Alluring Promises Box Set (Books 1-3)

by Josie Bordeaux

  “Vanessa, darling. How is Charles?” An older woman’s stern voice startled me making me turn my head to the voice, completely taken off guard.

  Charles?

  My fiancé.

  She was asking about Charles, my fiancé.

  As I stood there, embraced by another man and almost kissed him. Oh dear God. What had I almost done?

  The question ran through my mind as I blinked myself back to the real world and I stared at the older woman, realizing how familiar she looked.

  Matt must have noticed my mixed expression as I continued to try to place who the woman was. He stepped back and held out his hand. “I’m Matt Williams. And you are?”

  “Anna Lee Weber.” The woman said briefly to Matt as she glanced back at me with a cold stare. “Best friend of LeeAnne, Charles’ mother.” Oh dear God. I swallowed and gave a nervous laugh.

  “Of course. How silly of me not to introduce you. Umm. Charles is fine, thank you for asking,” I choked out, barely audible above the music that was now blaring an upbeat tempo.

  “I’m sure he’s working very hard tonight at the hospital,” She sneered as she glanced back at Matt.

  “I’m sure he is,” I mumbled. “It was nice to see you again.” I quickly sputtered as I fled the dance floor, making my way back to the bar and away from Mrs. Weber.

  Each step off the dance floor caused panic and a huge unsettling in my stomach as I realized how it must have looked to everyone around us. I should have never done that. I just brought disgrace to Charles and my mother, should this get back to them at the country club. There was no way Mrs. Weber will be able to hold back on this tidbit of gossip. Tears of shame filled my eyes as I turned back to the bar, grabbed my purse and ran out of the reception, quickly finding a cab. I didn’t look back.

  I didn’t want to see the look on Matt’s face. Was he happy that happened? Would he have some joke to tell at the office about me? Was Mrs. Weber thrilled that she had some new gossip — how she broke my connection with Matt right before we were about to kiss? Before I kissed another man, someone other than my fiancé. We were broken up, but of course she didn’t know that. All she could think was that Charles was slaving away in surgery while his slut fiancée danced with another man and was just about to kiss him.

  I had plenty of time to cry my eyes out in the cab ride home. A chime rang from my purse and I ignored it, knowing it was Aubrey. I wasn’t ready to talk about my shame yet, nor hear her feelings on the situation.

  I finally arrived home and stripped off my dress, throwing on my comfortable sweats. I wiped my tears that still were coming as I headed to the kitchen. Another chime from my purse rang and I decided to see what she had to say this time.

  Aubrey: You doing alright? Matt said you ran out.

  Me: We almost kissed.

  Somehow, telling her that made me feel even worse, like I was admitting to cheating on Charles. At least in Mrs. Weber’s eyes, I was cheating on him...

  I tossed my cell phone onto the counter and reached for the freezer door. Peering in, I saw the Ben & Jerry’s pint of Cherry Garcia. I stared at it knowing my crutch was always food. Knowing I wasn’t supposed to do it, I still grabbed it and was just about to open the lid when I saw my own handwriting on a Post-it note. “This won’t solve your problem.” Damn it. Stupid fit camps taught me to leave notes for myself in the kitchen for desperate times like this. I rolled my eyes as I debated grabbing a spoon. I slammed the freezer door hating myself for the stupid notes I left myself. I hated myself for being in this situation where I’m made out to be the bad guy.

  I ran to my bedroom and pulled off my sweatpants and quickly put on my workout clothes before I could think twice. I hurriedly pulled on and tied my running sneakers, cursing myself for my stupidity under my breath. Tears streaming down my face, I knew I needed to expend some of this hurt, and the best way to do that was to head to the gym before I could think about it.

  I grabbed my keys and my iPod, leaving my cellphone on the counter. I ran out of the apartment and took the stairs as fast as I could before I had time to think about anything else. I arrived at the dark gym, stuck my key in the door and flipped on all the lights. It was just me. I quickly turned on my music and I jumped on the StairMaster.

