Page 69 of Native Hawk
Chapter 21
By the end of the day, Catalina was so confused by the conflicting information she’d received from her friends that she decided she might not be capable of pleasuring Drew after all.
Anne had told her to use both hands.
Emily had said she really only needed one.
Anne had insisted most men liked it rough and fast.
Emily argued, saying long and slow was the best.
Anne had given her a small tin of lard mixed with peppermint oil.
Emily had brought her lavender-scented lanolin.
In the end, she’d thanked them and sat in her room with both potions in her hands, wondering if she should just ask Drew which he preferred.
When he finally knocked on the door, she felt sudden misgiving about the whole idea. It sounded so complicated and specific. She didn’t even know if she could remember everything they’d told her. What if she did something wrong? What if she hurt him?
Deciding it was better to forget the whole thing, she quickly ditched the tins under her repaired pillow. Then, with a determined toss of her head, she answered the door.
Drew looked almost as anxious as she felt.
“Miss Cat,” he said with a nod of his head.
“Mr. Hawk.”
She closed the door behind him. He looked very handsome in blue. She wanted to tell him so, but the words stuck in her throat. There was an awkward silence between them and then an awkward conversation.
“The room cleaned up nice,” he said.
She forced a smile and picked up her pillow to show him. “I sewed the feathers back in.” Then she glanced down in horror at the tins she’d unwittingly revealed. She quickly thrust the pillow back onto the bed.
He didn’t seem to notice. He was busy tangling with his duster, trying to get it to stay on the coat hook.
“How was your day?” she asked, wincing as she realized what an inane question it was.
“Fine,” he replied, sounding just as inane. “I won a decent chunk off of the town sheriff.”
“Did you?” Of course he had. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to pay Miss Hattie for her company.
“Look, Cat, there’s somethin’ I need to say.” He licked his lips, took a deep breath and blew it out.
She didn’t want to hear what he had to say. By the look in his eyes, it wasn’t going to be good.
Though she hated to admit it, she’d grown very attached to Drew Hawk, probably too attached, considering she’d come here to pursue her dream of designing, not find a husband.
But her heart didn’t care why she’d come. And now it beat fast, afraid Drew was going to say something unpleasant, like he hadn’t paid Miss Hattie, and he didn’t plan to spend the night.
Then again, he’d taken off his duster. He must not plan to leave right away.
“Shall I order whiskey?” she said brightly, hoping to delay his news.
“No. No whiskey.” Then he reconsidered. “Yeah, let’s get a bottle. Why not?”
She went to the door, her mind spinning with dire possibilities.
He was leaving.
