《rekindled(英文版)》第54章

over　bent　knees；　and　his　forehead　on　his　wrists。　〃Christ；　〃　he
whispered；　then　raised　his　head。　His　eyes　were　filled　with　amusement　and
sex。
It　was　a　minute　before　the　sex　part　faded。　Then　he　threw　back　his　head；
dragged　in　a　long　breath；　and　hauled　himself　to　his　feel。　From　a　safe
distance；　he　said；　〃About　your　hair。　You"ll　need　to　wear　something　red
or　orange　if　you"re　going　to　hike　with　me　tomorrow　morning。　It"s
deer…hunting　season。〃
They　spent　the　better　part　of　the　next　morning　in　the　woods。　It　was
cold；　but　Mitch　kept　her　moving；　leading　her　over　trails　she　had　never
explored；　through　gullies　she　had　never　seen。　A　red　wool　cap　kept　her
head　warm；　mittens　warmed　her　hands。
With　the　trees　bare　of　leaves；　vistas　were　open　as　they　hadn"t　been　in
September。　Mitch　led　her　from　hilltop　to　hilltop；　one　view　more
far…reaching　than　the　next。　The　land　was　quiet。　Forest　creatures　were
hidden　away。　The　doe　that　had　stood　on　her　hind　legs　to　chomp　on　a　crisp
apple　now　hid　from　the　hunter。　Chipmunks　and　squirrels　were　burrowed　in
their　dens。　There　was　the　rustle　of　evergreen　boughs　in　the　wind；　the
icy　gurgle　of　the　brook　as　it　charged　downstream；　the　crunch　of　their
boots　on　the　near…frozen　ground。
Anne"s　cheeks　were　as　red　as　her　cap　when　they　returned；　tired　but
exhilarated；　and　it　was　a　harbinger　of　the　days　ahead。　They　settled　into
the　fort　of　easy　panionship；　sharing　not　only　meals；　but　most
every　other　time　of　the　day。　Mitch　read　when　Anne　did；　his　eye
occasionally　catching　hers。　They　played　backgammon　in　front　of　the　fire；
and　worked　together　on　a　jigsaw　puzzle。　The　weather　held；　offering
pleasant　days　with　clear　skies；　and　an　invigorating　chill　to　the　night。
They　walked　together　and　worked　together；　Anne　on　her　translating；　Mitch
on　papers　dug　from　an　overstuffed　briefcase。　They　lived　in　the　here　and
now；　avoiding　talk　of　the　city　like　the　plague。
All　too　soon；　Anne　loaded　up　her　car　for　the　return　trip　to　New　York。
Slinging　an　arm　across　her　shoulder；　Mitch　walked　her　from　the　house　a
final　time。　The　silence　had　been　heavier　that　morning　than　at　any　other
point　in　the　week。　Anne　knew　its　cause。
〃Will　you　be　spending　Thanksgiving　with　your　family？〃　he　asked　quietly。
〃Yes。〃　She　took　in　his　handsome　features；　studying；　memorizing。　〃And
you？〃
〃The　same。〃　He　held　her　just　a　little　closer。　〃Plans　for　New　Year"s
Eve？〃
They　had　reached　the　car。　She　faced　him；　smiling　sadly。　〃Funny。　I　used
to　worry　about　New　Year"s　Eve。　Would　I　have　a　date？　Would　I　not？　Would
he　be　tall；　dark；　and　handsome？　Now　it　doesn"t　seem　to　matter。〃　She
sighed。　〃No；　I　don"t　have　a　date。　I　may　just　plant　myself　on　my　sofa
with　a　bottle　of　Chablis　and　a　book。〃
〃Why　not　do　it　here？〃　His　eyes　were　deep　green；　the　color　of　saying
something　important。
Her　pulse　raced。　〃What？〃
〃Spend　New　Year"s　Eve　here。〃
〃Will　you？〃　she　asked　without　premeditation。　He　pulled　her　close；　into
the　warmth　of　his　sheepskin　jacket。　〃Yes。〃
〃What　about　your　other　obligations？〃　Unpremeditated　also；　but　the　answer
mattered。
