第34部分(第4/7 頁)

d　me；　his　face　shifting

from　hopelessness　to　blazing

intensity　in　a　second。　He　stared　fiercely　into　my　eyes；　and　his　voice　was　fast

and　eager。　He　spoke　the

words　right　into　my　face；　his　breath　was　as　hot　as　his　skin。

〃I　think　I　see　a　way　to　make　this　work　out—because　you　know　this；　Bella！　I

can't　tell　you；　but　if　you

guessed　it！　That　would　let　me　right　off　the　hook！〃

〃You　want　me　to　guess？　Guess　what？〃

〃My　secret！　You　can　do　it—you　know　the　answer！〃

I　blinked　twice；　trying　to　clear　my　head。　I　was　so　tired。　Nothing　he　said　made

sense。

He　took　in　my　blank　expression；　and　then　his　face　tensed　with　effort　again。

〃Hole　on；　let　me　see　if　I　give

you　some　help；〃　he　said。　Whatever　he　was　trying　to　do；　it　was　so　hard　he　was

panting。

〃Help？〃　I　asked；　trying　to　keep　up。　My　lids　wanted　to　slip　closed；　but　I

forced　them　open。

〃Yeah；〃　he　said；　breathing　hard。　〃Like　clues。〃

He　took　my　face　in　his　enormous；　too…warm　hands　and　held　it　just　a　few　inches

from　his。　He　stared　into

my　eyes　while　he　whispered；　as　if　to　municate　something　besides　the　words

he　spoke。

〃Remember　the　first　day　we　met—on　the　beach　in　La　Push？〃

〃Of　course　I　do。〃

〃Tell　me　about　it。〃

I　took　a　deep　breath　and　tried　to　concentrate。　〃You　asked　about　my　truck〃

He　nodded；　urging　me　on。

〃We　talked　about　the　Rabbit〃

〃Keep　going。〃

〃We　went　for　a　walk　down　the　beach〃　My　cheeks　were　growing　warm　under　his

palms　as　I

remembered；　but　he　wouldn't　notice；　hot　as　his　skin　was。　I'd　asked　him　to　walk

with　me；　flirting　ineptly

but　successfully；　in　order　to　pump　him　for　information。

He　was　nodding