rekindled(英文版)-第49章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


and　lips　were　rosy　with　heat。

She　opened　her　eyes　wide。　〃That　was　a　nice　hello。〃

To　her　delight；　he　wasn't　done。　When　he　reached　for　her　again；　she　went
willingly。　Her　hands　slipped　around　his　waist；　fingers　burrowing　under
his　sweater　to　brush　his　skin。　She　was　barely　aware　that　he　had　pushed
off　the　slim　straps　of　her　nightgown；　until　he　drew　back　to　release　her
arms　and　let　the　silky　fabric　fall　to　her　waist。

His　gaze　caressed　her　breasts；　which　tingled　and　swelled。　〃How　lovely
you　are；　Annie；〃　he　said　hoarsely。

〃You've　seen　me　before。〃　She　felt　vaguely　self…conscious。

But　his　eyes　were　deep　green　with　passion。　〃Then；　you　were　sick　with　a
fever　and　a　hacking　cough。　The　beauty　was　there；　but　I　hardly　had　time
to　admire　it。　Now's　different。　You　are　lovely。　I'll　say　it　again　and
again；　every　time　I　hold　you；　every　time　we　make　love。〃

Her　insides　quivered；　all　the　more　so　when　he　stroked　her　breast。　When
his　fingers　rubbed　her　nipple；　she　grabbed　at　his　shoulders　for　support。
〃You're　cruel。〃

She　felt　a　grin　by　her　ear。　〃You　bring　out　the　worst　in　me；〃　he　said　and
kept　up　the　torment。

The　flames　in　Anne　burned　hotter；　threatening　to　reduce　her　to　embers。
Small；　unfamiliar　sounds　came　from　her　throat　when　he　eased　her　down　on
the　bed　and　took　her　breast　in　his　mouth。　He　sucked　it　in；　bringing　her
arching　off　the　bed。　Clutching　handfuls　of　his　sweater；　she　was　thinking
she　couldn't　bear　any　more；　when　he　released　her　and　whipped　the　sweater
over　his　head。　Her　hands　were　all　over　him；　then。　She　couldn't　touch　him
enough。

He　ground　out　her　name　through　gritted　teeth　and　crushed　her　to　him　to
stop　her。　She　gasped　at　the　press　of　his　chest　against　hers；　the　texture
against　her　softness；　the　rapid　thunder　of　his　heart。

〃I　need　you；〃　she　cried；　looking　up　at　him。　This　wasn't　enough；　just
wasn't　enough。　〃Please？〃

〃Do　you　know　what　you're　doing？〃　he　asked　huskily；　and　sucked　in　his
breath　when　she　pulled　at　the　snap　of　his　jeans。　Seconds　later　her
fingers　were　inside；　against　his　abdomen。　〃My　God；　Annie！〃　For　long
seconds　of　indecision　he　stared　down　at　her；　and　she　was　an　open　book；
she　knew。　But　she　wasn't　ashamed。　She　might　not　be　ready　to　say　the
words　aloud；　but　the　depth　of　her　love；　her　longing；　brought　tears　to
her　eyes。

Then　something　went　wrong。　Suddenly　his　eyes　grew　hard。

〃Damn　it！〃　he　swore　and　released　her　abruptly。　Bolting　from　the　bed；　he
strode　to　the　window；　where　he　stood　with　his　hands　on　his　hips；　his
legs　apart；　his　head　hung　low；　his　shoulders　heaving。　Then；　swearing
again；　he　stalked　past　her　and　left　the　room。

Anne　sat　in　stunned　silence；　unable　to　move；　to　think；　to　feel。　Finally
the　chill　in　the　air　drove　her　under　the　quilt；　but　even　then　the
trembling　hit　her　hard。　There　was　only　one　explanation　for　Mitch's
behavior；　and　it　had　to　do　with　the　〃obligation〃　to　which　he　had　once
referred。　He　wasn't　free。

So　again　she　wondered；　Do　I　leave；　or　do　I　stay？　And　again　she　reached
the　same　decision。　Self…destructive　or　not；　she　was　staying。　She　had　to
be　near　Mitch。

But　she　wasn't　being　humiliated　again。　She　wasn't　begging　for　love　until
it　was　freely　offered　first。

Needing　to　make　a　statement　to　that　effect；　she　slipped　from　bed；　went
to　the　dresser；　and　pulled　on　a　pair　of　corduroys　and　a　turtleneck
sweater。　Then　she　went　downstairs　with　her　head　held　high。

But　her　show　of　confidence　was　wasted。　Mitch　was　nowhere　in　sight。　He
had　eaten。　She　saw　dishes　in　the　sink。　And　the　blue　Honda　was　parked
outside。　Deflated；　she　guessed　that　he　was　out　in　the　woods。

Resigned　to　spending　the　afternoon　alone；　Anne　built　a　roaring　fire　and
settled　before　it。　She　had　a　short　essay　to　translate；　and　a　new　novel；
of　the　bestseller　type；　to　read。　She　set　to　it。

Late　afternoon　became　early　evening　without　a　sign　of　Mitch。　More
restless　than　bored；　more　concerned　than　angry；　she　wandered　into　the
kitchen。　But　she　didn't　have　it　in　her　to　make　dinner；　so　she　returned
to　the　fireplace。

Not　long　after；　the　back　door　opened　and　shut。　Heavy　boots　crossed　the
kitchen　floor。　A　slicker…clad　figure　appeared。

