669小说网

第37部分（第5页）

reverent　caress　of　a　hand。　Smiling；　she　kissed　the　matted　hair　on　his

chest；　then　tipped　her　head　to　see　him。　His　chin　was　strong　but　relaxed；

the　angled　jaw　likewise。　His　hair　fell　in　waves　over　his　forehead；

lending　a　boyish　charm。　But　his　eyes…his　eyes　held　hers；　speaking　of

love。

〃How　are　you？〃　he　asked　gently。

She　traced　the　line　of　his　jaw。　〃Ive　never　been　better。〃

〃I　love　you。　You　know　that　now；　dont　you？〃

She　nodded。　He　could　never　have　made　love　to　her　the　way　he　had　if　it

hadnt　e　from　the　heart。　But　he　repeated　the　words　as　the　night

passed；　reassuring　her　again　and　again；　and　Anne　had　never　known　such　a

night。　She　would　collapse；　breathless；　weary　of　limb　and　shuddering　in

the　aftermath　of　passion；　only　to　discover　before　long　that　Mitch　had　a

new　way　to　say　it。

The　sun　was　high　in　the　late…morning　sky　when　they　finally　awoke。　They

lay　in　bed；　face　to　face；　studying；　marveling；　smiling。

〃How　am　I　going　to　drive　back　to　New　York　today？〃　she　finally　asked。

Forget　her　heart。　Her　body　was　done　in。

〃Youre　not。　When　I　go　to　make　my　phone　call　later　today；　Ill　make　any

you　need　to　make。　Im　sure　the　OGradys　wont　mind。〃

〃The　OGradys？〃

〃Our　neighbors；　about　two　miles　to　the　east。　I　found　them　by　accident

once；　but　theyre　used　to　me　now。　I　always　call　Rachel　from　there。〃

Anne　smiled。　〃Rachel。　Youre　daughter。　Thats　so　special；　Mitch。　Im

glad　you　keep　in　touch　with　her　while　youre　away。　I　feel　guilty　that

you　left　her　at　all　to　meet　me；　especially　when　she　was　sick。〃

〃She　was　better　by　the　time　I　left。　But　dont　worry　your　pretty　head

about　that。　What　you　need　to　worry　about　is　whether　Ill　let　you　out　of

this　bed　before　Monday。〃

She　feigned　shock。　〃You　wouldnt　keep　me　here　that　long。〃

〃No？〃

She　took　another　tack。　〃You　couldnt。〃

〃No？〃　His　eyes　held　a　naughty　gleam。　Then　he　slid　over　her　and　proved

her　wrong。

Saturday　night　they　had　cause　to　celebrate；　toasting　each　other　by　first

and　last　names；　making　merry　despite　the　fact　that　they　had　both　decided

to　leave　the　next　day。　Mitch　had　a　Monday　morning　board　meeting；　Anne

needed　to　deliver　a　promised　piece　of　work。　The　real　world　waited。

She　dreaded　the　moment　of　parting。　What　they　had　was　so　new；　so　fragile；

so　precious　that　she　would　h