Breathless Promises (Alluring Promises Series Book 3) (39 page)

I heard her fork clank on her plate. “What? When? With whom?” She asked, leaning in. I glanced up to see her eyes wide and her mouth gaped open. I had to chuckle a little and then I wiped away the last of my tears.

“Blake. He was at the coffee shop when I was bawling my eyes out. Did you know he just got out of a relationship?”

Vanessa’s mouth was still open as she shook her head to answer me. “Blake? From Allure? The bouncer? You’re finally going out with Blake?”

I nodded and then replayed what she just said to me. I’d told him no for so long and here I was completely distraught and finally telling him I’d go out with him. Maybe I’d wind up really enjoying his company.

If I can stop thinking about Clark being at home in his bedroom.

With Tina.

It was time to actually slink back into the apartment. I couldn’t hide out at the café all day, but all I kept thinking about was how uncomfortable it will be between Clark and me. Vanessa gave me an encouraging smile as she entered her apartment. Turning around, I slid the key in the knob and inhaled deeply. Noting the TV was off and not a soul in sight, I exhaled and continued to my bedroom, stealing another quick glance to make sure no one was home.

Taking my time as I showered and got ready for my upcoming date, I couldn’t help but feel melancholy. I should be excited about my date with Blake, but I wasn’t. I wanted to be with Clark—not only the guy who kept saving me, but also the good friend who seemed to make my insides tingle whenever we were alone.

The fact that I was starting to get to know him on a deeper level, the personality he doesn’t show too many people, meant so much to me. It was as if I knew about a deep hidden treasure, but had to keep it a secret. But, he wasn’t my treasure to keep. Obviously, Tina staked a claim on his heart a long time ago, even if he never wanted to admit it. To Tina or himself.

Opting for casual and not too sexy, I chose my dark blue jeans and a mauve long sleeve shirt. When I tugged it into place, I noted it still clung to my curves. I wasn’t trying to showcase my assets like I used to.

Considering Blake has seen my eyes now in a variety of ways, including without makeup and swollen from crying this morning, I decided to stay low-key. I’ve always dressed and made myself up for the sheer purpose of snagging a guy for the night. I wasn’t going to do that anymore. To me, this was just a friendly dinner. At least from my perspective that’s all it was.

A knock on my door stopped me just as my wand was about to touch my lashes for the last time. I swallowed knowing it had to be Clark, unless I hadn’t heard the knock at the front door and Clark let Blake in. I’m sure that would be an interesting meeting.

My hands became sweaty and my heart thumped in my chest as I reached for the cold doorknob. Clark stared at the floor; his expression seemed troubled. I was positive he was only here to make me feel better—ensuring I don’t jump off the rooftop.

I sat back down on the bed not saying anything to Clark. Mainly, because I wasn’t sure what to say.
Hey asshole, I really thought something was going on between us, but obviously, I was just another chick to make out with until your part-time girlfriend came back.
Okay, so I was pretty sure of what I’d say to him. Probably because I said it to my reflection about thirty times while I applied my makeup.

He stepped further into my room with his hands jammed into his jeans pockets. His expression filled with pity that I didn’t want from him.

“I didn’t know about all this,” he started to explain in a low voice, probably making sure Tina wouldn’t hear our conversation.

I shook my head, not really wanting to hear the excuse he probably gives when he’s been caught in the middle. I’ve seen the catfights women have gotten into over him and I wasn’t about to be one of those girls. “It’s fine, Clark. She’s back again. I get it.”

“No, you don’t,” he interrupted me with a harsh whisper. He took another step to me and crouched before me while I zipped up my boot, trying to ignore him. “I thought I wanted that with her, but I don’t,” he insisted. I kept my eyes averted, knowing this was probably part of his MO. His voice was really sincere and my heart wanted to believe his words.

“Sure you do,” I told him. “You can’t have us both. I won’t be your other part-time girlfriend.” I made sure he understood that I wasn’t going to be played or used ever again.

