Swear to Me: A Second Chance Mountain Man Romance (Clarke Brothers Series Book 2)

by Lilian Monroe

  We’ve known each other since college, and he hasn’t changed a bit. He’s always been a party animal, but somehow keeps his life together through medical school and has been very successful at his plastic surgery practice. He breezed through his residency and is making a mint now. Somehow things always seem to go right for him, he has a natural charisma that people are drawn to. I smile as I watch him pour us drinks. This is just the distraction I need.

  “So what’s been happening Clay? Rough week?”

  “Yeah, busy mostly.” I run my fingers through my hair and rub the back of my neck before he hands me a drink. I take a sip and the liquid burns as it travels down my throat. I like the feeling though, it’s pain and pleasure in a glass.

  “Come on, man, you’re always busy. Something’s bothering you I can tell.”

  He knows me too well. I grin at him.

  “It’s a girl, isn’t it. Didn’t I tell you they were always trouble?”

  “Nah, it’s not like that. I mean, yeah, it’s a girl, but I dunno, I can’t make any sense of it. I don’t even know her, she just came into work last week and I can’t get her out of my head.”

  He’s staring at me as he sips his drink.

  “Did you fuck her?” He asks bluntly.

  “What? No! She was a patient. I didn’t even… I was professional. But Dave, you should have seen her. She’s blonde with these legs, and her ass - “

  “She got under your skin, man. It happens,” he interrupts. “Here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to down a couple of these drinks and then we’re going to go to The Rouge and find you a hot little piece of ass and you can forget about this chick and how twisted she’s got you. Yeah?”

  I laugh and raise my glass.

  “Cheers to that.”

  Dave swallows his drink in one go. As the liquor enters my mouth I can’t help but feel less than enthusiastic about our plans. The thoughts of getting drunk and rubbing up against New York’s hottest singles just doesn’t seem so appealing tonight.

  But.. this is what I do! I pick up women and I fuck them and then I never call them again. There’s a reason for that, and the reason is that I’m moving and I’m going to be the best cardiologist in the country, and nothing can get in the way of that.

  I absolutely do not obsess over a woman I’ve met once in a professional setting. We didn’t even flirt! Unless you count one glance. Even the thought of that glance and her open mouth makes my cock twinge and I tip back my glass, downing the rest of the drink. I need to get her out of my head.

  “Fuck yeah!” Dave shouts and then pours us another drink.

  By the time we get to the club I’m definitely drunk. The taxi pulls up outside and we greet the bouncer with knowing nods. I look down the lineup at the door, glancing at the women waiting to get in. They’re all dressed in short, tight clothing and they all look good, objectively speaking. My eyes glance from one to the other. I’m looking for her, I know I am. What the fuck is wrong with me!

  “I need a drink,” I shout to Dave over the music as we walk in the door.

  A wall of pounding music hits me and Dave looks back with a grin on his face. He points to the bar and we make our way to it. He orders us a couple of drinks and we turn around to case the room.

  There’s nothing less appealing than being in a loud club, surrounded by drunk people and flashing lights when you’d rather be with one person in particular.

  I need to stop thinking like this. I turn around and ask the bartender for two shots. Hangover tomorrow or not, I’m not going to think about her tonight.

  Dave slides over to two girls standing next to us at the bar. I hear him use his usual pick up lines and the girls respond, giggling. The redhead is giving me the eye, but I turn my back and order another drink. She’s not my type anyway.

  Dave looks over at me and frowns. He nods his head towards the girls and I know I’m messing up his pickup. I order another couple shots.

  The night turns into a blur. I’m turning down girls that approach me until none of them even look at me. Dave has distanced himself, using my animosity to his advantage to make himself look like the Good Guy.

  I don’t give a shit.

  I’m drunk and I don’t care about any of these chicks. I’m not having fun. This was a bad idea. I need to go home.

