rekindled(英文版)- 第12部分

〃No　。。。　Yes　。。。　I　don't　know；〃　she　finally　ended　in　a　whisper；　tugging
at　the　towel　draped　about　her　neck。　〃I　can't　give　you　a　simple　yes　or
no。　I've　never　regretted　the　act　itself　It　was　beautiful。〃

〃Then　what　is　it　about　me　that　makes　you　so　unfortable？〃

The　ensuing　silence　was　rich　with　the　sounds　of　the　shore…the　lapping　of
the　waves；　the　cry　of　the　gulls；　the　rustle　of　the　breeze　in　the　drying
leaves　of　the　wild　honeysuckle。　Each　had　the　potential　to　soothe；　yet
Chloe　remained　tense。

〃Seeing　you；〃　she　finally　confessed；　〃brings　back　memories　of　a　holiday
weekend　that　was　tragic　for　me。〃

〃Your　sister's　death。〃

Her　eyes　shot　to　his。　〃You　knew？〃　And　hadn't　tried　to　contact　her？

The　dark　sheen　of　his　hair　captured　the　golden　rays　of　the　slow…setting
sun。　〃Yes；　I　knew；　but　not　until　long　after　I'd　returned　to　Africa。　I
didn't　feel　then　that　it　was　my　place　to　contact　you。〃

〃Why　not？〃　She　didn't　understand　that　detachment。　He　was　certainly
persistent　enough　now。

〃In　the　first　place；〃　he　began；　〃it　was　pitiful；　how　long　after　the　fact
I　learned　of　it。　Sammy　wrote　me　the　news　in　a　letter　the　following
spring。〃

He　seemed　to　hesitate。　More　quietly；　he　said；　〃It　was　only　then　that　I'd
had　the　guts　to　ask　him　about　you。〃

〃But　why？〃　she　cried。

〃Because　you　weren't　the　only　one　to　have　afterthoughts　of　that　night！

From　what　I　could　see　I　had　seduced　the　virgin　daughter　of　my　host's
best　friend。　I　was　twenty…seven。　You　were　eighteen。　I　should　have　known
better。　But　the　worst　of　it　was　that　I　was　glad　I　hadn't。〃　His　voice
gentled。　〃The　memory　of　that　night　helped　me　through　many　a　lonely　night
afterward。〃

〃Oh；　Ross；〃　Chloe　whispered；　feeling　a　great　longing　inside。　〃I　wish　it
hadn't。　It's　too　late　to　go　back。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　go　back。　I　want　to　go　ahead。　That's　why　I'm　here。〃

Anguished；　she　looked　down。　〃It's　no　good。　I　can't。〃

〃Can't　or　won't？　We've　been　through　this　before。　Well；〃　he　drew　in　a
breath；　〃believe　this。　I　may　have　been　immature　eleven　years　ago；
running　away　from　something　that　frightened　me；　but　I　won't　make　the
same　mistake　twice。　It　was　fate　that　brought　us　together　up　at　Rye
Beach；　and　I'll　be　damned　if　I'm　going　to　let　you　get　away。　I've　made　it
my　business　to　find　out　every　possible　thing　I　could　about　you　during
the　past　two　weeks。　And　I　know　what　happened　to　Crystal。〃

His　words　hung　in　the　air。　Her　eyes　begged　him　to　say　no　more。　She
bolstered　the　plea　with　her　low　whisper。　〃Then　you　can　understand　why　I
can't　bear　to　think　back　on　that　time。〃

〃It　was　an　accident；　Chloe！　It　wasn't　your　fault！〃

〃But　she　died。〃

〃And　you　lived；　is　that　it？　You　can't　forgive　yourself　for　that？〃

She　jumped　to　her　feet。　With　her　heart　pounding　a　thunderous　beat；　she
stared　at　him　for　an　agonized　moment　before　forcing　her　feet　to　move。
Her　steps　were　slow　at　first；　then　gained　speed　as　the　force　of　habit
took　over　and　she　jogged　toward　safer　ground。

With　pitiful　ease；　Ross　caught　up。　He　caught　her　elbow；　using　her　own
momentum　to　bring　her　around。　When　she　faced　him　at　a　full　stop；　he　held
her　by　both　arms。

〃I'm　trying　to　be　honest；〃　he　said。

〃But　it　hurts。　Can't　you　see　that？　It　hurts！〃　She　was　consumed　by　it；　a
hurt　that　was　alive　and　festering。　He　had　to　see　it　anywhere　he　looked。

〃The　only　way　the　hurt　will　stop；〃　he　chided　gently；　〃is　for　you　to　put
the　past　behind　you。〃

Her　eyes　filled　with　tears。　〃Do　you　think　I　haven't　tried？　Do　you　think
I've　spent　the　past　eleven　years　purposely　living　with　a　ghost？〃

