Claimed by the Mate, Volume 1 by Kate Douglas Read Free Book Online Page A

side of Cherry. “It was lonely out there.”
    Christa glanced at Cherry. “What that means is, she just woke up enough to realize we weren’t sitting with her.”
    â€œI know.”
    â€œPoor baby … are they picking on you?”
    Steph’s eyes lit up as Brad took her cup for a refill. “Yes. Do you have any idea what I put up with?”
    He set the freshly filled cup in front of her and sighed. “I can only imagine.”
    â€œMilk it, Steph. Go for the sympathy.” Cherry nudged Steph’s shoulder, but she really loved the fact that Brad looked directly at her and winked. He’d singled her out while teasing Steph. Silly, that such a small thing made her feel warm inside.
    They were all laughing and picking on Stephanie, who’d had enough caffeine to tease them right back, when the LA contingent wandered in looking for coffee, but the three of them took one of the smaller tables, all of them half-asleep and not saying much. Brad carried a tray over with filled cups, cream, and sugar. The women thanked him but kept their conversation low.
    Two men Cherry hadn’t seen before walked in a few minutes later. Christa poked her in the shoulder and whispered, “Are all of the guys who work here drop-dead gorgeous?
    â€œIt appears so.” These two were big and brawny and absolutely beautiful, but Cherry was surprised when she didn’t feel that same little flip in her midsection that she’d gotten from both Brad and Cain. Obviously it wasn’t her reaction to sexy men in general—just those two sexy men.
    Steph, however, had finally come awake, tracking the two with her gaze as they stepped up to the bar beside her. “Good morning.” She smiled, and the one closer to her nodded.
    The other man shot her a bright grin. “Don’t mind Ronan. He’s just grumpy because we were out of coffee.”
    Brad set two cups in front of them. “Ladies, the sparkly one is Wils and the grump is Ronan. Behave, gentlemen.”
    Ronan planted his butt on the stool beside Steph, gave her a long look, and dipped his head. “My apologies. I had a late night and then the shmuck with the pretty blue eyes forgot to stock up on coffee.”
    Steph took a swallow of hers. “That’s absolutely unforgivable. The fact that his pretty blue eyes aren’t black is an obvious tribute to your good nature.”
    Ronan nodded seriously. “That’s what I was trying to explain to him.”
    â€œYou weren’t very nice about it.” Wils glanced at Cherry. Easy to see where Ronan’s reference came from. Wils had the most brilliant blue eyes she’d ever seen. “He turned the hot water off when I was in the shower.”
    Cherry almost snorted her coffee. “You didn’t?”
    â€œI did.” Ronan actually smiled at this point. “He screamed like a little girl.”
    â€œI’d be careful about insulting the women if I were you, Ronan.” Brad walked around the bar with a couple of large serving trays that he set under the heat lamps in the buffet counter. Trak was right behind him with more trays of food. Both Wils and Ronan went back to the kitchen and carried out baskets of rolls and bowls of fresh fruit.
    Within a couple of minutes, the buffet was loaded and even the three from L.A. managed to find a spot in line. Once the women had served themselves, the four men loaded their plates.
    Brad sat next to Cherry.
    â€œWhere’s Cain this morning?”
    â€œChecking on mama wolf. He’ll be here any minute.”
    â€œMama wolf?” Steph leaned around Christa. “There’s a new litter?”
    â€œYep.” Brad slathered butter on a piece of toast. “Cain helped the female last night. She was having a tough delivery and he pulled the first pup.”
    â€œAnd then he did chest compressions on the pup and said he gave it ‘mouth-to-snout’ resuscitation.”