Olivia
Stewart risks everything to accomplish her dreams. She’s tired of being pitied
because she’s been jilted, tired of teaching other people’s children without
any of her own. When she signs with a matrimonial agency, a letter from Jamie
Fraser sounds perfect. A widower with two young children will give her a head
start on the family she’s determined to have. But Colorado holds surprises for
Olivia that endanger her goals and even her life.
Rancher Jamie
Fraser is shocked to learn his mother has written for a mail-order bride for
him! He has two children and no plan to marry again. Ever! His late wife taught
him women can’t be trusted. Even his beloved mother isn’t above tricking her
sons to achieve her heartfelt ambitions. Now he’s stuck with a wife he didn’t
want—a stubborn woman bent on changing his home and his life.
Can two
strong people at odds achieve happiness? Angel Springs, Colorado is a small
town that inspires big dreams. Olivia and Jamie just might find their dreams meld
to form a powerful and enduring love.
Excerpt
That night when Olivia and Jamie were in their room, she
slowly undressed. All day she’d thought about what she would say. How naïve to
think she could trust this man so easily. How stupid she’d been not to ask more
questions before surrendering her body to him.
Somehow, Olivia had the sense of having been cheated in the
marriage bed. She had no real experience to go on because she had no one in
whom she could confide. Judging by the novels she’d read, though, there should
have been talk after their coming together.
She faced him. “Jamie, why did you go through with the
wedding?”
He sat on the bed holding the boot he’d just removed then
set it on the floor. “No choice.”
What a maddening answer. She wanted to plant her fist on his
handsome chin. Instead, she took a deep breath before speaking and exhaled
slowly.
“Of course you had a choice. You’re the head of the family
and could have refused and sent me back where I came from or set me up in town
so I could meet someone else. Barring that, you could have paid me off and sent
me to Denver. There’s always a choice.”
He shook his head as he started on his shirt buttons. “Not
in this case. Any of those options would have caused talk. After you’d been
here several nights, your reputation would have been compromised.”
“If I weren’t here, why would that matter to you?”
His hands stilled. “Ah, well, because Mama’s reputation
would also have been damaged, as she pointed out to us brothers.” He removed
his shirt and hung it on the bedpost.
As she unfastened the ties of her petticoats, a horrible
thought occurred to her and she froze. “Do you mean you don’t want more
children?”
His powerful chest muscles rolled with a shrug. “Wouldn’t
mind, now that we’re wed, but I was content with Jake and Cat. Matter of fact,
earlier today I mentioned how nice life would be with us brothers taking our
kids to visit with their cousins.” He stood and unbuttoned his pants.
She turned her back and slid off her clothes then quickly
pulled on her gown. “Weren’t you lonely?”
Her back was to him and she couldn’t see his expression, but
his voice sounded hard, “Look, Olivia, you seem like a nice enough woman,
attractive, and intelligent. Sorry as I am you were brought here under false
pretences, I don’t know what you expected to find.”
Again, she froze for a moment. He thought she was
attractive? When she turned around, he was sitting up in bed with the sheet at
his hips. How could she concentrate on the conversation with all those rippling
muscles and skin in sight?
Despairing of the situation, she admitted, “I wanted a
husband who would grow to love me and who’d love the children we’d have
together. From the letters I thought were from you, I wanted to be a mother to
your children, to be your partner and friend as well as your lover.”
“I’ll love any children we have and you’re stepmother to my
children. As for love, sorry but you’re out of luck there. You’ll have to be
content with us being partners and friends. I’ve tried love and found it
lacking.”
Jamie Purchase Links
Amazon
http://amzn.com/B015272I3W
Author
Author Page http://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Clemmons/e/B001K8CXZ6/ THE SURPRISE BRIDES buy links:
Caroline
Clemmons, JAMIE http://amzn.com/B015272I3W
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