Her Russian Hero (International Romance Series) (22 page)

The clerk burst into boisterous
laughter and clapped Nicolai’s shoulder, then handed the colonel an application
form. Cecile held her breath. Nicolai filled it out while joking and pressing
her against him.

She bit her tongue to stop
herself from yelling,
hurry up
. He returned the paper to the clerk who
glanced at it, stamped it and handed it back to him. The man stood and shook
Nicolai’s hand and said something to her. She smiled and lowered her head coyly
against the colonel’s coat.

As they left the office, she
could hear her heart drumming inside her chest. Nicolai ordered. “Quickly, to
the trucks.”

They strode to the parking place,
scrambled inside the trucks and drove to the back of the customs warehouse. As
they walked to the door, Nicolai explained, “I’ll give you the details later. I
have the stamped voucher. I’ll present it to the guardian of the warehouse. You
guys will help us transfer the boxes. Cecile, I will use more of your money to
tip the man.” He took a step, reconsidered and turned to their two companions.
“If you see me flirting with this lady, keep your mouth shut.”

Paul and Jeffrey looked at Cecile
as if they’d swallowed a frog.

The colonel knocked on the
warehouse door. A heavy guy opened. The smell of alcohol wafted in the freezing
air. Cecile knew better than to judge. The poor guy was trying to keep warm in
the unheated hangar.

Nicolai talked to him and sighed.
“The forklift is broken. He said it would take a week to repair it if we give
him the money. Can the three of us carry the boxes?”

Jeffrey shook his head. “Some of
them are extremely heavy. We’ll be here all night.”

“This is a big airport. I can’t
believe they have only one forklift. There must be one hidden somewhere. Give
him the price of a forklift and tell him to go buy a new one. We’ll wait for
him here,” Paul suggested.

Nicolai passed on a bunch of
rubles to the guardian. The man’s eyes glittered. His big smile revealed two
missing teeth. He went back inside the hangar and came back with a forklift.
The colonel translated that the man just remembered a missing forklift. “There
is this new one that belongs to an officer. They could buy it and he would
replace it.”

“Tell him we’ll borrow it. He can
keep it and keep all the money,” Cecile decided.

They started loading the first
truck. The guardian offered his help and even his vodka if they didn’t mind
drinking from the same bottle with him. Nicolai declined.

Paul operated the forklift and
the others reorganized the boxes. After two hours, they had filled the first
truck to the brim and locked it. At that point, Cecile insisted Nicolai give
the guardian a personal tip. By three o’clock, the two trucks left the airport
with the colonel’s car in tow.

“We’re going directly to the
Belchem Lab. We need to reach it before rush hour and unload.”

 * * * * *

The Belchem personnel received
them with a hero’s welcome. Dr. Kadelov ran to the trucks. “Fantastic, you
finally got Colonel Roussov’s signature,” he croaked out of breath. “Move the
truck under the huge side windows. The lab doors are too narrow for these big
boxes. I will mobilize all our men to unload the stuff through the windows
directly into the lab.”

Cecile let him handle the
unloading and tugged at the colonel. “Can you call Sergei? Ask him if he wants
to come here. Tell him we have a surprise for him.”

General Fedorin arrived fifteen
minutes later, just in time to see the first box, raised by twenty pairs of
arms, crossing through the window into the lab.

“It’s fantastic, incredible. But
how did you manage this?” His large smile disappeared replaced by a dubious
look. “Cecile, I heard that Roussov refused to sign the permit. What made him
reconsider?”

The steel edge of his tone tore
at her heart. How could she tell him about her dinner with his father-in-law,
the man he abhorred? It was a mistake, a dreadful one that hadn’t generated
positive results. If she could only erase it.

She inhaled deeply and made an
effort to answer his question. “Roussov never signed a permit.”

She related their morning
adventure with a cheerfulness she hadn’t felt in the last few days. Nicolai filled
in the gaps. “I told the clerk that we just married a month ago and that my
wife’s dowry was a piece of land. So I ordered some agricultural machinery to
plant in the modern way. These machines were a gift for my bride. She has
promised to help me work the soil.” He paused and winked at Cecile. “The man
said my wife was really pretty and shy. I should give her many children.”

