This Sweet Thing

Preface / One ~ Jenna

The beginning of a new contemporary romance novel by Amanda Kaitlyn....

Preface

Jenna

The desert stretched out beneath my toes and my breath seemed to be caught eternally in my throat as I forced my limp body forward, completely focusing on the broad frame of Ashers back, his taut shoulders, strong arms and lean hips. Asher. All I can think is That I have to get to Asher.

"Asher!" I called with the last breath left inside me, needing him to turn back, to wait for me. But the harder I pushed on, the farther away he seemed. He slowed his pace for a few seconds and when his pale blue eyes shifted to mine, I could breathe again.

"I love you, Jenna"

He said, his voice sounding so lost and filled with regret that my heart pounded faster in fear of what he'd say next.

"I love you, Asher!"

I call out, falling to my knees in the sand in relief when he turns and runs towards me, reaching me in record time to catch the first tear that falls to my cheek. He sweeps my hair from my face, tucks it behind my ears and presses a slow and gentle kiss to my forehead before speaking so softly I barely hear his roughened voice.

"don't forget me, angel"

I close my eyes and let the tears fall, the feeling of his gentle fingers upon my cheeks both a relief to my heart and a torture to my soul.

"Jenna..."

He whispers and then, he's gone.

 

And my world stops.

Chapter one

Asher

I heard my mothers sigh the moment she sat down in the dimly lit kitchen. She dropped her head past her narrow shoulders and I began gently massaging her shoulders. I could feel the tenseness in them, the stress slowly easing as seconds ticked by.

"You need to take a few days to relax, Mom. You work too hard"

 "Soon, I promise."

She clasped my hand with hers in reassurance. I leaned down and kissed her forehead before I sat down next to her.

"How was your day, Sweetie?"

She gave me a smile and I could see the love in her eyes. After the forty eight hour shift I'd had, I only admired her strength even more. Raising three boys and my sister, getting her masters in Pediatrics and still finding time to hear about my day at two AM, she never stopped.