ya tonight.”
Chapter Six
“Hi, Vanessa how was your weekend?”
“Good morning, Helen, same as any other weekend.” Except...I met the sexiest man ever that makes my body heat up with just a mere thought of him. “Do we have anything important on the books for today?” I ask her.
“Oh yes! Glad you asked. You have a new client coming in at eleven. He asked for you, said he heard you’re the best realtor in the area.”
“Now that’s funny, and not much of a compliment since there aren’t many of us left in this town. What is his name?”
“Right, sorry, it’s Mr. Braddix.”
“Thanks, Helen, I’ll be in my office. Buzz me when he gets here.”
“Will do, I’m going for coffee. Do you want anything?”
“Yes please, a double shot mocha with skim milk. Oh, and a raspberry scone; I can smell them coming out of the oven. That’s the downfall of being directly next to a bakery…the temptation never goes away.” I laugh.
“Isn’t that the truth, ask my pants, they will agree with you.”
I fire up my computer to check my emails. Oh hell, nine messages from Katherine Hutch. I think I have shown her every possible home on the market. This woman is impossible to please, those words came from her husband. He gave up coming along on showings after she shot down the ones he was most interested in.
“Here’s your double shot with skim milk and one raspberry scone. You better eat fast.” Helen exclaims setting the items on my desk.
“Why is that?”
“Because, Mr. Braddix is sitting in the lobby…and may I say… delicious!”
“Cool yourself off there, Helen. He’s an hour early, give me a couple minutes to get some new client forms together then show him in.”
Just as I was grabbing the last form, I hear them enter my office.
“Mr. Braddix, can I get you a coffee?” Helen asks him.
“No thank you, Helen.” He replies
OMG! that voice, there is no mistaking it, especially when my body temp has just risen to off the charts.
“Vanessa, this is Mr. Braddix.”
“Please call me Ian.” He says to Helen.
Okay, get control of yourself, Vanessa! What the fuck is he doing here!? Finally, turning my head towards them, my eyes instantly seeks his. One look, that’s all it takes, and my body starts to tremble. I can’t stand to greet him properly, my legs are not cooperating. He steps up to my desk putting his hand out to me.
“Vanessa, it’s a pleasure.” I manage to put my hand up to his, the instant he touches it I feel the heat surging through me only to intensify as he leans down and places his lips on my hand.
Oh, those lips! Just the feel of them on my skin has my core on fire. Get a grip on yourself, Vanessa! “Mr. Braddix, please take a seat,” I say in a wavering voice.
“Anything you need from me, Vanessa?”
“No thank you, Helen. I’ll let you know if I do.” She nods turning around making sure to shut the door behind her.
“What are you doing here? How did you know where I work?”
“To answer your first question, I’m here because I’m in the market to buy a home. Your second question, well as I was searching for a realtor, I came across your picture in the company ad…To me that is fate. The thought of having to wait until Wednesday to see you was driving me mad.”
“Mr. Braddix, please, this is my place of employment. I don’t have time for games.”
“First of all, call me Ian, not Mr. Braddix. Secondly, as much as I’d love to play with you, I’m not here for a game. I truly am in search of a new home…I will have you to assist me in finding what I’m looking for.”
“As long as you understand this is strictly business.”
“Strictly business if that is your pleasure… for now, Vanessa.”
“If you would please fill out the client form, then we can get into the details of what you’re looking for.” Reaching for the paper, he brushes his fingers against my hand. There’s that heat again! What is it about that man!? I turn my head back to my computer…not wanting him to see what his touch does to me. It takes him just a few moments to fill out the form. I let him place it on my desk, keeping my skin out of reach of his. After he sits back down, I reach for the form to start looking through it.
Single, self-employed, entertainment business. Price range - minimum of two million dollars! HOLY FUCK! “Ian, I think you made an error here. You have a minimum of two million written down.”
“No error, Vanessa. I will not be bothered looking at anything less than that. I know what I want… I make it a personal quest to ‘always’ get what I want.”
I have a feeling he’s not talking about houses with that comment. “Ian, I don’t have anything that would be to your liking. You would have to go outside the city to an acreage estate, and that is not my territory. I’m afraid I’m going to have to refer you to my boss, Mr. Tangier. He handles what you’re looking for. If you wait right here, I’ll go see if he is available.”
Stepping out of my office I quickly move down the hall. “Hey, Bret.”
“Oh, Vanessa, good morning. Helen tells me you have a new client. How’s that going?”
“It’s not…I can’t help him with what he’s looking for. You’re going to have to handle this one. Two million at the least, he will not accept anything less.”
“Well, let's get this one hooked. We haven’t had a golden sale like that in a long time.”
“He’s all yours! I’ll bring Mr. Braddix right over.”
“Mr. Tangier is free; If you’ll please follow me.” Ian stands and walks to me placing the palm of his hand on the small of my back. I start walking fast to Bret’s office…I open the door and lead him in. “Mr. Braddix, this is Mr. Bret Tangier, you’ll be in good hands with him.”
“It’s nice to meet you, please call me, Ian.” He turns to me, taking me by the hand while leaning into my cheek. “I’d be in better hands with you. I shall see you soon.” He whispers, grazing his lips across my cheek. I can feel my heat rising, my hot essence escaping from my core. I quickly turn heading to my office without saying a word to either of them.
Chapter Seven
After a painful thirty-minute conversation with Katherine Hutch, I finally have a moment to myself. Picking up my cold scone, I set off to the kitchen to heat it up, then go next door for a fresh mocha.
A
