by Leslie North
Really angry.
The poor mechanic trying to talk to her looked terrified. Jarik took pity on him and tried to intervene.
“What do you mean hours? It’s a simple fix. I could do it. I don’t care what other planes you have to work on. I have a deadline, and I need to make it. If I don’t, an entire refugee camp is going to have a bunch of unhappy children. Do you want to be responsible for ruining Christmas for all those kids? Well? Do you?” Maria yelled.
The poor man looked like he was going to cry. He glanced nervously around as though he were searching for someone to rescue him.
Jarik tried to put a comforting hand on Maria’s shoulder, but she shot him an icy glare. “Everything okay?” he asked cautiously.
“No. No, it’s not okay. This idiot is refusing to fix my plane until after noon.”
“She was already told that she couldn’t get back up in the air until this evening,” the mechanic said as he cast a pleading look at Jarik. “I’ve got five other planes that I have to inspect that were already on the schedule.”
“It wouldn’t take any more than an hour to fix, and I’m very familiar with this airport. The only reason they are pushing my plane back is because they have rich clientele who dock their planes in a private hangar, and those planes are supposed to be ready to go at a moment’s notice. This isn’t about their scheduled flights.”
“They pay good money…” the mechanic argued.
“But they’re not going anywhere, and I am,” Maria scowled.
“Hey!” Jarik interrupted. He passed a cup of coffee to her. “Maria, why don’t you do a cursory check of the plane while I talk to the mechanic and see if we can’t figure something out.”
She opened her mouth to argue but just growled and snatched her coffee careful to keep from spilling it. After she’d stomped off, the mechanic gave him a grateful look. “Thank you,” he muttered. “She’s very difficult to talk to.”
“Look, I know that you have a schedule that you feel obligated to keep, but we both have places that we need to be. I’m sure that, with the right incentive, you can find a way to make her plane a priority and still keep your schedule.” To make his point, Jarik pulled out his wallet.
The mechanic took one look at the incentive that Jarik offered him and immediately nodded. “I’ll have you up in the air in two hours, but please keep her out of my way.”
“Done.” They shook hands, and Jarik went to tell Maria the good news. She planted her hands on her hips and glared suspiciously at him.
“He changed his mind? Just like that?”
Jarik tried to smile charmingly. “I can be very persuasive.”
“How much did you pay him?”
“Do you want to leave this evening or now?”
Sighing, she sipped her coffee. “Fine. Deduct it from the amount that you owe me. So what do you want to do for the next couple of hours?”
All kinds of erotic images popped in his head, and he tried to keep them to himself, but she must have seen the desire in his face. Narrowing her eyes, she pushed past him and climbed from the plane. “You can find a way to entertain yourself for a couple of hours. If you’re not back in time, I’m leaving without you.”
Catching up with her easily, he fell in step next to her. He still felt unsure about letting her wander on her own. “There are quite a few shops near the airport all decked out for Christmas. Think maybe we can find a few more teddy bears to take with us?”
Maria snorted. “I thought you hated Christmas.”
Shrugging his shoulders, “Just because I don’t care for it doesn’t mean others can’t enjoy it.”
She turned to look at him; he could have sworn she was trying to look into his soul, the way she stared at him. Taking a noisy sip from her cup, he watched her eyes start to twinkle with amusement. “Trying to distract me with toys?”
“Is it working?”
Looking up at him, she shook her head and smiled. “I’m not usually the kind of woman to be distracted by shopping, but toys? Count me in.”
Even with the pressure weighing down on his shoulders, he couldn’t help but feel good about indulging her and distracting her. A strange peace settled over her face when she filled up her cart with toys and goodies, and he couldn’t miss the sideways glances she gave him or the looks she stole around the aisles.
Nor could he resist stealing them in return.
There were so many different layers to her. There was the fiery side that wouldn’t let anything get in her way and the raw fear that she wouldn’t be able to help those in need. Here, he could see the innocence of a woman experiencing pure joy. Jarik wanted to continue to peel those layers back until he found the very center of her.
Her laughter filtered around the corner, and he leaned against the wall as he watched her flipping through a children’s book. The urge to touch her was overwhelming. Before he could analyze the insanity of his choice, he pushed himself off the wall and grabbed her around her waist. She gasped but didn’t fight him.
Lowering his head, he pressed his lips to hers and released all the pent up desire he’d kept locked away. Maybe she was too surprised to push away, or maybe she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her, but she melted against him and wrapped her arms around his neck. His kiss was almost desperate and entirely too hot to be public appropriate, but he didn’t care. She tasted of coffee and sugar, and if she’d let him, he’d pick her up, push her against the wall, and slide his fingers inside her until she surrendered herself to him completely.
“Mine,” he growled as he pulled away and tangled his fingers in her hair.
The word slipped out before he could stop it, and it immediately erected a wall between them. Maria stepped back and stared at him.
“Wait,” he said hoarsely as he stepped toward her, but she put her hands up to stop him.
