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presence made her feel less vulnerable。 She chuckled when Lee added；
〃Are you friend or foe？〃
〃Friend； by all means；〃 Ross replied。
〃Then I take it you're not here on business；〃 Lee concluded。 〃And you
can't be passing through。〃
Chloe laughed this time。 〃I've been through all that with him； Lee。 He
knows precisely where he is。〃
Lee glanced her way。 〃Sounds ominous。〃 He looked at Ross。 〃How long are
you in for？〃
〃I was hoping to spend the weekend here；〃 Ross answered with a calm that
had the opposite effect on Chloe。 Her stomach was suddenly filled with
butterflies。 They fluttered wildly when those amber eyes turned to her。
〃If Chloe is free。〃
Chloe didn't know whether Lee sensed her internal turmoil； but she was
eternally grateful for the arm that tightened around her shoulders。
〃You'll have a fight on your hands；〃 he said。 〃I have a prior claim on
her。 Your big corporation may be able to do without you for the weekend；
but our small one isn't so generous。〃 Looking down at her； he said；
〃There were several calls for you。 Alabama called again on that toxic
waste burning problem。 I told them you'd have an answer for them by
Monday。〃
Chloe nodded； sighing her uncertainty on the Alabama matter。 〃And the
other calls？〃
〃Derry Township called on the lecture series at the munity college。
They want to know when the printed material will be ready to be copied。
Jay called from Pittsburgh to say that he should be back on Sunday； and
Debbie will have the statistics on the sinkhole study for you to see
tomorrow。〃
〃Whoa。 She sure got that together fast。〃 She told Ross； 〃Debbie is the
newest member of the firm。 She just got her degree。 Her working
knowledge of puters is much better than Lee's or mine。〃 She frowned。
〃Boy； would I like to take more courses。〃
〃Why don't you？〃 Ross asked。
〃No time。 Lee and I have worked our butts off trying to make ESE a
functioning enterprise。〃 She shot a look at her partner。 〃I think we're
finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel。〃
His grimace took her by surprise。 Instead of agreement； she saw sudden
doubt。 〃That's another point of discussion for the weekend；〃 Lee
informed her softly； squeezing her arm a final time before releasing
her。 〃But； hey； it's getting dark。 Let's carry on inside。 Want to stay
for dinner； Ross？〃
Chloe bent to retie a shoelace that needed no retying。 She didn't want
Ross staying for dinner。 She wanted to return to her life； and that
meant having him leave and stay gone。 Naturally； he had other ideas。
〃That would be fine；〃 he said with gratitude。
But Chloe sensed something in him。 As the three of them walked back down
the beach to her house； she saw the tension on Ross's face。 His eyes met
hers； and she was again grateful for Lee's presence。
Then Lee turned traitorous。 With a grin； he said； 〃There's some great
wine in the cellar； Chloe。 The steaks are already on the counter。 Why
don't you take another one from the freezer？ I'll meet you in the
kitchen。〃
And he loped off。
Before she could follow； Ross wrapped a hand around her long ponytail
and held her in place。
〃What was that all about？〃 he asked with a scowl。 〃You told me you lived
alone。〃
She stared straight ahead； looking after Lee。 〃I do。〃
Ross moved closer。 His head lowered to hers。 〃Then why is that fellow so
damned at home in your house？ He sounds like he's the live…in
chef…between the wine and the steaks。 What other services does he
perform？〃
She didn't like his implication。 Still staring at the house； she said；
〃He's good enough to bring the trash to the dump once a week and put
They had reached the base of the field stone steps that led to Chloe's
back porch。 Ross paused on the first step。 〃And those others I saw here
this afternoon。 Who were they？〃
：〃Workers on our various projects。〃
〃Partners in the firm？〃
She shook her head。 〃We hire part…time people。 They're mostly students；
master's candidates from local schools like URI and Brown。〃
The pale blue of dusk was quickly giving way to the darker purples of
evening in a star…filled sky。 Only the spill of pale gold light from the
kitchen window lit Ross's features now。 It left his lines more
clear…cut； his profile more distinct and dramatic。 Chloe was intrigued。
〃I admire you for your dedication；〃 he said。
She continued to study him。 〃Do I hear wistfulness？〃
His chuckle was suspiciously poignant。 〃Maybe。 There are times…at which；
that's a whole other thing。〃
When she would have pursued it； Lee's shout jarred her。 〃Chloe！〃 Her
