《rekindled(英文版)》第52章

cup；　〃you　brought　groceries。〃
〃Not　this　time。　I　wasn"t　sure　I"d　be　staying　here。　I　made　reservations
at　an　inn　in　Woodstock　just　in　case。〃
He　sat　back。　〃Were　you　afraid　I"d　attack　you　again？〃
〃No；〃　she　said　with　care。　〃I　wasn"t　sure　you"d　be　here。　It　was　tentative
when　you　mentioned　it；　and　since　I　had　no　way　of　contacting　you　in
between…〃
〃You　could　have　called　Miles　Cooper；〃　he　suggested　lightly。
She　looked　him　in　the　eye。　〃No；　I　couldn"t。　So　there　was　no　fortable
way　of　my　learning　your　plans。〃
〃Did　that　bother　you？〃
〃No。〃　She　didn"t　look　away。　〃I　don"t　want　to　cope　with　identities　yet。〃
〃Then　we　agree　on　that。　No　more　said。〃
〃No　more　said。〃　She　felt　proud　of　herself；　if　a　little　wistful；　as　she
watched　him　eat。
When　he　finished；　he　ran　a　napkin　over　his　mouth。　Then　he　balled　it　up
in　his　fist。　〃You　can　phone　from　the　village　later　and　cancel　those
reservations。　But　I　think　you　should　know　that　there　are　two　conditions
to　your　staying　here。〃
Conditions？　She　arched　a　brow。
He　leaned　way　back　this　time；　until　the　chair　was　on　its　rear　legs。
〃First；　we　eat　together。〃
She　had　no　problem　with　that。　It　pleased　her；　actually。　She　smiled　her
agreement。
〃Second；〃　he　said；　〃I　sleep　downstairs。〃
Her　smile　vanished。　〃Uh；　I　。。。　don"t　think　so。　I"m　not　ready　for 。。。
that。〃
His　eyes　laughed。　〃I"m　told　that　I"m　a　good　lover。　But　hey；〃　he
relented；　all　teasing　gone；　〃I"m　not　ready　for　。。。　that；　either。　Maybe
soon。　But　not　yet。　You　aren"t　the　only　one　dealing　with　ghosts。〃
Startled　by　that　thought；　she　gathered　up　the　empty　dishes　and　went　to
the　sink。
He　was　close　behind　her。　〃You"re　a　beautiful　woman。〃
〃Last　time；　I　was　"plain"　and　"scrawny。〃"
〃Last　time；　I　was　wet　and　tired。〃　Strong　hands　slid　around　her　middle
and　drew　her　back　against　his　body。　His　forearms　brushed　the　underside
of　her　breasts。　Her　heart　thudded　in　response。
When　he　turned　her　to　face　him；　her　lips　parted。　He　kissed　her　then；
possessive　but　gentle；　and　she　responded　with　a　fervor　she　had　forgotten
was　possible。　Wrapping　her　arms　around　his　neck；　she　opened　her　mouth；
and　he　moved　right　in。　After　her　mouth　he　kissed　her　cheeks　and　her
eyelids。　Then；　hotly；　he　sought　out　her　tongue。
They　weren"t　ready　for　this　emotionally；　but　there　was　no　problem
physically。　Mitch　was　rock…hard　against　her。　His　hands　moved　restlessly
on　her　back；　her　waist；　her　hips。　They　found　her　breasts　and　explored　in
detail；　and　Anne　was　every　bit　as　active。　She　touched　him　everywhere　to
make　sure　he　was　real；　and　he　was；　real　and　ready。　While　their　mouths
tangled　hungrily；　her　fingers　spread　over　his　thigh　and　moved　upward；
upward　and　inward。
With　a　strangled　sound；　Mitch　pulled　away。
Anne　felt　instant　loss；　then　acute　embarrassment。　Mitch"s　ragged
breathing　was　small　solace　for　her　aggressiveness。　〃That　shouldn"t　have
happened；〃　she　said　in　a　faltering　whisper。
He　made　a　sputtering　sound　and　pushed　a　hand　through　his　hair。　〃Yeah；
but　it　did。　Damn　it；　this　was　a　crazy　idea！〃
She　averted　her　eyes　and　tried　to　edge　away　from　the　sink；　but　he　had
