璇玑之心刃·冷血悍将-第107章

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　the　side　as　well。　Both　ropes　were　already　set　to　the　proper　lengths；　and　after　checking　that　all　was　secure；　Kelly　made　his　way　back　to　the　flying　bridge。
Pam　looked　nervous　until　the　moment　that　he　sat　back　down　on　the　vinyl　bench　…　everything　was　covered　with　water　now；　and　their　clothes　were　soaked　through。　Kelly　eased　the　throttles　to　idle；　allowing　the　wind　to　push　Springer　back　nearly　a　hundred　feet。　By　that　time　both　anchors　had　dug　into　the　bottom。　Kelly　frowned　at　their　placement。　He　ought　to　have　set　them　farther　apart。　But　only　one　anchor　was　really　necessary。　The　second　was　just　insurance。　Satisfied；　he　switched　off　the　diesels。
‘I　could　fight　the　storm　all　the　way　down；　but　I‘d　prefer　not　to；‘　he　explained。
‘So　we　park　here　for　the　night？‘
‘That‘s　right。　You　can　go　down　to　your　cabin　and　…‘
‘You　want　me　to　go　away？‘
‘No　…I　mean；　if　you　don‘t　like　it　here　…‘　Her　hand　came　up　to　his　face。　He　barely　caught　her　words　through　the　wind　and　rain。
‘I　like　it　here。‘　Somehow　it　didn‘t　seem　like　a　contradiction　at　all。
A　moment　later　Kelly　asked　himself　why　it　had　taken　so　long。　All　the　signals　had　been　there。　There　was　another　brief　discussion　between　emotion　and　reason；　and　reason　lost　again。　There　was　nothing　to　be　afraid　of　here；　just　a　person　as　lonely　as　he。　It　was　so　easy　to　forget。　Loneliness　didn‘t　tell　you　what　you　had　lost；　only　that　something　was　missing。　It　took　something　like　this　to　define　that　emptiness。　Her　skin　was　soft；　dripping　with　rain；　but　warm。　It　was　so　different　from　the　rented　passion　that　he‘d　tried　twice　in　the　past　month；　each　time　ing　away　disgusted　with　himself。
But　this　was　something　else。　This　was　real。　Reason　cried　out　one　last　time　that　it　couldn‘t　be；　that　he‘d　picked　her　up　at　the　side　of　the　road　and　had　known　her　for　only　a　brief　span　of　hours。　Emotion　said　that　it　didn‘t　matter。　As　though　observing　the　conflict　in　his　mind；　Pam　pulled　the　halter　over　her　head。　Emotion　won。
‘They　look　just　fine　to　me；‘　Kelly　said。　His　hand　moved　to　them；　touching　delicately。　They　felt　just　fine；　too。　Pam　hung　the　halter　on　the　steering　wheel　and　pressed　her　face　against　his；　her　hands　pulling　him　forward；　taking　charge　in　a　very　feminine　way。　Somehow　her　passion　wasn‘t　animalistic。　Something　made　it　different。　Kelly　didn‘t　know　what　it　was；　but　didn‘t　search　for　the　reason；　not　now。
Both　rose　to　their　feet。　Pam　nearly　slipped；　but　Kelly　caught　her；　dropping　to　his　knees　to　help　remove　her　shorts。　Then　it　was　her　turn　to　unbutton　his　shirt　after　placing　his　hands　on　her　breasts。　His　shirt　remained　in　place　for　a　long　moment　because　neither　wanted　his　hands　to　move；　but　then　it　was　done；　one　arm　at　a　time；　and　his　jeans　went　next。　Kelly　slipped　out　of　his　shoes　as　the　rest　came　off。　Both　stood　for　the　next　embrace；　weaving　as　the　boat　pitched　and　rocked　beneath　them；　the　rain　and　wind　pelting　them。　Pam　took　his　hand　and　led　him　just　aft　of　the　driver‘s　console；　guiding　him　down　to　a　supine　position　on　the　deck。　She　mounted　him　at　once。　Kelly　tried　to　sit　up；　but　she　didn‘t　let　him；　instead　leaning　forward　while　her　hips　moved　with　gentle　violence。　Kelly　was　as　unready　for　that　as　he‘d　been　for　everything　else　this　afternoon；　and　his　shout　seemed　to　outscream　the　thunder。　When　his　eyes　opened；　her　face　was　inches　from　him；　and　the　smile　was　like　that　on　a　stone　angel　in　a　church。
