Make Me Forget Read online

  Table of Contents

  Legal Page

  Title Page

  New Excerpt

  Dedication

  Trademarks Acknowledgment

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  New Excerpt

  About the Author

  Publisher Page

  Make Me Forget

  ISBN # 978-1-78430-721-9

  ©Copyright Jacqueline Anne 2015

  Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright August 2015

  Edited by Jamie D. Rose

  Totally Bound Publishing

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.

  Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.

  The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.

  Published in 2015 by Totally Bound Publishing, Newland House, The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln, LN6 3QN

  Totally Bound Publishing is a subsidiary of Totally Entwined Group Limited.

  Warning:

  This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a heat rating of Totally Sizzling and a Sexometer of 2.

  MAKE ME FORGET

  Jacqueline Anne

  Deadline approaching, Paige takes a vacation to battle writer’s block. Her quiet plans are interrupted by a handsome, naked intruder. Is he her inspiration?

  Bestselling romance author, Paige Mattheson, is experiencing the worst case of writer’s block. She hasn’t written a word in weeks and is struggling with the intimate scenes in her book. With a deadline quickly approaching, she goes on a weekend getaway to the beach to clear her head. She promises herself she will relax and find her true self again, along with some inspiration to see past her heartache and complete her novel.

  Fun-loving Tyler Barrow is vacationing in Montauk, New York. He is passionate about his career as a teacher—and about surfing. When Tyler misses his original flight home, a miscommunication with the owner of the rental unit finds Tyler staring at a beautiful woman in his kitchen. He is instantly drawn to her and eager to find out why, even if it is only for the weekend.

  Paige is initially annoyed by the naked intruder who has interrupted her quiet vacation. She sticks to the promise she made herself and tries to let go and have some fun.

  Will Tyler be able to make Paige forget about her past? Will fate prove to be more than just a weekend fling, even though they live on different ends of the earth?

  Only time and a bestselling novel will tell.

  Dedication

  To the man who showed me Montauk and all of its beauty.

  Trademarks Acknowledgment

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmark mentioned in this work of fiction:

  Facebook: Facebook Inc.

  Chapter One

  “I just need to get away for a bit,” Paige mumbled to her publisher as she stared at her computer screen. She was more than half way done with the novel she was working on, and she’d hit a major case of writer’s block. It had been nearly two weeks since she had written a single word. Her publisher was now calling every other day to bug her, since her deadline was quickly approaching.

  “Paige, you have two weeks. You need to get this book done. Fans are anxiously waiting,” Sylvia said in a firm, yet sympathetic, tone. The director of the publishing company used to be an author herself, until her father had passed away and left the company to his middle daughter, the only child out of five who had a love for books.

  “I promise it will get done. I’ve never failed you yet,” Paige reassured her as she bit her lip, because honestly, she wasn’t so sure this time. This would be her tenth romance novel—the last five were bestsellers—but this one wasn’t coming so easily.

  “Good. Take a quick weekend getaway to relax and unwind. Get inspired and finish that book.”

  Paige ended the call and put her cell phone back on the charger.

  What had changed since her last book was released? Oh right, my heart got broken by my lying, cheating fiancé. She sighed and pushed those feelings and the blame aside.

  I am a writer, dammit! I won’t let him take this from me.

  While the first part of the book had flowed fairly easily, she was struggling on writing the intimate scenes between her characters.

  How is my sex drought and heartache causing the same for my characters? This can’t keep happening.

  Paige rubbed her hands over her face in pure frustration. She glanced out of the window for the millionth time today, this time taking note of a flock of geese in the pond. Her apartment complex was situated in a beautiful, private park in the heart of downtown Hartford, Connecticut. It was peaceful, a far cry from where she’d lived in New York City with her ex-fiancé, Justin. It was also close to everything the clean city had to offer. Paige enjoyed walking or taking the bus to wherever she needed to go. She had become a regular at the coffee shop around the block and the nearby market. They all knew her as Paige, not a bestselling romance author. She preferred it that way. She wore very little makeup and kept her clothes simple. She liked to keep to herself and didn’t want to stand out in any way.

  She sighed and thought about a place to go for a long weekend. She didn’t have much time and didn’t want to spend money on a plane ticket. Then she recalled the barista at the coffee shop recently raving about her trip to Montauk, New York. Ally had explained it to her as a quaint little town with a big fishing problem. She’d said it wasn’t too commercialized, and the beaches were beautiful and never overcrowded, unless you were at Ditch Plains Beach, which was full of surfers.

  Paige looked at hotels, pulled up a vacation rental website and searched for a place available this upcoming weekend. As she glanced through available dates, it wasn’t looking very promising.