Sergei clasped his shoulder.
“Your dedication to my cause is greatly appreciated. I hope you haven’t had to
go too far to prove your affection to your new bride.” The ironic smile
mitigated the light threat. Nicolai laughed without taking offense.

“If you breathe a word to my wife
about me kissing Cecile, I will slit your heart, my
Generalle
.”

“I will extract the whole truth from
Cecile the next time we are together.” The look Sergei sent her made her toes
curl. His leg brushed against her thigh and heat seeped though her bones. She
closed her eyes. She would eagerly wait for that next time.

Nicolai cleared his voice. “Hmm.
Everyone is busy with the boxes but we are still standing in the crummy Belchem
Lab.”

She blushed and stepped away.
Sergei chuckled and stepped closer. “Nicolai, how much longer do they need to
finish the unloading?”

The colonel strolled to the huge
open window and glanced outside. “They’ll be here ’til late in the night. They
are doing this with their bare hands.”

Sergei lowered his voice to a
whisper. “Cecile, I want to take you away for a day.”

She smiled with unfettered joy.
Her mission was almost accomplished. Nothing could please her more at the
moment.

Nicolai joined them and Sergei
said, “Can I ask you to drop Cecile at my flat?”

The colonel nodded. “Go first.
We’ll follow in an hour.”

“Before I leave I will
congratulate Kadelov on his new equipment. Cecile, you had an ingenious idea
and you, Nicolai, did excellent work. I can’t thank you enough, my friends.”

They exited the building and met
Tania and John at the door. “Jeffrey called me. We came at full speed. You got
the stuff? How on earth did you do it?” John seemed out of breath.

Sergei motioned to Cecile. “The
brilliant Program Manager you chose for this contract accomplished a miracle.
And the others helped.”

She turned toward him and beamed.
His recognition of her professional capabilities pleased her more than all the
honors and awards she’d received during her Harvard days and her ten-year
career.

John’s brows arched with
astonishment. “I want the details.”

“Later, my friend. I’m sure
Jeffrey and Paul will be happy to brief you.” Sergei ushered them toward the
back of the building where some twenty Belarusian men tightened their muscles
and raised the huge boxes toward the window.

Alexander Kadelov, a large smile
on his face, came to shake hands with them. “I was sure that Colonel Roussov
would sign the permit as soon as Cecile explained to him the importance of this
equipment.” No one bothered to contradict him.

Sergei’s smile disappeared. He
fixed a questioning gaze on Cecile. Her heart skipped a beat. She gave him a
weak smile and shrugged hoping that he wouldn’t quiz her for more details. She
realized that each one of her companions was missing a piece of the story.

“Well, the equipment is here,”
she cheerfully said and clapped her hands. “Each one did his share and everyone
is happy.”
And will live happily ever after with the blasted equipment, I
hope
. Why ruin the mood with unnecessary explanation?

Ignoring the general’s quirked
brow, she tugged at Jeffrey’s sleeve. “It’s time to call Boston and ask our
chemists to jump on the first plane. I need them here to start the installation
as soon as possible. And Paul, please call Rob. Tell him we need him here. I’ll
call him when I have time.”

Paul laughed. “For once, your
orders came too late. Jeffrey already called our chemists. They are leaving
tomorrow. I just hope they don’t face a snowstorm in Boston and end up in
Moscow as we did. I’ll talk to Rob tonight.”

“Don’t worry,” Nicolai said to
reassure them. “I will keep track of their flight until they land here. And
I’ll be at the airport to receive them.”

Cecile yawned. “I’m tired. I am
going back to the hotel. Do me a favor, guys, don’t knock on my door tomorrow.
I may sleep the whole day to make up for my past sleepless nights. I leave the
Belchem Lab and its new instruments in your competent hands. See you the day
after tomorrow.” She waved to them and left with Sergei and Nicolai on her
heels.

She heard the general say
something in Russian followed by, “
Spacibo bolshoye
, thank you so much.
Dasvidania
,
goodbye.”

Before they reached the Jeep,
Cecile paused. “Sergei, explain to me how to go from the hotel to your place by
metro.” Nicolai tried to protest but she interrupted him. “I’d like to learn to
go around on my own.”