“I am going to pretend that you didn’t just say that, that we didn’t just do that. I’m going to purchase the toys and load the plane. You can buy us some lunch for later and meet me out there,” she said in a low voice. He could tell that arguing with her would be fruitless, so he nodded his head and watched as she clutched the handle on her cart and headed to the register.
“Damn,” he whispered. There was no way that he was going to let her go. Not after that kiss, but it was clear that he had his work cut out for him.
That was okay. Jarik was up for the challenge.
6
Maria wasn’t great with ignoring issues, but she wasn’t even about to touch the kiss in the toy store.
Toy store. Seriously? That kiss was far too hot to have taken place in a public place, but a toy store?
That was just wrong.
Up in the air, she was trying to ignore the fact that Jarik was sitting in the cockpit with her. Surprisingly, he had some experience flying and was turning out to be a good co-pilot.
“My father used to fly,” he explained with a smile. “He didn’t get to go very often because of the crown, but when he did, he used to take me with him. Kashif wasn’t allowed to be in the same plane as him, and Samir was never interested, but I loved it.”
Oh boy. Personal conversations needed to be off limits. She didn’t want to know about his past. She didn’t want to make a connection with him. She simply wanted to get to Syria, finish the job, and get as far away from him as possible.
“So I’ve been thinking,” she said as she cleared her throat. “I realized that I’m way off schedule. You don’t have to volunteer when we get there. I know you have pressing business to attend.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him turn his head to stare at her, but she refused to look at him.
“We made a deal.” There was a sharp edge in his voice. “I have time to help you out at the camp and still make my prior engagement. Do you really think I’d run so easily?”
“I’m only trying to make things easier for you,” she said through clenched teeth. Her emotions took over, and she gripped the yoke a little too t
ightly. The plane dipped, and Jarik reached over and touched her wrist lightly.
“Focus on the kids,” he murmured in a soothing voice. It centered her, and she readjusted her positioning.
“Sorry,” she whispered. “I guess I get a little worked up some.”
Just then, the radio sparked to life. “This is King Khalid International Airport Control to Flight 446. We have a message from a Sebastian Walken.”
“Sebastian!” Maria gasped. She flipped the communications switch. “This is Pilot Maria Walken of Flight 446.”
“It’s been requested that you change your course to Riyadh to pick up some extra crates for your delivery. You have clearance to land.”
“Riyadh?” Maria said with a frown. “Is there any more to the message? I’m trying to get to Syria.”
“No, ma’am.”
Maria sighed and shook her head. She couldn’t get a hold of her brother, and now she had to reroute her entire plan? Anger surged in her, but she tried to keep a lid on it. She had to trust Sebastian, and if he’d managed to rustle up more donations, that was awesome.
“Very well. Please provide new coordinates, we are changing course.”
After adjusting her coordinates, she turned her head and looked over at Jarik. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I’m sure we can find you a direct flight to wherever you need to be in Lebanon, once we land.”
“You think it’s going to be that easy to get rid of me?” he asked without looking at her.
She couldn’t help but smile. Most men tended to give up when she didn’t show interest, but Jarik seemed determined to stick around. She’d be lying if she didn’t admit that she liked it. A lot.
As soon as they landed, she left Jarik with the plane to figure out what Sebastian had left for them. When she tried to call him and still got no answer, she started to get anxious.
While she waited for a custom’s official, she called Tessa. Her friend picked up immediately. “Maria! Where are you?”
Was that a note of stress she heard in her friend’s voice? “Why? What’s wrong? Is something wrong?”
“Sweetie, relax,” Tessa laughed. “I tried to call you a few hours ago and couldn’t get you. I assumed that you were in flight.”
“I was in flight, and I was on my way, but apparently Sebastian had some donations he wanted me to pick up in Riyadh. That’s where we are now. As soon as we load the plane, I’ll be on my way. How is everything in Syria?”
“Good. They’re all set up and waiting for you. I’ve set up the Christmas decorations, and I actually think we can pull something special together for dinner for the families. All we’re missing is Santa and his, or rather her, presents.”
Sighing, Maria tried to peer through the window blinds into the office. She could see shadows moving around, but no one had come out to talk to her yet. “Is Sebastian there? I’d like to have a word with him.”
“Sebastian?” Tessa cleared her throat nervously. “Maria, Sebastian isn’t here.”
She felt her blood run cold. “You mean, he stepped out, and you won’t be able to get a hold of him for fifteen or twenty minutes?”
“No. I mean that I haven’t seen him since I got here. Sebastian isn’t in Syria.”
“What?” Closing her eyes, Maria started to pace. “What do you mean that he isn’t in Syria? He’s not in his office. He’s not at home. He’s not in Syria. Where the hell is he?”
“Breathe,” Tessa instructed. “Stop pacing. I know you’re pacing. Just stand still for a second and breathe. Are you breathing?”
“I’m trying.”
“Everything is going to be fine. You have the crates. I’m here taking care of everything at this end. Even if Sebastian is late, it’s still going to be okay,” Tessa said calmly.
Maria plopped in the chair and squeezed the bridge of her nose. She could feel tension knot in her shoulders. “What if something happened to him,” she whispered.
