No matter how long Jet lived, he would never forget how a moonlit sky illuminated the past as well as the future. So far, his journey with Zoya proved to be a hurricane ride. Chance had brought Zoya to him, and their love was forged in conflict and uncertainty. His grandfather often remarked that things forged in forged in fire often come out stronger, but Gramps was usually half-lit on dandelion wine when he said it. If karma had a heart, Gramps' theory would be right.
It is certain the earth travels in concert with the universe and nothing lasts forever. In this on-going journey, wind and erosion wear away the land, while earthquakes and cataclysm shake the foundations of our existence. Millennia after millennia, prehistoric ice gouged the carcass of what today are the Allegheny Mountains. A frozen terrain painstakingly shaped by intensifying and receding glaciers. Melting ice created fresh water seas, which became lakes that abraded a path between the crests. Today, what remains are working rivers, ridges and valleys that frame the backbone of an old hard land. This incredible landscape, under certain moonlit nights, comes magically together to bring beauty to an enduring ground.
Excerpt
He arrived at his classroom door breathing heavily, but he’d made it on time. When he stepped into the room all twenty heads turned in his direction. Before he could gather himself he heard a familiar voice from the front row. “Professor Adamson!” Lacey Klineschmidt was hard to ignore. She’d been trying to get him to pay attention to her from day one. She been actively chasing him, and whenever there was an opportunity she would slip in a double entendre which left little to the imagination.
“I’m having trouble with chapter twelve. Could I see you after class?”
“Sure, Lacey, but I have an appointment so I won’t be able to give you much time.”
“That’s alright, Professor. I’ll take as much as you can give me.”
Jet winced.
Dean Angeles warned me about the girls. He said I’d look good by comparison to the other old farts, and they’d drive me crazy. I like being the aggressor. Then again, at the right time I would be glad to give all I had to Lacey. Man she is built like a brick outhouse…
He took a deep breath, dismissing ideas of the voluptuous Lacey. “Okay, class, let’s get back on topic. Yesterday we were talking about human capabilities and the brain. Can you trust your senses? And by that I mean in a life-and-death situation, are man’s senses suited to survival in a primitive world?”
The class wasn’t hooked. Most of the guys were still basking in the afterglow of Lacey, as she crossed her legs, revealing long tan thighs.
He wondered how she could be so tan in November, and how quickly her short skirt rose toward her thighs, and if she was wearing any…
Jet found his voice. “Think—Touch, taste, smell, sight, hearing, how reliable are your senses? And, which of these is the most reliable.”
“I believe what I hear.” Lacey wanted more attention.
We can test your assumption. “Close your eyes and don’t move.”
“Oooh-ahh, Professor, I’ve been waiting to hear you say those words.”
Jet blinked, caught off-guard. No one in the room misinterpreted Lacey’s vibe. Jet handled the comment as most men would. He ignored it and forged on.
“When you hear a noise, it’ll be me, clicking these two quarters together. Point in the direction of the sound, use your index finger, either hand, okay? Remember, eyes shut. I’ll be moving around your body.”
“Oh, I can’t wait.”
Click! Lacey pointed to the right.
“Perfect.”
She smiled, obviously pleased with her success.
Click! She pointed left.
“Correct again. Remember, keep your eyes shut.”
Click! She pointed straight ahead.
“Excellent.”
Jet cautiously moved in front of Lacey and held the coins under her chin. He hesitated for a fraction of a second.
Good grief, I hope she doesn’t take a deep breath—what a set!
He concentrated; timing his movements between Lacey’s inhalations. He clicked the coins and moved his hands quickly out of the way.
Click! Lacey pointed to the back of her head. The class reacted, laughing, causing Lacey to open her eyes.
“Wrong, why did she point in that direction, class?”
When class was over Jet didn’t hear any grumbling about his instruction to read the next five chapters. He knew he’d taught a good lesson. Now he needed to extricate himself from Lacey, go to the tea party, and then go on to the gym.
“Yes, Lacey, you have another question?”
She glided over to his desk and put her hands on its top. When she leaned over, gravity released the soft fullness of her breasts. He tried not to look. It was impossible. For an instant he marveled at the strength of the pink bra holding her together.
