第8部分(第7/7 頁)

eon

gas？〃

〃Chlo　。。。　eee。〃

Before　Ross　could　respond；　a　call　of　concern　came　from　far　down　the

beach。

〃It's　Lee；〃　Chloe　explained　as　her　partner　loped　toward　where　she　and

Ross　sat。　Ross　made　no　move　to　hold　her　back　when　she　slid　from　his　grip

and　jumped　to　her　feet。

The　timing　couldn't　have　been　better。　With　those　legs　framing　hers　and

the　strength　of　that　body　a　serious　temptation；　her　diversion　into

envitonmental　quandaries　would　have　been　temporary　at　best。　Lee's

appearance　was　a　godsend。

Aware　that　Ross　had　risen　beside　her；　Chloe　kept　her　eyes　on　the

approaching　figure。　〃You　met　Lee　at　the　house；　didn't　you？〃　she　asked。

〃No；〃　he　said　with　something　of　a　grunt。　〃Another　character　let　me　in

and　directed　me　to　you。　Is　this　some　kind　of　mune　you　live　in？〃

Lee's　booming　call　spared　Chloe　from　having　to　answer。　〃Is　everything

all　right；　Chloe？〃　He　covered　the　last　of　the　distance　at　a　more

cautious　walk；　making　no　effort　to　disguise　his　wariness　of　an　equally

wary　Ross。　〃It's　getting　dark。　I　was　beginning　to　worry。〃

Chloe　absently　clutched　her　left　wrist；　a　habit　dating　back　to　the　days

when　she　wore　a　watch。　Her　fingers　easily　circled　the　bone。　〃Oh；　my。　I'm

sorry。　I　lost　track　of　the　time。　We　were　going　to…〃　Suddenly　aware　that

the　two　men　were　staring　at　each　other；　she　interrupted　the　thought　and

said；　〃Lee；　this　is　Ross　Stephenson。　We　knew　each　other　a　long　time　ago。

R