The Russians are Coming!, 14 Months in the Life of the Town - стр. 19

«He looks tired.» She noticed surveying his exhausted face. «Definitely, he’s had a difficult past and probably went through some grief a short time ago.»

Suddenly she met his gaze, and was amazed at how odd it was. This young Russian man stared at her with adoration and abhorrence at the same time, as if she was doing something extraordinary. As if she was eating spiders for a bet, for example, or dancing on the table stark naked.

His glare intrigued her, and Lana waved. Ruslan and Nicholas just saluted back, but did not come close. Then, pursing her lips, the girl addressed Oleg again. «Why do people ignore me?»

Oleg demonstratively looked at her bodyguard, and Lana winced.

«I promised Dad that I’d take Tom with me if I go to a bar,» she explained with bitterness in her voice. «Tom’s just a good friend, like an older brother to me.»

«Your daddy is right,» Oleg sighed. «Such a beauty as you are has to be under protection, like a rare, brilliant, sparkling diamond.»

«You call me such funny names.» Lana tried to laugh, but she could not. She liked it. This man was talking with a strange, hard accent, and all these nice words sounded very unusual, with masculine sexual inflection.

«I just said what I thought.» Oleg turned to the bartender. «John, give everybody a drink on me.»

«Why?» asked Lana, astonished.

«I want everybody to be as happy as I am now,» Oleg pronounced, gazing at her. «I met you, and it’s the best day in my life. I just want everybody to be happy.»

«But it’s a lot of money.»

«For happiness money does not matter.» Oleg took out a roll of bills and put it on the counter. «Barman, drinks for everybody!»

* * * * *

Just a few days later he met her again.

Downtown Oleg and Ruslan passed by the central hotel with a restaurant on the ground floor. The rain with snow had just stopped, and the streets were full of dirty water. Oleg Merkulov was wearing a wolf-skin coat. It was a very expensive and very warm fur coat and great for the Moscow frost, but now Oleg was hot and he walked with his coat open.

A car stopped in front of the restaurant. A man opened the door to help a girl get out, and Oleg saw Lana Limpson, wearing evening pumps with high heels.

She looked doubtfully at the wide puddle that was between her car and the sidewalk.

Next Oleg threw his coat on the puddle. Lana gazed at Oleg and recognized him. «It’s you again.» She carefully stepped on the coat, and gained the sidewalk. «Oleg, correct?»

«At your service, Your Highness.» He bowed.

«My God!» She looked at the coat. «I know the price of fur coats. It costs a fortune!»

«Just say the word,» Oleg uttered passionately, «and I’ll throw my life under your feet, as I did with the coat.»

Lana did not smile; she gawked at him.

«I have to go now,» she finally said. «Can we meet tomorrow? About 10 a.m., in the library. Is that okay with you?»

«Any time, any place,» he replied emotionally. «Say it, and I’ll go to the edge of the world!»

She smirked and left. Oleg picked up his coat.

«Oleg,» Ruslan Grafinsky said coldly. «You are a bastard.»

Merkulov grinned. «I’m just a businessman. And I strongly recommend you mind your own business. Maybe I feel real love, how do you know?»

Ruslan didn’t reply.