  Chapter 15 - Valerie

  Today is important. If my buyer likes this property, it’ll be a nice little commission for me and it’ll skyrocket me to the top of the office’s sales board for the month. It’s the month before performance reviews which means I need to be on top of my game.

  Before I walk out the door I look at myself one more time in my full-length mirror. My navy blue pencil skirt hugs my hips just the way I like, and my cream blouse is tight with a lace neckline. My blazer cinches at the waist the way I like it to and I’ve done my hair in loose curls and my makeup is understated and flattering. I feel fierce and ready to close this deal. I tug at the bottom of my blazer and spin on my heels towards the door.

  It’s 9:30am, so I have more than enough time to meet up with the seller’s agent for the keys and then get to the property for the 11:00am viewing. I’ll stop at that coffee shop across the road beforehand, as a treat to myself after a hard week. I always like a quiet moment before a sale to get my head together.

  When I step outside the sun is shining and I take a deep breath. This is good, and I can feel the familiar energy humming inside me when I’m about to try to sell. I love my job. I hop in my car and head to the other real estate agent’s office.

  “Chris, how are you?” I ask when I get out of the car. “Thanks again for the tip.”

  He’s waiting for me outside and shakes my hand warmly.

  “No worries, Val. It’s a stunner of a property, you’re gonna love it. The owner has done it all up himself over the past few years and he’s done an amazing job. You won’t find anything of this value in that location. Is your buyer serious?”

  “Would I be here if he wasn’t?” I retort. Chris smirks at me.

  “Just had to ask,” he winks. I grab the keys from him and turn towards my car.

  “You shouldn’t doubt me, Chris. They don’t call me the SoHo shark for nothing!” I grin at him. “I’d better head down there. All good for 11 o’clock with the owner?”

  “I’m just waiting on a call back now, he hasn’t answered his phone. We confirmed yesterday and there were no issues.”

  “And you’re giving me shit about my buyer being serious,” I say to him, rolling my eyes in an exaggerated motion. He laughs and waves me away.

  I make it down to SoHo in time to have that coffee. I savour it on the small chair outside the cafe, waiting for my buyer to show up. I pull out my phone and text Chris.

  Got that confirmation from the owner yet?

  A minute later my phone buzzes

  All good.

  I finish the last few sips of my coffee when my buyer arrives. He pulls up in his white Lamborghini, parking directly in front of me like the spot was held for him. Some people are just lucky, I think. The driver’s side door opens and Marino steps out.

  He looks like he could be in the Sopranos, with slicked back hair and a pale pink button-down shirt with one too many buttons undone. His neck is adorned with a gold chain, and his protruding stomach betrays one too many pasta meals.

  “Val!” He says with his arms outstretched in greeting, million-dollar smile plastered all over his face. He swings his arm forward and grabs my outstretched hand in an enthusiastic handshake. Pumping my hand up and down a few times he smiles again.

  “Looking gorgeous as always, Miss Brooks,” he continues. “So what’s this place like anyways?”

  “It’s not even on the market yet. I’m really excited about this one, I thought of you right away when I came across it. I think it would be a perfect little investment property for you.”

  We cross the road and head towards the building. I fumble with the keys that Chris gave me, trying t
wo before getting the right one for the front door. We step through into a wide lobby.

  “So the building only has four units, and this one takes up the entire top floor on the third storey. It’s been refurbished beautifully over the past few years.”

  I keep talking, pointing out features as we walk towards the elevator. It comes easily to me, talking and selling and keeping people interested. We get into the elevator and I use the swipe key to get access to the top floor. The doors close and we start going up. My heart is beating unusually fast. I’m excited for this sale.

  Marino is one of my best buyers, always on the lookout for another investment property. He’s looking around with a knowing eye. He’s quiet, but I’ve come to learn that that’s a good thing. I’m glad that the owner confirmed the viewing this morning, Marino can be very fickle and I know it would have annoyed him to reschedule.

  The elevator door dings and we step through.

  “It’s just through here,” I say, fumbling with the keys again.

