“You doing all right, Clark?” Izzy asked. Her tone was calm as if she were talking to a crazy person about to bust loose from an insane asylum.
“Yeah, why?”
Mel piped up, “Oh, he’s probably upset because Tina went back to Hank.” Why did I cringe hearing his name?
“That’s his name? Hank?” Aub asked.
I turned to her, knowing why she repeated his name. “Yeah. What a stupid fucking name, right?” I asked.
Aub looked over to Mel and started laughing.
“What? What’s so funny?” I asked as my eyes darted between the two of them. Were they agreeing with me? Or laughing at me?
“Well, you’re kind of mocking a guy named Hank, when your name is Clark,” Aub said while the corners of her mouth were turned up.
“What’s wrong with Clark? There’s nothing wrong with the name Clark. He’s fucking Superman.”
I heard laughter around the table as I continued to stare at Aub, wondering if she really was making fun of my name. If she only knew my real name, she’d really make fun of me.
“Sorry, you’re right. There’s nothing wrong with the name Clark.” The way she turned her voice to show how sincere she really was, coupled with her warm brown eyes sparkling from her laughter, gave me that same thrill I felt earlier when I checked out her ass. I swallowed and took a drink from my beer realizing how completely opposite Tina and Aub are.
Mel leaned forward, laughing while she looked at Aub. “Get ready, Aubrey. Clark does this every single time when Tina heads back to Hank. He’ll mope for a day or two and then bam!” She clapped her hands. “He’ll have a string of women in and out of his room. It’s like he goes on a fucking spree!”
I looked around the room as everyone discussed my habits. Just about all of them were nodding their head in agreement. Izzy chimed in her two cents, “not only that, but sometimes it’s a couple of girls in the same night.”
Is that really how I react each time? I’m pretty sure that’s my usual MO regardless of Tina or not. I just need to keep my mind occupied instead of thinking about the whole Tina situation. What better way to occupy my thoughts than with another chick riding my cock? Or sucking on it. Which brought me back to the thought of Aub sucking on that carrot not too long ago. Well, minus her teeth digging into it.
I sensed Aub staring at me and turned to see my instincts were right. Those warm brown eyes were slightly closed as if she were analyzing me. Playing this whole scenario into my hands, she might just break her stupid rule with me. “Unless you want to help me feel better, Aub. We could go at it for a couple of nights, you know. I’ll take off work, too.”
I thought for sure I’d at least get her to roll her eyes. Nothing. Her serious gaze continued making me question if she really was analyzing me. “That’s all right, Clark. You go ahead like you normally do. I’ll be out of town for a little while anyway.”
My gut took a dive. I had my mind set on messing with Aub the next few days to keep my thoughts off Tina. “Why? Where are you going? Is it for your job again?” My questions blurted out before I could think them through. I felt better though when her cheeks flushed. I probably had a smirk on my face when I realized I’d never seen her blush before. But, damn, if it didn’t give me a thrill.
“Just heading to Atlanta to visit a friend this time,” Aub told me right before she looked down to her plate. The mashed potatoes on her plate became a new canvas for her fork. Considering how evasive she was, I felt the need to prod her some more. With an answer like that, it had to be a guy she was going to see.
Glad I wasn’t the only one that picked up on all of that. “Oh my God, Aubrey! Are you blushing?” Izzy asked and then leaned forward. “Is it anyone we know?” Izzy loves to be a matchmaker. For some reason, whenever friends hook up, she gets this excited look in her eye. It usually annoys me. It just means another chick is off the market. It’s not like that usually stops me. When the relationship inevitably fizzles out and the chick wants more, I’m always ready to help. Lend a hand. And other things too.
Atlanta. She’s going to Atlanta. Fuck.
“It’s not Alex is it?” I think I was even surprised that my voice was deeper than usual. I couldn’t hide how ticked off I was. I wasn’t sure why, but Aub better not be visiting Matt’s best friend. He lives in Atlanta and that’s the only guy I could really think of right then and there. I knew she has met him at least several times since living with Vanessa. Matt was over at their apartment all the time and when Alex came to visit, I was pretty sure Aub hooked up with him. I can’t imagine him not trying to hook up with Aub.
