第12部分(第6/7 頁)

　the　back　of　her　shirt。

〃The　better　to　see　the　town；〃　he　murmured　wickedly。　He　had　to　know　that

her　neck　tingled　from　the　touch　of　those　fingers；　her　ear　from　the　brush

of　his　breath；　so　much　so　that　she　was　oblivious　to　much　of　their

surroundings。　When　at　last　they　reached　the　wharf；　with　its　graceful

fleet　of　pleasure　craft；　she　was　almost　sorry。　The　intimacy　had　been

nice。　She　was　strangely　torn。

Not　so　Ross。　〃Ah！　There's　a　place　that　looks　like　it'll　fit　the　bill。

Can　we　eat　there？〃

The　ultimate　humiliation　had　to　be　being　bested　by　a　restaurant。

Apparently　the　way　to　a　man's　heart　was　through　his　stomach　after　all。

But　then；　Chloe　wanted　no　part　of　Ross's　heart。　The　restaurant　could

have　him。

She　smiled；　pleased　to　have　so　neatly　talked　herself　sane。　〃If　you're

really　hungry；　this　is　the　place　to　be。〃

Ross　was　really　hungry。　He　was　game　to　sample　most　anything　and

everything；　from　clam　fritters　to　little　necks　on　the　half　shell　to

swordfish　puffs；　a　specially　of　the　house。

Chloe　savored　his　enthusiasm；　taking　pride　in　pointing　out　the　small

groups　of　local　fishermen　on　the　pier　arduously　scraping　barnacles　off

tall…stacked　lobster　traps。　The　bright　yellow　of　their　rubber　overalls

was　a　bit　of　sunshine　stolen　from　the　sky；　adding　a　spark　to　the

otherwise　sleepy　air　of　the　harbor。　It　was；　all　in　all；　a　peaceful

lunch；　filled　with　good　food；　thirst…quenching　beer；　and　conversation

that　stuck　to　the　more　general；　less　personal　topic　of　travels；　foreign

ports；　and　favorite　hideaways。

〃The　ocean　is　beautiful；〃　Ross　admitted　at　one　point；　〃but　I　still

prefer　the　mountains。　There's　nothi