I don’t though.
My gut warns me each time. The sinking feeling I get in my stomach tells me she’s lying. Just like all women do. They lie. They only want to trap us—make us marry them and then walk all over us before they leave. I can’t let it happen to me. I watched it turn my dad into a shell of a man when mom walked out. And I know what affect it had on me.
As if I timed it perfectly, the TV blared in the living room. My roommate Aub cursed as she lowered the volume to a more respectable level. I do that deliberately to agitate her. She hasn’t let me sleep with her again, so I gotta get my digs in another way. This keeps the tension between us. Once that gives, she’ll want to sleep with me again. That is a day I live for.
I looked back down at Tina, realizing she was still expecting some sort of answer to her plea. “I gotta get going,” I told her as I pulled my jeans back on.
“Where do you have to run off to?”
The corners of my mouth turned up before I could stop them. Just thinking about the smiling face I’d see today shot a thrill through me. “I’ve got a birthday party to get to.”
“Whose birthday party?” The alarm in her question was unmistakable. I slipped on my old, worn sneakers and laughed at the panicked tone in her voice.
I noticed that she tried to regain her confidence and couldn’t resist taunting her. I’m a jackass. What can I say?
I grabbed my black-rimmed glasses and pushed them up the bridge of my nose. “A beautiful girl. Are you jealous?” I made sure not to conceal my smirk.
She rolled her eyes. “No. Because I know I’m the one who really holds your heart.”
It was my turn to roll my eyes. “Not against this little beaut. She’ll always have my heart before any other woman on earth.” Because at least I know this one will always be around.
The annoyance in Tina’s huff felt like some sort of payback. She was really ticked. She doesn’t mind that I sleep around when she goes back to Hank, but the second I mention someone might have my heart, she’s pissed.
I decided to ease her worries and leaned over to give her a quick peck on her cheek. “It’s Ari, Tina. Stop it with the jealousy when you’re the one running home to your boyfriend.”
Tina knows that Ari is my niece and understands what she means to me. Well, I’m not really her uncle since Benji and I are cousins, but that’s never stopped me from calling his kid my niece. It’s easier to explain than second cousins or some bullshit like that.
When I found out Benji’s wife, Corrina, was pregnant with Ariana, I wasn’t quite sure what to think…I expected to be annoyed by the crying and just the way I knew a baby would change things…but it didn’t happen that way. Ari was adorable and she stole my heart from the beginning. In fact, she’s the only girl who would ever have my heart. Ever.
I watched Tina exhale in relief. “See. Everyone thinks you’re this mean man-whore, but I know the real truth about you. You’re nothin’ but a big ol’ softy.”
I couldn’t have her thinking that, so I moved the conversation off of Ari so I could poke at Tina. “Soft and Clark don’t go together. Especially when I have Aub strutting around my apartment half-naked.”
Tina knew how Aub likes to prance around the apartment half-naked, claiming she forgot her clothes in the dryer. Tina’s glare could have frozen a river and turned it into a sheet of ice. “When does she leave again for her job? Or whatever it is she leaves for. Why did she have to move in here? It was a lot better when Matt lived here.”
I laughed. “Why? So all eyes are on you while you strut around here barely dressed? You want the attention solely on you, don’t you?” I stood up, not waiting for her response. I knew the truth.
Aub becoming my roommate was the best thing that ever happened to me. Aub is the one woman that I have a continuous hard-on for. She is a one-night stand that I would love to have again and again. I’m always fantasizing about her sexy curves, not to mention, those ‘thumb-holes’. She has these incredible dimples just above her ass. I’ve envisioned placing my thumbs right in those and wrapping my hands around her waist while I thrust into her from behind. I’d make sure to take her from behind in every room of this apartment.
We slept together once. Right after, she gave me the cold shoulder every opportunity she could. Hell, acting like a total bitch only turned me on even more. I guess when she realized that wouldn’t stop me from trying to get with her again she decided to continuously taunt me.
And I love every second of it.
