Beauty and the Beasts [Bride Train 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (27 page)

That would mean talking with Sarah. Sitting down and having a conversation as if she was a man, instead of giving her light laughter or orders. He’d have to listen to what she said, what her hopes and dreams were, instead of deciding what was best for him, and therefore her. It shouldn’t be that different from talking with Sophie, or Beth.

But he didn’t feel the same way about Sophie and Beth. He didn’t want to haul them into his arms, kiss them senseless, make them scream, and then bury himself deep in their heat.

He wanted to do that, and a whole lot more, with Sarah. Gabe had done all of it, as had Oz. But they’d listened to Sarah first, something he hadn’t bothered to do. Something, maybe, he was afraid to do.

His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather had a much easier life. They issued orders to staff, employees, wives and children, and the orders were followed. But they never had what he saw shining from Gabe’s eyes when he talked of Sarah.

“Find out what Sarah wants? How do I do that?”

Gabe’s laugh rumbled down the hill. He slapped Luke on the back, hard.

“If loving Sarah was easy, you wouldn’t want her.”

Luke stood by the wood pile for a long time after Gabe left. Sarah would never have been accepted by his family because of her past. Even if she was of the first water, they would say she’d been soiled by her ordeal. But he knew different. The fact that Sarah had survived, and could look forward to a better future, made her the type of wife he needed. The Circle C needed a woman who was strong, inside and out. But how could he get her to understand that he wanted her just as she was? He saddled his horse and rode out for some heavy thinking. Two hours later, his head throbbing, he returned. Eager to talk with Sarah before he forgot what he wanted to say, he left his horse tied by the shed.

He heard thumping noises coming from the kitchen. Luckily, he’d caught her in the midst of baking. She couldn’t stomp away from him because her bread and pies would burn. She looked up, grimaced, and went back to work.

She pounded the dough, made a quarter turn, and pounded it again.

“What can I say to convince you to marry me, Sarah?”

“There’s absolutely nothing you can say to convince me of anything.” She continued to pound.

“You wishing it was my head you’re thumping, instead of bread dough?”

She didn’t reply, but a hint of pink appeared on her cheeks and ear tips. He thought over her words as she continued ignoring him.

“If there’s nothing I can
say
, could I
do
something to change your mind?”

She slowed, but still didn’t look up. He took the advice Gabe had been giving him all his life and, for once, shut up and paid attention. He saw she’d set dishes to soak, so he walked past her and started washing them. It put their backs to each other.

“You’re not the reason I won’t marry,” she said. “I mean, not you in particular.”

Luke’s shoulders lowered from around his ears at her capitulation. It wasn’t a “yes,” but at least she was talking “maybe.” His chest expanded as he took a deep breath for the first time in hours. He pressed his teeth together to keep his big mouth from flapping, as Oz would say.

“I was betrayed by every man who believed they owned me. My father put his mistress above his wife and children. My uncle promised I could always live in my home. Then he gave in to his wife and sent me away so his ugly daughters could find better husbands. I found a handsome man who I thought would be a perfect husband. He sold me as if I was a cow. Another branded me. Why would I ever put myself in the hands of a man who could hurt me?”

Luke scrubbed at the porridge pot until he heard her rough breathing ease.

“How can I prove I care enough to treasure you, instead of hurting you?”

“You just want my children.”

“Sarah, I want
our
children. Yours, mine, Gabe’s, and even Oz’s.” He groaned. “God help me, but I’d be happy if we had a cute little red-haired daughter with curls.”

“I thought you only wanted sons, to carry on your so-important name and build up the Frost dynasty.”

Her snippy tone came over loud and clear. He deserved that, too.

Luke turned sideways to speak to Sarah. “Gabe’s family was honest. His mama would light into his pa like the dickens. They’d argue and, next thing you know, they’d kiss and make up. In my family, emotion was shameful. No one spoke honestly. It took me a long time to understand what happened in the Downey family home.”

“They treated each other as equals.”

Luke turned back to work. “I suppose so. At first I thought they didn’t respect each other because they showed emotion. But, how can you respect someone when you won’t even tell yourself the truth about what’s in your heart?”

