Page 8 of Unmasking Love (D.C. Renegades #1)

Harper

Confirming the Absence of NSFW Paintings

I lean back in my desk chair on Monday and tap my nails along the back of my phone. A new listing just hit and I immediately thought of Aiden. And thinking of Aiden caused a blizzard of butterflies in my stomach. Which brought a nervous laugh to my lips.

Twice now I’ve started a text to him about the house. With one last centering breath I square my shoulders and level with myself.

This is silly. Yes, he’s hot but you’ve had attractive clients and you’re attractive yourself. Just text him. Do it.

It’s literally your job.

Okay, fine.

With a sharp inhale I unlock my phone and start to type.

Hi Aiden! I have a new listing for you to consider.

After pasting in the link and sending it off, I set my phone down and look at my computer to avoid watching for a sign that he’s read it. I almost jump out of my chair when it buzzes a second later.

But are there any commissioned artworks in the home?

I crack a smile and reply.

I haven't confirmed in person.

I hate sending you in there alone but I'm going to need proof the primary bedroom isn't a boomer sex dungeon.

I'll head over there this afternoon and send you a text.

Felix wants to know who I'm texting. I can't lie so I'm telling him it's you. You've been warned.

I laugh and go back to my message inbox. Sure enough, within a few seconds, a new text from Felix arrives.

Atta girl Harper! Our boy is connecting! He's texting with you from the road! I'm so happy I could kiss you.

I'm in the business of making my clients happy.

But I’m not into you that way, Bud.

The house I sent to Aiden isn't far from where I’m meeting Wes for lunch. I'll stop in and take a picture to prove the room is safe.

***

"Okay if we make one quick stop on the way back?" I ask Wes who is sitting in my front seat.

"Sure, I don't have meetings until 2. Where are we stopping?"

"I've gotta take a picture of the bedroom in this house and send it to Aiden."

"Oo getting kinky with the client!" Wes teases.

"No , it's not like that." Wes looks at me over the top of his sunglasses.

"It's not!" I insist even as I feel my cheeks warm because I have thought about it more than I’m willing to admit.

But explaining to Wes why we have to make this stop should help cool me down.

"We stumbled upon a geriatric sex portrait in the first home we toured together and now he’s making me prove there's nothing weird in the bedroom at this listing. "

"Was it at least tastefully done?" Wes asks.

"It was,” how do I put this? “Detailed." I manage to admit. I don’t think I can find the words to truly describe that piece of work. "And almost life size." I admit quietly.

Wes's eyes widen. "You're going to have to show me this."

"No way! I'm not putting myself in front of it again!"

We pull up to the new listing. I honestly don't think Aiden is seriously interested but after the fun we had at that first house and the few texts we’ve exchanged since he left, I figured I'd keep him as warm as I could with frequent interaction.

Some clients you can tell like to be left alone to make their decisions.

Others need the contact. Aiden needs the connection, even if he says otherwise.

Wes follows me up to the primary bedroom and I take the photo, text it, and turn to leave.

"That's it?" Wes asks.

"Yeah, I mean he'll need to do the full tour in person if he wants to and the team isn't back unt-" I stop when a FaceTime call comes in. "It's him!" I whisper to Wes. No, no, no, no, no. “What do I do?”

"Answer it!" Wes hisses at me.

"Really?" I ask as the room starts to spin a little bit. Wes nods and shoos his hands at the phone so I ignore my pounding pulse and suck in a breath as best I can. "Hi Aiden!" I greet brightly but it isn’t him.

My eyes scan the screen trying to figure out who I’m talking to. It must be one of his teammates. The guy slides the phone back and I can see Aiden in the background shaking his head. I hear Felix call out "Hi Harper! Be right there."

"Hi Harper!” the man on the screen says. I don't know him but his smile is nice, if not a little calculating. "I'm Bryson and we wanted more than a picture of the property. Are you still on the premises?"

"Why are you talking like that?" Aiden asks behind him. "You're not a detective."

"Dude," Bryson turns to him and the screen turns up to reveal a tiled hotel conference room ceiling.

"She's good at what she does but the first home she showed you had medieval porn on the wall and you sent us that shit.

I'll never unsee it. So, yeah, I'm gonna detective the shit out of this so you don't end up in some weird fucking house. "

"Bryson?" I ask and he bounces the screen back to him. "Hi," I smile, "I'm still at the house. Would you like a tour?"

"Yes please, but don't just flip the camera around. I want to see your face because you could be showing us some other house on video or something."

"I promise you, I'm not, but I understand your apprehension."

"Okay! I'm here, what have we seen so far?" Felix asks as he pokes his large head into the screen. I hear what sounds like a "good god" in the background and I assume that's Aiden.

"Hi Felix," I smile. "I was just about to give you and Bryson a quick tour."

"Start in the bedroom. We gotta make sure there's no freaky shit. Or, like, other people's freaky shit. I don't know what Aiden is into." Bryson says and his eyes bounce off to the side. "Aiden, have you given Harper your sexual preferences and bedroom set up requirements."

"This is unbelievable.” Aiden says and then the phone jostles. We hear “you fucknuts", a slap, a high pitched "ow!" and then Aiden's face appears. "Hi Harper, I'm sorry for my teammates, they mean well."

"Hi Aiden, no problem. Would you like to see the house?"

"Ye ah, if you don't mind, but you can turn the camera around if you want."

I hear Wes clear his throat so I look up at him.

"Oh shit, you're not alone are you.” He lifts his voice, “I'm sorry to whoever is witnessing this.” Then he drops it and addresses his teammates. “You dicks, now I'm going to have a reputation as an asshole client."