I continued tormenting Tina. “You know, Aub might actually have a thing for you. She’s dropped a couple of hints about having a threesome with you. You could let her join us, you know.” I lied, knowing that was really going to upset her. I watched her face turn beet red. Good. Now I’m back to being a dick in her eyes. That’s where I wanted to stay.
I swatted Tina’s ass. “Let yourself out.” Then I took off out the door, making sure to cut things short. She likes to draw out long goodbyes and I wasn’t in the mood to play her games.
I walked out my bedroom door, leaving Tina to fend for herself. I turned my focus on the girl I was really anxious to see.
CHAPTER TWO
Aubrey
“MY FRIENDS ARE DROPPING like flies into this marriage bullshit. If we’re gonna make this roommate thing work, I need a wingman. Or girl. Or whatever the hell I’m supposed to call you,” Clark told me as we made our way over to Allure.
It was a gorgeous night and I just felt…happy. Deciding to go out with Clark for some fun was an easy decision. Things were going well between Gregory and me. Actually, things were going really well, I thought to myself, as I clutched my purse concealing my engagement ring. My heart skipped and my stomach flipped just thinking about seeing him again soon.
I glanced up at Clark and chuckled. “You can call me ‘wingman.’ We won’t get into technicalities.” His dark brown eyes gleamed at me from behind his thick black frames, matching his appreciative smile. “What type of girls are you hunting down tonight?” I teasingly asked him as we continued walking down the sidewalk.
We passed an alley and both took a double take at the couple making out against the side of a building. The man had the woman pinned against the wall kissing her as if she were going to provide him his last dying breath. The woman was captivated under his spell, thrusting her fingers through his hair and pulling him closer to her. Clark’s eyes met mine and we both snickered.
“Get a room!” Clark yelled, only to hear the guy respond, “Fuck you!” We both laughed and I held up five fingers for him. It was a little game we had going on. If he could elicit an obscenity from a couple making out, I’d give him five points. A dirty look was worth three and if they didn’t look at all, zero.
Going back to our previous discussion, Clark shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t care. As long as she’s got a hot body and her tits are propped up and showcased,” he let me know.
Same Clark. Tall, handsome, and a chiseled face with sexy stubble that begged to be touched. He loves to compare himself to Clark Kent and even calls himself Superman at times. The trademark black-framed glasses just added to his sexy nerd persona. It works well for him and his little façade causes just about every woman to swoon.
That was exactly what drew me to him the night I had him to myself. Sexual power and confidence oozed off of him and he definitely did not disappoint. Just thinking about it made my whole body tingle. Clark has this incredible way of making you feel as if you are the only woman in the world when you’re alone with him. There’s a certain touch he has in the bedroom, one that makes you truly and honestly believe it. Every stroke from his fingers and every flick of his tongue over your body is sinfully blissful.
Of course, he usually turns some women off with his crude comments, but I always wonder if that’s to weed out the women he doesn’t want to sleep with. My new roommate always makes me laugh with his odd comebacks and over-sexed lifestyle.
His personality is completely the opp
osite of Gregory. Gregory is so reserved and at times, seems uptight. I was hoping I could bring out a little of the fun side in my old college friend and fiancé.
The fiancé no one knows about just yet.
I nodded to Clark acknowledging I’d be on the lookout for a bimbo tonight for him. “So, basically, you don’t have any standards for intelligence?”
“Well, I didn’t say that. I mean, they can’t be stupid,” he told me as he grimaced and gave me a look indicating that was a silly statement. “What about you? You haven’t been dating anyone. What’s up with that?”
I shrugged, not wanting to get into this discussion. “I just don’t feel like it lately.”
“You don’t feel like having sex? Who doesn’t want sex?”
“I just feel like I need a break from all the different men. That’s all,” I lied.
“You’re not becoming a nun or something? You didn’t join some cult, did you?”
I chuckled at his absurd questions. “Actually, I’m part of a new group. All orgies. All of the time. But we’re only allowed to be with the other members of the group.” Glancing over, I noticed a devious smile graced his face. I chuckled and hit his arm. “You would hope for that!”
