Frankenstein In Love Read online

  Turning her full lips up in a knowing half smile, she began running her hand through his chest hair.

  He became exasperated. “Tiffany, for God’s sake, don’t you hear what I’m saying? With you standing there like that, and me like this, I don’t feel very warm, sweet, or tender. I have a violent urge to throw you on the bed and make love to you all night long.” He grabbed her arm, turning her toward the door. “That’s why you have to go now, before it’s too late.”

  She stopped and turned back to him, bringing her hand up, pressing her fingers against his full, sensuous mouth. “You talk too much.”

  With a soft touch, she stroked his mouth until he opened up and began to draw on each of her fingers erotically.

  “Please don’t make me go, Kirk,” she whispered. “Let me spend the night with you.”

  “Oh, God!” he moaned and pulled her to him. With an erotic urgency he brought his mouth down and covered hers until he finally reached down, picked her up and carried her to his bed.

  She went into his arms tingling, anxiously wanting to feel him deep inside her. When he laid her down, her gaze focused on his full sexy mouth, and his blue, flashing eyes beneath dark lashes. Were there scars on his face? Yes. Deep, ugly, puckering scars, but every one of them made her want him more. She could hear his soft growls of passion, and they excited her, heated her blood.

  “You’re sure this is what you want?” he whispered into her ear.

  “Yes,” she whispered back.

  “I’ll hurt you, consume you, ride you hard—”

  “If you don’t, I’ll die!”

  “—and fast.”

  “And wild,” she rasped loudly, feeling a hot, drenching rush of sensation between her legs.

  “You’ve been warned. Now you’re in trouble.”

  His growls became louder as his passion deepened.

  His lips, his tongue, and his biting teeth caused a scalding heat to begin coursing through her. Trembling with desire, she pushed herself against him, hearing his soft moans as his lips covered her neck and breasts, filling her with a wanton lust she’d never experienced. She couldn’t wait. Feeling his bruising shaft pressing against her, she reached down with one hand and ripped away at their clothes before she seized it. She gasped. He was so large, her fingers wouldn’t meet around his hard length. She felt his pulsing passion as she handled him, guiding him to her moist pussy while bringing her other hand up and burying it in his long, dark hair.

  The turbulence of his passion whirled around her.

  When he at last plunged himself into her, she cried out with delight. His plunges were raw, his movements so basic and crude. He was an uninhibited lover making her want to cling to him while urging her hips upward to match his passion.

  Moans burst from deep within his throat, and his hands, large and possessive, handled her breasts while chewing and biting them savagely.

  Passion pounded in her blood as his unrestrained love took her from one plateau to another. They rode together, flesh against flesh, man against woman, want and need driving them upward into the storm of passion until Tiffany shattered with a long moan. Kirk growled out his lust while clenching her possessively. They lay for a time in each other’s arms, whispering to each other in loving accents.

  All of a sudden a loud clanging noise sounded.

  Both she and Kirk turned quickly and saw Quinn standing at the door with a cane in his hand, beating on the door, his face thunderous.

  “What in hell is going on in there?”

  Both Tiffany and Kirk jumped up, standing in each other’s arms.

  Quinn jerked the door open and took a quick stride inside. He saw them clutching at each other, and glanced over at the tangled sheets on the bed. “My God,” he said in amazement. “You were in bed together.” He glared at them and said, “Well, Kirk, I’ve got to give you credit. I guess ugly does turn her on.”

  “Don’t talk to him like that.”

  “Shut up, you cheap little slut. I want you to stay away from my brother. He’s had enough pain in his life without you coming in and flaunting yourself in front of him.” His arrogant eyes slid over to Kirk. “You know, she tried this with me, but I wouldn’t play her little game.”

  “The last time I saw you two together, she was fighting you off.”

  “Well, yes, that time, but I mean later. She’s tried to seduce me on more than one occasion.”

  Tiffany turned to Kirk. “Don’t believe him, Kirk. I didn’t, I wouldn’t.”

