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Love Without Restraint	By : cowgirl65 Category: 1 through F > The Big Valley Views: 1007 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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“What on earth is eating you, Emily?”
Nick’s fiancée looked up from the ribbons she was tying to find her sister looking at her with pursed lips.
“I mean, your wedding dress is gorgeous, you’ll be living in a fantastic house and your fiancé is an absolutely wonderful man,” Caroline stated. “Why ever do you have that frown on your face? You’ll get wrinkles, you know.”
Emily smoothed her face into a more pleasing expression. “It’s Nick’s brother,” she complained. “The man is just so… exasperating!”
Caroline picked up another ribbon from the pile as she thought back to last night’s dinner when she’d met her sister’s prospective in-laws. She’d been tired from her long train journey, but instead of allowing her to stay in a hotel when Emily’s boarding house was full, they opened their home to her and she knew how lucky her sister was to be joining the family. Then she thought about Nick’s brothers. Heath had been friendly and cheerful, making it easy for her to feel at home and the eldest, Jarrod, had been charming, witty and a perfect gentleman. Caroline wouldn’t call either of them exasperating and that just piqued her curiosity. “Which one?”
“Jarrod,” Emily huffed. She finished tying the bow. “He’ll be the only one not married and he deserves to be. I’ve set him up with several wonderful women but he’s ever-so-politely brushed all of them off. Honestly, I don’t know what to do with the man.” Then she gave her sister an appraising look. “You’re staying at the ranch until the wedding,” she said slyly. “Maybe you might be interested.”
Caroline thought for a moment. Jarrod Barkley was dashingly handsome, she had to admit, intelligent, refined... More than one man had been intimidated by Caroline’s position as a Professor of Classics, but he’d only seemed intrigued over dinner and they’d had a lively conversation debating translations of Homer’s Odyssey. And if Emily was lucky to be marrying into the Barkley family, wouldn’t that go for her too? “I won’t make a nuisance of myself,” she warned her sister, “but I have to admit I’m interested. He is very easy on the eyes.”
Emily leaned over the table, scattering ribbons and bows everywhere as she hugged her sister enthusiastically. “Oh, Caroline, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we were married to brothers? I could just die!” They continued tying bows for the wedding as they made plans to make Nick’s brother notice his fiancée’s sister.
*
Jarrod cautiously opened the door to the library and breathed a sigh of relief when he found it empty. He’d managed to politely avoid a second outing with Georgina and been able to steer clear of Emily’s other attempts to set him up. But it seemed she wasn’t done with him and had embarked on a campaign to set him up with her sister. He’d found himself left alone with the charming Caroline on more than one occasion and it was getting harder and harder to sidestep her subtle advances. He poured himself a drink and almost spilled it when he whirled around at the sound of the door.
“Oh, it’s just you.”
“And hello to you too, big brother.” Nick strode over and helped himself to a glass. “What’s got you so jumpy? You’re as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.”
“I feel like one.” Jarrod took a sip of his drink. “Your fiancée and her sister,” he said simply.
Nick looked at him, puzzled. “I thought you liked Emily,” he said, “and Caroline seems like just your type.”
Jarrod gave him a scathing look. “That’s just the problem, she thinks so too.”
Realization dawned on Nick’s face. “And since her sister’s staying here and you can’t get away, Emily’s stepped up the campaign to marry you off.” Nick chuckled.
Jarrod walked over to lean against the desk. “I don’t want to hurt her feelings,” he explained. “I think Caroline’s a wonderful woman and she’d be an excellent choice if I was looking to get married.”
“It would probably help if she had to shave every morning.”
“Not funny, Nick,” Jarrod said with a glare. “Can’t you do anything to call Emily off?”
Nick shook his head. “Nope. I’ve tried everything short of telling her the real reason why you’re not interested, but do you really want me to tell her that you’re practically married already to the town’s sheriff?”
Jarrod looked up in surprise at Nick’s choice of words.
“You and Dave have been together for years.” Nick walked over to perch beside his brother. “It might not be legal, but I reckon you’re just as committed to each other as if you’d said the vows.”
Jarrod glanced at his brother. Nick was toying with his glass, but he didn’t seem overly uncomfortable. He recalled the overtures Nick had made to Dave over the past couple weeks and gave a slight smile. “We have said them. Privately, but they still mean the same to us as if we were able to declare them in public.”
Nick nodded and gripped Jarrod’s knee before meeting his eyes. “I’m happy for you, Jarrod. I’d be happier if Dave had a few more curves, but reckon you can’t win them all.” He held up his glass. “To my big brother and the one he loves.”
Jarrod touched his glass to Nick’s. “Thanks,” he said quietly after they drank, “you don’t know how much that means to me.”
Nick snorted. “Reckon I’m just getting soft in my old age,” he teased, “or a little touched in the head from being in love myself.” The brothers shared a chuckle and finished their drinks. “I’ll do my best with Emily,” Nick said as he stood, “but you might just have to put up with it until Caroline heads home after the wedding.”
“I was thinking I’d see if Dave needs me on a posse that’ll keep me away until then,” Jarrod said wryly.
“Then I’d have to form one of my own to drag you back,” Nick informed him. “There’s no way I’m getting hitched without both my brothers standing up for me and that’s a fact.”
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Love Without Restraint