Page 36 of Frankie and the Fed (Untamed Rascals #3)
SIX MONTHS LATER
Y ou know, I don’t go camping nearly as much as people believe,” Frankie said as she fiddled with the case of her telescope.
We drove several hours to find the perfect place in northern Arizona to escape the lights of Phoenix. I didn’t know exactly why it had to be Arizona, but Frankie was insistent, and I could never deny her anything.
The sun was already setting by now, and we still didn’t even have a tent. Good thing my dad let me crash his boy scout campouts when I was younger or we’d be screwed.
She fiddled with her telescope, getting it set up in the last of the light. The golden light gilt her deep brown hair, adding an ethereal air to her, like the sun itself needed to touch her. I understood the temptation all too well.
“Yeah. I figured that part out.” I rummaged around the back of the rented truck for the tent Frankie bought on our way here.
“I love it, though. I learned from a group I met up with once looking for Bigfoot. In hindsight, I should have asked more questions before diving into a trip with strangers, but it seemed so exciting that I hopped on a plane with little thought besides what I might find.
The group spent the entire time generously partaking in peyote or ayahuasca or whatever the hell they were passing around.
The whole trip was basically them dancing around naked in the woods and having a giant orgy.
I did not participate in that. I was barely twenty, and they were, well, probably not super old but comparatively pretty old,” she said.
She didn’t look at me throughout her entire speech, focusing instead on her equipment and finding whatever it was she was looking for.
“So, you’ve always been crazy,” I teased. “I’m surprised you didn’t dive into the orgy.”
“It was actually pretty fun, but I did take a little more precautions after that. Definitely made sure to always have independent transportation, and I’ll have you know I don’t fuck just anyone.
” She pulled out her phone and fiddled with that, too, fidgeting on the rock she perched on like she just couldn’t sit still. Adorable.
“Glad to know you have standards.” The sun finally dipped below the horizon, light leaving us fast, but the moon was full and bright as it rose behind the mountains.
Seven months ago, I wouldn’t have imagined ending up here under the moonlight with this beautiful, crazy woman .
“You know, we could just sleep under the stars,” Frankie called out without raising her head from the eyepiece of her telescope. “No need to set up that cumbersome tent in the dark.”
“But there’s bugs,” I said as helplessly as I could manage.
Frankie snorted as she stood and turned toward me. “You aren’t afraid…”
I stood by the already erected tent, my hands on my hips, proud that I could surprise her.
“Ta-da!” I did my best Vanna White impression to show-off my skills.
The tent was easy to put up. I just liked needling her.
Mostly, I liked the surprised look on her face.
Her eyes lit up in a way that never failed to enchant me.
“Well, then. I guess we will sleep in the tent. Spoil sport.” She stuck her tongue out, and I wanted to suck it into my mouth and skip whatever else she had planned for the night.
“Trust me. You’ll like what I have planned for that tent.”
“As long as it’s you and me, I’m sure I will.” She kissed me, soft and short. “Just in time, too. It’s about to start.”
“The alien invasion?” I let go of her so she could turn to her telescope as I nodded sagely, like I knew exactly what was about to start. She didn’t say a word this entire trip about why we were here.
She snorted once before grabbing my hand and pulling me to her. “Yes, those aliens riding the comet that is passing overhead tonight.” Sarcasm dripped from her voice like honey.
“Oh, like bull-riding in space.” I snuggled behind her. Our height difference meant that I could bend over her to look. Being this close to her was like a drug, and I wasn’t about to cut off my supply.
“Exactly like that. Look.”
I did as she asked and fitted my eye to the small black eyepiece. A bright streak of light followed behind a huge pitted rock. It was exactly like I thought it would be and still so much more amazing than I could have ever imagined.
“Wow.”
“Yeah.”
The comet was just the beginning. Soon, the sky lit up with a meteor shower as the comet broke into pieces and scattered across the atmosphere. The telescope showed so much detail, but watching them streak across the sky was spectacular all on its own.
“Do you think this is what the dinosaurs experienced?”
“Which ones?” She asked, laughing gently at my question.
“The ones that died from an extinction level event where a comet fell from the sky,” I said, nipping her shoulder hard enough to make her yelp.
“I thought you meant lesbian dinosaurs enjoying a night together.” She shrugged, her chest moving with poorly concealed laughter. “In both cases, yes.”
