Ana Leigh - [The Frasers 4 - Jed] - One Night with a Sweet Talking Man (13 page)

Then the crowd settled back and listened to Tom Davis’s clear baritone as he sang familiar ballads like “Beautiful Dreamer” and “Annie Laurie.” On these and many others, they all joined in and sang with him.

Throughout the day, much to Caroline’s distress, Jed continued to put on an appearance of being a loving and devoted suitor to her. She didn’t like putting up a false front to these people she had grown to care for.

The evening drew to an end, and when the makeshift band prepared to play their final selection, Tom Davis stepped forward.

“Ladies and gentlemen, in honor and appreciation to our hosts for their hospitality and friendship, we will close the evening with ‘Dixie.’” That brought whistles and cheers from the Fraser men.

But rather than the rousing rendition they expected, Tom began to sing it slowly, haunting in its poignancy.

“‘For I wish I was in the land of cotton, old times there are not forgotten, look away, look away, look away, Dixie Land.’”

Jed came over to her and reached for her hand. “I believe this is our dance, Miss Caroline.”

As they stepped onto the dance floor the men had fashioned for the event, Caroline saw that his brothers had led their wives to the floor as well. Even Garth had his arms around Rory, swaying to the music.

“Do you miss your home, Jed?” she asked gently.

“I do at times like this.”

He was silent and held her closely as they moved to the nostalgic ballad, which once had been a rallying cry of independence to them, now a reminder of a time and life that was gone forever.

Caroline felt a stirring in her heart that had nothing to do with physical desires or arousals. She closed her eyes and they finished the dance.

After the guests departed with their congratulations and good wishes for the nuptials the next day, Caroline sat down and sighed in contentment. If this day was an example of what her life would be like married to Jed Fraser, maybe it wasn’t a mistake. Maybe the outlandish agreement would prove to be the right one for her as well as Garrett.

Jed picked up the sleeping boy and carried him into the house.

“Thank you, Jed,” she said upon his return. “He’s getting too big for me to carry anymore.”

“He never opened his eyes,” he assured her and went over to join his brothers.

One by one the women said good night, and with their husbands’ help gathered up their children to return to their houses. Caroline watched these tall, rugged men tenderly pick up the tiny little bundles and carry them away.

“If Virginia could only see you now,” she murmured with an affectionate smile.

A short time later as she prepared to call it a night, she paused in the doorway and looked back. The Fraser brothers had returned and were grouped around the fire talking together in low tones. She couldn’t help wondering if she and Garrett were the topic of their conversation.

A
fter several hours of restlessly trying to fall asleep, Caroline slipped carefully out of bed to avoid waking Garrett beside her. Buffer raised his head, and she put a finger to her mouth to caution him to be quiet.

The house was in darkness, lit only by moonlight shining through the kitchen window. She stepped outside and closed the door softly behind her, then took a deep breath and sighed, missing the fragrance of her garden flowers at home.

“So you can’t sleep, either,” Jed said, stepping out of the shadows.

“I guess I miss my bed at home.”

Jed ground out the cigarette he had been smoking. “Do you want to try my bed? Maybe that would help. I can move in with Garrett.”

“I don’t think the bed’s the problem.” She smiled. “Besides, where Garrett sleeps, so does Buffer. If you move in with him, I think his growling would disturb the whole household.”

They started down the path leading to the vineyard.

“It’s been a long day,” Jed said.

“Yes, the party was so nice. Everyone was so friendly, and they appeared to have a good time.”

“Reminded me of home before the war.”

“Your family’s been so wonderful.”

“Caroline, I had a talk with Clay last night and told him our reason for getting married. You’ll be glad to know he didn’t feel I should force you into marriage. He said it wouldn’t be fair to either of us.”

She stopped and turned to face him. “And what did you say?”

“I said I offered you a way out, but you decided against it.”

“I see.” She resumed walking again.

“Now that you’ve had more time to think about it, have you changed your mind? Twelve hours from now it will be too late to do so.”

“My feelings and decision haven’t changed.” She paused again and looked at him. “Have yours?”

Jed chuckled. “Maybe my conscience, a little. My concern is still for Garrett’s welfare, but my only reservation is whether or not you’re doing it against your will.”

“Six days ago, I would have said I was. Jed, I’m not so naïve that I’m unaware that many people marry for reasons other than love. I think our reason is a good one. We don’t have to love each other. And with you at sea practically all the time, I don’t foresee any troubles. Do you?”

“No, I can’t say I do. I think of Garrett as my son already, and I love and respect your father.”

“I think the reason we’re doubting ourselves is because we’re surrounded by all these people whose love for each other oozes out of their pores,” she said. “I feel as if we’re being irreverent in marrying for any reason other than love.”

“This whole situation is very complicated. I guess I have to trust my instincts.”

