Love Under Two Jessops - By Cara Covington Page 0,1

the same as I am.

The proof of course was standing right beside him with a pensive look on his face as he watched a sign being affixed to the building, obviously under Chloe's careful direction.

"You've changed your mind from the first time you laid eyes on her."

Grant sighed. "No, I've just stopped lying to myself, is all."

Andrew waited, wondering if Grant was going to be any more communicative than that. Finally his brother gave in and shrugged. "I was fighting, it, okay? Fighting what I felt the moment I laid eyes on her because I didn't think I was ready to stop sowing my wild oats yet."

"I didn't think you were having a particularly great time sowing those wild oats."

"It's the principle of the thing."

"Lockwood changed your mind."

Grant's face clouded with anger. "She could have been fucking dead. And, damn it, she'd had to kill the bastard herself. We should have been there to protect her. It wouldn't have eaten at my soul to have wasted that worthless son of a bitch."

Andrew knew it probably would have, but didn't bother to point that out.

"What time are the others coming over?" Grant clearly wanted to change the subject, which was fine with Andrew.

Andrew checked his watch. "They should be here any minute now."

"Good. Once we get this on its way, I want to sit down with you and go over the recruitment list and the training schedule for the department, here."

Together they'd been appointed as Lusty's Fire Chief, charged with revamping the volunteer fire department. Not that there were a lot of fires in Lusty, but they happened, occasionally. Mostly, they stood to lend a hand wherever needed in their part of Texas.

Grass fires could be a real bitch in the hot dry months of the summer, especially. But of course, when drought conditions persisted they could be a threat at any time of year. The drought they were currently experiencing was worrisome, indeed.

"Absolutely. I'm looking forward to getting the ball rolling on that. We have a few new students signed up as interns, and some adults who've stepped forward to do their part. But first things, first."

"Agreed."

Another clue big brother is getting ready to claim Chloe. Until they'd met the hot little woman who was their friend Carrie's big sister and a trained esthetician, the only thing that had mattered to Grant had been doing the job they'd both been born to - fighting fires - and family.

Then all hell had broken loose last fall, and his and Grant's priorities had shifted.

Andrew didn't have the heart to tell his big brother that his usually well-hidden emotions were right there for anyone to see, if they looked.

Maybe I'll tell him on our tenth wedding anniversary.

Andrew's attention was caught by the pickup truck that had just pulled to the curb in front of the firehouse, and the two cowboys who took their time getting out of it.

"They look like they're having a bit of trouble moving, there," Grant said.

Andrew heard the smirk in his brother's voice and had to smile. "Robbie told me that they'd both gotten a little banged up yesterday trying to saddle-train that young stallion they bought."

"I thought the worst injury they suffered was to their pride." Grant smiled. "I reckon I'm in the mood to add to their pain, some."

"You know if Carrie was here, she'd threaten us with a time-out."

Grant nodded. "I know. But she's not here. Our cousins' sweet little woman is down the street, working at Lusty Appetites, probably cooking up a storm. She'll never know."

"True. But that one, right there, might have something to say about our picking on the poor, banged-up bastards."

Andrew pointed to Lusty's Sheriff, who appeared to be headed their way. Adam had made a habit of protecting the weak and the disabled - both terms which he'd been considering tossing toward his cousins, Chase and Brian Benedict. Walking beside Adam Kendall was his brother Jake - a lawyer, and the manager of the Town Trust. They'd been expecting the latter but not the former.

"Who invited the law to this meeting?"

"I'd guess that Jake did. You know how Adam feels about Chloe. Anything concerning her, he's going to want a piece of. At least until we convince her that she belongs to us."

Grant sighed. "Yep. I guess I can't fault the man for that. He's appointed himself the Rhodes sisters' big brother."

Andrew slapped Grant on the back. "I suppose when a woman saves your life, you tend to want to look