Love Impossible: My Mate is Married?

chapter 7

Frankie POV

I rolled over when the smell of bacon and coffee hit me. I groaned before checking the time on my phone. 7AM, stellar. I still hadn't heard from Hannah, which was starting to worry me. I sent her a quick text

"Hey, let me know you're alive and getting my messages."

I stretched and made my way to the bathroom to grab a fast shower before eating anything.

I stepped out, drying my hair with the towel, and made my way to the kitchen. "Something smells good," I murmered.

"Good morning, How did you sleep?" Xander looked amazing. He was wearing some flannel pajama pants, no shirt. His hair was still a little ruffled from sleep but was pulled back in a messy pony tail.

"Actually, better than I've slept in a long time. How about you?" I responded.

"Got my morning run in already, chopped fireword, and breakfast is served." He placed a plate of pancakes, bacon, and eggs in front of me and slid a cup of coffee towards me. Grabbing his own plate, he made his way to the little table. I followed and sat down. "You had to be up stupid early to do all that." I responded.

He shrugged. "No earlier than normal"

How early does this guy wake up on a normal basis? I pondered. I dug into the pancakes and moaned. "Oh my God, how did you make this? It's like a carb crack."

His chuckle was deep and rough. "Mama's recipe. If you behave, I may give it to you."

"Oh, and how do I behave?" I teased.

"MMMM, I haven't decided. But bad behavior gives little girls spankings." He playfully teased back.

I flushed at the thought of him spanking me, naked. I should not think that way nope, not my best friend. Right?

His knowing smile made me worried he knew what pictures flashed through my mind. "What do you say after breakfast we hike around the lake?" He changed the subject.

Greatful, I responded "Sure sounds like fun."

We finished our breakfast in comfortable silence, I washed dishes while he dried them and put them away. It was nice to have a 2nd hand to help.

I grabbed my tennis shoes and laced them while he got dressed. He exited his room with basketball shorts hanging low along his waste. Still didn't put a shirt on. I shook my head. "You're so lucky you tan. I have to be covered from head to toe with sun screen just to be able to enjoy the outside."

He smirked. "I can help with applying sun screen on your back." Again, I flushed. He was being extra flirty today, and I couldn't figure out why. I also couldn't figure out why I didn't hate the flirting.

We walked outside together, and he pointed out wildlife and various plants that grew only in the area. He led me up a path that wound its way through the woods. I was starting to feel a little winded while he looked great. Maybe I needed to start running in the morning. I was way too out of shape.

As if I had requested a stop, Xander slowed his hike. I looked up from the trail and saw a waterfall. "Oh my goodness, Xander. It's beautiful."

His charming smile broke out before saying, "Almost there, Love, I have a perfect view for you." There was his love nickname again. Why suddenly give me these terms of endearment?

I tried not to think too hard on it while I followed him closer to the waterfall. There was a path that led between the falling water and the wall of the cliff. The cool spray of the water helped cool me down. Before I knew it, there was an opening behind the falls. It opened to a cave, and inside the cave was a picnic basket.

"Did you run here this morning?" I asked in awe.

Another charming smile was all I got in response. He started pulling items from the basket. He had a blanket laid out and spread sandwhiches, fruit, vegetables, and a chocolate cake looking thing.

"I don't understand," I asked in a daze as he held his hand to me. I took it, and he lowered me down to sit on the blanket.

"I just felt you deserved to be pampered." He responded.

I grabbed a water and drank from it before picking up a sandwich. "So, just pampering?" I asked. I wanted to know if there were other motives behind this behavior.

His cheeks reddened a little. "I'd be lying if I didn't say I wished I met you years ago. Before the hurt, before the loss, before everything. I wish I could have kept the pain at bay for you."

Awe, he's being cute. Right? I chewed my food while thinking about what he said over. I started to wonder if he was hoping for more than friendship. Well, he had admitted he wouldn't be apposed to it if the topic came up last week.

I nodded while deciding to let the matter rest for now. "So, you own this cabin. You have a giant house. What other things are you hiding behind that charming exterior?" I asked.

He thought for a moment, "Do you believe in the supernatural?"

Ok, let's change the subject to avoid talking about himself. "You mean like, aliens?"

"That and werewolves, vampires, you know the things we used to be taught were just stories."

I paused a moment, wondering where this conversation was leading. "I think the stories had to have an origin. For example, Aliens, if you're telling me we are the only planet in the billions of galaxies with life on it, I would doubt it. As for werewolves or vampires, I dont know. I never thought too much about it. I figured the vampire story had to have originated from some old timey serial killer who was into canaballism. The werewolves were probably much like how anyone with a genetic defect was put in the circus. Why do you ask?"

He mulled my answer over as if he was having an internal conversation before responding. "What if I told you the stories had more truth to it than most people believe?"

I laughed, "Ok, conspiricy theories?" What type of security was his company?

"What if I told you I had proof?" he softly said as he leaned in, looking directly in my eyes.

"Proof of what? Vampires?" He nodded, and I felt my mouth go dry. "Proof can be tampered with. It would take a lot to make me just blindly believe in the supernatural. While I agree it's possible to be there, I doubt it."

He moved to comment on my statement when a loud roar echoed in the cave. He bristled, and we both shot to our feet. He pushed me behind him as we came face to face with a giant grizzly bear. "f**k" I whispered.

"Sorry Love, I didnt want the conversation to go this way." He said as he pushed off of me running towards the bear.

"Xander! NO!" I cried out. I heard the cracking of bones and he jumped in the air. He landed on the bear, but rather than a man, a massive wolf was fighting the bear off.

Everything went black at that moment, I had passed out.