第27部分(第4/9 頁)

ng　time；　hasn't　it？〃

〃I　don't　want　your　pity！〃

〃Pity？〃　His　features　tensed。　〃I　don't　deal　in　pity。　I've　seen　enough　of

it　in　the　past　year　to　make　me　sick。　No；　Anne；　if　you　can't　recognize　a

basic　physical　need；　then　you're　deluding　yourself〃　His　gaze　narrowed。

〃Let's　just　say　I　took　my　reward　for　playing　nursemaid　to　a　bad…tempered

tomboy。〃

She　gasped　in　dismay；　but　he　was　on　his　way　out　of　the　room；　which　was

probably　just　as　well。　That　way　she　didn't　have　to　eat　crow；　because　he

was　right。　She　would　be　lying　if　she　refused　to　admit　that　she　liked　his

kiss。　She　had　been　physically　roused　by　a　physical　act。

But　it　had　been　only　a　kiss；　only　a　kiss　in　the　midst　of　bizarre

circumstances。　e　next　week；　the　cottage；　the　kiss；　the　man　would　all

be　memory。

Gradually；　she　calmed。　She　began　paring　and　slicing　apples；　piling　skins

on　a　piece　of　paper　towel；　turning　the　slices　into　a　large　glass　pie

plate　and　sprinkling　them　with　cinnamon。　Her　supplies　were　dwindling；

but　she　found　adequate　amounts　of　flour；　butter；　and　sugar　for　the

topping。　Once　the　pie　was　in　the　oven；　she　spotted　the　unused　apples。

She　washed　each；　polished　it　to　a　high　gloss；　and　set　it　in　a　dish　in

the　center　of　the　table。　It　wasn't　until　the　dish　was　filled　that　she

saw　Mitch　eyeing　her　from　the　doorway。

She　was　quickly　defensive；　〃Is　something　wrong？〃

〃