rekindled(英文版)-第6章

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His　presence　didn't　upset　her　now　as　much　as　it　had　earlier。　She　had
gotten　over　the　shock；　she　guessed。　Still；　she　felt　vaguely　shy　when
they　were　actually　ready　to　eat。

〃Uh；　is　there　anything　else　you　want？〃　She　skimmed　the　simple　place
settings；　the　two　large　bowls　filled　with　stew。　〃A　drink？〃

He　made　no　move　to　help　himself　For　old　times'　sake；　so　the　liberated
woman　told　herself；　she　indulged　him。

〃Milk　would　be　fine。〃

He　waited　while　she　searched　for　glasses　and　filled　two。　She　sat　down
opposite　him。　Once　several　mouthfuls　of　the　thick　stew　had　warmed　her
stomach；　she　put　her　spoon　down。　Something　stuck　in　her　craw。

〃I'm　not　unhappy；〃　she　stated；　so　softly　and　apparently　unexpectedly
that　Ross　looked　perplexed。　〃You　thought　I　looked　unhappy。　I'm　not。〃

He　went　back　to　eating；　but　slowly；　thoughtfully。　〃No；　I　suppose　you're
not；　not　right　now；〃　he　finally　said。　〃But　earlier；　there　was　a　look　in
your　eyes。　It　es　and　goes。　There　it　is　again。〃

The　sound　of　his　voice　had　been　enough　to　spark　memories。　With　a　barely
perceptible　shake　of　her　head；　she　chased　them　off　again。　〃I　do　love
what　I'm　doing；〃　she　said。

〃Tell　me　about　it。　How　did　you　get　started？〃

〃You　heard　the　bare　outline　tonight。〃

〃The　bare　outline。　Now　I'd　like　to　hear　more。〃　His　pause　was　pregnant
with　unspoken　thoughts。　〃Why　geology？〃

She　shrugged。　〃Why　not？〃

He　didn't　pull　any　punches。　〃Because　it's　one　of　the　last　fields　that
someone　raised　in　the　style　of　conspicuous　consumption　would　choose。〃

〃Maybe　that's　why　I　chose　it。〃

〃Ah。〃　He　smiled。　〃You　were　rebelling。〃

〃Not　entirely…〃

〃Escaping？〃

She　looked　away。　〃You're　perceptive。　But　only　half　right。〃

〃Go　on。〃

Chloe　tucked　a　long　strand　of　dark　hair　behind　her　ear。　〃It　was　actually
a　simultaneous　discovery@scape　and　excitement。　At　that　period　of　my
life；　I　needed　something　that　was　a　total　change　from　everything　I'd
known　before。　I　spent　some　time　in　Newport　with　friends　and　fell　in　love
with　the　ocean　there。〃

〃You　found　solace？〃　he　asked　gently。

She　admitted　it　with　a　small　tilt　of　her　head。　〃I　spent　a　lot　of　time　on
the　beach　and　happened　to　befriend　an　old　man　who　felt　very　strongly
about　environmental　considerations。　He　affected　me　deeply。〃　The　memory
of　Hector　Wallaby　brought　a　sad　smile　to　her　lips。

〃He's　dead？〃

〃Yes。　I　miss　him。　He　never　knew　it；　but　in　spirit　at　least；　he　was　the
founding　father　of　ESE；　Inc。〃

〃Were　you　in　college　during　the　time　you　knew　him？〃

Chloe　sat　straighter。　〃Uh；　no。　I　。。。　my　freshman　year　was　postponed。〃

〃So　you　started　college　late　and　have　still　done　all　this？〃

The　pliment　gave　her　a　boost。　She　smiled。　〃Once　I　decided　to　go　into
geology　I　was　in　a　rush。〃

Ross　smiled　back。　Firm　lips　framed　the　whitest　of　teeth；　mesmerizing　her
for　the　split　second　until　he　said；　〃You　worked　for　Conam　Petroleum？〃

〃Yes。　Do　you　know　the　pany？〃

He　shook　his　head。　〃Only　by　reputation。〃　He　looked　at　her　sideways；
skeptical　now。　〃I'd　have　thought　that　if　environmental　concerns　were
your　focus；　the　oil　panies　would　be　your　archenemies。〃

She　blushed。　He　made　nothing　easy；　that　was　for　sure。　But　if　he　wanted
to　be　honest；　she　could　be　honest　right　back。　〃I　needed　the　money；〃　she
said　and　braced　herself　for　the　response　that　was　sure　to　e。

And　she　wasn't　let　down。　Ross's　eyes　widened；　then　narrowed。　〃You　needed
the　money？〃　He　frowned。　〃Did　I　miss　something　here？　I　was　given　to　think
James　Macdaniel　was…is…mne　of　the　wealthiest　men　in　New　Orleans。〃