‘I‘m　sorry；　Pam；　I　…‘
She　stopped　his　apology　with　a　giggle。　‘Are　you　always　this　good？‘
Long　minutes　later；　Kelly‘s　arms　were　wrapped　around　her　thin　form；　and　so　they　stayed　until　the　storm　passed。　Kelly　was　afraid　to　let　go；　afraid　of　the　possibility　that　this　was　as　unreal　as　it　had　to　be。　Then　the　wind　acquired　a　chill；　and　they　went　below。　Kelly　got　some　towels　and　they　dried　each　other　off。　He　tried　to　smile　at　her；　but　the　hurt　was　back；　all　the　more　powerful　from　the　joy　of　the　previous　hour；　and　it　was　Pam‘s　turn　to　be　surprised。　She　sat　beside　him　on　the　deck　of　the　salon；　and　when　she　pulled　his　face　down　to　her　chest；　he　was　the　one　who　wept；　until　her　chest　was　wet　again。　She　didn‘t　ask。　She　was　smart　enough　for　that。　Instead　she　held　him　tightly　until　he　was　done　and　his　breathing　came　back　to　normal。
‘I‘m　sorry；‘　he　said　after　a　while。　Kelly　tried　to　move　but　she　wouldn‘t　let　him。
‘You　don‘t　have　to　explain。　But　I‘d　like　to　help；‘　she　said；　knowing　that　she　already　had。　She‘d　seen　it　from　almost　the　first　moment　in　the　car：　a　strong　man；　badly　hurt。　So　different　from　the　others　she　had　known。　When　he　finally　spoke；　she　could　feel　his　words　on　her　breast。
‘It‘s　been　nearly　seven　months。　Down　in　Mississippi　on　a　job。　She　was　pregnant；　we　just　found　out。　She　went　to　the　store；　and　…　it　was　a　truck；　a　big　tractor…trailer　rig。　The　linkage　broke。‘　He　couldn‘t　make　himself　say　more；　and　he　didn‘t　have　to。
‘What　was　her　name？‘
‘Tish　…　Patricia。‘
‘How　long　were　you　…‘
‘Year　and　a　half。　Then　she　was　just　。。。　gone。　I　never　expected　it。　I　mean；　I　put　my　time　in；　did　some　dangerous　stuff；　but　that‘s　all　over；　and　that　was　me；　not　her。　I　never　thought　…‘　His　voice　cracked　again。　Pam　looked　down　at　him　in　the　muted　light　of　the　salon；　seeing　the　scars　she‘d　missed　before　and　wondering　what　their　story　was。　It　didn‘t　matter。　She　brought　her　cheek　down　to　the　top　of　his　head。　He　should　have　been　a　father　right　about　now。　Should　have　been　a　lot　of　things。
‘You　never　let　it　out；　did　you？‘
‘No。‘
‘And　why　now？‘
‘I　don‘t　know；‘　he　whispered。
‘Thank　you。‘　Kelly　looked　up　in　surprise。　‘That‘s　the　nicest　thing　a　man　has　ever　done　to　me。‘
‘I　don‘t　understand。‘
‘Yes；　you　do；‘　Pam　replied。　‘And　Tish　understands；　too。　You　let　me　take　her　place。　Or　maybe　she　did。　She　loved　you；　John。　She　must　have　loved　you　a　lot。　And　she　still　does。　Thank　you　for　letting　me　help。‘
He　started　crying　again；　and　Pam　brought　his　head　back　down；　cradling　him　like　a　small　child。　It　lasted　ten　minutes；　though　neither　looked　at　a　clock。　When　he　was　done；　he　kissed　her　in　gratitude　that　rapidly　turned　to　renewed　passion。　Pam　lay　back；　letting　him　take　charge　as　he　needed　to　do　now　that　he　was　again　a　man　in　spirit。　Her　reward　was　in　keeping　with　the　magnitude　of　what　she　had　done　for　him；　and　this　time　it　was　her　cries　that　canceled　out　the　thunder。　Later；　he　fell　asleep　at　her　side；　and　she　kissed　his　unshaven　cheek。　That　was　when　her　own　tears　began　at　the　wonder　of　what　the　day　had　brought　after　the　terror　with　which　it　had　begun。
