That coy half-tilt of the head, the look up at him from beneath her lashes, the inviting smile that promised much if he wanted--ah. Miss Cardiff was a working girl. Fancier and finer than most; her dress was beautiful and clearly not out of some cheap shop window, her skin was creamy and smooth, her teeth white and perfect.
Unlike many, Eli had absolutely nothing against whores, men or women who were simply using the tools granted them by nature. He'd grown up with them, both as family and friends. Now he regarded them as professionals and if they did their jobs well, they deserved his respect and patronage. It wasn't as if he could look down his considerable nose at them; he'd done his fair share of selling himself for the sake of the job at the moment and hadn't grieved about it in the least.
"How could I resist such an offer?" he asked, tipping his head and looking down at her. "I'd be very foolish to turn down the chance to sit in the sunshine with a beautiful woman. And I've never considered myself a stupid man."