“Professor, are you available for tutoring? I could use some help. Maybe after your football practice we could get together.”
She slid beside him with a quick practiced move. He stood up and was trapped like an insect in a Venus Flycatcher. His shoulder and arm travelled the length of her chest. The soft feel of her was like a velvet hammer on his willing libido. He actually paused for a second, enjoying her touch. An adrenaline alarm went off and he turned away from her.
“Lacey, I have to get going. I’ll see if someone from the tutoring pool can help. I’ll get back to you.” He grabbed his papers and pulled away quickly. In two strides he was almost out of the door.
“That’s okay, I’ll Professor. I like to get on top of things and I’d prefer it was with you. Let me know if you ever feel up to...”
Jet didn’t hear the rest. He had one pressing issue on his mind God, I need a workout. He had two hours to kill. A brisk walk would help.
…Every ounce of her adrenaline fed body adjusted itself toward her driving. Without hesitating she pulled left, touched her brakes and pushed the Jeep's nose in the direction of the middle of the road. She punched the accelerator. The car leapt forward. The Mercedes looked far behind. She reached over and shook Anna. "Wake up. We are in trouble." Frightened, Anna sat up. "What's wrong?" "There is a car trying to force us off the road. Get on your cell phone and call 911. Then call Jet." During this whole incident she never felt a speck of fear. She allowed her instincts and reflexes to take over. Her years of schooling on race tracks and evasive courses gave her complete confidence. She crested a small hill and faced another frightening choice. Only a hundred yards away a tractor was stopped in the middle of the road. A glimpse of dirt road appeared on the right. Once again, her intuitive responses and training took over, a quick flick of the wrist and her Jeep's fat Pirelli tires bit deeply in to gravel, spraying stones and dirt out like gases from a rocket. Anna flopped to the side, dropping her phone. All of her previous decisions were made by reflex. Now, she considered if what lay ahead might be a trap. In an instant she reached a dead end. Her choices were limited to one. She slammed on the brakes and brought her Jeep to a halt. She kicked open the door and yelled at Anna. "Run." Zoya grabbed her purse and ran toward a pile of junked cars. Fifty yards beyond them was safety. Only one more abandoned car to pass before safety. She took a breath and raced on. Pain! She felt a thumping blow. A stinging sensation which radiated like an electric shock through her. She lost consciousness… In the enduring beauty of the Allegheny Mountains, two people from different ends of the earth create a love story. Just as their idyllic passion reaches its peak, reality in the dark form of kidnapping and violence comes from nowhere, and a newly formed relationship is gravely tested. Jet Mollenaux and Zoya Okamoto, two young, brand-new professors, meet at a faculty tea. Nothing goes right and they both walk eagerly away from the awkward encounter. This outwardly clear-cut boy meets girl story is anything but predictable. At their next meeting, Jet, absorbed in a pick-up basketball game, literally crashes into Zoya. She walks away angry and he winds up with a broken collarbone. Considering their divergent backgrounds, awkward encounter, and painful collision, an affair is the last thing you'd expect. Somehow, they manage to get together and fall in love. Still, from their beginning you know they will have a complex relationship. Excerpt: …No matter how long Jet lived he would never forget how a moonlit sky illuminated the past as well as the future. So far he'd learned their journey together could be a hurricane ride, and yet they inevitably found the eye of the storm. If he reflected and allowed his senses to direct him, he could envision a future of un-paralleled contentment. Chance had brought Zoya to him, and their love was shaped in conflict and uncertainty. His grandfather often remarked that things forged in fire come out the strongest, but Gramps was usually half-lit on dandelion wine when he said it. If karma had a heart, Gramps' theory would be right.
Maria, raised in the Mafia and educated by the gangs of New York, is hunting the man who killed her Akalina, and she will kill anyone who gets in her way.
Secrets Lurking in Pinecrest is a romantic mystery with a series of puzzling events.
Mike Armstrong, a ruggedly handsome Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer, returns home to Pinecrest to work at the Ranger Station.
Mary Howard is the dil
