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！
slept with the man the first time you met him 。。 。〃
〃That's not fair；〃 she argued。 〃When we were together； I couldn't think
straight。〃
〃History repeats itself；〃 he drawled； referring to what had happened
moments earlier with a mischievous grin。
Chloe didn't like being ribbed。 〃You didn't know any more about me that
night。〃 But rather than turning the tables； she was more deeply
incriminated。
〃Neither of us did much talking； did we？〃 Ross asked； clearly enjoying
himself She shook her head。 The only talking they'd done had been in
soft moans and caresses。 The attraction between them had been
overpowering。 〃I want you to know that I don't do that as a rule。 I
mean； I don't make a habit of…〃
〃…jumping into bed with every guy that es along？ I know that； Chloe。〃
He smiled gently。 〃I told you that we had something special。 Do you
think I sleep with every pretty woman I meet？〃
〃Of course not。 I just wanted you to know not to expect something I
can't give。〃
〃Won't give；〃 he corrected a second time。 〃The end result is the same。
You understand； don't you？〃
〃No； I hear you。 I'm listening。〃 He was sober。 〃But I don't understand。
You haven't given me a good reason to understand yet。 Most women with
your looks would have reached the point； at age twenty…nine； where they
could recognize something deeper。〃
Chloe felt stymied。 〃What do my looks have to do with anything？〃
The amber gaze that touched her curves gave the answer even before he
spoke。 〃You're beautiful； Chloe。 Beautiful women have options。 You've
never married？〃
〃No。〃
〃You must date often。〃
〃I have friends。〃
〃Male friends？〃
〃Some。〃
〃Serious male friends？〃
When she shrugged； he looked at the ceiling。 〃What I'm trying to find
out is whether you're going with someone； living with someone； or
engaged to someone。〃
For an instant； Chloe imagined he was a frustrated suitor。 She smiled at
the thought。 〃No； Ross。 I date here and there； but there's no one
special。 I live alone。〃
When he expelled a breath； she suspected it was for effect。 〃Thank you；〃
he added facetiously； then sobered。 〃Do you go home much？〃
Chloe flinched。 〃No。〃 That was another topic better left alone。 〃What
about you？ What was that 'rigid discipline' you suffered through？〃
〃My father was heart…and…soul Army。 A career man。 Our house was run like
a barracks。 It was almost a treat when I was sent to military school。〃
〃Oh； my。 It's no wonder you freaked out。〃
Ross laughed。 〃Freaked out？ That's one from the old days。〃
Chloe smiled。 〃Sorry。 It just slipped out。 I can't remember the last
time I said that。〃
〃Maybe way back in the time of you and me？〃 He stared at her； then gazed
pensively at the table。 When he raised a hand and rubbed the muscles at
the back of his neck； Chloe followed the movement。 She half…wished she
could do it for him； but dangerous was a mild word for that type of
thing。 Once； danger had been a challenge。 Now she wanted no part of it。
Ross's confession broke into her thoughts。 〃I may have been pretty
antiestablishment； at that。 There was a certain amount of rebellion in
me against routine and schedules and expectations。 I guess I wasn't much
different from the average flower child； except that I knew I'd be
returning to the fold before long。 I saw that period for what it was…a
time in my life when I could stretch my legs。〃
Chloe chuckled。 Her smoky gaze fell to the floor； where a pair of
wellshod feet； ankles crossed； extended well beyond her side of the
table。 〃An awesome task。〃 She quirked a brow。 〃So how did you bee a
successful businessman？ You obviously didn't go into partnership with
your dad。 But you've e a long way in eleven years。 President of the
Hansen Corporation。〃 She shook her head in amazement。
〃I had a mentor； like you did；〃 he explained。 〃I worked for him through
business school； then after。 The business did well。 I gradually acquired
stock。 When Sherman died two years ago he left me shares enough to make
me the majority holder。〃
〃Was the Rye Beach plex your idea？〃
