“Did I not say to dress appropriately?” he hisses. Her blue eyes just glitter as she throws her head back and laughs.
“This is conservative,” she says to him and then approaches Max, who gets up and hugs her. She moves flawlessly from one to the other, never lingering more than a couple of seconds with each.
“Was that Zara’s skirt?” Evan asks her when he gets up and give her a big hug.
“No.” She shakes her head.
“Good. Don’t ever lend it to her either.” He smiles, and she walks over to Matthew.
“Hey, old man.” She jokes with Matthew, who doesn’t get up, and then she turns to me. Fuck if she isn’t the most beautiful woman I’ve ever saw, and I’ve lived in Hollywood. “Hi there. You must be the new guy.” She holds her hand out. “I’m Zoe.”
I don’t say anything, or better yet, I can’t say anything because Matthew knocks her hand down. “He doesn’t need to touch you.”
“Oh, good God,” she says. “He’s my client.” Now she turns to me, and I stop and watch her.
“Okay, I’m out,” Max says. “Let me know when you want to work out.” He walks out of the room.
“I have to go meet with Oliver about some charity and other shit,” Evan says, pushing away from the table. “We still on for dinner, right?” He looks at me, then looks at Zoe. “Your sister is here somewhere, she said she’ll come looking for you when she’s done.”
“Perfect,” she says, and she puts her bag down on the table and then takes off her jacket. She turns to Matthew. “You can go also.”
“Why can’t I stay?” he asks her, leaning in his chair.
“Because one, it’s confidential, and two, I don’t want you to.” Zoe smiles at him. “You can even leave the door open.”
“Fine.” He gets up. “But there are cameras in this room.”
“Oh, damn,” she says, looking at me. “So no sex in the middle of the table.”
I don’t know what to do or say, but the laughter that escapes me fills the room. Matthew stops and turns around to glare at me and then scold Zoe. “Don’t talk about sex in this building,” he says through clenched teeth, then turns to me. “In case you didn’t know, she’s off-limits.”
I just nod and hold up my hands. “Won’t be an issue,” I say. Fuck knows the last thing I need is to be chasing the sister of the one guy who took a chance on me. I also know that if I didn’t have so much shit hanging over my head, I might ignore him.
“I don’t date my clients,” Zoe says. “Though once they sign a contract, they’re fair game.” She winks at me, and I swear she knows how to get under Matthew’s skin.
“I’m calling Dad,” Matthew says while Zoe laughs.
“Okay, you go do that.” She shoos him away with her hand. When he’s out of the room, she turns to me, and I stop breathing and even blinking. “I was just kidding about all of that.” I don’t bother answering her—one, because I’m not sure I could find my voice, and two, because I don’t know what I would actually tell her.
“Now, are we ready to get started?” she asks. Grabbing a pen and paper, she looks me straight in my eyes.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I answer her, and for a minute, I just hold my breath and watch her.
Chapter Four
Zoe
His laughter fills the room, and I’m suddenly feeling just a touch better. Walking into the office, I did a quick sweep of the room and put on my biggest poker face to date. My eyes wanted to go back to the stranger in the room and look him up and down, and no matter how I told them not to, they did it on their own. My eyes met his, and I let my gaze linger for just a second longer than I should. His blue eyes are dark like the deep end of the ocean.
“I’m sorry.” I look at him and finally have a reason to stare at him. The gruff of his beard fills his face as though he hasn’t shaved in a couple of days. His shirt pulls across his chest, and I’m wondering suddenly if he is tatted under there or is he bare. “I didn’t get your name.”
“Viktor,” he says gruffly with just a touch of an accent. He leans in, extending his hand, and my hand disappears in his. His hands aren’t soft like the ones I shake every day. No, these are hard, rugged, and callused.
“Let’s get started,” I say, putting his name at the top of the legal pad. “First, let’s start with your budget.”
“I have no idea,” he answers honestly. “I just sold my house in LA for four point five million.”
