Ashia

Excerpt From: Ashia

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.