When Kat's Away [Sequel to Anna Doubles Down] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) by Missy Martine

up for some dinner?” He slapped a brown mass on a tin plate and handed it to Kat. “Your beans, my lady.”
    She took the plate and giggled. “Thank you, kind sir.”
    He handed her a fork and then filled another plate to share with Win. Grabbing the pot, he poured the fragrant coffee in two tin cups and then sat down next to Win. He handed him the plate, letting his fingers slide over Win’s cold hand.
    “Everybody eat up. We’ll get an early start tomorrow.” David took a sip of the coffee. “Kat, don’t worry about clothes. We can get you a couple of things from our own mercantile and order the rest from her catalogs. It’ll take a few weeks to get here, but you can borrow from Eva and Mom until they come. I don’t think we should make any more trips to Treasure City unless it’s some kind of emergency.”
    Win picked up the fork. “I agree. It wasn’t just those men today. I felt like we were being watched all day. I think we should stick close to home until we figure out what’s getting people all stirred up.”
    Kat looked over at the fire. “What am I gonna do?”
    David placed his hand on her arm. “You’re gonna figure out what makes you happy, and then you’re gonna make a life for yourself here.” He moved closer and put his arm around her shoulder. “Fate sent you to us, Kat. Now you have to trust that we can make you happy.”
    The crash of thunder had Kat scurrying into David’s embrace. She looked up just as his lips came down, their tongues twining together. Lightning illuminated the corners of the room as his own desire raged. He wanted her back at the saloon, lying firmly between him and Win.
    Kat pulled away, her hand firmly against David’s chest. “This isn’t the time or place for this. There’s too much to consider and I need some time to think.”
    Win laid his hand on her knee. “Trust in what David says, Kat. We’ll help you find your way. You belong with us. Before you know it, you’ll feel as if you’ve lived here your whole life.”
     
    * * * *
     
    Kat looked down at herself and groaned. She was miserable, dressed in the feminine frills of the era. “I can’t believe I let Anna talk me into wearing all this crap.” She slid a hand up her skirt and scratched the back of her leg. “‘You’ll look great, Kat. They’ll respect you more as a teacher, Kat.’” She snorted and moved to the teacher’s desk. “How can anybody respect somebody whose drawstring drawers itch?” Her only consolation had been refusing to wear the corset. She might jiggle in her clothes, but there was no way she’d let them tie her into some type of torture device.
    She squealed and jabbed her broom toward the corner when a squirrel raced toward the door. “I’m never gonna get used to the primitive living conditions here.”
    It had been over a week since the ill-fated trip to Treasure City. She hadn’t had to order clothing from a catalogue. Anna had been incensed at the treatment Win had received and had insisted Beau and Zeke take her there immediately so she could have words with the sheriff. She’d purchased a wide variety of clothes in Kat’s size while she was there.
    “You don’t look very happy, Kat.” Eva walked in, trying to hide her smile behind her hand. “What’s wrong?” She was a little over five and a half feet tall. Her strawberry-blonde hair cascaded down her back, reflecting the sunlight filtering through the freshly washed schoolhouse windows. Her smile brought out the dimple in her right cheek, a copy of the one in Zeke’s right cheek.
    Kat sighed. “Nothing’s wrong. Cleaning is just not really my thing.”
    “Mom says you were a schoolteacher in the time after us.”
    “That’s true, but where I come from teachers don’t have to shoo critters out of their classrooms with the end of a straw broom.”
    Eva’s gaze wandered around the room. “Well, the place is looking great.”
    “I guess. I never in my life thought I’d be scrubbing