Adams, Eve - Patience is Their Virtue [Brides of Bachelor Bay 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (2 page)

The ground had thawed from the effects of winter, leaving everything soggy and the roads in serious need of repair. No doubt he’d have to address that at the next town hall meeting.

Finally, Hattie Red’s inn came into his view. Adam stepped off the walkway and sank up to the ankles of his boots in the mud from the thawed streets. He tossed a glance back at Raven.

“These are my favorite shoes. Perhaps after you wash them, you wouldn’t mind polishing them up.”

Raven narrowed his dark gaze. “Yes, sir.” Once they were both safely out of earshot, he added, “Right after I shove them up your ass.”

Adam grinned and shrugged. “Why can’t I have a little fun?”

“At my expense?”

“You’re taking it too seriously. When we came to this unyielding rock, we both agreed to this.”

“What? To humiliate me?”

“Quit being so dramatic, Raven. You are full Sioux.”

“No shit? And I thought I just tanned very well.”

Adam narrowed his gaze at his brother. “Tease if you will, but no one is going to allow an Indian to be in any position of power. I don't carry the traits as obviously as you.”

“Yet you also have our father’s blood running through your veins. Appearance should not mark the man. His actions should.” He eyed Adam knowingly.

Adam stepped out of the mud and onto the grassy area he’d worn a path in ever since spotting the mouthwatering redhead for the very first time. Raven followed him and stopped in the shadows along with Adam so they could watch the woman without being discovered.

“Let me guess, you’re angry at me for allowing that extra shipment with the Pettys last week. The truth of the matter is, they pay better. If it weren’t for the Gallaghers bringing over those brides to keep their men here, they’d be penniless by now.”

“You should treat them fairly.”

“My dear brother, there is nothing fair about business.”

“The Gallaghers and Pettys are family.”

“They aren't
our
family.”

“But they are to each other. Families shouldn’t fight the way they do. They should at least treat each other fairly.”

“Is that a personal insult? I treat you fairly.”

“You treat me like a manservant,” Raven countered in a growl and set his jaw as he focused his attention on the backyard of the inn.

“Because you are.” When Raven slowly scraped that heated look across his brother’s face, Adam put up his hands in surrender, knowing all too well that he’d pushed Raven too far. “In public only. You know very well that I’ll clean my own shoes.”

“Perhaps you should clean mine as well.”

“I’ll make you lick the mud off and then beat you with them first. You may be older, but I’m meaner.”

The corner of Raven’s lips curled up into a grin.

They waited in silence, both watching the backyard garden. After an eternity of waiting, Adam checked his pocket watch and said, “She’s late.”

“Maybe she actually went to church.”

Adam chuckled softly. “This woman doesn’t attend the socials. She is rarely seen in town. I haven’t even seen her at any of the plethora of weddings held over this past year. I somehow doubt she’d be present at something as public as church.”

“Which tells us what?”

They exchanged glances and said in unison, “She’s hiding something.”

Patience Weber waited until the last of the carriages pulled away from the inn, all occupants seemingly focused on confessing, and then repenting, their sins. She, on the other hand, would rather relish in her sins than have them forgiven.

Once the last carriage disappeared down the muddy streets of Port Steele, Patience stole a glance around before running out into the garden behind the giant inn housing all the remaining brides-to-be. Hattie Red’s inn had the most incredible back lot for a garden. No one seemed the wiser as Patience groomed and cared for the tender seeds until they grew into ripe greens.

But Patience knew better. At meals, she’d caught Hattie watching her more than once, studying her as if trying to read her thoughts.

It had been a good run, but Patience knew when to say when. For close to a full year, she’d lived under the protection of Hattie’s roof, keeping to herself and making sure no man noticed her, let alone came to call.

And for what? How much longer could she possibly do this?

Patience pushed her guilt to the back of her mind. Little seedlings, reaching for the shy sun, had begun to poke out of the earth in their eager need to grow. She gently brushed their dirt aside to assist them in their quest, all the while pride swelling in her chest from knowing that she’d raised them from nothing but seeds.

She pulled up her skirts and carefully stepped around the baby seedlings, using the surrounding fence for support.

That’s when she first felt them.

Jerking to a stop, she stiffened and whipped around when heat prickled her neck, crawling around her flesh and coiling tightly as it attacked her nipples. The tingling sensation grew to an uncomfortable burn as it descended downward, this time centering between her legs. What an odd reaction.

That’s when she first saw them.

Two massive figures stood in the shadows, watching her.
Men
.

Her heart painfully skipped a beat. Why would anyone be watching her? She’d been so careful.

She should run. Hide. Something to get away from them. But she already knew it was too late and, frankly, she was tired of running, tired of hiding. She’d successfully avoided every man’s attention for so long. Too long.

