Read Online Red Midnight by Heather Graham - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Heather Graham
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courteously scaring the hell out of me.
He emptied the contents of her purse and neatly replaced them. Her luggage was next. To give the man credit, he was careful to see that her neatly arranged stacks of lingerie, sweaters, dresses, skirts, shirts, and jeans were just as neat as when he had begun his search. Erin folded her hands and stared blankly at her fingers to hide her nervousness, only to glance back up and find the guard staring at her with chilling reproach and accusation—the bananas she had craved in Helsinki and then summarily forgotten, held high in his hands.
Oh, hell! Erin thought sickly, berating herself for such sound stupidity. Bananas. I’m about to be in some kind of trouble over a stupid yellow fruit I don’t even like. Did they put you in jail for bananas? she wondered, fighting a wave of panic. Surely not….
“I’m sorry,” she began to murmur, lacing her fingers together and clenching them, tightly. “I knew—I was aware I couldn’t bring fruit into the country. I meant to eat them, you see, and then I forgot all about them. Couldn’t we just put them in the garbage?”
The slate stare of the young guard didn’t change. He began to approach Erin and it was all she could do to keep from screaming. But he meant her no harm—of the physical variety at least! He merely reached for her hand and brought her to her feet, positioning her near the cabin door. “Please,” he said as he motioned her to remain there. She had the feeling it was the one word he knew in English.
The man was more than thorough. Her bedding was ransacked, the closets and cabinets. Nothing was left unturned. Even the window shade was checked; it rattled as he spun it carefully, filling the night with a sharp, discordant sound.
Had the discovery of the bananas initiated further search, she wondered, or was this customary? Mary, she thought belatedly, you were right, I should have come with a tour….
Her heart seemed to catch in her throat as he turned back to her. She didn’t need a translator to tell her he was still, for some enigmatic reason, dissatisfied. He caught her arm—once more his grip polite but very, very professionally cold, and proceeded to open her couchette door. Where is he taking me? Erin wondered desperately. She felt as if she would fall in another second, she was so damned scared. If only she knew what was going on.
Clad only in her flannel gown, her hair mussed and wild from sleep, she felt the beginnings of panic settle in, and she automatically began to work a bracelet around her left wrist. The harsh, alien man beside her, now barking orders in a glacial voice she couldn’t begin to comprehend, became a terrifying entity.
No, she told herself, don’t give way to fear. This is probably customary. He is not being cruel, merely professional. I have done nothing. I am guilty of nothing but stupidity, and buying bananas. She would laugh about it one day. It would be an adventure to tell. But right now she was about to lose control and fall to the floor in panic-stricken tears.
“Spasee’ ba! Ne noo’ zhna!”
The crisply authoritative Russian comments came from her recent dinner companion. His appearance in the hallway halted the border guard; the two men proceeded to engage in a rapid-fire exchange that left her standing between them, riddled with confusion. She was amazed to see the border guard actually smile.
He is human, Erin thought a little bitterly. As soon as Jarod had appeared, the man had become human.
The Russian was laughing. Delivering her into Steele’s hands, he tipped his hat.
Jarod began to speak again, his hands upon her shoulders as they both faced the guard. Erin felt the smoothness of his palm as it moved caressingly up her neck. Thumb and forefingers absently cradled her cheek and chin in an astounding display of tenderness.
Too stunned to do anything else, Erin stood stock still. A vague part of her mind was warning her she had been safer with the young
He emptied the contents of her purse and neatly replaced them. Her luggage was next. To give the man credit, he was careful to see that her neatly arranged stacks of lingerie, sweaters, dresses, skirts, shirts, and jeans were just as neat as when he had begun his search. Erin folded her hands and stared blankly at her fingers to hide her nervousness, only to glance back up and find the guard staring at her with chilling reproach and accusation—the bananas she had craved in Helsinki and then summarily forgotten, held high in his hands.
Oh, hell! Erin thought sickly, berating herself for such sound stupidity. Bananas. I’m about to be in some kind of trouble over a stupid yellow fruit I don’t even like. Did they put you in jail for bananas? she wondered, fighting a wave of panic. Surely not….
“I’m sorry,” she began to murmur, lacing her fingers together and clenching them, tightly. “I knew—I was aware I couldn’t bring fruit into the country. I meant to eat them, you see, and then I forgot all about them. Couldn’t we just put them in the garbage?”
The slate stare of the young guard didn’t change. He began to approach Erin and it was all she could do to keep from screaming. But he meant her no harm—of the physical variety at least! He merely reached for her hand and brought her to her feet, positioning her near the cabin door. “Please,” he said as he motioned her to remain there. She had the feeling it was the one word he knew in English.
The man was more than thorough. Her bedding was ransacked, the closets and cabinets. Nothing was left unturned. Even the window shade was checked; it rattled as he spun it carefully, filling the night with a sharp, discordant sound.
Had the discovery of the bananas initiated further search, she wondered, or was this customary? Mary, she thought belatedly, you were right, I should have come with a tour….
Her heart seemed to catch in her throat as he turned back to her. She didn’t need a translator to tell her he was still, for some enigmatic reason, dissatisfied. He caught her arm—once more his grip polite but very, very professionally cold, and proceeded to open her couchette door. Where is he taking me? Erin wondered desperately. She felt as if she would fall in another second, she was so damned scared. If only she knew what was going on.
Clad only in her flannel gown, her hair mussed and wild from sleep, she felt the beginnings of panic settle in, and she automatically began to work a bracelet around her left wrist. The harsh, alien man beside her, now barking orders in a glacial voice she couldn’t begin to comprehend, became a terrifying entity.
No, she told herself, don’t give way to fear. This is probably customary. He is not being cruel, merely professional. I have done nothing. I am guilty of nothing but stupidity, and buying bananas. She would laugh about it one day. It would be an adventure to tell. But right now she was about to lose control and fall to the floor in panic-stricken tears.
“Spasee’ ba! Ne noo’ zhna!”
The crisply authoritative Russian comments came from her recent dinner companion. His appearance in the hallway halted the border guard; the two men proceeded to engage in a rapid-fire exchange that left her standing between them, riddled with confusion. She was amazed to see the border guard actually smile.
He is human, Erin thought a little bitterly. As soon as Jarod had appeared, the man had become human.
The Russian was laughing. Delivering her into Steele’s hands, he tipped his hat.
Jarod began to speak again, his hands upon her shoulders as they both faced the guard. Erin felt the smoothness of his palm as it moved caressingly up her neck. Thumb and forefingers absently cradled her cheek and chin in an astounding display of tenderness.
Too stunned to do anything else, Erin stood stock still. A vague part of her mind was warning her she had been safer with the young
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