“No. You have proof you changed. Physically.” Frankie took hold of his hand. “It’s fate, isn’t it? The two of us?”
“I’m beginning to think it is.” Adam caressed her face. “Maybe we’re supposed to go and find out who the donor was for your heart.”
“If it’s fate…do you think we’re connected?”
“Of course we’re connected.”
“I mean my heart and your blood.” Frankie didn’t know how to explain it, but there was something compelling her to make this journey with Adam. The same feeling that had compelled her to come to Bear Creek.
“Let’s trust in fate and see where it leads us.” Adam kissed her cheek. “Right now, fate is compelling me to shift and run across the mountain with my mate.”
“We should go then because no one can outrun fate.” As they shifted into their bears and ran along the dirt trail, Frankie knew she never wanted to outrun fate. Not as long as it meant being by Adam’s side.
Chapter Ten – Adam
Adam ran along the trail, with Frankie following. He didn’t temper his pace, she’d said she was fit, and he didn’t want to treat her as if there was something wrong with her. It would take time for them to both get used to the other, and that included Adam learning what it meant to live with a person who had received a heart transplant.
But for now, he was going to enjoy the evening, as if they were just two fated mates out for their first run together. His bear skidded around a bend in the trail, his claws digging into the dirt as he propelled himself forward.
He led her on to a cliff which looked down over the valley below. The sun was still high in the sky as the afternoon wore on. They paused, standing side by side, bodies touching as they looked out at the world. Up here, they were detached from it all, just two bears on a mountain.
Nudging Frankie, Adam turned away and lumbered across a grassy trail before turning into a wooded area. Weaving between the trees, the two bears took a meandering route, although Adam had a destination in mind. There was a waterfall, or so he’d been told by one of the waiters at the hotel, but with no one to share the scene with, he’d never visited it.
Until now. Now he had a mate, a woman to share his life with. He couldn’t bear to dwell on the thought of losing her, ever.
Forcing himself to think positive thoughts, he pushed on, sensing Frankie close behind him. The waterfall was close, he could hear the thundering sound of the water as it poured over the edge of the cliff and down into the pool below. He turned his head and looked over his shoulder, drinking in the sight of the smaller bear behind him.
Frankie was a lighter brown than most bears he’d met. There was no mistaking she was a female, her features, even in bear form, were prettier, more delicate. Adam wondered how her bear had coped when her human side went through the trauma of a transplant. Certainly, she seemed fit and well, her coat was sleek, her eyes bright.
His bear chuckled to himself. Sleek coat and bright eyes, what about her shiny nose? Like those are the things that are most important.
I’m practicing in case she wants me to be a judge at the dog show, Adam quipped back.
They reached the waterfall and stood side by side watching the water cascade down off the cliff above. It was a magnificent sight, but not as magnificent as his mate. He turned his head and gazed at her. A long, deep yearning filled him as his blood vibrated in his body, calling to a long lost love.
His head snapped back around. Was she right, were they haunted by the ghosts of the dead?
Beside him, Frankie took a step closer to the pool of water and looked down at her own reflection. Then she did something unexpected, she launched herself into the air and belly-flopped into the water. Water sprayed up, covering his silver-tipped coat. With a challenging roar, he leaped into the air and dove into the water. He was graceful for his size, and he swam under her, tipping her up so that she had to wriggle around to keep upright.
Frankie’s bear swam toward him, her head above the water, while her short legs propelled her forward. Adam trod water, waiting for her. But as she got close, she lifted her paw out of the water and slapped it down onto the surface of the water. He closed his eyes as the water swept over him, then shook his head, big droplets spraying off his fur. But Frankie’s bear had already swum away.
Adam took up the pursuit, but she was smaller and faster and he couldn’t turn as fast. At last, he gave up and headed to the side of the pool where the water was shallow and he climbed out, staggering forward as the weight of the water tried to pull him back down. He shook, his whole body quivering as he rid his bear pelt of water.
“Don’t you want to come back in?” Frankie’s voice asked from the pool. She’d shifted into her human form.
“Your clothes are soaked.” Adam’s concern made her frown.
“I’ll have to take them off and dry them,” she teased.
“I won’t object,” he tried to keep his voice light, but his fear she would catch a cold and be taken from him was real. He slumped down onto the ground. The experience of thinking his mate was dead was still with him.
“Are you okay?” Frankie pulled herself out of the water, curling her hands around her hair and wringing it out.
“Yes. I care about you, Frankie.” His words were feeble, they didn’t explain his feelings adequately. “What I want to say is...I want to keep you safe.”
“We discussed this.” Frankie sat down next to him, her clothes dripping water onto the ground. “I’m okay. Really.”
“I know. The part of me that’s Adam knows that. But there’s this tiny part of me that’s something else. Someone else.”
She smoothed her hand down his back, comforting him as you would a child, then she leaned forward, her wet clothes cool against his skin as she rested her chin on his shoulder. “We need to figure this out.”
He nodded. “People will think we’re insane.”
