He seems around my age, maybe a year or two older. He’s ridiculously handsome with an angular jaw that has just the right amount of stubble, and a ready smirk that begs to be either slapped or kissed. His short dark hair is cut just long enough to grab onto, although why I’d need to grab onto it, I’m not sure. His broad shoulders and trim waist hint at some very nice muscles beneath his business attire. Even beyond his surface-level hotness, there’s something strangely magnetic about him, something that makes my stomach twist pleasantly just looking at him. Something that makes his slightest movement scream sex .
Feeling hot for reasons that have nothing to do with the actual temperature, I quickly turn back to Roxy before the man can notice my stare. “Who are those guys?”
“That’s Hudson Stone and Hayden Oliver. They’re the real-estate investors who own this building . . . a lot of buildings around here, actually.”
For real? They both look so young. Someone must have a rich daddy. I resist the urge to look over again.
“What’s so bad about them? Do they screw people over on rent or something?”
Roxy shakes her head. “Nah, everything that’s on paper is fine. These places are more than worth what you pay for them.”
God, I hope so. My new luxury condo is probably the biggest splurge I’ve ever made. Sometimes I still feel guilty about dropping that much cash, even if it is a good deal for a location in Hollywood Hills. But I figured that I deserve a treat after surviving law school on top of my latest breakup. Besides, if I’m going to walk the big-city lawyer walk, I should also talk the talk. “Dress for the job you want” doesn’t just apply to clothes, right?
I realize that Roxy has continued on without me.
“ . . . and Hudson is a pretty nice guy. He’s polite when he comes around, which isn’t often. But Hayden is the landlord here, and it’s him you want to watch out for. He’s fucked his way through half the single women in the city, even some of his own tenants. Treats his properties like an all-you-can-eat buffet. What a shameless piece of shit. And he lives upstairs in 5B, so nobody can get away from him without moving out.”
Her story feels like a bucket of ice water straight down my panties. A checkered past like that would kill anyone’s buzz, no matter how attractive the son of a bitch is. I’ve had enough of men who can’t keep it in their pants to last me a lifetime. Besides, I’m here to succeed, not sleep with my new landlord—or with anybody, for that matter.
I tamp down what’s left of my libido and nod at Roxy. “Good to know. Thanks for the warning.”
She gives her hand a breezy flip. “No prob, sweetie. Us girls gotta look out for each other, right?”
“Hey, lady,” a burly moving guy says, interrupting us. He’s standing next to us with a medium-sized box under his arm. His eyes aren’t focused even remotely near our faces. “What room you want this in?”
With my pencil, I point at the huge capital letters written in black marker on the side of the box. “The label says ‘bathroom,’ so it goes in the bathroom. Anywhere is fine.” I cross my arms over my cleavage and raise my eyebrows, letting him know he’s been caught. “The next time you want to get a closer peek at a woman’s chest, try to come up with a better excuse.”
He gives me a serious dirty look. But I just stare up at him as coolly as possible until he wanders off again.
Roxy chuckles behind her hand. “I think that’s my cue. I’ll let you get done moving in, but you should totally come over for a glass of wine sometime. Or we can do lunch. Have some girl talk.”
“Sure, that sounds nice,” I reply with a smile. And it really does. I don’t know anyone in this big, strange city, so I sure could use a friend.
She waves as she walks away, then disappears toward the parking lot.
Hopefully I’ll actually have time to hang out with her. In law school, I was no stranger to eighty-hour weeks, and my professors all said that practicing law in the real world is even more grueling. But I know I can take whatever this internship throws at me. Bring it the fuck on, I say silently.
I go back to checking off items on my clipboard and directing the movers. Despite the butterflies in my stomach whenever I think about my new life, I’m not looking forward to the long, grimy weekend of unpacking boxes that lies ahead of me. And then I have to get settled into my job, knuckle down on studying for my bar exam next month . . .
Footsteps approach, quiet crunches on the asphalt. I look up to see Hayden The Playboy standing right in front of me.
Chapter Three
Hayden
My first thought is that she’s not from around here. Her skin is pale and creamy, not bronzed with the golden tan most of us natives maintain year-round without any effort. Long dark hair hangs down her back, and she pushes it out of the way as she takes another look at the clipboard she’s holding.
I can’t help but introduce myself, even though there’s no purpose for it. I merely own the building; I’m not involved in the day-to-day of running it. If Emery needs help or has questions about her new condo, she’ll work with our building manager in the office just around the corner.
The truth is I just wanted to see those curves up close. And holy hell, the view just gets better the closer I get.
That firm, round ass needs a good spanking for making my dick so hard. Generously sized tits, smooth and shapely shoulders, and now that I can really see her features, my gaze focuses on her face. A small, pert nose, high cheekbones, full lips, and thick black eyelashes that rest on her cheeks as she looks down. I tower over her petite frame, but nothing about her is diminutive. I suspect there’s a robust self-confidence just beneath the surface. Her shoulders are pulled back, and she stands tall and proud. I notice that she doesn’t have any problem telling that moving guy to keep his eyes off her tits. My kind of woman.
