Tell Me When

by Stina Lindenblatt

  Tell Me When

  By Stina Lindenblatt

  Amber Scott should be enjoying life as a college freshman. She should be pursuing her dream of becoming a veterinarian. She should be working hard to make sense of her precalculus math class.

  She shouldn’t be waking up her college roommate with screaming nightmares. She shouldn’t be flashing back, reliving the three weeks of hell she barely survived last year. And she definitely shouldn’t be spending time with sexy player Marcus Reid.

  But engineering student Marcus is the only one keeping Amber from failing her math course, so she grudgingly lets him into her life. She never expects the king of hookups will share his painful past. Or that she’ll tell him her secrets in return, opening up and trusting him in a way she thought she’d never be able to again.

  When their fragile future together is threatened by a stalker Amber thought was locked away for good, Marcus is determined to protect her—and Amber is determined to protect Marcus...even if that means pushing him away.

  85,000 words

  Dear Reader,

  Happy 2014! You know, I love futuristic romance, and I swear it wasn’t that long ago that I was reading books in the genre that used years like 2014 and 2015 to indicate a time that seemed really far out. Of course, I suppose I’ll be saying something similar twenty years from now, when it’s 2035. (And isn’t that a weird thought?) As it happens, in the lineup this month we have both a futuristic romance and a hero who travels from the future, and both give a unique look into a future that’s actually a little further out.

  I love the premise of Libby Drew’s time-travel male/male romance, Paradox Lost, in which a time-travel guide who takes clients to “whenever” must travel back to 2020 and enlist the aid of a PI to find a missing client. And in PJ Schnyder’s Fighting Kat, Kat and Rygard go deep undercover, posing as gladiators. In the interstellar arena, it’s all about who’s the strongest predator...

  I mentioned futuristic romance, but how about a trip to the past in Jeannie Ruesch’s historical romantic suspense, Cloaked in Danger. Aria Whitney’s life has taken her from the sands of Egypt to the ballrooms of London, but when her father goes missing, can the handsome earl with a dark secret help her find him, or will a dangerous scandal threaten both their lives?

  In Mistress by Magick, Laura Navarre concludes her fallen angel Magick Trilogy, a riveting historical fantasy romance trilogy set in Tudor times. Also wrapping up a trilogy this month is Fiona Lowe. In Runaway Groom, the third book in the Wedding Fever trilogy, can a Harley-riding Aussie guy on the road trip of his life allow an uptight and disgraced lawyer to steal his heart? The first two books, Saved by the Bride and Picture Perfect Wedding, are now available, as well.

  Debut author Anna Richland delivers First to Burn, the first book in her Immortal Vikings series with a hero straight from the time of Beowulf. Wulf Wardsen is an elite soldier whose very existence breaks all the rules—and he’s deep in the military zone of Afghanistan with an army doctor determined to do everything by the book. Meanwhile, Cindy Spencer Pape brings back her very popular steampunk romance series, The Gaslight Chronicles, with the latest installment, Ashes & Alchemy.

  This January, Heather Long delivers the start of a new series of contemporary romances. If you like your romance a little on the crazy, cracktastic side, this book is sure to please. Cinderella had her fairy godmother and Princess Mia had her grandmother, but Alyx—she gets a software magnate who knows that in his world, Some Like It Royal. And speaking of cracktastic, Kelsey Browning has another installment in her steamy Texas Nights series. Roxanne Eberly wants nothing more than to make her lingerie store a success. Enter up-and-coming attorney Jamie Wright, who’s all tangled up in Roxanne’s life...and her lingerie...in Running the Red Light. If you want to start from the beginning, pick up Personal Assets!

  Mystery fans will be glad to welcome another installment from Jean Harrington in her Murders by Design series. In Rooms to Die For, when interior designer Deva Dunne finds a body hanging from a balcony in the gorgeous Naples Design Mall, she soon learns she’s caught up in a mall drug bust gone viral.

  We’re thrilled to offer a large lineup of debut authors this month, in addition to Anna Richland. Joining us with books in the new-adult, erotic romance and contemporary genres are a new group of incredibly talented authors we’re proud to welcome to Carina Press. Elia Winters debuts with erotic romance Purely Professional. When a journalist explores the submissive side of her sexuality with her Dominant neighbor, she must confront what these encounters mean for her own sexual identity, her career and her budding relationship.

  Three debut authors bring new-adult offerings to Carina Press. Danube Adele proves the new-adult genre is more than just contemporary romance in Quicksilver Dreams. One moment Taylor was just a regular girl working two jobs to pay her bills, and the next, she was reading minds, dreamwalking and being saved from bad guys by her sexy neighbor, Ryder Langston. In Tell Me When by Stina Lindenblatt, college freshman Amber Scott begrudgingly lets Marcus Reid into her life, but she didn’t expect the king of hookups would share his painful past. And Kristine Wyllys brings us the first of two steamy, dark-edged stories full of action, vivid storytelling and emotional intensity. Don’t miss Wild Ones.