C2
　　　　CHAPTER　2
Encounters
Kelly　awoke　at　his　accustomed　time；　thirty　minutes　before　sunrise；　to　the　mewing　of　gulls　and　saw　the　first　dull　glow　on　the　eastern　horizon。　At　first　he　was　confused　to　find　a　slender　arm　across　his　chest；　but　other　feelings　and　memories　explained　things　in　a　few　seconds。　He　extricated　himself　from　her　side　and　moved　the　blanket　to　cover　her　from　the　morning　chill。　It　was　time　for　ship‘s　business。
Kelly　got　the　drip　coffee　machine　going；　then　he　pulled　on　a　pair　of　swim　trunks　and　headed　topside。　He　hadn‘t　forgotten　to　set　the　anchor　light；　he　was　gratified　to　see。　The　sky　had　cleared　off；　and　the　air　was　cool　after　the　thunderstorms　of　the　previous　night。　He　went　forward　and　was　surprised　to　see　that　one　of　his　anchors　had　dragged　somewhat。　Kelly　reproached　himself　for　that；　even　though　nothing　had　actually　gone　wrong。　The　water　was　a　flat；　oily　calm　and　the　breeze　gentle。　The　pink…orange　glow　of　first　light　decorated　the　tree…spotted　coastline　to　the　east。　All　in　all；　it　seemed　as　fine　a　morning　as　he　could　remember。　Then　he　remembered　that　what　had　changed　had　nothing　at　all　to　do　with　the　weather。
‘Damn；‘　he　whispered　to　the　dawn　not　yet　broken。　Kelly　was　stiff；　and　did　some　stretching　exercises　to　get　the　kinks　out；　slow　to　realize　how　fine　he　felt　without　the　usual　hangover。　Slower　still　to　recall　how　long　it　had　been。　Nine　hours　of　sleep？　he　wondered。　That　much？　No　wonder　he　felt　so　good。　The　next　part　of　the　morning　routine　was　to　get　a　squeegee　to　dispose　of　the　water　that　had　pooled　on　the　fiberglass　deck。
His　head　turned　at　the　low；　muted　rumble　of　marine　diesels。　Kelly　looked　west　to　spot　it；　but　there　was　a　little　mist　that　way；　being　pushed　his　way　by　the　breeze；　and　he　couldn‘t　make　anything　out。　He　went　to　the　control　station　on　the　flying　bridge　and　got　out　his　glasses；　just　in　time　to　have　a　twelve…inch　spotlight　blaze　through　the　marine　7　x　50s。　Kelly　was　dazzled　by　the　lights；　which　just　as　suddenly　switched　off；　and　a　loud…hailer　called　across　die　water。
‘Sorry；　Kelly。　Didn‘t　know　it　was　you；‘　Two　minutes　later　the　familiar　shape　of　a　Coast　Guard　forty…one…foot　patrol　boat　eased　alongside　Springer。　Kelly　scrambled　along　the　port　side　to　deploy　his　rubber　fenders。
‘You　trying　to　kill　me　or　something？‘　Kelly　said　in　a　conversational　voice。
‘Sorry。‘　Quartermaster　First　Class　Manuel　‘Portagee‘　Oreza　stepped　from　one　gun‘l　to　the　other　with　practiced　ease。　He　gestured　to　the　fenders。　‘Wanna　hurt　my　feelings？‘
‘Bad　sea　manners；　too；‘　Kelly　went　on　as　he　walked　towards　his　visitor。
‘I　spoke　to　the　young　lad　about　that　already；　‘　Oreza　assured　him。　He　held　out　his　hand。　‘Morning；　Kelly。‘
The　outstretched　hand　had　a　Styrofoam　cup　filled　with　coffee。　Kelly　took　it