  We’re standing in a long corridor, the walls are an old exposed brick. The door has been painted a sleek black colour with a simple number “4” hanging at eye level. There’s only one key left to use, so I slide it into the lock. It clicks effortlessly and I open the door, getting out of the way for Marino to step through.

  “Ladies first,” he says with a wink. Never heard that one before, I think with a tight smile. I step through to a large loft space.

  Chris wasn’t kidding, it’s been refurbished beautifully. The exposed brick runs along the entire side of the wall, and the front of the room is floor to ceiling windows. Bright white sun streams into the apartment, showing off the sleek and modern decor.

  It’s a large open plan space with the kitchen directly to the right and a living area straight ahead. Everything is white, sleek, granite, stainless steel. Exactly what you’d want if you were buying an upmarket loft in SoHo. Exactly my kind of place. I would love to live in a place like this, and I’m guessing whoever owns it is sad to see it go. I walk in and step aside, letting the property speak for itself.

  A few steps take me towards the living area. I notice a few dirty glasses on the coffee table and frown. As I get closer I notice an empty bottle of whiskey lying on the floor next to the couch and my heart drops to my stomach. So much for the property being ready for viewing.

  The anger is bubbling up inside me and I make a mental note to mention it to Chris. If I’m going to be bringing through my best clients, the property needs to be spotless. Anything less than perfect is completely unacceptable. The buyers for these kinds of properties are turned off by the slightest imperfection, and it reflects badly on me as a professional.

  We walk around and Marino inspects the kitchen. He looks at me and nods.

  “It’s nice,” he says. He glances at the dirty dishes on the living room table. “And it’s… lived in,” he says with a chuckle. My cheeks burn slightly.

  “Sorry about that, the seller’s agent confirmed it was ready this morning, maybe the owner was in a hurry.”

  “It’s no problem Val, a few dishes doesn’t detract from the look of the place. I could definitely turn this into a moneymaker. There’s a separate bedroom?”

  “Separate bedroom with a huge bathroom and walk-in closet. You’re going to love it.”

  We take a few steps towards the closed bedroom door. My palms are sweating and my heart is beating unusually fast. Typically people don’t leave their doors closed for a viewing, but this owner could just have different habits. Still, I’m more nervous than usual. I take a breath and plaster a smile all over my face for Marino’s benefit. I turn the handle and step through the door in one fluid motion.

  Oh.

  My.

  God.

  The scene that greets me is not the pristine multi-million dollar bedroom I was expecting. It’s a disaster. My eyes circle around the room and take in the scene. Marino is close behind me and I hear him make a wordless exclamation under his breath.

  There are clothes everywhere, like someone stumbled home and took all their clothes off and left them wherever they fell. The bed is a mess. There are pillows strewn all over the floor and it hasn’t been made. The room smells stuffy and is dark with the blinds closed. I take another step in. The horror spreads from my stomach up to my throat as the blankets start moving.

  Someone is in the bed.

  I’m frozen still, watching as the person starts waking up. My shock turns to anger. I am seething. White hot fury is ripping through me. Chris lied to me! There’s no way he got confirmation the property was ready. I’m waiting for this good-for-nothing hungover irresponsible owner to wake up and see us. I can’t believe this. He’s going to ruin this sale for me. I can’t even turn away to look at Marino, my eyes are glued to the bed.

  Whoever is in it is moving a bit more now, clearly waking up. All of a sudden he makes a noise and jumps up, sitting in bed looking at us.

  “Who the fuck are you! Shit!”

  My jaw flies open. It can’t be him. I can’t believe this is happening. He’s rubbing his eyes and temples, clearly very, very hungover. Finally I take a deep breath and say the name that’s been at the front of my mind all week.

  “Doctor O’Neill?!”

  Chapter 16 - Clay

  “Val. What are you doing here?!”

  I’m dreaming of her again, except it’s not a dream this time. She’s fucking standing in my bedroom with some slick Sopranos wanna be. Why is she here?