“Some marry for money, others to gain power or prestige. Not everyone is fortunate to meet that one person with whom they want to spend the rest of their lives. It would be nice if it were true in our case, but often circumstances force marriage for a different reason.”

They halted at a low stone wall, and he lifted her up so she could sit down.

“I think we’re intelligent enough to make our arrangement work, Jed. Besides, when you’re in port, we can always spend some time with your family. It’s a good diversion.”

“What do you know? Miz Caroline suggesting we spend time with those Fraser boys?”

“You’re not going to let me forget that, are you? I suppose you repeated what I said about them to Clay.”

“Not a word. They’re sensitive. Besides, I don’t think I could watch them falling over each other trying to prove you wrong.”

She laughed, then studied him intently.

“What did I do now?” he asked. “I swear, I didn’t say a word to Clay about that.”

“I learned something about you tonight, Jed. It surprised me.”

“I hesitate to ask what that might be,” he said, amused.

“You’re a man of many mixed qualities. In this past week there have been many occasions for me to witness your humor, and I certainly can’t deny your intelligence. You have a fine mind and don’t make hasty decisions. You seem to put a lot of thought into an issue before deciding it.”

“Especially the one demanding we marry,” he said sardonically.

She giggled. “I never meant to imply you were perfect, Fraser. You have an admirable quality of loyalty and honor, not only to your family, but to my father, for instance—putting yourself in the middle of his problem with Calhoun, or insisting on becoming a father to Garrett. Oh, I know you said that was for family honor, but now that I know you a little better, I think you’re doing it for Andy as much as for Garrett. You’re courageous; I’ve witnessed that when you saved my son’s life, and you have patience. Particularly with Garrett when he’s pesty.”

He shook his head. “I never thought he was pesty, Caroline.”

“To add to those qualities, I’ve admired your capacity for love, not only to your family but also to another man’s child.”

“You’re making me sound like a pretty good guy, lady.”

“You have some serious negatives, Jed. You’re self-righteous, your cockiness is maddening, and you can be horribly nasty when you choose to be. That was evident when I had to bear the wrath of your anger about Andy.

“But tonight I discovered a new quality. And I like it. You’re sentimental. I saw your heartache when you thought of your home. It touched me, because it showed to me a vulnerability I never suspected you possessed.”

“So if I’m such a nice guy, how come we’re always scrapping?”

“I think because from the beginning we’ve been attracted to each other—and it scares the daylights out of both of us.”

Jed chuckled. “I think you’re right, Miss Caroline.

“Be careful,” he warned, when she started to get down. He reached to lift her down, but she started to slide and fell into his arms. Her cry of alarm faded into an indrawn breath, and for the course of several heartbeats their gazes locked in surprise.

Her treacherous body filled with anticipation as a sensuous intensity surged between them. Lowering his head, he took possession of her mouth. Restraint was washed away in the tide of passion that swept through her, bombarding her senses with a spiraling excitement that kept escalating and escalating until she thought she would explode.

The heated probe of his tongue sent a ripple down her spine. She drew a much-needed breath when he slid his mouth to her neck and trailed kisses along it, then reclaimed her lips as he lowered her feet to the ground.

Her trembling legs threatened to collapse as the slide of his hand became an erotic seduction that burned away any resistance as he shoved the robe off her shoulders. For the briefest of seconds the sudden chill of the night air dueled with the heat ravaging her internally.

Then he reclaimed her lips, silencing any possible protest as he lowered her to the ground. She had never known such a consuming feeling of ecstasy; it obliterated anything but the need for fulfillment.

Her only experience with sex had been with Andy—two young people discovering their first rise of passion. Now she felt the desire and fantasies of a woman. Her deepest thoughts had fixated on this moment from the first time she had looked into the eyes of Jed Fraser.

Her cotton nightgown became a weak barrier against the heat of his body, his hands, and his mouth.

“Please, Jed,” she moaned. “Please.” Mercifully her plea needed no explanation, and he continued the exquisite assault.

He pulled the gown over her head and tossed it aside; when he disrobed, she had a blurred impression of bronzed muscle.

Awareness throbbed from every place their naked bodies touched. The brush of his bristled chin, his moistened mouth on the swollen tips of her breasts, the heat of his hands—caressing, stroking—became an erotic torture. She moaned in rapture as they sensitized her body, her heated blood surging to the throbbing core of her being.

Then, swollen with his own need, he entered her. The feel of his hot, pulsating organ within her drove her to fulfillment, and together, their bodies erupted with climactic release.

It took Caroline a long time to restore her breathing to normal. And with that came the realization.

She sat up. “Oh, my God! What did we just do?”

“It’s called making love,” Jed said.

“I’m not in love with you!” She grabbed her nightgown and got to her feet, then picked up her robe.

“You seemed to enjoy it, whatever you choose to call it,” Jed said as he pulled on his jeans.

“It’s exactly what I
didn’t
want to happen. I thought I could trust you. I asked you to give me time to think about it.”

