Just to be Left Alone (17 page)

I
bust out laughing.

“I
should have known something like this was going to happen. I do not need an
armored guard running around with me because I came home. I love that everyone
wants to protect me, even though I will eventually be alone. I don’t mind if
they come over tonight, however, after that I have to do this my own way.”

I
kissed him on his chin and went for my phone as it rung loudly in the quiet
room.

“Hello?”

“Hi,
hon,” Chastity said as she smacked gum. “Are we coming and do you want the
usual?”
 

“Yes
to both, except how will I get my hot tea?” I inquired as I knew she would have
worked that out already. She didn’t disappoint me.

“I
will be bringing my thermos for them to fill.”

“Well,
get on over here and don’t run any lights. The officer at the corner is still mad
you turned him down,” I joked as I heard her grabbing up keys.

“I
brought him doughnuts two weeks ago and he forgave me. It was such a cliché,
but I had to use it on him,” she replied laughingly.

“It
doesn’t hurt to wear a short skirt when you do it either.”

Knowing
her as I did, it would have been pretty short.

“It
was not a skirt and I was told it made his day. You think you know me so well
that you have it all worked out. I’ll have you know that Parker has blown
through most of that, and I’m happy with it,” she humphed into the phone.

“So
what were you wearing?”

I
wasn’t giving up on this small bit of fun.

“I
was wearing my favorite jeans and a new baby doll top,” she said under her
breath.

“Those
would be the same jeans that look as if they were painted on and have
strategically placed holes, right?” I pushed further.

“Of
course silly, but it still wasn’t a mini skirt, so there. Now let me go so I
can get this food ordered. Love.”

Then
she hung up.

Laughing,
I shook my head as I hung up the phone.

“Who
was that and what strategically placed holes do the jeans have?” Conrad asked
while wagging his eyebrows.

“That
was, of course, Chastity and I was tugging her strings about the cop she has
chasing after her. She took him doughnuts after turning down a date with him,”
I started pulling out plates, forks and spoons.

 
“I’m glad you have a smile on your face. I had
wondered if you were up to smiling with all the things going on like they are,”
Conrad said as we finished setting the table.

He
reached over and snagged my hand to pull me closer. I went willingly.

“Since
I know that I have about ten minutes alone with you, I think I’ll take
advantage of them.”

I
started to laugh, but his lips closed over mine. I felt that familiar tug at my
belly when his lips moved over mine. Slipping my arms around his neck, I pulled
him closer. One of his hands went into my hair, the other to the small of my
back. He had my lower half pushed against his manhood while my head was arched
back to deepen the kiss. I knew he was aroused.

Deciding
to make the most of it while I had him, I slipped my hands into his mane of
hair to massage the back of his neck. He groaned against my lips as his tongue
ravaged mine. I was losing my mind as the kiss became longer and longer. His
hand at my waist had somehow slipped into my waistband and was curving over my
hip. He snuggled me even closer and I wondered if I was even standing on my
own. That callused hand slid over my buttocks as he groaned into my mouth
again.

A
contented sigh came out of me when I realized this was the best thing that I
could ever do with my spare time. I traced his ear with one of my fingers as
his tongue traced my mouth. I felt him shiver against me. I was glad to know I
was affecting him as much as he was affecting me.

He
slid his hand around to my stomach as I slowly slid back to allow more room. It
sounded like a chuckle against my lips, but I didn’t care what he thought at
that moment as long as he didn’t stop touching me. His fingers played across my
skin. I could feel him nudging at the mound that was aching for him. Wishing I
was naked, I gave as much room as possible while knowing he wouldn’t be able to
give me the satisfaction I needed.

He
ran his fingers over me as his lips trailed down my chin. I was on fire. I
thought I would slip to the floor in a hot mess. He held me up as he teased my
womanhood with gentle slips of his fingertips. He was at my neck by the time I
realized I was trembling. A moan slid from my lips as his wet tongue traced a
path to the collar of my shirt.

