Page 19 of Native Hawk
“Twenty!” Catalina blurted out, immediately covering her mouth with her hand. She couldn’t believe she’d said that. What was she thinking?
“What?” Miss Hattie burst out, unable to disguise her amazement.
The man in the hall exclaimed in disbelief. “Twenty?”
A long silence hung in the air like a storm cloud.
Miss Hattie’s eyes gleamed at the prospect. But Catalina was still reeling from her outburst. What had possessed her to make a counter offer? She could only hope it was such a ridiculous price that no man in his right mind would accept it.
“Fine,” he said, “twenty.”
Catalina gulped. Surely the man hadn’t agreed to her offer. Surely for twenty dollars, he was going to expect…something more than sleep.
“You will not make the sex with me?” Catalina reminded him, calling to him over Miss Hattie’s head.
“Yes. No. Fine.”
“Also, I do not want to take off all my clothings.”
Miss Hattie frowned. She clearly disapproved of Catalina’s conditions.
He grumbled something. “Fine.”
“And I would like a bottle of whiskey,” Catalina added. She’d doubtless need fortification for the night ahead.
“A bottle o’…?” He sighed. “All right.”
“Okay. Fine,” Catalina said, though it came out on a squeak.Ahime!What had she done?
She closed her eyes, blew out a breath, and straightened her shoulders.
It would be fine. Everything would be fine. He had promised her no sex. It was only one night. And tomorrow she would have twenty whole dollars.
Surely she could survive one night with a stranger.
Then again, she hadn’t counted on the stranger being so bold and handsome and irresistible.