  “Do you guys know each other?” Tony Soprano says in the exact meathead voice I expected of him.

  My head is pounding and I’m having trouble processing what’s going on. Valerie Brooks is standing in my bedroom with some guy. I feel a pang of jealousy seeing her there with him. She turns towards him and I can’t take my eyes off her. She looks so good, like that skirt was painted on her ass. She reaches up and touches his forearm and the anger flashes through me. I can’t think straight. What the fuck is going on!

  “Marino I am so, so sorry about this. I got the confirmation from his agent this morning it was ready to show but he obviously didn’t do his homework. I’m really embarrassed right now but if you’re still interested we can definitely reschedule.”

  The viewing. I completely forgot. The realisation hits me like a train going at full speed. I try to get out of bed but stumble as I get up. I think I’m still a bit drunk because the floor wasn’t where I thought it would be.

  “Look, Val, I’m really sorry I completely forgot about this I’ll get out of your way you guys can have a look around,” I blurt out as I I try to get up.

  “Oh my God!” she exclaims as she looks at me and then turns away suddenly. Tony Soprano starts laughing. As if things are moving in slow motion, my confusion starts clearing when I feel the cold breeze over my ass. I look down and realise too late that I’m completely naked. My hands fly to cover my crotch and I stand frozen. I can feel the embarrassment burning through my body as I stand in front of them completely exposed.

  Valerie takes the meathead by the arm and ushers him out of my room. She grabs the doorknob and before she closes the door behind her she glances back at me. The fire burning in her eyes is pure anger.

  I can’t help but think about how good she looks, or how I wish she would look at me like that again. She slams the door behind her and I hear both their voices trail off as they leave the apartment. I lay back down in bed and put my hand on my forehead. My head is splitting. I feel like I’ve been run over. What the fuck just happened!

  My phone is on the bedside table and I see seven missed calls from Chris. I’ve never felt like such an idiot. I turn my phone around and lay back in bed.

  If I ever thought I had a chance with Valerie I’ve definitely blown it now. She’ll never look at me again. I groan and turn around in bed, trying to forget this morning ever happened. At least I’ve passed her file on to Sherry and I won’t have to see her at the office again.

  Still, I secretly
hope I do run into her. Maybe she’ll be wearing a skirt like she was today and I can watch her walk down the hallway and imagine what that ass would feel like in my hands.

  I groan at the thought of standing in front of her, hungover and naked.

  I try to piece together what happened last night. I remember Dave leaving me on my own at the bar, and just drinking one after another after another. I couldn’t stop thinking of Valerie and it was making me crazy. I couldn’t look at any other girls let alone talk to them. I sat on my own at the bar for ages.

  I have no idea how or when I got home, but by the look of my bedroom I wasn’t in great shape. As my eyes sweep across my room I feel another wave of embarrassment and shame wash over me. She was here, right in front of me and I’ve acted like the biggest screw up in town. She’s seen me like this. Look at the fucking state of me!

  Her face was dripping with disgust when she looked at me and she didn’t even say a word to me, just turned around and walked out. At least I got to watch her walk away in that skirt for a few seconds. The thought of her face and the anger in her eyes makes my cock twinge.

  Maybe I can make it up to her. I’ve got to do something. I can get her phone number from her file at the office and apologise. That’s what I’ll do. I feel a bit better with a plan, so I lay back and try to close my eyes. The pounding in my head is not getting any better.

  Today is turning out to be a lot worse than I could have imagined.

  Chapter 17 - Valerie

  Marino just drove off in his Lamborghini and I let out a sigh. What a disaster. He wasn’t happy, clearly annoyed that his time was being wasted, and I don’t blame him. I tried to hold it together while he was here but the anger that I was controlling is about to erupt. I can feel my blood boiling as I think about what has just happened.

  The first call is going to Chris. He picks up on the first ring and answers with a cheerful voice that pisses me off even more.