青帝小说

第19部分（第1页）

She　frowned。　〃Howard　called　you？〃

〃Ross　called　me。　I　think　his　offer　is　good。〃

〃Offer？　Ross？　What　are　you　talking　about？〃

It　was　Lees　turn　to　frown。　〃Im　talking　about　the　phone　call　I　received

from　Ross　Stephenson　no　more　than　a　half　hour　ago。　He　wants　to　retain

our　services。　What　are　you　talking　about？〃

A　furious　Chloe　leaned　on　Lees　desk。　〃I　already　refused　him！　Im

talking　about　the　phone　call　from　Howard　Wolschinski　saying　that　Ross　is

ready　to　revise　the　Rye　Beach　proposal。〃

〃Thats　great！〃

〃Its　not！　He　wants　me　to　work　with　him　and　thats　the　last　thing　I　want

to　do！〃

Lee　was　suddenly　very　gentle　and　very　serious。　He　pointed　her　into　a

chair　and　rounded　the　desk　to　make　sure　that　she　sat。　Perching　nearby；

he　said；　〃Okay；　pretty　lady。　Tell　me　about　it。〃

She　felt　utterly　helpless。　〃Ross　is　willing　to　make　the　changes；　but　he

refuses　to　go　by　my　report。　He　wants　me　to　work　with　his　people；　in

person；　in　New　York。〃

〃gather；〃　he　said；　stroking　his　beard；　〃that　you　arent　bothered　by　New

York；　per　se。〃

〃You　gather　correctly。〃

〃Chloe；　whats　wrong？〃　he　asked　softly。　〃The　man　seems　intelligent　and

honest。　You　shouldnt　have　any　problem。　You　can　be　in　and　out　of　the

city　in　no　time。〃　At　wits　end；　she　said；　〃He　thinks　hes　in　love　with

me；　thats　the　problem。　If　it　were　only　a　matter　of　business；　I　wouldnt

worry。　But　Ross　says　he　wants　to　marry　me。〃

〃So　whats　the　problem？〃

〃cant　marry　him。〃　She　pleaded　for　his　understanding。　〃And　Im　not　sure

I　can　take　his　constant　pressure。〃

〃Are　you　afraid　you　might　give　in？〃　He　erased　the　question　with　a　wave。

〃Backtrack。　Why　cant　you　marry　him？　Youre　free。〃

〃Not　quite。〃

〃Youre　not　making　sense；　pretty　lady。　From　what　I　can　see；　theres

nothing　in　the　world　to　keep　you　from　marrying　Ross。〃

〃What　if　I　dont　love　him？〃　she　blurted　out。

〃If　you　dont　love　him；　then　youre　right　to　hold　out。　And　if　you　dont

love　him；　youll　have　no　trouble　putting　him　off。　Hell　get　tired　after

a　while。〃　Lee　was　watching　her　face　very；　very　closely。　〃Thats　not　the

real　problem；　is　it？　You　do　love　him。〃

She　blew　out　a　breath；　turning　it　into　a　sigh；　and　looked　at　the