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Page 82

| Fighting against the rush of the current, unable to swim in it, Sasha treaded water and began waving an arm. "Ashton!" she screamed. "Oh, God, Ashton, please see me! I'm here in the water!" |

| Ashton's spine stiffened when he recognized Sasha's voice. Extricating himself from the mire at his feet he turned around and stared disbelievingly. What he saw made his heart turn to stone. |

| Sasha was in trouble in the river! |

| Then his gaze swept past her, upriver just a few yards. Racing toward her was a tangled pile of twisted limbs. In a matter of moments she would become a part of the mass, more than likely ripped to shreds by it. |

| Without further thought, Ashton dove into the river and began swimming desperately toward Sasha, his heart pounding out his fear that he might not reach her in time. If she died, it would be his fault. And he would want to die alongside her. Without her, his existence was worthless! |

| Sasha was weakening. But she had seen Ashton dive into the water. She could see him taking long and masterful strokes as he swam toward her. |

| Then her gaze was drawn elsewhere. She swallowed a great gulp of water when she saw the pile of twisted debris headed toward her. A paralyzing fear seized her, for she did not believe that Ashton could get to her before |

| Suddenly Ashton's arm swept around Sasha's waist. In concentrating on the approach of the debris she had not seen him come up behind her. She splashed her arms wildly in the water as she tried to anchor herself against him. When she finally managed to wrap her arms around his neck, |

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