Bittersweet

Chapter One

Jenna

Jenna Baker had sat in the passenger side of the car for long enough. They were driving in the middle of a rainstorm. The Gravol she'd taken wasn't doing anything for her nausea, and the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach just wasn't going away.

"Oh, my God, pull over."

Tyler sighed. "Relax, Jenna. I was just about to." He put his hand on her thigh and gave it a little squeeze.

Tyler was right. She needed to rid herself of this frustration, but relaxing was easier said than done. Since waking up that morning, she just couldn't shake the feeling something bad was about to happen. Her odd dreams weren't helping. Last night she'd been drowning, all alone and tangled in weeds, trying desperately to gasp for breath. Now rain was pouring down harder than she'd ever seen before, and it had her nerves on edge. Maybe the association with water was what had her so worked up. They couldn't even see two feet in front of them. Hell, maybe it was just anxiety because she missed her baby boy so much. Jayden had been visiting her parents in Cornwall for the last week on his annual summer visit, and Tyler had insisted they surprise them by picking him up a few days early.

"So how long do you think we'll have to wait this out?" she asked. First they were stuck on the side of a road because of the rain, and then the stupid radio would only pick up static. Turning it off, she looked at him for an answer.

"Relax, Jenna," he repeated, and his mouth twitched as if to hold back a smile. "We'll get there soon enough. Honestly, sweetheart, I don't know how you made it through the entire week without him."

She knew he was treading carefully to avoid an argument and sighed, because he was right again. "I know, but I feel like a caged animal in here. And you know very well how I made it through the week." Thinking about Tyler and their fabulous week of busy hands, nude bodies, and spice made her hot all over, and she fanned her face. "Hmm," she mumbled, making him smile. "I made it through because I had you. This last week together has been pretty good, hasn't it?"

"It has." Tyler shut off the ignition and turned toward her. He reached across to caress the side of her face. "How did I get so lucky?"

"Lucky?" Jenna smiled and then licked her lips. "Not lucky, babe, just unbelievably lov—" His mouth crashed down on hers before she could finish her sentence, and her heart swelled with joy, replacing the bad feeling she'd had a few minutes before.

Tyler unbuckled her seat belt to pull her closer. She opened up for him immediately, and in no time at all, their kiss turned hungry and desperate. They were like two starving people who could only be filled by the taste of each other. The rain still fell heavily outside, creating a soothing background noise, and everything around them disappeared in the moment. It was a hell of a way to spend their time while they waited for the storm to settle, and she felt as if they were back in high school again. They were making out in the car, and she couldn't remember the last time she'd done that. 

Tyler pulled back so they could catch their breath and nibbled on her lips. He pecked her once and then twice on the mouth before turning so he could kiss along her cheek, and then it all happened so fast it felt like a dream. A really horrible one. Jenna felt his whole body tense. Before she could ask what was wrong, bright lights hit them.

She turned her head quickly and saw the horrified expression on Tyler's face seconds before cool air replaced where his body had been. A loud bang accompanied a jolt that threw her forward, and then sudden blackness surrounded her.

***

She was floating, so light and carefree, and it was dark at first wherever she was, so she kept moving forward through the haze. It was confusing but peaceful, if that even made sense, and she was soon met with something breathtaking. The dark faded away, and the most beautiful light she'd ever seen broke through it as if it were calling to her. It was bright white, and it cast glittery rainbow accents as she came closer to it. The magnetic pull kept her going farther in, and shapes started to form in front of her.