THE RINGING PHONE had woken Aiden from a sound sleep. He almost hadn’t answered it. He’d looked at the time and groaned, then recognized Leah’s number and answered. As he sat up, he juggled the phone and dropped it. The last time they’d spoken, she’d told him their marriage was over. She’d ordered him not to call her anymore and told him she wouldn’t be contacting him. Her lawyer would send him the annulment papers. He’d spent the holiday in the depths of despair.
And yet, with Christmas not quite over, she’d extended an olive branch, offering to meet with him in the middle of the night. When he hung up the phone, Aiden had more questions than answers. Had she changed her mind? Was he going to get another chance to plead his case?
Something must have happened. He had no idea why Leah wanted to meet in the middle of nowhere on a frigid, moonless night, but nothing was going to keep him away, not even the occasional four-foot drifts he suspected were blocking the road.
To make sure he didn’t get stuck in the snow, Aiden drove a pickup with a snowplow blade attached to the grille. If he ran into deep snow, he could plow himself a way through to Leah.
A smile flickered across his face when he arrived at the stock tank and saw that Leah had driven a pickup with a snowplow attached as well. She was sitting in the cab with the engine running to stay warm. The instant he arrived, she shut it off and stepped outside.
He left his lights on so he could see where he was going and trekked through two-foot-deep snow to reach her. “It would be warmer to have this conversation in your truck.”
“This won’t take long,” she said. “Do you still want me for your wife?”
“Do you need to ask?” When she made a face he said, “Yes, of course. Always.” He felt his throat knot with emotion. He didn’t believe she’d ever stopped loving him. She’d simply stopped trusting him, because he’d lied to her—by omission. If she gave him a chance, he’d spend a lifetime proving he was the honorable man she’d thought he was when she first fell in love with him.
“You can have me,” she said. “But there’s something I want from you first.”
His heart was suddenly thundering in his chest. “Name it.”
“I want you to get Angus to call off his vendetta against my father. He can start with easing his choke hold on the banker who holds King’s note on the South American land.”
Aiden’s heart beat even harder, this time with panic. His father had spent half his life getting his foot on King’s neck. He wasn’t about to ease up on the pressure, not for anyone or anything.
“You’re asking the impossible, Leah.”
“If you want me in your life, you’ll make it happen. That’s all I came to say.”
“Wait!”
He caught her by the arm as she turned away, and the deep snow caused her to stumble and nearly fall. He took a step and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
She hid her face against his shearling coat, refusing to look at him.
“Leah,” he pleaded. “Look at me. Please.”
She lifted her face to his, and he saw the pain and fear in her eyes. His throat ached with unshed tears. He’d come here with such high hopes. Her request had dashed them.
“Ask me for something else,” he said.
“There’s nothing else I need.”
“What about me, Leah? Don’t you need me even a little bit? Would it be so terrible to let me help you carry some of the burdens you bear?”
“You can help me most by changing your father’s mind.”
“You really do want a Christmas miracle, don’t you?” He felt helpless against the pleading look in her eyes. He sighed and said, “I’ll try, Leah. That’s all I can promise.”
He felt her body lose its rigidity, as she sank against him. Two bulky coats separated them, but his memory was good enough to remember every sylphlike curve of the woman in his arms. Aiden slowly lowered his head, to give Leah a chance to turn away if she didn’t want what was about to happen. He was a starving man, and she was a feast he’d been denied too long.
His gloved hands framed her face as he plundered her mouth, taking the sustenance he craved and giving back the nourishment she seemed to need every bit as much.
She pulled away far too soon, her plumed breaths rapid and uneven. “Aiden. Please. I can’t…I don’t…”
She pulled completely free and stared up at him with all the confusion she felt showing on her face. He reached out to caress her face, but she brushed his hand away.
“All right, Leah. I can wait.” It might be a very long wait, if he couldn’t change his father’s mind. “Just don’t forget how much I love you. Don’t forget how much I need you. Don’t forget how good we are together.”
Her chin quivered as she said, “Merry Christmas, Aiden.”
He swallowed over the knot in his throat and answered, “Merry Christmas, Leah.”
He watched her struggle through the deep snow back to her truck. It started up with a roar, and she backed her way out and took off, her spinning wheels throwing up sheets of powdery snow. He got one last glimpse of her tear-streaked face in his headlights before she was gone.
He got back in his truck and headed home, slamming the steering wheel with frustration as he realized the task she’d set for him. “Why is she doing this?” he ranted. “She might as well have asked me to hand her the deed to the Lucky 7. I have about as much chance of tearing that out of my father’s unshakable grip as I have of accomplishing the impossible task she set for me.”
What plea could he make that would sway his father and convince him to forgo his revenge?
Tell him the truth. Tell him you want your wife back in your arms.
Unfortunately, even though his happiness depended on having Leah in his life, he didn’t think that argument would hold much sway with his father. Angus would applaud the fact that he’d gotten one of King’s Brats out of his son’s life.
What else could he say? What else could he do? How in heaven’s name was he going to thwart his father’s revenge?