by Ann, Natalie
She put a childish pout on her face...now that was offensive, and he walked away.
When he got back to his place, he emailed Ruby that five thirty worked just fine tomorrow. He hadn’t expected her to be able to set up the viewing that fast, but she set them both up. Maybe he’d have more luck with one of these houses.
* * *
Ruby loved how Josh got back to her immediately. It was hard being the middleman finding out when someone was available, then going back to see if the showing could be worked out. Going back to see if it was filled before she could confirm and so on. It happened one too many times and her clients would get annoyed.
But when they replied back to her fast, she was able to secure things. Just like she did with Josh. Two more showings tomorrow and maybe she’d get lucky.
Lucky on the houses, not with Josh.
And then she wondered why that was popping into her head.
Easy—he was a treat to look at.
All tall, dark, and handsome. Friendly, flirty, and serious at the same time.
But like she’d told Claire, she didn’t get involved with clients. She never had.
Would she make an exception for Josh if he asked? She just might.
Though she doubted he would. And she’d never make the first move.
Being friendly and sweet was one thing. Asking someone out, that was another.
She hardly ever made the first move with anyone. That was probably why she was still single and rarely dated.
Work took up a lot of her time and she’d learned that she really could only rely on herself.
She’d never had anyone she could depend on and wasn’t sure she would ever let herself give over that control anyway.
Her heart had never been broken like so many other women her age because she refused to let herself fall in love.
And why the heck was she thinking of love again? It seemed like every time she had anything to do with Josh Turner her mind took a trip down a one-way street with no easy way to circle back to the highway.
She had to get over this. He was a client that she was going to find the perfect home for.
Nothing more.
6
Clouding My Thoughts
“I’m sorry I’m late,” Josh said when he pulled in next to Ruby in the small driveway. Already he was thinking this wasn’t going to work. He knew he didn’t address driveways, but you could barely fit the two SUV’s side by side without almost being in the road. Even the garage looked too small to fit either of the vehicles.
“You’re only a few minutes late. Traffic can be hard.”
“It wasn’t traffic. I was afraid I was going to have to cancel on you. I’ve been out on a call all day in Montgomery County.”
“Oh, I didn’t know you covered that area,” she said, letting them in the front door.
It was dark out, but the front porch light was on. If he was interested in this house, he’d have to come back in the daylight to get a better look at the property. That hadn’t occurred to him either.
“We cover a lot of ground. Well, I do for investigation.”
“So there is cybercrime there?” she asked with a grin on her face. The minute she shut the door he got hit with the stench of cigarettes that someone was trying to mask with rose-scented candles making him want to gag.
“Not sure. But in this case there was evidence of the crime on their computers. That is my job to go there, get it, and bring it back to see what I can find.”
Child porn, crimes against kids, turned his stomach. They brought up memories of hiding in the closet and though they weren’t the same thing, he still wanted to smash his fist through the guy when he’d seen the material on the computer he’d been able to break the password on.
“Oh yeah, the tech nerd,” she said laughing, then put her hand to her mouth. “I’m so sorry. That just slipped. I think it’s the fumes in here clouding my thoughts.”
“God, this is horrible,” he said. “I’m not sure you could get this stench out unless you gutted the house.”
“Do you want to even do a walkthrough?” she asked, breathing through her mouth, he could see.
“No. I knew it was out the minute I pulled in the driveway.”
She turned to open the door and walked out, then locked it behind him and started to suck in great gobs of air. He’d been in some stinky houses before, but he hadn’t expected it to be one he wanted to buy.
“There, I can breathe. So why do you say that about this place?”
“The driveway barely fit our two cars. I don’t need a massive driveway, but that is just way too tight. Not sure I could fit my vehicle in the garage either.”
“Good point. I’ll add that to my list. And I’m sorry about this. I hadn’t been in this house before, but if I had, I would have never shown it. Nor will I show it again if someone asks, not without telling them about the smell. I’ll be reporting that back to the selling agent too. This house just came on the market last week.”
“So you give reports on what I think of the houses?” he asked, not aware of that.
“Not really. Many use an app to schedule viewings. The homeowners approve the times when I apply. When the showing is done I go back and say whether you were interested or not and any other comments. Most times I don’t put in other comments unless something stands out like this. I’m sure the listing agent is fully aware this was going to be a problem.”
“To each their own, but I feel bad for the person who buys this house unless they are a smoker themselves.”
“There is a home out there for everyone,” she said, smiling.
“I’m sure. It’s just whether it’s the perfect home or not.”
She tilted her head at him. “Do you want the perfect home or one that will just do?”
He wanted to snort but then realized that she was being serious. “Doesn’t everyone want the perfect home?”
“I’m sure they do,” she said. “But perfect normally costs more than what people can or are willing to spend. And everyone’s measure of perfection is different too.”
