Quicksilver Passion (6 page)

She came over to the bar, the men clearing a space for her. But Cherokee didn’t move. She leaned on the bar next to him.
Al?”

The bartender put down the bottle of medicine he’d been swigging. His ugly face betrayed his adoration as he set a cup of coffee before her.

See that Hank gets some food and goes home.”

Al made a gesture of protest.
Miss Silver, you can’t keep feeding every old bum in the Rockies—”

Drat it! Just do it, Al.” Her voice left no room for argument.

Al shrugged his gorilla-like shoulders, threw up his hands in a helpless gesture, and moved to do her bidding.

The girl sighed as she sipped her coffee, ignoring the men around her.

Cherokee watched her, not daring to breathe. Now that she stood there, his courage deserted him. She stood so close, he could almost reach out and touch her, but he didn’t. The slight scent of wild flowers drifted from her warm skin. Cherokee had to fight himself to keep from reaching out and stroking her hair. It looked like spun moonbeams reflecting the light.

His tormentor grinned at him across the top of the girl’s head.
Miss Silver, this big half-breed has something he wants to ask you.”

She paused in sipping her coffee and staring at her own reflection in the big mirror behind the bar. Turning, she looked directly up at Cherokee.
Oh?”

She wasn’t more than chest high on him and the light played on that flawless face. Cherokee had a sudden urge to pick her up, throw her across his wide shoulder, and carry her kicking and screaming back to his isolated cabin at Mosquito Gulch so he would have her all to himself.

He had never felt so shy, so unsure of himself as he did now with this blond whore.
Can I—can I buy you a drink?”

I don’t drink, stranger. All the boys hereabouts know that.” She looked up at him, sure of herself, slightly amused at his hesitancy.

He had a feeling all the men along the bar were watching and listening. Behind her, his tormentor mouthed the silent words:
Ask her. Go on and ask her.

That was a nice thing you did for the old man,” Cherokee stammered,
but you girls probably can’t afford to do things like that.”

Let me worry about that.” She grinned and sipped her coffee.

You should smile more often,” Cherokee blurted without thinking.
That’s the first time I’ve seen you smile.”