  “Damn, this place must be more popular than I thought,” she mumbled to herself as she scrolled through the rental listings.

  She finally clicked on a two-bedroom condo across the highway from the beach. Luckily, it said it was available last minute due to a renter leaving earlier than expected. She made her reservation and arrangements with the owner. Excitement began to brew within her along with a little relief from the tension she had been feeling.

  This was just what she needed.

  She packed her bags and checked the ferry schedule. The high-speed ferry was set to leave New London at eight o’clock at night. Paige did a little shopping in the quaint, historic district. She treated herself to a new dress, a pair of handmade earrings and a book.

  As she strolled through town listening to a band playing in the distance, she took a deep breath. She felt at ease here—or perhaps it was thoughts about the weekend ahead of her. She boarded the boat determined to have a good weekend. It had to be. Her career was depending on it, and lately, so was her whole demeanor. She promised herself she would let go and be free this weekend, embrace the real Paige Matthes
on—the girl who loved to write, believed in true love and was a romantic at heart. She seemed to have lost the real her quite some time ago. It was about time to get her back, or maybe even discover a whole new side that had been suppressed forever.

  The boat docked in Montauk near Gosman’s Dock. She went from one charming area to another. She felt relaxed here as well. How she’d even survived two whole years in busy, crowded New York City still surprised her. She had grown up in a decent-size Midwest town. It had a small village area where everyone gathered to shop, dine and enjoy countless activities. Big cities, on the other hand, had always overwhelmed her. She found it hard to meet people—even her neighbors—and it was never quiet. Paige had always needed a calm place, ever since she was a little girl. It had helped her get lost in her books. When she got older, she’d needed it to focus on her thoughts, stories and characters.

  Paige took a cab back to her vacation retreat—or writer’s retreat sounded more appropriate. Writing was what she was here for. She had a deadline, fans waiting, and her publisher was on her ass.

  She took a deep breath in, tasting the salt in the air, and trekked up the flight of stairs to the unit. She entered the code the owner had given her on the keyless lock, walked into the condo then flipped on the lights. The condo was how it was pictured, decorated in bright, airy colors with a nautical feel—but a mess.

  Ugh.

  She assumed the cleaner didn’t have time to come by between renters. It was almost nine-thirty and she was exhausted. It would have to do for now. Tomorrow she would call the owner and request at least a partial refund.

  Paige made her way to the first bedroom she saw. She couldn’t wait to get to sleep and start her day bright and early the next morning. She glanced around and it looked perfectly tidy, like no one had ever slept in the room. Relieved, she quickly unpacked her suitcase and got ready for bed.

  As soon as her head hit the pillow, she was out.

  Chapter Two

  Tyler had taken a few weeks to come over to the States and was beyond thrilled with his decision. After the first couple of days in Montauk, he felt at home. He had the opportunity to surf all day and had even taught a few lessons. He loved surfing and did it whenever he could. He was passionate about it as a hobby. His other passion was his career as a teacher. He taught math at a high school back in Australia, where he also coached the boys’ soccer team.

  “Glad you got to stay a few extra days. I can’t believe you missed your flight, mate.” Matt chuckled as he took a swig of beer.

  Tyler was with his buddy, Matt, at a small bar in the village of Montauk. They had met through a surfers’ group on Facebook. After a few months of sharing their surfing stories and backgrounds, Matt had finally convinced Tyler to come visit. Tyler had been born in the United States, but his family had moved to Australia when he was a teenager. Matt had been born in Australia and had moved to the States to go to college. Both of the men were teachers and loved surfing. They definitely had a lot in common.

  “I can’t believe how bad the traffic can be trying to get through The Hamptons,” Tyler said sarcastically. He laughed, recalling Matt’s warning. He’d told him to leave a good few extra hours early, but Tyler hadn’t listened. He’d thought it was ludicrous. Tyler had wanted to spend his last few hours in the water, not in a car. “No big deal, mate. It’s not like staying here is a hardship.” Tyler raised his beer and clinked it with Matt’s.

  “I’m going to head out. Are you hitting the waves tomorrow?” Tyler asked, downing the rest of his beer.

  “Absolutely. I got some shark biscuits to teach first thing in the morning, then I’m free the rest of the day.”

  “Great. See you then.”

  Tyler enjoyed the mile-and-a-half walk back to the condo. It was just past midnight and a gorgeous, clear July night. The sky was full of stars. He walked along the road where only the sand dunes separated him from his love and passion. The sound of the ocean waves crashing always soothed him. He pondered his life. He felt at ease with almost everything. He loved his job, had a wonderful family and good friends, but there was still a void in his heart. He hoped it would be filled one day with the love he wanted. He could hear his mother’s voice. Why don’t you try one of those online dating sites? His sister and other staff members at the school were always trying to fix him up with someone. He’d tried it a few times, and the dates hadn’t gone well at all. He was twenty-eight years old and wasn’t out searching for the love of his life, but putting it in the hands of fate. It will happen when it is supposed to. Perfection couldn’t be rushed.

