Chapter 61

JOE MOLINARI was facing me, and the bed sheets were rum-pled in a mess around us. I was noticing that he was even bet-ter looking up close. His eyes were deep blue and had a nice sparkle to them.

It was hard to describe how good I felt, how natural this seemed, how right. The little tremors¹ rippling² down my spine³ were unexpected, but definitely pleasant. It had been two years since I had felt anything like this, and that was, well... different. I didn't know everything about Molinari. Who was he away from the office? What did he have going on back home? Truth was, I didn't care right now. I just felt good. It was enough.

"This may seem like a strange time to ask this question," I said, "but just what is your personal situation back East?"

Molinari took a breath. "Not complicated...Usually I just mess around with interns⁴ and subordinates I meet on the case." He smiled.

"C'mon." I sat up. "It's a legitimate⁵ after-sex question."

"I'm divorced, Lindsay. I date now and then. Time per-mitting." He stroked my hair. "If you're thinking, does this happen very often...?"

"What do you mean, this?"

"You know. This. Where we are. On assignment."

Molinari turned and faced me. "Just so there's no doubts, I'm here because the moment you walked into that meeting, I, well... bells started going off. And since then, the only thing I've been impressed with more than how good you are on the job is how good you looked once I pulled that towel off you."

I took a breath and stared into those very blue eyes. "You just make sure you're not an asshole, Joe Molinari."

All of a sudden, I shot up in bed. "Oh my God, dinner."

"Forget the chicken." Molinari smiled and pulled me closer. "We don't gotta eat."

The phone rang. What next?

My first urge was to let it go. I waited for the answering machine to pick up.

When the voice came on, it was Claire's, sounding urgent. "Lindsay, I'm worried. Pick up if you're there. Linds?"

I blinked, then rolled over to the night table and fumbled⁶ for my phone. "Claire. What's wrong?"

"Thank God you're home." Her voice was tense, unus-ual for Claire. "It's Jill. I'm at her house, Lindsay. She's not here."

"She had a trial. Did you try the office? She's probably working late."

"Of course I tried the office," Claire shot back. "Jill never showed up today."

1 tremors   

震颤( tremor的名词复数 )； 战栗； 震颤声； 大地的轻微震动

参考例句：

• The story was so terrible that It'sent tremors down my spine. 这故事太可怕，它使我不寒而栗。
• The story was so terrible that it sent tremors down my spine. 这故事太可怕，它使我不寒而栗。

2 rippling   

起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的

参考例句：

• I could see the dawn breeze rippling the shining water. 我能看见黎明的微风在波光粼粼的水面上吹出道道涟漪。
• The pool rippling was caused by the waving of the reeds. 池塘里的潺潺声是芦苇摇动时引起的。

3 spine   

n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊

参考例句：

• He broke his spine in a fall from a horse.他从马上跌下摔断了脊梁骨。
• His spine developed a slight curve.他的脊柱有点弯曲。

4 interns   

n.住院实习医生( intern的名词复数 )v.拘留，关押( intern的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Our interns also greet our guests when they arrive in our studios. 我们的实习生也会在嘉宾抵达演播室的时候向他们致以问候。 来自超越目标英语 第4册
• The interns work alongside experienced civil engineers and receive training in the different work sectors. 实习生陪同有经验的国内工程师工作，接受不同工作部门的相关培训。 来自超越目标英语 第4册

5 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

6 fumbled   

（笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下

参考例句：

• She fumbled in her pocket for a handkerchief. 她在她口袋里胡乱摸找手帕。
• He fumbled about in his pockets for the ticket. 他（瞎）摸着衣兜找票。