I nod my head. “LA is not the same as New York,” I tell him. “I just sold a one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo for one point two million.” His eyes shoot up, and I laugh. “Exactly.”
“I’m almost afraid to ask how much a four-bedroom home will go for,” he says.
“Prime New York location, you are looking at anywhere between eight and twenty million.” I tap my pen on the pad, and his eyes go to it. “But if you move more toward the middle, you’re looking at four to six million.”
“Is that a house or an apartment?” he asks, and I have to laugh again.
“There are no such things as houses in New York.” I see his thumb tapping the table. “Listen, why don’t I ask you a couple of questions, and then we can talk budget. How many bedrooms were you thinking?”
“Two bedrooms are good,” he says, and I write it down.
“Are you married, with a girlfriend, or have kids?” I ask the standard question I ask every person. But with him, this particular question bugs me, and I don’t know why. Maybe, I’m just really curious.
“Is that on the questionnaire?” he asks. Looking at me, he leans back in his chair and folds his hands on his stomach, pulling his shirt tight.
“There are some apartments that won’t sell to a family with a crying baby,” I tell him honestly. “And if you have a girlfriend or a wife, she will have more specifics than a single man who just needs a couch and a bed.” His face doesn’t show anything. “Just as I don’t want to waste your time, I’m sure you don’t want to waste mine.”
“I’m alone,” he says. My heart suddenly kicks up just a touch more than normal, and I see that I’m throwing too much at him.
“Relax.” I smile, but he just stares at me. “These are the easy questions.”
“I bet.” His tone is now dry, but his stare so intense I want to look away, yet don’t.
“What type of neighborhood did you want?” I ask him the loaded question. “See, a lot harder, right?”
“I’ve been to New York a total of maybe ten times and each time for two days, maybe three,” he says. “Each time, I stayed in a hotel.” He puts up his hand to stop me from asking where. “I don’t know where. I don’t remember half of the shit that went on in the past couple of years.”
I see the confusion on his face. I also see that he is helpless in this matter. “I don’t usually do this,” I tell him, putting down my pen, “but how about we spend Saturday going around New York, so you can get a feel of things?” I fold my hands together. “We can check out different neighborhoods, and you can see where you feel most comfortable. What feels like home to you.”
“Why?” he asks, leaning back in his chair.
“Well, for one, I take my job seriously.” I sit up. “I want you to find a home, not just a house where you come and go.” I take a breath and continue. “If you don’t want to, that’s fine. Also, I just thought I would offer a helping hand.”
“Is this to piss off Matthew?” His eyes get a deeper blue, and a smirk fills his face now.
Leaning back in my own chair, I smile. “No.” I shrug and kind of smirk. “I mean, it doesn’t hurt to rile him up.”
He’s about to say something when I hear a knock on the door and look up to see Zara. “Hey, I heard you were here.” She smiles and looks over at Viktor.
“Holy shit, there are two of you?” He looks at me, then at Zara, and then back at me.
“Yes, but I’m the better-looking one,” we both say at the same time, making me shake my head, and Viktor bu
rsts out laughing.
“Fine, I’ll go with the smarter of the two,” I finally say, and she walks in and extends her hand to him.
“I’m Zara Richards.” His eyes finally light up when he puts two and two together.
“You’re Evan’s wife?” he asks, and she smiles so big I think her face will crack. She also puts her hands over her stomach, something she started doing the minute she discovered she was pregnant. It’s a secret no one really knows, and because she isn’t even showing, no one asks any questions. He leans over the conference table to shake her hand. “I’m Viktor,” he tells her.
“It’s nice to meet you,” she says, then turns to kiss my cheek and sit in the chair next to me. She sees the pad in front of me. “Oh, was I interrupting something?” She starts to get up, but Viktor just shakes his head.
“It’s fine,” I tell her. “We were done anyway.” I look at Viktor. “I’ll get a couple of things set up for Saturday, and we will go from there.”