Mitch　was　a　minute　in　answering。　〃She　goes　to　bed　too　early　for　my
tastes；　certainly　too　early　to　make　it　to　midnight。　No；〃　he　grinned；
〃she　wouldn"t　be　much　fun　on　New　Year"s　Eve。　Besides；　she"s　not　a　fan　of
Chablis。〃
Anne　didn"t　know　what　to　say　to　that；　but　his　good　humor　was　infectious。
She　relaxed　in　his　arms　and　rested　her　hands　on　his　chest。
〃How　about　it？〃　he　coaxed　softly。　〃New　Year"s　Eve　here？〃
〃I　don"t　know；　Mitch。　This　thing　is　so　bizarre。〃
〃Are　you　afraid？〃　His　hands　drew　light　circles　on　her　back。
〃A　little。〃
〃Of　me？〃
She　was　acutely　aware　of　the　swell　of　his　broad　chest　beneath　her　palms。
〃No。〃　She　eyed　the　ribbed　pattern　of　his　sweater；　and　whispered；　〃Of
me。〃
〃You　have　nothing　to　fear；　Annie；〃　he　assured　her　gently。　He　took　her
chin　with　his　fingers　and　tipped　up　her　face。　It　was　the　closest
physically　that　they"d　been　since　that　first　day。　〃I　know　what　my　own
needs　are　right　now；　and　they　don"t　include　making　things　harder　for
you。　By　helping　you　through　New　Year"s；　I　may　just　help　myself；　so
there"s　a　selfish　motive　involved。〃
She　nearly　drowned　in　the　deep；　deep　green　of　his　eyes。
〃So；　what　do　you　say？〃　he　asked。
〃I　say　this　is　starting　to　sound　like　a　Neil　Simon　script。〃　She　wanted
reassurance　that　meeting　again　was　right。　She　wanted　him　to　say；　There"s
reason　why　that　script　made　millions　for　the　guy；　it"s　a　damned　good
plot；　it　makes　a　whole　lot　of　sense。
But　Mitch　only　shrugged。　Dropping　his　arms；　he　moved　back。　〃It"s　your
choice。　I"ll　be　here　anyway。〃
She　hated　the　sudden　sound　of　indifference；　but　it　made　it　easier　to
leave。　When　he　opened　the　door；　she　slipped　behind　the　wheel。
〃Drive　carefully；〃　he　said。
〃I　will。〃　Backing　the　car　around；　she　straightened　the　wheel。　She　gave
Mitch　a　last；　longing　glance　before　putting　a　foot　on　the　gas。　The　car
had　barely　moved　forward　when　his　voice　echoed　in　the　winter　wood。
〃Hey；　wait！〃
She　braked。　His　long…legged　gait　quickly　brought　him　alongside　the　car。
His　breath　misted　the　air　when　he　leaned　into　the　window。
〃Don"t　forget　to　pack　a　dress。　We"ll　be　going　out。〃　He　grinned　and
popped　a　featherlight　kiss　on　the　tip　of　her　nose。　〃Now；　go；　before　the
snow　gets　here。〃
She　went。
Thanksgiving　wasn"t　nearly　as　bad　as　Anne　had　expected。　She　spent　it　at
her　parents"　house　with　their　usual　crowd；　and；　yes；　she　missed　Jeff。
But　there　were　interesting　people　to　talk　with；　and　chaos　enough　to
pretend　that　Jeff　might　just　be　off　in　another　room。　Her　major
disfort　proved　to　be　a　stomachache　from　eating　more　heavily　than　she
had　in　a　year；　but　an　antacid　and　a　long　walk　with　her　father　eased　that
pain。
Work　kept　her　busy；　as　did；　to　her　dismay；　unfinished　business　relating
to　the　plane　crash。　The　FAA　had　finally　e　through　with　its　findings；
and　Anne"s　lawyer　had　filed　suit　against　the　airline…a　small；　privately
owned　one…for　the　inadequate　upkeep　and　safety…check　procedure　of　its
craft。
Anne　had　always　known　that　the　suit　was　a　possibility；　but　her　appetite
for　it　had　waned。　Not　so　Jeff"s　parents"　appetite。　They　kept　the　lawyer
on　the　case　even　af