Chapter 9
It took them two more hours to finish the rest of the tubing installation. John couldn”t remember ever having done it so quickly. Frankie was a fast study and even set the taps on the last few trees. It was obvious she loved being outside from the rosy glow on her cheeks and the smile on her face. He imagined she spent the majority of her time in nature with her work.
”I think we”re done,” he declared, admiring the network they”d built. ”Thanks for the help today. It”s a relief to get this set.”
Frankie groaned as she swiped a hand at the sweat on her forehead. ”I don’t think I’ve ever been this tired. My arms won”t work tomorrow.”
”I have some special liniment made by one of the artisans I mentioned. I”ll give you a massage before we go to bed.” He gave her a lusty glance that belied the innocent tone of the comment as he shouldered his backpack. The thought of his hands coasting along that smooth skin made his body tighten.
How in the world could he be so horny when he was utterly exhausted? He wasn’t eighteen anymore, or even the right side of thirty, but there was something about Frankie that revved his engine and made him feel young again.
”Hasn”t anyone ever told you that it”s not polite to tease a woman with a massage?” Frankie joked. It was obvious her mind was traveling a similar path. She was easy to read as everything she felt was splayed all over that gorgeous face.
Her eyes narrowed at his deep chuckle, but he turned before she could say anything. ”Come on,” he urged over his shoulder. ”You keep thinking along those lines and I”ll have your feet up in the crisp autumn air in no time.” He started for the trailhead, which was thankfully downhill most of the way.
Frankie was quiet on the ride back to the cabin, which was unusual. For the past few days, she’d chatted his ear off. But now, her silence felt off and a bit ominous. John couldn’t help wonder if she didn”t want to be there.
He parked in the front of the cabin and leaned an arm against the steering wheel, forcing himself to make the offer. ”I”m sorry I didn”t ask you before. I just assumed you”d want to stay the night again. But if you”d rather head back to the inn, I can take you into town.”
”What?” Her lovely hazel eyes widened. ”No, I”d love to stay here. That is, if you don”t mind me hanging around.” She tapped her temple. ”I was just thinking of work. I need to check in with my boss soon or she”ll call out the guards on me.”
”Angus will want a walk after being in the cabin all day. That should give you some quiet time to call her if you”d like.”
”That would be lovely, thank you.” Her face flickered with an emotion he couldn”t read.
”What is it?” he asked, still on alert.
”Nothing to worry about really. It”s just that my boss can be a bit tenacious if she thinks I may have… Umm…” She cleared her throat and looked away, her shoulders arching up to her ears. ”You know.”
John chuckled. This girl.
In nearly every interaction they’d had, she was strong, courageous, and fearless. But here she was, curling into herself at the thought of her boss learning that they’d spent the night together.
”How would your boss know anything?” Other than the fact that anyone with half a brain would know exactly what she was thinking from the expression on her face.
”Well, for starters, this cabin looks nothing like my room at the inn and she”s already seen that. Plus, I”m complete rubbish at hiding anything from her, so once she asks a question it will just snowball into a thorough interrogation and end with her wanting a picture of you.”
John stared at her for a moment, his delight warring with his need to laugh. ”Give me your phone.”
Her brows shot up. ”What?”
”Come on.” He wiggled his fingers at her. ”Your phone. Unlock it.”
Her eyes narrowed, but she handed him the phone. He pressed the camera icon, then leaned over the center console and draped his arm over her shoulders, pressing his head against hers. He held up the phone and said, ”Now, smile.” There were several clicks before he handed it back to her. ”There. Now you”ll have a few selfies to send her once the interrogation begins.”
”You have no idea what you”re starting with this.” Frankie”s voice was heavy. ”The woman is a monster. She thrives on gossip, the more sordid the better. Plus, it’s past ten there so she’ll be several glasses of vino in by now.”
John laughed as he got out of the truck. ”I”m not scared. After all, I’m an ocean away.”
”Well, I have to go home in a few days and she terrifies me!” she shot back, scurrying out after him.