"No, it's just Wes."

"Hi boys!" Wes calls out and then he looks at me. "I can walk behind you and film it if you'd like."

"Oh, sure, that might be easier." I admit and then I hand Wes my phone. I turn and walk away a few steps and when I look back Wes is miming lifting up a boob. "What the hell are you doing?"

He looks up at me, "I was asking if Aiden was a boob or an ass man because I'll frame the shot accordingly but he refused to answer. I think Bryson indicated boobs but I'm just going to switch between featuring both."

"Seriously? They want to see the house, not me."

"Honey." Wes says flatly and rolls his eyes.

There is no use fighting this so I start the tour. I pretend Wes is my client and I try not to think about the multiple professional hockey players looking at me from across the country.

"Start in the bedroom, Harper." Felix calls out around a bite of food.

"Have some fucking manners, aren't you French?" Bryson scolds.

"French Canadian." Felix corrects and I hear a scuffle.

"Boys, focus." Aiden scolds and silence falls across the group. I’ll admit my thighs clenched a little too.

"He yelled at us," Bryson whispers.

"I liked it," Felix replies.

With a smile, I take matters into my own hands. "Okay, now as you'll see the primary bedroom is on the second floor of the house, it faces southwest so you 'll get morning light but it won't be direct. If you'll follow me we'll step out onto the private terrace that overlooks the backyard."

"Wow, that's fancy." Bryson says.

"You could have your protein shake out there in the mornings." Felix adds.

"And fuck out there. Damn. Harper, what if I buy it instead?" Bryson calls out.

"I'd entertain a bidding war if necessary." I smile at the camera and walk towards the en-suite. "Now, Wes, would you kindly pan around the room so our audience can confirm there are no geriatric pornographic images hanging on the wall?"

"And make sure there isn't faded paint from where they took it down for the photos like last time." Felix adds.

"The walls don't have any faded spots so I think we're in the clear." I report.

Wes follows me around through the bathroom, the boys like the double shower head feature.

I quickly walk through the other four bedrooms, and then down to the kitchen.

This is where I knew we'd lose Aiden. It isn't efficient at all and was built to impress.

There is an eight burner gas stove, a double oven, two sinks, two dishwashers, and two refrigerators, plus a separate ice machine.

"I think it's a little too much house for me." Aiden says as we wrap up the tour.

"Sure, that makes sense. I've got a few others in mind so we can do a few showings together when you're back next week."

"Can't wait." He says and there's something in his tone that is gentle but withheld. Not quite sarcastic, but not quite genuine either.

"Harper, thank you for the tour! I'm actually going to call my accountant and see if it is smart for me to buy a house." Bryson comments.

"No t right now you aren't." Felix tells him. "We've got a meeting, then naps, then team dinner, then gametime. You're busy until tomorrow morning."

"Ugh fine, dad ." Bryson complains.

"I'd call him Daddy," Wes says and then slaps his hand over his mouth and my eyes double in size.

"Wes! You can't say shit like that!" I hiss as I grab the phone from him.

"Like what?" Felix asks.

"Nothing, never mind, okay, have a good game guys, bye!" I rush to say and end the call. “Ohmygod, I can’t believe you said that!” I turn to Wes and slap him on the shoulder.

“What? It’s true. C’mon Harper, I was this close to filming a why-choose foreplay call.”

“You can’t be serious.” I roll my eyes at Wes.

“You don’t read those?” He asks.

“You do ?”

“You didn’t answer.” Wes narrows his eyes at me and tilts his head to the right.

“I don’t have time for this, I’ve got to get back to work.” I brush past him and open the front door. The October air is brisk and the sun is bright. My skin cools and warms all at once.

“When are you seeing him again?” Wes asks as we climb into the car.

“Aiden? I’m not sure, he’s on this road trip until Monday.

” I try to sound unaffected but I’ve been counting down the days until his return.

Just hearing his voice was exhilarating.

Seeing a little bit of his face before Wes turned the phone around was thrilling.

My body warmed when our eyes connected through the screen.

I’m really dedicated to finding him a property I guess.

A phone call comes in as Wes is getting out at his office so we just nod and wave our goodbyes. I stay parked in the lot while I learn about the home this n ew family is looking for and when I get back to the office I get myself organized for the rest of the week.

Crispin is the lead agent on a new listing I think a client of mine would be interested in. His office door is closed which usually means he’s on the phone. As a junior agent at Rothchild Reality, it would be a bold move to knock on his door and interrupt.

But as his girlfriend?

I walk over to his office and lift my hand to knock when I hear giggling on the other side of the door. Raquel isn’t at her desk so I can’t ask who he’s meeting with.

It’s only 4 and I’m taking a few clients out to see listings tonight so I head back to my desk and get a head start on paperwork. I scan listings again and find myself categorizing them for new families, older families, newlyweds, empty nesters, bachelors, bachelorettes, and Aiden.

There aren’t many homes that fit him but he absolutely deserves his own category. He knows what he is looking for and isn’t willing to settle for anything less.

Before I know it I need to leave to meet my clients. Crispin still hasn’t come out of his office so I send him a text. It’s weird, I used to connect with him over his admin tasks, now Raquel is doing those. I thought it would free up more time for us to hang out but he seems busier than ever.

Hey C, I’m about to take some clients out but I could meet you for a late dinner, or even a drink. Are you busy tonight?

His reply comes almost immediately.

Can’t, busy tonight.

That sucks. But if anyone understands the demands of luxury real estate it’s me. I just hope our schedules can align sooner rather than later. I haven’t seen him alone in two weeks.