'd get his car towed out of the ditch this morning and be on his way. On his way. To where? Scott had no idea. When he left Toronto last evening, he hadn't known where he was headed. He'd decided to go east. Big mistake. He should have ignored his gut feeling and gone west, away from the ice storm. The only time his gut feeling had been right in a couple months and he decided to ignore it. Still, he couldn't be blamed for not trusting his gut feelings anymore. It had almost cost his best friend his life. Something Scott was still not sure he could ever forgive himself for. Scott stretched and walked into the kitchen. The fire in the cookstove was burning brilliantly. There was the smell of bread baking in the oven. The lady of the house was nowhere in sight. As Scott walked around the kitchen, it occurred to him that she had never told him her name. He glanced around in curiosity. Surely her name would be on something around here. He was rewarded by an unopened envelope on the counter. Madeline Harrison.

Pretty name ... pretty lady. Well, from what he could tell in the dim light last night, she was pretty. Certainly, he had noticed her slender frame and womanly curves. He had to forgive her for her cold stance when they met. A woman, living on her own in the middle of God's country, could never be too careful, he had to grant her that. He was grateful she had let him in at all, let alone given him a place to sleep ... such as it was. Cool blue eyes had raked over him in suspicion. Still, he couldn't help but feel the sexual awaking when she passed him to fill the cookstove with wood. Her scent had lingered in the air and filled his scenes. She hadn't been wearing perfume, the sweet fragrance was all her own. When she opened the stove, the firelight bounced off her shoulder length blond hair, sparkling and dancing, turning it to spun gold. Damn! The last thing he needed was to be attracted to anyone, let alone a woman who so clearly did not want him in her space. Scott peered out the window into the driving rain. Ice was forming everywhere and still it continued. Sheets of ice coated everything in sight. The trees in the yard bowed under the weight and glistened in what Scott could only term as an “ugly beauty". And still, the storm continued. He spied a huddled form come from the barn and walk, ever so carefully over the slippery surface, toward the house. The oversized coat was pulled over her head as she watched every step she took. She appeared to be burdened by the pail she was carrying. Its weight threatened to knock her over. For every two steps she took forward, she slid back one. It was a slow process but when she finally made it to the house, Scott opened the door for her. “Here, take this,” she said as she pulled a radio out from under her coat and shoved it toward him. She plunked the pail onto the floor. “Good morning to you, too,” he said sardonically. She cooly glanced at him before she turned and walked back outside. She returned quickly with an armload of firewood. She winced with the weight as it tumbled heavily from her arms and thudded onto the kitchen floor. “It's horrible out there,” she said as she shucked her heavy coat and let it glide to the floor. Next, she kicked her insulated work boots off. One boot hit the wall when it proved exceedingly hard to remove and she had to shake her leg furiously. She ignored the black mark on the wall and stepped further inside the kitchen. With a shudder, she said, “There's no sign of this letting up any time soon." Scott frowned. “How do you know that?" She pointed to the transistor radio he still held. “I had it on in the barn. The local forecast said we could expect at least another couple days of freezing rain.” She turned a worried look toward the window and peered toward the barn. “I don't know how much more the old barn can take. The ice is already a huge burden on the roof. I don't know how safe the animals are in there." Scott felt a tug at his heart as he looked down at her. He put the radio onto the table and reached over to pull a strand of hair away from her flushed face. Damn, even without the light of the stove, it still looked like spun gold. “Hey,” he said in a soothing tone. “It'll be okay." As he pulled the wayward strand of hair away from her face, his finger grazed her cheek. Her head

snapped around to look up at him and she took a startled step back. “Yes,” she said haltingly. “I'm sure it will be." “Madeline,” he said as she moved away from him. “I'm sure it won't be as bad as you fear." Startled eyes punctured him. “How do you know my name?" Scott grinned sheepishly as he indicated the envelope on the counter. “I looked at it." When she turned her back to him, he continued, “I'm sorry. It was just there and you didn't tell me your name last night." “My friends call me Maddy,” she told him. Before he could respond, she continued, “Smells like the bread is done." Maddy retrieved oven mitts from a hook near the woodstove and opened the door. Scott admired the sight of her backside as she bent over to pull two loaves of whole-wheat bread out of the oven. Her eyes closed as she took a deep breath. “Is there any scent more wonderful than freshly baked bread?" Scott's eyes washed over her. The comment was made more to herself than to anyone in particular. And while the aroma of the bread was enticing, he had to admit, the scent of Madeline Harrison—Maddy— was far more wonderful. Maddy opened her eyes and looked at him. He felt her sweet, if not cold, gaze on him as she spoke. “There's no running water in the house, I'm afraid. So you can use the bucket of water I brought in to wash up for breakfast. And there's an outhouse just behind the house. You can use the back door to get there." Scott grimaced inwardly. Lovely, an outhouse. A far cry from the lusciously appointed restrooms he had come to know since he gained his wealth. Now that he thought about it, he did need to go. As he headed toward the back door, Maddy scooped up the pail of water and filled a pot on the stove. “It won't take long to warm,” she said. “I'll fill the sink so you can wash up when you get back." **** When Scott returned, Maddy had lived up to her promise. There was warm water in the sink, a bar of what looked like homemade soap and a fresh, fluffy towel waiting on the counter. He washed his face and hands as Maddy sliced the fragrant fresh bread. “I'll get the jam out of the fridge,” he told her as he pulled the refrigerator door open. He blinked as he gazed inside the fridge. It was completely empty. “The fridge warmed up overnight. I took everything out to the back porch to keep it cool." Scott found the box filled with items from the fridge on the porch and rifled through to pull out the strawberry jam. He also found a jar of peach jam and orange marmalade before returning to the kitchen. In the meantime, Maddy had set the table and began to fry eggs on the cookstove. They ate in silence, though not by Scott's choice. Maddy still shielded herself with a cloak of ice thicker than any storm could offer. Her distance made Scott uncomfortable—something that was alien to him when it came to women. As a rule, women sought him out. He'd never dealt with one who didn't want anything to do with him.

He idly wondered if that was why he was feeling an attraction to Maddy. He wasn't used to having any woman ignore him, let alone be so completely cold toward him. Was it the challenge of winning her over that caused him to feel so drawn to her? When Scott swallowed the last of his perked coffee, he finally broke the silence. “So, Maddy,” he began, “you never told me why you live way out here by yourself." Maddy blinked and sat back in her chair. Scott desperately tried to ignore her small breasts coming to attention as her back leveled against her chair. “I thought you understood it was none of your business." Scott grinned. “I guess I just didn't get it. The question still stands." “I happen to like living here on my own,” she told him. “I suppose you think this is no place for a woman?" Scott splayed his hands in defense. “I never said that." “But you're wondering why I'm here,” Maddy retorted. Scott shrugged. “Well, you have to admit..." Maddy placed her hands on the table and rose. “I have to admit nothing,” she cut in. “I'm sick to death of people telling me I don't belong here. I live here and I'm happy. I happen to like the quiet. I happen to like being on my own with no one prying..." Maddy stopped midsentence. She turned her back to him and busied herself at the sink. There was a long, awkward pause before Scott finally spoke. “Well, that hit a nerve." Maddy's shoulders hunched as she brought a hand up to shield her eyes. She sighed deeply before she spoke. “I'm sorry,” she said weakly. “It's just that—" Scott rose and walked toward her. His heart ached knowing she was in pain. “It's just that what?” he pressed gently. Maddy squared her shoulders and turned to him. Her eyes were steely blue. “It's just that it's none of your business. If you'll excuse me, I have a few things to do in the barn." Scott watched silently as she walked across the room and pulled on her boots and coat. He let her escape without any further comments. It wasn't an easy thing to do but he knew he had to allow her the space. Chapter 2 As Maddy emptied another wheelbarrow of manure into the pile behind the barn, she contemplated the conversation with Scott. She'd been inexcusably rude to him. He'd meant no harm when he asked why she lived here by herself. Perhaps he was sincerely concerned about her welfare. After all, she was living alone in the country in the dead of winter. Her family had left only days ago after celebrating the holiday season with her. Even though Christmas in the country was charming, they didn't think she should remain living on the farm year around. Scott's comment hit a nerve when he queried about her situation. After Chase, her husband, departed, her family wanted her to sell the farm and move back to Toronto. They told her she needed to be among them ... not out on a little farm in the middle of nowhere.

Maddy saw it differently. She had a great wound in her heart and only the wide open spaces of the country could help her overcome it. It was more likely that her family needed to have her around them to know she was safe. She was sick to death of being told she should simply let go of a life she'd grown to love so dearly to move back to where they could keep an eye on her. Without Chase to do so, they were convinced she would shrivel up and die. True, she always had been needy. She always had required someone to lean on. Now at thirty-one, Maddy knew she could no longer look to others to help her live her life. Her family and friends had helped her during the hard times. However, what they didn't understand was that she was much stronger now. Chase, no matter how wayward he might have been at the end, had helped her through the worst of it. His departure made her realize she could stand on her own. She was no longer the fragile flower her family had known. Chase's sudden absence had shaken her to the core. It made her wonder if she could ever really recover from the past. The man she had trusted, the man she had given her life to, had left her without so much as a backward glance when things got rough. Nevertheless, in spite of it all, Chase had given her a very precious gift. He had given her independence. In the weeks that followed his departure, Maddy realized she could live on her own. When she was faced with difficulty, she knew she could handle it. Unfortunately, she'd never been able to convince anyone else of the fact. Her family still believed she'd be better off living in their midst than on her own out here. Maddy leaned against the horse stall and peered at the animal inside. “Ah, Brinston,” she cooed as her hand slid over the light brown workhorse's sleek neck. “They don't know me like you do." The horse's head tossed in agreement. He looked down at the bale of hay Maddy had just tossed from the hayloft. He neighed softly and reached out, as if he was pointing to the bale of hay. Maddy chuckled softly. “You'll agree with anything I say as long as you get fed." As Brinston chewed on the hay tossed into his manger, Maddy turned to the other animals in the barn. The goats and sheep were contentedly munching on hay and the laying hens gently clucked as they searched the coop floor for the feed she had just spread out for them. The animals in the barn had to be surprised to be offered more feed so soon after they had gotten their breakfast. As a rule, the animals wouldn't get more to eat until much later in the day. But Maddy had to find something to do while she lurked around in the barn. She didn't want to go back to the house for awhile. Scott Clinton had stirred feelings she never knew existed. And as far as she was concerned, feelings that were not welcome. Other than her own family, Maddy knew she could trust no one. It had taken every ounce of her soul to trust Chase. And he had hurt her. As she listened to the soft crunching sounds of the animals eating hay, she thought about the man in her house. She'd been unfair to him. He had no idea what she'd been through in her life. She owed him an explanation. She might not want him in her house but it was no reason for being so terribly rude. The ice storm would see them bunking together for a couple more days at least. As the ice built up on

the buildings and trees around her farm, she knew she would have to either come to terms with the man sharing her space, or die trying. There was no point in harboring anger toward him for something he wasn't responsible for. Maddy turned to the old Holstein cow in the far box stall. She picked up a pail and walked toward her. “My sweet Edna,” she cooed to the cow, “what would you do?" The cow moaned softly as she buried her head in the manger and continued to eat. She smiled at the cow. “My thoughts exactly. I have no idea what to do." **** When Maddy entered the kitchen with a basket of fresh eggs, she found Scott stirring a pot on the cookstove. A pile of fresh wood was stacked up against the wall. He had shucked his tie and suit coat. The tails of the white shirt dangled out over his pants. As he turned to look at her, she noticed the first few buttons of his shirt were casually open. Dark chest hair peeked out and caused a stir somewhere deep inside her. He offered a smile as he looked toward her. “It's almost lunch time,” he said as he continued to stir the contents in the pot. “I hope you're hungry." Maddy placed the basket and pail on the floor. She shrugged out of her coat, hung it up on a nail by the door and slowly pulled her feet out of the boots. She placed them onto the newspaper on the floor. She stopped as she glanced down at the wet paper. She shoved her boots aside as she pulled the paper up from the floor. The newspaper was at least two months old. She saved all papers to start fires in the cookstove and to shield the hardwood floor from stains from her boots. She looked at the picture, dotted with dirt, and then at Scott. Her eyes blinked in recognition. No wonder he looked so familiar. Scott Clinton. The Scott Clinton, of society page fame, was standing over her cookstove stirring something that stunk like hell. She glanced up from the paper in her hand and blinked at Scott. “Oh my God,” she sputtered. “You're Scott Clinton." He grinned at her. “Yep." She pointed at the picture in the paper. “But ... but you're the Scott Clinton they write about in the society pages." “Guilty as charged.” Scott nodded again. Maddy swallowed hard. “I had no idea..." Scott's dark eyes slid over her. “Would it have made a difference when I turned up at your door last night?" Maddy shook her head. “No, of course not,” she replied. “But what the heck are you doing out this way?" Scott grinned devilishly. “Well,” he began, “why should I supply you with any details when you're not anxious to tell me anything about yourself?" “Touché. What are you cooking?” Maddy crinkled her nose as she walked to the stove and peered into the pot. “It stinks." “Cream of cauliflower soup,” Scott replied. “It doesn't stink. It smells wonderful, in my opinion." “Wasn't there anything good in the freezer?"

Scott grinned. “There was all kinds of stuff in the freezer but I happen to like cauliflower.” He feigned a stern look. “You'll eat this soup for lunch and enjoy it." Maddy returned the smile. “I guess I will." **** With lunch done, Maddy warmed some water to wash the dishes. Scott gently pushed her aside and dumped the pot of warm water into the sink. “I can wash the dishes,” he told her. “It's the least I can do since you seem busy enough outside the house." The words drew Maddy's attention away from her satisfied full stomach to the ice building up on the roof of the barn. Her brows furrowed. “Surely the ice can't build up much more,” she said. “I don't know how much more the barn can take." Scott's hand touched her shoulder. “You worry too much." Maddy felt her body warm to the touch of his hand. It had been so long since she felt the comforting touch of anyone, let alone an attractive man like Scott Clinton. She closed her eyes and leaned into the touch. “I can't help it,” she whispered. “It's an old barn in need of repair. The ice is building..." “Shh.” Scott hushed her as his arms circled her shoulders and pulled her against him. He gently squeezed her in reassurance. “It won't be as bad as you fear." “You don't know that,” she said. “I could see the beams heaving against the weight when I was in the hayloft. It's not good, Scott." “I have a very good feeling that all will be well." Maddy shook her head. “I don't know if I should get the animals out of the barn. The drive shed could house them if need be. It's in better shape but needs some work to set it up for the animals. I'm sure if I try to move them, they'll break their legs on the ice." Scott's arms tightened with reassurance. “There's no immediate threat. Don't borrow trouble by worrying about it." Maddy didn't answer. Instead, she reveled in the feeling of his body so close to hers. Her shoulders relaxed against his strong chest, her head fell against his neck. It felt so good, so right. His arms dropped to encircle her waist and he nuzzled his chin over her ear. “You worry too much for your own good." The words washed over Maddy like a dose of cold rainwater. Again, she was being told she didn't know what was good for her. She pulled out of his arms and whisked around to face him. “Who the hell do you think you are?” she hissed. “The animals in the barn are no concern of yours. How dare you tell me I have no right to worry about them?" Scott's brows creased as he peered down at her. “I was trying to comfort you,” he said. “Or hadn't you noticed?" “Oh, I noticed all right,” she retorted. “I noticed you were trying to tell me what I should be doing again." “Wha...” Scott sputtered. “First you told me I didn't belong on this farm and now you're telling me I worry about my animals too much." “That's a load of crap! I was merely trying to reassure you about the barn giving way to the ice."

“Well,” Maddy cried, “What do you know about barns anyway?" “Nothing,” Scott conceded, “but I don't like the look of stress on your face. I was just trying to comfort you." She turned her back to him and walked toward the staircase. “In the future, you might want to remember that I don't need your comfort, Mr. Clinton." She didn't wait for his reply. She dashed up the steps and slammed the door behind her. **** It was day three of the ice storm and it showed no signs of letting up. Scott had made a point of keeping his distance from Maddy since she had stormed off the night before. He hid out in the living room, reading month old newspapers that would undoubtedly find their way into the cookstove or under boots. He flinched when he came to the society pages. While he would have liked to ignore them completely, he found himself reading the captions of the pictures of him with Lenore. Is it true love? one caption screamed in bold letters as it went on to announce his forthcoming marriage to Lenore Barchard. Nope, it was not true love, he could say that for certain. What had he been thinking anyway? Lenore had never loved him and looking back, he hadn't loved her either. Maddy had made only two appearances since he'd spoken to her. The one time she came downstairs and immediately left for the barn in the early evening. When she returned, she quickly got something to eat, muttered something about helping himself to whatever he wanted for dinner and retreated to her room. Scott felt like a cad. He should have at least apologized to his hostess. With the phone lines out and his cell phone battery dead, there was no way he could contact the outside world to retrieve his car from the ditch. Considering the rain kept coming, there was little chance a tow truck could come out anyway. Scott had dealt with enough women in his life to know that there was no figuring them out. Maddy was different from any woman he had ever known, but she was still female after all and he had yet to meet one who didn't succumb to his charms over time. Sometimes it took a little longer than others, but he still had been able to charm any female he truly wanted. He knew from the moment he met her that he wanted Maddy. He fought to figure out what she was really all about. A woman living on her own, out here in the country who truly looked like she had no one nearby to depend on. There was something about her that looked fragile. It had been the reason he had taken her into his arms and comforted her as she worried about the animals in the barn. And when he drew her to him, she had relaxed against him. Her sweet scent had filled his senses. He had wanted more ... so much more. Scott shook his head. He was no fool. Or at the very least, he didn't want to be a fool again. He wasn't sure if Lenore had clouded his thoughts when he suggested his best friend make the investments he did, but he certainly saw that he'd been too involved with her and her problems when Doug had called that day. He wasn't in his right mind when he quickly told his friend to go ahead with the investment. Doug had lost all his money, everything he'd worked so hard for, and it had almost cost him his life. If Scott hadn't been so involved with Lenore's latest crisis, he would have been more on top of things. He would never have suggested Doug put his life savings on the line for any investment. He had no idea Doug couldn't afford to lose the money he wanted to invest. Now, Doug, his wife and their two children were fighting to pull their lives back together and it was Scott's fault. Never again would he allow his head to be messed up by any woman.

And yet, he felt a strong attraction to Maddy Harrison. He was loath to admit he was falling for her. Hell, he hardly knew the woman. She'd hardly welcomed him into her house with open arms. There was just something about her. He wanted to get to know her. He wanted to understand her and, God help him, he wanted to make love to her. Scott pushed off the couch and walked into the kitchen. All was quiet. He peered up the stairs. The door at the top was firmly shut. He didn't give it much thought before he decided what he had to do. “If Mohammed wouldn't come to the mountain..." The steps creaked and moaned beneath his feet. He opened the door and pushed through before he could change his mind. He found himself in a hall with four closed doors. He had no idea where his hostess was hiding but he moved forward and knocked on the first door he came to. There was no mistaking the strangled answer. Maddy was inside the room and was not comfortable with his presence in her space. Scott leaned into the closed door as he spoke. “You can't hide forever,” he called. “Please come out and talk to me." “What do you want?” Maddy's strained voice echoed back to him through the door. Scott laid his palm against the door as he responded. “This is your house, Maddy. You shouldn't be hiding from me." “I'm not hiding,” she said all too quickly. “Yes, you are,” Scott countered. “And I want you to know you have no reason to hide from me. Please come out so we can talk." Scott hadn't realized his hand was leaning against the door until it opened suddenly and he was almost tossed off kilter. He straightened quickly and looked down at the lovely woman in front of him. He blinked, amazed it had taken so little to draw her out. “What do you want to talk about?” she asked as she pressed her cheek on the open door. Her eyes pegged him warily. “I'd like to discuss why you feel the need to hide from me,” he replied. Maddy peered down to the hardwood floor and then looked up at him. “I don't like what you did down there." “You mean when I took you into my arms?" She nodded. “I'm sorry,” he told her. “I only wanted to reassure you. I meant nothing else by it.” Okay, it was an outright lie but it was what she needed to hear. Then it suddenly dawned on him. While Maddy might be tough on the outside, she was vulnerable on the inside. She had leaned into him, enjoyed his touch and it was the last thing she wanted. She had accused him of attempting to tell her what was right for her. She may well be an independent woman, but she wasn't immune to criticism. It was obvious to him that she had been criticized for the choices she'd made. Scott shook his head. Why would anyone want to change this woman? “Trust me,” he told her. “I'm not a good judge of what's right and what's wrong. If it weren't for the mistakes I've made, I would never have turned up at your door." Maddy regarded him carefully. “Really?"

