“Are you sure you’re ready to leave your other woman?” Frankie teased, despite her growing fatigue.
“The Catherine? Yes, I’m ready to start our new life together.”
Frankie yawned and put her hand to her mouth. “I’m ready to go to bed.” The car was comfortable enough, she could just lean the seat right back and sleep right here. But she fought to stay awake, not wanting to miss a moment of Adam’s company.
At last, Adam turned off the road and followed a short driveway that led to a modern looking hotel. It didn’t have the same character as The Catherine but was stunning in its own way. “Well, this is the hotel Julius recommended.” Adam drove the car into the parking lot and switched off the engine. “I’ll grab the luggage from the trunk.”
“Thanks.” Frankie got out and stretched, unkinking her body. Her bear grumbled under her skin, wanting to be free. Since meeting Adam’s bear, her own bear had been obsessed with making a date for another adventure with him. But Reaminster was not the place, there were no wide open spaces or mountain peaks to climb.
“Ready?” Adam asked as he joined her, a look of concern on his face.
“I’m okay,” she reassured him as they walked toward the hotel entrance. “My bear has been hassling me about your bear. It’s like having a child constantly asking to go on a playdate.”
“Tell me about it,” Adam said in agreement. “If my bear had his way, we’d go and live in the mountains, find a nice little cave and spend our days hunting and sleeping. And mating.” He cast her a sideways glance.
“At least they like each other.” Frankie pushed the door open and held it for Adam as he entered the lobby. It was nice, clean and modern, and the hotel receptionist greeted them with a warm smile.
“Hello, welcome to the Duke of Reaminster Hotel, do you have a reservation?” The name conjured up images of an old style inn, it seemed out of character for such a modern building.
Adam glanced at her name badge. “Yes, Joanna, I called earlier and made a reservation. Adam Painter.”
“Oh, yes, here we are.” Joanna tapped on the keyboard and brought up their details. “If I could just take some details.”
A couple of minutes later, they were riding the elevator to the third floor. A tingle of excitement passed through Frankie. They were going to spend the night together. All night, without Adam getting up at an early hour before the sun was fully in the sky to drive back to the hotel.
“You look happy,” he commented. “I thought you liked Bear Creek.”
“I do.”
“So why are you happy to be in Reaminster instead?” Adam watched her and the heat in her body grew.
“Because I’m here with you, just the two of us for a whole night.”
“That sounds like a good enough reason.” His voice was soft and seductive in the confined space of the elevator.
She moved to stand next to him, her body brushing against his. “It is.” Their lips met as the elevator doors pinged open.
“This is our floor,” Adam murmured against her lips.
“Pity.” She stepped away from him reluctantly and then turned and walked out of the elevator, and headed down the corridor to their room. Unlocking the door, she pushed it open to reveal a tastefully decorated room that had what looked like the comfiest bed she’d ever seen, or was that her fatigue influencing her mind? She turned around and flopped down on it, definitely the comfiest bed she’d ever lay down on.
“Nice room,” Adam said, taking a good look around.
Frankie turned over and rested her chin on her hands. “Nice view.”
“Are you flirting with me?” Adam asked, circling the bed like a predator and hell, she wanted to be his prey.
“I might be.” Frankie rolled over onto her back and patted the bed. “Come see how comfortable it is.”
“I like the view from here.” He placed his hands on either side of her head, the mattress sinking under his weight. Teasing her, he leaned down and kissed her lips lightly.
“I thought we could get an early night since we’re so tired from the journey, and we have to be up early tomorrow.” She reached up and took hold of his jacket, pulling him down toward her.
“If you’re that tired, maybe you should go straight to sleep.” His voice was silky smooth as he teased her.
“Want to tuck me in?” she asked, circling his neck with her hands and caressing the nape of his neck.
“You need to undress first. You won’t be comfortable with all those clothes on.” Adam pulled back, and she let him go.
