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Melissa Ford blew out a sigh, impatiently tapping her stiletto as she waited for her new client to arrive. She glanced down at the time on her phone, mentally calculating how long she’d have to spend showing him the house before she had to rush off to her next appointment. Weekends were always the busiest for her, with back-to-back showings of properties. She understood why people preferred seeing homes on Saturday or Sunday, but this was her work. She didn’t have time to waste on late arrivals or no-shows who couldn’t even bother to tell her they weren’t coming.
She walked across the porch, her heels clicking on the smooth stone, her gaze sweeping the empty street.
Not a car in sight.
So much for doing her best friend a favor. She never took on new clients first without a preliminary meeting in the office to go over everything. And this was exactly why.
Serious inquiries only.
Perching on the wrought-iron bench, she crossed her legs, the skirt of her slim suit tightening across her thighs. She worked out occasionally—nothing like her best friend, who was an avid runner—and her outfit today skimmed her curves like a glove. Amy always had said she’d kill for Melissa’s hourglass figure.
Not that Melissa minded flaunting her assets.
She adjusted her suit jacket, the camisole she had on beneath hugging her full breasts. At least it wasn’t ninety degrees out in the summer or something. Then she’d really be irritated. Still, she had better ways to spend her day than sitting around on the front porch of a house she needed to sell. Not when she had other showings back-to-back.
Other people waiting for her.
Melissa tried calling her client again, on the off-chance that he’d gotten lost.
In a car accident.
Attacked by zombies.
She smirked, brushing her long red hair back over her shoulder. The phone rang and rang but then went to voicemail.
Tyler Braxton had been stationed clear across the country somewhere in Colorado and had only recently moved to Quantico. He’d been renting but was looking to purchase a house here. She’d never even met the man, only dealt with him via phone and email. And maybe she never would meet him, she thought, annoyed. If he couldn’t be bothered to show up or cancel, she’d move on to her other clients.
She should’ve known better than to agree to meet with the Marine. Her own ex-fiancé certainly had turned out to be unreliable, what with proposing to her and then up and cancelling the wedding only two months before the big day.
Guys like that were married to their careers.
Or interested in sleeping with as many women as possible.
Why should Michael tie himself down to her when there were plenty of other fish in the sea?
She smirked.
Three years wasted with him. Although Amy was happily dating her neighbor, Jason, who happened to be stationed at Quantico as well, he seemed to be the anomaly.
The rest of them were all assholes.
Fifteen minutes later, a large black SUV pulled up to the curb, and a burly Marine who had to be none other than Tyler stepped out. He was at least six-foot-two, with cropped blond hair and aviators concealing his eyes. Broad shoulders were proportionate to his thick biceps, straining against the sleeves of the polo shirt he had on. It was tucked into cargo pants, and she could see he was all muscle as he moved toward her.
Melissa blew out an irritated breath and stood, striding across the front porch. She didn’t miss the way his gaze swept appreciatively up her body. Or the hint of a smile tugging on the corner of his mouth.
Typical.
Guys like him probably thought women would fall at their feet everywhere they went.
Heck, maybe they did.
But she’d done that song and dance already. She sure the hell never planned to date a man in uniform again. He could be the hottest Marine ever to walk the face of the Earth and she wouldn’t give him a second look.
Besides, with her long red hair and feminine curves, she was used to men staring at her. Watching as she walked past. Hinting that they’d love to take her out.
She primly held out her hand in greeting as Tyler jogged up the steps to the front porch, and suddenly his muscular hand was clasping around hers, holding it just a beat too long.
“You’re late.”
His eyebrows raised as he pulled off his aviators. “Apologies, ma’am,” he said, his striking green eyes sweeping over her with interest. “I couldn’t get my date to leave.”
“You had a date at ten on a Saturday morning?” she asked in disbelief.
“No. She was still here from last night,” he added with a smirk.
“Well, isn’t that lovely,” she said, turning and walking back across the porch. She could feel his eyes on her ass as she walked, and she resisted the urge to swing her hips. Like she needed his type as a client.
Good grief.
“I would’ve appreciated some notice,” she said. “I was about ready to leave. I’ve got back-to-back clients scheduled today.”
He chuckled. “Jason said you were a handful.”
She glanced over her shoulder to glare at him. “I’m doing Amy a favor by showing you this house. Normally we need financials, preapproval from your lender—the whole nine yards. We sit down and go over everything in the office. And normally my clients are courteous enough to arrive on time, not spend the morning in bed with their one-night-stand.”
She fiddled with the lockbox as he came to a stop behind her, and she tried to ignore his clean, masculine scent. Or the feel of his large frame hovering behind her. She could feel the heat radiating off his body, despite the slight chill in the air, and realized she liked it a little too much.