He grimaced at her comment. He didn’t want to think about that. ”I”m feeling pasta for dinner tonight,” he said, keeping his tone light as he opened the cabin”s front door. ”What do you think?” He waited for her to walk through before following.
”It sounds amazing.” Frankie stood still, staring up at him, a furrow between her brows. ”I think you”re amazing,” she continued, a lovely rosy blush moving up her cheeks as she spoke. He wanted to follow the path with his lips. ”This time I’ve had with you is more than I could have ever hoped for and I”ll treasure it always.”
”Whoa, whoa, whoa,” he urged, stepping closer and cupping her cheek, his thumb lightly grazing her skin. ”What”s this all about?”
Her mouth opened and closed several times before she could speak. ”It”s just that I”m leaving soon.” She looked down and bit her plump lower lip. ”But I really wish we had more time together.” Her intense gaze shot back to him. ”I”ve never met anyone like you. I”ve never felt like this before.” Her voice trailed off into a whisper as if she was afraid of his reaction.
His heart pounded in his chest at her words. The odds that she”d feel the same as him—he hadn”t dared to dream. John tilted her head up as his mouth slammed over hers, hungrily demanding a response as his tongue dove deep. She whimpered as she surged against his body, her hands clawing his back.
After several minutes, John felt a weight press on his leg and remembered what he needed to do. He broke away, panting, and glanced down at Angus who stared at him with adoring eyes. With a soft chuckle, he released his grip on Frankie, but gave her one last peck on the lips. ”We”ll continue this discussion when I get back. Call your boss.” He turned with Angus on his heels and walked out the door.
***
Frankie stood at the window for a moment, hand to her lips, staring at the spot where John and Angus had disappeared into the woods. She could hear the rapid beat of her heart in her ears, in shock at the words she”d shared with him. She squeezed her eyes shut, groaning.
Way to go, Frankie. He must think you”re a right nutjob now.
She peeked at the spot again—no sign of John or Angus—and flattened her lips into a firm line. It didn”t matter if he thought she was a lunatic or if he knew she was in love with him. She was leaving in a few days and that was that.
Her heart in her stomach, she pried off her shoes and began to remove as many layers as possible before she made the call. With a dramatic sigh, she grabbed her tablet, plopped into the large armchair, and pushed the video chat button.
”It”s about time you checked in,” Sharon piped up, then she froze on the screen, her mouth parted as if she were about to let loose another zinger. ”What happened to you? You look like you wrestled a bear.” She squinted, her face moving closer to the screen. ”And why are your lips so puffy? Frankie, what have you been doing?”
”Well, if you would let me get a word in edgewise, I”ll tell you.” Frankie scoffed softly and wiped at the streaks of mud on her cheeks.
Sharon”s lips primed and she settled back in her chair, one hand holding a glass of wine. ”I”m listening.”
”I helped John tap Maple trees for syrup today. We finished forty acres, and it was exhilarating. Exhausting, but exhilarating.”
One eyebrow arched over her eagle eye. ”John!? As is the Mr. John Robbins?” Her head tilted, and a glint sparked in her eyes. ”Where are you? That does not look like your room at the inn.”
”Uhhh…”
Dammit!
She’d known Sharon would catch that and had been so frazzled by John”s kiss that she hadn”t created a solid answer. ”It”s the main room of the inn. I thought it would be better to call you from here, let you see the scenery a bit.”
Frankie froze as the door opened behind her. Angus rushed in with an enthusiastic woof.
Sharon abruptly sat up straight, wine sloshing, her eyes bulged and her jaw dropped. Then a miracle happened: Sharon lost the ability to speak for a brief moment.
”Bloody fucking hell!” she exclaimed softly. ”Who is that magnificent stud standing right behind you? My god, I think his shoulders are over a meter wide. And that beard… Mmmm. That thing could give a proper thigh burn.”
Jesus, Sharon.
”It”s no one.” Frankie cursed under her breath, praying John hadn’t heard Sharon’s salty comments. She closed her eyes in resignment as John leaned in, his head next to hers. This was rapidly turning into a full-blown disaster.
