Tracey followed Derek through first one bedroom, then another, until they completed everything but the tower. All in all, Manor House had eight bedrooms, a game room, an indoor swimming pool, personal gym and an atrium that was filled with herbs, tiny roses, small fruit trees and many other plants.
When they finished they were standing at the base of the tower steps. Tracey looked up towards the steps and all she could see was a dark, spiral staircase.
Derek looked at Tracey and finally reached for her hand. “I’m afraid this part of the tour isn’t open today.”
His hand was nearly twice the size of hers and its strength wrapped around her hand made her wonder how strong the rest of his body was.
They headed towards the front door, but just when she stepped out, she tripped on something small.
Her body started to propel forward, and Derek instantly reached out and snatched her by the wrist. He pulled her against his own body, so she could regain her balance. Underneath his casually suave suit were rock hard muscles. This close to Derek and Tracey had to pause to catch her breath and it had nothing to do with the trip she’d just had.
“Are you alright?” There was genuine concern in his eyes as he looked down at the young woman in his arms.
“I’m fine, just a bruised ego,” was her honest reply, and Derek laughed whole-heartedly.
He walked her to the Prius and opened the door so she could get in.
As she fiddled with her keys, a black Rolls Royce pulled up. Tracey watched as Mr. Wahlstrom got in and was driven away, before she turned the key in her ignition and headed home.
Chapter Three
Late that afternoon when Tracey finally returned from her appointment with Derek, she went to the fridge and pulled out a chilled bottle of Chablis.
She opened the bottle and poured a tall glass, before heading to her bathroom to draw a hot bath. She filled the tub with bubbles and took her time soaking and enjoying her wine.
She couldn’t help but wonder about the man she’d met today.
Why did he have a Rolls Royce and a driver? In fact, where did he work? And why was he choosing her to list Manor House when there were dozens of more qualified people who could do so, and probably get him a better price because of their experience? She leaned against the pillow in the tub and reached out to lather a leg and shave it and repeat with the other.
As her hands ran up and down her smooth legs, her mind drifted to the man she’d met that day.
She couldn’t deny that she was attracted to his rich, penetrating eyes, his square shoulders and the hard muscles that rippled under his perfectly tailored suit.
From the couple of times they’d touched, she could tell he actually took his workouts seriously. She remembered the feel of his arm, the firm muscles under his suit when she’d brushed up against his chest, and her hand started ghosting these memories, running slowly down her own chest. Her fingers traced circles around her nipples, playing with both the bubbles and her aureoles. It had been some time since she’d had a lover or taken a moment for self- exploration.
She closed her eyes and leaned further back into the warm tub.
One hand fell below the water to drift below her belly button and find her small center of pleasure. The warm bath water worked with her as her fingers danced between her labia to make firm circles over and over again.
She moved her fingers slowly round and round, thinking of Mr. Wahlstrom undressing her slowly, with those amazing eyes locked to hers. Her other hand toyed with a nipple, teasing and tracing.
She closed her eyes and softly moaned as her hips twisted against her own hand. Within a few moments her fantasy went from Mr. Wahlstrom undressing her, to his face between her thighs.
She imagined his tongue and lips pulling at her clit, making her want more. She twirled her fingers against her swollen, sensitive flesh, and imagined watching him between her legs, sucking and teasing her.
The fantasy quickly took over her, and she felt herself tensing, and then the world went blank for a few seconds as everything flowed out of her and she came with a soft groan.
The water in the tub lapped gentle waves as Tracey’s body came to a rest. All the stress of the fast-paced day left as soon as she enjoyed her orgasm. She sighed and wallowed in the pleasure of total relaxation as she drained the last bit of wine from her glass.
By the time the water was cooler, she was clean, refreshed and feeling more than confident that she could handle the sale of any home, especially one as magnificent as Manor House.
She stepped out of the tub and refilled her glass of wine, before deciding it was time to find out more about her newest client and not in the way she’d just imagined.
***
Tracey sat at her desk, her hair still wrapped in the thick towel and the glass of wine just starting to give her body a sense of the tingles.
She didn’t often Google her clients but then again, she had never listed a home for more than two million dollars before. In fact, she’d never listed a home for over a half a million.
A quick shiver of doubt ran through her body, was this immoral? No, it couldn’t be – the more she knew about Mr. Wahlstrom, the better she would be able to address her client’s needs.
She clicked on the search box and typed his full name in.
Within seconds, dozens of hits filled the screen before her. America’s top Bachelors, #3 Derek Wahlstrom; Billionaire Tycoon Derek Wahlstrom Hits the Red Carpet Escorted by Two French Models; Wahlstrom Buys New York’s Largest Coffee Franchise; Derek Wahlstrom - America’s Greatest Asset Or Biggest Danger?
She clicked on the final headline to see what he could possibly be doing that was considered a danger.
As she read through the story she realized the man obviously had more money than he could possibly find uses for. He was considered a danger because he took it upon himself to help people who were victims of war.