Turning onto her front, Frankie pushed herself to a kneeling position and shrugged off her coat. Then she grabbed the hem of her sweater and pulled it over her head. She rocked from side to side on her knees. “Want to join me now?”
“No, I still like the view from here.” Adam folded his arms and arched an eyebrow. “Still too many clothes.”
Undoing the button on her jeans, Frankie then wriggled them down over her hips and changed her position so she was sitting on the bed, while she kicked them off. Adam fought to keep his expression serious as her jeans got stuck on one foot and she had to tug harder. At last, she moved back to a kneeling position, wearing only her bra and panties. His eyes flickered over her body, lingering on the scar on her chest.
His face creased into a frown, and she wanted to cover her body and hide from him. When they’d made love the night before, she’d kept her top on in the car, and the lights off in her bedroom. Her smiled faltered, and she sat down on her heels, the moment past. Frankie no longer felt sexy, she felt damaged.
Adam moved with purpose, he came to her, pushing his jacket off his shoulders and pulling his shirt over his head as he crawled onto the bed. “Don’t hide from me.”
Frankie met his eyes, reading his fierce hunger there, and her arousal increased, her nipples taut as he reached out and stroked her skin. His fingertips were light as he touched the scar, and then he leaned forward and pressed his lips to the place where the surgeon’s knife had cut her skin as he operated to save her life. Heat pooled between her thighs as he trailed his tongue over her flesh as if he could wipe away the scar and with it her fears.
Frankie cradled his head in her hands and then lifted his face so she could look into his eyes. “I can never hide from you.” She leaned forward and kissed his lips. Adam’s hands cupped her breasts, and his thumbs rubbed against her nipples, exciting her, increasing her need for him.
In perfect symmetry, they rolled down onto the bed. Holding each other, kissing each other as they removed the last of their clothes. Then, Adam moved between her thighs and guided himself into her. His body was perfect, incredibly strong, the protector, and she felt safe in his arms. As he made love to her, she believed that he would protect her from anything that might ever want to hurt her.
And she would protect him. As they raced together to a shuddering climax, Frankie cried out, a mixture of physical pleasure and emotional pain. For the only thing that she would never be able to protect Adam from was herself.
Chapter Fourteen – Adam
The morning came too soon, and yet not soon enough. Today was the day they were going to start unraveling the mystery of who they truly were, which part of them belonged together. However, despite needing to get up and dress, they both seemed reluctant to leave the cocoon of the hotel bed.
“I wish we could stay like this forever,” Frankie whispered in his ear as he kissed her shoulder.
“So do I,” Adam admitted.
“But we have to get up.” She moved, turning in his arms. “Promise me, whatever we find out, it won’t change this.”
“Nothing can change the way I feel about you. It’s impossible.” He smiled. “When I first met you, I thought having you as my mate was impossible. Now it’s the opposite, not having you as my mate is the most impossible thing ever.”
Frankie smiled and nipped the skin of his neck. “I like that you think so.”
Adam groaned. “If we don’t g
et up, I’m going to be forced to make an executive decision and make love to you for the rest of the day.”
“What about breakfast?” Frankie murmured as his stomach rumbled.
“The hotel has excellent room service, I checked on Trip Advisor before we left.”
She giggled, burying her face in his chest. “How thoughtful.”
He took hold of both her hands and rolled her onto her back, his body hovering over hers. “I only want the best for my woman.”
She lifted her head off the pillow and kissed his mouth, before sinking back down. “We really do need to go.”
He let go of her and slid off the bed in one fluid movement. “I know.” Adam held out his hand to her and helped her off the bed. “Do you want to hit the bathroom first?”
“Do you mind?” she asked, not hiding her body from him as she stood before him, magnificent in her nakedness.
“Ladies first.” He nodded his head and she left the room, grabbing her clothes and toiletry bag as she headed for the bathroom.
“Always the gentleman.” The door closed behind her, and she felt the loss, the warmth of her body gone from his side.