  Kirk was unsure. “Is that why you came down here? To seduce me after Quinn turned you down?” He indicated to her nightie. “The way you’re dressed, you said—”

  “Well, you were right, old buddy,” Quinn said, twisting the cane in his hands while the souls of his shoes scraped along the cement. “She tried to make a sucker out of both of us.” He stopped pacing and noticed the bed. Using the cane to lift the cover, he turned to Tiffany, his gaze raking over her brief nightie. “How far did you get, you little whore? All the way, perhaps? Were you successful at making a sucker out of at least one of the Kessler men?”

  Tiffany pleaded with Kirk. “Don’t you see what he’s doing? I rejected him, so he’s trying to get back at me through you. He knows how I feel about you.”

  Kirk turned away.

  “You’re not to be blamed, Kirk. It’s been a long time for you. You were bound to give in to her blatant seduction.”

  “Kirk, don’t listen to him,” Tiffany begged. “He’s jealous, can’t you see that?”

  Kirk whirled around and glared down at her. “All I know is you came down here half-dressed getting me all hot and bothered. Making my blood boil, determined to get me into bed. I may not know everything that’s going on, but I know there’s a truth of some kind in there.”

  “Kirk, the truth is I’m here because I love you. I was in bed with you because I love you. No other reason.”

  “You love a monster? A freak? How can you? I might have lost my head for a while, but everything’s clear now. You’re nothing but a trash-writing, bed-hopping little tramp. I should have seen through you right away. What were you doing, research? What’s your next book going to be about? The love life of the contemporary Frankenstein? The setting was perfect, wasn’t it? The dungeon, the darkness, and even the man himself. I’m glad I could play the part for you. Too bad there aren’t any bolts in my neck.”

  Tiffany was so crushed by his words that tears filled her eyes. She slapped him as hard as she could, and walked out.

  Chapter 12

  TIFFANY’S house was gradually going back up, but with all the damage the hurricane had done, the workers were swamped. They had more than one contract to honor, and Tiffany had learned to be very patient. In some ways it didn’t really matter, because she couldn’t forget how it felt having Kirk’s arms around her.

  It seemed as if a kind of lethargy had set in, and all the fight had gone out of her. She had quit writing Kirk any notes or trying to see him at all. Several times she had wandered up on Cat’s Paw to watch him walk the lonely beach, and her heart would go out to him. She’d wanted so much to go down and walk with him, but knew he didn’t want her around, so she contented herself with watching him from a distance.

  Now, as she gazed down at him for the last time, she whispered, “Goodbye, my love.” As soon as she’d said the words, the poignant wind whisked them away, taking them and whispering them into his ear. As if he’d heard the words, Kirk paused for a moment and turned, just in time to see her blow him a kiss, and walk away.

  *

  Tiffany’s kiss had hit Kirk like a jolt in the stomach. Something was wrong. Somehow he knew she’d come to say goodbye. No, it couldn’t be. She’d be back tomorrow, and the day after that. With her waves, her smiles, and her kisses on the air.

  But she wasn’t.

  Every day he searched the mist-shrouded bluff, but she wasn’t there. His hope would plummet, leaving him with an e
mpty feeling. He’d come to expect to see her looking down at him. But after searching day after day for one glimpse of her coming over the hill, he had to face it, she wasn’t coming back. She’d given up on him. No more notes, no more smiles and waves from the misty bluff, and no more visits in the middle of the night. Was it his imagination, or did the shrill wind on Cat’s Paw whistle out a haunting song of lost love.

  * * * *

  In the days following, Tiffany was unusually quiet while helping Elaine in the kitchen. She wiped down counters in silence, put dishes away, their clatter doing a poor job of filling up the deep hush. Finally, Elaine turned to Tiffany. “Tiffany, what’s wrong? You’ve hardly spoken a word all evening. Are you feeling okay? How is your head?”

  “My head is fine, Elaine. I’ve just got a lot on my mind, I guess.” After folding up dishtowels, and hanging them on a rack, she dropped down into a chair as if she had the whole world on her shoulders. While dragging a tired hand through her hair, she turned toward Elaine. “I want to thank you for all you’ve done, but I think it’s time for me to leave.”