her　pinned　there。　Holding　her　chin；　he　forced　her　face　up。　His　voice　was
rough　as　sand。　〃You　try　my　patience；　Annie。　One　part　of　me　aches　to　pick
you　up　in　my　arms　and　carry　you　out　to　that　bed；　but　the　last　thing　I
need　right　now　is　to　bear　you　calling　for　another　man　in　the　throes　of
passion。　You"re　still　mourning　your　husband。　Your　clothes；　your　hair；
your　eyes　all　tell　me　that。　And　I　have　a　past；　too。　The　last　thing　you
need　is　to　hear　me　call　out　another　woman"s　name。〃
Anne"s　eyes　filled　with　tears。　When　she　pushed　at　him；　he　let　her　go。
She　went　to　the　window；　wrapped　her　arms　around　herself；　and　looked　out。
〃Why　do　you　lead　me　on？〃
There　was　silence；　then　a　begrudging；　〃I　can"t　seem　to　help　myself。
What"s　your　excuse？〃　When　she　didn"t　answer；　he　approached　her　and
goaded；　〃Hmm？　Are　you　that　frustrated？〃
She　spun　around　and　sent　the　flat　of　her　hand　against　his　cheek。　He
caught　it　on　the　rebound　and　had　her　arm　behind　her；　drawing　her　hard
against　him；　in　an　instant。
〃Don"t　ever　do　that　again！〃　he　muttered　and；　as　suddenly　as　he"d　seized
her；　let　her　go。　He　took　long　steps　toward　the　door　before　stopping
short。
Anne　was　stunned；　short　of　breath；　wondering　what　was　ing　next。
One　lithe　stride　brought　him　back。　To　her　astonishment　he　framed　her
face　with　his　hands；　placed　a　hard　kiss　on　her　lips；　then　walked　off
again。
〃What　was　that　for？〃　she　cried。
〃Moist　eggs　and　strong　black　coffee。〃　He　half…turned　at　the　door。　〃I
have　a　couple　of　things　to　do。　Find　something　to　keep　you　busy　for　an
hour；　then　we"ll　leave　for　the　village。〃
It　wasn"t　a　question；　and　he　didn"t　wait　for　an　answer。　That　was　what
kept　Anne　busy　while　she　unpacked　her　bags　in　the　attic　bedroom。　She
brooded。　She　agonized。　She　wondered　why　she　had　e　and　why　she　ever
wanted　his　kiss。　Mitch　whoever…he…was　was　stubborn　and　selfcentered。　He
was　the　exact　opposite　of　gentle；　caring；　generous…to…a…fault　Jeff。
But　Jeff　was　dead。
An　art　teacher　had　once　told　her　that　a　painting　was　successful　when　it
evoked　a　reaction；　be　it　positive　or　negative。　For　Anne；　the　months
since　Jeff"s　death　had　been　devoid　of　reaction；　until　Mitch。
So　where　did　she　go　from　there？　Into　bed　with　the　man　at　the　very　first
chance？
Unsettled　by　that　thought；　she　exchanged　her　city　skirt　for　a　sweater
and　jeans；　grabbed　her　heavy　parka；　and　ran　down　the　stairs。　She　needed
fresh　air　and　a　long　walk。
She　barely　got　out　the　back　door　when　she　spotted　Mitch　in　the　yard
splitting　logs　for　the　fire。　Bundled　in　a　sheepskin　jacket　with　its
collar　raised；　he　didn"t　see　her。　Time　and　again　he　raised　the　ax　and
struck；　time　and　again　splitting　each　new　log　with　a　single　sweep　of　the
blade；　and　all　with　his　right　arm。　She　wondered　how　the　left　had　been
injured。　It　was　none　of　her　business。　Still　she　wondered。
She　joined　him　in　the　yard　and　sat　quietly　on　a　pile　of　logs　while　he
finished　his　work；　then　as　quietly　helped　carry　the　wood　into　the　house
and　stack　it　by　the　fireplace。　Shortly　after　that；　they　left　for　the
village。
In　the　confines　of　the　car；