He hadn’t thought of that either. “I’m a pretty simple guy at the heart of it. I’m looking for good bones and I can change other things.”
“So you won’t rule out a fixer upper completely?” she asked.
“Nope. I can do a lot or a little. I’m pretty handy to have around,” he said, grinning at her, his hands itching to touch her.
He could see her blush under the light of the front porch where they were still standing and talking. The wind was blowing slightly and her brown hair started to float around her face, making her look almost angelic.
“Handymen are a good commodity. Are you ready to go look at the next property? We might be a few minutes early, but most homeowners leave early anyway. It’s just about fifteen minutes from here.”
“I’m ready if you are,” he said and held his hand out for her to proceed down the stairs.
* * *
Well, she guessed Josh was flirting with her. She’d have to figure out what that was about. But how would she do that?
She drove to the next house knowing he was following behind her, but he had the address too, so she was sure he wouldn’t have a problem locating the house if they got separated.
The front light was on in this house too, the driveway much bigger, the garage was hard to tell. She pulled her pad out and made a note about the driveway and garage for future reference. She had so many clients that she didn’t want to mix criteria up between them.
“This driveway has a lot more room,” she said when he walked up the stairs with her. She unlocked the door and he held it for her while they went in.
“Yep, that was good,” he said. “Wow, it’s hot in here.”
“Looks like they had their fireplace going plus the heat is on.” She took her jacket off and hung it on the railing by the stairs. If she didn’t she was afraid she’d start roasting.
“Guess they don’t care about thei
r utility bills,” he said, shaking his head and taking his jacket off too. It was then she realized he still had his badge on his hip.
“Not everyone does. Personally, that is one thing I look at and point out to my clients. So the question would be, do they like it hot or is the furnace not efficient.”
“My thoughts exactly,” he said.
“If you’re interested in this property, it will be at the top of my list of things to ask and should definitely be looked at in an inspection.”
“So far the place isn’t bad. Wallpaper and paint are easy fixes.”
“The wallpaper is pretty bad,” she said, grinning. “But I’ve seen much worse. I always tell homeowners they should try to have the house as neutral as possible when listing, but most don’t want to bother. They figure the new owners would change it anyway.”
“Not everyone is handy enough or has the time. Not even to just paint. Nor can they afford to pay someone. I could see where that would be a deal breaker for someone if every room they went into needed something done.”
“I’ve always felt that way too. I’m pretty handy myself, but there is only so much I can do.”
She’d learned to fix a lot of things in her life since she didn’t have the money to hire, as Josh had said. Not to mention her last foster father was in construction and, as quiet as he was, he liked it when the kids asked him about his work. She did so she could learn.
“So you’ve fixed your house up?” he asked.
“I rent. No house yet. I can’t seem to find that perfect home,” she said, smiling at him.
“So I’m not alone in those thoughts?”
“Not at all.”
They were walking through the living room into the dining room, then the kitchen. A small office and half bath. Everything needed some kind of work, but not a ton.
“So the question is,” he said, “what is perfect to you?”
No one had ever asked her that before. “You know, I’m kind of simple too. I look at some of these houses, I’ve had a few million-dollar listings. Many would call that their dream home. Their perfect home, but they just felt stale or cold to me. Sometimes too much isn’t right either.”
“I’m not a grand person,” he said.
“Me neither. Though I don’t mind selling homes like that.” The commission she’d gotten from them just padded her bank account for the slow times.
“I bet,” he said. “So you didn’t answer me—what is perfect to you? Or is that too personal of a question?”
“Not really. I’m just looking for a place that I can call my own. A home that when I walk into it each night I feel all the tension of the day leave my shoulders. I guess it’s hard to explain. I’ve got criteria like most, but I’m flexible. It’s the atmosphere that means a lot to me.”
“I went out with a few coworkers last night. One is a flipper and he said I’ll know the right place when I walk in. I’ll just feel it. I hope he’s right and I’m not still looking months from now. I kind of hoped to be in before my lease ran out.”
She hadn’t realized that. “So we are on a time limit?”
“Yes and no. I can go month to month. That isn’t a problem. So if I find something and it needs work, I’m okay or if it’s an extra month. I guess I’d like to have something lined up.”
“Makes sense. You should try to get all the banking sorted. Not just a pre-approval, but find out what they need from you when the time comes and have it ready. The sooner you give them that stuff the faster the bank will be ready to go.”
“I’m good,” he said. “I was at the bank on Monday. Got the pre-approval finalized and a list of what they need. It’s all set when the time comes.”
“You’re organized. I like that,” she said.
“Is that all you like?” he asked.
Oh man. Her heart was racing. Did he know she’d been staring at his body as they moved from room to room? Or that she felt a little warm right now standing in the master bedroom with him? Maybe they needed to move out of a room with a bed.
“Did you want to see the bath? How do you like the house so far?”
