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

Adam.”
    “Why are you pursuing me, Mr. Steele? Constance clearly favors you. She is—”
    “Not the one I want,” he finished and twirled her again. When they settled into step, he continued. “I have a confession.”
    “And that is?”
    He moved closer and Patience didn’t know whether to push him away or pull him closer. His breath tickled her neck and ear as he spoke, washing generous chills across her skin.
    “That day we met wasn’t the first time I’d seen you.”
    No! She’d been so careful. Where did she make her mistake? “Oh?”
    “I’ve been watching you tend to the garden for some time.”
    She stilled. “For how long?”
    “Since you pulled the first weed.”
    That should have unsettled her, knowing this man had been spying on her for nearly a full month. Instead, she felt flattered and warm all over. “I don’t know how to reply to that.”
    The music came to an end, and she stepped out of his arms. They held each other in their gazes until the next song started. He held out his hand, but she shook her head. With a shrug, he led her off the dance floor and over to two vacant chairs.
    After they sat, he turned to her. “Tell me something. How is it that I’ve never seen you around town with the other brides? Believe me, I’ve looked.”
    “Why were you looking for me?” she asked in return and to avoid answering his question.
    “I wanted to see what you looked like in something other than the rags you wear while tending to your garden. I can see now that you clean up very nicely.” His roguish gaze raked over her body and left her panting.
    She jumped to her feet, offended at his words, almost as much as she was unsettled by her reaction to them. “You rounder.”
    Adam stood and put his hands up. “What did I say?”
    If they weren’t in a public setting, she’d teach him a thing or two on how to treat a lady. Growing up the youngest of six children—all boys except for her—she knew how to defend herself against the likes of this man. Her brothers had taught her well.
    “Is there a problem?” Logan Gallagher appeared between them, his ever-watchful gaze bouncing between Adam and Patience.
    Oh, no. Not one of the Gallaghers. She’d done so well at avoiding them. “Uh, nothing, Mr. Gallagher.”
    Logan lifted his brow. “Nonsense. You are clearly upset, which doesn't surprise me, considering your present company.”
    Adam audibly growled. “Care to elaborate, Gallagher?”
    “No, I do not.” Logan grinned and added, “Mayor.”
    Interesting. The two men didn’t appear to care much for each other, Patience noted. She decided to play on that. Maybe having Logan Gallagher upset enough with Adam Steele would pull his attention from her.
    “This man just said the most awful thing to me.”
    Surprise flashed in Adam’s dark eyes and hardened his expression. “Like hell.”
    “Watch your language around the ladies, Mr. Steele.” Logan crossed his arms in front of him.
    “I paid you a compliment, Miss Weber.”
    She lifted her chin in defiance, refusing to back down or accept his words as true. “You insulted my appearance.”
    “Quite the opposite,” he retorted. “I told you that you cleaned up nicely.”
    “Implying that any other day my appearance is unacceptable.”
    “If you have issues with your appearance on any other day, that’s your problem, not mine. I was just trying to be nice.”
    “Nice?” She stared back at him incredulously. “If this is you being nice, you aren’t very good at it. In fact, I find it rather offensive.”
    He snarled as he glared at her. “You have no idea what offensive is, lady.”
    “Enough,” Logan stated and turned to Adam. “Perhaps you’d like to dance with Constance. She clearly favors you.”
    Casting Logan a thundering look that burned with anger, Adam shook his head and clenched his teeth until his jaw turned white. “I don’t want Constance. That woman follows me around like a bitch in heat.”
    Heat slapped