“I’m going to break things off with her.” When his hand touched my knee to get my attention, shivers ran through me.

While deep down I wanted to believe that, I knew he still didn’t realize how he really feels. “No, you’re not, Clark. You’ve wanted her for far too long. Now that she’s broken up with him, you’re just scared. I’m not going to be your scapegoat,” I insisted.

“You’re not though! That’s what I’m trying to…”

“Hey!” Tina appeared in my doorway and waved at me. I wasn’t sure how much of our conversation she had heard and I couldn’t tell from her expression. Her smile faltered slightly when she noted Clark’s serious expression. I watched her eyes flick between us. “Roommate discussion?” She asked. I’d be lying if I weren’t just a little happy to see her wringing her hands nervously.

I pressed a smile similar to hers. “Something like that.” I wasn’t sure if I kept the sarcasm out of my voice. This wasn’t entirely her fault.

“Um, well, I just wanted to say that I’m sorry I barged in. I’ll find my own place soon. Or maybe Clark and I will find something together. Either way. I just didn’t want this to be uncomfortable or anything between us.”

“Thanks, Tina. I appreciate that. I’m sure you and Clark will find a great place together.” Again, I tried to keep the bite out of my voice, but I wasn’t sure I was successful. I stood up and walked to my doorway. “Excuse me.” I smiled at Tina as I brushed passed her to leave my room. They followed as I made my way to the front door.

“Where are you going?” Clark asked. The alarm in his voice was unmistakable. I turned to see Tina question him with her eyes. She definitely noticed it too.

“I have a date,” I replied. I swung my jacket around my shoulders and looked back to Clark just in time to see his face redden.

“With who?” His voice boomed out, angry.

“Whom,” I corrected. I tilted my head with a small smirk. I wasn’t sure why I corrected him, but it felt like I gave him a smack as I watched his eyes narrow at me. “Blake,” I told him. I raised an eyebrow, almost daring him to say something.

“Blake from Allure?” Tina asked as she clapped her hands together. I nodded and wasn’t sure if she was going to start jumping up and down, too. “Ohh, I knew he was sweet on you!” she exclaimed. “He talks about you to everyone!”

“Really?” I questioned. The thought making me smile.

“Yeah, he asked me once if you and I hang out and if I could put in a good word for you.”

“Hmm.” I couldn’t help the smile that crept over my face and wondered how long ago that was. Clark was completely silent, which I knew wouldn’t last long.

A knock at the door caused everyone to turn and stare at the door in silence. I couldn’t resist stealing a glance at Clark. He took position in his macho stance near the door, which was becoming his trademark look for when a guy comes to pick me up for a date. 

I opened the door to see Blake smiling nervously with a bouquet of fresh flowers. He held them out and seemed to be a bit nervous as he spoke. “Um.” He swallowed and tilted his head. “These are for you. Flowers. They’re for you,” he stammered. I honestly could not ever remember any guy bringing me flowers and the fact that he thought of something so sweet caught me off guard.

Stunned, I reached out for the bouquet of mixed roses and baby’s breath. I inhaled deeply smelling the fresh fragrance, enjoying my new gift. “Wow. Thank you so much.” I smiled bright. “I’ll go put these in some water. I’ll be right back,” I told him and then I turned to the kitchen. Clark’s stance hadn’t changed. I overheard him asking Blake where he’s taking me for dinner. It seems to be the question he has to ask all of my dates.

I reached up to grab an old vase from a high cupboard. Clark came storming into the kitchen. “He’s taking you to our place. He can’t do that.”

I glanced at him while I struggled on my tiptoes to reach the vase. Clark gave me an exasperated look and reached up to pull down the item I needed.

“Really? Where? ” I asked smiling. My stomach started to rumble.

“He’s taking you to that Italian place on First Street. He can’t take you there. That’s
our
place,” he blurted out angrily. Confusion marred my expression, not understanding what the problem was.