Scott mustered a smile he wasn't feeling in his soul. The fact he was telling her the truth made his heart feel sad. “Yes, really." “So what was your mistake?" He couldn't tell her. Instead, he winked at Maddy. “Are you hungry?” he continued before she could answer. “I saw a can of asparagus in your pantry and I make a mean cream of asparagus soup. Interested?" Chapter 3 Maddy tossed hay into Brinston's manger. She felt the bubble build in her stomach and a burp emerged before she could stifle it. The horse regarded her with little interest as he dipped his head into the manger for a mouth full of hay. Maddy placed a gloved hand over her mouth. “Sorry about that,” she told the old horse, “chalk it up to cream of asparagus soup." With Brinston fed, she walked toward the other animals anxiously awaiting their own feed. She plunged her hand into a bag against the cement wall and drew out a scoop of grain. As they tucked into the grain poured in front of them, Maddy peered at the low ceiling. She'd just tossed several bales of hay from the loft moments before and had noted the beams heaved even more with the weight of the ice building up on the roof. How long would the fragile beams hold? And if any broke, would it pierce the barn floor above and crash down on top of the animals sheltered beneath? Maddy was not a worrier by nature. Yet the storm offered concerns she'd never had to deal with in the past. She cursed herself for not having the weak beams replaced last summer when she had the money to do it. The sales of her homemade soaps had been brisk. She chose to have the painted hardwood floors in her house stripped and refinished rather than spending the extra money where it should have been spent. It was something she regretted deeply. It had been a selfish move. Any real farmer would know the barn had to come first. Life on the farm had been a financial struggle since her husband left but Maddy had fought hard to remain here. Chase's announcement that he wanted to give up their lives in Toronto and move to the remote farm just north of Kingston had taken Maddy by surprise. However, she loved him madly and wanted her husband to be happy. He longed to be “one with nature". He wanted them to farm organically, grow their own food. It was a romantic notion, one that Maddy eventually embraced. However, Chase wasn't counting on the work involved with living off the land. The moment he realized it would take time and energy, he lost interest. Unfortunately, they had sold their house in Toronto and he had quit a lucrative job teaching economics at a university. When he landed a job teaching at the local high school and discovered life off the farm was far more interesting than life on it, he was seldom home. Maddy found herself undergoing a hands-on crash course in farming. Thank God for good neighbors ... and a good veterinarian. She learned more from them in a week than she could ever have hoped to learn on her own in her lifetime. After Chase left, Maddy made a decent living off homespun wool from her own sheep and homemade goat's milk soap. It had become so popular at local artisan shows, she soon moved on to bigger and better things. The computer she purchased soon paid for itself after Maddy set up a website and sold her products online. The income from her website not only made the payments on the farm but also found her solvent. She could afford to buy feed for her cattle and eek out her own living. Sometimes, she could even afford to buy a good bottle of wine.

Maddy had to admit that she and Chase had grown apart over the two years they lived on the farm. He spent more and more time at the high school and never once invited her along to the school football games or any other social events. It hadn't occurred to her as a problem at the time and now, looking back, she wasn't sure why. Chase hadn't turned to her for sex for several months and while it was a relief to Maddy, she knew now she should have realized there was something happening with him. She'd been too involved with the farm and seeing to the needs of the animals they housed. When Chase announced he wanted to leave, she was stunned. He admitted he was in love with a divorcee who worked in the office at the school. She could have accepted that over time. She could have lived with his falling in love with someone else ... if only it hadn't been for the reason he had cited for the breakdown of their marriage. If only he hadn't confessed everything the night he left her. Chase told her, in no uncertain terms, that she, as his wife... The rooster crowed in annoyance and broke her concentration. Maddy shook her head. Better not dwell on it anyway. She walked toward the pen that housed the chickens and the one obnoxious rooster. She scooped dusty feed from a bag and poured it into their small feeder. As she turned to collect the eggs, she closed her eyes for a moment. The attraction she felt for Scott was wrong. There was no doubt that the longer he stayed in her house, the more she would want him. All she could hope for was a swift end to the storm ... and not just to save the barn from crashing down but to save her from Scott Clinton. **** Scott was pulling his wool coat over his shoulders when Maddy entered the house. She blinked at him in surprise. “Are you leaving?" Scott winked as he buttoned the coat over his chest. “You wish.” He smiled. “No, I'm not leaving ... or at least, not for long. I have to walk out to my car and get the bags out of the trunk. I've been in the same clothes for three days straight and I'm aching to wear something a little more comfortable." “It's still really icy out there,” she said as she peered down at the black dress shoes he was wearing. “You'll have just as much trouble getting back to your car as you did when you left it." “Don't worry about me,” he said as he pulled the door open. “I'll be back as soon as I can." Scott was about to step outside when Maddy spoke. “Wait." Scott stopped and peered down at her. His brows rose in question. “Yes?" “I can supply you with more suitable clothes and boots to wear.” Maddy turned to the closet door behind her and opened it. “My father left some clothes here that should fit you. He doesn't visit often but when he does, he likes to come to the barn with me." Scott closed the door and watched as Maddy pulled insulated coveralls and boots from the closet. “Here,” she said as she tossed them toward him. “You'll fare a lot better in these." “Thanks,” Scott muttered as he shucked his coat and started to pull the coveralls over his pants. Maddy grinned. “I have an even better idea,” she said as she walked to the counter and rifled threw a drawer. She pulled out a package of small screw nails. She picked up her father's boots and began pushing the nails into the bottom of them. “What are you doing?” Scott asked. “The nails in our boots will grip the ice. It works like a charm, believe me. I can't have them in my boots when I go to the barn in case one falls and gets into the feed for the animals." “Did you just say our boots?” Scott asked as Maddy pushed the last screw into the sole of his boot.

Maddy picked up one of her boots and began screwing another nail into it. “Well, I can go with you, if you don't mind." Scott smiled down at her. “I don't mind the company at all." After the last nail had been pushed into her boot, Maddy pulled a plastic grocery bag out of a drawer and filled it with a hammer, screwdriver, ice scraper and finally, she filled a thermos with coffee from the pot on the stove. Scott commented on the bag she placed on the floor at her feet as she pulled her coat over her shoulders. “Did I mention that my car is only a mile up the road on the highway? Why do we need to bring coffee with us?" Maddy grinned back at him. “You just never know what you might need. I'm being cautious." **** With the screw nails firmly in place in their boots, Maddy and Scott walked on the icy road with little effort. The freezing rain had slowed down to a steady, soft drizzle. It pattered gently against the hood of Maddy's coat giving her the feeling of being wrapped in a warm cocoon. As they walked down the lane and onto the road, Scott took the bag out of Maddy's gloved hand and slung it over his shoulder. Her first instinct was to protest but when she glanced up at him, he was engrossed in the pristine beauty the ice storm had laid upon the land. Maddy followed his gaze toward the fields. Ice had built up over the cedar rail fences. Trees bowed gently with the weight on their branches. The only sound she could hear was the soft crunch of their boots digging into the icy surface of the road. They walked in companionable silence. It would have been relaxing if it hadn't been for how close they walked together. Each time Maddy's shoulder bumped Scott's arm, a quiver of awareness coursed through her body and centered deep within her. She should have taken a step away from him but her body so enjoyed the touch, she couldn't bring herself to do it. “There's my car,” Scott said as they approached the highway. It was firmly lodged in the ditch on the other side of the highway. Only the dark top of the car could be seen as they walked toward it. They stood on the side of the road and looked down at the car. Scott took a deep, frustrated breath. “Look at the fu ... uhm, freaking ice on my car." Maddy smiled at Scott's attempt to keep his language in check. He was right. His car was coated with at least two inches of ice. The black paint of the sports car appeared rippled as it gleamed from beneath the blanket of ice. Scott carefully walked down the steep embankment and turned back to Maddy. He reached a gloved hand out to grip hers as she followed him. As her wool mitten connected with his leather-covered hand, she felt a gentle tug in her heart as she felt the pressure of his touch. Scott retrieved the hammer from the bag and gently tapped the trunk of the car. It took some time for the ice to give way to the soft pounding. Scott tore off his gloves and tossed them onto the top of the trunk. They quickly slid from the slippery surface and onto the frozen ground. He ignored it as his fingers tore at the ice over the keyhole. Once exposed, Scott opened his coat and searched his pockets. “Shoot!" Maddy glared at him. “Please don't tell me you forgot to bring your keys!"

Scott grinned at her as he pulled his hand out of his pocket. The keys dangled from his fingers. “Just teasing." Maddy feigned annoyance. “Just get the trunk open." Scott grumbled as he tried to fit the key into the trunk. “It's iced up." Maddy pulled the thermos of coffee out of the bag. “Here, let me try.” She slowly poured the steaming black liquid over the hole and then stepped back. “Try again." The key slid in and turned easily. Scott peered at her and winked. “You're not just another pretty face, are you?" She felt her cheeks warm at the casual comment. She shrugged. “I've spent a few winters out here. It comes in handy to know these things." Maddy blinked as Scott pulled a large leather duffle bag out of the trunk and slammed it shut. The zipper of the bag was only half pulled across, clothes hung out haphazardly. “I take it you don't like to pack." She instantly wished she hadn't made the comment when Scott's cool gaze met hers. He turned his back to her as he picked up his gloves. “I left in a hurry." Scott climbed to the top of the embankment and turned to reach for Maddy's hand. This time, she ignored it and started up the slope on her own. When the toe of her heavy boot got caught on a lump of ice, she stumbled and teetered clumsily before she began to fall forward. She landed hard, flat onto her face and her chin connected with a rock. Scott was instantly at her side. “Are you okay?” he asked urgently. When Maddy didn't answer, her face still firmly planted in the icy snow, he gently touched her shoulders. “Maddy, can you hear me?" She could hear an audible sigh of relief when she began to move. “I'm okay,” she told him. Her chin stung and she could taste blood in her mouth. “I think I bit my tongue." Scott gently turned her to face him. His fingers grazed her cheek as he peered at her face. “You have a cut on your chin, too.” His fingers gently pulled her chin up as he gazed at the injury. “Doesn't look too bad.” He pulled a tissue out of his pocket and pressed it against her chin. “We'll clean and bandage it as soon as we get home." Maddy's sore tongue was long forgotten. Had he referred to her house, her private space, as their home? Logic dictated the word had been used loosely. Scott really didn't consider her little farm as his home. But the word brought all kinds of notions to her mind. Sharing the house with Scott and more importantly, sharing her bed with him ... An electric shiver coursed through her as Scott helped her up and guided her to the highway. **** When Scott and Maddy walked back into the warm kitchen, he tossed his bag aside and quickly pulled his coat and boots off. He turned to Maddy and unzipped her coat. “I can manage,” Maddy said. “No, keep the pressure on your chin,” he told her. Once he had pulled her coat and boots off, he guided her to the table and pulled out a chair. “Where will I find rubbing alcohol and bandages?"

“Under the sink in the bathroom,” she replied to his retreating form. When Scott returned, he pulled out a chair and sat next to her. He touched her shoulder and guided her around to face him. Gentle fingers tipped her chin upward. “Chin up." Maddy's cobalt eyes met his and Scott swallowed hard. The last thing he wanted to do right now was administer first aid. Thoughts of pulling her into his arms and kissing those full, red lips was definitely right up there on his list of things he'd rather do. He gulped air into his lungs. Get a grip! He tipped the bottle of rubbing alcohol and soaked a cotton ball. “This might hurt,” he said as he gently dabbed the cut. Maddy made no sound as he wiped the cotton ball over her chin, but her brows furrowed and her lips pouted as she felt the sting. “I'm sorry,” Scott whispered as he concentrated on the task. “Almost done." When he was satisfied the cut had been cleansed, he opened a small bandage and placed it over her chin. He smiled at her as he leaned back in his chair. “How's that feel?" “My tongue hurts more than my chin does." Scott leaned toward her again. “Open your mouth and let me see your tongue." When Maddy complied, he instructed further, “Stick your tongue out so I can see it." Maddy's tongue moved out hesitantly. Her bottom lip quivered. She was no more sure of what she was doing than he was. Scott leaned in and looked closely at what little Maddy offered for view. A small red abrasion appeared on the surface. It had stopped bleeding but would, more than likely, cause some pain. The desire to touch the injury, not with his fingers, but with his own tongue was overwhelming. He imagined the touch of her lips against his, the moist touch of her mouth as they joined ... How exactly was he going to back away from this moment without knowing how she felt to kiss? “Let me see the back of your tongue,” Scott instructed as he bowed his head to peer beneath. She hadn't bitten through when she landed on the rock. Scott sat back in his chair. When Maddy's brows rose in question, he replied, “It's pretty far from your heart. I expect you'll live." Maddy closed her mouth and relaxed, clearly as relieved as he was to put distance between them. “I didn't expect to hear that it was." Scott winked. “You're just lucky we didn't need to amputate. I can't imagine how you'd manage without your tongue." Maddy's brows rose as she peered at him pensively. “Now what the heck is that supposed to mean?" “No woman can live without the ability to tell a man where he's gone wrong in his life,” Scott spoke. It wasn't until he saw Maddy's brows knit together that he realized he must have spoken bitterly. He had wanted to make the statement in jest, even though his mind ran in a different direction. Maddy rose from the chair and gazed at him scornfully. “Granted, I don't know what you've been through in your life, Scott, but I do know that sometimes a woman has to be clear about how she feels. If that means you think her tongue should be amputated, then so be it." “I was just kidding,” he called to her retreating form. She disappeared up the stairs to her room. Again. . Maddy may well be a strong and determined woman, but he was quickly learning that she didn't like to take the bull by the horns and speak her mind. It was far too easy for her to run away. He suspected she'd been doing it for some time now. This time, he'd let her go.

Scott rose from the table and turned on the transistor radio. Static met his ears as he played with the dial. When the static finally settled enough for him to hear voices, he sat back and listened to the latest news. Of course, the ice storm took top billing. The forecast spoke of two more days of rain. Pylons were falling down as though they were made of matchsticks. No one in the vicinity was going anywhere. He heard of elderly people dying in their homes and no one being able to come to the family's aid Maddy may not like it, but she was stuck with Scott for the foreseeable future. Life was not going to get much easier for the next few days. Scott sprung up from the table and paced the kitchen. He felt like a caged animal. One who had been offered a lovely female to share his space but denied touching her. Primal instincts raged within him at the thought of Maddy. He wanted her. He needed her. He simply wouldn't take advantage of her. She was honest, hardworking and most of all, she was not the type of woman who could give herself to a man without a commitment. And commitment was no longer in Scott's vocabulary. No matter how much Scott wanted to make love to Maddy, she deserved more than he could give her. Scott left the kitchen and walked into the living room. He peered around him. The room was sparsely decorated. Besides the well-worn couch he slept on, there was a china cabinet that housed some old glass ... none of it was crystal, from what he could tell. A couple end tables were used to hold magazines and books. An old quilt hung on the wall directly across from the couch. Although he had noticed it before, he hadn't really studied it. It fell out from the wall, as though it was covering something. Scott walked toward the quilt, lifted a corner and gazed beneath. He was surprised by what he found and quickly pulled the quilt away, uncovering a fireplace. Its hearth was built with fieldstone, dark and light stones melded together in a beautiful tapestry of color. He wondered why Maddy had it covered up. He fell to his knees and peered inside. There didn't seem to be any obstructions and the stone base appeared intact. There was no apparent reason not to have a fire burning in it. If nothing else, it would stave off the cold in the living room while he slept. When he heard footsteps from above coming down the steps, he quickly replaced the quilt and tossed himself onto the sofa. He picked up the first magazine that met his fingers, a seven year old copy of Cosmopolitan, and pretended to be reading. Maddy made no attempt to speak to him. It must have been time for her to go to the barn as she quietly slipped into her coat and boots and out the door. Scott let her slip away wordlessly. The second she closed the door behind her, he sprung into action. **** Maddy struggled with her feelings as she wrestled with the manure tangled in straw in Brinton's box stall. She didn't want to be attracted to Scott Clinton. He didn't know it, but Maddy had been reading up on his life in the paper. His name was familiar to her for a reason. Her youngest sister, Amanda, had talked frequently about Scott and had admitted to following his exploits in the papers. Maddy discovered many papers under the bed Amanda had slept in and soon found out that Scott couldn't move without something being reported about it. The collection of papers reminded her of the fact Scott Clinton was not the kind of man she should be interested in. Admittedly, the papers she had weren't recent; some of them were several months old. But the stories were the same. Scott was always pictured at some charity function in Toronto with the perfect woman on his arm. He was seldom seen with the same woman twice until recently. In the last couple months, one woman in particular appeared on his arm. She'd been identified as Lenore Bartelli, the daughter of

the Italian ambassador. A beauty, even though her hair was more than likely dyed auburn. The latest picture Maddy could find in her sister's bedroom had a caption that hinted around the couple's impending nuptials. For all Maddy knew, the wedding may well be on. Scott might be the kind of guy who didn't care about who he slept with. Though Maddy found it hard to believe in her heart, it was a darn good reason to resist him. Scott was used to women of sophistication. Maddy may well have fit the bill at one time but she certainly didn't now. So the fact he appeared to want to kiss her when she showed him her tongue had to be about one of two things. Either Scott Clinton had lost his mind when his car hit the ditch, or he saw Maddy as an easy conquest while he was holed up in her house. Maddy feared the latter of the two. Why not take advantage of her while he was stuck here? It wasn't like he had anything else to do. What bothered Maddy was that, knowing this, she still found him irresistible. While she never would have been drawn to his pictures in the society pages under normal circumstances like her sister was, she admitted, in the flesh, he was a very attractive man. Amanda would surely die of envy if she knew he was here. Maddy understood the reason so many women found him irresistible. She may well be among the few who honestly knew what his touch felt like. What really had her dander up; he appeared to be attracted to her. If he kissed her, he would soon find out she wasn't a normal woman. She was face to face with the fact she couldn't satisfy a man. She couldn't do it for her husband. How could she ever manage to satisfy a man like Scott Clinton? His reputation was that of a man who had been “out there". He'd been with many women in his lifetime. How would she compare? Maddy shivered inwardly as she forked the last of Brinston's dirt into the wheelbarrow. She laughed at the very idea of being attractive to Scott. It truly was a joke. As she stood here, shoveling manure and smelling less than a rose, why did she really think she might be attractive to someone like him? It really was laughable. What wasn't laughable was the fact she was attracted to him. It could only lead to heartache. Scott may well be interested in her body. After all, he was basically caged in with her. Maddy knew enough about a man's needs to know Scott would find her attractive when there were no outside influences. No one else to choose from. Put her in a group of lovely ladies and Scott would never even see her. She was too plain for his extravagant tastes. This she knew. Why would she want him to be attracted to her anyway? After everything she'd been through with her ex-husband, falling for Scott was the last thing she needed. If she'd wanted to meet someone new, she would have heeded her family's advice, sold the farm and moved back to Toronto long ago. What she craved was here. What she needed was right here on the farm. And a man was not what she needed. **** When Maddy walked into the house later that evening, her senses were met with the most appetizing scent. All plans to quickly grab a cheese sandwich and hide in her bedroom left instantly. “Mmmm, what is that I smell?" “Pasta primavera with a mushroom sauce. Steamed broccoli and asparagus.” She heard Scott's voice from the living room. “It smells like it's ready to eat,” she answered. “Should I set the table?" “It is ready to eat,” he answered. “But you have to come in here." Maddy dropped her sodden coat onto the floor and peered into the dark living room. “Uhm, I don't know about you, but I usually eat at the kitchen table."