While he waited, Adam took out his phone and Googled the hospital, checking the distance from the hotel. Then he checked the location of the department they needed to visit at the hospital and its opening times. By the time Frankie emerged in a simple dress, with minimal makeup and her wet hair combed out and hanging damp around her shoulders, he had all the details they needed.
“I’ll be five minutes,” he promised as he went to the bathroom, showered and dressed. He looked in the mirror, noting the shadows under his eyes. These last few days had been a rollercoaster of emotions, but he wouldn’t change a thing. He left the bathroom to join Frankie who was sitting on the bed, waiting for him. Not a thing.
“You look good enough to eat.” She got up and grabbed her purse off the bed, before kissing him and opening the door leading out into the corridor.
“Don’t tempt me to take you back to bed.” Adam followed her out, and they took the elevator downstairs, where they spent half an hour drinking coffee, eating breakfast and avoiding any discussion about their day ahead. What was there to talk about? They had been over the plan so many times, turning it inside out and seeing if it went back together a different way. It didn’t. He only hoped they would get what they needed at the hospital and not have to trace the family.
Get what they needed?
Adam no longer knew what that was. If they found out Frankie did have Delia’s heart, what did it mean? How would it affect them? And his blood transfusion, how was that linked? How could it be linked?
“We should go.” Frankie picked up her purse and then stood up, straightening her dress.
“It’s a ten-minute walk, no more.” He took her hand and they left the dining room, exiting through the lobby. Outside, they were met by warm sun and a light breeze. Perfect weather for a walk. Although he would have much preferred to be on the mountain, not in a town, filled with cars and people. Despite the hotel always being busy, he never felt this claustrophobic.
“Are you all right?” Frankie frowned and he realized he was clutching her hand tightly.
“I don’t want to let you go.”
“It’s okay.” Her concerned expression told him how crazy he sounded.
Adam shook his head to clear it, and then looked across the street. “There’s the hospital.”
“Great,” Frankie said, her concern for him obvious before she turned her attention to the hospital building. “Here we are.”
“Here we are.” He pointed to the entrance to the side. “That’s where we need to go in.”
“Let’s do it.” She didn’t sound too sure, but they crossed the street, both knowing they had come too far to turn back now. This was why they were here.
When they reached the entrance to the building, Adam checked the signs, and they walked hand in hand along sterile corridors, up two flights of stairs, until they reached the Transplant Coordination Department. There they stopped, staring at the doors, neither ready to take the next step. Her fingers tightened around his hand, and she looked at him, anxious as the weight of what they might find settled on her shoulders.
Should he ask her if she wanted to go back? “You could wait at the hotel if you want.”
“No, we’re in this together.” She shook her head, and then took a step forward. “And the only way we’re going to know the truth is if we go inside.”
Adam pushed the doors open and walked up to the small reception desk set to the side of a corridor. There was no one there, the chair empty. Frankie turned around and looked down the corridor. “Wait here, I’ll go and find someone.”
She didn’t let go of his hand. “Together.”
“What if someone comes back to the desk?” he asked.
She was about to let go of his hand when a voice echoed down the corridor, someone was coming. Like two guilty children, they stood together, waiting for the person who belonged to the voice. Beside him, Frankie trembled a little and pressed her body against his. He was about to ask her what was wrong when the door opened and an ashen-faced woman stood staring at them.
“Delia?” Adam shook his head, trying to rid himself of the image of Delia who stood in front of him, looking as real as the day he’d seen her in the store.
“No.” Her face paled further as she looked from Adam to Frankie and then back again. “Do I know you?”
“No.” Frankie stepped forward. “No, you don’t. We’ve come here to ask for information.”
“I’m sorry, we don’t give out information on patients.” The woman recovered herself, but she couldn’t stop staring at them. “Are you sure I don’t know you?”
