trip。　Okay？〃

She　humored　him。　〃Did　you　get　everything　at　the　market？　All　the

perishables？　Plenty　of　wine？〃

〃Behind　me！〃　he　repeated。

〃Hot　chocolate？　And　whipped　cream？〃

He　wiped　the　smile　from　her　face　with　a　hard；　fast　kiss；　sucking　her

lips　to　his　for　just　an　instant　before　straightening。　Shooting　her　a

watch…yourself…lady　look；　he　returned　to　his　own　car　and　pulled　out　in

front。　He　drove　at　a　sedate　thirty　miles　per　hour。　It　was　deliberate；

and　too　slow　for　the　road。　Anne　smiled　and　simply　adjusted　her　foot　on

the　gas。

Shortly；　they　reached　the　cottage。　When　the　cars　were　parked　in　a　line

on　the　snow…packed　drive；　Mitch　carried　her　luggage　inside。　She　took　the

attic　room　without　a　word；　because　it　hadn't　been　at　all　unfortable；

warmer　if　anything　than　the　larger　room　downstairs。　And　she　didn't　have

to　listen　to　him　over　her　head。　It　was　bad　knowing　that　he　had　once

slept　in　this　bed。　Hearing　things　would　have　driven　her　imagination

wild。

She　was　in　the　process　of　storing　groceries　when　she　felt　him　at　the

kitchen　door。　He　looked　her　up　and　down。　She　still　wore　the　gray　wool

pantsuit　that　had　been　warm　and　fortable　for　driving。　Bul　its　white

cowl…neck　sweater　was　a　switch　from　the　somber　navies　and　blacks　he'd

usually　seen　her　in。　And　then；　her　hair　was　loose。

〃Well？〃　she　asked；　growing　self…conscious　when　he　just　kept　looking。

〃e　here；〃　he　said　in　a　low；　deep　voice。

She　didn't　hesitate。　Within　seconds；　she　was　across　the　room　and　in　his

arms。　They　were　warm　and　intimate；　very　dear　in　a　way　that　said　friend

before　lover。

〃You　looked　beautiful　that　night　in　the　restaurant；