He nods his head and gets up. “I will see you two later,” he says gruffly and turns to walk out of the room. I look over at Zara, who leans back in her chair and waits a full minute before turning to me.
“Holy fucking shit,” she whispers and hisses at the same time. “Did you see that ass?”
I shake my head. “The question is, what do you think your husband and father of your child is going to say if he hears you?” I don’t answer the question but yes, yes, I did see that fine ass. Who could ignore it? His pants are tailored perfectly to that ass.
“It’s not my fault,” she says, putting up her hands. “I have so many hormones, it’s insane.”
“I’m not sure I want to hear this.” I put my hands to my ears. “Honestly.”
“Hey, you two. I’m coming in to say goodbye,” Matthew says, walking into the room and then looking at me. “What’s with her?” he asks Zara.
“She doesn’t want to hear that I have extra hormones now that I’m with child,” Zara says with just a twinkle in her eye. Looking at Matthew, I see the exact moment it clicks, so I fuck with him too.
“She was checking out Viktor’s ass,” I say, and he covers his face. “I, for one, didn’t get that great a look at it,” I say, looking down, so no one can see I’m lying, “but your sister, here …” I point at Zara. “She almost fell off her chair leaning back.”
“This isn’t funny, you two,” he finally says, then looks straight at me. “I know I give you guys a hard time.”
Zara slaps her hand on the table. “You don’t say.” She rolls her eyes at him.
He doesn’t laugh or do anything; he just stares at me. “What are you looking at me for?” I ask.
His face never cracks. “Listen to me,” he says, his tone tight, and we both look at each other and then back at him. He’s always been on our cases, but his tone is different this time. “I’m dead serious about this. You don’t want to go there,” he says, pointing at the empty doorway that he just came through and Viktor just walked out of. “There is shit you guys might have heard or seen on the news.” He holds up his hands, knowing he can’t just lay that down with us and not give us something. The more you tell us no, the more we think yeah, it’s a great idea. “I’m not telling you anything because it isn’t my story to tell. But I will say, Zoe, that you don’t need that.”
“Oh, good God.” I throw my head back. “I don’t even want that,” I say, pointing at the door. Max comes in and assesses the situation, looking at Matthew who now stands there with his hands in his pockets and then at us. Zara sits with one hand on the table and the other on her stomach.
I sit with both elbows on the arms of the chair. “What did you two do?” Max asks.
“Nothing,” both Zara and I answer simultaneously.
“They were checking Viktor out,” Matthew says, and now it’s Max’s turn to groan.
“You’re married.” He points at Zara. “And you”—he points at me—“no fucking way.”
I shake my head, grabbing my things on the table and putting them away. “Okay, for the last time, I don’t want to date him.” I glare at Zara. “She was the one who was looking.”
She looks at Max and Matthew. “There is nothing wrong with appreciating a good backside,” Zara says. “It was in passing.”
“I swear, you guys are going to give me a whole head of white hair,” Matthew says, and now even Max laughs. His hair is so black with not one little white hair in it.
“You need to calm down and relax,” I tell him. “Now, what time is this dinner?” I look over at Zara.
“Should be any minute,” she says to me, then looks back at the guys. “Relax. Honestly, I was just messing with her.” Zara then says quietly, “He’s her client.”
“Yeah, well, keep it like that,” Matthew says and then looks at Max. “Ready to go?”
“Aww, did you two carpool?” I make a joke. “Isn’t that cute? I swear you two have the best relationship ever.”
“My car is in the shop,” Matthew says, then mumbles, “Asshole.”
“We will see you guys on Sunday,” Max says, then puts his arm around Matthew. “Come on, love bug, let’s take you home.”
I roll my lips together when all I want to do is burst out laughing. “The question is, will he open the door for you like Evan does for Zara?” I yell at their backs, but they don’t answer. I just see them shaking their heads.
“Jesus, that was fun,” Zara says, and I just nod.
“How are you feeling?” I ask her, and she just smiles at me.
