第23部分(第6/7 頁)

　her　tongue。　〃You　shouldn't　be　here。　Get　out！〃

A　coarse　laugh　filtered　through　the　sounds　of　the　storm。　〃Ah；　having

second　thoughts；　are　you？　Reneging　on　your　little　deal　so　fast？〃

Anne　slid　backward　on　the　floor。　〃I　think　there's　been　a

misunderstanding。〃

〃Right　in　one！　I　don't　know　who　you　are；　but　I　don't　want　you　or　any

other　woman　up　here。　So〃…he　lowered　his　voice　but　failed　to　relax　his

jaw…〃I'd　suggest　you　pick　up　your　little　carcass　and　get　out。〃

Anne　was　incredulous。　〃I　will　not。〃　Her　eyes　didn't　leave　his　for　a

second；　though　she　inched　farther　away。

Suddenly　he　was　crouched　before　her；　steel…muscled　shins　imprisoning

hers　and　making　movement　impossible。　〃What　did　you　say？〃

Willing　a　strength　she　didn't　feel；　Anne　held　his　gaze。　〃I　said　that　I

wouldn't　leave。　I'm　here　for　the　week。　If　anyone　is　leaving；　it's　you。

Now！〃

She　practically　shrieked　the　last。　Between　frustration　and　fear；　she　was

losing　posure。

But　her　order　had　the　opposite　effect。　The　man　moved　forward；　resting

his　weight　on　his　right　hand；　on　the　hard　floor　inches　from　her　hip。　〃So

this　is　a　new　kind　of　game；〃　he　taunted。

〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about；〃　she　said；　but　her　voice　fell

to　a　whisper　when　his　face　came　closer。　〃This　is　no　game。〃

Lit　by　the　pale　orange　cast　of　the　fire；　his　lips　were　firm　and　grinning

wryly。　His　eyes　narrowed　again；　homing　in　now　on　her　mouth；　which

quivered。　She　couldn't　move。　Terror　rose　up　from　the　pit　of　her　stomach。

〃No　game？〃　he　echoed　as　she　struggled　to　pull　herself　free　of　his

leghold。　With　the　grace　of　an　athlete　and　the　power　of　a　lion；　he

stretched　fully　over　her