Tender Savage by Iris Johansen

Author:Iris Johansen
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Caribbean Area, Man-woman relationships, Contemporary, General, Romance, Revolutions, Fiction
ISBN: 9780553593396
Publisher: Random House Digital, Inc.
Published: 2010-04-27T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Manuel set to work with enthusiasm and ingenuity.

Before the day was over, Lara found her small, bare cubicle transformed. In the first two hours he managed to conjure two air mattresses, clean blankets, and even the luxury of clean cotton sheets. A short time later three additional lanterns, two water canteens, and eight well-thumbed paperback novels appeared. During the next four hours luxuries and necessities dribbled into the chamber at a steady flow, sometimes brought by Manuel, sometimes by one of the soldiers, who smiled shyly, set their treasures down, and vanished as quickly as they had appeared.

Lara finally called a halt to it. "Enough," she said firmly as Manuel set down a handgun and a walkie-talkie on the pile of blankets in the corner. "Where are you getting all this, Manuel?"

"Some from supplies, some from the soldiers." Manuel grinned cheerfully. "Don't worry; I didn't steal any of it. Everyone wants to make sure you have all you need. All I had to do was ask."

"What on earth am I going to do with a gun and a walkie-talkie?"

"Everyone has a gun." Manuel's brow furrowed in thought before he suddenly smiled triumphantly. "And with the walkie-talkie you could talk to Ricardo when he's in the war room."

Lara shook her head. "I don't need all of this."

Manuel's face fell with disappointment. "I didn't do well?"

"You did too well," Lara said gently. "And I thank you very much, but it has to stop."

"But I didn't get you a pack of playing cards yet."

"I'm sure the soldiers need their cards more than I do."

Manuel stubbornly shook his head. "Ricardo said you must have—"

"No more." Lara hurriedly changed the subject as she saw him start to protest. "But I'm very hungry. When do we have dinner?"

Manuel was immediately distracted. "The soldiers eat in the mess, but you'll be served here with Ricardo."

"I can eat with the soldiers. I'm sure you don't have the—"

"The lady is hungry, Manuel." Ricardo stood in the arched opening. "Run along and fetch us something to eat."

Manuel nodded eagerly. "Right away." He darted toward the doorway. "You must talk to her, Ricardo. She won't take the playing cards."

Ricardo's gaze never left Lara's face. "I'll talk to her."

Manuel disappeared from view.

Lara pulled her glance away from Ricardo. "He's very determined."

"But evidently a better scavenger than I thought. You have the caverns' equivalent to the lap of luxury here."

"He must be very persuasive." She moved across the chamber and dropped down on the folded blankets with which Manuel had formed a seat. "And I'm surprised he speaks such good English."

"The good doctor. He conducts classes in English when his work permits. After the revolution we'll have close ties with the United States, and the more citizens who speak English, the better for them."

"I like your Dr. Salazar."

"You like him; you like Paco; you like Manuel." He enumerated lightly. "I seem to be the only one in your bad graces."

"And you're going to remain there." She met his gaze directly. "I don't like blackmail.

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