Breathless Promises (Alluring Promises Series Book 3) (18 page)

“Not now, Clark. I…” I could hear her sobbing even more as she tried to choke out those words. I tried the knob again just to see if maybe she unlocked it, but it still wouldn’t turn.

I’ll say this—normally, when a woman cries and I’m around, it’s because a man just broke her heart and I’m only there for selfish reasons. I want to swoop in and convince the woman that her man wasn’t worth crying over and I would make it right. Call me a man who likes to fix things…maybe. Or maybe it’s that I like to get something out of it, because grudge sex—when a woman wants to get back at her ex—is fantastic. Initially, they want comfort, the slow romantic, sensual kissing. After that, they take charge and are full of animal desire. I’m all about either of those, and then some.

However, right now, hearing Aub on the other side of that door breaking down because of a man, seducing her wasn’t my motive. I wanted to comfort her. I wanted to take away whatever pain she was having. So, I guess, maybe I still wanted to “fix” her problems, but comforting her was my first desire.

“Do you want a hug?” I found myself blurting out before I could even stop the words. All I wanted was for her to be in my arms.

“I ca-can’t right now,” she told me in between her sobs.

“Well, if you need me, I’m right here.” She didn’t respond, but I continued to stare at the door wondering what to do next. Hearing the water running let me know she was definitely not coming out right now or opening up that door.

Reluctantly, I sat on the couch and waited for her. Turning the TV on, I flipped through the channels not really focusing on anything at all. How long does a bath take? I guess women sit in there for a long time, right? I checked my watch again as I glanced out the window and watched the pellets of rain splatter against the window. Between Aub crying and the weather, it was dragging me down. Thoughts of what she might be doing on the other side of the door filled my thoughts and not in a good way. Normally, a woman taking a bath was erotic, but right now the only vision I had was Aub attempting to drown herself.

I was just about to text Vanessa to come over. My plan was to pick the lock and have her go in to make sure she was all right. Thankfully, at that very moment Aub’s door opened. Relieved to see she was still alive, I took in everything about my roommate. Aub without makeup was something I’ve seen before since we live together, but her red swollen eyes were something I didn’t like seeing on her at all. The baggy sweatpants swallowed her toned body. The top added to her get-up as if she were trying to conceal the sexual confidence that normally oozes from her pores. I had no idea she even owned anything that was baggy. Well, except for her nun outfits.

I continued to study Aub as she walked into the kitchen. “Are you doin’ all right?”

The sound of the faucet only added to my impatience. She began walking back into the living room with a glass of water. After taking a drink, she nodded. “Just tired, that’s all.”

“Wanna watch a movie on TV or something?”

Shaking her head, she pressed a fake smile. “I’m tired. I’m gonna go lie down.” I don’t know what it was, but something inside of me didn’t want her to be alone. That vision of her drowning in the bathtub popped back into my mind.

I patted the cushion next to me. “Come lie down here. You can watch me while you try to get to sleep.” I forced an overdone smile, hoping to catch one from her. “I know how much you love to watch me,” I teased, wiggling my brows at the same time.

A faint smile appeared. Her brown eyes had a beautiful gold glint to them that made my heart stir. Both fell from her face when she looked out the window at the dismal day outside. “Come on. I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer,” I pressed, hoping I could keep an eye on her.

Her eyes flicked over to her door and then back to the couch. I jumped up and ran to my room, grabbing my comforter and dragging it quickly to the couch. “See. It’s even better now,” I told her as I threw my white comforter on the couch and then ran behind her, nudging her to the couch. I grabbed the glass from her hand and set it on the coffee table. Aub plopped onto the couch like a blob with her hands falling to her lap. I couldn’t help but chuckle as I sat on the corner of the couch and pulled her head to my lap. This could be the first time I’ve ever pulled a chick’s head to my crotch without expecting her to suck my cock.

I pulled the comforter over her body and sunk into the couch with the remote. Not one word was said as I ran my fingers through her silky strands. I used to love that when I was little. Benji’s mom used to do that to me whenever I stayed over at their house. It always put me right to sleep. I was hoping it would do the same for Aub.