Which was ridiculous. So he’d showered and put on some aftershave before he came over. Big deal. He clearly didn’t have an ounce of common courtesy.
And he was already seeing someone.
What type of woman he spent the night with, she didn’t even want to know. Tyler had said his “date” wouldn’t leave, but he didn’t exactly seem like the dating type. More than likely, he’d picked up a woman at one of the bars in town and brought her home. Then tried to rush her out the door this morning.
Typical man.
She slid the key into the lock a moment later, and then she was pushing open the front door. Striding across the sleek wooden floors, her stilettos clicking with every step.
Tyler paused in the entryway, watching her as she glanced back at him. His broad shoulders filled the doorframe, and she forced herself to keep her eyes on his. “You’re supposed to be looking at the house, not me.”
He chuckled and gazed around. “Gorgeous.”
She bristled slightly, wondering if he was referring to her or the home. Not that it mattered. He’d already pointed out that he’d been late because he was having sex with someone. Good grief. “It’s three bedrooms, two and half baths,” she began, running through her usual spiel. “Move-in ready, as you can see. On a third of an acre. The owners were military also and just moved out. It’s going on the market first thing Monday morning.”
“Why are you waiting until then?”
“I’m having professional photos taken tomorrow, and then it will be listed.”
Tyler strode across the empty living room, pausing in the door to the kitchen. “It might be more space than I need as a single guy, but it’s a good investment. There’s enough transition in the area with military and contractors coming and going all the time. I don’t imagine I’d have trouble selling it in the future.”
“Absolutely. Houses around here move quickly, as you know. The entire DC area market is hot right now. If you see something you’re interested in, it won’t be available for long.”
He smirked. “Same with women. If I see someone I want, I go for it.”
Melissa resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Was he really coming on to her? After admitting he’d been with a woman last night?
“That’s lovely,” she said, pasting a fake smile on her face. “Would you like to see the rest of the house?”
“Absolutely. Ladies first,” he said, gesturing toward the stairs. The deep rumble of his voice sent a thrill shooting straight through her.
Ridiculous.
All his silly little innuendos were just to get under her skin.
She turned and walked ahead of him, tossing her long red hair over her shoulders. Determined not to let him rattle her. Goodness. Amy and Jason owed her big time after this. She hadn’t expected the friend of Jason’s from base to be more obnoxious than her ex.
And Michael had never acted like that when they were together. It was only after he called off the wedding that he’d turned into a total jackass.
“You seem rather different than Amy,” Tyler commented. “She’s a preschool teacher who loves running, and you’re—”
“What?” Melissa asked breezily. “Out of your league?”
He chuckled. “Prancing around in stilettos. Wearing short skirts to show homes.”
She smoothed her snug skirt absentmindedly as she took another step. It was snug, meant to accentuate her curves, but short? Not exactly. Her stiletto heel caught on the carpet just then, and she wobbled slightly, clutching onto the railing. Tyler’s large hands landed on her hips, his broad chest at her back, and she resisted the urge to gasp.
Briefly, images of his muscular body moving behind her flashed through her mind. Positioning her how he wanted. Claiming her as his own as he whispered naughty fantasies into her ear.
Which was absurd.
Stiffening as she regained her footing, she cleared her throat. Took a purposeful step away from Tyler. “Amy teaches preschoolers,” she said as she reached the landing. “I don’t think suits and stilettos go with finger paint and playdough, do you?”
“Not exactly. I just expected someone more like her. Although Jason did warn me about you, don’t get me wrong. I guess I should’ve taken his word for it,” he added with a laugh.
“And pray tell, what did Jason say?” she asked. She tilted her head to gaze up at him, seeing the glimmer of amusement in his green eyes. Even with her sky-high heels, he still towered above her. She was right in line with his broad shoulders. He was entirely man and muscle—a force to be reckoned with. Cocky with the goods to back it up.
And she’d nearly fallen over on the stairs right in front of him, for heaven’s sakes.
It wasn’t like her to let a man rattle her so. Especially a client.
“I believe ball buster were the words he used,” he said, those full lips quirking into a smile as he gazed down at her “I nearly fell off the barstool laughing.”
“Why, did you have a few too many? You look like you should be able to hold your liquor.”
His deep laughter filled the empty house. “Do I look like the kind of man who follows a woman around, dick in hand? I told him not to worry, I could handle anything you throw my way. As a matter of fact, I think we can work together just fine.”
“Shall we move into the bedroom?” she asked innocently, turning and leaving him standing there at the top of the stairs.