〃He　is。〃

〃Then；　why　。。。　？〃

〃Among　other　things；〃　she　began　in　self…defense；　〃it　was　a　matter　of
pride。　I　wanted　to　start　my　own　consulting　firm　and　didn't　want　to　ask
my　father　for　money。〃　Ross　should　know　how　much　she　had　changed。　He
should　know　that　she　was　her　own　woman　now。

But　his　take　on　the　situation　was　different　from　hers。　〃So　you　sold　out
to　the　powers　that　be　for　the　amount　of　time　it　took　you　to　gather　the
resources　to　mount　a　systematic　campaign　against　those　same　powers？〃

Chloe　reacted　quickly　and　vehemently。　〃That's　not　true。　Not　true　at　all。
The　work　I　did　for　the　oil　panies　involved　identifying　the　most
likely　spots　for　oil　deposits。　Wherever　possible；　environmental
considerations　were　put　first。　And　you're　a　fine　one　to　talk　about
selling　out。　I　had　the　impression；　when　I　saw　you　last；　that　you　were
against　everything　the　establishment　had　to　offer。〃

Ross　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　〃You　drew　your　own　conclusions；　Chloe。
Appearances　can　be　misleading。〃　His　tone　was　low；　his　voice　and　eyes
steady。

Chloe　was　stunned。　She　stood　up　and　cried；　〃It　was　all　a　charade；　then？

The　clothes；　the　beard；　even　the　Peace　Corps？〃　She　turned　away；
disillusioned　and　heartsick。　Head　bowed；　she　grappled　with　the　idea　of
an　attraction　based　on　a　lie。

Ross　materialized　before　her。　〃Did　it　matter　so　much？〃　he　asked　softly。

When　she　neither　answered　nor　looked　up；　he　put　a　finger　under　her　chin
and　forced　it　up。　Her　eyes　were　dry；　but　she　knew　they　held　pain。　She
couldn't　hide　that；　couldn't　even　try。

〃Did　it？〃　he　asked。

Chloe　felt　a　well　of　emotion；　emotion　that　had　lain　dormant　for　years。
Ross　was　so　close　that　the　warmth　of　his　body　was　an　intoxicant。　She
used　the　power　of　that　to　speak。　〃Yes。　It　mattered　more　than　you　can
imagine。〃

〃But　why？　The　physical　attraction　between　us　had　nothing　to　do　with
outer　trappings。　As　I　recall；　we　shed　our　clothes　pretty　fast。〃　Chloe
tried　to　pull　away；　he　held　her　chin。　〃Don't　run　from　it。　There　was
something　between　us　that　you　can't　deny。　Are　you　telling　me　you　made
love　to　an　image？〃　His　tone　was　suddenly　cooler。　〃Was　it　an　experiment
for　you？　Was　I　a　tool　in　your　rebellion？〃　His　fingers　tightened　on　her
jaw。　Reflexively；　she　held　his　wrist。

〃No。　That　wasn't　it　at　all。〃　She　was　hurt　that　he　would　suggest　it。　〃All
you　seem　to　think　about　is　the　physical　act。　Yes；　there　was　a　physical
attraction。　With　and　without　clothes。　But　for　me；　at　least；　there　was
more　involved。　There　had　to　be。〃　Her　voice　rose。　〃I　was　a　virgin；　for
God's　sake。〃

Ross　must　have　felt　her　hurt；　because　he　relaxed　his　grip。　He　moved　his
fingers　back　to　her　ear；　pushing　them　through　the　long　strands　of　her
hair　with　infinite　gentleness。

〃I　know　that；〃　he　whispered。　His　eyes　held　the　same　tenderness　they　had
on　that　night；　when　he　had　first　introduced　her　to　the　art　of　love。
Then；　the　world　had　been　hers　on　a　string。　It　certainly　wasn't　now；
still　her　heart　pounded　in　her　chest　the　very　same　way。　Now；　as　then；
she　was　being　held　by　the　most　appealing　man　she　had　ever　known。　He　was
a　leader；　a　freethinker。　He　was　boldly　gentle；　gently　bold。　He　had
confidence　without　arrogance；　success　without　acclaim。　He　was　a　man　who
didn't　mince　words。　She　felt　an　instinctive　respect　for　him。

Much　of　this　same　appeal　had　beckoned　to　her　on　that　night。　Other
details　might　be　forgotten；　but　not　Ross　and　the　force　that　bound　them。
It　was　an　unfathomable　force；　but　frightfully　powerful。　Eleven　years
ago；　it　had　driven　the　fact　of　her　innocence　from　her　mind。　Now　it
obliterated　all　remembrance　of　what　had　happened　so　soon　after　that
night　to　irrevocably　change　Chloe's　life　and