“No, it’s not Alex.” I exhaled and my shoulders relaxed. It was ridiculous that I even cared. “Just a friend from work, that’s all.”
“Really? What’s his name?” Izzy pressed, smiling so bright that her eyes were about to pop out of her head. Chicks. Why do they need to know all this kind of crap? I sat back and threw my arm over the back of Aub’s chair.
“Well, whoever he is, he can’t be that great if you’re not sharing the info with your girls.” Aub studied me, still smiling. For some reason, she wasn’t letting me get to her. That’s too bad. It’s more fun when I get her riled up.
She swallowed as if she were contemplating something. “Well…” she started off slowly and then smiled again. Great. She’s in love now too. What is it with everyone around here falling in love? They’ll only leave you in the end.
“I can’t say. It’s just a friend anyway.”
“Well, he’s got your number whoever he is.” Izzy leaned forward, smiling at Aub. I noticed Aub swallowed nervously while she bit that full bottom lip of hers. She’s always so put together and to see her nervous made it impossible to resist teasing her. I poked at her side, slipped my arm off the chair, cupping my hand over her shoulder. I was itching to touch her silky, soft skin again.
“Come on Aub” I squeezed her shoulder. “You can tell us. Wait. Unless he’s a she! Are you dating a chick?” She shoved me away as she rolled her eyes at me.
“Just because I won’t say who I’m visiting, you automatically assume that?”
I love it when I get someone riled up. It’s so easy to do, especially when they seem this vulnerable. And Aub seems to be exactly that right now. “Well then, tell us who this person is. He or she obviously gets you all flustered.”
Aub rolled her eyes, then looked over to Mel. “Were you able to make the appointments for all of us at the spa next week? I’ll be coming back home on Friday, I think.” Mel glanced at me and then back at Aub. Chicks always stick together. Mel let her change the subject and they discussed some girls’ spa thing they do every now and then.
I’d figure out another way to find out whom she’s seeing. It would actually help occupy my thoughts. At least I hoped so. I needed some sort of distraction from Tina.
CHAPTER FOUR
Aubrey
“ARE you going to be all right?” I asked Clark. He had the TV on, but seemed to be staring above it. He actually didn’t even move when I asked him that question. “Clark?” I spoke his name louder this time. He turned his head toward me, but wasn’t really looking at me. He had that far away distant look in his brown eyes. Even his black-framed glasses couldn’t hide his somber mood.
“What? Yeah. I’m fine. Just watchin’ the game,” he told me.
“Umm, you took the day off from work, you’re barely looking at the TV and I know for a fact that game is a repeat because it was the same one you were sort of watching on Sunday at Mel and Flynn’s.”
I took a step toward him, unsure if I overstepped my new roommate boundary. We still didn’t know each other that well. Other than discussing sex and whom he’d screw later on that night, our conversations were pretty limited.
Clark cleared his throat. He suddenly looked like his old self. “Pfft. I’m fine. I just felt like playing hooky today.” He glanced passed me to my suitcase and nodded toward it. “Where are you going again? To see your hot girlfriend?
”
I shook my head, but still smiled at him. I wasn’t going to let Clark get to me. I wished I could talk about Gregory, but I still wasn’t sure how to announce that I was engaged. I mean, the time had passed for me to say something about my relationship with him to begin with, so all of a sudden me being engaged was going to sound weird. Of course, telling them right before the wedding will be worse. I should have said something the other night, but if it got back to Vanessa before I told her, she’d be crushed. Not that she won’t be crushed when she finds out whom I’m marrying.
“I’ll be down in Atlanta until Friday. With my friend.” I stressed hoping to keep him in the dark as long as possible. Clark would love to have this bit of information to tease me about. Not to mention if he ever found out the truth, he’d be relentless in mocking me that Gregory doesn’t really love me. He seems to have an aversion to monogamy.
“Why wouldn’t you just stay the weekend? You know, so you can lick her the rest of the weekend.” He wiggled his brows while I rolled my eyes at him. “Ooh, I’ll come down there and we can have a threesome.”
