“Here…”

A faint crackle followed by the driver’s announcement that they had arrived startled Adrian back to awareness. She’d completely lost track of time as she’d answered Rooke’s questions and described the city. Sometime during the trip, night had fallen.

“It will make more sense to you during the day,” Adrian said as they waited inside the car for the driver to unload the luggage. “We’ll go for a walk tomorrow.”

“How about tonight? Too cold?”

Adrian squeezed Rooke’s hand. “I’d love to go for a walk.”

The redhead opened the door and Adrian and Rooke climbed out.

“Thanks,” Rooke said.

“My pleasure,” the redhead said, handing Rooke an embossed white business card. “My name is Valencia. Feel free to call me if you need anything. Ms. Singer has instructed me to be at your disposal.”

She paused. “Night or day. Call my cell.”

Rooke put the card in her jacket pocket without a glance. “Thank you. I’m sure Adrian will have everything I need.”

Valencia laughed softly. “You never know.” Then she gave a small salute, walked around to the driver’s side, and a few seconds later the car pulled away.

Rooke grabbed her duffel bag and Adrian’s briefcase. “Should we put these inside?”

“Come on,” Adrian said, unexpectedly excited to be having a houseguest. Not just any guest. Rooke. She was torn between wanting to show her some of the city sights at night, when everything looked cleaner and brighter, and staying inside with her, only the two of them, cocooned from the world. Selfish of her, probably. She’d grown up here.

For Rooke it was a brand-new universe. She opened her apartment door and held it wide. “You can just dump the bags in the living room for now.”

• 229 •

RADcLY fFe

When Adrian turned on the lamp, Rooke scanned the room. The not overly large room appeared at once lived-in and subtly luxurious—

gleaming hardwood floors, a large oriental wool area rug, a sofa and matching chairs in a muted navy pattern, brass lamps with silk shades, and a huge oak table that Adrian used as a desk in front of three bay windows. Floor-to-ceiling built-in dark wood bookcases occupied one entire wall, and every shelf was full. Several piles of magazines sat on the coffee table and end tables.

“This is nice,” Rooke said, enjoying a glimpse of Adrian’s life even though she couldn’t help but notice how far apart their lives were.

“Thanks, you look good in it.” When Rooke laughed, Adrian slung her arm around Rooke’s waist and kissed her cheek. “Let’s take that walk.”

v

Rooke had a headache by the time they returned. She’d thought she’d known what to expect, but her preconceptions hadn’t been anywhere near the reality. They’d walked as far as Times Square because she’d wanted to see the place she’d heard about in so many of her audiobooks. The picture she’d had in her mind was somewhat accurate, only several orders of magnitude less chaotic. The sheer weight of humanity—the crush of pedestrians at an hour of the night when most people in Ford’s Crossing were in bed, the clamor of bumper-to-bumper traffic, the flashing marquee lights advertising the names of people and events she couldn’t read. Earlier when she’d looked at the map, she’d been confident she could site a few landmarks and be able to orient herself enough to get around, even alone. Now she wasn’t sure at all.

“Let me take your jacket,” Adrian said.

Rooke rubbed at the ache in her forehead and wondered what she should do.

“Are you feeling all right?” Adrian asked quietly.

“Yeah. Sorry. I’m a little tired, I guess.” Rooke grinned wryly.

“And the damn Steri-strips itch.”

“The doctor did say you should take it easy for a couple of days.”

Adrian shook her head, looking unhappy. “I don’t think traveling to

• 230 •

SecretS in the Stone

New York and traipsing around the city for half the night qualifies as taking it easy. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

“Hey.” Rooke grasped Adrian’s upper arms and rubbed them gently. “I wanted to go, remember? And we’ve been through this before.

You’re not responsible for me.”

Adrian smoothed her hands over Rooke’s shoulders. “Maybe not.

Maybe I just like looking after you.”

Rooke drew Adrian closer and rubbed her cheek against Adrian’s hair. “I kinda like it when you do.”

“Good.” Adrian tightened her arms around Rooke’s neck and kissed her, a quick brush of lips that was all she dared. “Now I think you need to get some sleep. Let me show you where you’re staying.”

“Thanks. I’m sorry I—” Rooke cursed as her phone rang. She yanked it off the waistband of her jeans. “Hello.”

“Good evening, Rooke love,” Melinda said. “Valencia told me you’d arrived. I’d love to see you tonight. It’s been so terribly long.

Perhaps for a drink?”

Adrian had gone to stand in front of the bay windows, and Rooke glanced at her rigid back.

