Free Monroe, Marla - Their Bartered Bride [Men of the Border Lands 4] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Marla Monroe Page A

needed supplies from some of the stores there. It wouldn’t be long before Sky Line was all scavenged out and they would have to locate one of the other towns further out. He wasn’t looking forward to that at all.
    “Joel, go to sleep. You’re thinking so hard my head is hurting over here.” Jonathan’s voice startled him.
    “Sorry. Good night.”
    “Night.”

Chapter Eight

    Leigh was the first one downstairs the next morning and rushed to the window to see out. The sun wasn’t up yet, but she could see the white blanket of snow on the porch. She was so excited she almost opened the door to touch it, but remembered the wolves before she unlocked the door. No, she would wait for one of the men.
    She hurried around and made coffee, then pulled out meat to cook breakfast. They would need a hearty meal to deal with the cold and extra work of shoveling snow. Maybe they would let her help with shoveling the snow. She loved snow. They got it so rarely in the south, where she had been from.
    “What’s all the noise about down here?” Joel asked in a grumpy voice.
    “It’s time to get up, so don’t fuss at me.” She grinned at him like an idiot.
    He frowned harder. “What?”
    “It snowed! I can’t wait to make a snowman!” Leigh couldn’t contain her exuberance.
    “Hell. You want to go play in it?” Joel shook his head.
    “I can’t wait.” She handed him his coffee. “Here, drink this so you’ll wake up and be nice.”
    “I’m nice,” he grumbled.
    “Who’s nice?” Jonathan walked into the kitchen and grabbed Leigh around the waist to hoist her up for a kiss.
    “You are.” She hugged him back.
    “Joel doesn’t like snow,” Jonathan warned her.
    “I think I figured that out.”
    “Snow means more work and a greater chance of problems.”
    “Can I go outside and shovel snow and make a snowman?” Leigh asked.
    “Joel.” Jonathan seemed to be warning him of something.
    “As long as we’re out there to watch for you, you can play all you want. You’re not staying out once we head out to the pastures, though.”
    “Great!” She served them their breakfast and sat down to eat with them.
    Nearly an hour later, she had all the dishes in the sink to soak and was pulling on her coat with the men. She shoved her hands into gloves, though she knew she would be taking them off to feel the snow in her hands at some point. Still, she would need them to shovel. There was no need in getting blisters.
    They filed outside and Leigh immediately jumped out into it. They had approximately ten inches of snow on the ground and it was still snowing. The clouds kept the sun from illuminating the sky to some extent, but it was bright enough for her to see to play. She gathered up a ball and tossed it at Jonathan’s back. He growled at her and hit her square in the chest with one.
    “No snowball fights, kids.” Joel scowled at them when one hit him on the shoulder. “We need to get to work.”
    Leigh stuck her tongue out at him but quickly grabbed a shovel and began to clear a path from the back steps toward the barn. They each staked out a section of the path and shoveled until there was a straight path there.
    “Okay, build your snowman quick while we see to the horses and saddle up. Once we get ready to leave, you’ve got to go back inside the house,” Jonathan told her.
    Leigh ran back to the house and began rolling snowballs to make her masterpiece. She had one nearly complete when the men emerged from the barn with their horses in tow. She hurriedly walked over to them to wish them a good day.
    “You go on inside now, baby.” Jonathan hugged her and gave her a sloppy kiss.
    Leigh smiled and grabbed Joel before he could climb up on the horse.
    “Where’s my kiss?”
    “You don’t get a kiss from me until you behave.” He smiled.
    “I’ve behaved. Give me my kiss,” she demanded.
    He bent over her and kissed her. It was a soft, gentle kiss that said more to her than if he’d just laid one