Page 8 of Building My Pack

Not being as invested, moving on was easier for me. Until I laid eyes on Bryce that is. I'm fully aware how piteous my pining over her has been, and I don't care. Of course, we'd just had to hit that single moment of ‘right person, wrong time.’ Kennedy had been stressing over a deal that we had to land after it got so botched earlier in the year, and if rumors serve correctly, Bryce was coming off a bad relationship where her beta boyfriend left her to join a pack. So, as lame as it makes me sound, I sat on my hands and waited patiently for the right time to make itself known. Then it'd come down to the two of us for the award, and I won't ever admit that I let her win, but I could've squeezed a few more sales in there I'm sure of it. If the rumors were true, she needed that win more than I did.

When I knock on Kennedy's study, a deep, "Yeah," resounds in the hall.

Swinging the door wide, I get a good look at his worried expression where he sits behind his desk before he smooths it back out. I want to laugh because the guy doesn't think living with him for as long as I have that I would be able to read him so quickly. "What did Nicholas have to say?" I ask, moving to take the seat across from him. "Any skeletons in our girl's closet?"

He chews on the side of his lip, which is one of his tell-tale signs, before answering, "Nothing worth concern."

Lie. Whatever bomb that was dropped in this room minutes ago is troubling him, but I don't call him out on it. One of the biggest reasons why I went into business with Kennedy Kane and then by mutual affection came to call him pack is because the man doesn't have a disloyal bone in his body. If it's something of importance, he'll take the time to process then come to me not just with the problem, but the solution as well.

"How's it going with the WR property?" I ask, giving him the opening for a change in conversation. "Did their spokesman ever get back with us?"

His hand goes to his face so that he can pinch the bridge of his nose between two fingers as he lets out a sigh then replies, "It's complicated."

Slipping easily into my business persona, I sit straight until my back is resting against the chair. "Tell me what the issue is so that we can uncomplicate it."

"That's not even a word," he teases with a smile flashing across his face. "I haven't been able to get a solid answer, but if we're to believe hearsay then they aren't prepared to let an unsettled pack market their properties."

And byunsettled,of course, they're meaning a pack without an omega. It's truly surprising how many times we've heard this exact thing over the years of being in business. Almost like we're not trustworthy because we haven't found the board to our puzzle pieces yet. Then again, the scandal with the beta wasn't exactly a secret, and I feel that's played a huge part in our firm landing, or as in this case,notlanding larger properties. No one wants to be scooped for a lower price than what they're asking.

I want to tell him not to worry or stress it, because things always have a way of working themselves out. However, I know the words are a wasted breath since he'll be apprehensive about it anyway. Instead, I offer, "Why don't you leave this for tonight and come out with me?"

For the first time since I walked through the door, I see his focus shift to how I'm dressed and an eyebrow lifts in response. "You're going to see her, aren't you?"

"That's the plan," I tell him honestly, letting the left side of my lips pull up in what he calls my infamous smirk. "I happen to know that she's got an open house tonight, so I might just swing by as a prospective buyer."

He tosses his head back with his laugh before accusing, "You know as well as I do how unattractive stalkers are. Do I even want to know how you happened upon the information of where she'd be?"

"Public knowledge, my friend," I answer. "That is, if you know where to look."

Laughing again, he leans back and links his fingers across his stomach. "Well, don't have too much fun then."

"Sure you don't want to go?" I ask, knowing damn well he does. Another thing about Kennedy, he's about as selfless as they come. If he even thinks for a second that he might ruin something, he'd rather sacrifice himself for the cause. I don't even have to make that up since he's spoken those literal words to me before. Which is how I know he's going to decline probably even before he does.

Predictably, it happens, and I leave him staring off into the corner lost in thought. If my gut is right, it won't take long before he'll take every chance he gets to spend time with the beautiful red-haired bombshell. I've waited years too long for someone like Bryce, so I'll be making it known that I'm staking my claim just as soon as it's socially appropriate.

As I make it to the open house, most of the cars are already pulling out of the roundabout driveway. I wait until the last couple leave before getting out of my SUV and walking up to the door. From experience, I know that Bryce has several things to do after everyone leaves, so I'm in no rush. Shocking the hell out of me, my heart pounds in my chest as I push the doorbell, listening to it echo in the empty house. Then the door swings open, and I forget how to breathe for a moment as I take her in. The peachy-colored dress hides all the curves I'd love to have beneath my fingertips, but her beautiful face is on full display. Big, blue, doe eyes above a set of plump lips that deserve to be kissed over and over part in surprise.

The left side of my mouth pulls up in a half smile. "Hiya, Bryce."

Bryce

After the long morning and then even longer afternoon with super-picky clients, that bubble bath and bottle of Rosé at home is really calling my name. So, imagine my surprise when the last of the people leave and the doorbell rings to which I find the one and only Santiago Cooper standing on the stoop looking at me like a man starved and I'm his last meal.

"Hiya, Bryce," he says with that cocky smirk of his, and I can feel the sound of his voice down to my toes.

It's so startling that there's a half of a second where I contemplate slamming the door in his devilishly handsome face. Then I come to my senses. "What are you doing here?"

His grin widens as he steps inside, forcing me to either step back or our chests to press against each other. "I'm here for the open house, of course. Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"I was actually just about to lock up," I lie, checking out the way his black slacks hug his cheeks. He brings that smell of a summer storm in with him, and it's all I can do to not rip the shirt off his back to roll around in bed with later.

Naturally, I get caught staring as he turns, grinning as he says, "If that's the case then come out to dinner with me. We can discuss the house details there."

Just the thought of accepting makes my palms feel sweaty. I don't know what it is about this man that has my belly tightening into a coil like it's a snake about to devour its prey. Deciding to play it safe, I strut past in my low heels, unintentionally adding an extra sway into my hips, and it's his turn to get caught staring. Knowing he so obviously came here for me and the continuous heated looks, makes me feel beautiful for once. Staying here alone with the man is definitely the safer bet than being out in public where I can't maul him. Yeah...right.

Jumping straight into agent mode, I try to ignore the way he only seems to have eyes for me and wants nothing to do with the house as I spout off random facts about it. Nevertheless, hedidsay that this is what he came here for, so he's going to get the whole shebang. He lets me lead him around the first floor without so much as the first interruption. By the time we make it to the second landing, his patience must be wearing thin. As I get to the first bedroom and turn, he brushes past, leaving a burning sensation in his wake where the buttons of his shirt rake across my nipples hiding behind thin layers of fabric and lace.

"When you're selling a house, or even when you're doing these, do you ever wonder what the owner might've used certain rooms for?" he asks, poking his head inside the door of the bathroom and back out again.

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