”Hi there. You must be Sharon,” he said cheerfully. ”I”ve heard a lot about you.”
”Well, that makes one of us,” Sharon muttered as she peered into the screen. ”And who are you?”
Frankie side-eyed him as he spoke. ”The name”s John Robbins.” He gave her a two-finger salute. ”Nice to meet you.”
Sharon preened as she fiddled with her necklace. ”If I had known the men were this stunning in Wisconsin, I would have arm wrestled Frankie for this trip.”
”You don”t arm wrestle, Sharon.” Frankie rolled her eyes. ”And you couldn”t make this trip, remember. Your son? Your wanker ex from hell?”
”What tosh! I’ve had a miraculous surge of energy since that gorgeous drink of water showed up on your screen, and I’m practically a new woman now. I could take on anything.” Her head shifted the other side and then she scowled. ”Wait a minute.” She pointed a finger at Frankie. ”You are not at the inn.” She enunciated every word.
Frankie cringed. This was bad. Sharon was putting the pieces together in record time.
”Are you at his cabin? The one you were determined to find a few days ago?”
Sharon gasped and sat upright. ”Oh my god, Frankie. You”ve had sex with him, haven”t you?”
Frankie groaned, and John”s chuckle sounded in her ear. He grabbed the phone. ”Frankie’s had an adventure since she arrived. I”ll give you the rundown.” Like a master storyteller, he strolled to the kitchen, relaying the winter storm that left Frankie stranded. Sharon was notably rapt with attention, producing several loud gasps along with numerous oohs and ahhs. Frankie closed her eyes and sighed heavily. The woman would be impossible to manage after this.
”The roads were impassable, so I brought her back to my cabin,” he finished as he pulled several items from the refrigerator.
”That was three days ago, yes? And she”s been there since you rescued her from the ice storm?” Sharon interrogated.
Frankie waved her arms, snagging John”s attention. She shook her head fiercely, urging him to say no, but he only laughed.
”Frankie would really like for me to tell you no,” he started. ”But yeah, she has. Honestly, she can”t keep her hands off me.”
A slow, outraged gasp escaped her mouth, and she heard Sharon cackling hysterically on the other end. ”I knew it, I knew it, I absolutely knew it! It”s about time that chickie had a good shagging.”
”Bloody hell!” Frankie marched over and snatched the phone from John who was doubled over with laughter. ”That”s enough from the two of you, thank you.” She stalked down the hall to the bedroom, closing the door behind her. ”Yes, all that happened, but it”s not important. What we should be discussing is the amazing progress I”ve made in the last few days. John has agreed to help us.”
“Well, of course he has, darling. No man in his right mind would tell you no when you’ve been polishing his knob,” Sharon sassed as she danced obnoxiously around her living room.
”Would you please stop already? You look absolutely ridiculous.”
”You can’t be serious. This is the best news I”ve had in months.” Sharon continued to dance, making the screen bob back and forth in a sickening fashion.
”You realize what this means, yeah? Frankie, you”ve finally taken my advice and did it brilliantly. I mean, the man is stunning!” She waved her hands at her face. ”Fucking hell, I think I”m having a hot flash.”
She finally sashayed around her ottoman and plopped back in her chair with a disgustingly satisfied sigh. ”He was amazing, wasn”t he? Wait, don’t answer that. Of course, he was. And my god, those muscles! He looks like one of those studly American lumberjacks from my sexy reads.”
Frankie rolled her eyes. Sexy reads was Sharon’s slang term for steamy romance novels.
”I”m just so damn proud of you,” Sharon continued. “I was starting to believe your knickers were made of iron and closed with a padlock.”
Frankie sighed. ”Are you done yet?”
”Not even close. But I”ll stop. For now.” Sharon”s face suddenly became serious as she opened a notebook, then clicked her pen and continued in a professional tone. ”Okay. Tell me about the progress you’ve made.”
Frankie filled her in on the areas she’d toured and the information John provided, especially on the sections that were resistant to improvement.
”Wow. This really has been a productive trip.” Sharon snapped the notebook closed.