“Well, shit. I don’t know! You’re barely at the apartment and you stopped ‘dating,’” he said as he put fake quote marks into the air with his hands.
“Vanessa and I have both told you why I travel so much. I set up hotels. Sometimes it can take a couple of months, sometimes longer. It just depends.” Little did he or Vanessa know that I actually quit my job about a month ago for Gregory. I was at his beck and call now, but the money he was paying me more than made up for the job I had.
“And the dating part?”
I smirked that we both call it dating. We seemed to be very similar, except I wouldn’t “date” the same guy again. I use them before they use me. I used to find my “dates” online. My profile ensured I’d get guys that knew I was really after only that one thing.
I glanced at Clark. Maybe we were one in the same. Maybe he uses women before they use him. I realized I didn’t really know too much about my new roommate. Except that we slept together after our friends’ wedding. I inhaled deeply remembering that night as I felt that thrill stir deep in my core.
Since Gregory stepped into my life, I haven’t slept around. Hell, I even canceled all my online dating subscriptions. Everything in my life has changed for the better. It all fell into place…my life was no longer full of one-night stands and long nights of self-loathing. My nightmares even lessened.
“Just taking a break,” I replied with a quick shrug, hoping that would stop him from asking anything further.
We reached the entrance for Allure which made me feel better, knowing Clark would now be finished with his questioning. His mind would be set on only one thing once we were inside. The line wasn’t too bad to get in; however, there were still some audible groans when we walked right up to the front of the line. The bouncer, Blake, gave Clark the manly “secret” handshake guys seem to have. Then he turned those emerald eyes to me, taking in every inch of my body.
“Hey, Aubrey,” he greeted me with a sly smile and a sexy tone.
“Hi, Blake,” I lilted, attempting to remain cool around him. The toughest thing around Blake is not to stare at his amazing biceps. His tight t-shirt stretches gorgeously over his thick muscles. I bet he would be quite the protector with the strength in his arms.
Nothing can protect you. All men just want to use you. I fought off the voice in my head as I glanced at Blake again. Everything about Blake screamed bodybuilder, but the times we’ve been alone talking, I found him to be nothing more than a sweetheart of a man. One that could get his heart hurt if he picked the wrong woman. A man like him wouldn’t use me, but I also wondered if he would even fall for someone like me.
Then Blake smiled at me and I knew what he wanted. I try my best not to sleep with the staff here at Allure. And since I’m newly engaged, I swore to myself I wouldn’t ruin it with Gregory.
I also don’t need the owner of the bar, Z, to be upset with me. Z goes off on Clark all the time about sleeping with the staff. Some of them have left on account of Clark. The girls couldn’t handle seeing him with other women right after he’d slept with them. Just in the short amount of time I’ve known this little group of friends, Z has warned Clark numerous times not to hit on his staff. Clark doesn’t listen.
I learned my lesson after I slept with Mark, who is one of the bartenders at Allure. I like to think my case is a little bit different. First off, I don’t get bothered seeing Mark hit on other women. Mark understood I’m a one-time thing, so he was more than all right with our quickie. But nonetheless, after sleeping with Mark, I got an earful from Z’s wife, Izzy. She didn’t yell at me, but she was stern explaining that they try their best not to have a high turn-over.
I was just about to follow Clark through the door when Blake’s hand wrapped around my waist, stopping me from proceeding further. Pulling me in between his legs, his strong hands gripped my sides. “So, Aubrey. When are you finally gonna go out with me? I can’t keep begging you every night you’re here.” His green eyes sparkled with a certain sweetness that only a caring man would have. But I learned early on that looks are deceiving.
I touched his arm and then ran my finger over his bicep. Stupid thing to do because just touching that hard muscle revved me up a little. I haven’t had sex with a man in God knows how long and just the thought of him on top of me was enough to make me want to pull him around the corner. Attempting to keep some control, I told him, “You know I can’t go out with the staff here. Although it really is hard.” I couldn’t resist that little innuendo. He caught it and smiled. I swear he also blushed a little, which only heightened that thrill that shot through me.