Without　a　word　he　approached；　shucking　the　slicker　along　the　way　and
draping　it　over　a　chair。　Then　he　hunkered　down　near　her　and　added
another　log　to　the　fire。　When　it　had　begun　to　sizzle　and　smoke；　he
swiveled　to　face　her。

〃Angry？〃　The　fire　behind　him　threw　a　halo　around　his　head；　but　his　face
was　in　shadow。　Unable　to　tell　whether　he　empathized　or　taunted；　she　went
with　the　truth。

〃No。　I　have　no　right　to　be　angry。〃

〃I　needed　to　walk。　Even　wet；　it　was　good。　I　needed　to　think。〃

About　her？　About　another　〃obligation〃？　〃You　sound　like　you　have　the
weight　of　the　world　on　your　shoulders；〃　she　teased。

〃It　sometimes　seems　that　way。〃　His　voice　was　softer；　more　rueful。　〃It's
been　a　bad　week。〃

〃Work？〃　she　asked　with　caution。

〃No。　Work's　fine。　I　have　good　backup　there。　They　keep　things　running
when　I　fade　out。〃

Anne　sat　quietly；　waiting　for　him　to　say　more。　If　his　problem　wasn't
business；　it　had　to　be　personal。　Suddenly；　she　didn't　want　to　know。

She　stood　with　a　start。　〃I'll　go　make　dinner。〃　He　caught　her　wrist。
Suddenly　gentle；　he　said；　〃It's　my　turn。　You　did　it　last　night。　This
time　I'm　cooking　for　you。〃

His　gentleness　threw　her；　as　did　his　eyes；　which　begged　her　to　let　him
do　this。　It　wasn't　exactly　the　begging　she　wanted；　but　it　was　something。

Trying　to　be　as　nonchalant　as　she　could；　she　sank　back　into　the　chair
and　held　up　both　hands。　〃It's　your　house。〃

He　chuckled；　in　a　suddenly　lighter　mood。　One　agile　movement　brought　him
to　his　feet；　another　brought　him　to　her。　He　planted　a　kiss　on　her　cheek
before　she　had　time　to　pull　away。

〃What　was　that　for？〃　she　asked。

〃For　being　a　saint；〃　he　said　and　set　off。　Dinner　was　so　panionable；
that　when　Tuesday　morning　brought　bright　sun；　Anne　wasn't　surprised　to
see　Mitch　up　early　to　join　her　for　breakfast。

〃It's　a　perfect　morning　to　set　in　the　spouts；〃　he　said；　wiping　the
dishes　as　she　washed。

〃Spouts？〃

〃We've　had　cold　nights　and　warm　days。　The　sap　should　be　flowing　like
water。〃

Anne　laughed　in　delight。　〃Maple…sugaring？　We　can　do　it　ourselves？　I'd
planned　on　visiting　a　local　farm　to　watch。〃

He　gave　a　satisfied　grin。　〃Why　go　elsewhere　when　we　have　everything　we
need　right　here？〃

〃Do　you　know　what　to　do？〃

〃Do　I　know　what　to　do？　Since　when　have　you　had　cause　to　question　my
expertise？〃

She　grunted。　He　was　all　too　appealing　when　he　was　in　good　humor。
〃Modesty　seems　to　have　escaped　you　entirely。〃

He　gave　a　short　laugh。　〃No　one's　perfect。〃

In　Anne's　biased　judgment；　Mitch　was　as　close　to　it　as　anyone　could　be
on　that　day　and　the　ones　that　followed。　Though　they　hiked；　read；　and
rested；　the　bulk　of　their　attention　focused　on　the　maple…sugaring；　about
which　he　did　indeed　know　almost　everything。

〃The　best　trees　have　to　be　big；　forty　years　old　or　more；〃　he　explained；
when　they　left　the　house　carting　the　tools　he　had　produced　from　a　shed。
〃We're　using　metal　spouts。　This　is　the　old…fashioned　method　of　tapping
trees；　but　it　works　for　me。〃

〃You've　done　this　before？〃

〃Many　times。〃

At　the　first　maple　that　fit　that　bill；　he　drilled　a　small　hole　and
inserted　a　metal　spout　that　extended　several　inches　beyond　the　bark。　He
did　the　same　at　each　large　tree。

〃The　sap　generally　flows　between　mid…March　and　mid…April。　I　do　this
whenever　I'm　here　then。〃　With　a　shove；　he　pushed　a　spout　into　place；
then　inserted　one　on　the　back　side　of　the　same　tree。

〃More　than　one　per　tree？〃

〃With　a　tree　this　size；　there'll　be　enough　sap　for　two。　Here；　you　slide
this　one　in；　while　I　get　more　buckets。〃

By　the　time　he　returned；　she　had　done　as　he　asked。　He　fit　a　bucket　on
the　spout。

〃A　sliding　lid？〃　she　asked；　studying　it。　〃I've　never　seen　lids　on　sap
buckets；　period。〃

A　smile　touched　the　corners　of　his　mouth。　〃Then　you've　never　seen　a
stray　horse　or　a　field　mouse　drink　the　sap　as　it　collects。〃

She　laughed。　〃No；　I　haven't。〃

〃This　lid　doesn't　always　keep　them　out。　A　persistent　animal　can　get　what
he　wants。　But　it　helps。〃

They　picked　up　the　equipment　and　moved　on　to　the　next　tree。

〃How　much　sap　will　we　get？〃　she　aske