  Our last debut author, Rhonda Shaw, caught me by surprise with her book, The Changeup. People who know my sports tastes know I don’t normally go in for baseball. And those who know my reading tastes know I don’t usually go for an older heroine/younger man set-up. But Rhonda’s story hooked me from the start and I’m pleased to be releasing her first book this month. I hope you enjoy this contemporary sports romance as much as I did, and perhaps find a new book boyfriend in sweet and sexy pitching phenom Chase Patton!

  I’m not one for making New Year’s resolutions, but I will make one—we’ll continue to strive to bring you a variety of fantastic books from authors who deliver stories that you’ll want to talk about. Thank you for joining us for another year of publishing at Carina Press—we’ll do our absolute best to make it an amazing one!

  We love to hear from readers, and you can email us your thoughts, comments and questions to generalinquiries@carinapress.com. You can also interact with Carina Press staff and authors on our blog, Twitter stream and Facebook fan page.

  Happy reading!

  ~Angela James

  Executive Editor, Carina Press

  www.carinapress.com

  www.twitter.com/carinapress

  www.facebook.com/carinapress

  Dedication

  To Dr. Carolyn Kaufman—your friendship,

  knowledge and support are greatly missed

  by those whose lives you touched.

  Acknowledgments

  There are so many wonderful people I want to thank. First my editor, Alissa Davis. You had me tearing up when you showed me just how much you got Marcus and Amber and my story. I looked forward to your comments, which helped make the book stronger. Somehow you always knew the right things to say to inspire me.

  To my agent, Marisa Corvisiero, for helping me navigate this publishing pathway and for the second e-mail that had me grinning. To Angela James (Carina Press) and the Harlequin team for believing in my story, and to everyone in Carina and Harlequin who helped bring the book to life.

  This book wouldn’t have been possible without the friends I’ve made over the years through blogging. Christina Lee, you not only became my critique partner, you became my best friend. You’re always there when I need advice or a cheerleader or someone to challenge me. And you always do it with the sweetest of words. To my beta readers, Sherrie Petersen, Kate Ashton, Mila Ferr
era and Martina Boone. Thank you for your words of wisdom and suggestions. And special thanks to Tracy Buscemi, my beta reader and query buddy. I always look forward to your emails and our discussions.

  Thank you to Dr. Lydia Kang for answering my endless medical questions, and to my colleagues with the Querytracker team, who’ve cheered me on this journey for the past few years (Carolyn Kaufman, Sarah Pinneo, Patrick McDonald, Jane Lebak, Ash Krafton). My heart breaks writing this, knowing that Carolyn was stolen from our lives too soon. Her work with PTSD was truly inspiring.

  To my friends in the blogging community who’ve given me so much support over the years. There are too many of you to list, and it would take a novella to do so. The same is true for my Twitter friends and my friends in the New Adult community in general. You’ve been the best cheerleaders a girl could ask for.

  Stalking is a serious issue, and it’s one that happens far too frequently with the college crowd. For those readers who want more information, please check out http://www.vaonline.org/stalking.html, RAINN.org, and Aftersilence.org. The latter two deal with rape. The website for Aftersilence.org gave me the idea for the lotus flower in the story.

  Math was never my best subject, which means I wasn’t the one who created Marcus’s lame math jokes. All were found on http://www.math.utah.edu/~cherk/mathjokes.html.

  And finally, to my family. Cristal, your faith in me and my writing always makes me smile. To Ralph, Anton, Stefan, and Anja, thank you for your love, your patience, your support, and all the hugs you give me to make my day brighter.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Chapter Forty-Eight

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Chapter Fifty-Four

  Chapter Fifty-Five

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Chapter One

  Amber

  My windshield wiper squeaks as I pull into the empty parking spot in front of Your Designs. Rain pelts my window. My heart pounds along with it.

  I can do this. I need to do this.

  A mother and her toddler dash past the car as I pull the hood of my rain jacket over my head. He stops, a mischievous smile on his face, and leaps into a puddle. His red rubber boots splash water in every direction. I can’t help but laugh at his expression. At least he’s not afraid of the weather.

  Before I can change my mind, I grab my purse from the passenger seat and make a break for the store. Once inside, I fish through my purse for the picture I found on the Internet, after hours and hours of research.

  “Hi, Amber,” Kathy says from the counter. Her long, curly blond hair is pulled back in a ponytail, and she’s wearing skintight jeans and a black T-shirt that reads Rock On.

  “You’re finally going for it?” she asks, referring to the five other times I’ve been here, checking the place out, but never quite having the courage to go through with it.