〃Actually； no。 It was the baby of one of the other vice presidents。
Sherman seemed to feel it had merit。〃
〃And you don't？〃 Considering the force of his presentation that evening；
she was startled。
〃I do； with reservations。〃
〃Why did you e up tonight then； rather than the VP who feels more
strongly about it？〃
Ross shrugged。 〃He's no longer with the corporation。〃 He didn't look
sorry。 It struck Chloe that he might have fired the man； himself She
sensed his power。 A free spirit； he had called himself Now he ruled a
prominent corporation。 With an iron hand？ Maybe。 But he would use subtle
methods to reach his goals。
〃What do you plan to do about it？〃 she asked carefully。
〃About what？〃
〃The plex。 You mentioned some doubts。 Tonight's meeting must have
raised others。 Will you change your proposal？〃
〃No。〃
〃No？ Building the plex as planned now would be environmentally dumb。〃
〃〃Dumb'？〃 he mocked with a grin。
She felt put down with that one echoed word。 Exasperated； she threw her
hands in the air。 〃I gave all the reasons in that auditorium。 I won't
repeat them now。 You're being bullheaded。 Do you go about all your
building projects this way？〃
〃What do you know about my building projects？〃 he asked with a trace of
lingering amusement。
〃Nothing。 I had only heard of the Hansen Corporation before tonight。 But
if it's like most other businesses； it puts the dollar bill before every
other consideration。〃
〃Not always。〃 His voice carried a warning now； but she sat straighter
and barreled on。
〃Then you acknowledge that profit is your raison d'etre？〃
To her chagrin； Ross laughed。 〃I would never be where I am today if I
didn't have an eye out for profit！〃
She felt oddly betrayed。 〃That's really pathetic；〃 she said； recalling
the tall； handsomely bearded man in jeans； boots； and a simple peasant
shirt。 〃I'd have thought that； with what you stood for at one time； you
might have minimized crass capitalism。 You have sold out； which just
goes to show how terribly wrong one person can be in the judging of
another； or how necive。〃
Ross had risen。 His eyes were too dark to distinguish anger from hurt。
〃You don't know what you're talking about。 You didn't know me then； and
you certainly don't know me now。 When I returned from Africa that last
time with my grungy denims； my dashiki； and my beard〃…his eyes
narrowed…〃it took me all of a week to shuck them。 And do you know why？〃
He went on only when she shook her head。 〃Because I saw that there was
more narrow…mindedness； more prejudice； ing from the mouths of the
hippie generation than anywhere else。 Because of my appearance； I was
assumed to be one of them； until they discovered that I didn't always
think the way they did； that I had a mind of my own。 The true sign of a
liberal； Chloe； is accepting people for their differences； respecting
their right to be different。 Those others； the ones who prided
themselves on being nonconformists； declared all…out war on the
establishment。 And what happened？〃
Without waiting for her response he went on； his voice low but
relentless； his gaze intense。 He put his hands on the table。 〃When was
the last time you saw a flower child？ Hmm？ They've vanished。 Disbanded。
Lost the war。〃 The pause he took was for a deep breath。 〃Well； I haven't
lost。 I'm working from within to change things。 Did that ever occur to
you； Chloe？ You've been so quick to label me first one way； then the
other。 Did it ever occur to you that your impression wasn't even skin
deep； that there's a me under it all？〃
It was a while before Chloe was able to speak。 She certainly didn't know
Ross。 This speech presented a new side of him。 And he was right。
〃I'm sorry；〃 she said。 〃It was wrong of me to do that。 I'm not always
that way。〃 She tried a smile in apology。 To her relief； it seemed to
work。 His features relaxed。
〃Only with me； eh？〃 He inhaled deeply and stood tall； holding his breath
for a minute while his head fell back； then releasing it as his eyes met
hers。
She felt suitably contrite and suddenly drained。 〃You have a knack for
bringing out my extremes。 I guess I'm just ti