第25部分(第2/7 頁)

s　is　my

vacation；　or　didn't　you　hear　that　last　night？〃　Only　a　deaf　man　could

have　missed　a　word　now。　Goaded　by　his　indignant　stare；　she　ranted　on。

〃This　noise　was　enough　to　wake　the　dead。　Not　that　I　needed　anything　as

loud　as　that　to　disturb　me。　Your　twisting　around　up　over　my　head　all

night　was　bad　enough！　Just　because　you　have　insomnia　doesn't　mean　that　I

have　to　have　it！〃

His　stare　was　chilling。　〃You　wake　up　in　a　lovely　mood；　don't　you？　Very

different　from　my　usual　women。〃　He　looked　her　over；　head　to　toe。　〃That's

quite　an　outfit；　also　different　from　my　usual　women。〃

Naturally；　Anne　had　left　her　robe　hanging　in　the　closet。　Whirling　on　her

heel；　hair　flying　out　behind；　she　returned　to　her　room；　put　on　the　robe；

then；　with　a　wave　of　weariness；　sank　down　onto　the　edge　of　the　bed；

elbows　on　knees；　face　buried　in　her　palms。　Inhaling　deeply；　she　tried　to

still　the　throbbing　at　her　temples。　His　women。　His　women；　indeed。　She

wasn't　his　or　anyone　else's。

The　sorrow　of　that　thought　deflated　her。　If　Jeff　could　only　see　her　now！

Ashamed；　she　gathered　up　a　towel　and　soap　in　the　hope　that　a　long；　hot

shower　would　ease　her　tension　and　improve　her　mood；　and　for　a　short　time

it　did。　The　water　pressure　was　strong；　sending　steamy　trails　over　the

taut　muscles　of　her　neck　and　back。　Rich…lathering　shampoo　left　her　hair

squeaky　clean　and　shiny；　hanging　in　damp　clusters　about　her　shoulders

when　she　finally　emerged；　toweled　herself　vigorously；　and　returned　to

her　room。

Half　an　hour　later；　wearing　a　navy　sweater；　jeans；　and　sneakers；　she

headed　for　the　kitchen　to　make　coffee。　It　was　already　hot　on　the　stove。

To　her