  Elaine sat down beside her. “Tiffany, you can’t. If you leave, Kirk—”

  “Elaine, I don’t know what else to do. I love Kirk, but it’s hard to fight ten years of self-loathing. He’s built a wall around himself, a fortress to hide behind, to guard against hurt. I’ve tried everything I know to get through, but as long as he hates himself, he’s not going to be able to accept anyone’s love. He resists me, calls me names—”

  “He doesn’t mean it, Tiffany, it’s his pain speaking. My God, you didn’t think this was going to be a walk in the park, did you?”

  “No, of course not, but just when I make a little headway, Quinn comes along and destroys everything I’ve built.”

  “I know Quinn is a problem, and Kirk is stubborn, but he cares, Tiffany. I know he does. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t fight it so.”

  “It won’t do any good, Elaine. Quinn will see to that. No matter what I do, he’ll just follow up with a bunch of lies and Kirk will believe him.”

  Elaine agonized. “Well, it’s hard for him not to believe Quinn. They’re brothers, after all.”

  “Yes, I know,” she said sadly. “Quinn has the advantage, and he knows it.” She hesitated a moment, and then said, “Would you just do one more thing for me?”

  “You know I will.”

  “Lend me some luggage. I don’t have much. I think one bag might handle it.”

  “Oh, Tiffany, I wish you’d stay.”

  Tiffany took Elaine’s hand and squeezed it. “It’s better this way, Elaine. I’ll get the luggage back to you as soon as I can.”

  “All right,” Elaine said. “But now you have to do me a favor.”

  “If I can.”

  “I’m giving a dinner party Friday night. I’ve invited Dr. Wilder and told him about you. Would you at least stay long enough to meet him? He’d really like that.”

  Tiffany smiled. “Of course. I guess I could do that.”

  Elaine laughed softly. “Gosh, I wonder if I’m doing the right thing.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, you’re so beautiful, you’re going to make me look like Apple Annie.”

  Tiffany frowned. “My God, Elaine, doesn’t anyone in this house realize their worth? Don’t you know what a beautiful, woman you are?”

  “Tiffany,” Elaine said shyly, lowering her eyelids. “You don’t have to say that.”

  “I mean it. My advice to you is to look in a mirror once in a while.”

  Elaine lifted her hand and felt her face.

  “In fact, and I hesitate to say the word book since it’s come to be such a dirty word in this house, but I’ve considered using you as a character in one of my novels.” A naughty smile played along Tiffany’s lips. “You know, as the dark and mysterious heroine?”

  “You can’t mean it.”

  “Of course, I mean it. Elaine, do you remember when we saw each other at City Lights a while back?”

  “Sure.”

  “When I saw you with Quinn, I thought you were his beautiful fiancée. Let me tell you, I was so jealous. Later, when Kirk brought me in from Cat’s Paw and I met you again, my heart sank because I thought you were Quinn’s wife. When I finally found out that you were his sister I wanted to shout hallelujah,” she chuckled, “and almost did.”

  Elaine frowned. “You were attracted to Quinn?”

  “Sure, but that was before.”

  “Before what?”

  “Before I got to know him. Before I found out what an arrogant ass he is, and how he treats Kirk.”

  “Are you still attracted to him?”

  “Only physically. I mean, it would be pretty hard not to be. He’s so handsome, and…well, you know, such a sexy devil.”

  Elaine tried not to smile when her gaze moved beyond Tiffany to Quinn who was standing at the door and had heard everything.

  Seeing Elaine’s reaction, Tiffany turned, and saw the husky frame of Quinn Kessler standing behind her. She jerked herself back around and glared at Elaine. “How long has he been there?”

  Quinn folded his arms across his chest and smirked. “You can speak to me, Tiffany. I heard everything from hallelujah to sexy devil.”

  “I thought you were my friend,” she said to Elaine. “You could have warned me that he was there.” Jumping up from the table, she lowered her head and ran past Quinn, her face red.

  * * * *

  When Tiffany got up to her room she was crying angry tears, and sat for a moment trying to get control of herself. She happened to glance up at a writing tablet on the shelf of her closet, and feeling betrayed, a rebellious thought came into her head.