“Sure, we can see the bath,” he said, sending her a wink. “Yep, it’s a bath. Pretty small at it. Not sure I can fit in that shower. There is room here to renovate, but not a lot.”
“No. So a big shower is on the list?” she asked and hoped to hell she had a straight face when she asked that question. Thoughts of him naked were not jumping in her head. Liar!
“It would be nice,” he said.
“Ready to see the basement? It’s not finished and I’m not sure of the ceiling height.”
“There isn’t anything major in this house that is a turnoff. The master bath isn’t great, but nothing seems to be jumping out at me either.”
“So are we done then?” she asked.
They walked down the stairs and to the back of the house. He opened a door to a back porch. “The houses are way too close back here.”
“There isn’t much yard at all,” she noted. A small deck, then you could see the house in the back. “Not a lot of trees or privacy either. Is that something you want?”
“I don’t mind neighbors, but I’d like some privacy. If I’m on my deck having a beer, I’d like my neighbors to not see the brand it is.”
She laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Her stomach took a moment to grumble rather loudly. “How about dinner? Let me feed you since you are putting up with me. I feel like I’m a royal pain when I never thought I was one before.”
“Trust me, you aren’t a pain. The stories I could tell you about my clients and the number of houses they have seen. That is why I try to find out as much as I can to not waste everyone’s time. But I’ve learned a lot more from you today. I think we’ll find that place.”
“So that is a no to dinner?” he said. “I’m probably out of line asking. For all I know you’ve got a big brute of a boyfriend at home.”
Since she didn’t have any rings on her hands, she was assuming he figured she wasn’t married. “No boyfriend at home or elsewhere. I tend to be dating my job,” she said with a laugh.
“I know that feeling.”
She could tell he wasn’t going to ask her about dinner again. The funny thing is she was starving. Not just for food, but for the company.
“Dinner sounds good,” she said. “Then I can pick your brain and find out more about what is perfect for you.”
“So it’s all about my house still?” he asked. “I guess if that is the best I can get.”
“It could be about more,” she said and was shocked those words slipped out of her mouth, but his boyish grin that was such a contradiction to his size was just pulling her in.
“That’s good enough for me.”
7
The More I Know
Josh hadn’t been sure Ruby would have agreed to dinner. If she’d said no, or she was in a relationship, he would have just moved on. He wasn’t one to push anyone for a date.
Even though he was attracted to her more than he could remember of another woman, he’d just never been one to chase someone else.
“I think you forgot to take something off,” Ruby said when he went to sit down at the booth they were just shown. He’d hung his jacket up on the hook next to the booth, the same as her.
“What is that?” he asked, trying to figure out what she was saying. Then he caught her eyes lower toward his belt and wondered what the heck. Blood was pulsing and heading toward his cock and he was trying his damnedest to control it.
“Your badge,” she said. “No gun though. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone with a badge and not a gun.”
“Shit. I did forget to take it off. I’m in a habit of going home and doing it all at once. I didn’t know how you’d feel about the gun when you were showing me the houses so I locked it in the glove compartment, but with my jacket on, I didn’t think much about my badge.”
“The gun won’t or doesn’t bother me. You ar
en’t the first officer I’ve shown a house to.”
“I’m sure. Next time I won’t worry about it then if I come straight from work. I don’t like leaving my gun somewhere that I’m not.”
“Do you go everywhere with it? You haven’t had it on the last few times.”
“If I leave the house it’s with me, at least in my car. I’ve got another on me. That one is concealed.”
She grinned. “Ankle? I doubt it’s under your shirt on your back. I would have noticed that and my guess is it would be in the way if you had a holster on. I’m betting you’re someone that has a shoulder holster and doesn’t put it on your hip.”
“Yes, on both accounts. It’s a preference. I think the only time I don’t have a gun is when I’m in the gym.”
“I could see where that might be difficult,” she said. “So that is why you want an area to work out in a house?”
“Yeah. There’s a gym in my apartment complex, but nowhere I feel comfortable putting the gun and I won’t wear it working out. That’d be stupid.” And unnecessary, though maybe it would keep some of the women from chatting him up. Or maybe that would draw them closer. He’d had that happen before too.
“Don’t you have a gym bag with you you could keep it in?” she asked.
“I’d have to pay attention to it nonstop and I’d rather focus on not tripping over my own two feet running on the treadmill.”
She laughed. The waitress came back over and placed water down in front of them and took their drink and food orders, then left.
“I don’t think you’re the type to trip over much.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It was meant as one,” she said, putting her elbows on the table and her chin in her hand. She winked at him and he knew she was just yanking his chain and he was being tugged along like a little puppy just wanting some affection. “So why law enforcement? And the computers? They don’t seem to go together for me.”
He never kept his history a secret from anyone. It’d be interesting to see how she handled it. Most women reacted one of two ways. They gave him pity or they were turned on. Both drove him insane.