  When he arrived back to the condo, he could still hear the rhythm of the ocean waves through his open window. Sure it was hot out, but he didn’t care. He would rather have the windows open with a light breeze and hear those waves than have the air conditioning blasting through his room. He stripped off all of his clothes and settled in for a nightcap.

  * * * *

  Tyler was awakened by the sun beaming through his window. It felt like he had just shut his eyes. He looked at the clock, and it was a bit past seven. He took a deep breath and swore he smelled coffee brewing. Perhaps it was just his need for caffeine playing tricks on him, or the way the wind was blowing through his window.

  He got up and sauntered out to the kitchen, stark naked. It was how he’d slept, how he always did. He made his way around the corner and froze.

  Standing in his kitchen, lightly tapping her fingers on the countertop as she waited for the coffee to finish brewing, was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Her straight, light brown hair draped over her shoulders. She was wearing boy short panties, revealing the bottom curves of a sexy, plump ass, and a matching tank top.

  Damn.

  The side view of her breasts looked amazing in her tight shirt. She stood on her tiptoes reaching for a coffee mug from the top shelf. Tyler’s eyes traveled from the top of her head all the way down to her pointed toes. His breath hitched at the sight before him. All thoughts went out of his mind as he took a step…and tripped over the rug in the hallway.

  Her eyes darted toward him, and she let out a high-pitched scream. She pulled a knife from the wooden block on the counter. “Stay back,” she yelled, holding the knife away from her, preparing for battle. “Who the hell are you?”

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” Tyler put his hands in the air to show her he was unarmed and harmless. He tried to speak calmly to her, but his racing heart and the excitement he was experiencing was making it difficult. A small smile found his lips. This gorgeous woman was holding a knife to him and yelling at him, and it was turning him on.

  The woman’s green eyes nearly bugged out of her head as she studied him.

  Just then, Tyler realized he was naked. He quickly covered his junk—or tried to. His morning wood, turned full-on erection from seeing a beautiful woman in her panties and a tight-ass shirt, was not helping.

  “Why are you in my condo?” she demanded to know.

  “Your condo? It’s mine. I’ve been renting it for the past few weeks.”

  She vigorously shook her head. “No, no, no. I just rented it a few days ago because it was available this weekend. The owner told me the renter left earlier than expected.”

  “I told him I needed it longer than expected because I missed my flight home. Shit. I’m sorry. I—” Tyler took a step forward.

  “Oh for crying out loud! Could you please put some pants on? I can’t talk to you while you’re naked!”

  Tyler nodded and scurried back to his room to put on a pair of shorts.

  When he came back, the beautiful woman was frantically pacing the kitchen, waving the knife around. “This can’t be happening. This can’t be happening! I am supposed to be unwinding. I have work to do. I have a fucking book to finish,” she ranted.

  “What kind of book?” Tyler was curious.

  She looked over at him. “What?”

  “You said you have a book to finish.”

&nbs
p; “That is none of your business,” she said firmly.

  “I’m Tyler Barrow, by the way.” He stuck out his hand for her to shake. “Nice to meet you.”

  She glanced at his hand and back at his face. “Paige.” She moved the knife to her other hand and shook his hand firmly.

  “Does Paige have a last name, or are you like Madonna or Bono and only go by one name?” Tyler joked, but apparently she liked it since the most beautiful smile appeared on her face.

  “Paige Mattheson.”

  “Well, Paige Mattheson, nice to meet you. Now that we have made formal introductions, can you please put the knife down?”

  Paige glanced at the knife. “Oh…sorry.” She replaced her weapon in the wooden block but remained close to it, as if she still didn’t know if he was a threat to her. “You scared the shit out of me. I was trying to protect myself.”

  “I’m sorry for the mix up. I can call the owner and try to figure something out.”

  “Thank you, Tyler. I would appreciate that.”

  “So, are you a Madonna fan or a U2 fan?”

  “Neither.”

  Tyler cocked an eyebrow out of curiosity.

  “I just found what you said ironic. My father made the exact same reference to Madonna and Bono when I told him the pen name I had chosen,” Paige explained.

  Tyler smiled. He got the impression she didn’t want to talk about her work, but if he had his way, he would find out everything he could about her. Even first thing in the morning in her pajamas and before coffee, she was absolutely beautiful. There was something else about her, aside from her natural beauty—something about her captivated him.