“Then we don’t tell them. We’ll say we’re going away for a few days to spend some time getting to know each other. We’ll drive to Reaminster, go to the hospital and see if anyone can help us. If not, we can go to the local library and check out the news articles on the accident. Then we trace the family.”
“If we need to. We might be able to get the information without bothering them.” He turned his head to look at her. She was so beautiful, yet there was an unmistakable fragility to her. One she tried to hide from the outside world. She covered it up with her enthusiasm and drive, but it was there.
“Agreed.” Frankie fell silent.
“We’ll figure it out.” He hugged her close and she shivered against him. “We should get you home and dry.”
“My mom died giving birth to me.” She stared at the pool of water, looking deep into its hidden depths. “Ruth raised me and my siblings.”
“I knew Ruth raised you.” Adam took hold of her hand and pressed his lips to her cool skin. “Not through gossip. I was talking to Jenny and Jason one time and they said Ruth was good at being a mom because look how Frankie turned out.”
“She was the best mom anyone could ask for. But I always felt cheated. I never met her. Our mom. I used to fantasize about what she was like, the sound of her voice, the touch of her hand, the scent of her skin.” Frankie shook her head as if trying to shake off her thoughts. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this now.”
“Because it’s part of who you are.” He kissed the top of her head as he held her close. Was this the fragility he sensed?
“I don’t want our children to grow up without a mom. That’s why I’m so hesitant to have children. I thought you should know. Before we embark on this journey, I thought you should know.” Frankie placed her hand on her heart. “Now, shall we walk back to your car?”
Adam looked up at the sky, the sun had crested the mountains and the warmth was disappearing from this side of the peaks. “Yes, you should go and take a warm bath.”
“Will you join me?” Frankie asked.
Adam caressed h
er cheek. “If you want me to.”
She leaned into him and her lips met his, moving against them, igniting his desire. He wanted her, he yearned for her, as if he’d waited a lifetime for this moment to arrive. Was this him or the other side of him? As their kiss deepened and she opened her mouth and their tongues entwined, he understood it didn’t matter. This bond was real. This bond was theirs and he was going to damn well own it.
Chapter Eleven – Frankie
The journey back down was slower since they walked in their human forms, hand in hand. Her wet clothes slowly dried as the evening breeze blew the scent of heather toward them. She was happy and relaxed, present in the moment. With their plans in place, she could let go of what tomorrow might bring and instead focus on her mate. And Adam was her mate. The disconnect when she first met him, the fear that they were not matched had gone. This evening, spending time with him alone had made her see he was hers and she was his. Forever.
Although the mystery surrounding her heart and his blood transfusion intrigued her. Were they playing host to two other people who had been mates in real life? Was it possible that part of those two people could live on through Frankie and Adam?
Frankie lived in a world where anything was possible. When you had lived through your heart being destroyed, and then given the chance of a new life, you came to believe in dreams and miracles. Especially since, being a shifter, it was harder to find a match. But the doctors had succeeded. And she would be forever grateful.
As they reached Adam’s car, the stars above came out, one by one they twinkled in the inky blue sky.
“The universe is so vast. We’re so small in comparison, a blink of an eye and we’re gone.” Frankie wrapped her arms around Adam’s neck, and he looked up at the stars.
“Isn’t it a comfort to think that there may be part of us that carries on after death? A part of us that remains?” He looked into her eyes, and she focused on him and only him as the sky darkened and the moon appeared above the horizon.
“Don’t we promise each other forever?” Frankie asked. “When we take a mate, we promise forever. That’s what makes shifters so special.”
“Very special.” Adam opened the door of his super sleek car. “And this special lady needs to get out of her damp clothes.”
“I’m going to get your upholstery wet,” Frankie observed as she stood in the cool night air and a shiver passed through her. Maybe shifting in the cold mountain pool wasn’t the best idea, but she’d wanted to feel alive, to feel free. To shake off all the things that held her back and made her scared. Since the virus that took hold of her life and shook her until she nearly died, she’d made an effort to do extraordinary things, and not shy away from life.
“I can dry it.” He placed his hand on her thigh, touching the fabric to see how wet her clothes were. Did he have any idea of the effect he had on her? As their eyes locked together, she got her answer. “Your jeans aren’t soaking wet anymore.” Adam’s voice was a whisper of desire.
“I won’t be needing that bath then.” She glanced at him from under her lashes and then slipped away from him to slide into the passenger seat of his car.
“We can take a shower together, instead.” He rested one arm on the roof of the car and the other on the open car door.
“Or we could skip straight to bed.” Frankie stretched theatrically and yawned. “I am tired.”
“Not too tired, I hope.” Adam bent down and kissed her quickly, before shutting the door and jogging around to the driver’s side. In no time they were crawling down the side of the mountain, his car navigating the sharp corners with ease, and his headlights illuminating their way.
“I love it here.” Frankie rolled the window down a couple of inches and breathed in the scent of pine and damp earth. “This is the perfect place to raise a family.” She turned to face Adam. “I’m not saying yes to kids. I’m just saying...”
“I get it. Look, Frankie, we just need to take one day at a time. See what happens.” He made a face. “Which reminds me, I don’t have any protection.”