“Today, we're breaking with tradition. Come join me." Maddy quickly washed her hands and face, then walked into the living room. She gasped when she saw the fireplace ablaze and dinner spread out on the coffee table. Scott had located the wine she had stored in the basement but had obviously not found the crystal stemware since he had two plastic tumblers half filled. Maddy attempted to swallow the lump in her throat. “This is lovely,” she said as she sat down on the couch beside him. “What's the occasion?" Scott smiled as he handed a tumbler to her. “The occasion is that this is the third day of the ice storm and I've decided to make the best of it." Maddy bristled instantly. “What do you mean by that?" Scott ran a soothing hand over her cheek. “Don't worry, my lovely lady. I have no intention of taking advantage of you ... unless it's something you want. What I mean is we have to realize there's no escaping our situation." Maddy glanced at the fire in the hearth as she tipped the glass of wine to her mouth. “You found the fireplace." Scott filled the plate in front of her with pasta and vegetables. “I can't understand why you had it covered up. It's a beautiful fireplace." “It is lovely, I admit.” Maddy supplied. “But it's also drafty. When the power went out three days ago, I couldn't keep it and the woodstove going. So, I hung a quilt over it to keep the draft out and depended on the cookstove for heat." “The forecast says it's going to rain for another couple days and then get colder." “That's no surprise,” Maddy said. “It is January after all—the coldest month of the year." “Without power to heat the house, I'm wondering if we need to drain the pipes in the basement. If there's water in them, they will surely freeze and burst when it gets colder." Maddy glanced at Scott in surprise. She had been worrying about the very same thing. That Scott Clinton, the international playboy, would think of something like that surprised her. “I'll take care of it in the morning." “I thought I'd do that for you,” Scott said as he picked up a fork. Maddy grinned. “Oh, I wouldn't expect you to do something like that for me. I can manage." Scott took a bite of his broccoli and peered at Maddy. “What? You don't think I can manage to drain a few pipes?" “Well, it's not exactly your style, is it?" Scott swallowed slowly and placed his fork on the table. “And exactly what is my style?" The room grew cool in spite of the roaring fire. She was instantly sorry she'd made the comment but since he pressed for an answer, she decided there was no going back. “I know living on this farm isn't your style,” she began. “You have a reputation of living the high life. I suspect you've never drained a pipe in your life." “So you've judged me by what you read in the papers,” Scott said sadly. “I'm surprised by that. You don't seem the type to believe everything you read." Maddy cleared her throat nervously. “Look,” she said, “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything at all. I

was just taken aback when you offered to drain the pipes, that's all." Scott regarded her with emerald eyes. “There's a lot about me you don't know, Maddy Harrison. I just might surprise you." Maddy looked down at her plate. “You already have. I had no idea I had the makings of a meal like this." “Well, the vegetables are from cans I found. A can of mushroom soup and powdered milk for the sauce. It's nothing complicated, I can assure you." Maddy frowned as she speared a stock of asparagus. “I see you found another can of this, too." “It's not as good as fresh asparagus, but it'll do,” Scott said as he munched on a stock himself. “Don't you like it?" “I'm not a big fan, no,” Maddy informed him. “These cans were left over from Christmas with my family." “I'll keep that in mind when I cook next time,” Scott said. “I'm pretty sure that was the last can, so you're in luck.” He regarded Maddy reflectively for a moment and then asked, “So your entire family was here for Christmas then?" Maddy smiled bitterly. “Oh yes. The only time they don't complain about my life out here is over the holiday season. They like the idea of coming to a farm in a rural setting for Christmas. So I've been hosting all of them every year." “Your family doesn't approve of your lifestyle?” Scott asked. Maddy speared a piece of broccoli and looked at Scott pensively. “I'm city born and bred. When Chase wanted to leave Toronto and live on a farm, my family was okay with it. But when he left, they felt I should sell the farm and move back." “And that's not what you wanted.” It was a statement. Maddy grinned and shook her head. “I didn't know what I wanted at first,” she told him. “But I loved it here and knew I'd never be happy living in the city again. So I stayed." “It can't be easy living out here on your own." “There are moments when it's not easy, like this storm,” Maddy said as she nodded. “But for the most part, it's rewarding." “Tell me what you find rewarding." Maddy sat back on the couch and reflected for a moment. A smile crossed her lips as she spoke. “There's nothing more wonderful than life here in the spring. Going to the barn in the morning and finding a newborn lamb or when the hens hatch chicks. Digging in the soil and planting a garden. There's the moment you see the seeds you planted burst from the ground and grow. And there's the scent of freshly-cut hay in early June. And the sound of the tractors echo in the valley as they work the land. It's all wonderful and I'm grateful to be a part of it,” she said. “As the summer wears on, we harvest the crops. I love seeing the barn filled with hay for the livestock and a pantry filled to the brim with canned fruit and vegetables I grew myself. Chase didn't see the value of his decision to move from the city to live in the country, but I will always be grateful to him for bringing me here. It's the one and only good thing he ever did for me." Scott frowned. “Are you saying there was nothing that came of your marriage except for living here?" Maddy suddenly realized she'd said too much. She hadn't planned on revealing anything about her

marriage. The words had tumbled out of her mouth unchecked and now she regretted it. She cleared her throat and tried to focus on the plate in front of her. “No, of course not,” she said weakly. “There were lots of good things that came from my marriage." Scott's eyes never left her face. They seemed to examine her soul. “Where is he now?" Maddy attempted a nonchalant shrug. “I'm not sure. Living in the Ottawa area, I think." “I take it you didn't end up being friends." Maddy looked at her empty plate. She didn't want to meet his all-knowing eyes. “No, I think it's safe to say we aren't friends,” Maddy said. “My family is still in touch with him. They get cards at Christmas and assure me he's doing well." “What you mean is they tell you he's doing well, whether you want to know about it or not.” Again Scott made a statement. Maddy nodded. She was sick to death of hearing how Chase was doing from her parents. While they never came right out and said it, she'd always felt her mother and father blamed her for the split. Who was she kidding? Even she blamed herself. If only she could have made him happy... “Why did you and Chase break up?" It was an honest question. Anyone would wonder why a marriage broke up. She couldn't fault Scott for asking. Living here in the house with her during the ice storm forced them into an intimate situation. And an intimate situation called for intimate questions. It wasn't a question she had any intention of answering ... at least, not honestly. Maddy picked up the plate in front of her and rose. She made a point of not making eye contact with Scott. “I don't really know what went wrong,” she lied. “He just wasn't happy with me. He met someone who made him happy and he left." “He had an affair?” Scott's voice was low and there was an unmistakable tone of disapproval. As she walked to the kitchen, Scott followed close behind. “Yes, he met someone while we were married." “And he just left you?" “Yes." “Did he at least offer you an explanation?" “Yes.” Maddy's voice trembled as pulled the steaming kettle of water off the cookstove and dumped it into the sink. Her legs felt like rubber beneath her as she reached for the dish soap. Scott's hand reached out and stopped her. His hand enveloped her fingers and pulled her around to face him. “Tell me what happened, Maddy." The words were spoken softly. Maddy knew he was sincere in his question. There was no hiding she'd been hurt ... at least, not from someone as astute as Scott. Maddy pulled her hand out of his grasp but couldn't draw her gaze away from his penetrating eyes. She attempted a shrug. “He just came home one day and said he was in love,” she told him. It wasn't a lie. Chase really did come home and tell her he'd fallen for a co-worker at the school. But now, she was about to lie through her teeth. “And then it was over. He left and I stayed here."

“You just let him go?" Maddy nodded as she averted her eyes. She focused on the wall. “He didn't tell you why he fell for someone else? He just left?" Oh God! Maddy's mind reeled. She didn't want to tell him what had exchanged between her and Chase that horrible night. The details of her failed marriage were too intimate for her to share. She was too embarrassed to tell him the truth. “It was just over. He didn't want to be with me anymore and I let him go,” she told him. Maddy cleared her throat and chanced a nonchalant glance up at him. “Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to wash the dishes." Scott didn't look convinced but she was grateful when the intense look on his face relaxed somewhat. He picked up a tea towel and began to dry the dishes. **** Scott stoked the embers in the fireplace and added another block of wood as he reflected on the evening. Maddy had washed the dishes and escaped to her room hours before. The evening hadn't gone quite the way he had planned. He'd made dinner and waited for her return from the barn in the hopes of creating an atmosphere of romance. Unfortunately, he had made the mistake of pressing Maddy for information on the breakup of her marriage. The romance of the evening quickly disintegrated as the room cooled with her mood. She hadn't wanted to tell him a thing about her broken marriage. Something about it still caused her pain. If Scott had been wise, he would have changed the subject as soon as he noticed she was uncomfortable. Perhaps if he had, she would be in his arms right now. Instead, he felt the need to press. He wanted her to feel comfortable enough with him to tell him the truth. Now he was alone, wishing there was something he could do to draw her back to him. God help him! He wanted Maddy Harrison more than he'd ever wanted anyone. And he loathed the idea that he wanted her for more than just sex. He wanted to know everything about her, wanted to understand her mind and what caused her pain. An emotional commitment was the last thing he needed right now. He had left Toronto to escape the life he had been living. How could it be that he wanted more from Maddy than he was able to give of himself? The old Scott Clinton, the man he had grown to hate, would not have cared who Maddy was, as long as he could charm her. His smile had been everything in his line of work. He used it to charm not just women, but investors as well. The trust me smile. It always worked. But Maddy Harrison was different and now, so was he. After last week, after nearly losing his best friend, Scott had to admit he could no longer look at life through rose-colored glasses. All was not right in the world and he was not the man who would change it. And worst of all, Scott couldn't change the past. If he could, he would. He was left to deal with the guilt of not being there when his best friend needed him the most. Now, marooned in this farmhouse, Scott was forced to face his demons. As he watched the fire rage in the hearth, he knew there was no escaping what had happened. He was falling for Maddy Harrison. There was no other explanation. When she lied to him about why her marriage broke up, he wanted to draw her into his arms and tell her it didn't matter, that she could tell him anything. He wanted to assure her that no matter what had gone wrong, he would never think less of her. Maddy was too fragile. He knew telling her how he felt would drive her further away. It was ridiculous to think he really could fall for her after only meeting her three days ago. Scott hesitated to tell himself what he was feeling for her was actually love. Love didn't happen to a

man like Scott Clinton. Or at least he was pretty sure it didn't. It was much easier to say he was falling for her. After all, falling for her didn't have to mean he was in love with her. In his mind, it just meant he felt more for Maddy than he ever had for any other woman he'd ever met. What he considered to be love included his feelings for Lenore and look how that turned out. It wasn't just about a physical relationship. It was about wanting to protect her from pain. And wanting to take her pain away. Wanting to be honest with her—and have her be honest with him. Maddy didn't feel for him what he felt for her. She was hesitant, cautious and wary. He couldn't blame her for that. As far as she was concerned, he'd just fallen off the proverbial turnip truck. And he wasn't being honest with her anymore than she was being with him. There was far more to the breakup of her marriage than she wanted to tell him. There was also far more to him than he wanted to admit. She wondered why he ended up at her door three nights ago. If he ever hoped to have a relationship with her, he couldn't risk telling her the truth. Surely, it wouldn't hurt to leave out certain things—like the potential he had to destroy the lives of others—if he had changed. The need to be completely honest with Maddy was outweighed by the fact the truth might push her further away. After all, she had obviously been hurt once. Would knowing who Scott really was, not the façade she saw in the papers, push her away from him as well? It wasn't a risk he was willing to take. As the fire blazed, Scott thought about what he had to do to win Maddy over. She hadn't once invited him to come along to the barn with her. And since it seemed she relished the free space, he had never asked to accompany her. Whatever was happening at the barn, it appeared she was managing well. He could see to it that the house was taken care of while she was otherwise occupied. He would drain the pipes in the house before she came in from the barn. That way, she couldn't protest and insist on doing it herself. He would also clean both chimneys. He'd seen the brushes needed for the job in the back room when he was searching for cans to make dinner. He had no idea how often Maddy cleaned the chimneys, but since she hadn't been using the one for the fireplace; there was a good chance it needed to be done. She could protest all she bloody well liked, but Scott wasn't about to stay in her house and not take on any of the responsibility. Scott moved from the fireplace to the couch. He grumbled as he straightened the blankets and threw himself down on top of them. Why couldn't he have a room with a comfortable bed upstairs? Maddy didn't want him upstairs. There was ample room for him and since she hosted her family just two weeks before, he knew there was a more comfortable bed in one of the three spare bedrooms. He grinned. She didn't want him up there. She didn't want the temptation of his being near. Chapter 4 Maddy pulled the lapels of her heavy coat around her neck as she pumped water from the well into the pail. The wind was becoming bitter now. It was the fourth day of the ice storm and there was no denying it was growing colder. The ice pellets that continued to fall whipped against her cheeks as the cruel wind sliced through her, embedding itself into her very soul. The coat which had offered warmth over the last few days, now seemed paper-thin as she bent to place the lid over the pail and carry it toward the house. She breathed a sigh of relief when the warm air in the kitchen coursed over her body as she shucked her damp coat and kicked off the insulated boots. She ladled water into the kettle and returned it to the stove. She peered into the living room and found the abandoned couch; a blanket lay crumpled on the floor. Scott had gotten up. But where was he? The answer came by sound. She heard an uttered oath from beneath the floorboards of the kitchen and knew instantly Scott was bleeding the water pipes. He was in the basement. Maddy grinned when she

heard another oath and knew it wasn't going well. Certainly, he would require her help. Maddy walked to the back room and found the basement door open. The oaths sounded louder as she took an empty pail and walked down the steps. She found Scott, pipe wrench in hand, dallying with pipes above his head. “Need some help?” she queried. Scott looked away from his task for only a moment and grinned. “Actually, no, I'm doing okay,” he told her. “This last pipe hasn't been opened in a long time and the nut is rusted. It's holding out on me." Scott spouted one more oath as he pushed on the wrench with all his might. It finally gave way and opened. With a sigh of relief, he peered down at the pail beneath as ice cold water drained from the pipes. He looked at Maddy with a triumphant smile. “And you didn't think I could manage." Maddy had to admit, she was surprised. He had even thought far enough ahead to take several pails to catch the water from the pipes “You've managed to surprise me again." Scott walked over to her and put an arm around her shoulder. He drew her to his side and shook her lightly. “I'm full of surprises and you'd find that out if you took the time to look,” he said as he winked. Maddy's grin froze as she looked up at him. His scent filled her sences. “I'm sure you are,” she stammered, wishing she could find the strength to pull out of his grip. Scott's grin widened. “Admit it,” he prompted. “You're more than amazed. You're dumbfounded." Maddy giggled. “I admit it." Scott's smile sparkled against the dim light. “In fact, you're wondering how you ever managed without me." Maddy laughed out loud. “Well, I wouldn't go that far." Scott turned and wrapped his arms around her waist. He bowed his head to look into her eyes. “But you are wondering what you ever did to deserve me. Right?" Maddy's body sizzled at his touch. His hands were splayed lightly behind her but the sensations he caused were anything but light. Her body coursed with electricity as she ventured a peek upward into his emerald gaze. “I'm glad you have this chore done,” she told him in a squeaky voice that couldn't be her own. “We should be going upstairs now. I'm starved." Scott's voice was low. His grip on her didn't waver. “I'm starved, too,” he told her. She knew he wasn't talking about food. “I've been starved since the moment we met." Maddy attempted to clear her voice. “Well then, we should see about breakfast." “Not so fast. I think we should inspect your tongue first." Maddy's body tightened in awareness. “There isn't enough light down here for that." Scott's lips touched her cheek softly. “We don't need light.” His breath whispered against her cheek as he spoke. Before Maddy could protest further, Scott's lips were on hers. His touch was soft and coaxing in the beginning and Maddy raised her face to his. Feeling grew within the pit of her stomach and spread throughout her body as Scott's mouth drank from hers. Her arms circled his neck and pulled him to her, then her hands snaked up into his hair. She wasn't sure if the soft moan was hers or his as the kiss deepened. Scott's hands slid up from her waist and gently pushed at her shoulder blades, bringing her

even closer to his body. Maddy's mind did battle with her senses. This wasn't right. It was simply wrong! Her body pushed any thoughts aside and drank from the sweet fountain of sensation Scott offered. Never before had she felt so desirable. So needed. Her mind would offer up all kinds of reasons not to follow her needs but that could wait. All she wanted right now was to feel Scott's touch. And he didn't disappoint. His hands glided all over her body. Just when she felt the welcome touch of them on her backside, they would quickly slide up her back and to the sides of her body. They would then slowly make their way up to her aching breasts, only to slide away again. His mouth pulled away from her lips to scorch a path over her neck and just as she reveled in the gentle touch, they once more found their way to her mouth. Maddy knew only one thing. She wanted more. So very much more. She wanted to lay down with him, to allow his body to press against hers without the barrier of clothes. She wanted to feel his pulse deep inside... “Maddy?” a voice called from a distance. It seemed a world away. Scott groaned as he pulled his mouth from hers and looked upwards. “Who the hell can that be?" Maddy blinked as her gaze followed Scott's. “Maddy? Are you here?" Yep, the voice was coming from the kitchen above. And it sounded very much like her neighbor, Kim Winston. Maddy backed out of Scott's arms and pulled herself together as best she could. Her lips felt swollen but there was nothing she could do about that at the moment. She glanced at Scott and quickly reached over to tuck his shirt back into his pants. “God, that's Kim,” she said urgently. “She's my neighbor and probably worried sick about me. I have to get up there." Scott glanced down at the fingers delving inside the rim of his jeans. “If you want to get up there, you're going about it the wrong way,” he said sardonically. Maddy felt her cheeks burn as she peered up at Scott. “I just don't want her to think anything was going on down here,” she told him. “Please, I'm begging you, please behave. Or better yet, wait here until she's gone." As Maddy turned to the stairs, Scott's grip embraced her waist. “Just tell me we can take up where we left off later." She didn't answer as she pulled out of his grip and raced up the stairs. “Kim,” she called, “I'm here." **** Maddy burst through the basement door and ran into the kitchen. She glanced behind her briefly and was relived to see Scott hadn't followed her. She pushed the door closed and leaned against it as she attempted to catch her breath. “Kim, so good to see you!” Maddy knew she sounded breathless and way too nervous. In the time it took for her to get out of Scott's embrace and upstairs, Kim had taken her coat and boots off. She eyed Maddy curiously. “We've been worried about you since the power went out. I just came to check on you." Maddy brought a shaky hand to her chest. Her heartbeat raced as she tried to feign calm. “Oh?” she said. “I'm doing just fine. Really, just fine.” Darn it, she was talking too fast. Kim knew she always

talked fast when she was nervous. Kim's eyes narrowed. “I'm glad to hear that,” she said slowly. “What were you doing in the basement?" “Draining the pipes,” Maddy supplied as she slowly walked toward her friend. She peered behind her at the closed door, silently praying Scott would stay put until she could get Kim out of the house. Kim smiled. “Oh, good. Harry was concerned about that. He thought you might not think to drain the pipes before it gets cold." Maddy's heart sank when her friend opened a cupboard door and pulled a mug out. She watched as Kim walked to the cookstove and filled it with steaming coffee. She turned to a mug on the table and filled it as well. Maddy smiled nervously as Kim motioned to her to sit down. There wasn't much she could do other than take a seat at the table across from her friend. She wrapped her fingers around the ceramic mug and forced a broad smile. If she'd been here alone, she would have welcomed her neighbor's company. Kim had become her best friend when she and Chase moved onto the farm. Maddy sincerely didn't know how she would have survived on the farm alone if it hadn't been for Kim and her husband. They had not only been a source of comfort for Maddy when Chase left, but also a wealth of information. Kim and Harry farmed in a big way. They milked seventy-five Holstein cows and also kept some beef cattle and pigs. Maddy was proud to say she saved her own beloved Edna from the butcher block when Harry was about to ship her out of the herd. She begged Harry to let her to give the old cow a home and he had reluctantly given in. Maddy learned something new each and every time she was with Kim. She'd been Maddy's main source of information on making soap, truly a lost art. Now, Maddy couldn't keep up with the demand for her homemade, herbal-scented and goats milk soaps and she had Kim to thank for it. Kim took a sip of her coffee and winced. “God, this stuff is horrible!" Maddy giggled. “It's been on the stove all morning. Of course, it's horrible." “You've been okay since the power went out?” Kim asked. Maddy nodded. “Yes, we've been fine." Kim's brows rose. Maddy winced, realizing her faux pas. “We?" “We, meaning myself and the animals in the barn,” Maddy said quickly. Kim examined her closely. “I see." “What about you and Harry and the kids? Is everyone okay? How have you managed with all the cattle since the power went out?" “The kids are fine. Jason is complaining about the lack of power and how the generator isn't strong enough to run the television when we're milking the cows and Julia thinks the storm is very exciting." Kim continued, “Thank God the generator works, that's all I can say. Have you heard just how bad it is in the area? Some of the farmers without generators can't get their cows milked, or even watered. There's a lot of animals that will be lost if the power doesn't come back on soon. Some farmers in other parts of the province are sending their generators down to help out, but there aren't nearly enough to go around.” Kim shook her head sadly. “All we can really hope for is a swift end to the storm." When Maddy nodded in agreement, Kim continued, “Which brings me to why I'm here. When we didn't get a signal from you last night, we started to worry."

