Demon's Pass Read Online Free Page B

up and wait for me there. I’ll get us a fresh bottle.”
    Clay went upstairs to wait. When Belle knocked on the door a moment later, he was amused by the idea of her knocking on her own door.
    â€œCome in, by all means, come in,” he called. Belle slipped through the door, then closed it behind her. She stood in front of it and smiled self-consciously at Clay.
    â€œHere I am,” she said.
    Belle held up a bottle. “I hope you like this. It is real Tennessee mash, not some local rotgut.”
    â€œI’m sure that I will like it,” Clay said. He reached for the bottle, but when he saw no glasses in her room, he pulled the cork and drank right from the bottle, never taking his eyes off the girl.
    Belle undid the ribbon that help up her hair, then shook her head to let it tumble down. That simple act created the amazing illusion of transforming her from a prostitute to an innocent young girl, and for a second Clay hesitated. He thought about her story of being abused by Slayton when she was fourteen years old. He had no intention of being a despoiler, but that was exactly what he felt like.
    â€œIs something wrong?” Belle asked, noticing the expression on his face.
    Clay took another drink straight from the bottle, then shook his head to clear the image. “No, just thinking, is all.”
    Belle moved closer, then reached out to touch him with cool, soft hands. His need for her grew stronger, and he moved his hand from her hand up to the top of her dress. Holding it there for a moment, he could feel her warm, heavy breast through the material.
    â€œI’ll get undressed,” Belle said. Her voice didn’t sound like that of a little girl now. On the contrary, it was deep and sultry, and she looked at him through smoky gray eyes as she began removing her clothes, pulling the dress off her shoulders and pushing it down her body.
    Clay watched her undress, fascinated by the almost languid way she did so. Her studied actions had the effect of inflaming his desire to an even greater pitch.
    Belle folded her clothes very carefully and placed them, one item at a time, on the chest near the water basin. Then she turned to face him once more. Her body was subtly lighted by the lantern that burned on her dresser.
    â€œShall we?” she invited, gesturing with her arm toward the bed. Though she was naked, and the bed beckoned, the invitation was as guileless as if she had just asked him if he wanted a cup of tea. It made the moment all the more erotic because of it.
    â€œYes, we shall,” Clay said with thickened tongue as he, too, began to undress.
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    After he left the Brown Dirt Cowboy, Clay went to the various warehouses around town where he made arrangements to take delivery of the goods he would be transporting to Utah. One of the places he visited was E. G. Farben, Authorized Agent for Winchester Firearms.
    â€œThey tell me folks are willing to pay up to ten times what these rifles cost out there,” Farben said as he watched Clay examine some of the rifles he had on display.
    â€œYes, I’ve heard that as well,” Clay said. He raised one of the rifles to his shoulder and sighted down the barrel.
    â€œI can let you have fifty of them at a very good price.”
    Clay lowered the piece, looked at its smooth lines, then shook his head. “I’d sure like to,” he said. “These are beautiful guns, and I know they’d fetch a good price. But I haven’t bought my mules yet and I don’t know how much money I’ll have left.”
    â€œWhy don’t you buy oxen? They’re cheaper.”
    â€œAnd a lot slower. No, thanks, I’m going to buy mules.”
    â€œWell, you could always take on a partner,” Farben suggested “If you want, I could look around and see if I can find someone who would be interested in making an investment.”
    â€œA partner?” Clay replied. “No, I don’t think I would be