Just to be Left Alone Read online

  JUST TO BE LEFT ALONE

  Ginny Lynn

  Mainstream Romance

  Sweet Cravings Publishing

  www.sweetcravingspublishing.com

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  A Sweet Cravings Publishing Book

  Mainstream Romance

  Just To Be Left Alone

  Copyright © 2013 Ginny Lynn

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-61885-678-4

  First E-book Publication: May 2013

  Cover design by Dawné Dominique

  Edited by Megan Koenen

  Proofread by Marja Salmon

  All cover art and logo copyright © 2013 by Secret Cravings Publishing

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Sweet Cravings Publishing

  www.sweetcravingspublishing.com

  DEDICATION

  This is for all of the young and naïve Samantha’s out there, especially the one that will never be able to read the first book that I ever wrote, my daughter. And to Secret Cravings Publishing, for giving my first book a second life.

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  *Trouble With a Cowboy, a western, erotic romance:

  Can some slashed tires and an ornery bull bring two hard-headed people together for some fun in the sun and a little more?

  **Forget Me Not, paranormal erotic romance:

  A war is brewing, a war that could destroy an entire vampire race if left unchecked, and Julian Marino has been requested to participate in it. He stops his search for a long time friend to go home and discovers there is more at stake than just his wants.

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  JUST TO BE LEFT ALONE

  Ginny Lynn

  Copyright © 2013

  Chapter One

  At the restaurant, Jason had a difficult time finding a good parking spot, loudly cursing when someone on a motorcycle pulled into a spot Jason had his eye on. It took him a minute to compose himself, but he forced a smile at me as he found another spot before he roughly helped me out of his S.U.V. He kept his arm tight around my waist as we walked in and got our table.

  “You look nice, but didn’t I mention for you to wear the blue dress for me tonight?” He pouted.

  “I thought you were joking, besides, it’s dirty,” I replied, baffled.

  “I just had a picture of you in the blue dress in my mind all week, so I guess I got a little worked up. I’m sorry to be a grouch. My week’s been so bad that I could just shake someone until their bones rattled.” His hands fisted and teeth clenched to the point of grinding.

  Once we were seated, the waiter walked up to take our orders. Jason got snippy when the waiter repeated my request.

  “Excuse me, can you stop flirting with my woman long enough to take my order?”

  The waiter apologized and quickly finished.

  “Jason, there was nothing going on. He was just making eye contact as he memorized my order. You’ve been acting strangely for a couple of weeks now and it seems to be getting worse. What’s going on with you?”

  “Nothing’s the matter with me and I didn’t appreciate how he was leering at you. You’re mine and he was being disrespectful.” He snapped his napkin open before dropping it in his lap.

  “He was taking my order, not my phone number.”

  I kept my voice low as the hostess sat a tall motorcyclist behind Jason. I hoped they hadn’t heard us. I looked back at Jason, who had a strange look in his eyes before reaching across to take my hands.

  “I’m sorry for being such an ass. You’re right. I’ll give him a huge tip to make up for my behavior, okay?”

  “Okay, but please try to lighten up.”

  Halfway through the meal, Jason was on his third drink and I could feel his mood shifting again. He slipped his hand under the table and across my leg. I wasn’t expecting it, dropping my fork with a loud clank. He smiled deviously at me then let his hand push my skirt up as he attempted to slide his hand under it. I gasped and slapped my hand over his before he could get any further.

  “What’s wrong? Why did you stop me?”

  “I’m trying to eat. You surprised
me.”

  I kept my hand on his.

  “Well, maybe it’s time we took things a little further since we’ve been steadily dating for several months. I thought things were working in that direction. Am I wrong?”

  He was squeezing my leg above my knee. I pushed at his hand as hard as I could, except it didn’t budge.

  “Jason, please let go of my leg and calm down. You’re going way too fast for me. Maybe it’s the drinks you’ve had or the bad week, but something’s going on. Let’s just finish dinner and get out of here, okay?” I pleaded softly.