  I hated running and refused to hit the treadmill. My personal trainer at fit camp used to make me get on that thing all the time and I developed a serious hatred for running after that. My cardio had to come from another source. Tonight would be the StairMaster. It was that or the rowing machine — and I didn’t trust my arms not to hit myself in the face with the pull bar if I got too into it.

  It was thirty-five minutes later when I realized I was breathing so hard that I was gasping for air. I stopped and leaned down on both arms and began to bawl my eyes out. I was feeling sorry for myself, as if it were the end of the world.

  I managed to get back up to our apartment and shower, tears still streaming down my face, trying to reason with myself that this wasn’t the end of the world. I know that I was overreacting as I tried to reassess the situation.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Vanessa

  I WOKE the next morning and felt as if my eyes were glued shut from crying so hard last night. After I managed to pry them open, I went into the kitchen. I noticed Aubrey’s bedroom door was open and realized she probably wasn’t back yet.

  I made coffee, flopped onto the couch and turned on the TV. I flipped through all the channels before settling on a romantic movie. I nodded off to sleep and awoke to the sound of Aubrey’s key in the door a couple of hours later.

  I sat up and watched as she came in, waving to me on her way to the kitchen. I got up and followed her in there.

  “So, how was last night? Did you get to be Lois Lane?” I bit my lip, pretending to show my eagerness to listen to her details.

  I knew she couldn’t resist my question as she leaned back on the counter with a dreamy smile on her face. Dreamy didn’t match her story, but at least she was happy. “Dear God. The guy’s cock is huge. And he was honest. It really was insatiable. He rocked my world and then tore that shit in half!” She teased.

  “Well, are you going to see him again?” I asked, wondering if maybe Clark will break her no double dip rule.

  She pushed off the counter and shook her head pressing her lips together. “Nope. Sticking to the rule. There’s no way it could be that great the second time around. It’s only fun the first time. The bar is set way too high for him to perform like that again. Rule stays.”

  I rolled my eyes. Aubrey has never given a guy a second chance. I’ve known her since college and no one has been able to penetrate her rule.

  “Work out with me?” Aubrey asked as she took a sip from her mug.

  I shook my head. “Nope, I worked out last night.” She pulled her brows together and frowned so I felt compelled to explain further. “It was either that or Ben & Jerry. I was able to fight the urge this time.” She nodded her head in understanding.

  “So what happened last night?” I looked around feeling guilty as I remembered last night. “Vanessa?”

  I gave a faint smile remembering almost kissing Matt. “It was…romantic. We had one of those storybook ‘almost’ kisses. Then a friend of Charles’ mom literally stopped us from kissing.” I cringed thinking about how much of a gossip she is. “I just know she’s going to say something.”

  Aubrey threw her hands in the air as if she were about to claw the invisible woman right in front of her, making a frustrated growl. “They’re like fucking vultures everywhere.”

  I gave a quick laugh at her description of the woman. It was a pretty accurate description of the way I felt about the whole thing.

  “Well, that doesn’t mean you still can’t get some with Matt. You’re technically broken up with Charles, right? Except for this fake engagement for your parents.” She rolled her eyes on the last part, which I ignored.

  “I still can’t. I should have never even gotten that close. We
work together and I have the policies in place for a reason. Not to mention I have to watch him ogle every woman at work anyway. He’s such a player, it wouldn’t work out. I’ll just stay to my side of the building and he can stay to his. My office is a pretty good walk from his. Everything is, except for the break room.” She gave a brief head nod as I continued my explanation, “I need to be single for awhile anyway. I really need to concentrate on my career and focus on myself for a while.” I received an approving head nod from Aubrey on my last statement. I took a deep breath. “It did seem kind of nice though. To feel wanted by him…you know, by someone like him.”

  “What on earth do you mean? Are you doing that whole ‘I’m not good enough’ thing again?”

  “I wasn’t saying that. I was just saying that…” I sighed. “I guess I did mean that, didn’t I?”

  Aubrey nodded. “You did. And you need to snap out of that. That’s your goal for your single timeframe. If you go back to Charles, you’re going back a different and stronger woman. You need to stop the ‘I’m not good enough’ shit.”