He glanced at my mouth and then leaned over, brushing his lips against my cheek. “But you went out with Mark. Give me a chance, please? I’m one of the good guys.” His hot breath lingered on my skin as he pulled back a little to look into my eyes.
Charmer. I glanced back at the line behind me and then back at him. “So many pretty girls and you want me. I’m flattered, Blake, but I really need to stick to Z’s rules. I promised him and Izzy.” I leaned in, brushing my breasts against his chest as I whispered in his ear, “Even if that means just keeping you in my fantasies when I’m alone with my vibrator.” I pulled out of his grasp and started toward the entrance.
I turned to see his reaction and watched as he threw his head back and laughed, looking up at the sky before returning his gaze to mine. “Ah, Aubrey. What are you doing to me?”
I smiled coyly and shrugged my shoulders, blowing him a kiss before I opened the door and walked into Allure.
My eyes flitted around the expansive building, taking in the sights before me. Allure was an old warehouse that was converted into a huge nightclub. With its open floor plan, it had more than enough room to accommodate a large crowd. Along the entire wall was a long bar with plenty of seating. Pub height tables and chairs peppered the outlining areas. The dance floor in the center flashed with the sporadic colored lights from high above. The smell of perfume and hot men charged the air with sexual desire. The bar was packed tonight with women and men dressed for the mating ritual. I smiled when I realized it was Thursday. Ladies Night. Now, I knew why Clark had been so anxious to get down here.
Would I miss this scene after I became a married woman? I would still go out. At least I think I would. I’d have to discuss that with Gregory. Maybe I just wouldn’t be able to go to clubs alone. I assume he would approve if I were going out with my friends.
Vanessa has always been my only true friend, but I was starting to become really close with Izzy and Mel too. I’m more than a little reluctant to move away from them.
Vanessa especially. I’ve always loved how she comes to me with her concerns as if I know what the hell I’m doing. My God, if she only knew how fucked up I really am on the inside. Actua
lly, if anyone knew, I’m sure no one would ever talk to me again. I enjoy the façade I’ve built up around me—calm, cool and collected Aubrey, who sleeps around for fun and has all the answers to everybody’s sex questions. I’m the friend that you can come to with your problems and you’ll receive a rational response—the answers I would want to hear if I had anyone to go to with my problems. I’ll never slam the door in anyone’s face like it was done to mine.
Ignoring the way my body tensed at that thought, I scanned the room until I reached the bar area. My best friend Vanessa was perched up on a bar stool with Matt, her fiancé, in between her thighs. Her hands clutched each side of his shirt as he bent down to kiss her. I sighed inwardly wishing that Gregory and I might have that someday. Romance and passion are what I crave so much from a relationship.
You’ll never have that. No one will ever love you for you, just your body and how you can please a man.
Vanessa opened her beautiful grey eyes and caught mine, breaking me from the voice that repeated in my head. Her face beamed with a warm smile that reached her eyes. I’m definitely going to miss her. I just hope after she finds out who I’m going to marry, she won’t be too upset with me.
Vanessa and I hit it off immediately in the beginning of my sophomore year of college. We’ve been best friends and lived together ever since. Well, until recently, when Matt basically moved into our apartment with Vanessa. That was fine, until I started feeling like a third wheel. Even before Vanessa became pregnant, I was thinking about switching rooms with Matt and rooming with Clark. It just made more sense.
I tried to keep the smile pasted on my face, despite that sad twinge in my gut, and walked toward them. Clark was already chatting with two women a couple of bar stools down. I guess I don’t have to help him out tonight. Not that he’s ever really needed any help.
He seems to use his glasses as a prop to talk with women. Usually, he doesn’t need to say anything and they wind up telling him how much he looks like Clark Kent. I remember when I told him that too. It wasn’t too long ago that I enjoyed a night with him. I could probably enjoy many more if I gave in to him once in awhile. However, seeing the way he consistently uses women, why bother adding myself to the mix and getting hurt? Besides, I really enjoy the sexy banter we have.
Alluring Promises Box Set (Books 1-3) Page 85
