Beauty and the Beasts [Bride Train 6] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  Bride Train 6

  Beauty and the Beasts

  Betrayed by men who said they loved her, Sarah Unsworth is determined to stay single, operate her bakery, and share her life with her cat. Unfortunately, the three men of the Circle C ranch arouse her, causing erotic fantasies and a craving for the orgasms she knows they can provide.

  Luke Frost, raised in an emotionless society of wealth and prestige, requires a wife to produce sons as he's the last of his line. Sarah refuses his proposals though is delighted to take his partners, Oscar Cutler and Gabe Downey, as lovers.

  It takes time, but Luke realizes his cold, businesslike behavior is what keeps Sarah away. Not wanting to leave the Circle C, Sarah faces her fears and agrees to marry Luke if he can prove he loves her and will never betray her.

  But to do so he must face his deepest fears…

  Note: There is no sexual relationship or touching for titillation between or among the men.

  Genre: Historical, Ménage a Trois/Quatre, Western/Cowboys

  Length: 93,623 words

  BEAUTY AND THE BEASTS

  Bride Train 6

  Reece Butler

  MENAGE EVERLASTING

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  IMPRINT: Ménage Everlasting

  BEAUTY AND THE BEASTS

  Copyright © 2012 by Reece Butler

  E-book ISBN: 1-61926-256-8

  First E-book Publication: April 2012

  Cover design by Les Byerley

  All art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  Letter to Readers

  Dear Readers,

  If you have purchased this copy of Beauty and the Beasts by Reece Butler from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

  Regarding E-book Piracy

  This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.

  The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment.

  This is Reece Butler’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Butler’s right to earn a living from her work.

  Amanda Hilton, Publisher

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  www.BookStrand.com

  DEDICATION

  This one is for my loyal readers who waited patiently for Luke’s story. He gave me a difficult time, as did Sarah, Gabe, and Oscar, but I believe the result is worth it.

  As always, thanks to Paul, Andy, and David.

  A special thanks to my co-workers who encouraged my writing career for so many years. Kathy, you’re number one on this list.

  BEAUTY AND THE BEASTS

  Bride Train 6

  REECE BUTLER

  Copyright © 2012

  Chapter One

  Tanner’s Ford main street, early Saturday morning, June 1st, 1872

  “One more of those head butts and I’ll toss you into the street!”

  Luke Frost, six foot five inches of hard muscle, glared down at the furry black-and-white nuisance leaning against him. It looked back with half-closed eyes, purring. If there was anywhere else to sit, he’d move, but the bench was right in front of Sarah Unsworth’s bakery window.

  Someday, hopefully soon, she’d be his wife. The last of his line, it was his duty and honor to provide sons to ensure the Frost heritage continued. Strong in spirit and body, still holding her head high after surviving a horrific ordeal, she was the perfect mother for his children.

  Unfortunately, she insisted she’d never marry. Therefore, he had to convince her that marrying into the Circle C ranch was in her best interests. That meant putting up with her cat, which once more butted his head against Luke. It gazed up at him with wide eyes, tilting its head like a furry coquette.

  “Too bad your mistress doesn’t like me as much as you seem to,” he grumbled.

  Taking his words as acceptance, the beast squeezed its triangular head between his elbow and his waist and squirmed into his lap. It stood on its hind feet and bumped his chin with its head. He’d never petted a cat before, but it was obvious what it wanted.

  “Aw, why not,” he told it. “At least you’re keeping my lap warm while I wait for your mistress.”

  He scratched the soft head and ears as he would a dog. The rumbling purr grew louder, as if rewarding him. As he had nothing better to do, he used both hands to rub under its chin. The sun had risen enough that he could see its amber eyes blinking up at him. He found himself smiling.

  “Don’t get any ideas, because I don’t like cats,” he warned.

  It angled its head so his fingers reached what must be an itchy spot. He heard noises behind him and turned to look through the window. The door from the kitchen opened—finally—and a short woman appeared. She crossed the room, opened the door, and stared at the two of them.

  “Oliver?”

  The cat scrambled off his lap, digging its back claws into his upper thighs as it leaped to the ground. It trotted through the door without looking back. Luke politely stood up, holding back an oath as he grimaced in pain. Forcing a smile, he lifted his hat to greet his intended. She tilted her head to keep her eyes on his face. Lines wrinkled her forehead as she glared accusingly up at him.

  “What were you doing with Oliver?”