After a few moments of watching TV, I felt her breathing pick up. Looking down, I noticed tears began to fall down the bridge of her nose into my lap. I brushed the back of my hand over her cheek hoping it would help calm her. I was just about to ask her if she wanted to talk when she sprang up to sitting, startling me.

“I can’t. I can’t do this!” The fear in her voice scared the hell out of me.

“Do what? Sleep?”

“I’m sorry. Thank you.” She rushed the words out as she stood up, tears pouring down her cheeks now. She backed up as if she were a cornered animal and then ran to her bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

It all happened so fast that all I could think was—
What. The. Fuck.
I just wanted her to calm down. And that has to be the first time a chick ever stopped me when I wasn’t even making a move on her.

I walked back to her door wondering if I should attempt to talk to her. She freaked out, but why? I glanced to the TV wondering if something was on that may have bothered her. It was a basketball game. Unless Greg played ball, I was pretty sure that wasn’t what upset her.

I went ahead and knocked on her door again, something that keeps reoccurring today. It seemed as if that white door was taunting me today, never to see what she might be doing on the other side. I heard rustling and weird sounds that led me to believe she was crying again.

“Aub!” I called out as I knocked hard. “Talk to me. What the hell is going on with you?” Nothing. No response. “Aub, you better fucking talk to me or I’ll bust the door down.”

Scaring the hell out of me yet again, the door flung open. Aub stood there looking like her old self. Pure sexual attraction replaced the fear from moments ago when I took in everything about her that I missed. Her chocolate eyes were outlined again by that smoky, sexy thing she does with makeup. Toned legs that I missed so much were showcased by a short, black skirt. I couldn’t help my stare lingering at her amazing chest. A low cut top accentuated her curves, her tits propped up for the world to see.
Now we’re talking.
She’s back to her old self again. I probably even licked my lips like a lion about to devour a meal he hadn’t had in a long time. Good. Maybe she snapped out of her crying funk. I tried to conceal the urge to throw her down onto the carpet right here by switching gears—
caring. Be caring right now.
“You okay? You wanna grab a drink before we head over to Mel and Flynn’s?”

She avoided my gaze. Not that I would have noticed if I hadn’t forced my eyes to meet hers. I was mesmerized by her legs; watching as she slipped a high heel shoe onto each foot. After putting them on, she was almost as tall as me. Not to mention, they made her slim legs sexier than hell. I got an instant chub from just looking at her total package and thinking back to when her legs were wrapped around my head. It most definitely switched the gears from being caring to wanting to fuck her again.

She nodded toward the couch as she adjusted her top and grabbed her purse from the floor. “Sorry about…that.” Couple that husky voice she has and the way she looked—instant sex on a stick. “I’ve got a date that I forgot about.” Considering she just did a one-eighty, it took a moment to register what she just said. An odd panic flooded me.

“It’s Sunday.” I didn’t even try to hide how ridiculous her new date seemed. “We always go to Mel and Flynn’s.” She dug her hand into the glass bowl beside the door for her keys and grabbed the doorknob.

“I know. Tell everyone I’m sorry that I can’t make it tonight,” she called over her shoulder as she left, closing the door behind her and leaving me completely confused.

Watching her flee so quickly after I tried to help her, my dad’s voice rang through my head. I wanted to ignore it, but Aub leaving just served to prove him right again.
They leave just when you’re there for them.

******

“I can’t figure it out,” I told everyone at dinner that night. I had already briefed Vanessa and Matt on our walk over to Mel and Flynn’s and now sitting with everyone at dinner, I was still completely confused about what happened earlier. The pit in my stomach was still there, but I tried to push it away to see if everyone else could help me figure it out.

“Are you sure you didn’t touch her boob or something?” Mel accused me after I ran through the whole story to them.

“No! I swear it. I was trying to get her to relax with me. Trying to help her get some sleep because she’s seemed so distraught since she got back.”

