第12部分(第3/7 页)

　graduate　next　year。

Nate　barely　listened　to　what　she　said：　she　was　sexy　as　hell；　and　he　enjoyed　simply　looking　at　her。

There　weren？t　many　girls　like　Tawny　on　the　Upper　East　Side：　full；　blond；　wavy　hair　spilling　over

caramel；　freckled　shoulders；　pink　lips　that　tasted　like　cherry　ChapStick；　long…lashed　bright　blue

eyes；　and　slender；　tanned　fingers　covered　with　silver　rings。

Blair　was　always　quizzing　him　on　his　favorite　song；　his　first　memory；　what　he　wanted　to　do　when

he　grew　up。　She　said　she　just　wanted　to　get　to　know　him；　but　it　always　felt　like　a　test　he　was

failing。　Tawny　seemed　happy　just　to　let　Nate　be　who　he　was。

A　hot；　arrogant　pothead？

When　dinner　was　over；　Tawny　perched　on　the　handlebars　of　his　bike　and　shouted　directions　to

Nate。　She　threw　her　head　back　and　her　long　wavy　hair　tickled　his　nose。

？Slow　down！　No；　speed　up！？　she　shrieked。

？Where　are　you　taking　me？？　Nate　shouted　as　they　bumped　over　tree　roots　and　rocks。

Tawny　glanced　over　her　shoulder　at　him。　？You？ll　see。。。。　Hey；　stop！　Let　me　off。？

Nate　skidded　to　a　stop　and　Tawny　hopped　onto　the　ground。　Her　lavender…colored　hot　pants　had

ridden　up；　giving　him　a　great　view　of　her　tan；　surf…toned　ass　cheeks。　Shit；　was　she　foxy！　？That　was

fun；？　she　laughed；　crashing　through　some　low　bushes　toward　the　beach。　？Ditch　the　bike。　It？ll　be

safe　there。？

Nate　leaned　his　bike　against　a　nearby　tree。　The　late　afternoon　sunlight　filtered　through　the　boughs

overhead；　but　it　was　cool　and　very　still　in　the　woods。

Following　Tawny；　Nate　thought　about　how　weird　it　was　that　he？d　only　been　out　of　school　for　a

couple　of　weeks　and　yet　his　entire　life　had　pletely　changed。　He　was　working　constructi