“Not unless you were working here a few years ago,” Frankie said, her hand gripping Adam’s as he tried to recover himself. “I was a patient, I received a new heart on September 21st…”
“2013,” the woman finished, reaching out to place her hand on the wall. “You have my sister’s heart?”
“I don’t know,” Frankie admitted.
“Why are you here?” she asked curtly, knowing she had already given them too much information if she wanted to stay anonymous.
“It’s a long story, and this is not the place,” Adam spoke, at last, recovering enough to start to make sense of it all. “Are you Delia’s twin?”
“How do you know her name?” The woman’s expression hardened. “Are you a private detective?”
“No, I’m a hotel manager,” Adam said. “Sorry, that sounded flippant. I’m Frankie’s mate, and we came here to find answers. We didn’t expect to find what we were looking for so soon.”
“I don’t know who you are. Records are kept sealed to protect all those involved. Even though I work here, I have never looked into my sister’s file, it would be unethical.”
“Please.” Frankie reached out and took her hand. “I think it’s important that we talk to you.”
“I can feel her.” Her eyes flicked up to Frankie’s, her expression filled with confusion. “I can sense her.”
Frankie didn’t say a word, she looked pale, as if she were about to be sick.
“That’s what we need to talk to you about,” Adam said gently. “Please, we’ve come a long way. We don’t want anything from you, only information.”
She looked at her watch. “My shift ends at twelve. Meet me outside the hospital, north entrance. We can have coffee and I’ll tell you what you want to know.” She turned away abruptly and wiped her face. “Now, please go.”
Chapter Fifteen – Frankie
“I wish she’d been happier to see us,” Frankie said to Adam as they stood outside the hospital entrance, waiting for Delia’s sister. “What if she stands us up?”
“Relax,” Adam said, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. “She’ll be here. It was a shock, that’s all.”
“Are they twins?” Frankie recalled the sister’s face. W
as that the same face as the woman whose heart beat in Frankie’s chest?
“Yes, I guess so. I thought I was looking at a ghost,” Adam admitted. “She’s a little older but so similar, I couldn’t mistake her.”
“You would have been her boytoy, if you had gotten together.”
“I would.” He kissed the top of her head. “But I don’t belong to her, I belong to you.”
“Hello.” The doors opened and Delia’s sister stepped outside. “I should introduce myself I suppose. My name is Elise.”
“Francesca, but everyone calls me Frankie.” She put a smile on her face, wanting Elise to like her. Or at least not dislike her.
“Adam Painter.” Adam held out his hand and Elise shook it.
“The hotel manager.” She gave a brief smile. “There’s a cafe along the road here, we can get a coffee. I think I might need something to eat, too. I’m in shock.”
“Sorry,” Frankie apologized, but she didn’t know what for.
“It’s not your fault, you couldn’t have known I was going to be there.” Elise glanced sideways at Frankie. “You’re younger than I imagined.”
“I had a virus,” Frankie blurted out, then closed her eyes. “Sorry, I didn’t want you to think I did anything wrong. I’m looking after Delia’s heart...as best I can.”
She wanted to apologize again but refrained.
“I have dealt with a lot of transplants over the last couple of years, I do understand that most of the time patients are victims of either disease or their genes. I’m not going to judge you, Frankie.” She smiled benevolently, and Frankie instantly warmed to her.
“I want to thank you,” Frankie said.
“You already did, in your letter,” Elise said. “Ah, here we are. Tuckers. Best coffee and sandwiches in town.” She pushed the door open and went inside. “Shall we sit here?”
“Sure,” Adam put his arm around Frankie, guiding her into a seat. She liked the press of his hand on the small over her back and took strength from him.
They ordered their food, even though Frankie was certain she wouldn’t be able to taste a single thing. Nerves made her mouth dry. No longer worried that Elise wouldn’t like her, she now obsessed over the real reason they had come here. How did Adam fit into all of this?
Silverbacks and Second Chances Page 32