“Why can’t he take me there and what makes it
our
place?”

“Well, wh…I took you there already. I mean…”

“You never took Tina there?” I interrupted him, almost anxious to know the answer.

He shook his head while I stared at him in disbelief wondering what this actually meant for us. Was there even an “us”?

“You ready to head out, Aubrey?” Blake called out. I swallowed, still staring deep into Clark’s eyes, my heart beating fast not knowing what this meant for us.

“I have to go, Clark. You have Tina now,” I whispered to him right before I started to walk out of the kitchen. His hand grasped my arm, pulling me back into the kitchen. “Be right there,” I called out to Blake, hoping to buy just a little bit of time. The desire to see what Clark had to say brought on a new wave of hope in me.

“I…” He stopped and then looked up at the ceiling. Then his eyes fell back to mine. “Don’t. Don’t go out with him, Aub,” he pleaded, his eyes followed suit as we stared at each other for a moment longer.

“You can’t have both of us, Clark.”

His lips pressed together as his eyes darted around as if searching for an answer.

“Hey, is everything okay in here?” Tina’s voice responded to his silent question as his eyes rested on mine. I gave a small shrug and waited. That moment felt eternal.

He blew it.

His eyes never left mine. His voice was determined as he told Tina, “I was thinking we should double date. I think you’d like that restaurant actually.” I narrowed my eyes at him as he looked away; unsure why on earth he would think joining us was a good idea.

Both Tina and I replied at the same time, “No!” I continued, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Clark, they need to be alone with each other. We’ll go somewhere else and have dinner.” She reached over and squeezed his arm. His eyes fell back to mine. I shook my head as I broke our stare, knowing I had to be the one to do it.

Turning on my heel, I called out over my shoulder, “Listen to your girlfriend, Clark. She’s right about this one.”

When Blake and I reached the lobby, he helped me shrug my coat on.

“It’s Clark, isn’t it? The guy you were crying about earlier today?”

I swallowed, barely able to meet his eyes. His hand caressed my shoulder with a small squeeze as he gave a small nudge toward the door.

“I thought so. Let’s go have an enjoyable dinner and a nice conversation between two friends. Okay?”

I nodded, but this time I gave him a faint smile, thankful that he understood why my heart was breaking.

Clark

Fuck.
I stared at the door, seething. My blood boiled and every fiber of my body wanted to run after Aub.

“Is something wrong, Clark?” Tina’s voice brought me back to the real problem.
Her.
Aub’s little summation that she’s my scapegoat from a relationship with Tina may have been right not too long ago, but all that has changed. Aub and I have grown so much closer since then.

“I know you like to look after Aubrey like a sister, but she can handle herself, you know.”
Like a sister?
My feelings for Aub were nowhere close to being “sisterly.”

Tina’s hand rested on my arm, giving me a small squeeze to try to bring my attention back to her. “Hey. She’ll be all right, you know?” She grabbed her coat from the couch and grabbed mine too. I shrugged on my leather jacket, not knowing what to say. I need to break up with her, but where would she go? She wanted to be with me for so long. Had I led her on? No. I had insisted so many times that we could never be.

“Let’s head over to that new pizza joint that just opened. I’m craving pizza and beer for some reason,” she told me. She giggled and tugged on my arm. Reluctantly, I followed.

The bitter cold was actually refreshing. I inhaled deeply and tried to figure out a way to break up with Tina and get Aub back. Odd how I never wanted a girlfriend and now I’m debating between two.

I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, Tina had no choice but to do the same since her arm was linked with mine.

“What made you break up with Hank?” I asked, unsure if I wanted to know the answer.

“What?”

“What made you finally decide to tell him now after all the times you’ve just promised me you would.”

“I…” her eyes darted around searching for an answer. She was going to lie to me and I knew it because the time frame didn’t add up to me.