  He slowly let go of my leg. I could feel marks left by his hand. I knew I’d have a bruise by the end of the night.

  “Yes honey, why don’t we just leave? I’m not in the mood for food anymore.”

  He smacked his napkin onto his plate and motioned for the waiter.

  “Can I help you, sir?” asked the waiter nervously.

  “We’d like our check, please.”

  Jason kept his eyes locked on mine.

  “Was the meal okay, sir?”

  The waiter gestured toward the half full plate.

  “It was fine, so just bring me the check. And make it snappy because I’d like to be out of here in less than five minutes.”

  The waiter walked briskly away after seeing the look on Jason’s face. I wanted to do the same. How could this go so wrong so fast? What had happened? I started taking stock of the past couple of weeks. Almost all of those moments had been filled with abrupt mood changes and aggressive tones, which were a far cry from the calm quiet behavior that I was used to with him. The waiter came back with the check and Jason threw cash down on the table before the waiter could even turn around. Blinking, the waiter thanked Jason, nodded at me and then quickly walked away with the cash.

  Jason grinned devilishly.

  “I guess he was surprised at the 30% tip. Let’s get out of here.”

  Grabbing my arm, he led me to the door and then outside to his S.U.V. As we got to my side of the vehicle, he pinned me to the passenger window. I turned as far as I could to look at him and he had that same look he had at the table when his hand was on my leg. It was creepy.

  Before I could even breathe, his lips were on mine in a crushing kiss. The force of it smacked my head against the window. I moaned at the sudden pain in my skull. Though it wasn’t a noise of satisfaction on my part, the mere sound made him more aggressive. He leaned into me, his chest pressed against me and his legs on both sides of mine. My arms were pinned down by his. I gulped for air as he kept kissing at my neck.

  “Jason, stop it.”

  “Samantha, don’t act like this. I can’t make the evening better if you keep fighting me.”

  He pushed me back against the window and tried to kiss me again, except I just couldn’t take it, not anymore.

  “Jason, please stop. I just want to go home. We’ll talk about this some other time, okay?” The tears began to fall.

  He looked liked he would hit me. I cringed.

  “What do you mean you want to go home? I’ve been waiting for tonight for a long time. I think it’s about time we moved things to a more physical level. You can’t keep me waiting forever.”

  “I’m sorry if you feel that this has all been a game, but it’s not. Just please let me go and I’ll get out of your hair. You won’t even have to take me home.”

  “Out of my hair, you say? Samantha, you’re through my skin and in my blood. I wake up thinking of your skin against mine and this is the way you want things?”

  He looked so hurt and betrayed but held me so tight that my breath hitched. I didn’t know how to react. I back pedaled.

  “Look, I know you’ve had a rough week and needed to blow off some steam, but this isn’t it. Why don’t I just go back into the restaurant and call for a ride. You can go on home and get some rest.”

  “No, I brought you here and I’m taking you home. Quit giving me this crap talk, you sound like Felicia. We’re going to finish this night, just like I planned, so quit looking at me like that.”

  He tried kissing me again. I wrenched away.

  “Stop being a bitch.”

  He kissed me so hard that I tasted my own blood from his teeth grinding against my tender lips. Instinct kicked in. I brought my knee up as hard as I could. He cussed and bent over. I tried to back away from the door. He grabbed me in an instant. I looked at his face. It was as if a split personality had surfaced. This wasn’t the same sweet, patient Jason I’d been dating. This was a raging bull and I was nothing but red. I saw his other hand come toward me and I ducked, but I never felt anything. I looked out from behind my arm to see the tall man in motorcycle gear holding Jason’s wrist. He was larger than Jason, with black hair and gorgeous eyes.

  “I think the lady wants to be left alone,” the stranger said.

  “Buddy, you have no business here so I suggest you let go and buzz off on your tricycle.”