“I love you,” she said as the meteors became fewer and further between.
She turned in my arms to stare at me with those soulful brown eyes.
“I never thought I would actually get this in life. Happiness. Love. So much of my life was spent feeling out of place and unwanted. I used to wish for a place to belong. You are so much better than I could have ever imagined. ”
A warm tear fell down my cheek, and I was at a loss for words beyond “I love you, too.”
Nothing could have been more perfect than the smile on her face or the way she leaned into me for a kiss. I clung to her desperately, afraid that this was all a dream, that if I let go, she would disappear.
When we parted, the sky was still, but my heart was flying. This was it. This was the moment.
“Frankie, you are my everything. My life was dull gray before you were thrown into it by fate. You brought color and excitement and purpose. I am exactly who I was always meant to be with you. Marry me. Be my wife. Have my babies. Just be mine forever. Please.” I pulled the little box from my pocket—the one I’d hidden from her for weeks leading up to this moment—and opened it.
The purple and platinum ring shone in the faint light of the moon as my heart beat out of my chest, praying to the stars above that she would say yes.
She sat up, pulling away from me. It was too dark to see her face, and all my worst fears raced to the surface. She was going to say no. It was too soon.
“Is this real?” she asked. Her voice was watery and unsteady. “Are you really fucking asking right now?”
“Yes, my little chaos demon. This is real. I love you so much that my heart feels like it’s going to explode.” My hands shook. Why wasn’t she saying yes?
“Don’t you dare go exploding on me. Yes! I’ll marry you. Of course I will. Oh my god.” She burst into tears at that, and I gathered her in my arms, kissing her like my life depended on it, like this moment could last forever and still be gone too soon.
I made love to her under the stars that night. Worshiping every inch of her body in slow, reverent strokes until she was screaming my name, gasping and writhing and begging for relief. God, she was so fucking perfect. I couldn’t believe I was this lucky.
“So, uh,” Frankie said the next night, admiring the princess cut amethyst ring that graced her finger.
I was a little hesitant to choose the ring. It wasn’t traditional, but the platinum vines that wrapped around the purple stone reminded me of the wild part of her that refused to be tamed. Turns out it was the perfect choice.
“I have a surprise for you that isn’t nearly as good, but involves a jewel. Would you like it?” she asked.
I couldn’t imagine what it was, but I would love anything she gave me. “Of course I want it. What did you get me?”
“It’s better if I show you.” She got up and walked to the tent, zipping it up behind her and rummaging around in it for a bit before grunting and walking out. She came out empty-handed, and I was more confused than ever.
“I just need a few things from the truck really quick,” she said as she opened the back and grabbed… a yoga mat and a makeup bag covered in brightly colored rainbows. “Can you get the fire going again? It’s chilly.”
She brought her haul over to the fire and rolled out the thick mat. Whatever she had planned better include sex by the fire. If it didn’t, I would have to make it happen myself.
I grabbed the small shovel we bought along with the firewood and cleared out some ashes from this morning’s fire. The afternoon was too hot to keep it going, so I would have to start one from scratch tonight.
The job kept me distracted from whatever Frankie was doing, so when I turned around with an arm full of wood to see her naked, propped up on her knees, shoulders on the ground, holding her ass open and displayed for me, I froze.
“Dirty little chaos whore. What is this?” I nearly dropped the wood and went to her immediately.
“I told you there was a jewel involved. Light the fire so you can admire it better.” She fingered the plug, arching a little at the sensation. I’d never been so motivated in my life.
“Goddammit, woman,” I grumbled as I set the quickest fire I’d ever set. “You sure you want to do this out here?” I knew we were alone. We weren’t far from Sedona, and we had run into people all day out here.
“No tent. I want the stars to see our love.”
“And the aliens.” I worried that I ruined the moment, but my mind left me the moment I turned to see her presenting herself to me. Her laughter rang loud and clear, bouncing off the nearby red rock.
“Maybe they can learn a thing or two about probing,” she said as I stripped out of my clothing in a clumsy rush.
“From lesbians?” I laughed and jerked my shoes off while tangled in my jeans.
“Yes, which reminds me. There’s more. When you’re ready, look through that bag.” She moved her hands down to her pussy while she spoke, and I knew she did it just to tease me .
She was getting off on this.
Brat.