Free Making Them Happy [The Men of Space Station One #9] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Marla Monroe

was going to handle them being off dealing with the cattle every day.
    “I’ll be too busy to worry about them. Between the garden and keeping house, I’ll have my hands full.”
    At least she hoped that would be the case. Plus, she could always talk to the other women with the radio. They had shown her how to use it, but she didn’t know anyone yet to talk to. Once they met the others, maybe she would feel comfortable talking with them some.
    The afternoon passed quickly as she explored the house in detail, putting things away as she went. Finally, the men walked in around four in the afternoon for a quick break. She poured tea for them and set a plate of jam-filled cookies on the table.
    “Did you finish the poles?” she asked.
    “Yep. Got them all in the ground. Once they set overnight, we can start running the fence.” Jeff held up a half-eaten cookie. “These are delicious.”
    “Thanks. The berries are stone berries that grow wild here. I hope we can find some bushes close by. I want to be able to make our own jelly and preserves.”
    “We’ll look for some once we have things set up around here. You’re not going off on your own though to pick them.” Caleb’s gruff voice brooked no argument.
    Beverly just shook her head. She wasn’t stupid. Why did he make her feel that way, like she lacked common sense? She changed the subject so he wouldn’t know that he’d hurt her feelings.
    “Are you going to break the garden up this afternoon or wait until tomorrow?”
    “We can’t afford to waste daylight and with having an extra hour in the day, we should have time to get it started anyway.” Caleb nodded over at Jeff. “He’s going to start with the tractor while I measure off the area.”
    She smiled up at Jeff. “I can’t wait to start planting.”
    “Let’s hope we can get it plowed and rowed up soon so we can help you get started.”
    “Oh, don’t worry about getting it in the ground. Once you have it rowed up, I can handle planting. I’m used to doing it alone.” She cleared away the dishes as they stood up to go back outside.
    Caleb seemed to want to say something by the way he kept opening his mouth and closing it, but he finally just shook his head and walked toward the door. She touched his arm with her hand. When he turned around, there was a deep furrow between his brows that gave her the impression he was unhappy about something.
    “Be careful out there. Don’t stay out once it begins to get dark. Those things seem to come up about that time of day.”
    “We’ll be up as soon as we get to a stopping place.” His gruff voice sounded a little stiff to her. Was he angry with her about something?
    Beverly watched through the window as they stepped off the porch heading for the supply shed for the tractor and whatever other tools they needed. Somehow she’d upset Caleb again. How would she ever be able to become what he wanted if she continued to disappoint him in some way?
    Fighting tears, Beverly concentrated on cooking dinner. At least in this she knew she could please him. He seemed to like her culinary skills if nothing else. If only she could please him in other ways.
     
    * * * *
     
    After dinner, Beverly finished cleaning the kitchen and joined the men in the living room area. They were once again relaxed in their lounge chairs talking about putting the fencing up the next day. When she walked in, they quieted and watched her much like a cat would stare at a bird through a window. She felt almost stalked when their eyes followed her to where she sat on the couch. Once she had settled with a book, they started talking once again.
    She struggled to concentrate on the suspense she was trying to read, but her mind kept straying to the night before and how they’d taken her. She hesitated to say made love to, because they didn’t know each other well enough for that. And she didn’t want to relegate it to just fucking because they had been too careful and tender for