  What the hell am I? she asked herself. I’m a goddamned writer, that’s what I am, and if they don’t like it they can damn well lump it!

  She jumped up and went over to the closet and pulled it down, and then scrambled through the drawers of the night table and found a pencil stub that would have to do. Sitting on the bed, she thought about Kirk, the basement, and how many times she had seen him lurking around the mansion in shadows. If she could just get all that down on paper, she would have a story that would be unlike anything she had ever written. She was becoming excited just thinking about it, and her pencil began its furious scratching across the page.

  If she hadn’t learned anything else since she had become a writer, she had learned that if she couldn’t get excited about her book, no one was going to get excited about reading it. Many times she had started a book but the excitement just wouldn’t kick in and she would have to abandon it until she found a plot that not only excited her, but one that literally burned her fingers until she got it down on paper. That’s how she knew when she had a bestseller. And judging from the way her adrenaline was pumping now, not only would this be a bestseller—it would be a blockbuster.

  Before she knew it, she had filled several pages, bringing her up to date. She’d written down only the bones, but when she had access to a computer again she would flesh it out—perfecting it—making it sing. She had stopped for a moment, reading over what she had written, when a knock sounded on her door. Feeling guilty, she hurriedly leaned over, pushed it under the bed and sat back up. “Come in.” she called out.

  *

  Elaine opened the door and stepped in hesitantly.

  When Tiffany saw her, she lowered her lids and was silent, stiff and unsmiling.

  Feeling a bit timid, Elaine walked over and gingerly sat on the bed. “I just wanted to come up and apologize. Really, Tiffany, when we began talking, I had no idea it was going in the direction it did. Before I knew it you were saying things I knew you wouldn’t want Quinn to hear, but by that time it was too late. It just happened. I don’t know why. I’m so sorry, please forgive me.”

  Tiffany smiled. “I understand. The problem is not you. It’s me and my big mouth. I didn’t give you much of a chance to say anything.
I was determined to make you feel better about yourself, so I just kept on talking.”

  Elaine hesitated for a moment before she finally spoke. “I hate to ask, but, will you help me with my hair?”

  “Sure,” Tiffany said. “Your makeup too, if you want.”

  They sat at Tiffany’s mirror all evening, applying makeup, trying different hairdos, and even browsing through Tiffany’s closet for something Elaine could wear. When they had done all they could, Elaine stared in the mirror at herself.

  “You know, I’m no Tiffany Lovelace, but I’m not bad.”

  “Sure. You’re a knockout, Elaine. Just pay a little more attention to yourself and you can have any man you want.”

  * * * *

  On the evening of the dinner party, Tiffany was busy getting ready, but not looking forward to it. After hearing her and Elaine’s conversation the other night Quinn’s arrogance seemed to reach an all-time high, and he was constantly making obscene suggestions to her. She had been tempted to stay in her room rather than face him, but decided she wasn’t going to let that son of a bitch rule her life.

  While carefully applying her makeup in a listless way, again her thoughts went to Kirk. As usual, the thought of him caused a deep, raw pain to tear through her stomach, and tears would begin to creep down her cheeks. As her misty gaze flashed around the room she knew she had to get away from this place. Everything reminded her of him. Every stick—every stone—

  At that moment she happened to notice something in the mirror beyond her reflection, and her heart jumped. It was the neglected costume box sitting over in the corner. After what had happened she hadn’t even tried to persuade Kirk to wear it. Now, as she laid the powder duster down, the pain in her stomach became almost more than she could bear. She lowered her head as a fresh batch of tears pushed against her lids. She indulged herself for a few minutes before she glanced down at her watch. Noticing the late hour, she made herself move faster, putting the finishing touches on her makeup and hair. When everything was finally in place, she took a moment to appraise herself in the full-length mirror. The blue dinner dress was low-cut and draped in front, layering softly against her ample cleavage. The dress was sprinkled with tiny glitter, causing it to twinkle with tiny silver sparks. The effect was positively glamorous. Her hair was up in a Gibson girl with little ringlets at her neck and face, and she was pleased with the look of her trim ankles in the four-inch blue satin heels, and an ankle bracelet.