Janet, heading toward the front of the castle, was very proud her exit line. That should shut Brad up for a while. However, pangs of guilt quickly tainted those feelings of satisfaction. She really couldn't blame Brad for feeling jealous and resentful. But neither could she waste time at the moment worrying about him. Somehow she needed to find Frank, Rocky or Columbia.
As she approached the front door of the castle, shivering in her light jacket, she couldn't believe her eyes. Seated on the top porch step, a sketchbook on his lap and a pencil in his hand, was a young man with curly dark hair. At first his head was bent over his work, but then he looked up at the tangle of overgrown trees studding the front "yard". He appeared to be studying the scenery, but a closer examination of his face revealed his mind was literally light years away from the landscape in front of him.
As he sat there, lost in thought, Janet took the opportunity to study him. The heavy makeup he'd worn had made it virtually impossible to guess his age. Now, Janet realized how young he actually was. He couldn't possibly be more than three or four years older than her. Instead of a corset and fishnet stockings, he was dressed for the morning chill in a gray sweatshirt and jeans. He looked more like a graduate student than a decadent scientist.
Janet felt her cheeks blaze with heat, heedless of the brisk temperature. He was even more beautiful than she'd imagined. Before she could stop herself, she walked up to him.
"Frank."
Startled out of his reverie, he blinked and looked over toward her. His eyes widened, his expression a combination of pleased surprise tempered by fright.
"Janet! What are you doing here?"
She couldn't help it. She sat down next to him, put her arms around him and kissed him, pouring every bit of pent-up lust she possessed into the kiss. After recovering from his surprise, Frank responded by putting his arms around Janet and deepening the kiss.
Even engulfed in the throes of passion, a part of Janet's mind couldn't help but think of Brad…the man she loved enough to agree to marry, the man who loved her enough to ask her to share her life with him. Janet knew love was surely not the motivating factor for Frank. He simply enjoyed the physical sensation, and indulged without guilt or qualms. Suddenly, with a combination of horror and exhilaration, she understood she was doing the exact same thing. Brad was right…she certainly didn't know enough about Frank to love him. What she did know was that Frank's kiss and touch turned her on as nobody else, including Brad – no, especially Brad - ever had. She also knew what she was doing was wrong, but at least for the moment, her arousal was just too strong for her to care. For several seemingly endless minutes they remained locked together, exchanging kiss after fiery kiss.
The spell was suddenly and brutally shattered by a voice as frigid as the morning air. "If this is your way to save him, it's pretty damn unconventional."
They quickly separated and looked in the direction of the voice. Standing before them, the white-hot flames of fury blazing in his eyes, was Brad. Dr. Scott, huddled in his wheelchair with a stunned expression on his face, was right behind him.