第8部分(第4/7 頁)

not　having　to　look　at　him。　〃I　even　tried　to　go　to　bed　with　one　of

them。〃

She　recalled　the　horror　of　the　moment。　〃He　decided　I　was　frigid。〃

A　deep　laugh　broke　from　Ross's　throat；　a　laugh　that　was　strangely

hoarse。　〃That's　ridiculous；〃　he　crooned　into　the　warmth　of　her　hair；　but

when　he　tipped　her　face　up　he　felt　her　stiffen。　〃Oh；　no；　you　don't。〃　His

mouth　found　hers。

She　fought　him　then。　Struggling　to　free　herself　from　the　band　of　his

arms；　she　pushed　against　his　chest；　all　the　while　trying　to　evade　his

lips；　but　he　was　stronger　than　she　ore

he　steadied　her。　His　lips　stroked　hers；　demanding　the　kind　of　response

that　he　alone　knew　she　had　in　her。

When　her　physical　strength　waned；　Chloe　tried　passivity。　The　last　thing

she　wanted　was　a　repeat　of　the　night　in　New　Hampshire　or；　worse；　that

fateful　night　back　in　New　Orleans。　She　had　no　right；　she　told　herself；

no　right！

〃e　on；　Chloe；〃　Ross　growled　against　her　lips。　〃Ease　up。〃

〃Don't…〃

She　shouldn't　have　said　anything。　The　tiny　parting　of　her　lips　gave　him

the　opening　he　needed；　and　then　she　didn't　have　a　chance。　His　tongue

invaded　her　mouth；　spreading　its　sweetness　deep。　She　told　herself　that

it　was　physical；　that　she　could　resist　if　she　wanted　to　enough；　but　her

body　betrayed　her。　It　swayed　toward　him；　weak　with　wanting。

From　an　odd　defense　mechanism；　her　mind　went　blank。　It　was　as　though　the

battle　between　guilt　and　desire　created　a　mental　void。　In　that　void

there　was　nothing　but　Ross　and　his　body；　the　lips　that　caressed　her；

arms　that　held　her　gently；　legs　that　supported　her。　Out　of　that　void

came　her　response；　slowly；　surely；　and　Ross　ha