  Jason tried to shake off the grip of the dark-haired man, but failed. The stranger stepped closer to Jason, while he looked straight at me.

  “Do you want this guy to take this evening any further?”

  All I could do was stand there and shake my head at the man helping me out.

  “Then please grab your purse and come over by me.”

  He watched Jason as I followed instructions and then he spoke to Jason again.

  “Now I’m going to let you go and you’re going to get in your vehicle. I’ll make sure that this lady gets home and if she wants to ever hear from you again, then she’ll call you. If you try to make a scene you’ll not be happy with the results, so let it go. Do you understand me?”

  He waited for Jason to nod. When he didn’t get a response he bent Jason’s wrist backward. Jason yelped

  “I’ll go though you’ll be sorry for this.” He finally sputtered out.

  Jason looked at me with that devil face. There was a fierce determination in his gaze and a smile that was enough to make me want to take a step back.

  “Samantha, you’ll come back to me when you see things were great. I know you will.”

  He looked away and the dark stranger dropped Jason’s arm before grabbing mine to lead me quickly away from the S.U.V. Jason jumped in, slammed the door, gunned the motor and careened out of the parking lot. There was a trail of smoke from the rubber he’d burnt up on the way out.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Thank you for coming to my rescue. He’s never been like that before, I swear. It was like a whole new personality coming out, an evil twin. I just wanted to go home, yet he took it as us going to bed. I don’t understand what I said wrong.”

  “Some guys don’t need words, just actions. I couldn’t help but over hear some of your conversation and didn’t think things were too safe, so I followed you out here.”

  “Thank you. I’m glad you were here. I’d hate to think what he’d have done to me if you hadn’t stopped him.” I shuddered.

  “Is there someone you should call? I’d give you a ride home, except I only have one helmet.” He shrugged toward the bike with its waiting helmet.

  “Yeah, I’ll call one of my girlfriends.”

  I grabbed my phone and texted Raven. I briefly filled her in on my date going sour, and she was on the way to come get me in just a few short minutes.

  “My friend’s on the way.”

  “I’ll stay with you until she gets here, just in case the not so gentle Jason decides to come back.”

  Alarms went off in my head. Was I going from the pot and into the fire?

  “Wait. How did you know his name?”

  “I heard enough to know that your name is Samantha and not ‘bitch’,” he said.

  That comment made me feel better. He’d already made two comments about Jason’s bad attitude. That and him coming to my rescue were points in his favor. It was then that I had a moment to take a better look at him under the street light. The ends of his ink black hair were under the jacket he wore, so I co
uldn’t see how long it was. His eyes were dark forest green with lusciously long eyelashes. He had great cheekbones and looked Native American.

  “I need to pick up my dinner. Walk with me while you wait for your ride? I had them box my order when I came out here to check on you. The waiter was concerned for you as well, after we both overheard your disagreement.”

  The waiter must have seen us coming through the window, because he brought the take-out bag to us at the front door. The waiter thanked the biker for the nice tip and then smiled at me.

  “I see you’re all right and have changed companions for the evening,” the waiter said with a wink toward the biker.

  How embarrassing was it that two complete strangers were more concerned about my welfare than my boyfriend? I forced myself to smile at them.

  After saying goodnight to our waiter, we sat at the bench outside the front door.

  “By the way, I’m Conrad Forsythe.”

  He offered his hand across the bench and smiled at me. I shook it and was surprised at the jolt of electricity I felt at the mere touch.

  “Samantha Malone. I’m very pleased to meet you.”

  Just then, Raven pulled up at the curb.

  Shockingly, I realized I was still holding Conrad’s hand. I immediately let go and put my hands in my lap. “Sammy, are you okay?” Her voice was laced with concern.

  She jumped out of the car and bent over me at the bench.

  “I haven’t been Sammy since we were kids, and yes, I’m fine thanks to Conrad over here. He came along when things started getting rough and made Jason leave.”

  Raven put her own hand out to him.