  I bit my lip and nodded knowing she was right.

  “So what’s the plan for today?” Aubrey asked, changing the subject. I glanced out the window and gave a sigh of relief that the weather matched my mood. It was dark and grey. Rain was pretty much a sure thing with the heavy clouds. Just the thought made my stomach drop.

  “Movies, lots of movies.” I looked back at Aubrey as I asked, “What should we watch?”

  Aubrey’s lips curled up into a knowing smile. “Superman marathon it is.”

  I HAD a horrible night’s sleep, filled with nightmares of Matt having sex with anything that moved and the horror on everyone’s face as that woman from the country club makes an announcement about me kissing other men. Add to that, the look Mom will give me when I finally tell her Charles and I are no longer engaged — all of it kept me from any sort of restful sleep. I looked out my window and realized that the grey that daunted me yesterday was continuing on through today.

  My eyes were still swollen and puffy from crying yesterday. I broke into sobs several times during our Superman marathon.

  I tried to push aside my irritability as I rushed through my morning routine to get out the door and to the office on time. My nerves were shot and I couldn’t stop thinking about what it would be like at the office if I ran into Matt. I decided I would avoid him at all costs today and hopefully this thing between us would blow over.

  I turned around from locking my door and stared right at Matt and Clark walking out the door across the hall. My heart felt like it stopped beating and was coming out of my throat. What the…? “Did you guys both hook up with the same girl or something?” I blurted out my thoughts. I regretted it only slightly, but why else would they be coming out of that apartment together?

  They both looked at me with shocked and quizzical looks on their faces. Matt’s half smile returned as he grazed over my body, making me melt. I couldn’t have these feeling for him anymore, but then I remembered our near kiss and it made my stomach twitch with excitement again.

  I had decided yesterday that I would refrain from any further feelings for him, especially now that I see him walking out of some woman’s apartment with his best friend. Matt and Clark both walked towards me. “Why would you ask that?” Matt asked, still sporting that half smile and also the curious expression.

  “Well, you’re both coming out of someone’s apartment together.”

  The both exchanged glances, laughing glances at that. “Yeah, because we live here,” Matt told me.

  My mouth dropped open. “You what?”

  Matt seemed to enjoy repeating himself to me. “We live here.”

  Stunned, I glanced at Clark. His face lit up immediately. “Please tell me you live with Lois Lane. Dear God, please tell me that.”

  “Her name is Aubrey and yes, she’s my roommate. But you won’t ever be with her again.”

  “What?” Clark asked.

  “She won’t sleep with you again. She never beds the same man twice,” I stated bluntly, still reeling from the fact that they live right across from us. How the hell did I not know this? And why I felt like disclosing that information to him, I had no idea. But somehow I took comfort knowing that he wouldn’t be over at our place. Then I went over the fact that they live here. “You live here? In that apartment, right there?” I asked, still shocked, as I pointed to the door.

  Matt smiled huge. “Yes, apartment 630. And I can see you must live in apartment 629. Interesting.” He smiled again. “Need a lift to work?”

  Deeply agitated, I sputtered out, “What? No! No, I don’t need a lift to work. I have my own car.” My thoughts were spinning as I tried to process this whole situation. I took a deep breath. “You live there, right there in that apartment?”

  They exchanged glances again and Matt laughed. “That’s pretty much what I just said.” He paused and then chuckled, giving me that damn sexy half smile. “Since we’re neighbors, do I get to call you Vanessa at work now?”

  “I, uh...” Oh shit.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Matt

  I STOOD THERE STARING at Vanessa. She’s my neighbor. Yes. There is a God. Thoughts of just barely kissing her on the dance floor seeped into my mind again. I dreamed about her Saturday and last night and still can’t stop thinking about her. My dick twitched from just glancing at her lips. I tried not to stare at her gorgeous luscious mouth as she gaped at Clark and me. Her eyes bore into me in disbelief. I couldn’t help but smile. I swallowed and realized she looked more pissed off and not as happy as I was about our new living situation.