Darn it! She had forgotten to send an “all's well” signal last night! She had agreed to send a signal that all was well when the storm began. Scott's surprise dinner had tossed her off kilter ... in more ways than one. “Harry and I think you should move in with us for awhile, at least until the power comes back on." “Thanks for the offer,” Maddy told her friend sincerely. “But I can't leave the animals and besides, I'm fine. The stove keeps the house warm." “But we worry about you here alone and Harry said he'd come over twice a day to see to the animals,” Kim argued. Maddy shook her head. “Thanks but...” At that moment, a crash sounded from the basement, followed by a very clear oath. Kim frowned and looked at Maddy in surprise. “There's someone else here?" Before Maddy could reply, Kim got up and walked to the basement door. She opened it and called down. “Hey, who's down there?" She closed her eyes as she heard Scott's footsteps come up the stairs. “Just me,” he said as he emerged from the basement. She opened her eyes and chanced a glance at her friend. Kim's eyes were wide in amazement. “You're hiding men in the basement?" Scott laughed softly. “Just one man. Maddy was afraid of what you'd think if you knew I was here.” He chanced a glance at Maddy. “Hey, you don't make a habit of hiding men in the basement, do you?" Maddy ignored the question. “This is Scott Clinton,” she told her friend. “Scott's car ran off the road and he turned up here looking for refuge from the storm. Scott, this is my neighbor and best friend, Kim Winston." Kim blinked as she peered at Scott. “You're Scott Clinton? The Scott Clinton?” She grinned wickedly as she gazed back at Maddy. “I surely can't be your best friend if you'd hide someone like him from me." Maddy flinched. This was why she didn't want Kim to know about Scott's presence. “Scott's only staying until the storm ends and he can continue his trip." Kim's eyes widened as they connected with her's in a silent message. He is hot! She returned the message. Don't get any ideas, he's not staying. Maddy made a point of breaking eye contact with her friend before Kim could read more than Maddy wanted her to know. Kim and Harry had always urged her to seek the company of another man after Chase left. And with Scott now living in her house, she knew Kim had all kinds of ideas—all of which were in the gutter. “How about some fresh coffee?” Scott asked as he walked to the cookstove. Maddy watched as he dumped the contents of the coffee pot into a pail by the sink. He leaned over and dipped water out of another pail by the sink and filled the coffee pot. She couldn't keep her focus off the jeans that stretched tight over his butt as he leaned over the water pail. She glanced at Kim and groaned inwardly. Scott's tight jeans weren't lost on her friend either. Muscles beneath the cotton shirt rippled as he moved. Maddy knew full well what her friend was thinking. When Scott finished the task, he took a chair at the table across from Maddy. His sexy smile penetrated her very soul. They had just been in each other's arms in the basement. He had been showing her just

how much he desired her. A part of Maddy was thrilled at the very thought Scott found her desirable and he was now there for Kim's approval. Maddy gave herself a mental shake. Scott Clinton thought she was desirable. It really was too much. Maddy pushed down the fact he'd been marooned in her house in the middle of an ice storm, not to mention he had no one else to choose from. For the first time in a very, very long time, Madeline Harrison felt desirable. God, maybe it was the first time ever. Certainly, she was hard pressed to think of a single time Chase had ever made her feel so wanton in all of their married life. She was a desirable woman! In your face, Chase Harrison! Of course, the fact Chase knew her better, far more intimately, than Scott did was the crux of the situation. If it hadn't been for Kim showing up when she did, Scott just might have realized why Maddy lived on her own on this Godforsaken farm. Scott's voice penetrated her thoughts. “So, tell me, Kim, exactly how did you manage to get here over the ice?" As Kim opened her mouth to respond, Scott raised a hand. “Don't tell me. I'm betting you're the one who taught Maddy about putting screw nails in boots.” His gaze slid over Maddy fondly. “I just learned that trick myself." Kim beamed. “One has to know a lot of little things to survive in the country. I don't suppose you know much about that, since you live the high life in Toronto." Scott nodded as his gaze slid away from Maddy to their guest. “I'm learning new things every day." Kim's brows rose. “Such as?" “Well, certainly, I'm learning about surviving without the general comforts like electricity. But I'm also learning that the country tends to hide many wonders I never knew existed." Kim propped her hands under her chin. “Oh, do tell." Maddy's body shivered with fear. The last thing she needed was to have Scott discuss what had just happened in the basement. When Scott's eyes settled on her again, she knew the subject needed to change quickly. She rose from the table and turned to the stove. “I'm sure the coffee's ready by now. Would you like some cookies to go with it, Kim?" Kim brushed her off with a wave. “No thanks.” She turned back to Scott. “You were saying?" “Oh,” Scott continued, “I was talking about the pleasures of country life, wasn't I? I was going to say that living here with Maddy for the past few days has opened up all kinds of possibilities for me." Maddy nervously opened a cupboard door. “Cookies, I'm sure I have some here." “I have to admit, the first night I was here, I was kept awake with a need I couldn't put my finger on,” Scott said. Maddy gulped. “Hey, Kim, did I ever show you the new wallpaper I put up in my bedroom? Let's go have a look at it." Kim dismissed her with another wave of her hand. “It's been almost a year since you put that up and I've seen it.” She focused on Scott with great interest. “Go on." Maddy felt rage build within her as Scott smiled wickedly. The jerk! “Well, when I got here and met Maddy, you can only imagine what I thought. A lovely woman living

out here on her own with no one to see to her needs.” He paused for effect and Maddy closed her eyes against what would come out of his mouth next. Kim nodded “I curled up on the couch that night and..." “She made you sleep on that confounded couch?” Kim interjected. Maddy moaned. “Can we please change the subject?" Scott nodded as he ignored her plea and drew a sigh of sympathy from Kim. Maddy's breath caught in her throat and she squeezed her eyes closed as she waited for Scott to continue. “Yes, she did. And do you know what need kept me from sleeping?" Kim responded. “I can only imagine." Scott nodded. “You're right. I needed noise." Maddy opened one eye warily and peered at Scott. What the heck was he talking about? “I was amazed by the quiet,” Scott continued. “No traffic. Not a siren to be heard anywhere. Just sweet, blissful quiet." Maddy opened her other eye and blinked. He was talking about how quiet the farm was as opposed to city life? She breathed an audible sigh of relief. Kim glanced at her with a knowing smile. “You look relieved, Maddy. What did you think Scott was going to say?" Maddy shrugged as nonchalantly as her tensed body would allow. “Who, me? I knew what Scott was talking about." Scott grinned wickedly. “Sure you did, honey." **** Scott stood at the counter as he watched Kim put her boots and coat on. “It was great to meet you, Kim." “I'm glad to have met you too, Scott,” Kim replied as she secured a green scarf around her neck. She peered at Maddy, who was standing next to her. “Don't forget to signal me tonight." Maddy smiled. “Of course I will." Scott grinned as Kim winked at her friend. “Just so you know, the invitation to have you stay with us has been revoked. I think you and Scott will manage just fine on your own." Maddy's face colored slightly. “Yes, I'm sure we'll be fine. Thanks for the offer." Kim turned to Scott as her hand rested on the doorknob. “I hope we'll meet again." Scott winked. “I hope so, too." With that, Kim was gone. Maddy made a point of watching her friend leave. Scott knew full well she was angry. He loved it when she was angry. Her breasts would heave ever so enticingly. Her cheeks would glow a sweet, dark rouge. He knew he wouldn't be disappointed this time. He felt need grow within him as Maddy slowly turned and peered at him. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she spoke. “What the hell was that?” she demanded.

Scott shrugged. “What was what?” He pushed off the counter and walked toward her. Her cheeks darkened in anger. “We both know you were teasing me when you were going on about the pleasures of country life. I want to know what the hell you thought you were doing talking to my best friend like that?" “Hey,” Scott said softly. “Who cares what Kim thought? She had fun with it. And there's nothing wrong with whetting an appetite for passion, is there?" “Kim is my friend,” Maddy hissed. “And you had no right to allude to the fact we've been intimate." Scott ignored the callous tone. “We have yet to be intimate. But,” he said, “if she hadn't shown up when she did, we would have." Maddy sputtered in anger. “Do you think I'm really so cheap I would have had sex with you in the basement? You don't know me that well at all, Clinton." Scott's eyes narrowed as his gaze sliced over her. “That's right.” His voice echoed her frustration. “I don't know you. But who's at fault for that?" “What's that supposed to mean?" “What it means is you've been pushing me away since I got here." Maddy took a step back; the move landed her against the wall. “I beg your pardon?” she croaked. She pounded a hand against her chest. “I am not attracted to you! You seem to think that since you're holed up here until the storm subsides that you're entitled to a lot more than just lodging." Scott felt anger burn inside him. “I wouldn't have felt that way if it hadn't been for you. I know the signs, girl, and you've been sending signals since I got here!" Maddy took a deep breath. Scott knew rage was not something this woman expressed on a regular basis. She visibly tried to rein in the anger as she practiced deep breathing. “There's no point in discussing this any further,” she told him in a feigned calm voice. She turned to pull her coat from the nail and drew it on. Scott watched as she reached for her boots. “Tell me,” he said in a hushed tone. “When your husband told you he was leaving you for another woman, did you just put on your boots and go to the barn?" Maddy lashed out at him before he realized it. Her hand came in contact with his cheek; the sting set him back a step. He flinched as he gazed down at her. Tears welled up in her eyes. “Damn you!” she cried. Before he could respond, she was gone. Chapter 5 Maddy had spent the past hour since she'd escaped from the house—and Scott—mucking out the horse's stall. She forked perfectly clean straw as well as any not-so-clean into the wheelbarrow and wheeled it outside. Brinston ignored her strenuous efforts as he stood at one end of the stall. The more Maddy thought about Scott's words, the harder she worked at cleaning the stall. Tell me, when your husband told you he was leaving you for another woman, did you just put on your boots and leave? Maddy regretted her initial reaction. She regretted slapping Scott with all the force she could muster. There was no way she could deny that Scott was basically right. She hadn't wanted Chase to abandon her. She didn't want to live alone on the farm. She had let him leave the moment he said he'd met

someone who truly loved him. Maddy wiped her eyes again. Every time she thought she'd cried out all the tears there could possibly be, her body surprised her and offered more for her to shed. She had loved Chase. Yes, their sex life was not the greatest but she was working on it. It pierced her to the core that Chase wasn't willing to wait any longer. That he had found someone who gave him what he needed was a slap in Maddy's face that stung far more than any she could ever hope to render on anyone. The question that always haunted Maddy took front and center yet again. Hadn't Chase loved her? The answer was clear. He had not. It was a fact Maddy grappled with for some time after Chase left. He couldn't have loved her the way she did him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have turned to someone else when things weren't going as he would have liked. Maddy seemed incapable of loving him as he deserved to be loved. She didn't understand why. Her life had been as normal as apple pie. Yet she'd been unable to give Chase what he really needed. Scott's words stung. She had walked away when Chase said he was leaving her. But before she did, she asked him why. His reasons cut her to the core. Maddy hadn't realized she was pressed against Brinston's flank until the horse nudged her softly. When she looked up, he nuzzled her face gently. Maddy wiped the tears from her face as she patted his soft nose. “I'm sorry, boy,” she said brokenly. “You need some bedding in here, don't you?" As she broke open a bale of straw and began shaking it out, she heard the barn door creak as it opened. “Maddy?" She quelled the urge to hide and continued to shake out the straw. “I'm here,” she said. “Maddy,” Scott said as he appeared at the box stall gate. “You've been in the barn so long, I was beginning to worry about you." “It didn't occur to you that I'm avoiding you?” Maddy asked gruffly. She didn't make eye contact with him. “Yes, it occurred to me,” Scott answered. “But I thought you'd show up eventually so we could work things out." Maddy speared another flake of straw and shook it fiercely. “What is there to work out?" She heard Scott's intake of breath. He held it for a moment before he spoke. “I was way out of line." Maddy laughed sarcastically. “Tell me something I don't know." “I'm here to tell you I'm sorry." Maddy shook out the last flake of straw and walked out of the stall. She patted Brinston's head and pushed past Scott. “You must have been feeling desperate to express your feelings if you actually came out here,” Maddy said through gritted teeth. “Doesn't the smell of the barn make you want to retch?" Scott followed close behind as she walked toward the stall housing the sheep and began forking hay into the manger. “Of course not. Why would you think it would?" Maddy glared at him for an instant. Her body constricted with tension when she saw the sincere concern in his eyes. She looked back at her work. “Well, being from the city, I would have thought a

barn filled with animals would be a turnoff." Scott's hand suddenly landed on top of hers. She could feel his body heat through her gloved hand. “Will you please stop for a minute? I want to talk this out." Maddy slipped her hand from beneath his grasp. Scott was left with the handle of the pitchfork “The sheep want to be fed, Scott. I don't think they'd agree with waiting a moment longer." Scott peered at the expectant faces. He instantly began forking the hay into the manger. “Okay then, we'll feed them first and then we'll talk." Maddy opened the door of the chicken coop and walked inside. After collecting the eggs, she scooped feed from the bag for the hens. Scott called her. “Hey, this cow doesn't seem to understand I need to open this bale of hay before she gets it." Maddy glanced over to see Scott in an all-out fight with Edna over a bale of hay. He must have lifted the bale to take the twine off. The move had given Edna the opportunity to grab it. She grinned as she walked to the struggling pair. She grasped the bale of hay with gloved hands and pried it out of Edna's mouth. “It's never a good idea to lift an unopened bale of hay when Edna's around." Maddy leaned over the bale and pulled the twine off. “There,” she said as she grinned at Scott. “Now you can give her half the bale." Scott looked at the cow accusingly. “She almost took my arms off." “She means no harm,” Maddy said. “She just wants to make sure she'll get every ounce of feed she has coming to her." Scott's gaze leveled on her. “I meant no harm either, Maddy. If I had known just how deeply you'd been hurt, I never would have made that blasted comment." Maddy bristled. “I haven't been hurt." Scott smiled sadly. “Of course you have. It shows in everything you do. You love the animals in this barn because you know they won't hurt you. They turn to you for unconditional love. You offer them food and comfort knowing they'll never hurt you,” Scott stated quietly. “Unlike people." Maddy fought the urge to shed more tears. The last thing she needed was for Scott to know how close he was to the truth. The animals did indeed offer comfort. They asked little of her, all they needed was food, comfort and the odd hug of someone who loved them with all her heart. There were no demands. None of them ever accused her of not being able to love them completely. “I don't know what you're talking about,” Maddy answered as she turned back to the hens. “Okay,” Scott replied. “We'll let it go for now. I just don't want you to avoid me anymore." Maddy looked at Scott. “Okay, I won't avoid you anymore but you have to promise to keep your comments to yourself." Scott's hand was hidden behind his back as he said, “I promise." “Besides,” Maddy continued. “I suspect I'm not the only one who has something to hide." When Scott finished forking the hay in the manger, he came and stood by the chicken coop door. “You think I have something to hide?" Maddy looked up from her task. “Don't you? Why else would you be driving in the ice storm? You

accuse me of running away but I think you were doing the same thing." Scott's face clouded. “That's different." Maddy smiled knowingly. “Really? How so?" Scott's gaze slid over her. He took a deep breath before he spoke. “If I'm not allowed to make comments on your life, then the same goes for you." Maddy studied Scott carefully. Yep, there was definitely something he didn't want to share. She couldn't imagine that someone, anyone, could hurt Scott Clinton. But there was no denying the raw pain on his face. She wanted to tear her gloves off and touch him soothingly. Whatever Scott was running from, she was glad he had ended up here. Two injured souls. If only she could tell him what had happened in her marriage. Then maybe, just maybe, he would open up to her. “Fair enough,” Maddy said. “We both get to keep our secrets." **** The wind howled against the bedroom window as Maddy tossed in her bed. She bundled the quilts around her freezing toes and rolled herself into a makeshift cocoon. It was no use. Even the second pair of wool socks couldn't keep her feet warm. She imagined Scott sleeping peacefully in the warm living room. He'd need only one blanket since the fireplace would keep the room toasty. It was so unfair! Why should she stay up here and freeze her butt off while Scott slept downstairs in comfort? Maybe she could just sneak downstairs and warm up in front of the cookstove for awhile. If she kept quiet enough, maybe she wouldn't wake him. Maddy rolled out of the quilts and headed to the door. That was when she heard a loud thump followed by a muffled thud. Her heart almost stopped as she stood at the bedroom door and pressed her ear against it. Another thump, this time, followed by a dragging sound. Maddy's heart raced. It was nearby, in the room next to hers from what she could tell. Someone was in her house! Damn Scott anyway! More than likely, he was sleeping soundly downstairs while some mad man had broken into the house. Maddy screwed up what little courage she could muster and slowly pulled the door open a crack. She winced when the door creaked as it moved. Whoever was in the bedroom next to hers didn't seem to hear the noise. The dragging sound became louder as Maddy peered through the crack and saw the dim light of an oil lamp. “Crap!” The loud oath vibrated off the walls and Maddy drew a sigh of relief. It was Scott. Anger replaced fear as Maddy pulled the door open wide and walked out into the hall. “What the hell do you think you're doing?" Scott looked up from his task. He was taking a bed apart, the mattress and box spring already pushed up against the wall. “What does it look like I'm doing?” Scott said as he continued to hammer on the frame of the bed. “I'm taking this bed apart and moving it downstairs." “What?” Maddy said as she placed her hands on her hips. “What's wrong with the couch?" Scott looked up at her with a sardonic grin. “When's the last time you slept on that thing?" “I don't think I ever have."

“Then don't try to tell me it's comfortable. It's sheer hell to sleep on. I'm not going to spend one more night on it just because you don't want to share your space with me." Maddy softened her tone. “I had no idea.” She stepped further into the room. Scott glanced over his shoulder at her. “Since I'm not allowed to sleep in a bedroom, I'm taking this bed downstairs.” He shivered. “It's too darn cold anyway. I don't know how you can sleep up here." When Scott finally pried the bedframe apart, Maddy helped him take all the pieces downstairs. She fought a blissful moan when she felt the warmth of the living room. Scott moved the couch to a far corner of the room and swiftly moved the coffee table and end tables to one side making room for the bed. “There, lots of room for a real bed down here,” he announced as he began to piece the bedframe together. When the sheets and quilts were finally on the bed, Scott sat down on top of it with a sigh. “Now, I should be able to sleep." “Yes.” Maddy smiled. “I guess I'll go back to bed.” She hesitated. “Good night then." “When are you going to admit it's too cold for you to sleep up there?" “It's not that bad,” Maddy lied. “I have lots of quilts on my bed." Scott looked down at her feet. “Do you usually wear two pairs of wool socks to bed?" Maddy sighed. “Okay, it's cold. But it's not like there's any place else for me to sleep. Your bed has just taken up most of the room in here." Scott's head tilted slightly. “And I can't be trusted if you slept in the same bed?" Maddy's hand flew to her chest. She peered across the room to the couch that was stuffed into the corner. “Well, there's always the couch, I guess." Scott tossed his head and laughed out loud. He waved a hand toward the couch. “Be my guest. It might not be comfortable but at least you'll be warm. If you'd rather be tortured by wayward springs than share a bed with me, then so be it." **** Maddy groaned as she wrestled to get off the couch in the morning. She was sure her body was wracked with scars as loose springs poked and prodded her all night long. Her body ached from head to toe. And worse yet, Scott continued to sleep in the soft double bed. He lay sprawled across it on his stomach. The quilt was pulled up to just over his backside. Her gaze slid over his bare back, the smattering of dark hair over his shoulders and the muscles that lay dormant in his slumber. The fireplace blazed brightly as the warmth in the room enveloped her. Maddy pulled the quilt off the couch and gently placed it over Scott's back. Her fingers gently grazed soft skin at the nape of his neck as she tucked the quilt around his shoulders. “Hey.” He opened one eye and looked up at her. “Good morning." “Good morning,” Maddy answered softly. “I didn't mean to wake you." “I was already awake,” Scott said as he pushed himself up slightly. He rested an elbow against the pillow and propped his head on his hand. “I was up an hour ago. You were still sleeping and since you tossed and turned all night, I thought I'd just leave you to sleep a while longer." Maddy grinned as her body protested against the stretch she attempted. “You were right about the

couch." Scott winked. “Told you so. At least you were warm." Maddy nodded. She looked out the window and shivered. “Looks cold out there but at least the freezing rain has stopped." “It is really cold,” Scott told her. Maddy raised an eyebrow. “You've been outside?" Scott nodded. “Yep, I've been to the barn and fed the stock." Maddy blinked. Scott's chest vibrated with a chuckle. “You did chores for me?” she asked disbelievingly. That would explain why the fire in the hearth hadn't died out. But how could he know what the livestock needed? Scott frowned. “Hey, why is that so hard to believe? Don't you think I can feed a few animals and shake up some straw for bedding?" Maddy struggled against the urge to run to the barn. He couldn't have known that Edna needed half a scoop of grain while Brinston required only a quarter of a scoop. And the sheep and goats would be ever so upset if they didn't get their usual three scoops. Still, Scott had made an effort. She didn't doubt that he'd left no one in the barn wanting more. She wouldn't worry about it. “I-I guess so. It's just I wasn't expecting you to do that,” Maddy said. Scott threw back the quilt and got out of bed. Maddy's eyes fell to his boxers and then glanced away. “That was really nice of you. Thank you." Scott stood over her, his eyes warm, his breath gently kissing her face. “I wanted you to see that I can be trusted. I may not know a great deal about farm animals but I'm willing to learn. And I'm willing to take on my share of the burden. You shouldn't have to carry the load by yourself." Maddy stepped back. “Well, I appreciate it,” she said, “but I don't think you should feel obligated to do my work." Scott grinned. “While I'm staying under your roof, it's my work, too. When I was in the hayloft, I looked at the beams. You have reason to be concerned. They are heaving under the weight of the ice." Maddy's brows furrowed. “I know they are. I just don't know what to do about it." “Well,” Scott said. “I do. There's some lumber in your shed, enough to make braces to reinforce the beams. A good day's work will fix the problem." Maddy gazed at Scott. “I appreciate your concern but I have no idea how you can fix them." Scott grinned. “Then trust me to know it can be done. By this evening, you won't have to worry about the barn collapsing under the weight of the ice." Chapter 6 Two screaming children ran around the table as Maddy and Kim prepared dinner. Kim stirred gravy in a small pan while Maddy peeled potatoes and put them into a large cast iron pot on the counter. “I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help today,” Maddy called over the ear-splitting sound of the kids.