“I don’t think so. Not tonight. Thanks.”

Melinda sighed dramatically. “All right then. But you’re all mine tomorrow. I’ll send Valencia at ten. I want to go over some things with you and then I want to take you shopping.”

“Shopping? What for?”

“You may wear those jeans I find so devastating for the showing if you want, my darling, but I want to dress you up and show you off at the reception I’m giving. There’ll be reporters and art critics and the like attending.”

“I suppose it’s really necessary?”

“Occasionally you must play the artiste.”

Rooke rubbed her forehead again. “I’m sure I can find something myself.”

Melinda laughed. “Please, indulge me. You wouldn’t accept my hospitality, at least let me do this. I’ll enjoy it, and I promise you a good time.”

“Fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Rooke hung up. “That was Melinda.”

• 231 •

RADcLY fFe

“I gathered.” Adrian struggled to get a grip on her resentment.

Rooke and Melinda were going to be spending quite a bit of time together in the next week, and she couldn’t turn into a raving lunatic every time Melinda so much as spoke to Rooke. “I guess the madness starts tomorrow.”

“Sounds like it.” Rooke shouldered her duffel, waiting for Adrian.

“She’s sending Valencia for me in the morning.”

Adrian narrowed her eyes. “Is she. That was thoughtful.”

“Something bothering you?”

“No,” Adrian said, leading Rooke down the hall to the guest bedroom. “I’m happy you’re going to have this opportunity. I mean it.”

She pushed open the door to the bedroom. “Here you go. Bathroom’s through the door on the right. I’ll be across the hall.”

“Thanks.” Rooke hesitated, then stroked Adrian’s cheek. “Sleep well.”

“You too,” Adrian whispered, wondering how she would ever get to sleep with Rooke so near, and fearing what she might dream if she did.

• 232 •

SecretS in the Stone

ChapTER TwEnTy-SEvEn

Couldn’t sleep?” Adrian asked when she discovered Rooke sitting on the sofa in the living room, her chiseled profile cast in moonlight. She didn’t know what had awakened her from a dense heavy sleep, but she’d opened her eyes and was instantly on guard. Her skin tingled in warning, but when she listened for sounds of danger, she heard only deep silence. Still uneasy, she’d gotten up to search and had been drawn to Rooke, as surely as if Rooke had called her name aloud.“Did I wake you?” Rooke said, her tone dull and flat. “I’m sorry.”

“That doesn’t matter.” Adrian sat down next to her, aware for the first time that Rooke wore only boxers and a sleeveless T-shirt. She felt even more exposed in a tank and panties. But she couldn’t worry about that now. “What’s wrong?”

“I had the dream again. The one with the gravestone. I was so cold, so cold, and it was so dark.”

Adrian caught her breath at the confused, almost forlorn note in Rooke’s voice. She stroked her arm to comfort her and a surge of soul-numbing cold instantly suffused her. The moonlight disappeared and the air around her became murky, as if she were underwater. Her chest constricted and when she tried to take a deep breath, nothing happened.

Panic threatened to consume her, but before she succumbed, she focused all her will on the one thing she trusted more than any other. Rooke. She drew on that remembered strength and tenderness, and dragged herself free of the suffocating vision. Quickly, she knelt on the sofa and pulled Rooke into her arms, cradling Rooke’s head against her breasts.

• 233 •

RADcLY fFe

“You’re all right, baby,” Adrian murmured, caressing Rooke’s icy cheek. “You’re all right.”

“They were touching me, touching me, and I couldn’t get away.

I couldn’t breathe and I couldn’t get away.” Rooke shivered. “I was drowning, Adrian.”

“No. That’s not going to happen. Do you hear me?” Adrian grasped Rooke’s face between her hands and forced Rooke to look at her. “No one is going to hurt you. You’re not going to drown, baby. I promise.”

Rooke blinked and shuddered. “Jesus. What was that? Adrian?”

“Just a bad dream,” Adrian murmured, hugging Rooke tightly again. She kissed the top of her head. “Just a dream.”

“You feel so warm,” Rooke murmured. “So good.”

Adrian held her fiercely, wanting to protect her and just wanting her so badly she physically hurt. Now wasn’t the time to give in to that desire, not when Rooke was so vulnerable. Only two days before, Rooke had barely escaped serious injury and that, added to the stress of being suddenly immersed in a metropolis she could barely comprehend, must have her completely off balance.

“Does your head hurt, baby?” Adrian settled back on the sofa and guided Rooke’s head to her shoulder.