spill cleanups； no amount of training is ever enough。 I would guess the
present phase will take another few months at least。〃
Chloe contemplated those ing few months。 Unthinkingly； she glanced
toward the door。
Lee headed that way。 〃I can take the hint； pretty lady。〃 His hand was on
the knob before she could call him back。 〃Anything else can wait。 Have
fun！〃 He left with a wink。
〃Lee！ Wait…〃
But one dark head was replaced by another。 〃At last；〃 Ross said and
closed the office door。 〃Alone at last。〃
Chloe forced herself to sit back slowly。 〃I hadn't realized you would
hang around all morning。 I hope you weren't bored。〃
〃Actually〃…he circled her desk to plant himself on the corner nearest
her…〃I went over some papers of my own。 I'm a good loser； for a
morning。〃 He cocked his head toward the door。 〃Ready to go？〃
〃Go？ Where？〃
〃Oh〃…he looked out the window in amusement…〃I thought you could show me
around town。 I'm a stranger to these parts。〃
Judging from the confidence he exuded； it was a wonder that any parts
were strange to him。 Chloe couldn't ignore the thread of excitement that
he had brought with him into the room。 Indifference； she reminded
herself。 But it was a tough order。
Standing quickly； she tried to remedy the situation。 〃I wish I could
help； but I still have…〃 A strong arm caught her waist。 Before she could
say another word； she was imprisoned between his thighs。
〃All work and no play…〃
〃Makes a successful scientist。〃
〃And a very dull woman。〃
She frowned； unwittingly taking his bait。 〃Do you think my work is
dull？〃 Her disappointment was genuine。 So was the devastatingly handsome
smile that spread across his face。 The hands that were looped loosely
behind her； now brought her closer。
〃Nothing about you is dull；〃 he said； 〃except your determination to hold
me at arms' length。〃
Arms' length was a lot farther than where she was now。 Well within the
circle of his arms； with her hands braced at the point where his jeans
met his hips； she was under his spell。
Ross lowered his head and kissed her； tasting the sweetness of her
mouth； and it struck her that she might well have been too successful at
her own game。 By denying the past； she was responding to him in the
present alone。 Her return kiss was gentle； sampling。 She played with
being free of all memory； all guilt。 Her lips opened to his。 She gave of
herself as she hadn't done in years。
〃That was nice；〃 he whispered against her mouth； then pulled away and
set her back before she could do it herself。 He trailed a long thumb
across her cheek to the lips he'd just left。 〃We'll do it again soon。〃
It was said so gently and carried such lightness that Chloe couldn't
help but smile。 A warm flush painted her cheeks a ely pink；
plementing the gray of her eyes； which held a hint of apology。 〃You
have a way of sneaking up when a girl least expects it； Ross。 What am I
going to do with you？〃
His gaze told her first； and there was something heady about it； until
he added； 〃You're going to love me one day。 That's what you're going to
do。〃
She stiffened； but he went on。 〃Right now； you're going for a ride with
me。〃
〃I have errands to do；〃 she protested。
〃Like？ 〃
〃Like marketing； for starters。 In one meal you've nearly wiped me out。〃
〃So we'll go to the market。 What else？〃
She adlibbed。 〃I need new house plants for the living room。 With winter
ing on…〃
〃Winter？ It's creeping up toward seventy again today。 How can you think
of winter？〃
〃It'll be here。 And anyway； the sooner the plants get used to the house；
the easier it will be for them to adapt to the cooler weather。〃
His gaze narrowed。 〃I bet you talk to your plants。〃
〃No。 If I did that； they might think I was flaky。 I want my plants to
respect me。〃
She doubted Ross heard her。 He was focusing on her mouth； looking
entranced。 Suddenly he slid the fingers of both hands through the hair
on either side of her face； brought his own head down； and kissed her
again。 This time there was a hunger there hadn't been before； a new
urgency。 This time Chloe was frightened。 How not to lose herself in that
hunger？
〃Ross；〃 she cried； 〃don't； please； don't。〃
He released her。 His voice remained husky； but his eyes held a promise。
〃I won't push you now。 But you will love me one day。 One day soon。〃
〃You're wrong…〃
〃Not this time； princess。〃 He paused to let his breathing steady。 〃Let's
go。 We'll stop for lunch first。 I'm starved。〃
Chloe took a steadying breath of her own。 〃After that breakfast？〃
〃That breakfast；〃 he grumbled； 〃was interrupted。 And anyway； that was
this morning。 It's nearly two。 Any more feeble excuses to try on me
before we leave？〃
Chloe looked around her office。 Its familiarity gave her strength。
Indifference。 She could do it。
〃Not a one；〃 she said； preceding Ross from the room without another
word。 It was only when they reached the front door that she felt an odd
sense of adventure。 Eyes alight； she turned back to Ross。 〃I have an
idea。 Let's take the bike。〃
〃I have a better idea；〃 he countered； pulling the neck of his turtleneck
away from his skin。 〃Let's change into cooler things。 I hadn't expected
it would get so warm。〃
Assuming that his clothes were still at Lee's house； she felt generous。
〃Okay。 You go back and change。 I'll just sit here and…hey！ What are you
doing？〃
It was pretty obvious； actually。 With a fast tug he freed his sweater
from his jeans； crisscrossed his arms； and smoothly whipped the black
turtleneck over his head and off。 Never； ever； would Chloe forget that
moment when； muscles stretched； his chest came into view。
