Why should the ratio of circumference to diameter be three point one four two? Why not six, or two and a half? Who made that decision, and why?'
"You want to explore outer space.'
'I think it's the most exciting adventure mankind has ever had.'
'And I want to map the mind.' She smiled. The grief of bereavement was leaving her. "You know we have something in common - we both have big ideas.'
He laughed, then braked the car. 'Hey, we're coming to a crossroads.'
She switched on the flashlight and looked at the map on her knee. 'Turn right,' she said.
They were approaching Newport. The time had passed quickly. She felt sorry the trip was coming to an end. 'I have no idea what I'm going to tell my cousin,' she said.
'What's he like?'
'He's queer.'
'Queer? In what way?'
'In the homosexual way.'
He shot her a startled look. 'I see.'
She had no patience with men who expected women to tiptoe around the subject of sex. 'I've shocked you again, haven't I?'
He grinned at her. 'As you would say - that's the truth.'
She laughed. It was a Texan colloquialism. .She was glad he noticed little things about her.
There's a fork in the road,' he said.
She consulted the map again. "You'll have to pull up, I can't find it.'
He stopped the car and leaned across to look at the map in the light of the flash. He reached out to turn the map-a little, and his touch was warm on her cold hand. 'Maybe we're here,' he said, pointing.
Instead of looking at the map, she found herself staring at his face. It was deeply shadowed, lit only by the moon and the indirect torchlight. His hair fell forward over his left eye. After a moment he felt her gaze, and glanced up at her. Without thinking, Billie lifted her hand and stroked his cheek with the outside edge of her little finger. He stared back at her, and she saw bewilderment and desire in his eyes.
'Which way do we go?'she murmured.
He moved away suddenly and put the car in gear. 'We take...' He cleared his throat 'We take the left fork.'
Billie wondered what the hell she was doing. Luke had spent the evening smooching with the most beautiful girl on campus. Billie had been out with Luke's room-mate. What was she thinking about?
Her feelings for Anthony had not been strong, even before tonight's calamity. All the same, she was dating him, so she certainly should not be toying with his best friend.
'Why did you do that?' Luke said angrily.
'I don't know,' she said. 'I didn't intend to, it just happened. Slow down.'
He took a bend too fast. 'I don't want to feel like this about you!' he said.
She was suddenly breathless. 'Like what?'
'Never mind.' -
The smell of the sea came into the car, and Billie realized they were close to her cousin's home. She recognized the road. 'Next left,' she said. 'If you don't slow down you'll miss it'
Luke braked and turned on to a dirt road.
Half of Billie wanted to arrive at the destination and get out of the car and leave -behind this unbearable tension. The other half wanted to drive with Luke for ever.
'We're here,' she said.
They stopped outside a neat one-storey frame house with gingerbread eaves and a lamp by the door. The Ford's headlights picked out a cat sitting motionless on a windowsill, looking at them with a calm gaze, disdainful of the turmoil of human emotion.
'Come in,' Billie said. 'Denny will make some coffee to keep you awake on the return trip.'
'No, thanks,' he said. I'll just wait here until you're safely inside.'
You've been very kind to me. I don't think I deserve it' She held out her hand to shake.
'Are we friends?' he said, taking her hand.
She lifted his hand to her face, kissed it, and pressed it against her cheek, closing her eyes. After a moment she heard him groan sofdy. She opened her eyes and found him staring at her. His hand moved behind her head, he pulled her to him, and they kissed. It was a gentle kiss, soft lips and warm breath and his fingertips light on the back of her neck. She held the lapel of his rough tweed coat and pulled him closer. If he grabbed her now, she would not resist, she knew. The thought made her burn with desire. Feeling wild, she took his lip between her teeth and bit.
She heard Denny's voice. 'Who's out there?'
She pulled away from Luke