Kim turned to the children and cried, “Hey, hold it down just a little, will you please?” She turned to Maddy and grinned. “No prob. But I have to admit, when Scott turned up at our door, Harry just about freaked. I've been teasing him about a knight in shining armor coming to take me away one day and he thought Scott was just that." Maddy laughed as she plunked the last potato into the pot and poured water over them. “Well, Scott certainly has that quality about him, doesn't he?" “I'll say,” Kim agreed. “You struck gold when you invited him to stay here with you." Maddy was quick on the uptake. “Hey, I did not invite him. He turned up at my door, remember?" When the kids disappeared into the living room, Maddy was relieved for the silence. “Yeah, I remember. But the last time I was here, there wasn't a bed in the living room either. Looks like you two are getting very cozy." “Please take notice of the couch in the room as well.” Maddy retorted. “I slept on that last night." Kim's eyes widened. “Why would you sleep there when Scott is in that big old bed just waiting for you?" “Because I don't want a one night stand and let's face it, that's what it would be with Scott. He has his life in Toronto and I have mine here. If it hadn't been for the ice storm, we never would have met." “Hey,” Kim called to the kids. “Stop jumping on the bed!” She turned to Maddy. “What's wrong with a one night stand?” She winked. “Or better yet, several nights?" Because if it happens, I'll fall in love with him. Maddy shrugged. “I don't know. I guess I'm just not like that." “And the fact you have a thing for him doesn't help either,” Kim supplied. Maddy opened her mouth to reply to Kim's observation when the door burst open and Harry and Scott walked in. The blast of cold air was shut out when Scott pushed the door closed behind him. “Brrrrr,” he said as pulled the leather gloves off his hands and rubbed them together. “It's not getting any warmer out there." The two kids scurried from the living room to greet their father. Harry bent down and pulled them into a bear hug. “It's freezing out there,” he said as he let his gloves fall to the floor. “Someone has to warm me up." The kids squealed as his hands slid under their shirts and onto their bare backs. They pulled out of his arms and ran back into the living room. His eyes gleamed with laughter as he watched them retreat. “The softies,” he said as he pulled his coat off. The warmth of a father's love for his children filled Maddy's heart. She ached over the fact Chase had never wanted children. Kim was a very lucky woman. Maddy pulled her gaze away from Harry and leveled it on Scott. “How did it go?" Scott smiled as he placed his heavy coat on the nail and turned to her. “It went well. I think we have all the beams reinforced." Harry nodded as he moved to the cookstove and warmed his hands over the radiating heat. “It wasn't easy. There were a lot more beams that needed work than we figured on.” He nodded toward Scott. “But I think we got them all. Should be safe now." Scott agreed with a curt nod. He looked at Harry. “Thanks for your help. Don't think I could have

managed it all on my own." Harry's eyes gleamed as he looked at Maddy. “Don't let him fool you. He managed very well, for a city boy." Maddy's heart swelled with pride. She placed the pot of potatoes onto the stove and pulled the coffee pot off. “How about some coffee to warm you up?" Scott winked. “Sure, that'll do if there's nothing else to warm me up." Maddy felt her cheeks glow. She pulled mugs from the cupboard and poured the coffee. “Guess that's all you can expect for now, buddy,” Harry said. “Too many souls around." Scott and Harry exchanged a look Maddy could only call ‘knowing'. The fact the two men might have talked about her made Maddy nervous. The need to escape was overwhelming. “I guess I should run down to the barn to feed the animals before we have dinner." “Done,” both men chimed at the same time. Harry continued. “The horse acted like he hadn't eaten in days, so we took pity on him." “And when we fed him, all the other animals wanted to be fed, too,” Scott added as he took the pot from Maddy's hand and filled his mug. He winked and whispered, “All the chores are done so you have no excuse to leave, no matter how uncomfortable you are." Maddy swallowed hard and peered down at her mug of coffee. “So it seems." “Mommy, Daddy!” cried seven year old Julia. “There's a bed in the living room. Come see!" Harry winked at his wife. “A bed in the living room, huh? Let's go check it out so the two lovebirds can be alone for a moment." Maddy felt her cheeks burn as Kim followed her husband into the next room. She turned away from Scott, picked up the wooden spoon Kim had left beside the stove and began to stir the gravy. “Uh oh,” Scott said in a soft voice. “What's wrong?" “What makes you think anything is wrong?” Maddy said through clenched teeth. Scott placed his mug of coffee on the counter and stood beside Maddy. “Oh, let me think,” he said. “Your cheeks are flushed, you won't make eye contact with me and you're stirring that gravy like there's no tomorrow. Yup, I'd say you're mad." Maddy took a deep breath. “Of course, I'm not angry. I'm grateful to you and Harry for working on the beams in my barn." “And since you're glad the work's been done, you don't want to say what's on your mind,” Scott stated. “Let me guess then." Maddy stirred the gravy with more vigor. It splashed over the sides and sizzled on top of the stove. Scott took the pot off the stove and placed it on the counter. He put his hands around her waist and turned her to him. Green eyes looked down into hers as he spoke. “You think Harry and I were talking about you while we were working. You figure we were joking about sex, don't you?" Maddy's eyes burned into him. “Well, what did you expect I'd think?" Scott grinned as he leaned his forehead down to rest lightly against hers. “If you really want to know what we talked about, I'll tell you. Harry made no bones about the fact he doesn't want you to be hurt. He said if I give you reason to shed a single tear, he'll personally hunt me down and tear me limb from

limb." Maddy looked up into his eyes. “He said that?" Scott nodded. “But you know I'd never do anything to hurt you, right?" Maddy hesitated. How could she know Scott would never hurt her? Perhaps he wouldn't intentionally, but if he made love with her and then left, she would be hurt. She was falling in love with him. It wasn't Scott's fault. It was hers. “Maddy?” Scott asked softly. “Tell me you know I'd never hurt you." “I know you would never intentionally hurt me,” she breathed. Maddy knew he wouldn't. He had never made any promises. He never said he would stay with her after the storm was over. She knew he would leave at the first possible chance. He'd go back to his life in Toronto. He wouldn't look back; she'd never see him again. But he had never once said he would. If she was hurt, it would be by her own hand—by her own desires. Scott's hand grazed her cheek and slid down her throat. He touched his lips to hers. “Good, I'm glad you trust me." Maddy felt tears prick her eyes as she heard a young voice call out, “Can we come out now? Mommy says we have to wait until you stop hugging." There was so much more she needed to say, needed to ask him, but the small voice from the living room held her quiet. Scott's face lit with a smile. “Yes, we've stopped hugging. You can come out now." Chapter 7 Scott and Maddy sat on the floor in front of the fireplace as they listened to the latest storm reports on the radio. While the freezing rain had finally come to an end in most places, the ice still caused havoc for everyone living in the area. The colder temperatures had caused a deep freeze. Fallen trees destroyed houses and cars; children were born at home because there was no way to get to the hospital. Maddy listened in horror as the news spoke of people dying of smoke inhalation when poorly installed woodstoves emitted deadly gases. The lack of power pushed many farmers to their wit's end trying to keep their cattle fed and watered. And there was a story about a man in Saint-Luc, Quebec who transformed his car wash into a makeshift shower for the townfolk. The storm had the area in a state of emergency. The army had been called out to help those in desperate need. Shelters had been set up for those who couldn't escape the cold. Scott looked at Maddy. Her hair and face glowed in the firelight. “We're very lucky, you and I." Maddy leaned over and turned off the radio. “I can't bear to listen to anymore,” she told him in a whisper. “I agree, we are lucky. At least we have a way to heat the house. “I can't imagine what the people in the towns and countryside are going through,” Maddy continued. Scott watched as concern knitted her brows and she worried her lower lip. “Without power and any way to warm their houses, folks have to live in shelters to keep their children from freezing to death.” She shook her head. “Thank God Harry has a generator for the farm and the house. I can't imagine what they'd do without it." They sat in companionable silence. The flames danced in front of Scott's eyes as he thought about the friendship she had with the Winstons. While they were working in the barn today, Harry had made it

clear he did not want to see Maddy hurt. Scott wanted to ask Harry how Maddy had been hurt in her marriage, but the opportunity had never come up. He relied on the bits and pieces Harry had offered to fill in the holes. Harry told him Maddy was far too good for Jim Harrison. That Jim had done nothing to deserve her love. While his departure may have thrown Maddy for a loop, it had come as no surprise to Harry and his wife. “Guys like that don't want the love of a good woman. And they don't deserve it either,” Harry had said. But how was Scott different than Jim? He wanted Maddy's love. He wanted her complete honesty. He was holding back on her. His past was truly haunting him. As much as he wanted to give all of his being to Maddy, not just in a physical sense, but every part of himself, he couldn't. How many more lives would he destroy if he allowed himself to love Maddy Harrison? Then again, here she was. She sat beside him in the firelight as they rested their backs against the bed. He so wanted to make love to her. She trusted him. If she didn't, she would surely have gone to the Winstons’ house for safety. She didn't want to admit it, but Maddy trusted him. And as much as Scott wanted her to, he knew she was making a big mistake. Scott felt more for Maddy than he wanted to admit. He wanted a physical relationship with her but he also knew that having such a relationship would bring them closer together. An affair of the heart wasn't something Scott thought he could manage. God help him, he wanted her. But he didn't want to hurt her. How could he manage one without the other? “Scott?" “Hmm?” Scott glanced down at the glorious woman at his side. “Did you say something?" “You seemed lost in the flames,” Maddy said. “I knew you didn't hear me when I said I think it's time for bed." Scott smiled down at her. “I'm sorry,” he said. “I know it's getting late.” Scott peered across the room. “Are you going to sleep on the couch again?" Maddy lowered her head and peered at her hands. “Well, I guess so. It's really too cold to sleep upstairs." Scott grinned. “And you still don't trust me to keep my hands to myself if you slept in bed with me?" Maddy's eyes burned into his. “As a matter of fact, I'm afraid you will keep your hands to yourself." Scott studied her face for a sign of reluctance. If she was joking, it certainly didn't show on her face. “What are you saying?" Maddy's hands rose to his face. “I'm saying I'd like us to be together tonight." Scott's mouth swooped down over hers before she had the chance to change her mind. There was nothing he wanted more than to make love to her and if he'd misunderstood, he hoped his kiss would make her understand what he needed and wanted at this moment. Scott pulled away and gazed down at her lovely face. The firelight danced against her cheeks as Scott smiled. “Tell me you desire me as much as I want you,” he said. “I do,” Maddy whispered. “I want you more than I've ever wanted anyone else. I just wish—” she broke off as she looked away. Scott frowned. “What do you wish?" Maddy pulled her arms away from him. He shuddered against the cool air that seemed to touch his neck when her hands left. She shrugged. “It's nothing,” she told him. As if trying to make light of her wish, she moved her hands to his neck again and attempted to pull his face down to hers.

Scott pulled away slightly. His body wanted her touch but his mind wanted to know what she was thinking. “What?" Maddy leaned against the bed and looked up at him. Her blue eyes sparkled in the firelight as she spoke. “You're hiding something, Scott. I can feel it in my heart. There's something you were running away from when you came here and I wish you would tell me about it." Scott froze. His heart nearly stopped. He held his breath for a moment. He pulled out of her embrace and gazed at the fire. He'd been doing so well; he'd been hiding his own pain. How could she know? “Scott?” Maddy queried softly. “Are you all right?" Scott nodded curtly. “Of course I'm fine,” he said in a thick voice. “Why do you think I have something to hide?" “Until now, it was only a feeling I had. There had to be a reason you ended up at my door on the worst night of the year. After seeing your reaction just now, I'm sure of it. Tell me about it." Scott felt cold in spite of the blazing fire. He turned an accusing gaze to her. “You want me to confess everything to you even thought you won't tell me what happened in your marriage?" Maddy bristled. “And you've been pressing me to tell you about my failed marriage when you have something you refuse to share with me." Scott abruptly rose to his feet and examined her with wary eyes. She was clearly surprised to lose contact with him as she gazed up at him. “My life before I came here is none of your damn business. You don't trust me well enough to tell me why your marriage fell apart. Why should I tell you anything?" He was being cruel and he knew it. He saw Maddy's face darken. She rose slowly from the floor and looked at him. She clearly braced herself as she spoke. “You want to know why my marriage fell apart?” she asked through clenched teeth. “Well then, I'll tell you.” She hesitated, as if waiting for him to stop her from going on. Scott felt frozen in place, unable to speak. She continued. “Chase left me for another woman. He felt I had never been able to satisfy him in bed and when he met someone who did, he left me." Scott's mouth gaped but no words came out. Maddy's face tightened in anger. “You want to hear more?” She didn't wait for a reply. “He told me that my aversion to oral sex was the main reason he didn't feel loved. He said even when I tried to please him orally, he knew I was disgusted by it and hence, couldn't find the satisfaction a man should experience." Scott gulped as he stared down at her in disbelief. Maddy's eyes gleamed in the dim light but never once wavered from his gaze. “Do you want to hear more? He said my tongue didn't—" “Stop!” Scott finally found his voice. He didn't want to hear how she couldn't satisfy the bastard. Anger built inside him, more than he'd ever felt before. Maddy had been humiliated by this man and she was brought to further humiliation by voicing it to him. Tears streamed down Maddy's face unchecked. “You wanted to know,” she cried. “You asked why he left me and now you can't stand to hear about it." She turned to the couch and retrieved the pillow and quilt. She brushed past him as she made her way to the stairs. Scott watched her walk away and honestly didn't know what to say. As she pulled the door open and began up the steps, it occurred to Scott that he had better say something fast. She was about to run away from him again. “Maddy, wait,” he called after her. But the

door slammed shut behind her with a sound he knew was final; there was nothing left to say. She had told him what she saw as her own absolute failure. No matter what Scott said now, he could not undo the past few minutes. He could tell her the truth, which was that the pain in her voice, on her face, was more than he could bear. The words would go unheard now. Maddy didn't want to hear it. God, he'd been an idiot, such a goddamn idiot! Maddy had wanted to make love with him. All she needed was the knowledge she could trust him. All she required in return was that he be honest with her. Instead, he turned the table on her. He asked why she hadn't been honest with him. It had driven her away. Now what? Now what the hell was he supposed to do? He peered at the closed door. He needed some time to think. He knew what he had to do but needed time to figure out how best to approach it. Chapter 8 Maddy's teeth chattered as she pulled her tired body out of the cold bed in her room. If she had slept at all the night before, it was only for intermittent moments. Between the cold room and the ache in her heart, sleep had not come easy. She waited for the glimpse of daylight to emerge through the worn curtains in her room before she knew she finally had a reason to get out of bed and go downstairs. The animals in the barn needed her and that was a good enough reason as any to chance meeting Scott. Layers of wool socks hit the frigid bedroom floor as Maddy rose from the bed. She grimaced as the floor creaked under her weight. She hoped to sneak by Scott in the living room without waking him. Eventually, she would have to face him, but she needed time alone in the barn to know just how to handle it. Maddy reached for her clothes and winced again as the movement caused the floor beneath her feet to creak. “Are you awake?” Maddy almost fell over when she heard Scott's muffled voice on the other side of the closed bedroom door. She gasped as her breath caught in her throat. She looked around her. Her eyes leveled on the frosty window. It was the only escape from a situation she simply did not want to face. She could open the window and jump out. “I know you're awake because I can hear you moving around in there." Jumping out the window was not the answer. Maddy clutched her jeans to her chest. What the heck was she supposed to do now? After last night's embarrassing confession, the last thing she wanted was to face Scott. Damn him anyway for being awake! Didn't all men sleep well at night, oblivious to any problems? As if anticipating her thoughts, Scott said, “Just so you know, I didn't sleep a wink last night after you left. I wanted to talk to you but couldn't find the words. So I spent the night figuring it out. I'm ready to talk now." Sure you are. Now you've thought about it. Scott continued. “I've been to the barn and fed the stock." Again? Poor Edna, she wouldn't be at all happy if she didn't get the right amount of grain for another day. But the old cow was the least of Maddy's problems right now. Getting past the man at her door definitely topped the list. Maddy clutched her jeans closer to her chest as she spoke. “I think we covered all there was to say last night."

“No, we didn't,” Scott countered. “You asked why I landed on your doorstep and I didn't tell you. At the very least, I owe you that much." Maddy's heart thawed slightly. She walked to the door and reached for the handle. “No.” Scott's voice stopped her. “Don't open the door just yet. It's easier for me to talk without having to look at you." Maddy pulled her hand back and leaned into the door. Scott continued, “You think I have things easy because I have money. You think I don't have any concerns and that everything falls into place easily in my life. I can tell you with all honesty it was like that for a very long time. And then, when I was involved with plans for marriage to a woman I wasn't even sure I loved, I gave some very bad advice to my best friend." Maddy steeled herself as she heard the strain in Scott's voice. She wanted to open the door and see Scott as he spoke. She understood that he needed the divider between them. She waited for him to continue. “As an investment banker, I've seen lots of deals go sour. When my best friend, Doug, came to me and said he wanted to invest in a risky real estate deal, I thought nothing of it. When the deal went south, he couldn't bring himself to tell me about it. He lost everything. He couldn't admit it to me or anyone else; instead, he tried to shoot himself. Thing was, he wasn't a very good shot. He shot himself in the head but didn't do enough damage to kill himself. Instead, he landed in intensive care, clinging to life. The last time I saw him, just before I decided to make the trip to Ottawa, he was doing okay, holding his own but still in intensive care. His wife and children were by his side." “Oh God, Scott.” The words came from Maddy's mouth as she pressed a hand to her cheek. “When his wife, Rebecca, saw me standing there, she ran at me. She slapped my face, told me it was my fault her husband was barely hanging onto his life. She said it should be me in intensive care, not him." Tears streamed down Maddy's cheeks as she quickly stepped into her jeans and pulled the door open. Scott was sitting on the floor in front of the door. “I'm so very sorry,” she whispered. She fell to the floor and took him into her arms. “I'm so sorry." No wonder he was running away. Maddy put her arms around Scott and drew her to him. “She was right.” Scott spoke in an all too calm voice. “It should have been me laying there. Not Doug. He has a wonderful wife and three beautiful children." “Don't say that!” she cried. Scott pulled away from her. His deep brown eyes never looked darker than they did at that moment. “I'm not saying I could have taken my own life, Maddy. The moment I looked at those kids and Rebecca, I knew I had made a horrible mistake. I wasn't on top of my game. I should have known Doug couldn't afford to make such a risky investment. I've known him for years and have talked him out of risks like this one many times before." Maddy peered up at him. “You can't blame yourself for his attempted suicide. He made the choice, not you." Scott made an attempt to smile and failed. “I know that. But try justifying it when his wife and three children are in so much pain." “She wasn't thinking clearly,” Maddy offered. “She was looking for someone to blame. She was angry

and needed to vent." Scott smiled down at her. The smile didn't reflect in his eyes. “I'd like to think that's true." “It is true. I'm sure when you go back to Toronto and see her again, she'll tell you so." “Damn, this floor is cold.” Maddy knew he was changing the subject to avoid any further talk on the issue. He grinned at her. “You know, I was thinking about pulling you down on the floor and making love to you right here but hell, it's just too damn cold for that." She would let it go for now. “Tell me about it. I'm wearing four pairs of socks and my feet are still freezing." “Then why don't we recline in front of the fireplace?” Scott rose to his feet and pulled Maddy up with him. “Let's see if I can warm you up." **** Maddy's sweet scent floated over him and filled his thoughts as he walked down the steps behind her. An amazing woman, more than he could ever have hoped to meet in his life. Opening up to her had been a revelation for him. He had never once met a woman who needed or even wanted to hear who he really was. He had opened up his heart and told her the truth. And amazingly, she didn't turn against him. What did it all mean? Could it possibly mean that Maddy was the woman he'd always hoped to find? Impossible. Such a woman wasn't out there for a man like Scott. When they reached the living room, Maddy sighed and said, “Oh, the warmth of the fireplace is so wonderful. I was freezing all night long." Scott pushed the door to the stairs closed behind him and leaned against it. He smiled as she hovered near the hearth. He watched as she splayed her hands near the roaring fire. Scott pushed off the door and walked toward her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her to him. “You only need ask,” he said as he gazed down at her, “and I'll warm you up more than any fire ever could." Maddy's eyes shown in the firelight. “Then I'm asking." Scott watched as her eyes darkened to deep cobalt. The smile he knew was on his face faded as he slowly dipped his head to touch his lips to hers. Maddy's arms crept up to his shoulders and pulled him closer. “Scott,” she murmured against his lips. “I know I'll lose you the moment you can get away from here. But I don't care. I just don't care." Guilt seeped through Scott's thoughts as his mouth devoured hers. He pushed it away as his hands splayed on her slender hips and pulled her nearer. Now was not the time to fight his attraction to her. Now was the time to love her completely, to give her what she so needed—and what he needed so badly. The time for guilt would come later. Scott's hands glided from her backside to her ribcage and then higher. They settled on her breasts and gently massaged them. He was encouraged by the sweet moan that escaped Maddy's lips and pulled her down to the bed behind him. She fell on top of him. She gasped in surprise and looked into his face. Her eyes spoke of the desire she felt for him. He smiled and pushed wayward strands of soft hair away from her face. “You trust me, don't you?” his voice was a hoarse whisper. Maddy hesitated for only a moment before she nodded. Scott knew she didn't trust him completely. He

also knew Maddy was aware he would never hurt her, not physically anyway. Right now, that's all that mattered. His mind was muddled. He couldn't bring himself to focus on what would happen between them when it was time for him to leave. At this moment, he was with a desirable woman and nothing else mattered. The feel of her above him, her breasts crushed against his chest, he needed what only she could offer. He grappled at the ends of her sweater and pulled it over her head. He was delighted to discover she didn't wear a bra. His hands caressed the sweet, swollen mounds. Her nipples hardened in his hands. She moaned softly as his hands snaked down to her hips and pushed at her jeans. “Wait,” she said urgently as she pulled away from him and unfastened the button on her jeans. He waited until she was done and then, slowly, deliberately, pushed the rough denim over her hips. She giggled as she wiggled out of them and threw them to the floor. Her eyes glinted mischievously. “Now it's your turn." His breath caught in his throat as Maddy sat up and slowly pulled his shirt over his head. She immediately went to the fly of his jeans and struggled with the snap and zipper. Scott lifted his hips as she pried the zipper down and then pushed her fingers within the waistband and pulled both his jeans and boxers down his legs. She tossed them to the floor and lay back down on top of him. She purred as her body made contact with his heated flesh. “Oh, that is so much better." Scott fought the animal instincts within him. He wanted Maddy to be in charge. She glided her body over his and pulled a guttural groan from deep within him. He wasn't sure he could hold out. Maddy's heated body slid over his. Scott's head whirled. He had to be responsible. He had condoms in his wallet but God knew just where it was. He placed his hands over her hips and pulled her slightly away. “Maddy, think about what's about to happen here. We need protection." His entire body felt instant cold as she pulled away from him. “You're right,” she told him as she looked around her. “There are condoms in my wallet,” he supplied and sent her instantly delving into the back pockets of his discarded jeans. She located the wallet and pulled it free of the pocket. Opening it, her fingers delved inside and came up with a picture. She showed it to Scott. A glamour shot of Lenore. He was about to explain when she tossed it over her shoulder and continued her search. Finally, she came upon a foil packet and ripped it open. He watched in amazement as she unfurled the latex and poised it over his swollen member. She peered up at his face. “This is what we were seeking, right?” Her eyes glistened with amusement. Scott nodded in reply and the breath hissed from his throat as she slowly, methodically, slipped the condom over him. She smiled down at him as her body laid over his. Her breasts crushed against his chest as her legs opened to receive him. Scott pressed upwards and filled Maddy's sweet warmth. His fingers tangled in her hair as he groaned. Surely, no woman had ever warmed him as Maddy did. His heart swelled as his length glided within her. His hands slid down her silky back and rested on her bottom. He pulled her down against him as he lifted his hips.

