Eden's Spell by Heather Graham Read Free Book Online Page A

Mrs. Denver. And, no, I did not take your suit off you. You performed that lovely little strip-tease all by yourself.”

CHAPTER THREE
    â€œM OM?”
    Jason’s voice—soft and a little awed as it came to her from the television screen—sent Katrina spinning around, momentarily heedless of anything else.
    â€œJason?”
    She looked first to the screen, then to the steel-eyed captain with an expression that promised murder if she wasn’t brought instantly to her son.
    â€œI’d like to advise that you don’t upset him unduly,” he warned, then started past her, toward the stern.
    Katrina followed him quickly—through the cabin where she had spent the night, then through a second door, next to the head, one that blended nicely into the paneling. They went through another door to a pleasant cabin, this one lined with windows that looked out onto the dreary gray day.
    Katrina noticed briefly that the yacht was now pitching and weaving constantly; yesterday’s breeze had obviously whipped into a wind and the sea was churning.
    But it didn’t mean a thing to her—not then. Jason was all that mattered. Holding him again, touching him, assuring herself that he was really and truly fine.
    â€œJason!”
    He was sitting up in the bed, smiling, looking around with awe. He grinned first at Mike, who hung back. Katrina sped past him, raced to the bunk, and wrapped her arms around her son.
    He hugged her back, but just barely. Jason was eight years old; a very independent eight, all boy, and at the stage where such an expression of affection from one’s mother was just a little bit embarrassing.
    â€œMom …” he murmured, squirming. But then his hands were on her shoulders and he was looking at her with eager fascination in his eyes. Dark eyes, like his father’s. His slightly long, ruffled hair, though, carried her deep glint of red.
    â€œWow!” he said. “What is this place?”
    â€œJason, are you all right?” Katrina was not about to be deterred. She reached out to move his hair from his forehead, anxiously studying his eyes. He looked fine, absolutely normal.
    â€œMo-om!” he protested. And then his eyes fell on Mike again. “Are you the spaceman?”
    Mike laughed easily. “Sorry, son. I’m not a spaceman. I’m with the Navy.”
    â€œOh,” Jason said, disappointed. “Well that’s neat, I guess.”
    Mike left his position near the door to approach the bed, smiling. He gazed at Katrina; he saw the stubborn set of her jaw and the purse of her lips, and his smile tightened grimly as he indicated that she should move.
    She didn’t.
    He reached for Jason’s wrist anyway and she lowered her head, heartily resentful but also aware of the fact that he was a physician, albeit an unorthodox one. With a soft sigh of impatience she moved. Mike took her position at Jason’s side.
    Katrina stared out the window at the dead gray day. There was silence for a minute, then Jason—never good at keeping quiet—began to talk.
    â€œAre you absolutely sure that you’re not a spaceman? I had this dream—it was the neatest dream I’ve ever had!—about being in space. I had this thing called a star cruiser. R2-D2 was there, and Hans Solo, and you were in it too! Oh, not like you are now; you were in your space suit, of course! You were really from a planet called Vitrian, but you’d joined forces with Earth to help wipe out the deadly Odites, who were at war against the Federation. We all went into battle together—”
    â€œAnd we won, I hope?” Mike inquired.
    â€œWell, of course, we won!” Jason exclaimed happily. “It was just great!”
    â€œAnd you remember it all—clearly?” he asked him.
    â€œClear as glass!” Jason laughed. He went on about the Odites while Katrina longed to tie a muzzle around his mouth. What had happened to him?