Feeling hot for reasons that have nothing to do with the actual temperature, I quickly turn back to Roxy before the man can notice my stare. “Who are those guys?”
“That’s Hudson Stone and Hayden Oliver. They’re the real-estate investors who own this building . . . a lot of buildings around here, actually.”
For real? They both look so young. Someone must have a rich daddy. I resist the urge to look over again.
“What’s so bad about them? Do they screw people over on rent or something?”
Roxy shakes her head. “Nah, everything that’s on paper is fine. These places are more than worth what you pay for them.”
God, I hope so. My new luxury condo is probably the biggest splurge I’ve ever made. Sometimes I still feel guilty about dropping that much cash, even if it is a good deal for a location in Hollywood Hills. But I figured that I deserve a treat after surviving law school on top of my latest breakup. Besides, if I’m going to walk the big-city lawyer walk, I should also talk the talk. “Dress for the job you want” doesn’t just apply to clothes, right?
I realize that Roxy has continued on without me.
“ . . . and Hudson is a pretty nice guy. He’s polite when he comes around, which isn’t often. But Hayden is the landlord here, and it’s him you want to watch out for. He’s fucked his way through half the single women in the city, even some of his own tenants. Treats his properties like an all-you-can-eat buffet. What a shameless piece of shit. And he lives upstairs in 5B, so nobody can get away from him without moving out.”
Her story feels like a bucket of ice water straight down my panties. A checkered past like that would kill anyone’s buzz, no matter how attractive the son of a bitch is. I’ve had enough of men who can’t keep it in their pants to last me a lifetime. Besides, I’m here to succeed, not sleep with my new landlord—or with anybody, for that matter.
I tamp down what’s left of my libido and nod at Roxy. “Good to know. Thanks for the warning.”
She gives her hand a breezy flip. “No prob, sweetie. Us girls gotta look out for each other, right?”
“Hey, lady,” a burly moving guy says, interrupting us. He’s standing next to us with a medium-sized box under his arm. His eyes aren’t focused even remotely near our faces. “What room you want this in?”
With my pencil, I point at the huge capital letters written in black marker on the side of the box. “The label says ‘bathroom,’ so it goes in the bathroom. Anywhere is fine.” I cross my arms over my cleavage and raise my eyebrows, letting him know he’s been caught. “The next time you want to get a closer peek at a woman’s chest, try to come up with a better excuse.”
He gives me a serious dirty look. But I just stare up at him as coolly as possible until he wanders off again.
Roxy chuckles behind her hand. “I think that’s my cue. I’ll let you get done moving in, but you should totally come over for a glass of wine sometime. Or we can do lunch. Have some girl talk.”
“Sure, that sounds nice,” I reply with a smile. And it really does. I don’t know anyone in this big, strange city, so I sure could use a friend.
She waves as she walks away, then disappears toward the parking lot.
Hopefully I’ll actually have time to hang out with her. In law school, I was no stranger to eighty-hour weeks, and my professors all said that practicing law in the real world is even more grueling. But I know I can take whatever this internship throws at me. Bring it the fuck on, I say silently.
I go back to checking off items on my clipboard and directing the movers. Despite the butterflies in my stomach whenever I think about my new life, I’m not looking forward to the long, grimy weekend of unpacking boxes that lies ahead of me. And then I have to get settled into my job, knuckle down on studying for my bar exam next month . . .
Footsteps approach, quiet crunches on the asphalt. I look up to see Hayden The Playboy standing right in front of me.
Chapter Three
Hayden
My first thought is that she’s not from around here. Her skin is pale and creamy, not bronzed with the golden tan most of us natives maintain year-round without any effort. Long dark hair hangs down her back, and she pushes it out of the way as she takes another look at the clipboard she’s holding.
I can’t help but introduce myself, even though there’s no purpose for it. I merely own the building; I’m not involved in the day-to-day of running it. If Emery needs help or has questions about her new condo, she’ll work with our building manager in the office just around the corner.
The truth is I just wanted to see those curves up close. And holy hell, the view just gets better the closer I get.
That firm, round ass needs a good spanking for making my dick so hard. Generously sized tits, smooth and shapely shoulders, and now that I can really see her features, my gaze focuses on her face. A small, pert nose, high cheekbones, full lips, and thick black eyelashes that rest on her cheeks as she looks down. I tower over her petite frame, but nothing about her is diminutive. I suspect there’s a robust self-confidence just beneath the surface. Her shoulders are pulled back, and she stands tall and proud. I notice that she doesn’t have any problem telling that moving guy to keep his eyes off her tits. My kind of woman.