They were quiet for a few minutes, a comfortable silence for once.

“Did your parents ever speak of what mattered to them?”

“To each other? Of course not,” said Luke. “Only after my father died did I find out my mother wanted a lapdog all her life. He forbade all pets. She got a puppy the day after his funeral. I think that was the happiest day of her life.” He frowned. “I wonder if my mother spent most of her life being angry, but hiding it.”

“The same with my mother. I can certainly understand why.”

She pounded hard again. Luke was determined not to be the first to speak. He was about to give in when Sarah stopped her hands. She cleared her throat.

“You want honesty, so here’s a truth. I’m afraid of being controlled by a husband. He could beat me, brand me, even sell me, and the law would do nothing about it.”

Her words felt like an arrow piercing Luke’s heart. No, a whole quiver of them.

“Do you think I would do any of that to you?”

Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Men already have done those things to me. Never again.”

He set the pot to drain and turned around. He wanted to hold her, to comfort her and say no one would ever hurt her again. But even if she’d tolerate his touch, she wouldn’t believe his words. Why should she, after what had happened to her? He needed to show her that he was different.

“What can I do to prove I’d never hurt you?”

She set her palms on the table and bent over, her head down. He waited until she stood up and turned.

“I will face my fear and marry you, if you will face yours.”

“What fear?”

She placed her hands on her lower back and stretched upright. She rolled her neck. Only then did she look at him.

“I’m afraid of giving a man control over me through marriage. I’ve had lots of experience to prove that my fear is justified. You fear something to do with climbing. So before I agree to marry you, I want you to climb a tree and rescue Oliver.”

Climb a tree?

Luke’s heart pounded. Cold sweat erupted on his forehead, his palms, and trickled down his back.

“Rescue a cat?” He flailed his arms wide. “Don’t be ridiculous. Ask me to do something meaningful!”

“This is meaningful to me.” She held herself straight, hands calm at her sides.

“For God’s sake, Sarah! We’re talking about making a marriage commitment for the rest of our lives, and you’re thinking about a damn cat?”

She straightened her back and raised her chin. It brought it to the level of his breastbone.

“Oliver is only a tool to prove you care enough to do something I value, and you fear. From your reaction, I guess you’re really afraid. That’s good. If you do care about me enough to conquer that fear, then I will be right to trust you.”

He fought for control. If she was a man, he’d go after her with both fists for shaming him. But she was just a woman. As his father said, they didn’t know their own minds half the time. That’s why men gave them no power.

“Typical female! This is why we don’t allow women to sign contracts.” He tossed the drying cloth onto the counter. “Sleep with your cat, marry Gabe, or even Sheldrake! I don’t care!”

He slammed the door behind him and hauled himself onto his waiting horse. That’s what he got for listening to Gabe. Luke’s father, and all the men before him, would never let a woman dictate the terms of a contract. They had no logic, and cannot understand the realities of business.

Daisy barked in excitement when he raced out, heading to town. There should be a good group at Baldy’s Saloon who would understand why a man didn’t need a stubborn, muleheaded, argumentative, illogical wife.

After Sarah returned to town, he’d take a trip into Bannack City and find himself a decent wife. No, he’d go all the way to Virginia City. There’d be more women to choose from. He wanted a tall, broad, demure woman who would never do anything to cause him upset. She’d be just like his mother, living her life for the sole purpose of serving her husband and easing his life.

He’d show the blasted woman what a proper wife should be!

Gabe stopped in the doorway of Baldy’s Saloon to let his eyes adjust. There in the corner, by the faro table, he found his oldest, and stupidest, friend. The whiskey bottle in front of Luke was down a good third, and he was the only one at the table.

Friend, hell. He was Luke’s brother, the only one the man had. Like many brothers, they had a few things left over from childhood to work out. This showdown had been coming for a long, long time. The only surprise was that it was over a woman. A woman Gabe wanted with every fiber of his being, and Luke thought he didn’t need.

Gabe’s guts twisted in memory of Sarah’s red eyes and false cheerfulness when he and Oz rode home an hour earlier. He saw the pain she refused to admit, as did Oz. They asked what happened, but Sarah just laughed and said Luke and Oliver were alike. Both believed the world revolved around them and demanded that she serve them. The difference was, Oliver was just being a cat.