A tingle moved up Frankie”s spine when the expression on Sharon”s face sharpened. ”And now that we have all the dreary work stuff out of the way, how was he?” Sharon planted her chin on a fist as her eyebrows shuffled in a strange dance on her forehead.
Well, that didn”t take long.
Frankie sucked in a breath and let it out slowly as images from the night before flashed through her head.
John above her, arms braced, eyes glinting as he slowly pounded into her.
”Hey! There! That!” Sharon snapped her fingers, yanking Frankie cruelly from her erotic daydream. ”Oh, I knew it!” Sharon crowed, clapping her hands like a raving lunatic. ”I knew he”d be a total stud between the sheets.” She leaned back in her chair. ”Now, I want to hear everything. Do not spare any details, especially the lurid ones.”
”Oh my god, Sharon. Stop!” Frankie”s face flamed. It felt like she was the one having hot flashes this time. ”It doesn”t matter what he was like, or what we did. None of this does. All that matters is that I”m completing my assignment and I”m leaving here in three days. After that, John and I will probably never see each other again.” Her voice wavered on the last few words and her chest ached as if she had been punched in the heart.
Sharon sobered, her eyes softening. ”It”s that serious, then?”
Frankie looked away, fighting the lump in her throat.
I will not cry.
It had been agony just saying the words out loud. She knew she”d be a proper mess when it was time for her to leave for London.
”It is for me, but I don’t know if John feels the same.” She sniffed and forced a smile. ”But it doesn”t matter,” she repeated. Maybe if she kept saying those words, they”d finally sink in and she”d feel more like herself again. ”This assignment is moving along swimmingly. I”ve gathered a ton of useful information and we”ll have an expert on call whenever we need him.”
”Uh huh.” Sharon”s skepticism showed plainly on her face. Her lips flattened and she glanced to the side. Finally she turned back, her expression serious. ”What if you didn”t?”
Frankie scowled. ”What does that even mean? What if I didn”t what?”
”What if you didn”t come back to London?” Sharon answered, her voice several decibels lower than its usual level.
Frankie was speechless for a moment. The idea was utter insanity.
Sharon held up a hand. ”Just hear me out. What IF you were to stay in Wisconsin with that strapping lumberjack? What IF it”s your life path to take your environmental passions to America? Let”s face it, Frankie. You”re floundering here in London. Never dating, never socializing other than with me, always working. It”s not a well-rounded life and you haven”t been truly happy in a very long time. I haven”t seen you as excited as you were when you found out you got this assignment. Maybe you knew deep down that it would change your life forever.”
It was unthinkable, what Sharon was suggesting. Completely and totally insane. Uproot herself from her home, family, and career to this beautiful corner of the world? Just to be near a man who set her body on fire?
Absolutely bonkers!
And yet, there was part of her that leapt at the thought, regardless of how crazy it might be.
”Even if I were to consider this,” Frankie started. ”John has said nothing about me staying here. We literally just met days ago. Even thinking about a move to America is utter madness.”
Sharon hummed as she nodded. ”It would be yes, if John was not interested. But my darling, I believe your feelings are mutual.”
”You can”t possibly know that,” Frankie whispered. She didn’t dare consider that John felt the same. ”You”ve only spoken with him over the phone for five minutes.”
”It”s called intuition, ducky. And you really should learn how to tune into your own.” Sharon smacked her hand dramatically against the end table. ”Would it traumatize me to have my best friend move to the American wilderness to be with a handsome stud who clearly adores her? Absolutely! But would I be thrilled for her? Of course.” She pursed her lips, a twinkle in her eye. ”Would I also visit frequently to search for an American stud of my own? Hell yes!”
A bark of laughter blurted from Frankie”s mouth before she could stop it. ”You”re outrageous.”
”I am, and it”s one of the many reasons you love me.” Sharon grinned. ”Now, you will consider carefully what we”ve talked about, yeah? But most importantly, you will enjoy the time that you do have.” Her grin widened into a wicked leer. ”And report every salacious detail back to me.”