“Why do you say that?”
“Because you’re too cool about it. You wouldn’t think he was such a nice fellow if you were jealous of him. Why haven’t you played more with me this summer?”
“I had to work—you know that. What’s the use——”
“If you love me as you say you do, I don’t see how you could be so cool about—about seeing us together——”
“Perhaps I wasn’t as cool as I looked. See here, Aurora, you mustn’t talk like that.” He had turned and before she could escape him, had taken her in his arms and was kissing her. “Don’t say I’m cool. I love you, Aurora, with every ounce that’s in me. I want you more than I can ever want anything again in this world or the next. I’m not going to let you marry that fellow or anybody else—do you understand?”
She had yielded for a moment to his warmth because there didn’t seem to be anything else to do. But when she slowly disengaged herself from his arms and faced him her eyes were wet and the color flamed through her tan.
“Steve!” she stammered. “Steve!—how could you?”
But he still faced her passionately, undaunted. “It’s true,” he said huskily. “I love you—you can’t marry him—I won’t let you——”
He took a step forward but this time she retreated.
“Don’t, Steve—not again—not now—you mustn’t. They’ll be coming out in the open there in a moment. I’ll never say you are cool again—never—after that. You’re not cool—not in the least—I was mistaken. I’ve never seen you—like this before—you’re different——”