A Desconian Marriage of Convenience (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read Online Free PDF Page A

to face Baylen. “I’m sorry to be a bother,” she said softly. “I didn’t really give any thought to the disruption I would cause by coming home with Tosh.”
    “Nonsense,” Baylen said as he began clearing away the used plates. Not only could his men inhale a huge breakfast, but they sure made a hell of a mess some days. “I’m glad for the company.” But then he realized how that sounded and wanted to kick himself. The woman was here to get some rest, not entertain him. “But, you should try and get some sleep, too.” He wanted to add that she looked tired, but since he didn’t know what she looked like when she wasn’t tired, he didn’t want to accidentally insult her.
    Fuck, tippy-toeing around women was definitely not his forte.
    “I’m okay,” she said as she leaned over the table to gather the various condiments they’d used over breakfast. “I’d actually prefer not to go through that nightmare again so soon.”
    “Would you like to talk about it? Maybe I could help you figure out what it means.”
    She gave him a sad smile. “Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure I know what it means. It’s more of a memory than anything else.”
    “The thing that’s giving you nightmares actually happened to you?” He was trying to hide his shock, but he made a lousy actor. Fuck, he was probably frightening the woman by his reaction. But instead of recoiling from him, she smiled, leaned over, and squeezed his hand affectionately.
    “It was a long time ago. I’m fine now.”
    “Not if you’re having nightmares about it.” Baylen was a little bit embarrassed by his immediate response, but he truly only wanted to help Jenelle. From everything Tosh had told them about the woman, she deserved to be happy.
    She gave him a self-deprecating smile and nodded her head in a wobbly sort of way. “I suppose you’re right, but it’s nothing that can be changed. I just need to learn how to live with it.”
    “If I can help in any way…”
    “You are helping,” she said with a smile. “Thank you for inviting me to stay for a few days.”
     
    * * * *
     
    Tosh lay in his husband’s arms and listened to the conversation going on in the kitchen.
    “Is she okay?” Jax asked quietly.
    “I’m not sure,” he answered honestly. He didn’t want to betray Jenelle’s trust—he’d already risked that by telling them about her nightmares—but he was worried for her. “I’m hoping that I’ve convinced her to seek medical attention for the scars on her back but also for other things.”
    “I thought medical assistance was something the humans got automatically. Isn’t that part of living in the compound?”
    “It is,” he whispered, “but many of them are too frightened of authorities to accept it. So we back off, counsel them if we can, and try to convince them that they won’t be kicked off the planet for trivial reasons.”
    “What sort of fucked-up planet do they come from?” Jax asked, his anger very clear in his voice. Tosh knew it well, had carried the emotion with him ever since he’d begun working with Jenelle and women like her.
    “I don’t know,” he said, feeling as bewildered as his husband sounded. Who could treat anyone the way humans were treating each other? “But she’s here now. Hopefully we can get her issues sorted out and find a Desconian family who can truly love her.”
    “Amen to that.”

Chapter Four
     
    “You still look tired,” Baylen said as Jenelle wandered into the kitchen. After ten days straight he felt like he’d known her long enough to know the difference now.
    “So do you,” she said with a sleepy smile as she headed for the coffeemaker—a new edition to his well-equipped kitchen. She’d been embarrassed that he seemed to have purchased it specifically for her but had relaxed once she realized how much both Tosh and Jax liked to drink coffee. Now that Desconian farmers had been able to cultivate coffee beans on this planet, the once-prohibitive expense