  “Madam, I was merely petting him, waiting for you,” he said, forcing a pleasant tone. Her narrowed eyes and pursed mouth implied she thought he’d tortured her child or something. “When you opened the door, the beast attacked me.”

  Her face cleared. She snorted. “How can a ten-pound cat attack a grown man?”

  “Ten? He’s at least twenty pounds. One for each very sharp claw.”

  She looked at the bottom o
f his coat, catching him rubbing his upper thigh. She snickered, pressing her lips together. He cleared his throat, and she broke out laughing.

  “I don’t find this amusing, Miss Unsworth. I kindly petted that beast of yours when it forced its way onto my lap. In return it came close to causing a very serious injury.”

  “To your pride, Mr. Frost?”

  She dropped her eyes to his groin for a moment before flashing her sparkling eyes at him. She was beautiful, of course, but he’d rarely seen her laugh. His own lip twitched in spite of the pain. Another couple of inches higher with those claws would have affected his plans for sons. Her comment, and glance, proved she knew what lurked below his belt. In return, he didn’t pretend to misunderstand.

  “I would call it my pride and joy, Miss Unsworth.”

  “Of course.” She snickered again. “Men are so fond of their dangly bits.”

  She closed the door and whirled away before he could react.

  “Dangly bits?”

  He stared though the glass, mouth open. She bent over to pet the cat. She had wide hips for birthing his sons, and for holding on to while he created them. His cock jerked in agreement in spite of the pain. He opened the door and stepped in. She stood and turned to him while the cat wove around her skirts, meowing.

  “I wouldn’t call them ‘bits,’ madam,” he said with dignity. “They have far more substance than that.”

  Though she was more than a foot shorter, she managed to look down her nose at him. The room was too dim to confirm whether she blushed. She swallowed and blinked, so it was a possibility.

  “Men!”

  She whirled around so fast her cat was caught in her flowing skirts. Head erect and spine straight, she stomped through the door into the room beyond. The cat, tail high, scampered after. She shot Luke one last glare before shutting him out.

  He stood there for a moment as the echoes faded.

  “That didn’t go as well as planned.”

  He set his hands on his hips and stared at the door. It didn’t open. Because the building used to be used as an assay office and held gold, the walls were made of squared timbers. The heavy plank door was far too thick for him to hear anything from the other side. Pity. He’d like to know if she was furious, aroused, or too busy feeding her cat to care whether he left or not.

  Now that she was gone, he relaxed and let a rare smile flow. Women were scarce west of the Missouri River. Brides were hard to come by even if a man was rich and handsome. Thanks to the war, he no longer fit into either category. Neither did his partners Gabriel Downey or Oscar Cutler.

  With such a wide choice of eager husbands, what decent woman would consider marrying a trio of ugly ex-soldiers? He and his partners considered Sarah blameless, but most men wouldn’t want a wife they’d rescued from a brothel. Yet that experience helped make Miss Sarah Unsworth the perfect wife for the Circle C ranch. With her past, she might look beyond the scars that marred them and find men who’d care for her like the lady she was.

  She had good reasons for not trusting men, but a woman alone was always in danger. Surely he could convince her she’d be better off with a trio of husbands?

  * * * *

  “Next time you jump off his lap make sure you get him good,” said Sarah to Oliver. “It might curb his enthusiasm for a while.”

  The cat ignored her, too busy lapping up a few tablespoons of cream. She knelt on the floor and ran her hand down his sleek back and long tail. She’d fallen in love with him the moment he leaped out of the basket of kittens Jessie Elliott brought as a gift after she and Molly were rescued. No other male could ever give her the love that Oliver did. He was the only family she had, and all that she wanted.

  “Don’t lie, Sarah, even to yourself,” she said, sighing.

  It was one of the things Miss Lily and Rosa had taught her to help survive her shame and humiliation. The only way to banish horrific memories, said Miss Lily, was to bring them into the light and let the sun destroy them. But what about the good memories that went along with the bad, the ones she could never speak of?

  The hard nipples pressing against her dress and the ache between her legs, caused by the infuriating man in the other room, suggested she needed more than a cat to be satisfied. But she’d had too much of men and their dangly bits. Most of them just wanted to satisfy themselves. Luke Frost was so arrogant, she bet he was one of the “me first, second, and third” types. And the man thought she should marry him? Hah!

