Excerpt of "Spellbound in His Arms"

Pushing through the heavy shrubbery, Jackie raced towards the small dirt road where her rented car was hidden. Reaching the car, she panicked. Where did she have the car keys? She searched her pockets and was relieved to feel the key in her hand. But to get it in the lock was another story. Trying hard to control her trembling, she finally managed to unlock the door on the third try. She jumped inside and locked the door behind her. Breathing heavily, she leaned back against the headrest and closed her eyes for a moment.I need to pull myself together!All she wanted right now was to drive away. She turned the key in the ignition and was relieved to hear the old engine roar to life. She heard someone calling out for her, but she wasn’t about to stop. She pressed her foot down on the gas pedal and drove off as fast as she could.Speeding around a sharp curve, a man dashed out of the woods and into her path. She screamed and wrenched the wheel violently to the right. The car fishtailed and skidded off the road. It veered towards the edge of the cliff, fast, out of control.Jackie shoved against the door with all her strength. It wouldn’t budge. Oh, God! This is really happening. She was going to die. There was nothing she could do to stop this dreadful nightmare. She clutched the steering wheel and gritted her teeth. The car rattled all over the place. She drew a sudden breath and her body went rigid. The car plunged over the edge and she screamed at the top of her lungs. The vast blue of the sea filled her vision. A sharp pain shot through her head. Time seemed to stop and everything went blank…