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

Patience’s cheeks at his loose tongue. Logan bit back a smirk and shook his head to clear his amusement from his expression.
    “Language, Mr. Steele.”
    Adam turned to her, softening his expression as his gaze roamed over her body. She took a breath to protest, but then stopped when her nipples spiked beneath the fabric of her dress and gave her away. If he noticed, he didn’t make it apparent.
    “Please accept my apologies, Miss Weber. It seems you draw out both the best and worst in me.”
    “It seems,” she agreed.
    “Perhaps another dance will put me back on my best behavior.”
    That charming smile weakened her defenses. The wicked gleam in his eye both scared and intrigued her.
    “I’m afraid I must pass. All of this turmoil has given me a headache. I need to lie down.”
    Disappointment shadowed his eyes, and he pulled his lips into a frown. “Until next time, then.” He walked away, not bothering to so much as glance Constance Kendall’s way. He nodded at Hattie and disappeared out the front doors.
    Constance whipped her attention to Patience and narrowed her eyes into a glare.
    “Looks like you have an admirer,” Logan said, pulling her attention back to him.
    That’s what she was afraid of. Having the mayor pursuing her would be too public. Having Logan Gallagher standing next to her, talking to her for the first time since her arrival in Port Steele, proved that.
    “What did you say your name was again?” Logan prodded.
    She thought about lying, but considering where that got her the last time she lied, she didn’t bother. “Patience Weber, sir.”
    “And you are one of the brides?”
    She gulped and lied right to his face. “Yes, sir.”
    “I don’t recall seeing you at the welcome dinner, or at any of the other dances.”
    “There were so many women, Mr. Gallagher. I’m sure you’ve simply overlooked me.”
    He turned to her and lost all expression. “I’ve made it a point to at least learn all the names, if not the faces, of the brides my brothers and I have paid to make passage to Port Steele. I don’t recall a Patience Weber on the ship’s manifest. Did you sign a contract?”
    Oh, no. She couldn’t breathe and eyed the front doors, planning her escape. “Why else would I be here?”
    “Good question and one I haven’t quite figured out.”
    He clearly didn’t have the contracts with him, so Patience used that to her advantage. “I assure you, Mr. Gallagher. When you get to your office and search through the contracts, you will find mine along with the others.”
    Logan set his jaw. “That would be seemingly difficult since the contracts are still in Boston.” He eyed her carefully. “What was the name of the scribe you met to sign your contract?”
    She remembered the women talk about the man and could describe him perfectly, all the way down the stains on his teeth and patch over his eye. “Mr. Rupple. Frightening little man if you ask me. I refused to be alone with the man.”
    “There were others in the room with you and him, you say?”
    “Several.”
    Logan nodded. “It would be difficult for the man to distinguish you from the other woman, then.”
    “Quite difficult.”
    “Miss Weber, I have a very perceptive wife, and I’m not all that naïve. If I ask Lizzie, she’ll know off the top of her head whether you are one of the brides who came over on the ship with the rest.”
    Before she could stop herself, her widened gaze flew up to his. She licked her lips nervously and darted her gaze back down. Think, Patience . “Ask your wife, then. I did come over on the ship with the others.”
    At least that much was the truth.
    “And you came to marry one of my men?”
    Uh-oh. She couldn’t very well lie to this man’s face. “Why else would I have taken the journey?”
    “Why else, indeed.” He nodded at his brother Andrew as he grinned and nodded back. “I’ll leave you to retire, Miss Weber, and look forward to talking with you again.”
    She tried to