Ashia

A Total-E-Bound Publication

www.total-e-bound.com

Ashia

ISBN # 978-1-78184-190-7

©Copyright Taige Crenshaw and Aliyah Burke 2012

Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright December 2012

Edited by Tina Burns

Total-E-Bound Publishing

This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Total-E-Bound Publishing.

Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Total-E-Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

Published in 2012 by Total-E-Bound Publishing, Think Tank, Ruston Way, Lincoln, LN6 7FL, United Kingdom.

Warning:

This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a
heat rating
of
Total-e-burning
and a
sexometer
of
2.

This story contains 60 pages, additionally there is also a
free excerpt
at the end of the book containing 9 pages.

Kemet Uncovered

ASHIA

Taige Crenshaw & Aliyah Burke

Book Six in the Kemet Uncovered Series

I am referred to as the ‘Hidden One’. The personification of the life-bringing northern wind. As one of those who constitute the Ogdoad, I am respected by others and sometimes even feared. Yet I am adrift when it comes to interactions between a man and a woman.

The rules are so confusing and I try to find my way with him—Reid Jacobs. He is a man that makes me—a goddess—wonder how I have done without the coursing need for intimacy. With each touch he unravels me and makes me lose every ounce of my control. I want him more than air itself but…I will not settle for anything but total acceptance of everything I am.

Ashia

Taige Crenshaw’s Dedication

To my co-author for this series, Aliyah Burke, thanks for taking this journey with me. It was wonderful sharing this with you even when you get me into mischief and claim to be innocent. LOL.

Aliyah Burke’s Dedication

Thanks to my troublemaking co-author for this series, Taige Crenshaw.

Thanks for the great run! Had a blast.

Trademarks Acknowledgement

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:

Flintstones
: Hanna-Barbera Productions

Gargoyles
: Walt Disney Television

CSI: NY, Blue Bloods
: CBS Broadcasting, Inc.

Google: Google, Inc.

Avalanche: General Motors

Band-Aid: Johnson & Johnson

Chapter One

There she was again.

This time she was alone.

Reid Jacobs’s pulse pounded faster, which had nothing to do with his running but everything to do with the sexy specimen of womanhood running in front of him. He’d been running in this park for a long time. It wasn’t until a few months ago he noticed the woman. She’d joined another lady—whom he’d nicknamed Ponytail—and a man who came frequently to the park. He’d seen each of them alone at first then they had started to run together. Usually when he and the male passed each other they nodded. Ponytail, on the other hand, kept her head straight and was focused on nothing but her run. At least until she ran with the man.

Then came the day
she
came with puppies along with the other people. Everything about the woman in white had caught his attention. She was feminine, regal in bearing and all-out sexy. The others with her had faded from his attention and all he saw was her. She moved with confidence, looking so very delectable, despite holding the leashes of four puppies. He wouldn’t even think of approaching her in the group of people with her. Heck, with his shyness he wouldn’t even if she was alone. Most times she was with them.

Reid focused back on the woman running a little ahead of him on the trail. Her long, dark brown hair with blonde highlights was pulled back into a ponytail, which bounced behind her with each step. He heard the puppies barking, which meant they were probably running before her. He missed Liv, his German Shepherd who usually joined him, with him. He’d left her home to rest since she had seemed to not be feeling too well.

Reid studied the back of the lady before him. The woman’s red—instead this of white this time—running outfit was beautiful against her ebony skin. Reid zeroed his gaze to the shorts, which hugged her firm butt and showed off toned legs. He jerked his gaze up to her back. He was acting pervy, ogling her ass. That wasn’t like him at all. The nerd in him enjoyed speaking with a woman more than gawking at their physical form. Yet since the first day he had seen this woman, he’d been drawn to her. It baffled him. He’d never been led by baser urges.

Maybe you can just say hi. What’s the harm in that?

He snorted in disgust at himself.
No, that’s a bad idea. I’ll come across as a babbling idiot. Or worse, one of those men who cases the running trails, desperate to hook up with women.

You’re just chickenshit,
he countered.

Cluck, cluck
.

Reid chuckled. Arguing with himself—yep, he was a little weird. He was so much better with Liv or his computers. Building, then programming a computer was easier than trying to approach a woman. Reid took a fortifying breath. His footfalls hit the ground as he continued to decide if he was actually brave enough to approach the ebony-skinned goddess.