I shook my head laughing, knowing that he was definitely feeling like himself again. “You wish.”
He smiled at me, nodding his head. Then I watched his eyes graze over my body and cringe when he noticed the difference. “What are you wearing?”
I swallowed knowing he was catching on to my little secret. Gregory will love this look—and me. I was sure of it.
“It’s not that different from what I usually wear,” I defended myself.
“The hell it’s not. What happened to your tight little outfits? Showcasing your sweet ass tits. Your eyes aren’t all black with that stuff. Come on, Aub. You don’t dress this way. Why are you changing for this person?” He taunted as he flipped the collar of my blouse. “Does he like you this way?”
I pressed the crocheted lapel back into place and felt the annoyance build up inside me. “Get over yourself, Clark. You don’t know anything about me. Maybe you’re just jealous that I’m spending time with someone who wants to be with me. Unlike you and your little Tina player,” I spat back at him.
Ignoring what I just said, he smirked. “It seems like this person doesn’t really know you.” His tone taunted me. “This isn’t you. You don’t dress this way. Do you act differently around him too?”
I huffed and grabbed my purse, my agitation with him was building with every second that ticked by. I didn’t want Clark to see how much I longed to be someone else. To find someone who loved me, I would change my ways. To have a relationship like my friends have, I was willing to do that and more.
I was positive the cab would be downstairs waiting for me and leaving Clark right now was my priority, before he could see through me. “None of this is any of your business.” I grabbed the handle of my suitcase and headed for the door. Clark ran ahead of me and leaned his hand on the door, blocking my attempt to leave.
His brown eyes seemed more sympathetic now, or maybe that was just in my mind. Maybe it was just part of his façade and he used it to get a girl into bed. “I might just be your roommate and we’re not that close of friends, but I watch how you act and handle yourself. This…” Both his hands gestured to my whole body. “This is not you at all. I’ve known who you are from the moment we met at the wedding and spent the night together.” The corners of his mouth turned, letting on like he really did care for me. “You’re sexy and fun. Calm and rational when you need to be, and outgoing and free when you want a night full of sex. What’s this?”
I stared at him, not wanting to tell him the full truth; That inside I was the total opposite of what I wanted him and our friends to see. I’m a basket case inside and I was dying to continue my façade and possibly step it up. And now I was building a new personality for Gregory in order to fit into his world—to be someone in control of her feelings, someone who doesn’t sleep with someone on the first date, hoping to fill the void, while needing to use a guy before they use me. Not to mention, my desire to be loved by someone not just because of my body.
“You can’t answer that because it’s not you.” Clark’s laughter pushed my annoyance to an all time high, so I shoved him away from the door. “And you know it.”
I gripped the silver door handle tight, taking out my anger on it. I inhaled deeply as I turned my head to glare at him. “Having me for one night does not make you an expert on my life. Worry about your own girl problems. Tina deserts you every single time for her boyfriend. You’re nothing more than her in-between guy. I bet you have no idea that you’re being used as nothing more than a conquest.” I released my grip on the handle and took a step forward, pointing my finger right into his chest. “Nothing more than Tina trying to see if she can make such a slut like you fall in love with her.” His face fell and I immediately knew I struck a nerve with him. Dammit. Me and my big mouth. I swallowed as the agitation filled his eyes. Foro once, he said nothing back. That was so unlike him. I watched him head back for the couch and I knew what I just said was his biggest fear.
It seems like we both have our own issues to work out. For me though, I’d work them out as I married a man I’ve been longing to be with. Gregory was waiting for me and I wouldn’t disappoint him.
MY PLANE ARRIVED on time in Atlanta and I made my way passed security where I spotted Rod immediately. Gregory’s driver was an absolute sweetheart of a man. He usually acted the part of a big tough security guy, but I was able to break through his gruff façade within hours of meeting him. I smiled as I walked up and threw my arms around him for a warm hug. He immediately took my carry-on for me and headed for the doors.
