on't　date；〃　she　chided。

〃Ah；〃　he　drawled。　〃That's　right。　I　forgot。　He's　asked　you　out；　though；

hasn't　he？〃

Anne　saw　no　point　in　denying　it。　〃Several　times。　I'm　not　interested　in

dating　him；　though。　That　dinner　was　a　group　get…together。〃　When　she　saw

him　relax；　she　made　her　move。　〃What　about　your　date　that　night…excuse

me；　your　panion？〃　Jealousy　was　a　tough　thing　to　hide。

Mitch　played　it　up　with　a　knowing　grin。　〃What　about　her？〃

〃Who　is　she？〃

〃Her　name's　Liz。〃

〃Do　you　see　her　often？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Oh。〃

〃Aren't　you　glad　you　asked？〃

〃Not　particularly。〃　She　pried　herself　away　from　him　and　slid　to　the　far

end　of　the　sofa。　He　didn't　seem　bothered；　simply　lifted　her　feet　to　his

thighs。　He　slide　a　lazy　hand　under　the　wool　of　her　slacks　to　massage　her

calf。　It　felt　too　good　for　Anne　to　object。

〃Jealous？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes。〃

〃That's　good。〃　He　was　grinning　more　broadly　than　before。

Anne　scowled。　〃You're　an　arrogant　brute；〃　she　began　and　turned　the

discussion　around。　〃So　tell　me　what　you　do。　You　must　have　some　line　of

work。　Is　it　in　the　city？〃

He　answered　her　calmly　and　clearly。　〃My　corporation　has　headquarters　in

the　city；　but　we　operate　all　over　the　country。〃

〃Your　corporation？〃

Strangely；　where　it　might　have　been　appropriate；　the　arrogance　vanished。

〃I　head　a　corporation。　Does　that　bother　you？〃

With　a　sudden；　irrational　anger；　she　asked；　〃Why　would　it　bother　me？

It　has　nothing　to　do　with　me。〃

He　leaned　forward　and　pulled　her　again　to　his　side。　〃All　I　meant；〃　he

said；　teasing；　〃was　that…well；　to　be　perfectly　honest；　I've　been　told　I

make　a　good　catch。　Being　the