“You didn’t really break up with him, did you? He’s just away again. That’s why you’re back again. You didn’t tell him, did you?”

“I…I was going to before he left, but…” I turned and started to pace the sidewalk as a different type of anger washed over me. “You
lied
to me,” I seethed.

“Well, not really. I mean. Sort of. I was…” She kept spewing more lies while I stared at her. I turned and started walking back to my apartment.

“Where are you going?” She asked while she tried to keep her pace with me. I didn’t bother answering, but instead increased my speed. Using the staircase, hoping to burn off some of the anger I felt, I ran back up to my apartment. Tina was crying and rambling excuses behind me, but I barely heard her above the hatred I felt for her.

Shoving my door open, I didn’t bother closing it, knowing the bitch was right behind me. You could probably hear her wailing throughout the building. “Please listen!” Her screeching stabbed into my thoughts. I didn’t say a word as I grabbed all her fucking clothes strewn around my room and threw them into the suitcase she brought. Her crying and pleading continued, yet I didn’t say a word. I couldn’t. I was afraid of how bad I’d lose my control.

I slammed her suitcase shut and knew she wouldn’t take it from me, so I continued right to the door. I opened it wide and threw the thing into the hallway, watching as it bounced off Vanessa and Matt’s door. Holding the door wide, I barely looked at her. There was no need to tell her where her ass should be, but she stood in front of me and continued to plead.

“You’ve gotta believe me, Clark. I
love
you. I love you so much,” she babbled through tears.

“You loved me enough to lie to me, right?”

“I wasn’t lying to you. I was just waiting for you to realize you really do love me and say it. Then…”

“Just like all the other times you’ve lied to me. You don’t love me. You love the idea of being with me, for some stupid reason…”

Just then, Matt opened his door across the hall. He looked between the both of us and then down at the suitcase and closed his door again. I took that opportunity to actually look at Tina for the first time since this discovery. Her lips were mashed together, quivering as tears fell from her eyes. At one point in time, I would have felt like shit and just tried to calm her down. Now? Nothing. I was furious. She may have ruined things with Aub. Whatever it was that I had with her.

“It’s over Tina. Don’t bother coming back after Hank leaves again. I’m done with this.” I closed the door while she shouted how much she hates me and how no one will ever love me like she does.

God, I hope not.

I stood there for a moment staring at the door and hoped Tina left. Fuck it. Who cares at this point, right? I needed to go tell Aub the news so we can get back to what we were doing before the bitch interrupted us.

Stepping into the hallway so soon probably wasn’t the best decision. She was still out there, on the phone, crying her eyes out and as soon as she saw me she ended her call and ran to me. I guess she thought I came back for her. She jumped in front of me and tried to hug me as I tried to continue walking. I gripped her waist and pulled her off me, setting her to the side.

“You love me! I know you love me! Just admit it!” Her words echoed down the hallway while she screamed at me.

I stopped and stared at her for a moment. Wow. I had spent so much time with her and never saw this side of her. “I don’t love you, Tina. I’m sorry.”

Panic flashed in her eyes. I started to walk again when she screeched out, “Aubrey? You love Aubrey? There’s no way she could ever give you what I can! Never!”

I tried to ignore everything she yelled. I knew she was hurting and I didn’t want to add to it. I continued to head toward the stairwell instead of waiting for the elevator.

She followed me.

Tina ran down the stairs after me screaming the whole time. I landed on the final platform and pushed the door open as she screamed, “She’ll leave you! No woman will be able to stand you for very long! That’s the exact reason your mom left you!”

I stopped at the door trying to keep my anger in check as I clenched my jaw. Breathing heavy, I really tried not to say anything, but I couldn’t stop myself. “I’m pretty sure Hank will leave you the moment he finds out that you’re fucking me every time he leaves town. And I’ve heard he likes to discard used trash.”