“Condoms?” Frankie asked.
“Yes. I don’t sleep around. And I didn’t expect us to... Not tonight.” He looked at her awkwardly.
“Don’t you ever sleep with your hotel guests?” Frankie teased, knowing Adam was too straight-laced for that.
“It would be unprofessional,” he confirmed her suspicions.
She giggled. “So what do we do?”
“I could go to the store,” he offered.
“And have Beverly spreading gossip?” Frankie teased.
“I can live with that. For you.” His eyes darkened with desire, and she longed to tell him to pull the car over to the side of the road so she could undo his zipper and straddle him, and make passionate love to him in his expensive car.
She sighed. Take a chance. Would it be so bad if she did get pregnant? Frankie thought back to her own childhood and the deep ache in her heart that Ruth could never take away. But she had so much she wanted to teach their children. And was it fair to Adam to deny him children of his own? Little people, who would be there to give him comfort and support if she did pass away prematurely?
“Pull over.” Her words were met with a worried glance. “Please.” If they were going to stop, it had to be before they reached a busier road. Making love in a car where people could see them was not something she could do. But here, where no one rarely came...
“Is everything all right?” Adam asked as he turned the steering wheel and maneuvered the car to the side of the road. It didn’t leave much room for anyone to pass if they were in a vehicle, but if another car did come this way then at least Adam would be alerted by the lights.
“Everything is perfect.” She unclipped her seatbelt and leaned over him, brushing against his hard length as she tried to find the lever to slide his seat back.
“Can I help?” His hand covered hers and he guided her to the lever. Together, they pulled it up and he used his feet to push the seat back as far as it would go. “Better?”
“Much.” She sat back in her seat, but he caught her around the waist and pulled her close, his mouth crushing hers. She whimpered against him, her need almost too much and she squeezed her thighs together, trying to ease the ache in her core. It was no good, only one thing would ease her need, and that was hidden in his pants.
What about her pants? She really hadn’t thought out the logistics of what she intended.
“Want some help?” he asked as he released her.
She took in a large gulp of air as she sagged back in her seat. “Yes, please.”
He unclipped his seatbelt and reached for her, his hand sliding between her thighs. She gasped as he pinched her clit through the fabric of her jeans, and opened her thighs wider. Adam rubbed his hand along the length of her sex, pressing against her opening. Her nipples hardened, demanding attention. Damn it, her whole body wanted attention.
“Am I reading the signals correctly?” he asked in his matter-of-fact way.
She chuckled before biting down on her bottom lip as he pressed his middle finger against her sex, while his thumb rubbed her clit. “Yes.”
“You know I don’t have protection. Do you want me to...relieve you?” he asked, his voice hoarse with his own need.
“I was thinking of mutual relief.” She placed her hand over his groin and stroked his hard length, feeling him respond.
“In the back seat?” he asked, moving to unzip her jeans and slide his hand inside them. Pushing her panties aside, her stroked her mound, before rubbing his fingers lightly over her clit.
“I’m more of a front seat kind of a girl.” She hooked her fingers into the waistband of her jeans and pushed them down over her hips, but left her panties on. Hiding her embarrassment, she let her hair fall down over her face as she murmured, “I’ve never done this before.”
“There’s a first time for everything,” Adam said as he helped her take first one foot and then the other out of her jeans
. She left them in a heap in the footwell while she tackled the next issue, climbing onto Adam’s lap.
However, her man had ideas of his own and he lifted her up and placed her on his lap. She turned herself to face him, sliding one knee on each side of his thighs, her head close to the ceiling of the car. “This always looks so sexy in movies.”
“It looks incredibly sexy from where I’m sitting.” He hooked his large hand around her neck and pulled her toward him, their mouths crushed together, as she fumbled with the zipper of his jeans and eased his cock out. His breath hissed between his teeth as she stroked her hand up and down his hard length. Up and down, her hand rolled over the head of his cock, and Adam’s hips lifted off the seat as he strained for more.
She wanted to give him everything. What was he thinking when she thought they could live together and squash the need to procreate? That was what life was for. Lifting her bottom up, she moved her panties to one side and guided herself down onto his cock. She paused, the head of his cock brushing her outer lips. For several seconds, she brushed herself against him, until his breathing became jagged.
“Fuck, I’m going to explode.”
She smiled down at him as she kissed him. “What would your bear say about your language?”
“I don’t feel quaint in any way,” he ground out, his hands on her hips as he lifted his hips off the seat, searching for relief.
Slowly, she eased herself down on to him. Adam’s cock entered her, filling her, creating an intoxicating friction as he slid deeper and deeper inside her. Frankie curled her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck, her mouth questing for his as she impaled herself on him. Rocking her body back and forth, she circled her hips, increasing her arousal as she made love to her man. Adam let her take control, his hands cupping her breasts, pinching her nipples, sending her arousal into the stratosphere and then out to mingle with the stars.
“I can’t hold on much longer,” he said against her mouth.
Silverbacks and Second Chances Page 30