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What the hell did that say about hi hiwBut--"wI said don't," he repeated harshly, turning away as if he couldn't bear the sight of her, when the truth was that he couldn't quite bear hi was--he wasn't sure why This desperate, gnawing feeling--was it guilt?

Because he shouldn't have kissed her?Because he shouldn't have liked it?wColin," she said, "don't be angry with yourself"wI'm not," he snappedwI asked you to kiss me I practically forcedyou--"

Now, there was a surefire way to make a man feel manly "You didn't force me," he bit offwNo, but--"wFor the love of God, Penelope, enoughl"

She drew back, her eyes wide "I'm sorry," she whispered

He looked down at her hands They were shaking He closed his eyes in agony Why as he being such an ass?wPenelope " he beganwNo, it's all right," she said, her words rushed "You don't have to say anything"wNo, I should"wI really wish you wouldn't"

And now she looked so quietly dignified Whichthere, her hands clasped demurely in front of her, her eyes doard--not quite on the floor, but not on his face

She thought he'd kissed her out of pity

And he was a knave because a small part of hiht it, then maybe he could convince himself that it was true, that it was just pity, that it couldn't possibly be o," he said, the words quiet, and yet still too loud in the silent room

She didn't try to stop hiain, even as his feet refused to move

She noddedwI didn't--" he started to say, and then, horrified by the words that had nearly come out of his mouth, he actually did head toward the door

But Penelope called out--of course she called out--"You didn't what?"

And he didn't knohat to say, because what he'd started to say was, Ididn't kiss you out of pity If he wanted her to know that, if he wanted to convince hiood opinion, which could only o," he blurted out, desperate now, as if leaving the roo down such a dangerous road He crossed the re, to call out his name

But she didn't