Lightly bronzed； with a liberal hazing of hair that tapered toward his
navel； it was a solid wall of hard； glorious flesh。 Her mouth went dry。
She could only stare。
〃My bags are right here；〃 he replied； retrieving a soft leather duffel
from beside the sofa。 Long arms pulled at the duffel's zipper。 Deft
fingers exchanged the sweater for a lighter； short…sleeved jersey。 He
quickly drew it over his head。 Once more Chloe trembled as that body
stretched； flexed； then settled back down； mercifully covered again。
Ross grinned。 〃There。 Easy enough。 Do you need to change or anything？
Are you cool enough？〃
Chloe didn't think she would ever be cool enough again。 〃Uh； I'm fine。〃
She cleared her throat awkwardly； turning and escaping to the wide open
spaces without any further attempt at wit。 And she had suggested taking
the bike！ They would be better off swimming。 They might not get to any
store； but they would have a barrel of much…needed cold water between
them！
But too late。 He was at her heels as she led the way to the side shed
that housed her motorbike。
〃You drive this yourself？〃 Ross asked； eyeing the small vehicle with
something short of trust。
〃Sure；〃 she said； praying that he not hear her breathlessness and guess
its cause。 〃It's great for the fresh air； uses practically no gas； and
does much less by way of pollution than my car。〃 She paused。 〃Unless
you'd feel safer…〃
〃No。 No。 I'm game。 Don't forget…of the two of us； I'm the original
hippie。〃
Chloe drove with Ross straddling the seat behind her； and it was totally
traumatic。 He was near； so near。 His arms were locked about her waist；
his body tucked against hers。 Even the October breeze whipping by did
nothing to relieve the intimacy of the trip。 When he spoke； it was a
nibble at her ear。 A nibble？ Had he really done that@r was it a product
of her overworked imagination？
Indifference。 Uh…huh。
The road they traveled was one she covered daily。 Its sides were edged
with maples and oaks； grown ripe and mellow now； on the verge of
bursting into autumn flame。 Fields sprawled to the right； wooded
pastureland to the left。 Ahead undulated a path to Sakon Point； the
very tip of the finger of land on which Little pton sat just across
the bay from Newport。
If Ross was aware of the havoc his nearness wreaked on her； he kept his
smugness in check。 Once； in a gesture of soft intimacy； he released her
waist to gather her hair together in his hands； twist the long fall
once； and tuck it inside the back of her shirt。
〃The better to see the town；〃 he murmured wickedly。 He had to know that
her neck tingled from the touch of those fingers； her ear from the brush
of his breath； so much so that she was oblivious to much of their
surroundings。 When at last they reached the wharf； with its graceful
fleet of pleasure craft； she was almost sorry。 The intimacy had been
nice。 She was strangely torn。
Not so Ross。 〃Ah！ There's a place that looks like it'll fit the bill。
Can we eat there？〃
The ultimate humiliation had to be being bested by a restaurant。
Apparently the way to a man's heart was through his stomach after all。
But then； Chloe wanted no part of Ross's heart。 The restaurant could
have him。
She smiled； pleased to have so neatly talked herself sane。 〃If you're
really hungry； this is the place to be。〃
Ross was really hungry。 He was game to sample most anything and
everything； from clam fritters to little necks on the half shell to
swordfish puffs； a specially of the house。
Chloe savored his enthusiasm； taking pride in pointing out the small
groups of local fishermen on the pier arduously scraping barnacles off
tall…stacked lobster traps。 The bright yellow of their rubber overalls
was a bit of sunshine stolen from the sky； adding a spark to the
otherwise sleepy air of the harbor。 It was； all in all； a peaceful
lunch； filled with good food； thirst…quenching beer； and conversation
that stuck to the more general； less personal topic of travels； foreign
ports； and favorite hideaways。
〃The ocean is beautiful；〃 Ross admitted at one point； 〃but I still
prefer the mountains。 There's nothing more lovely than that feeling of
seclusion you get in a small cabin tucked into a neat cleft； with
stretches and stretches of piggybacked hills to keep the world at bay。〃
〃Then you've never been on the beach on a foggy morning；〃 Chloe returned
softly。 〃It's like being in a gentle white cocoon； with the solace of
knowing that humanity is near； yet out of sight and sound for as long as
the mist should choose。〃
〃You like New England。〃
〃do。〃
〃You'll be staying here？〃
〃I will。〃
He sighed good…naturedly。 〃Then we'd better get you to the market or you
won't make it through the week； much less the winter。〃
On that fortable note； they left the restaurant； spending leisurely
moments wandering along the breakwater before returning to the bike。
〃I'll drive this time；〃 Ross said with an arched brow and a palm out for
the keys。 Chloe was only too glad to relinquish the responsibility。
Seated fortably behind Ross； she was more in control of her emotions。
What she hadn't counted on was the broad expanse of his back； the sense
of contentment that flowed through her as the wind rushed freely through
her hair； the gentle fatigue that a night of little sleep； a morning of
busy work； and a frill stomach had induced。 Indifference had no place
here。 Without a care to the wisdom of the move； she wrapped her arms
about his middle and laid her cheek against his back。
It was heaven； pure and simple。 She didn't have a care