One Perfect Touch (Very Irresistible Bachelors Book 3) Read online

  “Okay. We can begin the tour,” I said five minutes later. “It looks like—”

  The sound of the bell interrupted me.

  “Ah, one second. The last client must have arrived.”

  I opened the door and came face-to-face with the most gorgeous man I’d seen in a long time.

  “Hello. I’m Robert Dumont. I have an appointment to see the house.”

  “Yes, we were just about to start.” I was mesmerized by his eyes. They were so vibrant that I couldn’t look away.

  Taking a step back, I made space for him to walk inside. His hair was wavy, somewhere between dark brown and black in color. And those eyes, dark green with full lashes that framed them, were incredible. He was beyond handsome. Now I wished I’d redone my makeup. I caught myself smoothing my hands over my lilac dress, then finally crossed them behind my back. The man had me on edge already.

  Robert had to be at least six foot two and had the physique of a pro athlete. I just couldn’t stop looking at him. He was wearing jeans and a black shirt, and the top button was open, showing just a bit of skin. My cheeks were warm, and my brain was on pause. Wow, way to win this crowd over, Skye.

  “Shall we join everyone?” I asked. As we approached the others, I realized it wasn’t just me though. There was a shift in the group as all three women instantly looked at him. Two were blushing. The men threw him unhappy glances.

  “Okay, everyone. Let’s start. I’ll walk you through each room, and then you have fifteen minutes to explore the house on your own. You received all the information I have via email, but of course, if you have any additional questions, I’ll do my best to answer them. Anything I can’t answer, I will forward to the owners and get back to you tomorrow.”

  I made eye contact with everyone, trying to ignore the way my stomach tumbled when I locked eyes with Robert. How could he be this good-looking? New York was full of attractive men, but Robert Dumont was in a league of his own.

  Turning on my heels, I led the group through the house. It was a lovely home. The family had lived here for three years before their financial situation went from super good to super bad. There was no furniture now, but I remembered it the way it had been, decorated with a lot of love and care. Each bedroom had had a different wall color, and even in the living room, the wall next to the kitchen island had been painted terracotta. Now everything was white, which experts said increased the chances of selling a property.

  There was a fireplace in the living room with a marble mantelpiece where one could put picture frames. The kitchen itself was the only room that looked as before—a Scandinavian mix of white and wood with a granite countertop.

  The living room and kitchen were open-plan, and at the end of the hallway was a spacious guest bedroom.

  The upper floor had the master bedroom and en-suite bathroom with ample closet space. The attic was huge and could be used as an office or yet another bedroom. From time to time, I looked at the visitors, trying to gauge their reactions as we walked through the home.

  Eh... I couldn’t lie to myself. I was glancing at Robert far more often than at everyone else.

  “Okay, that’s it. Does anyone want to see the garage?”

  There was a chorus of no, but the elderly couple nodded.

  “Okay, come with me. Everyone else, you’re welcome to look around now. I’ll just show the garage quickly, and then you can find me downstairs if you have any questions.”

  The garage visit didn’t take very long. Unfortunately, I could tell the elderly couple wasn’t sold on the house.

  “This isn’t what we’re looking for, I’m afraid,” the woman said. “But thank you for having us. There’s no point going back inside with you, but I wish you luck with the others.”

  “Thank you for coming by. Have a great evening.”

  Feeling a little disappointed, I headed back inside. There was no one in the living room, but I took it as a good sign that everyone was still looking around. It meant they were interested. One of them would buy it, I was sure of it.

  I wanted to call Tess, my sister. We owned a lingerie shop in the city, and evenings were busy. I felt bad for leaving her to mind the store on her own, but I could only schedule everyone together in the evening.

  I’d barely reached for my phone when I heard someone step inside the living room. I knew before turning around that it was Robert. I couldn’t even tell how I knew, but the second our gazes crossed, my pulse quickened. I licked my lips, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

  “Everything okay?” I asked.