Maddy pressed her hands into the pillow on either side of his head and pushed herself up. Her hair shone in the firelight as it showered down around her face and gently caressed his chest. Her mouth opened slightly as a soft moan escaped her ruby red lips. Scott had never felt so wanted, so needed before in his life. He had never known what making love really was until this very moment. With Maddy over him, her face contorted in pure pleasure, Scott knew there would never be another woman in his life who would make him feel this way. Totally, completely, utterly loved. She gave herself to him with no hesitation. Nothing mattered but the sweet desire coursing through her body to his. The need to draw her closer to him, to possess her completely overwhelmed Scott. He pulled her down into his embrace and rolled her under him. With a gasp of surprise, Maddy peered up at him. He smiled down at her. “Keep your eyes open.” he whispered. “You have the most amazing eyes I've ever seen and I want to see them when I'm inside you like this." As Scott pressed into her, Maddy's eyes squinted and fought to stay open. Sheer pleasure washed over him as he watched the cobalt-blue eyes sparkle in the firelight. His need heightened as he hastened the pace. Their bodies were in exquisite harmony with one another. He felt passion rising in him like the hottest fire, clouding his mind. Nothing mattered. Not the ice storm, not the outside world, not Lenore, nor the life he left behind. At this moment, this one incredible moment, all that mattered was the sweet woman beneath him. He felt the climax building within him. Felt Maddy's taunt body climb to the point of explosion. His name escaped in a tormented gasp from her lips as her fingers dug into his back. He wanted to hold out. He wanted to give her so much more. But his body sought release and he couldn't deny it any longer. The room swirled around them as he shouted his climax. Tears streamed down Maddy's cheeks as she pressed her body against him, taking all his strength within herself. Her breaths came in small gasps as she squeezed her eyes closed against the intense heat their bodies had generated. Scott collapsed on top of her. His body slick with perspiration as he attempted to regain his breath. Perfection. There was no other term for it. Sweet, sweet perfection. Chapter 9 Maddy woke slowly as her body felt the chill in the room. Scott was laying on his stomach beside her, his face pressed into the feather pillow. One arm lay possessively over her body. Dim morning light shone through the curtained windows. She glanced at the fireplace. A few embers still glowed and twinkled as they fought to stay alive. Maddy carefully pulled out from under Scott's arm. She peered at him as he made a muffled moan and watched as he pulled his arm back and rested it over his head. She shivered as she sat up on the edge of the bed. No wonder she was so cold. The blankets lay strewn on the floor, more than likely cast aside during one of their many lovemaking sessions through the night. She smiled as she reached for the blankets on the floor. He was certainly the best lover she had ever known in her life. He had shown her things about her body she never knew existed. But then again, the only man she had ever made love to until now had been Chase. And a teacher, he was not. As Maddy pulled the blankets from the floor, something beside the bed caught her eye. She reached down and retrieved the picture she had found in Scott's wallet the day before. She had cast it aside. Her

need for him far too great at the time to comprehend what it was. Maddy turned the picture toward the window and squinted to see it in the muted light. The woman in the picture staring back at her was beautiful. Auburn hair, rich green eyes, porcelain-like skin and full dark red lips. From her delicate ears, diamond earrings glistened. On her throat lay a matching choker. A hand pressed against her cheek showed off a massive diamond, the likes of which Maddy had never seen before. She turned the picture over and read the words scrawled on the back. To my darling Scotty. Thank you for the engagement present. Love you always, Lenore. Engagement? Had he mentioned a fiancée the night before? She turned to the picture again. Her eyes glided over the beautiful woman. No, beauty didn't even begin to describe her. Elegant, rich ... perfect. She examined the handwriting again. It was dated and very recent. Two months ago, Scott had graced this woman, Lenore, with his ring. A ring that promised a future for them as husband and wife. Now, he was lying in her bed. Tears stung her eyes as she tossed the blankets back on the floor and retrieved her clothes. Again she'd been the fool. She looked at Scott's sleeping form. How could he have given so much of himself? How could she have trusted him so completely? Tears ran unchecked down her cheeks as dropped the picture on the bed and began to dress. Her body had never felt so cold and the chill in the room had nothing to do with it. She had been betrayed again. This time, by the best. Chase had nothing on Scott. “Maddy?” Scott's sleep-roughened voice halted her fingers as they fumbled with her plaid flannel shirt. She kept her back turned to him. “I have to go to the barn,” she said tightly. She attempted, but failed, to stifle a sniffle. “Are you crying?” The concerned sound of Scott's voice grated on her shattered nerves. “What's wrong?" “Nothing,” Maddy replied. She needed time alone to think things through before she squared off with Scott. Scott's voice glided over her like a silk sheet. A very cold silk sheet. “Don't tell me nothing's wrong. Please don't tell me you regret last night." Maddy's heart hardened to stone. She whisked around and looked down at him. Her eyes attempted to stay focused on his face. The smattering of dark hair on his chest caused a tingle deep inside her and it was the last thing she needed right now. She leaned over and snapped up the picture she'd discarded on the bed. She tossed it at him. Scott watched as it floated toward him. His eyes squinted as it landed picture side down, beside his pillow. He looked up at her. “Lenore?” he asked. “This is why you're crying?" Maddy swallowed hard. “You didn't tell me you're engaged." Scott smiled. “I'm not engaged.” He picked the picture up and peered at it. “It's over." “When was it over?” Maddy asked, not at all certain she was hearing the truth. “Well, technically, I haven't told her yet,” he said slyly. “But as soon as I get back to Toronto, I will." Her mood veered sharply from despair to anger. She felt her throat tighten as her stomach filled with

ice. “When did you decide it was over, Scott?” Her eyes pinned him to the bed. “Was it just before we made love yesterday or was it just now, when you're faced with having to explain yourself?" “Long before that.” A sudden thin chill hung on the edge of his words. “It was over when I left Toronto. Before I even met you." Maddy nodded coldly. “So,” she pointed at the picture still in Scott's hand, “as far as you know, Lenore is still making wedding plans and most probably worried about you." Scott chuckled sarcastically and ripped the picture in two. “Lenore doesn't worry about anything other than herself.” The words were muttered, perhaps not meant for Maddy to hear. He looked up at her. “Sit down so we can talk this out." Maddy shook her head. “I have to go to the barn." Scott sprang from the bed as she turned to walk away. The fact he was completely naked didn't seem to bother him as he grabbed her flannel-clad arm and pulled her around to face him. “Don't do this. We really connected last night. Don't walk away without hearing what I have to say." Maddy fought the warmth building within her body his touch created. She averted her eyes so she couldn't see the man in all his naked glory. She blinked back the tears as she turned and walked into the kitchen. She pulled her coat from the nail and pushed her feet into cold boots. “There's nothing to talk about." “Just hang on a minute.” Scott's voice boomed, too hard to ignore. Her hand was poised on the doorknob as she turned to look at him. Scott quickly pulled his clothes over his body and stomped into the kitchen. “You can take your damn coat and boots off and stay right here." Maddy's brows rose as she regarded him warily. “I beg your pardon?" Scott reached past her and grabbed his coat. “I'm sick to death of you running off on me the second things don't seem right. This time, I'm leaving." Scott pushed his feet into his boots. “What do you mean you're leaving? It's not like you have anywhere to go." Scott grinned. “Oh you just wish I had somewhere to go, don't you? No, I'm going to the barn and I'll do the chores. You can sit in this damn house for a change." Maddy's eyes widened as Scott pulled the door open. He stopped and turned back. He walked across the kitchen, his boots thumping heavily on the floor, and retrieved two empty water pails. “You don't even know how to do chores,” Maddy sputtered as he walked past her. Scott's face reddened in anger. “I've fed those animals down there twice now and you still don't think I know what I'm doing." Maddy stared blankly at Scott. He shook his head. “If you want to go to the barn, you're going to have to share space with me. You aren't going to use it as an excuse to run away from me anymore." The sound of the door slamming shut vibrated through the house. Maddy was left staring at the closed door, unsure of what she should do next. Certainly, going to the barn was not one of the options. **** “Anyone home?” The welcome voice of her best friend floated up the stairs as Maddy looked for more blankets for her bed. After everything that happened, there was no way she was going to sleep

downstairs again. And it was freezing up here; she'd need a lot more blankets to keep warm. Maddy bounded down the steps to find Kim had already taken her coat off. She smiled. “What a surprise. I'm so glad to see you." Kim padded across the kitchen floor to the stove and picked up the coffee pot. She frowned as she peered inside. “This coffee looks as thick as tar.” She dumped the contents into an empty pail by the sink and filled it with fresh water. She turned to Maddy. “You didn't signal last night so I thought I'd better come over to see if you and Scott were all right." Darn! Again she had forgotten to signal her best friend. This time, the circumstances were very different. “Oh. I forgot." Kim spooned coffee into the percolator. “That's okay. I expect you were a little busy.” She winked. The friendly teasing caused Maddy's heart to clench. Kim didn't seem to notice. She looked around her. “Where's Scott?" Maddy pulled two mugs from the cupboards and placed them on the table. “He's in the barn. He's been there since seven this morning." Kim glanced at her watch. “Holy cow, it's almost noon. Shouldn't you be checking on him?" Maddy smiled sadly. “No, I'm sure he's okay. He needed some space." “Uh oh. Trouble in paradise?" Kim walked up to the table, pulled a chair out and indicated that Maddy should sit. She chose a chair across from her. “Okay, spill." Tears filled Maddy's eyes as she gazed across the table at her friend. “Oh, Kim, I'm the biggest fool there ever was." **** Scott was doing battle with Edna over a bale of hay when he heard the barn door creak open. He smiled in victory when the cow let the bale go and he was able to put it down safely on the freshly swept cement floor. That's what he got for forgetting Edna's brute strength when carrying food in front of her. The cow stomped her hoofed feet in the stall as Scott broke the bale open and gave her a measured amount. Finally, Maddy had broken down and come to the barn. He knew she couldn't hold out forever. The pull she felt for the animals would bring her to him eventually. He had to admit, she had held out for about four and a half hours longer than he thought she would. He smiled as he looked toward the door. “Maddy, I'm so glad..." Kim's grim face met him and he stopped short. She looked none too pleased. “I just came from the house,” she told him in a scathing tone. “I liked you, Scott Clinton. I thought that maybe, just maybe, you weren't like the papers said you were. I was hoping to judge you on your own merits, not from what I've read." If Kim was upset with him, he knew she'd go home and tell Harry. The not-so-veiled threat that Harry would tear him limb from limb if Maddy was hurt wasn't far from his mind. The fact that Scott was much bigger and perhaps stronger than Harry meant nothing. He had come to call Harry his friend. Maddy's misunderstanding would change that. Scott tossed his work gloves on the open hay bale. He leaned against the cement wall. The silence was

deafening. He heard the sounds of the animals munching on hay, the soft clucks of the hens seeking out the feed he had only recently spread on the henhouse floor. He suddenly understood why Maddy loved to escape to the barn. In spite of the angry woman facing him, the sounds in here spoke of contented serenity. If only he could find that within himself. He thought he had just the night before, when he and Maddy had been one. Her clear distrust of him this morning spoke of something other than that, something ugly. Something he knew all too well. Scott glanced at Kim and patted the wall beside him. “Before you go home and ask your husband to rip me to pieces, please listen to my side of this damn thing." Kim's head titled to one side as she nodded slowly. “That's what I came here for. I promised Maddy I'd see that you fed Edna two scoops of grain. I also hoped you might be able to explain things to me." “It was over for me and Lenore the moment I decided to leave Toronto. Hell, it was over the moment I called her and told her that Doug had shot himself. She didn't care. She asked when I was going to pick her up for the charity ball that night. I hung up on her and left. I might not have told her it was officially over, but there's no doubt in my mind she got the general idea. She's a spoiled rich bitch and I don't know what I ever saw in her." Kim's face softened. “You must have seen something in her to be engaged." Scott nodded. He had. But that was before, that was the old Scott. Not the new and improved version he'd become the moment he met Madeline Harrison. “You're right. And I sincerely hope you don't mind if I save the explanation for Maddy." Kim smiled. “I don't mind at all." Scott nodded toward the Holstein in the stall. “I have a question about the cow. No one's been milking her. How often are you supposed to milk cows?" “Twice a day,” Kim replied. “The reason Edna's not being milked right now is because she's dry." Kim didn't wait for Scott to ask what that meant. She continued, “Most cows give milk for three hundred days a year. After they have a calf, we wait for two months to breed them back. Then, when they're about seven months pregnant, they become dry, meaning they don't produce milk anymore. Their body's energy goes toward building the calf for the last two months. When they have their calf, they begin milk production again." “So Edna is waiting to give birth?" Kim nodded. “Anytime now, as far as I know. I'm pretty sure Maddy said she was due to have her calf in the next week or so." They sat in companionable silence for only a moment before Kim spoke. “Promise me you'll try to explain things to Maddy." Scott glanced down at the woman pressed against the cement wall beside him. “I tried already. She wouldn't listen." Kim's eyes implored him. “Try harder, Scott. Make Maddy listen. She desperately needs to believe in you." Scott watched as Kim walked away and pulled the barn door closed behind her. Easy enough to say, he lamented silently. But what would happen to Maddy when he finally left? She might grow to trust him again but would that only lead to more heartbreak for her when the crisis of the storm was over? God help him. He didn't want to hurt Maddy. In his heart, he knew he would.

**** Maddy was tossing noodles into the chicken soup on the stove when she heard the door open. She peered over to see a long stick with what looked like a pair of white boxer shorts tied to the top. It waved back and forth and she heard a familiar voice from the other side of the door. “I surrender. Make me walk the plank." Maddy grinned as she walked to the door and pulled the stick out of Scott's hand. She opened the door wider and found him crouched on the other side. Two full pails of fresh water were at his side. Fighting a giggle, she said, “Get in here. You must be freezing.” She bent to pick up one of the water pails. “I need the fresh water. And I'm so not going to ask where these boxers came from." “Please don't,” Scott said as he stepped inside while Maddy carried the pail to the stove. “I thought I'd better wave a white flag in case I wasn't welcome in the house." “Did you think I'd send you back to your frozen car?" “I didn't know,” Scott replied. His voice softened lightly. “Maddy, we need to talk." “Not right now,” Maddy said as she poured water from the kettle into a basin. “You've been in the barn all day and you need to wash up before dinner." The water sloshed over the rim of the bowl as she shoved it toward Scott. His gaze leveled on her. “You can't avoid me forever." Maddy knew she couldn't. “It'll wait until after we have dinner.” She glanced at her watch. “It's almost five. You've been in the barn for ten hours. You have to be hungry. We can talk after we eat." Scott took the basin and walked into the back room. She watched as he closed the door behind him. He would find his fresh clothes replaced with a simple bathrobe from his luggage. He may not like it but she hoped he would feel vulnerable and she might have the upper hand. Surely this move would ensure she would hold the cards in the conversation they wouldn't be able to avoid forever. Stupid mistake. Stupid, stupid mistake! Maddy had the table set and was ladling soup into the bowls when Scott emerged from the back room. The scent of soap and something that was all man assailed her senses the moment he stepped up to the table. He had dispensed with the buttons on the robe, going only with the tie cinched loosely around his hips. The front of the robe hung open, exposing the trail of his chest hair down to his hips. Maddy instantly realized her mistake. She hadn't put him in a vulnerable situation at all. In fact, it had done just the opposite. Scott was comfortable with his body. She hadn't counted on that. He exuded confidence as he took his place at the table and bent over the savory soup. He took a deep breath, his sinewy chest expanded. “Smells fabulous." “Yes,” Maddy choked out as she pushed the basket of fresh rolls toward him. God, who would have thought she could ever put the worldly Scott Clinton into a vulnerable state? Scott smiled across at her. Clearly, he knew she had tried to beat him and failed. “Homemade chicken soup? Where did you get the chicken?" Maddy bit her bottom lip and then responded, “It's canned chicken. I can some every year." “Amazing,” Scott said as he picked up his spoon and filled it with the savory repast. Maddy struggled for words. “Yes,” she said. “I imagine homemade chicken soup would be a novelty to

someone like you." He blinked. “Why would you say that?" Maddy was onto something. She wanted to raise his gander and knew she was on the verge. She swallowed a mouthful of soup and smiled at him. “Well, I imagine you dine on caviar nightly. I can see that something as simple as chicken soup would astound you." Bingo! If getting to the all-too-confident Scott Clinton was what she wanted, then her comment on his lifestyle certainly seemed to hit home. The fact he was naked under the robe no longer seemed to hold his confidence. His face clouded with anger. “You don't know a damn thing about my life,” he said through tight lips. “I do not eat caviar on a daily basis. In fact, I hate the shit!" Scott's fist landed against the table. “I know what you're trying to do.” He didn't wait for her response. “You're trying to avoid our talk. You don't want to hear what I have to say about Lenore. You're convinced I'm a liar and that's all you want to know." Maddy wanted to tell him it wasn't true. Yet, she had made the jibe about his life in the city on purpose. Her stomach churned with despair. Didn't he know she was only trying to protect what little dignity she had left? She had given herself to him so completely. He hadn't asked for her body. She had simply given it to him. It resulted in the best sex she had ever known and would probably ever know in her life. She knew she loved him. She loathed admitting it to herself. She also knew she had never felt with Chase as she had with Scott. He had taken the very breath from her body. Why was it so wrong to take from him? Why should it hurt a man like him? Maddy picked up the bowl of soup in front of her and rose from the table. She dumped it into the pail by the sink and instantly found herself bending over it in sheer agony. Her body shook as she sobbed uncontrollably. Damn, why did she have to fall in love with this man? Why did he have to stop here for refuge from the storm? Scott was behind her in seconds. He placed his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. “Maddy,” he whispered into her ear, “don't cry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Maddy didn't have the strength to pull out of his embrace. The warmth of his touch enveloped her in a way she couldn't deny. Her sorrow continued as he turned her into his chest. She pressed her face into him and let the tears flow. “It's not your fault,” she said against his chest. “It's just that ... God, I don't want to tell you." “Tell me,” Scott's breath fanned her hair when he spoke. “You can tell me anything." “Last night,” she pulled away and looked up at him, “was the first time I ever felt that way." Scott frowned as he looked into her eyes. “I'm not sure I understand, sweetie. Last night was the first time you felt what?" God, he was going to make her spell it out. “I never knew what it was to climax before. Not until you and I made love last night." The words seemed to take their time settling into Scott's head. He frowned at first. Then his brows rose as it seemed to dawn on him. “God, you mean..." “I told you that Chase didn't enjoy it when we had sex,” she said. “I told you I couldn't satisfy him." Scott frowned. “He couldn't satisfy you either."

