She smiled sadly。 〃You don"t understand。〃 〃No。 I don"t。〃 He sighed。 〃What say we drop it for a while？〃 At her nod； he added a final thought。 〃But promise me that if you want to talk； you"ll e to me？ I have broad shoulders。〃 She stood and gave him a hug。 〃Thanks； Lee。 I appreciate that。〃 Stepping back； she looked up at him。 Funny； he was warm and strong and in his way as good…looking as Ross； but she felt no desire； no great inner spark。 Lee held out a hand。 〃Friends？〃 She met his hand。 〃Friends。〃 〃And we"ll accept the offer from Stephenson？〃 She yanked her hand back。 〃No。 Yes。 I don"t know。〃 She strode toward the door。 〃Do what you want！〃 How to go from high to low in seconds； she mused； as she returned to her office and settled in at the desk。 Ross was forcing her hand； totally determined。 What was it he had said about love being wanting and wanting until one would do nearly anything？ She did have options。 She could stand firm and refuse to have anything to do with Ross； send someone to New York in her place for the Rye Beach negotiations； systematically shuttle retainer work to another member of the firm。 Another option was more dangerous。 She could go to New York and do his work； remaining neutral。 Did she have a chance in hell of doing that？ Lee"s words returned with frightening clarity。 Did she love Ross enough to fight herself…and her past…for him？ Could she go back to New Orleans and face the ghosts； finally put them to rest？ She hit emotional overload with that last thought。 Too much had happened too fast。 She couldn"t think about it anymore。 There was work to be done…if she was to be enroute to New York by Wednesday。 With a long steadying breath； she sorted through the papers before her。 There were people to call； meetings to set up； reports to plan out before she left； and the rush was for the best。 Her mind would be filled。 Worrying was useless。 Only time would give her the answers she needed。 Unfortunately； Ross wasn"t as patient； but he received a different Chloe on the phone that afternoon； a more subdued one。 She recognized his voice immediately； had been half expecting to hear it。 Its sound sent a ripple through her； but it died quickly。 She was exhausted。 〃How are you？〃 he asked。 〃I"m fine。〃 〃It"s good to hear your voice。 I miss you。〃 〃You"ve been gone barely twenty…four hours。〃 〃You"ve been counting； have you？〃 She hadn"t。 Well； maybe she had。 But she wasn"t about to admit it。 〃I"m counting now。 I have five different reports to go through this afternoon； not to mention phone calls； proposals； and what…have…you。 It seems I have a rush job in New York。 Some snotty executive thinks his work is the only thing that counts。〃 〃I can see you got up on the wrong side of the bed。 Bad morning？〃 〃Busy。〃 〃Anything interesting？〃 〃Uh…huh。〃 He sighed。 〃Ah。 We"re pulling teeth again。〃 〃No。 There"s just nothing I feel like discussing。〃 With you； she might have added。 He had intruded on her life far too much。 〃You sound down。〃 He sounded concerned。 〃Is something wrong？〃 〃I"ll be fine。〃 But she wondered。 Much as she fought it； the sound of Ross"s voice affected her。 〃What is it； Chloe？ Please tell me。 Something"s bothering you。 I can hear it in your voice。 Your spirit"s gone。〃 He paused。 When she said nothing； he said； 〃I"m driving up。〃 〃No！ I"m okay。 Really。 I"m tired。 That"s all。〃 ：〃You have no idea what I feel when I hear that pain in your voice。〃 〃Then why did you do it？〃 she blurted out。 The silence was long and heavy。 Then he sighed。 〃You"ve； ah； figured out my messages？〃 〃You could say that。 What I"d like to know is why you had to go behind my back to box me in。 Why didn"t you call me directly？〃 〃I mentioned it to you last weekend。 You refused。 I may be many things； but I"m not a glutton for punishment。 That"s your specially。〃 Chloe gasped； but he went on。 〃I had no intention of calling you this morning to rehash what I said yesterday。 There seemed to be more effective ways of convincing you…〃 〃…forcing me 。。。〃 。。。 convincing you to work with me。 It makes good sense。 You"re the one familiar with the Rye Beach proposal and its problems。 To bring in someone else would be a waste of time。 As for the other…〃 〃The other is Lee"s affair；〃 she cut in。 〃He"s handling any account with the Hansen Corporation。 If you want to work with him； be my guest。 I can vouch for his credentials and his skill； but I won"t be involved。〃 〃Then why are you upset？〃 he asked a little too calmly。 〃If Lee will be doing the dealing； it won"t affect you。〃 〃Fat chance；〃 she murmured not quite softly enough。 Ah； ah； princess。 Let"s have none of that。 If you"re into soft murmurings； use them to talk about love。〃 〃Ross。〃 〃I love you。〃 〃So you"ve said。〃 She tried to sound indifferent； but her tone was more of a plea。 F 〃I mean it。 That"s why I"m doing all this。〃 〃What？〃 she cried in a facetious show of emotion。 〃Don"t you value my brilliance； my experience； or my expertise in the field！〃 〃Depends on what field you"re referring to；〃 he drawled。 〃In the field of passion…〃 〃That wasn"t the one I was talking about； and you know it。 Why do you twist my words； Ross？ Do you like upsetting me？〃 He was suddenly sober。 〃No。 I"m trying to good you into facing your feelings。 I love you； Chloe。 I want to have you near me； so I manipulated your cooperation。 You may not be ready to admit that you need me as much as I need you； but I have no pride。 I need you； and I"m not giving you up。 Not yet； at any rate。〃 Chloe listened sadly。 He sounded honest and sincere。 Maybe he did need her。 But what about her needs？ 〃You"re rushing me； Ross。 I don"t know whether I"m ing or going。 Please； give me time？〃 〃You have till Wednesday。 I"ve made arrangements for you to take the nine…fifty train from Providence。〃 〃The train？ I"d rather drive。 It"s more convenient。〃 〃I don"t want you driving into the city。 Leave your car in Providence。 Your ticket will be held there for you and I"ll be at the station waiting。〃 〃Ross…〃 〃It"s settled。〃 Her lips turned down。 〃That"s wha