Page 1 of Sensual Nights

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Carley skirted the pool table in the still-open rec area. Soon this would be enclosed by frosted glass to allow for private parties, but for now, the resident owners of these condos used it as it was. Making a quick perusal of the room to ensure its cleanliness, she smiled. The three owners who were currently living here were keeping things neat and orderly. Hopefully, today's showing would bring that number to four.

Moving down the hall to the last door on the right, she tucked her folder under her arm and grabbed the knob in her hand to insert the key, but the handle turned without resistance. Her brows furrowed, and her skin heated. She pushed the door open slowly and tentatively stepped inside. She quickly flipped on the lights and listened carefully as she perused the living room.

"Hello?" she called out. Hesitating to move in further, she listened for any sound. Sucking in a deep breath, she moved further into the unit, halted, pulled a door stopper from her bag, and pushed it under the open door. Better to be safe than sorry.

Satisfied she was alone in the unit, she checked the living room closet, happy the contractors had finished the carpeting inside, but the doors still needed to be installed. Moving tothe primary bedroom, she checked the closet, which had also been completed, but the carpeting looked pressed down as if something heavy had been sitting on it. She bent and brushed her hand over it to raise the pile once more. Standing back, she was happy with the results and started to move on.

As she turned, something glinted in the light, and she twisted to peer into the closet once more. Kneeling down for a closer look, she swiped her fingers over the shiny object. It was cool and firm and not supposed to be there. She pulled at it, finding it difficult to pull up. It had tucked itself between the trim and the carpet. Wiggling it free, she pulled it from its hiding place and stared at a medallion of some sort. It was heavy-duty in appearance, though it had scratches and marks on it. She tucked it into her purse and moved into the second bedroom to check that the closet in there had been finished as well.

A door closing in the building startled her and she stepped from the bedroom into the living room.

Not seeing anyone around she moved into the hall and called out, "Hello?"

No one responded. A tingling slid down her spine, and the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She inhaled deeply. Her fingers shook slightly as she hugged her folder to her chest and focused on evening out her breathing. Feeling a bit sheepish for being scared, she took a deep breath and once again called out, "Hello. Is anyone here?"

She'd sold three units here in the Barracks Condominiums. It was likely one of the owners coming home. Nothing untoward had ever happened here, and her imagination was certainly flying high today. She blamed her sister, Margo, for watching a scary movie with her this week. She shook her head slightly, took a calming breath, and stepped toward the door when the outside door opened. She held her breath... until she saw him.

Mason Thompson. His very presence was comforting and scary all at once. She'd been watching him as he worked at the Sandbar. He was good with customers, and he could make the best Sandbar Punch, which was some concoction of rum and juices. When he'd called her to see this condo, butterflies took flight in her tummy. The idea of being alone with him was both exciting and nerve-wracking. They'd seen each other in passing but had never spent time together talking. That was mostly because she was so enamored by him that she couldn't take the next step and talk to him. She reasoned it away with excuses such as he was working, or he wasn't interested, or she'd had a couple of drinks and would make a fool of herself. And the biggest excuse was she wasn't interested in a relationship right now. She'd just gotten out of a long-term relationship that had tired her out to the point of near mental exhaustion.

He had also given no indication he was even remotely interested in her, much to her disappointment. But she was the realtor in charge of selling these condos for the developer, Quinn Kurtz, and, therefore, the person he'd call. She pretended otherwise a couple of times this morning, imagining he'd actually wanted to spend time with her (oh, happy day!). However, she was’t interested in a relationship right now and needed to keep telling herself that.

He meandered closer to her, and she closed the distance to meet him halfway. She held out her hand as she neared and smiled, though the butterflies in her tummy threatened to lift her off the ground.

"Hi, Mason. My name is Carley Page, from Price Realty."

He wrapped his strong fingers around her hand, which seemed ridiculously small compared to his.

"I'm aware of who you are. It's nice to formally meet you."

The deep timbre of his voice sent chills skittering all through her body. The warmth and firmness of his handshake wasimprinted on her brain. She'd never forget it. Yes, she was just that sad.

There was a brief, awkward silence as she caught herself staring at him. After all, his dark hair, broad shoulders, and very presence were unforgettable.

She slightly shook her head and cleared her throat. "I'm sorry. Please come in and see the condo first, then we can take a look at the amenities."

He nodded but stood still. A brief hesitation fell between them, then he held his hand out to her, palm up, and she realized he was waiting for her to enter the condo. Her cheeks burned at her foolishness, and her knees shook slightly as she forced herself to walk.

Suppressing the urge to shake her head as she stepped into the unit, she stood against the wall to her left as he entered the condo and passed by her. He wore some delicious aftershave, and the aroma quickly filled the room.

Inhaling deeply, she pushed herself off the wall as he looked around the room. She silently chastised herself for being a silly foolish woman and quickly switched into professional mode.

"As you can see, this is the living room, with an open view of the kitchen. The appliances are stainless steel, the flooring is tile planking."

Mason stepped into the kitchen area and looked around. He didn't open the cupboards or drawers. Her brows pulled together slightly, and she smiled. "You're welcome to open the drawers and cabinets."

He grinned, and their eyes met. His eyes were brown, and he had thick dark lashes framing them. Her heartbeat increased, and she felt the heat rise up her body. He looked away, and it felt like the sun had set. He opened a couple of cabinets and the refrigerator, then turned and nodded.

She stepped into the primary bedroom first and he followed. "This room has its own bathroom just around the corner to your right. The closet is here to my left. The doors will be installed this week."

She saw him grin and take a quick look inside before he turned to her and nodded. "Okay. I'll take it."

"But...you...will? I didn't show you the amenities."

He laughed, and the air whooshed from her lungs. He was stunning.

"It will suit my needs perfectly. It's larger than the apartment I'm living in now. It's close to work. It's quiet here and everything is new. I know Quinn Kurtz and the quality of work he does. What's not to like about it?"

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