“You’re
driving me mad,” I said on a gasp of air.

I
felt his lips move against my throat.

“Been
there twice, in just five minutes. If your friends weren’t about to show up I
would have you naked in that bed of yours.”

I
smiled as I knew he was serious, even more that I would have raced him there—deal
or no deal.
 
How could any man make me
feel this way while I was completely clothed? I was just thanking God I had him
for myself.

He
slid his hand out of my pants, to my utter disappointment, and fixed the bottom
of my shirt as he stopped kissing me. I sighed again, knowing we would have
been interrupted anyway. I straightened his hair and took a step back just as a
knock came to the door. We smiled at each other and went to the door together.
I opened it and saw Chastity there with two large bags of food and a thermos.
Conrad took the load from her.

Chastity
passed the threshold, and then stopped to look at us for a moment before
setting down her purse. I knew what was coming, yet acted innocent all the
same.

“I
know I walked in on something, so quit acting so innocent,” Chastity said with
her best motherly tone.

I
looked at Conrad as he held in his laughter.

Chastity
said, “Yeah, now I’m sure of it.”

She
grabbed up the napkins and silverware before moving around us to the table
again.

“Look,
if I wasn’t so hungry I would walk back outside and let you enjoy yourselves.
I’m all for
nooners
,
earlies
and mid-evening rendezvous, but hunger has to be wetted in your stomach before
you can endure the others,” she said without even looking at us.

I
couldn’t hold it in any more and was laughing so hard that tears were running
down my cheeks. I had to lean on Conrad, I was laughing so hard. After I got
control of myself, I looked at Chastity who wasn’t bothered at all by the
situation. Just as I started getting mugs down, a knock came from the door.
Chastity offered to get it and I caught Conrad’s eyes across the kitchen. We
were still staring at each other when Felicia walked in with Raven behind her.

“Look
who I ran into on the way and she had the nerve to follow me,” Felicia said as
she thumbed toward Raven coming into the room.

Felicia
stopped when she saw the look being exchanged between me and Conrad.

“Are
we having Chinese tonight or is cannibalism on the menu?” Felicia asked the
girls.

“I
think the later was happening when I showed up, but now we need to focus on the
first or I’ll have to hurt you guys,” Chastity said as she sat started filling
her plate.

“Here,
here,” Felicia seconded.

Conrad
brought Raven my vanity chair and said, “I feel out numbered and afraid over
here. Sam, get over here to protect me.”
 

We
all shared a laugh and dug in before it got cold. After about thirty minutes,
we were rubbing our stomachs and heading to the den to talk. Conrad filled them
in on the new security and everyone agreed to keep checking in on me until this
was completely resolved.

By
the end of the night, we had made lots of jokes and were tired from the long
day. I walked the girls to the door and Conrad stayed behind to help clean up.
I took that time to convince him that I’d be fine alone. He finally agreed,
after I promised him that I would call if there were any problems. I kissed him
at the door and locked my new lock. I pushed away all doubts. I would live in
my own home on my terms, not Jason’s. I refused to be frightened. I wouldn’t
allow him to take away my life.

Chapter Ten

Tuesday
morning, I was sitting down with my first cup of coffee when Parker walked in
carrying reports to go over. We discussed them for a couple of hours in my
office, and were continually interrupted by hang up calls on my cell phone.

We
went to the diner for a lunch of meatloaf. I was halfway through with my lunch
when I realized I was so preoccupied by the reports that I stupidly left my door
to the office unlocked while we ate.

Over
half way back to the warehouse, I noticed smoke coming from the hood of the Jeep
and pulled over. The hood was hot and steam rose up in my face as I popped it
open. Fluid was slipping from random hoses, causing steam and an awful smell.
Some parts looked distorted.

It
was a shame that Parker had headed to the post office after lunch or I could’ve
gotten a ride back with him. I got back in the Jeep to look for my phone, to
only notice it wasn’t plugged into my dash where I had left it earlier. I had
to have left it on my desk.

