Monday, July 23, 2007

Available Now!

On Again by Jenna Allen available NOW!
Phaze, HeatSheet, Force Series

Paul Bentley is a NARC, his estranged wife Kayla is a drug counselor trying to keep others from running afoul of the law. The stress of the job breaks their marriage, but can the passion that remains help Paul and Kayla get back "on again"?

EXCERPT

"Kay? I'm lonely."

"Better to be lonely alone." Her lip trembled and she prayed it didn't show in her voice.

"Yeah. Look, I know I agreed to leave you alone. I know there's no going back. You're better off without me dragging you down. But I was thinking, maybe I could come over? We could open a bottle of wine and try and talk again."

"You never dragged me down when you were here. It was losing you and having to see you still here that hurt." Her stomach twisted and she inched lower in the tub, letting the water soothe her wounds.

"I feel like I should take that hurt away, you know? I want to hold you and let you know none of it had anything to do with you. I didn't want any of it to touch you."

"I don't live in a bubble, Paul." She took a deep breath for courage. "You don't want to change. You just don't want to be lonely right now. And on again, off again is not good for either one of us."

"We haven't tried on again. Let me come over. I'll bring a bottle of your favorite wine and you can mess up my head. And then once I get it together we can mess up our bed. It's been way too long, Kayla."

"We can talk on the phone." Her eyes felt heavy, tears threatening. She wanted him, the old him, here in the worst way. But she didn't think she had it in her to tell him to leave again.

The phone clicked in her ear. She called his name a few times before giving up and setting the phone on the ground. She closed her eyes, trying not to think of him, but it was too late. His image loomed in her mind, teasing her.

5 comments:

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

Oh, that's heartbreaking!

Anonymous said...

It's so hard to say no when all you want to do is scream yes. But as they way, you can't go back... can you?

Anonymous said...

Oh, man. That's hard. If anyone needs a HEA it's these two.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful and poignant! You've given us a glimpse, but made us feel so much.

Unhinged said...

I liked this, too--sad, real. Both seem likable. Great dialogue and inner monolgue, too.

So it's the stress from BOTH of their jobs tearing them apart? What is a NARC? I think it's a cop who tries to get in good with bad guys, which takes quite some time because the NARC has to change his behavior and lifestyle...

Andi