Yet, he only had eyes for Blake.
Kind of surreal.
He followed her to the paid lot across the street, only to hesitate beside her baby blue Mini Countryman. He perused it with a skeptical eye. “Are you sure we’ll both fit?”
“It’s more spacious than it looks.”
“I thought large vehicles were a prerequisite for a realty job?”
“Not if you want to save the planet,” she quipped, sliding in behind the steering wheel.
“If I’d have known we’d be riding in a clown car, I would have rented something to drive for the day.”
“You think I’d let you chauffeur me?” she queried.
“I’m excellent behind the wheel.”
For a moment she eyed him then smiled as she said, “I bet you go too fast.” It was meant as a double entendre to prick his ego.
His lips quirked. “Only for the first few seconds, then I slow down and enjoy the ride.”
She squeezed her thighs together. She wouldn’t think about him riding between them. Keep it on a business level. Her wet panties ignored that advice.
“What’s your interest in the Grizzly Lake property?” she asked as she pulled out onto the main road.
“Is this the question period where you find out my must-haves, my dislikes, and suggest other places?”
“It’s good to have options.”
“None of those options will have a backyard going down to one of the nicest lakes in the region with fishing almost year-round.”
“There is public access for those who don’t live right on it.”
“I prefer to have privacy when I’m relaxing. There’s also the view. That house sits high and overlooks that lake with no nearby neighbors.”
“If that’s your criteria, then I’ve got a lovely mountain-view home for half the price and with more square footage.”
“Does it have a river stone fireplace extending two stories?”
“I know a mason who can build one.”
“Massive entertaining deck with hot tub?”
“Tiny details,” she scoffed.
“The master bedroom has a floor-to-ceiling window that makes it seem like you’re floating in the sky.”
“Needs frequent cleaning because of the birds hitting it.”
“You really don’t want me to like this place. Why?” he asked.
“Because I think you’re wasting your time. The place is practically sold.”
“I still want to see it.”
“Why bother since you already know everything about it?”
“Think of it as getting an idea of what I like if I do agree to see other places.”
“We could have done that in my office with a slideshow.”
“Where’s the adventure in that?”
The drive was more than forty minutes, as they had to leave the city and drive into the mountains. At least the weather remained clear and the roads free of ice. Snow laced the trees and frosted the peaks. When they finally crested the last hill, she had to admit he had a point about the view.
The house was built on a bluff overlooking the lake with a lift that could bring people up and down since stairs were unfeasible. The house itself had the stone and cedar exterior many chalets adopted but on a massive scale. Big wood beams, a peaked roof that helped with heavy snow, more than a few chimneys because it wasn’t just the great room that had a fireplace.
She exited the car and waited for him, breathing in the fresh air, feeling the crisp cold on her cheeks.
“Beautiful,” he breathed, only he was looking at her.
“Shall we go inside?” she asked while texting Becky to let her know she’d reached the chalet.
Arbuckle stood to the side as she punched the combination into the lock. They entered a vast entry hall, the stone tile covered in a rug to catch snow and dirt.
“Shoes and boots off,” she said, leaning over to unzip hers.
When she stood, wearing only her stockings, it was to see him staring at her. She arched a brow. “Something wrong?”
“No,” was his gruff reply. He kicked off his shoes.
“Where would you like to begin?”
“How about right here?” He poked his head inside a door. “I take it this is the home office.” With that statement, he began walking through the various rooms.
She said nothing as he checked it out and, instead, watched him. Tried to read his expression as he toured the office then the kitchen. Barely paused in the dining room.
She thought her awareness of him in the car was because of the proximity. Not even a foot between them. Yet, despite the massive space around them, she remained on edge. Tingling. Anticipating…nothing. For all his flirting words, he never did anything untoward.
It was almost maddening. Had all that talk just been about seeing this house? Trying to butter her up to see if he could steal it from their other client? As if that would happen.
He spent only a moment in the sunken living room with the massive fireplace and windows overlooking the deck before heading to the second floor with the master bedroom.
The bed faced those windows, but he didn’t spare it a glance as he went straight for the view. “It really is magnificent. But I can’t buy it,” he said, shoving his hands into his pockets.
“No kidding.”
“Not because of the conditional offer. I can’t buy it or any other houses from you.” He turned to face her, looking entirely too intense.
“Why not?”
“Because if I do, I can’t have what I want.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Don’t you?” he murmured, moving closer. “I’d rather kiss you.”
Chapter Five
He must have gotten lightheaded up on the mountain bluffs, because he only meant to charm her when her panties came right off.
Given all her rebuffs, he’d not expected his comment to work. He’d begun to wonder if he’d mistaken her red cheeks for something else.
He didn’t usually have to work this hard to charm. Yet, she seemed impervious.
So he’d boldly stated what he wanted, and for once, he wasn’t faking it. Unfortunately, the desire was all too real from the moment he’d seen her wearing a bright red sweater dress with candy canes patterned all over, snug around her curves, belted at the waist. Her calf-high leather boots sexy as all fuck. Even sexier? When she unzipped and removed them, showing her stocking-covered feet.
He wanted nothing more than to crawl up that dress and—
She kissed him!
He was so startled it took him a moment before he had the sense to kiss her back. A hot, passionate kiss that saw them suddenly pulling apart and staring at each other. Her with cheeks flushed. Hell, he wasn’t far off himself.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” she remarked.
“I disagree.”
“You’re leaving in a few days.”
“I am.” No point in lying.
She licked her lips. He was jealous of her tongue. She saw him staring. “It would just be sex.”
Would it just be sex? It had to be. She was a complication he didn’t need in his perfect life. “Have dinner with me.”