**skip**〃Maybe　not；　but　you've　done　it。　You　haven't　resolved　a　thing　in　the
eleven　years；　if　that　hurt　in　your　eyes　is　for　real。　It's　your
punishment；　isn't　it？　Your　punishment　for　living。〃

She　shook　her　head　and　whispered；　〃No。　That's　not　true！〃

〃Not　true？〃　he　echoed　in　a　voice　strangely　mellow。　〃Answer　me　one　thing；
Chloe。　Have　you　been　with　another　man　since　we　were　together？〃

〃That's　none　of　your　bus…〃

〃It　is　so。〃　He　took　her　face　in　his　hands；　correctly　anticipating　her
attempt　to　look　away。　His　touch　was　gentle　but　firm。　〃I　was　the　first。
It's　my　brand　that　shaped　you。　How　many　others　were　there？〃

〃That's　vulgar！〃　she　cried。

〃Maybe。　Answer　the　question。〃

〃I　won't。　Are　you　jealous；　jealous　and　guilt…ridden？　Well；　I　don't　need
either　of　those　traits　in　the　man　in　my　life。　I'm　doing　just　fine
withoutwithout…〃　Her　limbs　trembled。

Ross　drew　her　against　him；　pressing　her　cheek　to　his　chest；　wrapping　his
arms　around　her　back。　〃Without　love？〃　he　asked；　so　softly　that　she　might
not　have　heard　him　had　the　word　not　been　on　the　tip　of　her　tongue。

Incapable　of　speech　for　the　moment；　she　simply　breathed　in　the　scent
that　was　all　male；　all　Ross。　His　heart　beat　steadily　by　her　ear；
gradually　coaxing　her　own　to　slow。　His　arms　enveloped　her　and　lent　her
strength。

〃I　tried。〃　She　spoke；　unsteadily　at　first。　〃I　dated。　I　still　do。〃　It　was
easier　not　having　to　look　at　him。　〃I　even　tried　to　go　to　bed　with　one　of
them。〃

She　recalled　the　horror　of　the　moment。　〃He　decided　I　was　frigid。〃

A　deep　laugh　broke　from　Ross's　throat；　a　laugh　that　was　strangely
hoarse。　〃That's　ridiculous；〃　he　crooned　into　the　warmth　of　her　hair；　but
when　he　tipped　her　face　up　he　felt　her　stiffen。　〃Oh；　no；　you　don't。〃　His
mouth　found　hers。

She　fought　him　then。　Struggling　to　free　herself　from　the　band　of　his
arms；　she　pushed　against　his　chest；　all　the　while　trying　to　evade　his
lips；　but　he　was　stronger　than　she　ore
he　steadied　her。　His　lips　stroked　hers；　demanding　the　kind　of　response
that　he　alone　knew　she　had　in　her。

When　her　physical　strength　waned；　Chloe　tried　passivity。　The　last　thing
she　wanted　was　a　repeat　of　the　night　in　New　Hampshire　or；　worse；　that
fateful　night　back　in　New　Orleans。　She　had　no　right；　she　told　herself；
no　right！

〃e　on；　Chloe；〃　Ross　growled　against　her　lips。　〃Ease　up。〃

〃Don't…〃

She　shouldn't　have　said　anything。　The　tiny　parting　of　her　lips　gave　him
the　opening　he　needed；　and　then　she　didn't　have　a　chance。　His　tongue
invaded　her　mouth；　spreading　its　sweetness　deep。　She　told　herself　that
it　was　physical；　that　she　could　resist　if　she　wanted　to　enough；　but　her
body　betrayed　her。　It　swayed　toward　him；　weak　with　wanting。

From　an　odd　defense　mechanism；　her　mind　went　blank。　It　was　as　though　the
battle　between　guilt　and　desire　created　a　mental　void。　In　that　void
there　was　nothing　but　Ross　and　his　body；　the　lips　that　caressed　her；
arms　that　held　her　gently；　legs　that　supported　her。　Out　of　that　void
came　her　response；　slowly；　surely；　and　Ross　had　won。　Her　lips　moved
against　his；　tasting；　savoring。　The　corners　of　his　mouth；　his　firm　lips；
his　tongue；　one　small　nibble　led　to　another　until　she　returned　his　kiss
with　matching　passion。

〃Oh；　Ross；〃　she　breathed　raggedly　when　his　lips　left　hers　to　trail　fire
along　the　sensitive　cord　of　her　neck。

〃That's　it；　princess。〃

〃No。〃　That　word。　That　past。

His　breath　warmed　her　ear。　〃You'll　always　be　my　princess；　Chloe。〃　He
nibbled　at　her　lobe。　〃It　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　past。　Right　now
you're　my　princess。〃　With　a　groan；　he　pressed　her　to　him。　She　felt　his
desire　as　she　tried　to　deny　her　own；　but　that　same　coil　of　nee