head whipped around。 〃Where are the matches？ The pilot light is out on
the broiler。 I can't get it lit。〃
Ross leaned close and murmured； 〃And here I thought he was the one who
always came to your rescue。〃
She turned to defend Lee； only to find Ross's lips a breath from hers。
His eyes were glowing； his body warm though the heat of the day was
gone； and her mouth was suddenly dry。 〃I think I'd better give him a
hand。 Pray we're not out of matches。〃
Her response was meant as humor； because she wasn't telling Ross the
truth。 Oh； yes； Lee was a willing handyman； able in nine cases out of
ten。 But they had a running gag over that tenth。 Chloe was convinced；
and had told Lee as much； that his occasional flub was intentional； his
way of reminding her that he needed her； too。 He never denied it。 And
Chloe always indulged him。 Emotionally； he gave her so much。 She liked
giving a little some of that back。
Without further pause； she ran up the steps。 It was only when she
reached the top and started for the door that Ross caught her hand。 He
pressed something into it。 She looked down at a book of matches。
〃You smoke？〃
〃Actually；〃 he said with a wry twist of his lips； 〃I carry matches
around with me just in case a pilot light goes out。〃
：；Do you smoke？〃
〃Through my eyes； when I'm angry。〃
〃Ross； do you？〃
〃Smoke？ No。〃
She sighed。 〃That's good。 This is a nonsmoking house。 If you wanted to
smoke you'd have to sneak one in the john； or stay out here with the
chipmunks。〃
〃That's some choice。 Good thing I don't have to make it。 As it happens；〃
he informed her； 〃my only vice is sex。 Do we have to sneak that in the
john； too？〃
She might have choked if she'd been eating。 But she recovered quickly；
shook her head； and muttered a soft 〃Incorrigible。。 。〃 as she pulled the
screen open。 She took refuge in the kitchen； where her loyal protector；
Lee； was waiting。
And he filled that role repeatedly throughout the evening； taking over
for her when she was distracted。 He was an able conversationalist； a
gracious host。 She trembled to think what would have happened had she
and Ross been alone in the house。 She was too vulnerable； too
susceptible where Ross was concerned。 If she hadn't known it before； she
learned it that evening。
It started before dinner； when she left the two men and went off to
shower。 She put on a pair of jeans and a western…style blouse that had
breast pockets and a decoratively stitched yoke。 Her intent was to be
cool and at ease。 The finished product； though； spoke of homespun
femininity。 Had it been the pale pink of the blouse； she later asked
herself。？ Or the way the seasoned denims outlined her hips？ Whatever；
she caught Ross's attention。 Her first step into the living room； where
the men were nursing drinks while the steaks grilled； brought Ross's
eyes her way for a perusal that set her pulse hammering。 Where Chloe's
peace of mind was concerned； it was downhill from there。 She wanted to
tune him out； but she couldn't。
The talk centered on business matters。 Sitting quietly in a peacock
chair； Chloe learned that Ross's headquarters were indeed in New York；
but that there were corporate branches in the South and in the West。
She tried to imagine it。 〃You must live out of a suitcase a good deal of
your time。〃
〃I'm used to it。 Don't forget； when I was a kid my family was shuttled
around by the Army。〃 At Lee's prodding； Ross elaborated on his
background。 Chloe found herself wondering if he had ever settled down；
even for a short time； or if he ever would。 She found herself wondering
how as pelling and attractive a man had avoided the lure of a wife； a
home； a family。 When she was caught in the act of admiring him； Ross
smiled in what she swore was a knowing way。
And so went the evening。 Lee talked with Ross； and Ross talked with Lee。
Chloe listened； joining in from time to time； trying to fight admiration
without much success。
Why Ross？ she asked herself at one point。 Why not Lee？ The two were as
physically alike as brothers。 But then； why had Ross been attracted to
Chloe rather than Crystal？ Or had he？ Had Crystal been right？ Had it
been a case of his taking what was offered by whichever sister came
forward？
That question nagged。 Had her being with Ross been pure chance？ A simple
turn of fate？ But what about that coin？ There was nothing coincidental
about Chloe winning the toss。 And Ross…had he been looking at Chloe
rather than at her identical twin sister？ Had it all been by design； or
had it been by pure chance？
She was distracted as the evening waned； unaware of looks of concern
sent her way。 When Lee said； 〃I'm