And not just any war either: any place where America started or was engaged in a conflict, Derek Wahlstrom had a team there feeding the local people and supplying them with different medical needs, including emergency medical services for civilians injured in conflict, and funeral services for children killed by the US Army.
There were photographs of him waving as he entered his personal helicopter to fly back home before heading out to another charity event, this time local and on a smaller scale.
Tracey sighed and leaned back in her office chair, kicking her bare feet up on a desk littered with local area home listings.
She sipped at her wine and realized this was the whale that her career needed.
Taking out a notebook, she started scribbling notes to help gather her thoughts for the other listings she would make.
Manor House couldn’t be listed in the same way her other houses were, she needed to make sure it appeared in high-end magazines. She planned on calling Mr. Wahlstrom in the morning and making a second appointment so she could get the pictures and videos she’d need to upload. She also had a notion that giving the estate its own website would be the best way to market it to the right people.
She went to bed feeling better than she had in a long time. Things were finally starting to fall into place and it seemed like her life might be getting easier from here on out.
***
The next day at the office her colleague, Andrew, was busy trailing her, asking her all sorts of different questions about what she and Mr. Wahlstrom had talked about.
Andrew had asked Tracey out for cocktails about a year ago and at the end of the date the two had shared a very tender kiss. He had yet to let her forget that moment, choosing to remind her anytime she had a meeting with a male client, if someone mentioned she’d had a date, of if a man even looked at her. Tracey had politely refused every advance he’d made since then.
Andrew was sweet for sure, but she made it a point not to date men that she worked with and following this simple rule had saved her butt countless times.
“Do you know
he’s been featured in easily a half of dozen magazines? He’s probably the richest man you’ll ever meet.” Andrew’s clothes were wrinkled and had the look of being worn the day before.
Part of the appeal of a guy like him was to satisfy the desire to take care of someone, nurture him and help him become the man that she could see lay under those wrinkles. His blond hair had natural highlights that really set off his large blue eyes. He was a bit on the short side and had the build of a football player who had hit a few too many keggers.
She didn’t feel any attraction towards him because of those same reasons. Tracey craved a man who could take care of her, make the decisions for her when she wanted him to but still allow her to have her own mind. She was determined that she didn’t want to be a grown man’s mommy.
Again, her mind drifted back to Mr. Wahlstrom. The easy way he managed the tour, the confidence he had, the immaculate condition of Manor House and his perfect grooming led her to think that he was the type of man who took care of things and didn’t need anyone to take care of him.
She and Andrew were chatting in front of the coffee station. She filled her red mug with fresh, steaming black coffee and took a sip of it. She watched Andrew bumble his way through first one pack of sugar, spilling most of it and then another. By the time he’d made his coffee, it was a pale beige color and there was enough sugar and cream on the counter for another coffee drinker.
Tracey leaned back against the other counter and sipped her coffee, staring at Andrew over the rim of her cup.
“I didn’t know he was so rich,” she lied.
Andrew continued to tell her about the different awards Mr. Wahlstrom had won and the charities he’d set up, and ended his long-winded speech by saying that Manor House was only one of eight different homes the man owned.
Some of the facts Andrew had spewed out, Tracey didn’t actually know, and she made a mental note to do a better job snooping around her clients, next time. She couldn’t let someone as disorganized as Andrew do a better job at it than she did.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Andrew staring at her pointedly, “Well? Would you?”
“Would I what?” she snapped, before realizing her tone was so short.
“Would you like to go out to lunch and discuss your new listing? Want me to help you so you’re not overwhelmed? You know, I’ve had a few luxury listings this year.”
As he made the statement, it appeared that he suddenly realized the condition his clothes were in. He used one hand to pick at a stain that had probably been on his blazer for the last several years, but it was going nowhere soon.
Normally, Tracey would have laughed but today she was actually considering his offer. She hadn’t had a listing like this before and as ratty as Andrew’s appearance was, he had listed more than a dozen homes that were valued at almost a million dollars. He sold these homes frequently, so his cockiness was actually backed by some real sales.
Tracey swallowed her pride and said, “That’d be nice. As long as you understand it’s a business lunch and not a date.”
Andrew almost spit his coffee out, but he caught himself and sat his cup down before making more of a mess. “We can go anywhere you’d like; just name the spot.”
“Where were you going before you asked?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she remembered how long it had taken them to pin down a restaurant on that one date they’d managed.
“I packed a lunch. Seriously, ladies choice.”
Tracey’s mind drifted to Derek and she knew that if he was interested in her, he’d have no trouble stating that he wanted to eat lunch with her and wouldn’t have to mask it as a business date. She was equally sure he’d be able to easily pick the restaurant they would dine at. She made another mental note to her list of all the reasons why she and Andrew should never date again.
Almost as if reading her mind, Andrew said, “I’ve got just the place. See you at lunch.”
He walked out of the coffee room without finishing his cup of java and without even taking it with him. Tracey smoothed her hair back, fixing any strands that had come loose from the twist at the back of her neck. She looked at the clock and realized she only had an hour and a half before her lunch break.
