第15部分(第5/7 頁)

d　for　machismo。〃

Chloe　laughed　at　the　idea　of　an　eight…year…old　Ross　striving　for

machismo。　He　certainly　didn't　need　to　strive　now。

〃You　have　three　brothers；　don't　you？〃　Ross　picked　the　perfect　time　to

turn　the　conversation。　She　was　in　a　more　relaxed；　more　open　mood　than

earlier。　It　didn't　occur　to　her　not　to　answer。

〃Uh…huh。　Allan；　Chris；　and　Tim。　They've　gone　into　Daddy's　business。〃

She　frowned。　〃I　haven't　seen　them　in　a　while。〃

〃Will　you　be　going　down　for　Thanksgiving　next　month？〃

November　was　the　last　time　of　year　she　ever　went　to　visit。　〃No。　I　think

Tim　will　be　in　New　York　then。　I　may　meet　him　there。　I'm　not　sure。　I

haven't　heard　from　him　in　a　while。〃

〃Do　you　call　them？〃

This　time；　she　did　smell　the　trap。　〃Oh；　no；　you　don't；　Ross　Stephenson。

I'm　not　so　tipsy　that　I　can't　see　what　you're　doing。　It　won't　work。〃

〃You　won't　tell　me　about　you？〃　he　asked　with　such　honest　disappointment

that　she　almost　gave　in。　Almost；　but　not　quite。　There　was　too　much　she

didn't　want　to　face　tonight。　This　was　a　night　for　the　present。　She　shook

her　head　in　silent　insistence。

〃Then　sit　closer。〃　Before　she　could　protest　he　had　shifted　so　that　she

leaned　against　him　as　he　leaned　against　the　sofa。　〃There。〃　His　voice　was

pleasantly　husky。　〃fortable？〃

〃Ummm。〃　She　was　extremely　so。　In　fact；　she　couldn't　think　of　a　place

where　she　would　have　been　more　fortable。　Ross's　chest　was　broad　under

her　cheek；　his　arms　were　gentle　around　her；　his　heartbeat　a　pacifying

tattoo　through　her。

Time　became　an　expendable　entity；　there　was　no　need　to　move。　They　sat

quietly　in　one　another's　arms；　lulled　by　the　music　that　continued