  His partner, Gabriel Downey, was completely different. Quiet and shy, Gabe looked away each time she found him watching her at the weddings yesterday. His gaze was so intense it made her nipples sit up and beg even though she was rushed off her feet with all the work.

  It was the same with the third member of the Circle C ranch, Oscar Cutler. Oz had a riot of red curls and a devil-may-care attitude to match. When he danced with her at the Christmas party, his fingers caressed her bottom and drifted across her breasts as if by accident. And that eye patch! It made him look like a lusty pirate. He only needed one eye to express what he wanted to do with her. She groaned and hauled herself to her feet.

  Women were so rare in Montana Territory that her past didn’t stop Luke from wanting to marry her. But she knew he’d hold it over her head, wondering who’d seen or touched her. No matter how much she craved a man’s touch, she couldn’t marry. How could she when he would own her, body and soul, and everything she valued? If he didn’t like cats, he could kill Oliver, beat her for complaining, and sell her bakery. And the law would support him.

  No, marriage was not for her. But what about a lover or two? Her face, and other parts, heated in eagerness. An eager-to-please man in her bed, without the law giving him control over her, would be wonderful. But she’d have to be discreet, and that wasn’t possible in a town the size of Tanner’s Ford.

  She sighed and absently rubbed her swollen breasts. The back door opened and she jumped, but it was only Billy with a bucket of water. She smiled at the boy.

  “Are you hungry this morning?”

  He yawned before grinning back. “I’m a growin’ boy, Miss Sarah. I’m always hungry. You want this in the front room so you can finish washing those counters?” When she nodded, he opened the door she’d shut in Luke’s face and walked through.

  “Good mornin’, Mr. Frost. If yer lookin’ fer Miss Sarah, she’s in the kitchen. Go right through. I’m off to breakfast.”

  “Thank you, Billy.”

  Sarah couldn’t fault the boy for being polite, but she gritted her teeth at Luke’s smooth reply. Heat flashed at the thought of him seeing her so agitated. She needed to find some wash rags and get busy. She’d been cleaning this old building for days and had a few hours of work left to do.

  “Miss Unsworth! How lovely to see you again. And so soon.”

  “What do you want?”

  Luke grinned at her growl. He pushed the door wide with one hand and pointed to the room he’d just come from. “Those shelves are empty. Do you have any baked goods for sale in here?”

  She gave him a look that matched his name. “As you know, my bakery opens Monday.”

  He removed his hat and stepped into her kitchen, sighing mournfully.

  “That is a pity. I haven’t eaten today, and last night’s supper is but a memory.” He winced, rubbing his stomach.

  “I’ve got nothing for you.”

  He placed his hat over his heart and pulled his lips down in a deep frown. “You wound me, madam. How will I manage?”

  “Don’t try those theatrics on me, Mr. Frost. They might have worked with swooning ladies back East, but I’m no fainting maiden. If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. Try the hotel kitchen if you’re that hungry. Sophie McLeod might have a few leftover scraps, if she hasn’t already given them to a stray dog.”

  Her harsh words didn’t do a bit of good. Instead of leaving, he dropped the false act and looked closely at her. He cleared his throat.

  “Are you refusing my suit
because of my face? I know it scares women and children.”

  “You don’t scare me. I don’t care about your scars.”

  “You haven’t really looked at me before.”

  Though she was terribly busy keeping platters full of food at the triple wedding, she had taken a good look at Luke the previous day. The midday sun had been unforgiving. The scar which marred his face ran from above his right cheekbone near his temple, across his nose, ending at his left jaw. In its journey across his face, the weapon had taken a chunk of bone out of his nose.

  He expected her to say something, perhaps how it wasn’t that bad, even though it was. There was absolutely nothing he could do about it. The wide, raw marks wouldn’t improve, ever. They also wouldn’t get any worse. And, no matter that he wanted something she didn’t want to give, he was kind. Tierson, the man who said he loved her and then sold her to fill his pocket with gold, was handsome. So was the first man who touched her body and then left her behind, knowing she’d be hurt. She’d take a scarred face and honesty over a pretty face and the invisible stamp of evil.

  “If you ever had to wear spectacles, you wouldn’t have to worry about them sliding off.”

  “Pardon me?” He frowned and tilted his head like a bird listening.

  “That dent in your nose will stop your spectacles from sliding down when you bend your head. In fact, you could read a book without having to push them back up all the time, like my father and uncle used to.”

  He blinked, his face blank. “You’re serious.”

  She nodded. “Don’t you agree?”