![Ana Leigh - [The Frasers 4 - Jed] - One Night with a Sweet Talking Man](/res/dh/book4.jpg)
of the two people she cherished more than anything on earth?
When she looked across the table at Jed, his gaze was on her. She didn’t have to be told that he had no intention of deserting them. But he was only one man.
She picked up the menu. “Shall we order?”
As they lingered over coffee, Nathan reminded Jed it would soon be time for his train to arrive.
“I know I can’t be of much help, sir, but if you have no objection, I’d like to hang around for a while longer.”
“Jed, this isn’t your fight,” Nathan said.
“I made it my fight when I spoke to Calhoun.” He glanced at Caroline. “Do you have any objections if I remain?”
Of course she objected; she wanted him out of their lives. But at the same time, she welcomed his protection. They had no one else to turn to.
“Only the same as my father’s, Jed. There’s no reason you should put yourself at risk for our sake.”
“I can think of three good ones,” Jed said.
“What are they?” Garrett asked innocently.
Jed smiled. “They’re all seated at this table, Garrett.”
“Can he stay, Mama?”
“That decision is between your grandfather and Mr. Fraser, honey.”
The boy looked hopefully at his grandfather. “Can he, Granddad?”
Nathan grinned. “He’s too big a fellow for me to wrestle, son.”
“Yippee!” Garrett swung his glance to Jed. “I’m sure glad you’re staying, ’cause I like you a lot.”
“I feel the same about you, pal. But I don’t think your dog will welcome the news.”
“Oh, don’t worry about Buffer. He just don’t like having strangers around.
“He doesn’t like strangers,” Caroline corrected.
“See, Mama agrees. Once he gets to know you, he’ll like you, too. I’m going outside to tell him the good news.” Garrett dashed outside.
Caroline stood, too. “While your presence will be a relief, Jed, be careful you’re not jumping into waters that are over your head.”
“I’m pretty good at testing the waters.”
“The water might be deeper than you think, so be careful you don’t drown, sailor,” she warned.
Jed grinned. “I’m a pretty good swimmer, lady.”
Caroline enjoyed this little sparring between them, but the physical attraction she felt to Jed made it dangerous.
As she reached the doorway, the bright sunlight momentarily blinded her. Suddenly a hard shoulder slammed into her, and only Jed’s body behind hers prevented her from falling.
“Oh, it’s you,” Ben Slatter grumbled. The smell of alcohol was strong on his breath.
“Yes, it’s me. And as usual, Ben Slatter, you’re reeking of alcohol,” Caroline said in disgust.
When he started to shove past her, Jed said, “I believe you owe the lady an apology, sir.”
The man stood eye to eye with him, with a withering glare. “Who in hell are you?”
“Name’s Jed Fraser.”
“Is that supposed to mean something to me?”
“Mr. Fraser is a close friend from Virginia, Ben. He served on my father’s ship during the war.”
Slatter snorted. “Yeah, I can see he was a real close friend. So he’s the little bastard’s daddy.”
Despite Slatter’s size, Jed grabbed a handful of the man’s shirt, lifted him off his feet, and slammed him against the wall. “The apology, Slatter.”
Slatter’s alcoholic bravado was no match for the fury in Jed’s eyes. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry.”
“Tell that to the lady.” Jed fortified the command with another slam against the wall.
“Excuse me, Caroline,” Slatter grunted.
Jed released him, and the dazed man slumped against the wall.
“The lady accepts your apology, Mr. Slatter.”
“I see you’re still sword rattling, Mr. Fraser.”
Jed swung around to see Vincent Calhoun smiling smugly at him.
“Miss Caroline.” He tipped his hat to her and moved on.
“The more people I encounter in this town, the more I wonder why you want to remain,” Jed grumbled as he adjusted his clothing. “Didn’t you say that you turned down Slatter’s
When she looked across the table at Jed, his gaze was on her. She didn’t have to be told that he had no intention of deserting them. But he was only one man.
She picked up the menu. “Shall we order?”
As they lingered over coffee, Nathan reminded Jed it would soon be time for his train to arrive.
“I know I can’t be of much help, sir, but if you have no objection, I’d like to hang around for a while longer.”
“Jed, this isn’t your fight,” Nathan said.
“I made it my fight when I spoke to Calhoun.” He glanced at Caroline. “Do you have any objections if I remain?”
Of course she objected; she wanted him out of their lives. But at the same time, she welcomed his protection. They had no one else to turn to.
“Only the same as my father’s, Jed. There’s no reason you should put yourself at risk for our sake.”
“I can think of three good ones,” Jed said.
“What are they?” Garrett asked innocently.
Jed smiled. “They’re all seated at this table, Garrett.”
“Can he stay, Mama?”
“That decision is between your grandfather and Mr. Fraser, honey.”
The boy looked hopefully at his grandfather. “Can he, Granddad?”
Nathan grinned. “He’s too big a fellow for me to wrestle, son.”
“Yippee!” Garrett swung his glance to Jed. “I’m sure glad you’re staying, ’cause I like you a lot.”
“I feel the same about you, pal. But I don’t think your dog will welcome the news.”
“Oh, don’t worry about Buffer. He just don’t like having strangers around.
“He doesn’t like strangers,” Caroline corrected.
“See, Mama agrees. Once he gets to know you, he’ll like you, too. I’m going outside to tell him the good news.” Garrett dashed outside.
Caroline stood, too. “While your presence will be a relief, Jed, be careful you’re not jumping into waters that are over your head.”
“I’m pretty good at testing the waters.”
“The water might be deeper than you think, so be careful you don’t drown, sailor,” she warned.
Jed grinned. “I’m a pretty good swimmer, lady.”
Caroline enjoyed this little sparring between them, but the physical attraction she felt to Jed made it dangerous.
As she reached the doorway, the bright sunlight momentarily blinded her. Suddenly a hard shoulder slammed into her, and only Jed’s body behind hers prevented her from falling.
“Oh, it’s you,” Ben Slatter grumbled. The smell of alcohol was strong on his breath.
“Yes, it’s me. And as usual, Ben Slatter, you’re reeking of alcohol,” Caroline said in disgust.
When he started to shove past her, Jed said, “I believe you owe the lady an apology, sir.”
The man stood eye to eye with him, with a withering glare. “Who in hell are you?”
“Name’s Jed Fraser.”
“Is that supposed to mean something to me?”
“Mr. Fraser is a close friend from Virginia, Ben. He served on my father’s ship during the war.”
Slatter snorted. “Yeah, I can see he was a real close friend. So he’s the little bastard’s daddy.”
Despite Slatter’s size, Jed grabbed a handful of the man’s shirt, lifted him off his feet, and slammed him against the wall. “The apology, Slatter.”
Slatter’s alcoholic bravado was no match for the fury in Jed’s eyes. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry.”
“Tell that to the lady.” Jed fortified the command with another slam against the wall.
“Excuse me, Caroline,” Slatter grunted.
Jed released him, and the dazed man slumped against the wall.
“The lady accepts your apology, Mr. Slatter.”
“I see you’re still sword rattling, Mr. Fraser.”
Jed swung around to see Vincent Calhoun smiling smugly at him.
“Miss Caroline.” He tipped his hat to her and moved on.
“The more people I encounter in this town, the more I wonder why you want to remain,” Jed grumbled as he adjusted his clothing. “Didn’t you say that you turned down Slatter’s
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