“He’s fine, Maria. He was able to get the message to you. I’m sure he’s buried in last minute paperwork, and he’ll call you when he can. Or, maybe he’s already on a flight. There are a hundred explanations that don’t involve Sebastian being in any danger.”
Leave it to Tessa to be the voice of reason. Sebastian had a bad habit of ignoring her when he knew that she would be mad at him, and at this point, she was furious. He was no doubt avoiding her phone calls on purpose. “Thank you, Tessa.” The door to the office opened, and she immediately stood up. “I’ve got to go. I’ll let you know when I can get back in the air again, okay?”
Hanging up the phone, she gave the custom’s officer a smile. “Hi. I’m Maria Walken. I’m picking up some cargo for Christmas Crates.”
The stern man didn’t crack a smile. He rifled through some paperwork on his clipboard before pulling out some forms. “Sign these,” he said curtly.
Eagerly, she took the forms and placed them flat against the wall. Tilting her pen up, she skimmed through it and signed it at the bottom. “Great. When can I get it loaded? I’m still fueled and ready to go.”
“Tomorrow.”
He turned to leave, but Maria reached out and grabbed his arm. “Tomorrow?” He glared at her, and she immediately released him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to grab you. Did you say tomorrow? Tomorrow is not okay. I wanted to be in Syria tonight.”
The officer shook his head. “It’s been inspected, but it still needs to be on Riyadh soil for another twelve hours before we can load it. There’s a forty-eight hour minimum layover for cargo passing through our airport. Nothing you can do about it.”
Maria opened her mouth to argue, but he’d already shut the door in her face. Closing her eyes, she dropped her head and moaned. Was nothing going to go right on this trip?
Feeling almost defeated, she dragged her feet getting back to the plane to tell Jarik the news. She knew for sure that he’d get another flight out, and she’d have to make the rest of the trip alone. It would be fine. She was used to being alone, but for some reason, she wasn’t ready to let go of Jarik so soon.
“From the look on your face, I would say that things didn’t go well,” he said wryly.
“No, they did not. Riyadh has a forty-eight hour mandatory hold on all cargo going through their customs, which means that I can’t get my hands on it until tomorrow. I don’t understand why Sebastian would ship anything through this airport. Normally, we ship things straight to Syria. Anyway, there are several flights heading out in the next few hours that can take you where you need to go.”
“We’ve already gone over this. I’ll grab your things, and we can get a taxi.”
“Okay. I’ve never stayed here before, but I’m sure I can find us a place to stay the night.”
“Forget it. I’m not staying anywhere that you pick out. This can be a rough city, and we’re not separating. I can get us a room.”
Great. They were going to have to go through this again. “Jarik, I’m not staying at one of your fancy hotels.”
“And I’m not arguing with you over this,” he growled. “You want my money or not?”
Folding her arms, she widened her stance and prepared herself for a loud fight, but he was already in the plane grabbing their things.
Clearly, he thought that the argument was finished.
“Why is it so hard for you to understand that I can take care of myself?” she grumbled when he emerged. “I don’t need your money.”
“I’m not saying that you do. But I do know that the hotels that you want to stay in will all be in bad parts of town. Have you so quickly forgotten last night?”
How could she forget? It was one of the most terrifying experiences of her life. Grabbing her bag from him, she sighed. “Find. Just deduct it…”
“I know,” he cut her off with a grin. “Deduct it from the final amount that I owe you.”
Damn, he was sexy when he smiled like that. It was almost unfair that someone with that body could have that face. It was getting harder and ha
rder to resist him.
Of course, after the way she’d reacted to his kiss, there would probably be nothing to resist. He wouldn’t try again.
Her mood darkened, and she shouldered her bag and trudged behind him.
7
Unlike the last hotel, there were no barriers in this one. It was one large room with an impressive view over the city, a canopied king-sized bed, a large sectional couch, and a large bar in the corner.
Part of Maria wanted to ask why he didn’t get them a second room, but she also didn’t want to know what the price of a single room was.
She didn’t mind sleeping on the couch again. It would probably be more comfortable than the bed at any hotel she could afford. What she did mind was sleeping in the same room as Jarik.
Even though they wouldn’t be near each other, it would still be intimate. She’d be able to see him and hear him breathing and moving around in the bed.
He’d be able to see her.
Jarik already looked right at home as he stripped off his shirt. She took one look at the sinewy muscles of his back and immediately whirled around. “Dinner,” she blurted out. They needed to eat, right? Dinner. In a public place.
“Is that your way of telling me that you’re hungry?” he asked in an amused voice.
Maria cleared her throat. “Well, it’s not like we have a lot of things to do. Dinner would be good.”
“I can think of a few things that we can do.” His dark voice wrapped around her and made her shiver. “You can turn around now.”
Slowly turning her head, she couldn’t decide if she was relieved or disappointed that he’d changed his shirt so quickly. “I don’t suppose you have some ideas of where we could eat? We could probably ask the concierge, but I don’t think I have the type of clothes that would be required for the restaurants they’d recommend.”