We reached the limo and Rod opened the back door for me. As I slid in, I inhaled deeply, smelling Gregory’s expensive aftershave that still lingered in the limo. Tingles ran throughout my body as the rich, sandalwood scent carried me away to thoughts of Gregory. And yet, I didn’t have the same desire to bed him like I do “other” guys. With Gregory, I knew that he wasn’t connected to me through sex. Or rather, I hoped he wasn’t. With Gregory, he actually wanted my intelligence and the way I could help him with his family business.
The limo pulled up to the front of Gregory’s building and parked at the curb. Rod opened the door and I stepped out, letting the thick, humid city air wrap around me like a warm blanket. I knew Rod would bring my bags up to the condo for me, so I thanked him quickly and headed for the glass doorway, attempting not to look overly eager and probably failing miserably.
The elevator brought me right to the entrance of his suite and I walked in, anxious to see Gregory again. From the corner of my eye, I noted the round, loving woman step out from the kitchen. Gregory’s housekeeper, Mrs. Stavel, smiled and pointed toward Gregory’s bedroom without saying a word. I couldn’t help it. I loved Mrs. Stavel so I ran up and wrapped my arms around her thick body for a warm hug. As I pulled back, I giggled and quickly covered my mouth, hoping to try to surprise Gregory. He’s never been a fan of surprises, but I was trying to break him of that.
Darting to his room, I glanced around and heard the faint sound of the shower. My heart beat furiously knowing he was so close. And naked.
I took a deep breath, picturing him in his glory. His gorgeous tanned muscles glistened as the water ran over every inch of him. I pressed my lips together as I debated taking a step further in to peek in on him. I’ve been dying to see him naked since our days in college. Hell, Vanessa and I both spent nights giggling about how he would look. My body felt like it had a mind of its own as my feet began to walk toward his bathroom.
The door was cracked open and just as I hit the threshold, taking a step into the bathroom, my phone went off. I gulped knowing I just got caught trying to steal a peek at my…fiancé, wet and naked in the shower. I frantically reached into my purse and silenced my phone without looking to see who called.
“Hello? Who’s there?” I watched Gregory wipe the fog from the glass door of the shower. “Aubrey?” He questioned.
I
attempted to find my voice while trying to peer through the door to see some of his nakedness. I managed to squeak out, “Yes.” I bit my lip, debating on turning around when I heard the water shut off. Now my heart pounded while I continued my struggle to peek at his full package.
He barely cracked the door and called out, “Can you hand me that towel hanging there, please?”
I all but ran to the towel he pointed to, grabbed it and began to hand it to him. My hand shook as I tried to hand it to him and failed. I dropped the towel and quickly bent over to pick it up for him. Handing it to him, my eyes flicked to the exact part of Gregory I’ve always wanted to see. My breath hitched as I realized it did not disappoint.
“Aubrey…,” he teasingly drew out my name. My mouth gaped open so I quickly shut it. I was embarrassed enough and didn’t want him to see drool coming out of my mouth.
My eyes flicked up to his warm green ones and I gave him a cute smirk. “Just checking to see what I’ll be marrying,” I teased and watched the corners of his mouth turn up.
It was like a slow sexy scene when he shook his head to get the excess water out of his dark hair. Cue the porn music in the background because that was what was going through my mind. Bow chica bow wow. My breath hitched as I stood there, my mouth gaped again. I was suddenly jealous of the soft blue cotton that now wrapped around his waist, hugging his hips just like I wanted to do.
“Hey, dream girl, snap out of it.” I heard him tease, yanking me back to reality.
“Sorry,” I mouthed, embarrassed that he caught me gawking again. The muscles of his back flexed as I followed his arm reach up to the mirror. I was mesmerized just watching his lean forearm reach up, followed by his large hand as it swiped at the fog on the mirror. Our eyes met in the reflection of the mirror and I felt my cheeks flush. I smiled and darted my eyes away. Noting the door frame, I took a step back to lean against it, trying my best to act like I wasn’t affected by his male presence. Or I tried to, at least. “So, whom are we having dinner with tonight?” My voice seemed a bit higher in pitch than usual.
Alluring Promises Box Set (Books 1-3) Page 88