“Are we sure this ‘Uncle Chad’ was really her uncle? Maybe he’s her some pimp or something,” Mel tried to surmise as she shook her head.

Vanessa’s voice screamed how offended she was by Mel’s statement. “She’s not a prostitute, if that’s what you’re thinking!”

Mel’s mouth popped open as she realized how that probably sounded and immediately sputtered. “No!” Mel continued, “That came out wrong. I’m so sorry, Vanessa. Really that’s not what I meant by that at all. I just meant...do we really know if that guy is related to her or is someone bad from her past that’s out to get her or something.”

I rolled my eyes at Mel because she wasn’t helping Vanessa feel better about her friend. Matt was thinking the same thing as he rubbed Vanessa’s back. “I’m sure she’s okay and I’m sure that he’s not someone bad. Maybe after that call she just went on a date last night and the guy was an asshole.”

“I don’t know what it is, but she’s been so depressed since she got back from Atlanta.” I turned to Vanessa. “I’m going to have you come over tomorrow night. She needs some sort of intervention or something. You need to get in bed with her again. You know, that thing you girls do.”

Vanessa rolled her eyes. I glanced around the table and noticed everyone’s expressions were perked up with curiosity. That’s when I realized we never really told the rest of the group about the weird thing Aub does. Vanessa squinted her eyes at me, scolding me as I threw my head back to stare up at the ceiling knowing I was in trouble.

“Okay. Spill it. What do you two do?” Iz asked as she leaned in. Mel’s eyes were just as wide as she did the same thing.
Shit.
Aub’s going to kill me for telling them this.

“Nothing. It’s nothing. She just has trouble sleeping sometimes and just needs to talk. You know, like you used to do when I lived here, Mel.” Her eyes grew wide and I realized then I probably just fucked up. Again.
Shit.

“What the hell are you talking about?” It was Flynn’s turn to get upset. He did the same leaning in thing that Izzy had done. I went against the whole group and leaned back in my chair and pressed my arms up in the air, pretending to stretch.

“It’s nothing,” Mel told him as she placed her hand on his arm. “I used to knock on his door if you and I were fighting. Back when we were doing the whole jealous back and forth thing.”

Flynn’s brows hiked up. “You went to Clark?
Clark.
Of all people?” 

“Hey! What do you mean ‘of all people’? I’m a good listener, I’ll have you know!” Z sounded like he was choking on something. When I glanced at him, I realized the jerk was laughing. “I am!”

Iz lifted both her hands to stop the whole discussion. “He actually is.” She quirked her head to the side and shrugged her shoulders. “Sometimes.”

“Sometimes?”

“Well, as long as you’ve already had sex, it’s like you’re actually okay to talk to. Like you’re not frustrated or something.” She smirked. She actually had a point there and I wasn’t going to dispute it.

“Look. We’re way off topic. I just wanted to let everyone know there’s something weird going on with Aub and as her friends…” I gestured to the whole group before continuing, “I think we all need to come up with some sort of plan. Vanessa needs to talk to her first and if Aub doesn’t snap out of her weird shit, then we all need to talk to her.”

Izzy had another pleased smile on her face. God, I hate that. “Then I can try to fuck her again.” Everyone started yelling at me. I couldn’t help but start laughing. It was far too easy to get this group into an uproar. For once, Vanessa looked at me with a shake of her head and a smirk.
Finally
. Someone was catching on. I winked at her knowing she
finally
understands.

The apartment was way too quiet the next day, so I peeked in Aub’s room. She still wasn’t back from her date last night. That’s when it dawned on me that she hasn’t been going to a job. Did she quit? Or did they fire her? Add that to my list of things to ask her about. I shot her a text asking her if she was okay since I had no idea where she even went.

Knowing she probably wouldn’t even answer me, I pulled the door open to leave for work. Scaring the shit out of me, I almost ran right into Aub. Her petite frame was hunched over with her arm outstretched as if she were trying to get her key into the lock. I grabbed her arm to steady her just as she began to stumble backward.