  “You okay?” She looked a bit pale and her eyes seemed swollen and puffy. I started to wonder if she regretted our near kiss. Then I remembered she was probably still upset about her break up with her fiancé. So I’m sure that’s why she seemed a bit off. I glanced down and noticed her engagement ring wasn’t on her left hand. I quickly turned my gaze to her other hand and noted a different ring was now gracing that one. Not the same engagement ring, I was relieved to see. I smiled to myself knowing she was now single. Why that made me so happy, I wasn’t sure.

  “I’m fine. I just have a lot on my mind. I…hadn’t realized where you lived. I guess I should have noticed that from your paperwork. It’s unlike me to not note things like that in an employee’s file.”

  “Oh well, that’s probably because I didn’t have my address yet when I first transferred. I guess I’ll have to stop by your office and fill out another form.” I gave her my best smile.

  “I…you can have Kara drop it off. I’ll email it to her,” She stammered as she swallowed and glanced around nervously. “I need to get going. I’ll see you at the office.”

  “I…yeah, okay. I’ll see you…” at the office. I trailed off as I watched her take off down the hallway and hit the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. I glanced over at Clark, who shrugged. “What the hell was that?” I asked him.

  “No idea. Maybe she heard stories that you’re a pussy and she didn’t want to ever see you again,” he said as he quirked up his mouth. Jerk.

  I shook my head. “Or she was thrilled that you won’t be able to tap her roommate again.” We started down the hallway to the elevator.

  Clark punched the elevator button. “Says who? I’m tapping her all the time now that she’s across the hall. I’ve never had so much fun with a chick before.”

  Although I pretty much assumed that since I heard them pretty much all night long through the stupid thin hotel wall, I was still impressed. He didn’t usually comment unless a chick was really great in bed. “Really? That good?”

  He pressed his lips together and nodded. I noticed he took a deep relishing breath as he closed his eyes. “Fan-fucking-tastic. Sweetest pussy I’ve ever tasted.”

  I quirked my brow, “Huh. Really? Guess you did find your Lois Lane, Clark Kent.” He nodded with a satisfactory smile on his face.

  After getting into my car
and knowing I was alone, I let out a huge “YES!” Vanessa fucking lives in the apartment across from mine. What are the odds of that? I’ll definitely swing by her office to fill out that form with my address. Maybe I’d brush against her again and smell her sweet scent. God, her lips brushing against my throat felt incredible.

  I keep wondering what it is about her. It’s gotta be the challenge, I resolved. Of course, now that she’s single, it won’t be much of a challenge. Although, her policies might present a problem. She seemed into me at the wedding, so I’m sure we’ll have a good time together. I can add her to my list of rotation girls, I’m sure. Just need to start one here, since Kara was my only girl so far on that list and she was still sticking to that damn office policy. Oh, that Sarah chick from the bachelor party. I made a mental note to give her a call.

  I continued to drive as I wondered what type of woman Vanessa would be in the bedroom. Would she be feisty like she was at the office? A bit bitchy, wanting to make sure she was in charge? Or would she be submissive and let me toss her around however I wanted? My cock got hard just thinking about what she would be like in the bedroom. The code word Clark and I determined for the perfect woman ran through my mind. “DLW” for dirty little whore. A perfect woman poised to perfection to the outside world, but get her into the bedroom and she’d be more than willing and ready for hot raunchy sex. Yeah, I thought to myself, she’s definitely a DLW.

  I WALKED past Kara’s desk to get to my office. “Hey, Matty!”

  “Kara how was your weekend?” I was wondering when she would get over the little office policy she was worried about. After being left hanging at the wedding by Vanessa, I texted Kara to see if she would want to come out, she texted back that she had other plans and she was still going to stick to the rules at the office. Then Strawberry saw me with Stephanie outside the window and saw that I almost kissed Vanessa. She told me I seem like the cheating type and wanted nothing to do with me. I wound up just getting as drunk as possible and listening to Clark and Lois go at it all night through the thin hotel walls.