  “Yes. I have a few questions.”

  “Of course.”

  “Is it available right away?”

  “Yes.” Wow. He was seriously considering it? My heart was racing.

  “Okay. There’s no furniture in here right now, but is there anything in storage?”

  “The family took the furniture with them. I’m afraid we can’t help you with that.”

  He frowned, rubbing his jaw. I could imagine he was the type of guy who preferred everything to be ready.

  “Right. I’ll figure something out. Lastly, is your commission included in the costs on the website, or do they come on top? It wasn’t clear on the listing.”

  Ha! He thought I was a realtor.

  “Oh, I’m not getting a commission. I just wanted to help out the family. I’m not a real realtor... but I’ll help you facilitate everything.”

  He cocked a brow, making me realize how odd that sounded.

  “Their youngest daughter is sick, and they had to relocate to Houston. Finances are tight, and they didn’t want to lose money by giving a realtor a commission. I’m in charge of showing people the house, and they have a lawyer for all legalities,” I added even though he hadn’t asked for specifics. But everything from his body language to his tone of voice told me he was used to having all the details, used to being in charge. And damn, I liked that a little too much. I was hoping he wouldn’t use the information to lowball them, but in case he did, they could always deny his offer.

  “In case any issues arise after the sale and I need to contact the previous owners, how do I go about it?”

  “Through the lawyer or through me.”

  “And how do I contact you?”

  “Messaging, calling, or emailing will do. Or throwing stones at my window.” I smiled, and a strange hiccup sort of laugh escaped my throat. How can this be happening? “I’d be your neighbor. I live next door.”

  “Excellent bonus point. You should’ve started with that.”

  Holy shit. I almost swooned right there. My throat instantly dried up as Robert’s gaze perused my body, slowly and deliberately. I suddenly felt so hot that I wished I could down a glass of ice water right now... or even better, throw a bucket of ice all over my body.

  The other couples descended in the next second, bombarding me with questions. It was mostly stuff already written in the listing, but I didn’t mind repeating it. I felt Robert’s gaze on me, determined and smoldering. He was quiet, but his presence still dominated the space. He was confident, sexy, as if he owned the universe.

  I wondered why he wanted to live here. He looked like he belonged in a penthouse in Manhattan. The owners of the house insisted any interested parties should send me an application before so no one wasted my time. His position and last address had been in it, so I knew he was a hotshot CEO who was moving here from LA. Quite honestly, I couldn’t imagine having this sexy god as my neighbor.

  “Right, I think we’ve covered everything,” I said after the last question. “Do let me know within seventy-two hours if you’re interested.”

  “Can we take another look around?” a man asked. “We’ll just show ourselves out afterward.”

  I was so happy, I could dance. They were going to take it, I was sure of it.

  “Of course.”

  “I’ll take another look too,” Robert said, gaze fixed on me.

  Damn. There was that flash of heat again.

&n
bsp; The second couple left as Robert and the pair who wanted to take another peek went upstairs.

  This time, I did manage to call Tess.

  “Hey, everything all right?” I asked.

  “Yes, it was a successful evening. Twenty percent more sales than yesterday.”

  “Awesome.”

  “How did the house showing go?”

  “I’m still here, waiting for three clients to finish a second tour.”

  “Families?”

  “One is a couple with two kids, the other is a guy.”

  “Dumont?” she asked. She’d gone through the potential buyers’ information with me.

  “That’s the one.”

  “What’s he like?”

  “Ah, I’m trying to think what the best way to describe him is. Smoking hot or fucking gorgeous. He has green eyes and lots of muscle. I’m surprised I didn’t catch fire just looking at him.”

  “Wow. How many muscles are you able to see exactly?”

  “None. But the contour of his ass looks sexy as hell even in jeans. I definitely saw some pecs under his shirt.”

  A light sound alerted me that I wasn’t alone anymore. Shit. I turned around slowly, bracing myself. Robert stood at the bottom of the stairs, smiling.