“My entire life with Chase was about making him happy. I never knew I could feel so wonderful myself." Scott's hands framed Maddy's face. “Hey, Chase was an asshole. He had no idea what he had in you." Maddy laughed through her tears at Scott's blatant remark. She had thought of many terms for Chase since he'd left her, but she had never settled on something quite so basic. Certainly, there were few terms that spoke of Chase in any better way than simply calling him an asshole. Chapter 10 Maddy's mood lightened considerably as she washed the dishes. Scott stood shoulder to shoulder with her as he dried them and placed them carefully into the cupboards. “You know,” Maddy said as she pulled a bowl from the sudsy water and placed it in the dish rack, “you spent a lot of time in the barn today. You don't have to help with the dishes." “I want to help,” Scott replied. “Besides, we have some important things to discuss and sometimes, it's easier to talk when our hands are occupied with something." Maddy felt her body grow cold. It was so much eaiser to simply ignore problems than it was to talk them out. Besides, if the forecasters were right, Scott would be able to get his car towed out of the ditch soon and he could be on his way. “What did you do in the barn today?" “I spent the time cleaning box stalls and sweeping down the cobwebs. And,” he added, “don't change the subject." Maddy took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She scrubbed a spoon and placed it into the rack. “What is there to talk about?" “Are you kidding?” Scott asked as he dried the spoon and tossed it into a drawer. It clanked heavily and vibrated throughout the kitchen. “We need to talk about Lenore." With the dishes done, Maddy took the washcloth and began wiping the counter. “We already talked about that. You didn't end the relationship with her before you made love to me. I understand that." Scott leaned over her and pulled the cloth from her hand. He tossed the tea towel onto the counter and the cloth into the sink. He gripped her shoulders and turned her to face him. “No, you don't understand,” Scott said as his eyes bore into hers. “I told you it was over with Lenore and it is. I felt no guilt making love to you last night. I was not cheating on her." Maddy's throat tightened, fury threatened to choke her. Her blue eyes clawed him like talons. “I wonder if that's how Chase reasoned his affair? I wonder if he thought it was over and just didn't bother to tell me?" “It's not the same thing and you know it.” Scott's voice deepened in anger. “Lenore and I weren't—" Maddy's eyes raked over him. “Weren't what? Weren't married? You think it's different because you were only engaged?" “That's not what I was going to say,” Scott said. “We weren't emotionally involved with each other. She and I were only engaged because everyone expected it. She liked what I could give her and I admit, I liked what she could give me." Maddy glared at him. “Do tell. What could she give you?" Scott leaned against the counter and focused his gaze on the floor. “She gave me an open door to many

new financial deals. Her father is a big man in Toronto. He knows all the right people. A marriage to Lenore meant more money in the future." Maddy shook her head in confusion. “You're relationship with her was purely business?" He peered at Maddy. “I'm not proud of it, trust me. But yes, it had a lot to do with business." Maddy couldn't look at him anymore. She turned her back to him. “That's who you are?" “That's who I was,” Scott corrected. “Things changed the moment Doug attempted to kill himself. I suddenly saw myself for who I really was. I couldn't continue the relationship with Lenore. I couldn't go on pretending I was in love with her." Tears streamed down Maddy's cheeks as she turned to meet his gaze. “And what about Lenore? What about the fact she might need you?" Scott chuckled sarcastically. “Lenore was in the relationship for her own reasons. I looked good with her. She liked that she was dating a successful man. She liked that her father would make me even more successful. She was no more committed to our relationship than I was." When she spoke, her voice wavered. “So now what?" “Now, I realize I should have talked to Lenore before I left the city. I hope,” Scott said softly, “you understand where I'm coming from. I didn't make love to you last night believing I'd go back to her." “But she doesn't know it's over,” Maddy pointed out. Scott shook his head sadly. “I think she does but you're right, I have to talk to her as soon as I can." Maddy nodded slowly. “Yes, you do. I hope it works out for you.” She started toward the stairs. “Maddy, surely you aren't planning to sleep in your room tonight?" She didn't turn as she spoke. “I think it's best." “Don't be ridiculous. You'll freeze up there." Maddy opened the door to the stairs and was met with a cool rush of air. She shuddered as she took the stairs two at a time. She desperately needed to put some space between herself and Scott. Sleeping in the living room, even on that horrible couch, put her too close to him. She couldn't trust herself with him. “I found a couple sleeping bags, I'll be fine." **** “Maddy, wake up.” Maddy was drawn from an uneasy slumber when she heard Scott's voice over her. It had been a long night. One of longing for the man she knew she loved. Sleep had not come easy. The temptation to go down to him and make sweet love had been all too real. The warmth of the double-layered sleeping bag was invaded by cool air as she heard the zipper pull down. “Scott, stop it. I just got warmed up,” Maddy said as she groped for the folds of the blankets that had been pulled away from her. “It's Edna. She's having her calf." Maddy flung the covers away from her body and jumped out of bed. She slammed into Scott as she darted across the room. He gripped her shoulders and held her steady. “Get out of my way!” she cried as she pulled her jeans over her legs and stumbled around the room

looking for her shirt. Scott located the flannel shirt on the bedroom floor and handed it to her. She snatched it out of his hand and dove into it. She turned to Scott as she fumbled with the buttons on her shirt. “Are you sure she's calving?" Scott chuckled. “Either that or something ran into the back of her pretty darn hard." “She's early. She's not due for a week at least. God, I hope that means it's a heifer calf.” Before Scott could ask, she said, “A female." Maddy rushed down to the kitchen and pulled her coat and boots on. She shivered against the deep penetrating cold as she ran to the barn. Scott was only one step behind her. She rushed to Edna's stall and peered inside. The cow lay on her side in the bright yellow straw. Her huge body vibrated as a contraction came and caused her to moan softly. Scott reached past Maddy and opened the gate. She walked through and reached down to touch the cow's head. “Edna, my darling,” she whispered. “I'm here for you." She walked to the back of the cow and shuddered when she saw tiny hooves protruding from under the cow's tail. She leaned down and touched them. They were up-side-down and, worse than that, they were dry. Edna was having a breech birth and had been trying to birth the calf for some time now. Maddy's heart tightened in fear as she sat down behind the cow. She looked up at Scott. “I need some hot, soapy water." Her hands slid over the cow's back as she waited for Scott to return from the house. “You're going to be fine,” she cooed soothingly. “I'm here now and I'll take care of you." Truth was she hadn't dealt with breech births before. Since she'd saved Edna from the slaughterhouse, she'd only had normal births. Maddy wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. She desperately tried to recall Kim's advice. Make sure the passage is free and that the calf isn't hooked on the cow's hips. She was so engrossed in her fears, she hadn't noticed Scott's return until the pail of water was set down beside her in the straw. Scott settled into the straw beside her. “Tell me what I can do to help." Maddy discarded her coat and rolled up her sleeves. As she scrubbed her hands in the hot water, she said, “Find several strands of twine and loop them together. And bring a pitchfork. Preferably the one with the new handle." As Scott went off in search of twine, Maddy pushed one hand inside the cow. She felt the calf's tailbone and pressed ahead. Edna moaned softly as another contraction wracked her body. She wasn't sure, but the passage seemed clear. The calf's body didn't appear to be snagged on the inside of Edna's hips. Now, if she remembered Kim's advice correctly, all they had to do was pull the calf out. When Scott returned, he handed the twine to Maddy and placed the pitchfork down on the straw beside her. She quickly looped the twine around each leg of the calf and then took the pitchfork and placed it through the hoops. “Now comes the hard part,” Maddy said as she sat up and took one end of the handle. Scott quickly settled beside her and took the other end. “We have to wait for Edna to have a contraction. When she pushes, we pull." Almost as soon as the words were out, another contraction enveloped Edna. Maddy instantly realized Scott was much stronger than her as he gripped the handle and pulled. The pull on his side was with so much force, Maddy was almost sent flying over the cow. The handle slipped from her hands.

Scott quickly pushed her hands aside and took her place. One hand on either side of the twine, he waited for another contraction and then pulled with all his might. Maddy watched as his face contorted as he pulled. “Damn, that calf must have been running really fast when it got stuck in there." It took a moment for the joke to register in Maddy's brain and then she laughed. It was a popular joke told among country folk, one she had no idea Scott would have heard. The calf had come out an inch more after the last contraction. As Edna rested, Scott shucked his coat and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. He quickly picked up the pitchfork again and prepared to pull as Edna's body appeared to prepare for another contraction. Maddy was surprised by how quickly Scott seemed to become in tune with Edna. He knew when another contraction was building and prepared for another pull. The next contraction was a particularly long one. Scott pulled and the calf's back end revealed itself. “Now,” Maddy cried excitedly, “you should be able to pull the calf free." With what looked like very little effort, Scott pulled and the calf glided out. It landed in the fluffy straw between Edna and Scott's spread-eagle legs. The calf burst from the placenta and took its first breath. Maddy leaned over and gently raised one of the back legs and happily cried. “It's a heifer!" Scott laughed as he leaned back in the straw. “That's good, right? You mean it's a girl." “Yes, it's a girl,” Maddy said through tears as her hands glided over the slick body of the newborn calf. She threw her body over the cow's back and hugged her with all her might. “It's a girl, Edna. A beautiful baby girl!" Edna's eyes lit with joy as she pulled herself up from the straw and turned to her calf. She instantly began licking the calf with a gravely tongue. She moaned softly, clearly glad the birth was over. Maddy knew she had Scott to thank for the life of her new calf. Maddy and Scott got up from the straw and watched as Edna focused her attention on the calf. “Thank you, Scott,” Maddy said through tears of joy. “I never would have been able to help Edna alone." Scott placed an arm around her shoulder and pulled her gently to him. “My pleasure. It was an experience for me, too." Maddy beamed up at him. “We brought a new life into this world." Scott's eyes glistened in the dim light of the barn. “We did indeed,” he told her. “That's not something everyone can say." **** With Edna safely tucked in the box stall with her new calf, Scott and Maddy made their way back to the house. Maddy was aware of Scott's arm over her shoulder as he guided her back. His touch permeated through the thick coat she wore. Maddy fought not to compare him to Chase but couldn't fight the feeling she had met someone so completely different. Scott had gladly done what he could to bring Edna's daughter into the world. He had taken over quickly when Maddy was unable to do it. Chase had shown no interest in the animals. He never once glanced upon the new births in the barnyard. Scott had not only taken an interest, he had gone to the ends of the earth to help.

Still, the end result would be the same. No matter how Maddy looked at her relationship with Scott, he would soon do the same thing Chase had done. He would leave—and when he did, he would leave her broken-hearted. If only there was some way to avoid the pain that would come sooner, rather than later. Soon, the power and phone service would be restored to the community. They weren't hit nearly as hard as some areas had been. The local news predicted the power would be back on within a few short days. Then she would have to admit the affair with Scott was over. She'd never see him again. As Maddy and Scott prepared dinner that night, she came to realize one thing. Their relationship might not last forever, but she had him here now. Now is what mattered. She had to take what she could get and move on when it ended. She would always be grateful to Scott for giving her life back to her. She no longer feared she couldn't satisfy a man. It was Chase who was the problem, not her. Scott had taught her that much. Like any tragic story that ended with lovers losing each other, Maddy knew she had grown since Scott first walked into her house. She may not be able to keep him here forever, but she could at least enjoy his presence for as long as it lasted. Heartache would come later. That was a given. But why waste what little time she had left with him? **** After the dinner dishes were washed and put away, Maddy and Scott settled in front of the roaring fire in the living room. They sat on the floor, their backs pressed against the bed as they watched the fire in silence. Scott was the first to speak. “Have you heard the news lately? It seems the traffic is slowly beginning to move now. I was thinking I'd go over to the Winstons tomorrow to use their cell phone. I might be able to find a tow truck to get my car out of the ditch." The words she didn't want to hear. She knew he wouldn't stay forever but the fact he may well be leaving so soon, shattered her soul. “Yes,” she replied, “I'm sure Harry wouldn't mind if you used his cell phone." “It might be a few more days before they can pull the car out of the ditch,” Scott said, “and God knows, it will likely need some work before it'll start." “Yes,” Maddy agreed, “you might still be stuck here for a few days yet." Scott's voice floated over her. “I have never felt stuck here. I've enjoyed every minute we've spent together." Maddy chuckled lightly. “That's not true and you know it,” she teased. “You hated being here at first." Scott's chest vibrated as he laughed. “Okay, you're right. I didn't like being stuck here in the beginning. But when we got to know each other, things changed. I admit I really don't want to leave now." Maddy peered up at him. “But you have to leave. There's nothing for you here." Scott's eyes reflected in the firelight. “Isn't there?" Before Maddy could answer, Scott's mouth landed on hers. Yes, I'm here and I love you! Maddy wanted to cry out as she allowed his lips to plunder hers. The words were buried as her hands glided over his cheeks and into his hair. She pulled him closer to her, drinking from him as though he were the fountain of life. She reminded herself that she couldn't keep him here, that he had to leave. She also reminded herself that she had him here at this moment and that's all that mattered.

Scott's hands glided down her shoulders and restlessly slid over her hips. He pulled her up from the floor and gently placed her onto the bed. She lamented the cool touch of the evening air as he pulled away from her body. She watched in awe as he tugged his clothes off and cast them onto the floor. He stood before her in all his incredible glory. His need for her drew her breath away. He leaned down and pulled her up from the bed to stand in front of him. “The first time we made love, it was hurried. I want this time to last much longer,” he said through gritted teeth. “Take your clothes off for me." Maddy blinked in uncertainty. “Wouldn't you rather do it?" Scott sat down on the bed and laid back. He shook his head as his eyes pierced hers. “No. I want you to strip for me." Maddy's mind clouded with desire as her fingers played with the buttons on her shirt. She shouldn't feel so insecure, God knows, they had made love many different ways when she had given herself to him. Yet... “Don't be afraid,” Scott said gently as his eyes washed over her. “I want to see you. And you already know I would never do anything to hurt you." Maddy pushed away the thought of just how much his departure would hurt. Her fingers slowly, methodically undid the buttons on her shirt. She heard Scott's swift intake of breath when she cast it aside and slowly moved her arms back to undo her bra. “No,” Scott said urgently, “your jeans first." Maddy's eyes bore into his as her fingers slowly unsnapped her jeans and pulled down the zipper. She delighted in his heated gaze as she pushed the denim over her hips and kicked out of them. She slowly moved her arms to her back, jutting her chest forward as she pulled at the hooks of her bra. She cast it aside and slowly, slowly hooked her fingers inside the elastic of her panties. Her body warmed as she leaned over to cast her underwear aside. She watched as Scott's eyes raked over her naked body. His gaze looked beyond her body, it looked deep into her soul. He smiled slowly as he raised a hand to her. “Now, come here." Maddy stepped toward the bed and placed a knee down on the soft covers. As she was about to lie down beside him, Scott moved forward and kept her upright. He placed his hands on her hips and reached his mouth to her breasts. His warm breath fanned her and assailed her senses as his mouth closed over one nipple. Sheer ecstasy slammed into her body as her hands buried themselves in his hair. She cried out when his fingers glided up her thighs and gently found her core. They slowly glided over her and then back to her thighs. Maddy ached for his touch and was again disappointed when his fingers hovered over her and then slowly gleamed over her smooth hips to her backside. He pulled her closer to him as his mouth left one breast and focused on the other. Maddy cried out in frustration as her fingernails raked over his back. “Scott,” she cried, “I need more." Scott chuckled against her swollen nipple. “And more you shall have. Let's just not be in any rush." Rush? Was he kidding? He had no idea what his touch was doing to her. Maddy tried to push past him. She wanted to recline on the bed and let him have his way with her. Scott resisted the move with firm hands. His fingers slid over her hips and to her thighs. Thank God. Maddy's mind reeled. She needed his touch there. Scott's hands again moved. This time,

down her thighs to the back of her knees. She cried out in disappointment. Scott wouldn't leave her disappointed. He pulled gently at her knees and she felt them easily give way. His hands quickly shot up to her hips and as she fell, he gently guided her to the bed and ultimately, beneath him. Maddy gasped as she fell to the bed and peered up at Scott in astonishment. He hovered over her and grinned. “This is what you wanted, isn't it?" Maddy couldn't find the words to reply. Instead, she pulled his head down to her and met his mouth with her lips. Her tongue reached out into his open mouth and thrashed with his. “My sweet Maddy,” Scott said as he pulled away from her. His fingers slid between them and finally settled into the moistness of her being. Raising her hips, she welcomed his touch. Her mind swam with sheer joy as his fingers delved within her raising her to a level she never knew existed. Maddy attempted to grope between their bodies to find his swollen shaft. He pulled away from her grasp the moment she made contact. Her sigh spoke of disappointment. “I want you way too much for that, Maddy,” he whispered in her ear. “If you touch me even once, I'll lose it." “I want to give you pleasure, too,” Maddy argued. “Just seeing you writhe beneath my touch is pleasure enough for me just now. Just lay back and enjoy it. I want to give you what you so deserve." His mouth left her breast and slowly scorched a path up her neck to her mouth. She met his lips in a desperate kiss as she felt his fingers find the nub of her desire. She bucked against his fingers as he rubbed her with a gentle touch. The fire built within her. She couldn't stop the tide of flames if she wanted to. She pressed her hips upward to feel his touch as her mouth pulled away from his. She gasped for air as the tension within her body rose to a fevered pitch. “No!” she cried against his mouth. “I want to feel you inside me. Please come inside me!" Maddy felt relief as Scott pressed his body over hers and filled her with his demanding need. She pushed herself upward to meet his driving thrust. Soon, the relief she felt gave way to sheer passion as her hands flew to his firm buttocks and pulled him even closer. Scott's heated breath fanned her face as his body ground into hers. She felt herself lifted higher and higher onto a crest of passion as the energy built within her core. She cried out as the crest burst into a million flames around her. “Scott!" Scott moaned as he released the tidal wave within her. She felt her body receive him in sweet appreciation. She cried out as she held him to her. “I love you, Scott. I love you!" **** Scott watched the flames flicker in the fireplace as he lay in bed. He gazed down at the sleeping woman beside him. The blankets settled over her midriff, her arms splayed over her head, her hair lay disheveled around her beautiful face. He should be happy. She had declared her love for him. Any other man would have been happy to accept the love of an incredible woman like Maddy Harrison. Scott wished he could.