The time flew by as she worked through papers, managed emails and even grabbed a new listing. She was surprised at her luck and even though this new listing wasn’t anything like Manor House, it was going to be a nice home in a price range that should attract more buyers. She needed to keep her listings up, because she was dreaming of buying her own home as soon as she could.
Tracey was just answering an email from a young couple getting ready to have their second child and move into the country, when she noticed Andrew hovering over her. He must have had a spare blazer at his desk, because the one with the stain had been replaced by a pale blue button-down made of light, breathable fabric.
“Are you ready? Anything I can help you wrap up?” He moved towards her desk as if to start gathering her papers up and trying to file them.
Tracey rose, pressing her slacks down and smoothing her blouse. She didn’t want him shuffling through her papers and besides, she had worked enough that lunch would be a welcomed break.
“I’m ready. Nice shirt.”
Her statement seemed to embarrass Andrew, because a slight pink colored his cheeks and he said, “I spilled coffee on my other one.”
He waited for Tracey to lead them out and then followed her to the elevator. After they exited the building, Andrew guided them towards ‘eatery alley,’ - at least that’s what their office called the two streets to the west of their building that had almost a dozen different restaurants. There were choices from fast food to fine eating, making it easy to satisfy any of your cravings, even on a quick lunch break.
Tracey was surprised when Andrew stopped in front of the windows of a clean, top of the line sushi bar. In the three years she’d been working with the man, she’d never seen him venture away from the stereotypical meat and taters you’d expect an ex-football star to enjoy.
She punched his shoulder jokingly and laughed. “I didn’t take you for a raw fish eating kind of guy.”
“I’ve only had it once or twice and didn’t like it at all. It definitely grosses me out. But I watch you bring it back to the office all the time. I thought if you were enjoying what you ate it would be a more productive lunch.”
Somehow, she doubted that and instead of winning any brownie points with Tracey, Andrew’s attempt to bend over backwards for her just annoyed her more. There was something irritating about a man who wouldn’t take the time to… well, be a man. While it was always nice to have your needs taken care of and thought of, it was also nice to be with someone who didn’t mind admitting what they wanted or needed.
The hostess went to seat the two of them at a low, circular table near a window. Tracey loved the idea of sitting at these tables with her stocking feet lowered into the hollow underneath, but she really didn’t want to set the tone for a date. The table had a candle-lit lantern in the center and was placed away from the rest of the diners.
“Would you mind if we sat at the bar?” Tracey motioned with her chin towards two seats in front of a glass window showcasing vibrant colors of fish, seaweed, rice and all the adornments that went with sushi.
The hostess nodded and the pair took the last two seats at the end.
Tracey ordered a small assortment of sashimi and a couple of hand rolls and smiled to herself as she listened to Andrew bumble his way through an order in an attempt to get ‘steak fried rice,’ which was the exact phrase he first used.
The chef behind the counter shook his head, and looked at Tracey as if pleading for help, before guiding Andrew towards a few dishes that he might like; all of them fully cooked.
The two waited for their food and talked about how she might go about wording the initial advertisement. Where they would list the home, and the different resources she should use to get Manor House noticed by the right people
.
Every time Andrew tried to start talking about when they could go back out again and if she would date him, Tracey geared the conversation elsewhere.
Just as they were finishing their meal with a hot tea, a familiar voice said from behind her, “Talking about me, I hope.”
Tracey jerked around in her chair and looked up at Mr. Wahlstrom. The sushi chef spoke in quick Japanese to Derek and he responded back fluently and without skipping a beat. Andrew sat with his mouth agape, staring at the man standing in front of the bar.
The hostess stepped up and handed Mr. Wahlstrom a cup of tea, bowing as she backed away. Today was a dark grey suit that was pressed and fell loosely along his legs. Under the suit peaked out a light green shirt that enhanced the style of the outfit.
Tracey gave him her best smile, and said, “I didn’t expect to see you so soon. And if you must know, we are actually talking about you. Well, really, Manor House. My colleague…”
“Don’t lie, Tracey. You can tell him we’re on a date. He gets it.” Taking advantage of the shock that was overwhelming Tracey, Andrew leaned closer and placed an arm around her waist.
Tracey stiffened immediately before shooting off of her barstool. Before she could respond, Derek had taken a step forward to place himself between the two. Andrew was forced to turn his barstool to the side, and Tracey hopped back up on hers, and angled it away from Andrew.
“I don’t think the lady agrees.”
Tracey thought he was talking about the way she’d jumped up, but as she looked, he gestured with his chin to the two separate bills that the chef was placing in front of their plates.
“Real men don’t let ladies pay their own way if it’s a date. And if you’re not on a date…” With this statement he leaned in close to Andrew. Tracey’s colleague shrunk back in his stool, moving away from Wahlstrom. “You really ought to give the lady some space.” He punctuated the words by taking his foot and pushing Andrew’s stool away from Tracey.
“When you’ve finished your business lunch with your associate, please call me so we can set up a time when you can take the pictures and create the video.”
Selling His Mansion: Her Brand Spanking New Listing Page 2