  “Tess, I’ve got to go,” I murmured. Oh God, he could not have heard that.

  “What? But you were just getting to the good part. And—”

  I disconnected the call, clutching the phone tight.

  Crap! He did hear me; I was sure of it. My cheeks were on fire.

  “Any questions?” I asked.

  His smile grew more pronounced. Masculinity just rolled off him, wrapping around me as he came even closer.

  “One or two, but I think you and I are better off if I keep them to myself.”

  Chapter Three

  Rob

  I couldn’t get Skye Winchester out of my head. The woman was amazingly hot, and I knew she felt the same attraction. It had all been there in her body language and the things she’d said on the phone to whomever she’d been talking to. Her wild hair and curvy body were branded in my mind.

  After the showing, I went back to Manhattan. For now, I lived in a hotel by Central Park. I was currently on a run through the park, and I had to admit, I’d forgotten how humid New York was in summer, even at night. Most people liked running early in the morning, but I preferred the evening. I liked clearing my head before going to sleep.

  But tonight, running seemed to have the opposite effect. The faster I ran, the more Skye came into focus. She’d been so passionate in the presentation of the house, even though she wasn’t actually making any money out of it. She just wanted to help out her neighbors. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d met someone who did things without expecting anything in return—from me or anyone.

  I chuckled, remembering her delicious blush, the way she fidgeted when she realized I’d overheard her. I’d been close to kissing that woman, even though I’d barely met her.

  I pushed myself to run faster, breathing in the hot air. The thumping in my ears blocked out any sound. Far from clearing my mind, I couldn’t stop imagining how Skye would react if I kissed or touched her. I wasn’t one to give up, but it was time to admit there was no forgetting about Skye tonight.

  I slowed my pace when my phone started vibrating. Anne was calling.

  “Hey! I’m running,” I panted into the phone.

  “Wow. Even after the long day? I need to borrow some of that determination of yours. Except, wait. I hate running. Oh, never mind. Heard you scared the whole team today?”

  I grinned. “A few of them looked as if they were about to shit their pants. They’ll get used to it.”

  “I bet they will. How did you like the house? Is it what you want?”

  “The house is solid. Big, but you know me. I like my space.”

  “So you’re taking it?”

  “Not sure.”

  Anne groaned. “Why not?”

  I chuckled, barely believing what I was about to say. “I’m attracted to the woman who did the showing. She lives right next door.”

  “Rob... you’ll never find a place at this rate.”

  Well, shit. I didn’t want to disappoint my sister. I was determined to help her through this tough time. Every day I was prolonging this search was one more day I wasn’t there for her. This was the closest place to Anne I could find.

  “I’m still considering the house,” I told her, hoping to encourage her and ease her mind.

  “Good. But leave the poor woman alone.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I mean it.”

  “Didn’t think you were joking,” I assured her. I wasn’t exactly known for having long-lasting relationships. For the past few years, I hadn’t even considered it. I’d moved from New York to Paris for culinary school, then back to New York, then to LA. My last steady girlfriend had been in high school. I’d moved too often, given too much of myself to the business to seriously think about relationships. I didn’t see that changing in the near future considering where I was at this point in my life. I needed to get things here in New York back on track and take care of Lindsay and Anne.

  “You never know. Just don’t break her heart.”

  “Ouch.”

  “Ah, sorry... just oversensitive with everything happening with Walter.”

  The tone of her voice killed me.

  That scum and I were nothing alike, but I knew she was in pain. The divorce had been hard on her.

  I didn’t do relationships, but I was upfront about that. I didn’t mislead my dates or mistreat them. I didn’t marry someone and then cheat behind her back for ten years. I balled my free hand into a fist. Every time I thought about that scumbag, I wanted to hit something.

  “What I meant was that things can get messy, and you don’t want that kind of relationship down the road, especially when it comes to neighbors.”

  That was true, especially since I planned to buy and not rent.