Watching in the background as bride after bride took her husband, to have and to hold until death do them part, weighed heavy on Patience’s mind. She wanted that. She wanted to dress in a beautiful gown and stand up in front of the entire town as she proudly took her husband’s name. She wanted to feel her body ripen with a child at least a dozen times.

She wanted it all—the fairy tale.

This
time.

Lizzie Gallagher had it all. Her sister, Olivia, did as well. So many brides had found their happily ever after here.

Would Patience Weber?

She glanced back at the men veiled in mystery. Instead of being overcome with fright, sharp pangs of longing shot through her, fisting her womb and heating her vagina. Why would complete strangers, hidden in shadow no less, have such an overwhelming effect on her?

She faced them and placed both hands on the fence. She tilted her head as she tried to focus on them, but the buildings flanking them hid them too well.

What did they want? Why were they just standing there?

Should she say something? Would that seem too forward? She couldn’t very well yell across the way for them to join her, and she couldn’t be brazen enough to approach them.

Or could she?

The entire town shut down when everyone attended church. She only spotted a few people out. If she walked through the gate and pretended to work the laces of her boot, just maybe they’d find the gesture an invitation.

With a deep breath for encouragement, Patience pushed the gate open. The whine of the rusty springs protesting against the movement washed heated chills up her spine. She took a step forward and then stopped when the distinctive sound of material ripping held her still.

She whipped around to see her skirts wrapped around one of the loose fence boards, the nail now sticking through a hole in the fabric. Closing her eyes, she muttered a very unladylike curse.

Kneeling down, she pulled at her skirts, but when they only ripped more, she cursed again. This couldn’t be happening. These were her last good skirts, and she didn’t have any money to go buy material for more.

The nail glistened in the sun, teasing her, proving to her that it had a nice, firm hold on her skirts and had no intention of letting them go. She tried to unwrap the material but that only resulted in more tears.

“No nail taunts me,” she told it and gave her skirts a firm yank. The nail, fearing her wrath, released, and she stumbled back. She would have fallen straight on her backside if the tree hadn’t stopped her.

She turned and had to crane her neck as her gaze traveled up the front of a mountain of a man with shoulders large enough to block out the sun. His perfectly groomed black hair emphasized his strong, almost savage features. High cheekbones, a rigid, square jaw, and a fierce glimmer in his eyes.
Oh, his eyes.
The color of the darkest chocolate, they made her heart thump in her chest until the entire world spun around them. Her mouth watered at the delicious sight.

“Are you all right, ma’am?”

Patience, abruptly coming to her senses, jumped out of the man’s arms as if he’d just burned her. In a way he had. Violent heat from his touch oozed up from wherever their bodies met and slapped her cheeks before tingling across her skin in waves.

Not knowing what else to do, she found a sudden interest in the style of her hair and patted at it to make sure the pins were still in place. “I’m fine, thank you.”

Once she stepped back, she took in the rest of him. He was a giant. At five foot seven, she held her own, but this man dwarfed her. Snug black trousers hugged his well-defined legs. Even beneath his suit coat, his massive shoulders held her attention.

She sucked in her bottom lip and bit down to stop herself from audibly moaning. Those snug bottoms cupped the bulge between his legs and drove a furious blush racing across her face.

What was the matter with her? She acted no better than a woman of ill repute. She should be ashamed of herself.

But she wasn’t and couldn’t even begin to explain why.

“It looks like you have a nasty hole.”

Her jaw fell open. “I beg your pardon!”

The man’s glorious lips curled into the whisper of a grin as he pointed at the rip. “Your skirts, ma’am. I’m only referring to your skirts.”

The heat of her embarrassment caught fire, and she closed her eyes to ward off the shake in her voice. “Of course.”

“At least you weren’t wearing your Sunday best.”

Patience lowered her gaze and waited for the wave of humiliation to pass. These really were her Sunday best. And Monday. And every other day of the week. “At least.”

“May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?”

She thought about lying, but she’d never been gifted at telling stories. It would, no doubt, backfire on her. “Patience Weber.”

The man took her hand and brought it up to his mouth. He didn’t falter when he brushed his lips across knuckles darkened by dirt. “Mmm. Earthy.”

The feel of his breath tickled her hand and bolted up her arm. Blisters of chills sprouted up all over her flesh and caught her off guard. She didn’t want to pull away and he didn’t make any effort to, so they stood there, staring at each other, his hand holding hers, until another giant appeared next to him and cast a shadow over her. She jerked her hand back as she glanced up at him.

A gasp escaped her before she could stop herself. He was even bigger than the first man. Straight, midnight-black hair fell loose around his square shoulders. His deeply tanned face, so arrogant with its fierce features, only emphasized his eyes.

Patience did a double take. They had the same eyes. Beautiful, dark, sensuous. When he took a step toward her, she staggered back. “W-Who—”