  An oversized jar with a hole in the lid, and a picture of a lotus flower on the side, sits on the counter. Above the flower is the message: Please donate and help victims of sexual assault and abuse become survivors. I poke a five-dollar bill through the slit, like I’ve done every time I’ve come here.

  “You’re the one giving me the tattoo, right?”

  “That’s right,” she says. “Do you have an idea of what you want?”

  Swallowing hard, I unfold the picture of a dozen small blue flowers floating on a breeze. Forget-me-nots. I hand it to her. “I want it here.” I indicate the inside of my left forearm, which is hidden under my jacket sleeve. “And I also want it to say ‘Trent and Michael.’”

  Kathy pulls out a book with different fonts and I pick an elegant script. It’s perfect.

  “Let me just set up and we’ll get started.” She heads to the back of the store and disappears down a hallway.

  I wander over to a wall of tattoos. I’ve seen them each time I’ve been here, but that doesn’t stop me marveling over the more intricate designs. Until now, I’ve never been impressed by tattoos. It was my ex-best friend who wanted one. Funny how things change.

  I’m inspecting a delicate fairy with wings like autumn leaves when the chimes above the store door ring. Two guys, maybe twenty-one or twenty-two, enter. Both are good-looking and have the tall muscular bodies of basketball players. That’s where the similarities between them end.

  The dark-haired guy has that bad-boy vibe some girls find appealing, with his military boots, jeans and black leather jacket. His blond-haired friend is the kind of guy most girls feel safe with. He’s wearing sneakers, jeans and a blood donor T-shirt. The clothes and his friendly expression make him look trustworthy. Like he won’t break your heart or your body or your soul.

  But I’ve long since learned appearances are never what they seem. Either man could be sweet or he could be dangerous. The trick is to never let them get close enough for you to find out the truth the hard way.

  Blond guy walks to the counter and chats with the store owner, a man not much older than us, with tattoos covering his arms. Neither pays attention to me. I go back to studying the wall.

  From the corner of my eye, I notice the black-haired guy walking toward me. Instead of checking out the designs on the wall, his gaze roams over my body, taking in the view. Jerk.

  A one-sided smile slides on to his face. He’s the kind of guy who uses his good looks to his advantage, the kind of guy whose sole mission in life is getting laid.

  My hand tap-tap-taps against my right thigh, keeping pace with my heart, which has picked up speed as the jerk continues staring at me. I narrow my eyes at him, silently telling him to find another girl. He’s wasting his time with me.

  The men at the counter laugh.

  “Dude, that’s the first time I’ve seen you get shot down by a female,” blond guy says, still chuckling.

  Dark-haired guy flips him the finger and points to the fairy. “This would look hot on you right”—he strokes his finger against my lower back—“here.” His voice is low, the words slow and practiced.

  I jerk away and stride to the back
of the store. The other two men laugh even louder.

  “Give up, Marcus,” blond guy says. “She’s a lot smarter than your usual girls. I like her already.”

  Kathy reappears from the hallway as blond guy and tattoo guy high five. Dark-haired guy shrugs with an easy grin, and walks over to join them.

  “I’m ready for you now,” Kathy says, a reassuring smile on her face.

  She leads me into another room and gestures to a padded chair with a moveable armrest. “Sit down, please, and remove your jacket.”

  Relieved to have escaped the guys, I make myself comfy on the chair.

  After gathering her supplies, Kathy sits on the chair next to me and examines my wrist. Her thumb brushes against the thick scars, as if she’s a fortune-teller reading my past, present and future. Hope she has a strong stomach.

  “It’s horrible what he did to you.” She gives me the sad look, the one I witnessed too often last spring. A combination of horror, disbelief, sympathy.

  I nod, frantically figuring out a way to change the topic. I wasn’t prepared for this. No one on campus has recognized me yet as the girl whose tragedy was splashed across the front-page news...and I want to keep it that way.

  I focus on my breathing, to keep from flashing back to that nightmare. To keep from thinking about what I’m doing. To keep from answering questions I’d rather avoid.

  Kathy wipes my forearm with a warm, disinfectant-smelling liquid. “I’ll warn ya now. It’s gonna hurt like hell.”

  Good. “I’ll be fine.”

  Chapter Two

  Amber

  “Wake up, bitch!”

  Someone—my roommate, I think—shakes me. I open my eyes to find a pair of dark ones glaring at me.

  “What the hell’s your problem?” Miss Sunshine says. “It’s five fucking o’clock in the fucking morning.”

  “Sorry.” I blink, eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness. I’m safe. In my dorm room. The fire has long since been extinguished, and Paul’s touch can only haunt me in my dreams. The cops, the D.A., my mom, they all promised he can’t hurt me anymore.