The Air He Breathes (Elements, #1)(86)
I treasured her.
I cherished her for everything she was, and everything she wasn’t. I cherished her in the sunbeams and in the shadows. I cherished her loudly, I cherished her with whispers. I cherished her when we fought, I cherished her when we were peaceful.
It was quite obvious what she was to me, it was so clear why I always wanted her near.
She was simply the air I breathed.
As I fell asleep under that wooden table, my children snuggling against their mama and me, I laid my lips against my wife’s and kissed her gently. “I love you,” I whispered.
She smiled in her dreams.
Because she already knew.
The End.
Acknowledgements
To my amazing group of critique partners who are easily some of the most amazing women I’ve ever came across. You all are beyond talented and I’m glad to have you each in my life!
To Alison, Allison, Christy, and Beverly: Thank you for taking the time to beta read this novel for me! Your notes and comments have helped me so much and I couldn’t think of a better team of ladies to be working with!
Thank you to my amazing editor Caitlin at Edits by C. Marie: You are my superhero.
To my proofreaders Emily Lawrence and Stacy Kestwick: My fairy godmothers!
To CP Smith for formatting my novel last minute and being nothing but an angel the whole time though! Thank you so much for your help! I’m so thankful that I know you!
To Danielle Allen and Olivia Linden: I love you, I love you, I love you some more.
To those who made my novel beautiful: My cover model Franggy for the lovely cover image, and my cover designer, Staci, from Quirky Bird.
A GIANT thanks to all of the bloggers and readers who spread the word of my novels and give them a chance! I cannot express how much you all mean to me! Thank you!
Lastly a big thank you to my family—my life. Thank you for believing in me always. Mom: I love you to the moon and back.
About the Author
Brittainy C. Cherry is an Amazon Bestselling author who has always been in love with words. She graduated from Carroll University with a Bachelors Degree in Theatre Arts and a minor in Creative Writing. Brittainy lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with her family. When she's not running a million errands and crafting stories, she's probably playing with her adorable pets.
Other novels by Brittainy C. Cherry include: Loving Mr. Daniels, Art & Soul, and The Space in Between.
You can find her on Facebook at:
www.facebook.com/BrittainyCherryAuthor
www.twitter.com/brittainycherry
Pushing the Limits by author Brooke Cumberland
Blurb:
He’s my art professor.
I’m his student.
With an electric connection and undeniable chemistry, I know it won’t be long until one of us cracks.
When the opportunity arises to pose naked for the entire art class, I can’t help the thrill of knowing he’ll be watching me.
While they all look past me with their eyes narrowed and concentrated, drawing only the lines and angles of my body, he sees right through me down to my vulnerability.
He sees more than just the physical aspects—he sees me.
That’s when I see the struggle in his features as he tries to stay in control.
How do we keep our distance when everything seems to be pulling us together?
What feels so right can only go wrong if we keep pushing the limits.
Excerpt:
Tuesday starts and ends just as uneventfully. I’ve been looking forward to my night class, Advanced Art, ever since I signed up for it last semester. I’ve had a variety of art classes throughout the years, but painting has always been my passion.
Kendall and I meet up for a quick bite to eat before I head to the Lakin Arts and Behavioral—LAB—building. I don’t recognize the professor’s name on my schedule, so I assume he or she is new this semester.
I walk into the classroom and notice all the chairs are arranged in a large half circle. Only a few other students have arrived and look like they’re about to fall asleep already.
I choose a seat in the middle and start rummaging through my bag of supplies. I look up briefly as a guy sits down next to me. He looks to be in his late twenties or perhaps early thirties. I sneak another glance and notice he has brown hair, nicely trimmed all around, but a tad longer on the top. He’s wearing a dark blue V-neck sweater with just the collar of his white button-up showing underneath it.
His sleeves are rolled up to his elbows, accentuating his broad chest and muscular arms. I lower my eyes to his dark wash jeans and admire how well they fit him as if they were custom made just for him. He looks casual but not overdone. I shift my body and lower my eyes just in time to avoid him catching me staring at him.
He turns toward me as if he wants to say something, but before he can, Ellie, a girl I’ve had classes with previously, sits down on the other side of me. “Hey, Aspen! Back to the grind.”
“Yup…another class, another semester closer to graduation!” I say happily.
“What’s with the get-up? You going out after class?” Her eyes scan up and down my body.
“Uh, no.”
Her brows rise. “You look like you’re going on a manhunt while I’m here looking like a poor art student.”