Once Bitten: Twice Mad

Chapter Ten

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Katherine didn't know whether to be angry, embarrassed or ashamed. She did know that she was damn confused. Since when did a man do something nice for a woman without wanting anything in return for it? Since when did any man refuse her?

Katherine had always had men falling over themselves and emptying their pockets to get a chance with her. Ever since her father had announced her employment in the brothel at the age of fifteen that was all she'd been. Now at age twenty-three Katherine had a lot of experience with the other sex. She knew how to seduce them and use them to get what she needed. Though they were using her as well for their own release.

But this man had walked away from her. Hell he'd all but thrown her robe back at her! She had seen his cock stir in those stained denims of his but his eyes had remained dull and uninterested. Maybe he hadn't been coming into her window for a romp in the bed after all. Maybe he had simply heard the arguing and wanted to help her....

Katherine had made a fool of herself. A complete and utter fool. A good man, a decent man finally rides into her life and she had to scare him away! With any luck she would never see him again. He would rest up and then be gone.... She didn't know if she could look him in the eyes again knowing that she had offered herself to him and he had refused.

She pulled on a long blue gingham skirt with tiers that danced and twisted with her movements. There was a long slit in the side so that she could better access the .38 revolver in the holster tied around her thigh. Her blouse was white and hung off her shoulders, showing off her tanned skin and the bottom of the shirt tended to ride up revealing a bit of her stomach as well.

Katherine had never bothered with underclothes, finding that they just got in the way when it was time to work. Men didn't usually appreciate having to take the time to undress her when all they wanted was a quick rut.

She could still hear the monsters outside, moaning and screeching for all they were worth. Katherine pulled on her dark brown knee high boots and then left her bedroom and made her way downstairs to the kitchens. She had worked up quite an appetite with those men in the night and it was well past time for breakfast.

Using what meager supplies she had left, Katherine prepared oatmeal with canned peaches and cut off a few chunks from the loaf of bread she'd baked the day before. Using some of the little bit of butter she had left, Katherine slathered the pieces in them and then sighed.

She could hear that man upstairs moving around in the room he'd chosen. Clearly he wasn't sleeping and so Katherine wondered if perhaps he might be hungry. As badly as she would like to never see him again, the fact remained that he had helped her out and they were survivors in this crazy world. There weren't very many survivors left and Katherine hadn't had conversations with those that were left.... .She'd been too busy letting out moans when it was expected in exchange for bread and bullets.

She put some oatmeal into a bowl for him and laid all the food plus two glass of water onto the tray before making her way back upstairs. She propped the tray against her hip and used her free hand to knock on the door.

The door opened almost the instant she knocked and she nearly swallowed her tongue at the sight of that .45 revolver pointed at her face.

"If you're gonna shoot me with something I would just as soon it wasn't your gun." She managed to choke out around her fear, while giving him a coy brow raise. She had expected him to laugh or at least smile but there was nothing. No expression at all on his tense fence as he holstered his weapon and looked down at her. Katherine cursed her shortness. She stood only five feet two inches tall and this man was much taller than her, as were most men.