He didn't deserve her love. Her love was unconditional. It was pure and sweet and nothing Scott could ever understand completely. His life was so different from the simple existence she lived. He sincerely wished he could erase his past, start over. That wasn't an option for someone like Scott. His life was something altogether different from the one Maddy lived. He could never ask her to give it up to be with him. Even if he could ask her to come live with him, was it fair to do so? Scott had made a life for himself that he wasn't proud of. He'd hurt people in the past. No one more than Doug's family. Was there any way Doug, assuming he would survive, and his family could forgive him? Scott realized his attempted escape from Toronto had been a futile effort. He couldn't escape what had happened by simply getting into his car and driving away. The fact that Doug, his family and yes, even Lenore, waited for his return overwhelmed him. He had to get back to Toronto. He had to settle his affairs there before he could commit to any kind of a life with Maddy. Perhaps Scott's life would grow in Ottawa, the city he was trying to get to when his car landed in the ditch. Before knowing that for sure, he had to tie up several loose ends in the city he had left. His eyes glided over Maddy. So sweet, so innocent. He hadn't wanted to hurt her. Unfortunately, he knew he would. She had declared her love for him last night. For some reason, he couldn't bring himself to tell her he felt the same. Yes, he could only admit it to himself. He was totally, completely, and irrevocably in love with Maddy Harrison. That fact alone made what he had to do that much harder. She would hate him for leaving. He simply had to. Chapter 11 Maddy opened her eyes and discovered she was alone in bed. She grinned and stretched her arms over her head. When she spied a note on the pillow beside her, she picked it up. She wiped her sleepy eyes before she read, I'll be back. S Maddy reached for her clothes and dressed quickly. Scott, her alpha man. He'd gone to the barn to do chores again. A huge breakfast was in order for her man's return. After last night's activities, both of them would require a good meal to restore their energy. As Maddy retrieved eggs from a basket on the floor and broke them into a bowl, she realized she had come to an understanding. She wouldn't have Scott forever and for however long he was going to be with her, she would enjoy his company. She wouldn't make a scene when he finally had to leave. Instead, she hoped she would embrace the memories they had created. Yes, she would be hurt. She would miss him. After all, she knew she was in love with Scott. She was an adult and, she'd like to think, she was no fool. Scott didn't belong here on the farm with her anymore than she belonged back in Toronto under her family's scrutiny. Maddy placed a cast iron frying pan on the hot cookstove and opened the butter dish. Steam rose from the pan as the butter melted and sizzled. She carefully poured the eggs into the pan and retrieved a wooden spoon. Scrambled eggs and the bread she'd baked the day before would make a suitable breakfast. Maddy didn't look up from her task as she heard the door open. “Right on time,” she said, a smile touching her lips. “Breakfast is almost ready." “Maddy.” She looked at the door in surprise and saw Kim standing there. The grim look on her friend's

face instantly made her heart tighten with fear. Maddy pulled the pan off the stove and rushed to her friend. “Kim. What's wrong? Are Harry and the kids all right?" “Yes,” Kim replied, “they're fine." Maddy let out a long sigh of relief. “You scared me for a minute. The look on your face..." The grim look remained on Kim's face. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. “Kim, what is it?" Kim slowly pulled her coat and boots off and passed Maddy as she walked to the table. She watched as her friend slowly pulled a chair out and sat down. “I've tried to come up with some way to tell you this. The only way I can think to do it is to just come right out and tell you." Maddy slowly approached the table. Her stomach fluttered in fear. “What?" Kim took an audible breath and let it out slowly. Her eyes met Maddy's. “Scott left this morning." Maddy frowned. Her mind muddled with confusion. She attempted a smile and failed. “He wouldn't leave without saying goodbye." Kim's hands lay flat on the table. She looked down at them as though she couldn't bring herself to witness the pain in Maddy's eyes. She nodded slowly. “He came to the barn when Harry and I were milking the cows. He wanted to talk to Harry so they went outside. The next thing I know, Harry had given Scott the keys to the van. He took it and left." Maddy shook her head. Impossible. Scott wouldn't have left without saying goodbye. Not after last night. Not after what they had shared. She sank down in a chair opposite Kim. “That can't be,” she murmured more to herself than to her friend. “Harry won't tell me what he and Scott talked about before he left. When I asked, he simply said that I had to trust him." “I don't understand." “Harry said he made arrangements for his car to be picked up and towed back to Toronto. Scott's going to have someone return the van to us tomorrow." Maddy burst from the chair and ran to the living room. She passed the unmade bed and gazed at the floor. His bags were gone. They were gone! Maddy's legs felt weak. She sat heavily on the bed and placed her hands over her face. Scott had left without saying goodbye. He had betrayed her. **** The elevator opened on the fourth floor in Toronto General Hospital. Scott walked out and turned down the hall. He'd used Harry's cell phone to call his office while he was stuck in the morning traffic. He was relieved to discover Doug was out of ICU and expected to make a full recovery. Scott walked purposefully down the hall to Doug's room. He had no idea how welcome he would be, but he had to see his friend. He regarded the nurses and other staff pensively. The last time he walked this hall, he was bent on escaping. Now, he had come back to face up to what had happened. He knew he never should have left. The words Doug's wife spoke to him still stung. He'd been a coward. He chose to run rather than face the truth. Rebecca had been angry. She feared she and her

children would lose Doug. Scott wasn't sure he'd be welcome when he saw his friend, but he had to see him. Even if Doug and Rebecca didn't want it. It was up to him to make things right. Scott stopped at the hospital room door and took a deep breath. He was about to embark on the first of three steps to leave himself free to love Maddy Harrison. Some of it—hell, most of it—was going to hurt, but it would be worth it in the end. He pushed through the door and found Doug lying in bed, his head covered in white bandages. Doug looked at Scott and smiled broadly. “Buddy,” he said in a weak voice, “I've been wondering if I was ever going to see you again." Scott forced a smile as he walked up to the bed and sat down on the chair beside it. “Shit, Doug, I didn't know you'd ever see me again either." Doug frowned and placed a hand over his bandaged head. “I did a really stupid thing. I thought money was more important than the love of a good woman and my kids. The good news is I'm going into counseling just as soon as I get out of here. Then Rebecca and I are going to pull our lives back together and move on." Scott shook his head in regret. “I should have been here for you." Doug raised a weak hand and softly punched his fist into Scott's shoulder. “It's not your fault. I knew I was taking a risk when I invested our money. Becca and I figure if we sell the house we have and buy something smaller, it won't take us long to recover." Scott frowned. “You won't have to sell your house, Doug. You need the space for your kids. I'm going to help you recover your loss. I had my office do a bit of investigating. The investment you made was bogus. They made a lot of promises they knew they couldn't keep.” If he'd been on top of his game, he would have known before. “We're not only going to recover the money you lost, we're going to get a bit more out of those assholes. And this time, I'll make sure the money gets invested in something that's going to turn a profit." “Did I hear something about profit?" Both men looked and saw Rebecca standing just inside the door. She smiled as her eyes met Scott's. She walked across the room and planted a kiss on her husband's lips. She turned to look at Scott. “I'm glad you're here." Scott grinned nervously. “I'd have thought I'd be the last person you'd want to see." Rebecca's shook her head sadly. “I was angry the last time I saw you. When they told me that Doug would pull through and make a full recovery, I realized I was blaming you for something that wasn't your fault." “It was my fault,” Scott replied. Doug interjected, “You didn't advise me to put all our money into that damn investment. In fact, you said you didn't really like it." Scott struggled to remember the conversation that fateful night. Lenore had been badgering him to set a date for the wedding. His mind was muddled. Yes, maybe he had told his friend it was risky. “And,” Doug said softly, regretfully, “I was the one that put the gun to my head. I thought I'd failed Rebecca and the kids. I was afraid she'd hate me if she knew I'd lost everything." “He was wrong,” Rebecca added. “I love Doug whether he has money or not. I would have been upset but I would have stood by him. He didn't trust me enough to understand that."

“I know something now I didn't before. Rebecca loves me no matter what. She always has and always will." Scott smiled. That sounded a whole lot like someone he knew. “Music to my ears, my friend,” he said as he leaned and grabbed Doug's hand. “I have to go but I'll be back as soon as I can." “You just got here,” Rebecca said. “What can be so important that you have to leave so soon?" Scott smile at both of them. “You wouldn't believe me if I told you,” he said. “Trust me when I say I'll be back as soon as I can." Scott pushed through the door and walked out. A smile crossed his face. Step one had gone far easier than he expected. Step two was about to take place. **** The calf moaned as Maddy pierced her tough skin with the needle. Edna looked on with concern as she gently pulled the needle away and rubbed the spot with an alcohol-soaked swab. “I know it hurts, little girl,” she cooed, “but you need to be vaccinated." Maddy opened the gate and stepped outside the stall. As she locked the gate, she watched the calf turn to her mother's udder to nurse. The pain of the needle was forgotten and all was right in the world for the little calf again. Edna returned to the fresh leafy hay in her manger, content her calf was safe. Maddy's heart tightened as she watched the cow and calf. She sincerely wished all was right in her world. She had promised herself that when the time came, she would be able to let Scott go. However, she hadn't planned on such a sudden ending. It had been only two days since Scott had left. Maddy made an incredible realization just the day before. In the heated urgency of their shared passion the night before Scott left, they had forgotten to use protection. While it was far too early to know for sure, in her heart, Maddy knew she was pregnant. She should be filled with joy over such an occasion. Instead, she was filled with fear. Bringing up a child on her own wouldn't be easy and there was no way she would seek out Scott. He would feel trapped, perhaps insist she marry him. Maddy's hand touched her stomach. She wouldn't burden him with a child he might not want. This child might not know the love of a father but its mother would make up for that in any way she could. Tears spilled from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. She supposed what she was really hoping for, what her heart hoped for, was that Scott would declare his love for her and stay with her forever. With a heavy heart, she turned from the stall and began the rest of her chores. Scott had left just over forty-eight hours previously and already, their time together seemed like a lifetime ago. As Maddy scooped scratch from the bag outside the chicken coop door, the lights flickered and then turned bright. The power had been restored. She glanced up at the bulb shining brightly above her head. She should be relieved. She should be, but she remained lost in incredible sadness. **** Scott greeted the custodian at the luxury apartment building where Lenore lived. “Steve, how are you?" The old man, clad in a navy uniform, nodded with a smile. “I'm fine, Mr. Clinton. She's in. I'll call to tell her you're here." “Please don't,” Scott replied. “I'd like to surprise her."

Scott took the stairs rather than the elevator to Lenore's penthouse suite. He needed time to think things through, to decide just how to approach Lenore when he saw her. He also had to admit, having left Maddy two days before, he was feeling a great deal of energy that desperately needed to be expended. Scott found the door of Lenore's penthouse suite unlocked. He pushed it open and stepped inside. The room was basked in dim light. Every curtain in the room was drawn. Candles were lit everywhere. There was a certain scent present—dark and musky. Something he couldn't quite identify but it definitely read male. Lenore came from the bedroom with an exaggerated flourish. She wore a flowing bright red negligee. Her fingernails and lips were painted with the same hues. Her deep auburn hair hung loosely around her shoulders. The smile pasted on her face didn't reflect in her eyes. God, he missed Maddy. “I wasn't expecting you,” she said in a clipped tone. Scott guffawed. “I called you yesterday." Lenore shot a pensive look over her shoulder before she replied, “And I told you that I was busy." “That was yesterday,” Scott countered, “this is now. We need to talk." Lenore tossed herself down on the leather sofa. Yards of red silk floated and settled around her. “I went ahead and set the wedding date. June thirteenth." Scott slowly sat in the matching leather chair across from her. “That date isn't good for me." “Well, Daddy's been pressing us to set a date and you've been gone the last couple weeks. I had to decide on my own.” Her flaming red lips pouted as she talked. “Daddy prefers a June wedding anyway. It's easier for him." Scott leaned forward and braced his hands on his knees. His gaze leveled on Lenore. “There isn't going to be a wedding, Lenore. Not in June. Not ever." Lenore gasped audibly. “What are you talking about? I've already booked the church." “I don't want to marry you.” There, he said it. Lenore tossed her head back and laughed. “I don't want to marry you either. That's not the point." Somehow, Scott wasn't surprised by her reaction. “Why should we marry then?" “Because it's good for business, of course. You and I are going to make a lot of money together. I fully intend to let you have your own life. I won't complain if you have sex with other women.” Her eyes narrowed as she leaned forward. “As long as the paparazzi never finds out. I don't want it in the papers." Scott leaned back and laughed heartily. This wasn't nearly as hard as he thought it was going to be. “You won't need to worry about the paparazzi because the wedding is not going to happen." Lenore's face hardened in anger. “You are not going to dump me, Scott Clinton. I have never been dumped in my life and I'm not starting now." Scott rose from the chair. “Consider yourself dumped." Lenore's hair flew around her face as she shook her head in fury. “You can't dump me!” she wailed. “If you do, I'll tell Daddy and he'll make sure you never make another investment in this city. Your name will be mud." Scott smiled in earnest. “Go right ahead.” He snatched the portable phone off the coffee table and

pressed it into her hand. “Call him right now." Lenore's fingers quickly flicked over the phone and she pressed it to her ear. “Daddy?” Scott cringed as he heard her whiney voice. He walked toward the bedroom and pushed the door open. He smiled as his gaze leveled on the naked man lying on top of the bed. “Hey, Cal, how's it hanging?" The man pulled a pillow and pushed it over what Scott had already seen as a very small appendage. It was no surprise to find him there. Only Cal Cutter wore the expensive musky scent Scott noticed when he first came into the apartment. Unfortunately, Cal was not what Lenore's father wanted for his daughter. He had money, but it came from an inheritance, not hard-earned as Scott's had. He expected Lenore and Cal deserved each other. Meanwhile, he, Scott Clinton, deserved so much more. Scott walked out of the apartment. When he pulled the door closed, he pressed his back against it. Time for step three. The final step. The one that would take the longest. After it was complete, he could return to Maddy. Assuming she'd have him. It was a chance Scott had to take. A leap of faith, so to speak. Chapter 12 It had been two weeks since Scott had left the farm. Maddy grimaced sarcastically. It had been exactly two weeks, one day and six hours since Scott's departure. Then again, who was counting? As Maddy bent over another branch that had fallen from the maple tree in her front yard, her stomach protested. She hadn't needed to see the positive result of the pregnancy test to know she was indeed pregnant. Nothing had been sitting well in her stomach. Morning sickness, which lasted all day, started about two days ago. Life in the Kingston area had returned to normal since Scott left. Traffic was moving on the highway and the side roads around her farm were open again. Areas in the Ottawa Valley and Quebec still fought with the frigid cold and the lack of power. However, as luck would have it, the Kingston area got off easy. In spite of the life growing inside her, Maddy saw Scott's presence in her house as if it was a dream. Perhaps, if she wished hard enough, her mind would blank it out completely. She'd never met him, never made love to him. Denial seemed like a glorious place to be. If it weren't for the fact that her stomach couldn't hold so much as a glass of water these days, Maddy would have settled into the bliss of denial quite well. Maddy's hands wiped her weary eyes. Sleep hadn't come easily for her in the past two weeks. She attempted to remove every memory from the house since the power had been restored. Even though she couldn't find the strength to return the bed in the living room to the spare bedroom upstairs, she had pulled it apart and pushed it into a back room to get it out of sight. She'd replaced the plywood and fabric over the fireplace so she wouldn't be reminded of the evenings spent in front of a roaring fire with Scott. To look at her house, one would never know that Scott Clinton had ever graced it, let alone her heart. There was something from Scott's visit she couldn't deny. A growing life within her, born of the love she and Scott had shared in the brief time they had been together. In her heart, she knew she would always love Scott through the child she would bear in a few months time.

Maddy struggled with another branch and placed it on the pile. The sound of a diesel truck heading down the road caught her attention. She watched as it slowed at her lane and pulled in. Her heart leapt when the truck stopped in the yard. The door opened and Scott stepped out. He smiled as he looked at her. “I'm back." Maddy's stomach churned in turmoil ... and something else. She rushed into the house and leaned against the closed door. Her eyes were playing tricks on her. They had to be. That was not Scott! “Maddy.” Her mind was playing tricks on her. That couldn't possibly be Scott's voice at the door. “Open up. We need to talk." “There's nothing to talk about.” Was the squeaky, weak sound that came from her lips really her voice? “I told you I'd be back,” Scott said. “You saw the note I left on the pillow, didn't you?" Maddy frowned. The note? Yes, she'd seen it. And forgotten all about it until now. She turned to the door and pulled back the lacy curtain. I'll be back. Maddy regarded him with hesitation. “What do you want?” she asked. “Open the door so we can talk." Her head told her not to; her heart insisted she open the door. She followed her heart and pulled the door open. She walked away from the door as Scott stepped inside. “Maddy,” Scott said in a low wistful tone. “I've missed you so much." Maddy laughed sarcastically as she whisked around to meet his stare. “You've got to be kidding! You missed me? You didn't even say goodbye." Scott splayed his hands as he spoke. “I don't blame you for being angry. I wanted to tell you why I was leaving but I knew you wouldn't believe me. I needed to go back to Toronto to face up to what had happened there. I needed to talk to Doug,” his voice lowered slightly, “and to Lenore." Maddy opened her mouth to speak but no words would come. Scott continued, “You were right. I left the city in such a hurry, I left too much unsaid. Lenore had the right to know it was over. I didn't take the time to tell her before I left. Most importantly, I had abandoned a friend who needed me more than ever." Maddy took a step toward him, unsure of what she was going to hear. “So, you went back to Toronto to fix things?" Scott nodded. “The best I could. I went to see Doug and he's making a full recovery. I'm going to help him recover the money he lost. And Lenore,” Scott paused, “I told her our engagement is over." Maddy swallowed hard. The poor woman. Losing Scott could not have been easy. She fought the guilt she felt for being glad Lenore was no longer an issue. “How did she take it?" Scott smiled as he moved toward her. He placed his arms on her shoulders. The touch caused fire to burn within her. “Let's just say she was mostly concerned about what the press would print about it. She'll recover nicely with the help of the lover I found in her bedroom." Maddy frowned. “Lenore was cheating on you?" Scott shook his head. He smiled down at her. “No, she wasn't. To be cheating on me, we would have had to be in love. We weren't, we never were." “I don't understand.” How could anyone not be in love with someone as wonderful as Scott?

“I never got to know Lenore the way I grew to know you, Maddy. She and I were involved because her father could help us financially. I'm ashamed to admit I knew it all along. I never knew I could love anyone. Not like I love you." Maddy's mind reeled. She pulled out of Scott's embrace. “You don't love me.” Her voice was laced with anguish. She wanted to believe he could love her. “I do, Maddy." “No, you don't!” Maddy cried. “You might like what I represent. You might like the idea of the life we'd have here. But sooner or later, you'll tire of it. You'll miss the excitement of the city. You'll leave me." Scott's face clouded as he grabbed her shoulders. He forced her to look into his eyes. “I am not like Chase Harrison! If you're convinced I am, name one thing I have in common with that man." Maddy screwed up what little courage she had. She fought the tears she knew wanted to be shed. “You left me!” she cried. “You walked away as though nothing had ever happened between us." Scott's face softened with regret. “I had to. I couldn't tell you what I had to do. If I'd told you that morning I needed to go back to Toronto to settle things, would you have believed me?" “No." “I wanted to tell you what I had to do. When I went to see Harry that morning, I even asked him if he thought I was doing the right thing. He handed me the keys to their van and told me if I didn't come back, he would come after me with a lynch mob." Maddy laughed. “He said that?" Scott nodded. “He trusted me. The sad thing is you didn't." “How could I?" “Just take a leap of faith, Maddy. I'm here and I love you. I'm never going to leave you." Maddy wanted to believe him. She did. But the fluttering in her stomach told her she couldn't take any chances. “What about your life in Toronto?" “After I talked to Doug and ended things with Lenore, I closed my office in Toronto. I went to Kingston and bought a small office building in the downtown core. I asked my staff if they were willing to relocate and most of them agreed. The ones who didn't want to move walked away with a very good severance package and a letter of recommendation. I've set up shop in Kingston as a financial planner. My office opens next week." “I can't believe—" Scott looked into her eyes. “Believe it. Even if you tell me you don't want me in your life, I'll never be far away. You do want me in your life, don't you?" Maddy's heart constricted. She loved him with every fiber of her being. But she was keeping something very important from him. Something that might change his feelings for her. She pulled out of his embrace and turned her back to him. It was much easier to tell him without looking directly at him. Scott's voice clouded with concern. “Maddy, what is it?" Maddy's hands pressed into her stomach. “Do you remember the last night we were together?" “Of course. It's a night I'll never forget."

Maddy swallowed and continued. “You may not have forgotten that night, but we did forget to use protection." Silence. Maddy's body tightened with fear as she turned slowly and looked up at him. He frowned in confusion at first and then his eyes gleamed with sheer joy. “You mean ... Are we ... Oh my God, Maddy, are you pregnant?" “Yes. I suspected from the start but I took a home test yesterday." Scott leapt forward and whisked her into his arms. He twirled her around the room as he hooted in absolute delight. Maddy tossed her arms around his neck and squealed. “Oh, I love the fact you're glad but I can't tell you just how little my stomach needs this right now!" Scott carefully placed her onto the floor. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled him to her. “Husband and wife and baby makes three,” he said. “I love you, Madeline Harrison." Tears streamed down Maddy's cheeks as he bent to kiss her. “I love you too, Scott Clinton." Epilogue Scott gently bounced the squirming eighteen month old Matthew on his lap as he held the phone to his ear. “Doug, it's good to hear your voice, buddy." “Good to hear yours, too,” his friend replied. “To what to do I owe the honor of your call?" “I have another investment plan I think you and Rebecca should consider.” Matthew squealed and attempted to pull the cord from the phone. Scott gently pulled the cord away from his son and turned his head so the child couldn't grip the receiver. Doug laughed into the phone. “Is that Matthew I hear?" “Yeah,” Scott replied. “Maddy's in her last month of pregnancy and is struggling to run after the kid at home. I took him with me to work today to give her a break." “Maddy let you run off with the boy?" “Not without a fight,” Scott told his friend, “but she needs her rest, too." Scott fished the keys for his truck out of his pocket and pressed them into his son's hand. That would keep him occupied for a moment or two. “So, are you interested in hearing about the investment?" Doug laughed. “Yes!. Rebecca just told me she's expecting our fourth kid. No matter how much money we have banked right now, I expect I'll need a lot more to get all these kids through college eventually." Scott chuckled. Matthew had lost interest in the keys and turned to the phone. As his hand reached the receiver and pulled at it, Scott quickly said, “I have to let you go no. I'll email the particulars to you." Doug's laugh was cut off when Matthew finally hit the “end” button on his phone. Scott smiled fondly at his son. “Let's just hope your mother hurries up and has your little sister soon." Matthew giggled and wrapped his plump arms around his father. “And I love you, son,” Scott said as he looked at the picture of Maddy on his desk. Life was good. Life was damn good!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brenda Nyveld is thrilled with her fourth release with Whiskey Creek Press. She lives on a farm in South Western Ontario with her husband and son. When not writing, Brenda enjoys curling up with a good romance on a rainy day and spending time with her family and numerous cats and dogs. Brenda loves to hear from her readers. Email her at: [email protected] For your reading pleasure, we invite you to visit our web bookstore **** **** WHISKEY CREEK PRESS www.whiskeycreekpress.com

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