Beauty and the Beasts [Bride Train 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Reece Butler Read Free Book Online Page B

chest more than filled it.
    “Did Sarah serve in the dining room?”
    “Yep,” replied Oz.
    “You’re not talking much,” said Luke. “You get in another fight?”
    Oz turned. He’d pulled off his eye patch, which he usually did as soon as he left town. Luke raised an eyebrow at the new cuts and bruises. Oz might be able to open his good eye tomorrow, but he doubted it.
    “You win?”
    Oz scowled. Luke read his “you have to ask?” expression.
    “One good thing about Oz fighting,” said Luke to Gabe, “it’s quieter around here until the swelling around his mouth goes down.”
    They sat down to supper, knowing it would be the best meal for a while. Luke grinned when Oz stuck to bread and mayonnaise. He tried the beets but hissed when the spices touched his cut mouth. Luke saw him glance longingly at his steaming coffee. The man had been in enough fights to wait until it cooled before drinking.
    “Sarah should be sitting with us,” Luke groused, “not serving strangers in the hotel dining room. Someone might bother her.”
    “Won’t happen again,” mumbled Oz. He chanced a sip of coffee.
    “Again?” Luke leaned forward. “Did something happen today?”
    Oz shrugged. He winced and rubbed his shoulder. “Miner grabbed her skirt. She whapped him on the knuckles. He howled and let go.”
    Luke slammed his palm on the table. “You waited this long to tell us someone attacked her?”
    “Me and Jack threw him out.” Oz used his hand to move his jaw left and right. “He won’t be back.”
    “If you look like that, how bad is he?”
    “This wasn’t from the miner. Some guy who thought himself a curly wolf insulted me, so I had to—”
    “How is Sarah?” Gabe asked quietly.
    His voice, like the bottom of a well, cut through most voices. Oz smiled like a cat with more cream than he knew what to do with. Luke’s gut clenched.
    “She kisses real good,” said Oz, dragging the words out.
    “She kissed you?” Luke looked at Gabe, then back at Oz.
    “She pecked Jack’s cheek.”
    Luke waited while Oz carefully sipped more coffee. “And…?”
    Oz sat up. He blotted his bleeding lips with his shirt. He reached for his coffee mug again but Gabe put his paw over it.
    “You kissed Sarah?”
    Oz ignored Gabe’s question. Luke and Gabe shared a look. They stood up, shoving the bench on its side. Each man grabbed Oz by his shirt and lifted. Oz squawked, his toes dangling above the floor.
    “For a man who usually won’t shut up, you’re not saying much,” said Luke. “I assume that means something important happened?”
    Oz nodded. They released his shirt, letting him drop to the floor. He took a moment to settle his clothes and further frustrate them. He looked at Luke, and then Gabe. He sighed and smiled through his cracked lips.
    “She wanted to thank me and Jack with a kiss for tossing the miner in the street. I told her more men might go after her unless she already had a husband in mind. Being the gentleman I am, I offered the Circle C’s help. You weren’t there, so I kissed her.” He slowly shook his head, sighing. “That woman kissed like she meant it, and wanted more.”
    “You kissed Sarah in front of the whole damn room?” sputtered Luke. “ You? ”
    Oz nodded. Luke was sure there was a smirk hidden in his swollen face.
    “Dammit, I’m the one that needs sons to carry on my name.”
    “You weren’t there. I was.” Oz smoothed his shirt with his palm as if it would take out the wrinkles. “But don’t worry, I told her it was from you.” He rubbed his jaw again. “You can thank me now.” He waggled his eyebrows as a further insult.
    Luke grabbed hold of Oz’s shirt and pulled his fist back to smash that smirk. A hand caught his wrist. He tried to punch but couldn’t move his arm.
    “Let it go,” growled Gabe. “You got what you wanted. In the eyes of the town, and all around, Sarah accepted the Circle C.”
    “I told her you’d want to prove you’re a better