entranced。　She　couldn't　think；　because　this　wasn't　part　of　her

plan。　But　she　could　feel；　and　what　she　felt　was　overwhelming；　the　purest

pleasure　in　a　meeting　of　mouths；　a　touching　of　tongues。

Abruptly　he　pulled　away；　and　sanity　returned。

With　a　gasp　she　bolted　from　the　chair　and；　ignoring　a　twinge　in　her

knee；　went　to　the　far　side　of　the　room。　Mitch　stood；　keeping　his　back　to

her　as　his　breathing　steadied。　When　he　finally　faced　her；　he　had　his

passion　in　check。

By　that　time；　she　was　trying　to　understand　herself。　Because　she

couldn't；　she　lashed　out　at　him。　〃You　had　no　business　doing　that。〃

His　lips　thinned。　〃I　don't　seem　to　recall　your　objecting。〃

〃You　didn't　give　me　much　of　a　chance。〃

He　approached；　studying　her　eyes；　the　heat　on　her　cheeks；　the　tiny

quiver　of　her　lips。　He　frowned。　〃It's　been　a　long　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　a