Sergei faced her, assessing her
request. “Always independent.” She raised a hand to protest but he insisted.
“Soon it will be dark. Nicolai will bring you tonight but I promise I will
explain to you how to take the metro. I will see you later.”

He gave the colonel the key to
his flat. Bowing over her hand, he pressed a warm kiss on it and turned it to
rub his lips on her open palm. Heat infused her cheeks and a tingling sensation
rippled through her body. “I’ll see you later,” she whispered.

The general jumped in the back of
the military Jeep and his driver took off. Cecile slid in the front seat of the
colonel’s Volvo. “Nicolai, since you’re not wearing your impressive uniform,
can we stop at the bazaar for a few minutes?”

He glanced at her, a question in
his eyes.

“Yesterday I gambled and won a good
chunk of money. I pledged to distribute it to these old women sitting out in
that chilly weather. Now is a good time.”

“You are a strong woman with a
good heart, Cecile. I understand why Sergei loves you. Maybe you can keep part
of the money to distribute in the villages. People are very poor there.”

Cecile thanked him for the
suggestion. Ten women crouched on the icy sidewalk received her donation and
showered her with thanks and blessings. Entering the bazaar, she moved between
different aisles for food shopping, cakes and flowers.

In the car she handed one of the
cakes to Nicolai. “Take this for your family. Thank you for all your help.”

* * * * *

The Jeep dropped Sergei at the
Ministry of Defense. He went to his office and called the Minister of Defense
to update him on the delivery of the long-awaited equipment to the Belchem Lab.
Upon hearing the compliments of his boss, he protested and specified all credit
should go to Dr. Lornier who multiplied her efforts to serve this important
cause. When he hung up the phone, a smile hovered on his lips. The minister
assured him he would never forget her dedication to their country and promised
to personally send her a thank you note.

Sergei entered the antechamber he
used as his bedroom and changed into civilian clothes.

It would be wonderful to go home
and find her waiting for him. A domestic scene played in his mind, Cecile
fixing the dinner then relaxing on the sofa while listening to Russian music.
They’d eat, dance and make love. No vodka. He remembered the first time she
came to his flat. She had fallen asleep in his arms just when he wanted her
wide-awake.

They’d toast later, much later…

She would spend the night in his
arms and the next day he would take her by train to the lake where he used to
vacation with his parents. A whole day spent together like two lovers without
any worries. They both needed a break from their responsibilities and hectic
life. And they needed to be together.

His secretary knocked, admitted
himself and handed him an envelope. “General, this telegram was delivered two
hours ago.”

Sergei opened it and read the few
words. His hand, holding the piece of paper, dropped to his side. He blankly
stared at the wall.

“I hope it’s not bad news, my
Generalle
.”

“It is. My mother is dying.”

Chapter Eighteen

The delicious smell of
home-cooked food, more precisely the smell of roasted meat, with garlic and
onions, lingered in the corridor of his building’s seventh floor. Sergei halted
before inserting the key in the lock. He wriggled his nose and sniffed. No, he
wasn’t mistaken. He opened the door and blinked, unable to believe his eyes.

A dream come true.

Just like in his fantasy, Cecilya
lounged on the sofa while listening to Russian music. The table was set and
even the bottle of vodka was open. She bolted up and flung her arms around his
neck. Even better than his fantasy.

Without uttering a word, he took
her in his arms and lowered his head, crushing his lips against hers. His hand
slid along her back to press her against his hardness. She moaned and he knew
she wanted him as much as he craved her. With escalating passion, he ravished
her mouth. His tongue probed and played with hers and she responded with
fervor.

His mother’s message popped into
his mind.

He pulled his mouth away and
stared into the beautiful eyes dazed with desire. He hated himself for what he
was about to say, what he was about to do.

“Cecilya, I love you for this
welcome, for fulfilling every detail of my fantasy. But a telegram came from
the village. My mother is dying.”

“Sergei, you have to go right
away. You’ll never forgive yourself if you don’t see her alive.” She raised a
hand and caressed his cheek, love sparkling in her eyes. “Can I come with you?”