“Amazing.” She puts her hand on her stomach. “I can’t wait to start showing. I can’t wait to feel the baby kick.” I watch her with the love written all over her face, and I swear I’m so happy for her.
“There she is,” Evan says, and then I look behind him at Viktor. His eyes find mine and then quickly dart away. Zara looks up at her husband standing right next to her chair now. He leans down and kisses her lips softly. “Love you.”
“Barf,” I say, rolling my eyes and putting all my papers away. “Where are we going for supper?”
“I thought we could hit up one of your sister’s favorite restaurants,” Evan says, and I laugh.
“That’s only because you don’t want her sending you into the city tomorrow for it.”
“Are we all going for supper?” Viktor asks, confused.
“Yes,” Evan says. “I invited Zoe to keep Zara company.”
“Aww, Evan,” Zara says with a soft voice and stands.
“I swear to God, she’s just so mushy about things ever since she got pregnant.” I look at Viktor. “You should have met her before. She liked hockey, and she was amazing.”
“Hey,” Zara says, “I’m still amazing. And hockey is fun.” She puts her arm around Evan’s waist.
“Okay, who’s driving?” I ask, not even getting into this discussion.
“I’ll drive,” Evan says, putting his arm around Zara. “Let’s go.” He turns with her and walks out of the room past Viktor, who just stands there looking at me.
“Go ahead,” he says, motioning with his hand, and I just nod at him.
We follow Evan and Zara, and Viktor just watches him when he opens the door for Zara and waits for her to get in.
He moves forward not sure what to do. “If you open my door, I am going to stab your toe with my heel.” I side-eye him as he stops mid-step. “It’s a door. I get that Evan is the most chivalrous person, but I can get my own door,” I explain.
Evan walks to Viktor and slaps his shoulder. “Her bark is worse than her bite.”
“Want to bet?” I say, opening the back door of the truck and looking at Evan.
“Stop trying to scare him, Evan,” Zara says. “I promise you, I won’t let her hurt you.”
“She got pissed off at me once and put bronzer in my body wash,” Evan says to Viktor. “I was orange for two days.”
“A day and a half.” I laugh. “So dramatic.” I close the door, and now it’s just me and Zara i
n the truck. “You’re lucky I still haven’t told him that you helped me.”
“Silly girl, we did a ‘twins’ promise. It goes to the grave,” Zara says, and I grab my phone in my pocket when it buzzes. I ignore the door opening and Viktor getting in. I ignore that I feel his hand next to my side. I ignore that I want to turn and watch him. I ignore it all, and I do it perfectly.
Chapter Five
Viktor
While Evan zigzags through traffic on the way to the restaurant, I stare out the window, trying like hell to ignore the siren sitting next to me. I should be taking in the buildings and getting my bearings in a new city, but the buildings glide by in a blur of steel and brick. Instead, all I see are long legs, long hair, a great ass—
No, this won’t work. The woman is my realtor. I can’t ignore her, but I can talk to her like the professional she is. “What section is this?” I ask, turning to Zoe, who looks up from her phone.
“Did you see something you liked?”
You, spread out on my bed. “Not really.” Buildings. Think buildings. Blocks and blocks of buildings. I clear my throat and focus outside again, really looking this time.
I should have made an excuse and bailed on dinner, but when Evan texted me the night before, I thought it would be a good idea to make an effort. But then he brings his wife and her sister, who is now my realtor. Who, if things were different, I would be the first one to make a move on. But she’s off-limits. I add her to the mental list of really bad ideas; don’t go there I have in my head and force myself to look out of the truck window and not back at her.
The block we’re on is a spread of businesses on the ground floor with apartments above them. Iron staircases cling to every façade. “It looks like something out of a movie set.”
“Yeah, it’s a pretty nice neighborhood. You have Washington Square Park not too far.” She points out the window, and I finally see that there are trees but no grass. The trees planted in the concrete sidewalks have just a small circle to grow out of the ground. “I sold a studio apartment for one point one.”
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