Page 52 of Native Hawk
Chapter 15
When Drew woke up the next morning, he had to remind himself that he was a love-’em-and-leave-’em kind of man, because the last thing he wanted to do as he gazed down at the sleeping beauty beside him was leave her.
She wasn’t only the prettiest lady he’d ever met. She was also bright. And passionate. And innocent. And caring. If he stuck around much longer, he was sure she’d grab on to a piece of his heart. And once she did that, he’d be knocked into a cocked hat for sure.
So before the sun rose, before she could make a bid for his affections with those soulful brown eyes of hers, he slipped quietly out of bed. Stealth was one thing that growing up on a reservation had taught him. While she slumbered on, he managed to dress and steal out the door, bidding her a silent, fond farewell.
He was sure Chase would come back to Paradise today. By now, the rancher would have caught up to him, found out that, no, the big, bad, brooding half-breed hadnotstolen his little girl. Chase would be sober and able to see things more clearly. He might still resent the rancher for keeping their grandmother as a slave. But revenge wasn’t in Chase’s nature. He might be big and brooding, but he wasn’t a violent man.
So Drew let himself out of The Parlor, onto the empty streets of Paradise. The sun was just beginning to lighten the skies, but it would be a while before it pierced the thick pine cover to touch the town. The only shop with any light on at all was the bakery. The smell of baking bread made his mouth water. He wondered if it was too early to buy breakfast—maybe something light and sweet, like a cream puff.
He hoped that by the time the dawn crested the mountain, so would his missing brother.
From the right hand side of the bed, Catalina frowned down at the empty left hand side. She knew she had no right to be disappointed. Drew had made no promises. In fact, he’d made it perfectly clear that he didn’t want to be anyone’s husband. She should be grateful that he’d kept his word last night and not touched her.
Still, she was saddened to find he’d left. She wished she’d been able to give him a proper goodbye.
But what difference did it make? He was gone. He wasn’t coming back.
Still, all the logic and reason in the world didn’t keep her from sighing as she dressed. And when there was a knock on the door, it didn’t keep her heart from jumping, thinking it might be him.
It wasn’t.
“Jenny.” Catalina let her in.
The yellow-and-violet gown she’d redesigned for Jenny really did look splendid. But Jenny didn’t look well at all. She was pale. Her hair hung over her face. And she wouldn’t meet Catalina’s eyes. She was clutching a big bundle of white cotton before her, and she shyly handed it to Catalina.
“Can you…do anything about this?” Jenny asked.
Catalina carefully unfurled the cloth. It was a bedsheet. There was an ugly reddish brown stain in the middle and flecks spattered all over.
Catalina frowned at the marks. It was blood.
“Your monthly courses?” she gently asked.
Jenny shook her head, murmuring, “No. He said that…that always happens your first time.”
It took Catalina a moment to understand. Then she gulped. “Are you all right?”
Jenny looked anything but all right as she nodded. She looked as if she might burst into tears.
Inwardly, Catalina was horrified. It looked like a lot of blood. Surely that wasn’t right.
But she didn’t wish to frighten Jenny. “Do not worry. I will see what I can do.”
She gave the girl’s shoulder a squeeze of reassurance. But Jenny gave a small gasp of pain.
She released the girl immediately. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“I’m fine.” She tried to smile. “He said he wants to see me again.” Her voice was soft, and there was a trace of fear in her words.
Catalina wasn’t sure what to say. “I have heard it is only the first time that is painful.” Even as she reassured the young girl, she thought she was probably the last person who should be giving advice on the subject.
Jenny looked up at her with hope. “Yes?”
It was then Catalina saw that one of her eyes was purple and swollen.
“What happened?” she whispered.
