青帝小说

第7部分（第2页）

period　as　a　statement　of　fact。

He　had　no　business　doing　that；　had　no　business　using　the　word　love　so

blithely。　But　that　was　the　least　of　it。　It　seemed　that　he　had　paid　her

tab　at　the　inn　and　the　cost　of　a　new　battery　and　its　installation。

She　ran　on　down　the　beach；　struggling　to　forget　about　Ross；　to　push　him

from　mind；　to　focus　on　work。　But　he　remained；　along　with　her　wounded

pride。　She　had　stewed　all　the　way　from　Rye　to　Little　pton　that

morning。　On　arriving　home；　she　had　gotten　the　address　of　the　Hansen

Corporation　and　sent　a　check　out　in　the　mail　that　same　day；　with　a　note

that　was　much　less　personal　than　his。

〃Enclosed　is　a　check　to　cover　the　expenses　I　incurred　last　night　and

this　morning。　Chloe　Macdaniel。〃　She　hadnt　asked　him　to　take　care　of

her。　She　didnt　need　him　to　take　care　of　her。　She　didnt　want　to　feel

beholden　to　him　in　any　way；　shape；　or　form；　because　one　thing　was　clear。

She　had　picked　herself　up　after　Crystals　death　and　built　a　new　life。

She　wasnt　letting　anything　threaten　it。

With　firm　resolve　she　made　a　gentle　semicircle　and　jogged　more　slowly

back　toward　where　she　had　left　her　towel　on　the　rocks　at　the　sea　side　of

her　home。

As　she　approached；　though；　it　wasnt　the　house　that　caught　her　eye　but

the　tall　figure　that　moved　away　from　it　and　began　to　walk　to　the　beach。

She　stopped　short。

He　was　dressed　in　casual　navy　slacks　and　a　plaid　shirt　that　was

unbuttoned　at　the　neck　and　rolled　to　the　elbows。　His　dark　hair　tumbled

in　disarray　across　his　brow。　Even　from　a　distance　he　looked　threatening

in　a　divine　kind　of　way。

He　must　have　been　watching　for　her；　must　have　stood　by　the　living　room

window　until　she　had　e　into　sight。　If　Lee　hadnt　been　there　to　answer

the　door；　he　might　have　left。　Now　she　was　caught…and　annoyed。

Tipping　up　a　defiant　chin；　she　began　walking。　Ross　made　no　move　to　meet

her　halfway；　just　watched　and　waited；　but　his　stance　suggested　an

annoyance　of　his　own；　along　with　a　touch　of　the　imperious。　Despite　his

casual　clothes；　he　looked　formal。

She　came　to　a　halt　before　him；　nodded；　and　offered　a　polite　〃Ross〃　in

greeting；　before　shifting　beyond　him　to　retrieve　her　towel。

〃What　in　the　hell　did　you　do　it　for；　Chloe？〃　He　was　annoyed；　all　right。

〃Do　what？〃　She　straightened　slowly。