Unabashed, he grinned. “I did. The trouble is,
I
got to thinking about it, too.”

“Very amusing. You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“I had the impression you did, too. Let me think, how long ago did you throw out that challenge? One day, or was it two whole days ago?”

She started to walk away, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. “Caroline, I didn’t make love to you in the hope of winning any silly challenge; that was the farthest thing from my mind. I reacted to the moment, the same as you did. If I succeeded in anything, it was getting you to climb down from that pedestal you’ve put yourself on. You’re not some paradigm of virtue, Caroline, you’re a woman—a flesh-and-blood woman. And you just proved it to yourself and to me.
That’s
why you’re angry.”

“Of course I’m angry with myself. Despite your accusation, I’m not that stone statue on a pedestal. I
am
human; I
am
flesh and blood. I’ve fantasized about our being intimate from the time we’ve met, and I believed I had the strength to fight that desire. That’s why I’m angry—I’ve betrayed
myself
. But I won’t let it happen again.”

“Honey, our making love was inevitable. And it
will
happen again. You’ve admitted our desire for each other; I’ve wanted you from the time I saw you sitting in that restaurant with that pert little nose of yours stuck up in the air. So why should we fight what we both feel?”

“Because I don’t want to fall in love with you, Jed, and I know that will happen if we continue to be intimate! We could even end up having a child. And that would be a more irrevocable bond between us than the marriage of convenience we’ve planned.”

“Do you think you’re the only one with feelings? Surely you must realize that the same would happen to me. This is a two-sided sword we’re holding, Caroline. Is the possibility of us falling in love, having a child, that repugnant to you?”

“You’re married to the sea, Jed. I’ve vowed I’d never end up like my mother, waiting to see the man she loved once or twice a year. I will not
let
it happen to me.”

“In a few hours it’ll be dawn. You’ve got twelve hours to make up your mind,” he said.

She yanked out of his grasp and strode away. Upon returning to the house, she closed her bedroom door harder than she intended.

Clay awoke and sat up in bed.

“What was that?” Becky asked beside him.

“Sounded like the door slamming in the next room. Probably a lovers’ quarrel.”

“You mean between Jed and Caroline?”

“Who else?”

“Why would they be up at this hour?”

“Why do you think?” Clay asked.

Becky considered the comment for a moment, then shook her head. “But you told me Jed said they weren’t in love.”

“That’s what
he
said. But I took a longer look at them at that barbecue. They only
think
they’re not attracted to each other.”

Becky giggled. “And you think they might just have been practicing the honeymoon before the wedding?”

“Listen,” he whispered when he heard the front door open and then the door to Jed’s room closing. He lay back. “Reminds me of the old days in Virginia, when a couple of us would sneak out of the house at night for a tryst with the—”

“
Forsyth twins.
” Becky groaned. “Those two gals must have been quite a pair.”

“Speaking of twins, ours are asleep right now, and so is Jake, or he would have crawled into bed with us by now.” He rolled over on her. “Seems to me we’re wasting a damn good opportunity.”

Becky smiled and slipped her arms around his neck. “
You’re
the one who’s wasting it, Clay Fraser. I’m wondering if you’ll ever stop talking.”

When Caroline awoke, Garrett was already up. She dressed and then, hearing voices from the kitchen, went out to see what was going on.

Becky was putting the finishing touches on the wedding cake, and Cassie was sitting on a kitchen chair, holding her infant son on her lap.

“Hail, the bride cometh,” Cassie greeted. “This is your wedding day, girl. I thought you’d be up at the crack of dawn.”

“I practically was. I had trouble sleeping and didn’t fall asleep until then.”

“I know what you mean; I had the same problem,” Becky agreed, stifling a smile.

“Where is everyone?”

“I can account for the whereabouts of Jake and the twins,” Becky said. “They’re in their bedroom.”

“And Sam’s asleep on the couch,” Cassie said.

“Garrett must have gotten up when Jed did.”

“Yes, they ate breakfast with Clay and me.”

“Have you talked to Rory? I was wondering how she’s feeling today.”

“Lissy’s with her now. Don’t worry, honey. She’ll hold out until the wedding’s over. She told me she’ll push that baby back in if she has to; she does not intend to miss this wedding.”

“What would you like for breakfast, Caroline?” Becky asked. “This is your day, so you can pick what you want.”

“A cup of coffee and a piece of toasted bread will do just fine. I’ll get that myself; you’ve been busy enough this morning.”

“I’ve been dying for the opportunity to attempt to make a wedding cake. Finally, I have the chance.”

“Anything you make is successful, Becky. I’m the one who
attempts
to cook.” Cassie arched a brow and grinned kittenishly. “Of course I have other talents. But I keep them between Colt and me.”

“Not to interrupt your reverie, my dear, but I’m changing the subject. I hope Rico makes it here on time for the wedding,” Becky said. “Rory will be disappointed if he doesn’t.”