Beautiful Whispers (Ausmor Plantation Book 1 - Romance/Suspense) (18 page)

His lips covered me, and his fingers brushed the hair back behind my neck. Our bodies locked together, and I knew he was mine. “Don’t stop,” I said, afraid he’d push me away or reason with me.

Alexander rested his forehead against mine. His fingers gently touched my lips. “I’ve waited so long.” His accent - gravely and slow. His hushed words slowly dripped.

I could listen to him all day. Forever.
             

He took my face in his hands and looked deep into my eyes. “You remember me now?”

My heart stopped. It was like the first time we kissed but felt like the hundredth time he said those words. I froze.

Jane shook herself from the trance and sheepishly smiled at Alexander.

Lillia leaned close to her. “A memory?”

“I hope so,” Jane whispered.
             

Alexander smiled.

“Mr. Ravenswirth.” Lillia jumped up and down. “You’re back. I knew you’d be back. Didn’t you know he’d be back, Jane? I knew it. Did you know it, Mrs. Kiness?” Lillia leaned in towards him. “Love your what do you call it? Scruff? Beardy thing? Goat tail?”

“Goatee, child,” Mrs. Kiness sighed.

Mr. Ravenswirth’s iridescent green eyes lingered on Jane before answering Lillia. “Thank you, Miss Morgan.” His southern accent spilled smoothly like warmed maple syrup.

Jane loved the southern accent. She was born and raised in Virginia, but the accent eluded her.

Mr. Ravenswirth introduced Jane to his easy, crooked smile. Jane allowed her eyes to follow his coppery curls as they cascaded behind his ears.

“I like your bracelet,” he said.

Jane glanced down at the bracelet on her left wrist. “It’s my favorite.”

“It’s different. Where’d you get it?”

Lillia giggled like a five year old in church as she continued her twirling.

The royal blue flower in each red glass bead wouldn’t confess. Jane didn’t stall; she couldn’t remember. She didn’t know the who, what, where, when or why. Long story short. Jane fell down the stairs at the Christmas party and hit her head. A scary brain bleed and fractured skull introduced themselves, and it had only been three months since her hospital release. The bracelet hid in the big bag of stuff the hospital gave her of what she wore at the time of the fall.

Jane couldn’t remember the missing six - July through December - before the fall. According to the doctors, her temporary amnesia required time and patience. Jane visualized the missing six as a destructive tornado refusing to release anything of use from its grip.

“Mr. Ravenswirth is quite an expert at fixing
things,” Mrs. Kiness said.

He studied the floor as Mrs. Kiness detailed his various skills. Jane heard about fixing the drywall, making a ceiling energy efficient but still historically accurate, and something about banisters or windows or a door or a wall. Instead of his skills, Jane focused on his jeans, his brown cowboy boots, his denim oversized over shirt, his bright white t-shirt, his black belt, his—

“Jane thinks you’re cute,” Lillia interrupted. “Don’t you think he’s cute, Jane?”

“Didn’t The Bitty need you for something?” Jane asked.

Lillia gawked at Jane as if she had just been told her execution time neared when she assumed she had time for tea. “The Bitty?” She curled her lip. “Good God! I hope not. You think he’s cute, don’t you?”

Jane thought she should have said, ‘Yes, I do find his piercing green eyes and slightly curly burned honey hair which he allows to dangle ever so dangerously around his pleasing countenance to truly captivate me.’ Thinking about it, Jane had to admit it sounded better than, ‘Yeah, he’s like so hot.’

Jane couldn’t remember the details, but something about Alexander calmed her. Or excited her. Or unnerved her. She couldn’t decide which.

Read
Missing 6
on
Kindle or Paperback
now
– the thrilling conclusion to
Beautiful Whispers
.

I wrote my first short story when I was five, but when an assignment in a lit course challenged me to “rewrite” the last chapter of Jane Eyre I was hooked. I dream
t of going to an ivy cloaked university in England or Scotland, but my health issues forced me to rethink that agenda. Working through and with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, food allergies, migraines and the scary health emergencies, I managed to finish both my Bachelor’s degree in English and History and my Master’s in Strategic Intelligence.

As a child, I wanted to be everything from
a veterinarian (can’t stand to see any animal hurt) to an actress (too shy) to an astronaut (not good at science) to an Egyptologist (I wilt in extreme heat – or anything over 70 degrees). Writing makes sense to me. My characters pursue all the subjects that interest me and/or terrify me. I started with screenplays and TV scripts, and my first screenplay placed finalist and semi-finalist in several screenwriting competitions. Loving a challenge, I dove further into the writing craft to study dialogue, description, plot, pacing, story (if there was a book on writing I’ve read it).

When I’m not writing, I’m filling up bird feeders,
troubleshooting computers, playing games (I’m a freak for logic problems and Tom Clancy video games), reading (anything by Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, Dean Koontz, Anne Rice), watching movies (I personally would like to recommend Joss Whedon be officially named a god). I’ve never met an animal I didn’t love and regularly rescue bugs and spiders. Living in North Carolina and Texas, I became the snake expert and successfully relocated many happy snakes who lived to tell the tale. I’ve lived in California, Arizona, Texas and North Carolina but have felt most at home in Virginia.

Also Available:

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