Then she’d forced a smile as if nothing was wrong and told them she’d decided to make a special dessert, so supper would be delayed. That’s when he mounted up and headed to town. Oz would keep Sarah company while Gabe straightened Luke out for the last time.

He met Luke’s glower with one of his own.

“What did you do to Sarah?”

Luke carefully set down his glass of whiskey, stood up, and sneered. He wavered a bit as if in a strong wind. “I didn’t do anything to the woman.”

Gabe turned his head at the stink of stale whiskey breath. He settled his feet, rolled out his shoulders, and flexed his fists. “I don’t believe you.”

“You don’t believe your partner?” Luke crossed his arms and leaned forward, glaring with bloodshot eyeballs. “You’d trust a woman who batted her little ol’ blue eyes at you and told you a story, instead of your partner of how many years?” He shook his head with contempt. “Whatever she said, it’s a lie.”

“Hazel,” replied Gabe. “With bits of dark brown and honey. When she’s aroused, which is obviously never around you, they flash green.”

“What the hell you talkin’ about?”

“Sarah’s eyes. You don’t even know their color.”

“Why the hell should I care what color her eyes are? She’s moving back to town. Heard she’s marrying Old Walt just so she can have her damned bakery.”

“All thanks to you. And for your information, Sarah hasn’t said a damn word to us.” Gabe bumped Luke with his chest. “Not that you’d notice, drinking up our profits in whiskey.”

Luke pulled his head back. He shuffled his feet to keep his balance. “She didn’t come whining to you, complaining that because I won’t haul her damned cat out of a damned tree, I can’t be her husband?”

“So that’s what happened.” Gabe nodded, grimacing. “She offered you a way to prove to her that you wouldn’t betray her, by facing your fear. Instead, you did exactly what she expected a man to do. You threw it back in her face and stormed off to Baldy’s to get drunk. You’re just another man wanting to use her.” He looked at Luke’s bleary eyes and the spilled drink on the table. “No, you’re not a man. Sarah deserves far better than you.”

Gabe wanted to hit him. Nothing else had gotten Luke’s attention. But for so long he’d held back from fighting, afraid that the beast within him would erupt and take over if he let fly, like it had in prison. But Sarah had soothed that beast. He realized he no longer feared his anger.

“I did act like a man,” declared Luke with the earnestness of someone well on his way to a good drunk. “No fractious, ornery woman will tell
me
how to run my life. She’s just a—”

Gabe’s fist flew before Luke said something too insulting. He didn’t think, just hit Luke square in the gut. He then danced to the side in case more came out of Luke’s mouth than whiskey fumes. Luke gagged, but that was all. Around them chairs and tables were pushed back to make room as men yelled encouragement and derision in equal measure.

“Take it outside,” yelled Baldy. “I’ve got five dollars on Gabe taking Luke down in three punches.”

Luke yanked at his coat to straighten it as he pulled himself almost erect. “Three? I’m a better man than that!”

“Then prove it,” growled Gabe.

Yelling, excited men pushed them into the street. More arrived as Gabe and Luke stripped down to pants and boots.
They handed their clothes to Willy and Casey Wright, a couple of young brothers who’d recently drifted into town looking for range work. Something about the smaller boy made Gabe take a second glance.

“You sure you boys want to do this?”

Trace’s rasp, rising rose over the yells of the crowd, drew Gabe’s attention. He nodded a reply, as did Luke, who’d sobered up enough that he didn’t stagger from moving his head.

“Back off twenty feet,” called Trace. “And get those women off the street!”

Women? Gabe looked around. He groaned. Why, when he finally called Luke out, did it have to be during an Elliott family trip to town?

“Five dollars on Luke,” yelled Jessie. “I always go for the underdog,” she explained when Ace scoffed at her choice of winner.

“Ten dollars on Gabe,” called a too-familiar feminine voice.

Gabe whipped his head around in time to see Oz pull his horse to a stop. Oz shrugged, as if he couldn’t help it that Sarah sat across his lap.