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“When do we need to leave?” she asked.
Penelope glanced at the time on her phone. “In about an hour. They’ll be at the property at six but I’d like to get there a bit earlier to open the building and put some of the lights on so it doesn’t look so gloomy inside when they arrive.”
That time frame at least gave Elle a bit of time to take a few ibuprofen to ward off her headache and to freshen her makeup so she didn’t look as stressed and exhausted as she felt inside. Concealer, blush, and lip gloss went a long way in camouflaging those outward flaws, and she was woman enough to want to look her best—or in her case, as good as she could—when she saw Hunter again.
Chapter 9
At a quarter till six, Penelope turned her car into the small parking lot located in front of the four-story building in Williamsburg, which faced the Ea
st River and overlooked the skyscrapers of Midtown Manhattan. It was a prime piece of real estate in a newly hip and modernized neighborhood of Brooklyn. The area surrounding the structure leaned toward trendy and chic, with stylish boutiques, popular cafes, and unique specialty restaurants.
Considering the desirable and growing location, Elle knew the property wouldn’t stay on the market for long. She also wasn’t surprised that someone had contacted Penelope mere hours after the listing had gone live. She was just still a little taken aback that Hunter Wilder and his sister were the parties expressing interest in the building.
Elle followed Penelope into the structure and waited while she flipped a master switch that lit up the entire first floor. The inside had been recently renovated and looked as though it had been used for office space, but the building had so much potential in terms of what a buyer could do with the four different levels. Admittedly, Elle was curious what Hunter’s sister wanted to do with so much square footage.
“I’ll be right back,” Penelope said, heading toward the elevator. “I’m going to turn on the lights on the other floors.”
While her friend was gone, Elle checked her phone to see if she had any important emails or messages and was grateful to see that it was a nice, quiet Friday evening. She strolled around the first level, willing herself to relax, which was a rare thing in her frazzled life these days. At least her headache had ebbed, and her stomach wasn’t trying to rebel on her. It honestly felt good to get out and do something different from her mundane office routine.
Elle heard the sound of the door opening that she and Penelope had entered through a short while before, then footsteps echoing on the floor. Unsure when Penelope would return, she headed in that direction to greet her clients . . . and the man who knew every square inch of her body. A liquid warmth cascaded through her veins at that random but accurate thought, as Hunter and a stunningly beautiful woman who had similar traits came into view.
As soon as she met Hunter’s gaze, his eyes warmed and a slow, devastatingly sexy smile eased across those lips that had given her such sinful pleasure. God, he was so gorgeous it was almost criminal. He was wearing a pair of khaki pants with a collared shirt that was casual and understated compared to the tuxedo he’d worn the first time she’d met him, but it was the confident way he carried himself that reminded her that there was nothing laid-back about this man beneath the attire.
“Hi,” she said when Hunter and his sister reached her, hating how breathless she sounded when she’d been striving for a more professional greeting. “It’s nice to see you again, Hunter.”
Amusement passed across his expression, that she was trying to relegate him to strictly a business dealing. “Hello, Elaina,” he replied, using her full given name, which sounded so intimate in his low, deep voice. “I’d like you to meet my sister, Tempest. Tempest, Elle Darian.”
Elle shifted her gaze to his sister, who was dressed in a stylish dark blue sheath dress that complemented her slender figure, and red-soled shoes. Politely, Elle extended her hand toward the other woman. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Likewise.” Tempest’s handshake was warm, friendly, but firm—giving the impression that she was a strong businesswoman in a man’s world. Then she grinned gregariously, her eyes sparkling with delight. “So, I finally get to meet Hunter’s Cinderella.”
Elle’s cheeks warmed at Tempest’s comment. “Excuse me?”
“That crystal-encrusted shoe you left behind at Hunter’s? That’s a classic Cinderella moment, of course,” the other woman explained, making Elle’s face heat even more that Hunter’s sister knew those specific details.
Hunter rolled his eyes at Tempest in a playful way. “Don’t mind my sister. She’s a bit fanciful, and I think planning the fairy-tale ball for the past year has warped her perception of reality.”
Tempest jabbed her brother in the side with her elbow, causing Hunter to smirk at her. Elle watched the interaction and sibling bond with a bit of envy. Growing up, she’d always wanted a brother or a sister, and Gwen and Claire didn’t count since they’d always been mean girls and either ignored her or treated Elle as though she was nothing more than a roommate they tolerated.
The ping of the elevator arriving back on the main floor thankfully interrupted their Cinderella conversation, and seconds later, Penelope was heading in their direction, an amicable smile on her face. It didn’t escape Elle’s notice that her friend gave Hunter a deliberate once-over before meeting Elle’s gaze with an unmistakable look of approval in her eyes.
As soon as Penelope reached them, Elle made the introductions, and once that was done, her friend focused her attention on Tempest, her demeanor now all business.
“So, Hunter tells me you’re looking for a specific kind of building, and this one might suit your needs?” Penelope asked.
“Yes.” Tempest glanced around the first floor, seemingly taking it all in. “I really liked what Hunter showed me with the photos that were posted online. This place is in a fantastic location, and it’s great that the interior and exterior of the building have been renovated and modernized so all I’d have to do is focus on the interior design. A walk-through of the other floors will tell me if this building is the one.”
“Okay, then, let’s get started,” Penelope said enthusiastically, and cast a quick glance toward Elle and Hunter. “Would you two like to come along?”
Hunter shook his head. “My sister knows exactly what her needs are and what she’s looking for in a building,” he said easily. “I’m here strictly for Elle.”
Penelope arched a perfectly sculpted brow. “Ahhh, a decisive man,” she said, her tone impressed. “I like you already.”
Hunter flashed her a charming grin. “Nice to know I have an ally.”
Once Tempest and Penelope were enclosed in the elevator and she was alone with Hunter, Elle shifted anxiously on her feet and met his piercing golden-brown gaze that conjured wicked memories of their night together and made her traitorous body ache for his touch.
“So . . . how have you been?” She nearly groaned at the stupid, mundane words that slipped from her mouth.
