Garden of Nymphs

Chapter Three

Helena hung up and stood there for a moment, listless. She had no choice now. She was going to have to stay the night in the airport, alone. Then she recalled the handsome stranger in the terminal, and her face illuminated. She was going to get to stay the night in the airport, alone...with a handsome stranger she'd not ceased to think about since she'd left him.

She headed back toward the terminal with a new spring in her step. She was going to see...what was his name? She'd forgotten to catch that, she thought sheepishly, but now she had a second chance. She smiled a silly, happy smile...

She reached security and her optimism took a nosedive. A big sign was mounted above a barrier of red, velvety rope: SECURITY IS CLOSED.

Helena noticed a night guard arguing with a harried looking woman laden with baggage.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but security is closed for the evening," he explained, growing impatient.

"Officer, please," the woman interrupted, trying to conceal her frustration. "I was just in there fifteen minutes ago..."

"Security's closed until tomorrow morning, 5 a.m.," he interrupted curtly. "You can come back then."

Helena was standing right behind the woman now, and she sensed the woman growing more and more exasperated. Helena waited to see how the situation would play out. Perhaps this woman would be able to convince the night guard to let them back in. Helena clung to the hope.

"Listen," the woman was saying, "I missed my flight. I only left because they gave me a voucher for a hotel, but then there weren't any rooms..."

This was sounding strangely familiar.

"...and the shuttle bus driver kicked me off the bus—"

"Listen, lady," the guard cut in. "We've all got a sob story to tell. That doesn't change the face that," he pronounced very slowly, as if she were some kind of moron, "SECURITY...IS...CLOSED."

The woman stood there a moment, reluctant to give up. Finally, with a huff, she turned away and headed toward the lobby doors. Helena looked back after her with sympathy. She could honestly say she knew exactly how she felt.

Helena let out a sigh and began to turn away as well.

"Sorry about that," the guard said with a smile.

Helena spun around. Was he talking to her?

"These people think they have the run of the place don't they?" he said as he opened the divider belt to let her through. "Have a good night."

Helena stood there for a moment, uncomprehending.

The guard smiled. "Go ahead."

Still not understanding why she should be the object of this special treatment, she decided not to argue. She went through the divider, breezed past the metal detectors and made it all the way around the corner before she finally got it. She gasped and stopped dead in her tracks.

The security badge! Goodness, she'd completely forgotten she was wearing it. She picked it up and stared at it in disbelief. He'd thought she was an airport security guard. A ripple of panic coursed through her stomach. She'd just committed a federal offense! Evasion... or trespassing...or terrorism...the lawyer guy from the airport would probably know. But she hadn't meant to! She wondered if she should go back. But what if she got in trouble? They would probably take her to some little interrogation room and accuse her of trying to blow up the place. Maybe it would be wiser to just let it be. The guard suspected nothing. And who else would know?

Helena hesitated another moment, then decided to keep going. Subconsciously, she ran a finger over the badge at her chest. Apparently the gift from her handsome stranger was a good luck charm.

A short distance away, she spotted the young man sitting in his seat reading his newspaper. Helena held her breath. Would he be happy to see her, or indifferent?

At the sound of her shoes clicking against the floor, he glanced up from his reading. He stared for a second, as if he couldn't believe his eyes, then shot up from his seat.

"You're back." From the look in his eyes, Helena was reassured. That was definitely not indifference.

She recounted the events of the past half hour. He was infuriated by her treatment from the shuttle bus driver. He was about to storm the airline help desk and demand the driver's name, but Helena was thankfully able to stop him. Then she told him how she got past security, and his mood lightened.

"Evading transportation security officials with false identifying documents?" he teased in his insolent Bronx accent. He looked her up and down. "I would never have guessed you were the type."

Helena rolled her eyes with exasperation. "I didn't realize at first why he was letting me through! It was all because of this badge you put around my neck."

"Well, I can't pretend to regret it," he said quietly. His eyes settled on her for a moment. Butterflies fluttered through Helena's stomach and she couldn't find anything to say.

"Rest assured, though," he said, breaking the silence. "If you're indicted for federal crimes, I'll represent you." "Pro bono?" Helena asked.

"Well, we can get into the details later. My people will call your people..."

Helena grinned. "I'll be reading the fine print, though, Mr...."

"Eros," he said with his impish grin. "Jason Eros."

The rest of the night flew by like a dream: Eros' puckish laugher, his endless teasing, his hand accidentally brushing against hers, subtle flirtations, early morning bagel run, last call flight 59 to Dulles, Washington, lingering good-byes at the gate, settling for a handshake, a long, dark trench coat vanishing around the corner...the most intriguing man she had ever met out of her life forever.

...You can find Garden of Nymphs on Amazon, as well as the next two books in the Helena Thessaylia series: Hiatus and Gold in the Dust.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=garden+of+nymphs+julie+arnold

Thanks for reading!

Julie