“You son of a bitch!” She started trying to hit me and I jumped out into the hallway, avoiding her attempts. Being alone in a stairwell with a crazy lady flailing her arms around wasn’t where I wanted to be. I wasn’t sure what she’d be capable of lying about.

I ran out of the building and down the couple of blocks to the restaurant, hoping the crazy woman wasn’t going to follow me.

I pushed the door open and immediately spotted the two of them at a table in the corner, cozy and laughing together. Blake’s arm was around the back of Aub’s chair and he was leaning in to hear her as he smiled.

They didn’t see me come in and I stood there for a moment just watching them. She was actually having fun. But she just had fun with me the other day. Before Tina came in and ruined it.
Fuck. 

Standing right at their table now, Blake’s eyes met mine. He smirked and then stood up. He slapped his hand on my back and laughed. “Took you long enough, asshole.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“It means it took you way too long to get your ass down here.” Again he clapped my back. “Thanks for dinner,” he chuckled and walked toward the door. I sat down next to Aub, anxious to get this part over with so we could go back to where we were before Tina came back.

“What are you doing here?” She glanced at the door again. “Did you forget your girlfriend?”

“I didn’t forget anything. She’s sitting right next to me.” I turned and signaled to the waitress and ordered a beer.

When I turned back to Aub, she wasn’t looking at me. “Did you hear what I said, Aub?”

She took a sip from her wine glass. “I heard you.”

“And?”

“And what?” she asked, as if I hadn’t just laid my heart on the line.

“Does that make you happy? Isn’t that what you want?” I should be telling her that it made me happy and that it was what I wanted, but it was easier to make this about her.

“The question is, are you happy?”

“Why do you keep flipping this around on me? I broke up with Tina so we could be together. Why aren’t you happy about that?”

“Because I’m not sure if that’s really what you want.”

This woman was infuriating. “What kind of screwed up logic is that? Why wouldn’t that be what I want?”

She turned and looked at me. Really looked at me. “Because I’m not sure that’s what you really want. Is it? Did you tell her you have feelings for me? Or did she tell you she hadn’t really left Hank?”

I couldn’t believe she guessed the truth. My expression must have shown my surprise. “That’s it, isn’t it?” She continued, “I knew it. She went back to him! You didn’t even have to make a decision because she made it for you.”

“No! That’s not true. I mean, it sort of is. She didn’t really break up with him, but I figured it out. She didn’t tell me. I threw her out.”

“For me?”

It was one of those women questions that seemed like a double-edged sword. Answering the wrong way could really screw a man over. I hesitated too long.

She huffed and stood up.

“Where are you going?”

“Home. Well, home for now. I’ll be moving out soon.”

“What?” I grabbed her hand and pulled her down onto my lap. She squirmed for a moment as I pulled her tight to me. “You’re not moving out and you’re not leaving this restaurant.”

The waitress picked that moment to bring me my beer. It gave Aub a moment to cross her arms and turn slightly away from me.

I rested my hand on her thigh and squeezed. “I can honestly say that I threw Tina out for me. I wanted to break up with her as soon as she walked in, but I wasn’t going to kick her out since she didn’t have anywhere to go. I couldn’t do that to someone. Then, she said something that led me to believe she hadn’t left Hank. She lied to me. It spurred the inevitable and I told her to leave.” I pulled her hair off her shoulder and kissed her neck. I felt her melt into me.

I could see a smile trying to come through. “Are you really going to call me your girlfriend so soon?”

Chuckling, I looked up to the ceiling. “Ah shit. I showed my cards way too early, didn’t I? I could call you my fuck-mate instead, if you’d prefer.”

She rolled her eyes and gave me a light punch to my chest. “You’re such an asshole.”

“Good. Glad that’s settled for anyone who asks.” I pulled her close and kissed her hard. For some reason, there was something deep inside me that didn’t want to let go of Aub. I wasn’t going to fight that feeling right now.

It felt way too good.