Be brave. You can do this.
Reid increased his speed to get closer to the woman.

She turned a corner on the trail.

Reid kicked faster to keep her in his sight. Shock then dismay filled him when the trail loomed empty before him.
Where did she go?
Reid slowed, keeping an eye out for a flash of red, but by the end of his run, he still hadn’t seen her. She must have taken a shortcut. Reid cooled down walking back to his jeep. He grabbed a water bottle from inside, leaned against it and drank. Reid absently nodded to the others going and coming from the trails. Knowing what car she drove, he glanced around and noted her vehicle was gone.

“Way to go, you missed your chance to talk to her.” He got in his vehicle and started it. “Oh well, it wasn’t meant to be.” He already knew he wouldn’t have the guts to even try to talk to her again.

Reid backed out of his space and headed for home. He flipped on the radio then started to sing along. Reid glanced at the empty seat beside him. He sighed. If Liv was there, she’d howl along with his tone-deaf singing. Reid chuckled. Fifteen minutes later he pulled into his driveway, parked then headed to the house. He unlocked the door and paused when no barking met his entrance, for Liv usually was there to meet him. Frowning, he went inside.

“Liv,” he called.

A faint bark greeted him. Reid moved deeper into the house towards the workroom he ran his business from. Coming closer to his desk, he spotted Liv lying on her blanket and knelt beside her. She turned her head licking his hand.

“Still not feeling better.” He scratched behind her ear. “Time to go to the vet.”

Liv woofed softly then lay back down. Reid stood before heading for his desk to call her vet. He sat, reaching for the phone, then paused.

“Crap. Miller is out of town. He gave me the name and number of the vet covering. Where did I put that number?” Reid sat thinking for a moment.

Remembering, he rose and pulled a piece of paper off the corkboard that was on the wall to the left side of his desk. He retook his seat then glanced at Liv who lay on the right side.

“Got it. Let’s see if this Dr”—he glanced at the paper—“Leonard can see you today. And hope he’s good at his job.”

Liv whined.

“I know you like Miller but he’s out of town so we’ll have to make do.”

Reid picked up the phone and called to make an appointment.

* * * *

Twenty minutes later Reid followed the last direction of the GPS then pulled up to the substitute vet. From the address they’d given him he hadn’t realised it was a ranch. The feeling of space and hominess was prevalent in the flowers and trees surrounding the good-sized building as well as the area. The sign Leonard’s Veterinary Clinic was displayed prominently on the front. If the building and amount of cars was anything to go by the new practice was already doing well.

Reid got out of the car, retrieved Liv and they went inside. After giving the receptionist his name he nodded at a few people he recognised from Dr Miller’s. While he waited, he pulled out his tablet and started to make notes on the programme he was currently working on.

“Mister Jacobs,” a voice called, drawing his attention.

Reid glanced at the nurse then stood and led Liv towards the examination room. She asked a few questions then left. Liv rested on the table, eyes closed, while Reid sat beside her in a chair, his hand on her side. Worry nagged at him, Liv was usually rambunctious and for her to be so listless concerned him. She was getting on in age.

The door opened. Reid turned and stood. “It’s you.”

The woman from the park glanced at him, confusion on her face. And what a face it was. He’d got glimpses of it and had felt she was beautiful but this close he realised how wrong he was. The woman was captivating. Her hair was still pulled back in a ponytail. It left her face prominently displayed. Eyebrows the same colour as her hair were over eyes a compelling shade of green, which were surrounded by thick curling lashes. He’d never got close enough to see her eye colour before. Against her ebony skin her captivating eyes stood out. All of her features came together into a package that only reinforced his impression of her being regal. Reid gulped at being in such close proximity with the woman. Suddenly he realised that he had been silent and staring for a long time.

“Ummm… I’ve seen you jogging in the park. For months now, I’ve thought of talking with you but you’ve always been in a crowd. But today you weren’t and I was going to but then you were gone. And I was disappointed since I finally decided to.” Reid stopped, his eyes widening in horror.

He silently cursed himself. When he was nervous he had no filter. He groaned and lowered his head. “Just ignore me.”

The woman’s delighted laugh made him look at her. The mirth made her face even sexier.

The sound faded but her full smile remained. “So you’ve been watching me.”

Her voice left him disconcerted, feeling singed, yet stroked with velvet all at once. “I haven’t been stalking you or anything.”