Huffing
at my luck, I noticed no gas stations on this street, only houses, and I wasn’t
going to some stranger’s house unless I absolutely had to. My luck went south
when the sky opened up with heavy raindrops. Slamming the door, I pondered my
dilemma. Just as I decided to walk, a vehicle pulled up behind me. I couldn’t
see what it was with the rain in sheets down my plastic back window.

I
jumped when knuckles rapped against my door. The shape ran over to the
passenger side of the vehicle. I leaned over to lock it when it was yanked open
by a man shaking off his windbreaker. It was Jason. I was paralyzed with fear.
He just smiled at me.

“What
are you doing here?” I asked in total shock.

“It
would seem that I’m rescuing you. What happened?” He asked in a totally neutral
tone.

“I
noticed steam and pulled over to find my hoses are busted. It started to rain,
so I am waiting it out. How did you find me?” I asked with bated breath

“I
was dropping off a co-worker two streets over when I noticed you out here,” he
shrugged.

It
felt so weird having a normal discussion with him after those last few raving
episodes. Do I trust him or do I run for the nearest house yelling
nine one one
? He seemed so average that
you never would’ve realized he had recently threatened my life—not to mention
those I cared about. I had no way of knowing when someone else would come by to
help and with no phone I had few choices in this rain shower. Saying a little
prayer, I made my decision.

“Can
you call my office and ask them to come get me?”

“Yeah,
but wouldn’t it be easier if I drove you the last couple of miles back to work?
Why make someone else come back out in this when I’m already here?” He looked
so innocent.

“That
would be fine and you have to get back to work yourself. Just call the main
line and someone is bound to pick up.” I pleaded.

“Come
on, I haven’t said anything out of line. I am being perfectly decent and the
weather doesn’t seem to be letting up. You can trust me,” he said. He looked
sincere and the rain was indeed getting worse.
 

“I’m
sorry, but I would rather have you call the office for me,” I said and he lost
his smile.

He
stared at me for a cold moment, just staring. I was startled when he jumped out
into the downpour. I heard the door shut and he started his S.U.V. back up.
Feeling like a drowned rat, I tried to pull wet strands out of my eye line. I
had little visibility through the fogged windows.

Jason
came back and said, “No one is answering, so jump in the S.U.V.”

“No,
I’ll have someone get me. Call Chastity. You have her number.”

“Look,
I’m very sorry for my recent behavior and am glad to show you that I can be the
same guy you dated,” he said with a sweet smile.

“Thank
you. I’ll have someone get the Jeep for me. Parker can take me to a rental
company if it’s a big deal to fix,” I said quickly.

“Who’s
Parker?” He asked with a concerned look on his face.

“He’s
the insurance adjuster for the accident that we had at work. I can have him
drop me off if the mechanic can’t handle it today.”

Why
was I explaining Parker to him? I didn’t see him calling Chastity, either.

“This
is ludicrous. Just get in the S.U.V.,” he whined.

“No.
Call either Chastity or Parker because I’m not leaving with you,” I said
quietly, yet firmly. Did I want him to have Parker’s number?

He
stewed for a minute and then yanked his phone out of his jacket pocket. I gave
him Parker’s number and was thankful when I heard Parker’s voice over the
phone. I had my hand out for Jason to give me the phone, only he didn’t.

“This
is Jason Strickland. I have Samantha here. Her vehicle has broken down and she
needs for you to come get her,” his voice was staccato.

I
heard Parker saying something, only I couldn’t make it out.

“She’s
a little over five miles from where you left her. Her vehicle will be out of
commission for a while.”

There
was more from Parker.

“She’ll
be here unless someone abducts her,” Jason hung up. “I’m not needed or wanted
here, so I’ll leave you to wait on your ride.”

He
got out of my Jeep and slammed the thin door. I was still speechless when I saw
him spin out from behind me. Water hit my window from the force of his movement
in the puddles. I jerked from the sudden noise and let out the breath that I was
holding.