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16
Bella
“Ithought the point of coming here was to have fun?” Carm sidles up next to me, resting his forearms on the wooden deck railing and staring out at the ocean.
The man is gorgeous in fluorescent lighting, but with the moonlight shining on his features? My stomach and my thighs clench.
“I told you I wasn’t much for going out tonight.”
“Why not?” he asks.
I sip my drink, but only ice cubes hit my top lip. Carm offers his beer, but I shake my head. “The pressure of this Bond Street deal is weighing on me. How on Earth do I find a way to sell them for sale by owner without wining and dining? Let’s be serious for a moment—what client is going to spend millions when I don’t even show them the unit myself or run through the contract with them?”
He chuckles, sips his beer, and holds it out in front of him. “It’s definitely a disadvantage.”
“New builds are different than existing properties with homeowners living there. I have to rely on Helena to walk them through the place, and I can’t afford to do all the things you can to fish for buyers.”
He nods. He’s been in the game longer than me. He knows the score and can’t really offer me much advice.
“I shouldn’t even be telling you this.”
“I don’t want us to be that way. I get that we’re pitted against one another here, but it doesn’t mean we can’t try to be friends.”
I nod, wishing I could’ve met him under different circumstances. Carm isn’t the forever guy, but I bet he’d be a pretty good one-night stand and maybe even a better booty call.
As if he can hear my thoughts, he bumps me with his shoulder. “You’re thinking really hard. Let’s blow off some steam. That’s what these weekends are for, aren’t they?”
I raise my eyebrows. “I think you just want in my pants.”
He laughs, his ego-driven smirk on display. “You know me well, but I’ll keep my hands to myself. No need to complicate things further.”
I narrow my eyes. “Are you sure you can handle that?”
“I’m a grown man. I can control myself no matter how tempting you are.”
Why does my body react when he says things like that? Every time he compliments me, my stomach zings as though I’m at the top of a roller coaster, staring over the edge, waiting for the drop.
“Let’s get another drink.” I turn around and head to the bar.
Evie and Mae are flirting with the two British guys who approached us when we first arrived. Feeling like the fifth wheel, I slowly ventured away from them. No one bothered me after that until Carm found me, as if he’s a K-9 with my scent and can locate me anywhere.
Carm slides money toward the bartender. “It’s on me.”
Once we have our drinks, we head to a table tucked into the corner. The heat wave has passed, and the nights aren’t super hot yet.
“Have you sold a unit yet?” I’ve been dying to know. He’s had an entire week, and this is Carmelo Mancini. There’s a reason he’s so well-known in New York real estate, and it’s not just his billboards.
He sips his beer. “No.”
A huge breath leaves my throat.
“But I’m close. I have a client in from Los Angeles. She’s been looking for a long time and I think a unit on Bond Street will suit her needs. She’s just a slow decision-maker.”
“The woman from the elevator?” I ask.
Truthfully, that woman gave me the vibe I was stepping on her territory just because I was talking to Carm in the hallway.
He nods. “Yeah, that’s her.” His gaze moves to the dance floor.