  I’d always preferred that. I even owned a house in LA, though it had been clear from the beginning that I was only going to be there temporarily. I just didn’t feel like a place was truly mine unless I owned it.

  “Anne, I’ll get a place soon, I promise. Can you put Lindsay on?”

  “Sure.”

  A few seconds later, my niece giggled in the phone. “Hi, Uncle Rob.”

  “Hey, bops. How are you?”

  Before reaching the edge of the park, I slowed my pace even more, not wanting the sound of the traffic to drown out the conversation.

  “When are you moving close to us?” she asked.

  “Soon,” I promised.

  “Can you take me out for ice cream, like Daddy did?”

  “Sure thing.”

  “Yes. Do you know why Daddy doesn’t call? Mommy says it’s because he’s busy.”

  I ran a hand through my hair, gritting my teeth. I’d promised Anne I’d never bad-mouth Walter to Lindsay, and I wouldn’t. But if that asshole wasn’t even calling, it was high time I had a chat with him.

  “Your mom is right.”

  “Okay. When you move, can you teach me how to make fries?”

  “We can certainly try.” I was grinning now, making a mental note to tease Anne later about this. Anne and I were in a friendly competition, wondering which part of the business Lindsay would like when she grew up: the restaurants or the supermarkets. So far, the restaurants were winning by a decent margin. Since I’d be living close to them, I foresaw plenty of opportunities to teach Lindsay some tricks in the kitchen.

  Anne had never liked cooking—at least not as much as I did, hence why she preferred the supermarket end of the business.

  The competition was all just a friendly pastime, because Lindsay might choose to do something else entirely, and that was fine. We didn’t want to put any expectations on her, just as our parents hadn’t laid any on us. We’d chosen to work in the family business because we’d liked it.
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br />   “I love you, Uncle Rob.”

  “I love you too.”

  I wasn’t used to hearing her say it. She’d only started doing that recently, and I had a hunch why. She missed her father. I couldn’t replace him, obviously, but I wanted to be there for her in any capacity possible. Anne and I had had a happy childhood, and I wanted the same for Lindsay.

  After hanging up, I guzzled down water, taking in deep breaths, deciding I wanted to go for another few miles. I’d forgotten that Central Park was the official gathering place in Manhattan. I spotted couples going for a walk and fellow joggers on the pathways snaking under the thick foliage of the trees. Somewhere nearby, someone was listening to loud music.

  I was slowly putting the day behind me, even though I was still pondering whether I should soften my leadership style. But it was just my way, which resembled Dad’s.

  He’d always said I was a born leader. I’d itched to change things even when he was still the CEO. I’d been young and determined and wanted to make him proud. I still wanted that. He and Mom were having the time of their lives in France, and they rarely asked about business, but they were bursting with joy every time Anne and I brought them up to date regarding our numbers. My being a hard-ass (yeah, I could admit that to myself) had gotten me results. It made no sense to change it.

  I looked at pictures of the house again. I could practically visualize Skye in every single photo. I shook my head, laughing at myself.

  I did like the house. It wasn’t exactly what I’d envisioned, but something about it just spoke to me. I could see myself there, and I couldn’t explain it, which was odd for me. I was rational, always weighed pros and cons. I didn’t follow whims or instincts.

  I was torn. I hadn’t made up my mind about the house, but I was sure about two things.

  One: I wasn’t going to let down my sister and niece.

  Two: I wanted Skye Winchester.

  Chapter Four

  Skye

  I didn’t remember making such a fool of myself since my high school days. I’d been embarrassed the entire evening. Thankfully, the couple had joined us right away, before things could get even more awkward, but I hadn’t been able to meet Robert’s eyes again. Honestly, I was still embarrassed the next morning. I replayed the evening in my mind as I entered Soho. This was my favorite part of the city. Soho was unlike any other section in New York. On Broadway there were big-brand stores, coffee shops, art galleries, and restaurants, not to mention street sales associates and even impromptu flea markets.