Long and smutty chapter ahead. Rated M for Mature

Sunday zooms by as it always does when I'm moving from one home to another. I meet with four clients, tour 11 homes and at the end of the day, I get ready to draw up an offer for the Goldmans.

"Have you seen Fig yet?" Tasha scrapes her green straw on the bottom of a Grande Frappuccino, getting every last drop.

"No, why?" I stop at her desk, handing her a lockbox that needs to be re-coded for one of the houses I'm selling.

"She's got a buyer for the Kerry Park place." She tips the cup back for the final sip. "And she's bragging to everyone in sight."

I hang my head. "Ugh." The last thing I need is a smug Fig in my face.

"Mmm hmm."

I lift my head and sigh. "I might have one, too, but I doubt it'll be a competitive offer."

"Then you best get ready for some serious gloating."

"Thanks for the head's up." I round the corner to my office and lurking in front is my nemesis. I hold up one hand. "I already heard you're putting in an offer on the Kerry Park house. I don't need details."

"They'd be foolish not to take it." She grins. "It's $100,000 over asking."

"Good for you." I make my way to my desk. "I have work to do."

She leans against the doorframe. "The commission will set me up for months."

If she sells the house for $4.3 million, her take-home pay will be just over $40,000. The biggest commission I've earned was when I sold a mansion on Mercer Island and made $29,500. I've had several sales where I garnered $20-25,000 but that's significantly less than the Kerry Park place.

"I have a buyer, too," I blurt out as I power on my laptop.

"I saw your list of clients," she says through a slight laugh. "Only one of them has been approved for more than $4 million."

It's unusual for any of us to review other agents' client list, but Fig has made no bones about the fact that she studies the lists each week. There's nothing illegal about it, but Mr. Bloom thought it was borderline unethical. The only reason she gets away with it is because she has fucking Neil Shadwick at her beck and call.

"We'll see." I bite hard on my back teeth. "Close the door on your way out, please."

I can't stand that woman. There must be a way for the Goldmans to get that house. I swivel my chair and stare at the falling leaves in the park and think for a moment. After about five minutes, it hits me—I think I have a plan. I hastily text Alex: Have some questions about the Kerry Park place. Can you talk?

I begin filling in the standard fields on the form to put in a formal offer, and a few minutes later, my phone chirps. It's Alex, which makes me smile even though I know it's a work thing. Will call soon.

I get halfway through the form when my mobile rings. I pick it up and notice her name. I should probably change it to A.P. Vause, but I can't bring myself to do that just yet.

"Hi," I answer with a foolish grin.

"Hey." I picture her smiling. "How's it going?"

"Busy but good," I reply. "You?"

"On my way back to the office after a grueling day," she sighs. "Can we talk about the work thing real quick and then discuss plans for tomorrow night?"

It excites me that Alex seems as eager as I am to see each other again.

"I told you last night that my clients are going to put in an offer on the Kerry Park place," I start. "They had a strict budget of $4 million, but they love the house so much they're willing to go over."

"That's good," she responds.

"If I can convince them to offer $4.4 do you think that's competitive enough?"

"Maybe," Alex says. "I know we have two offers on the table, but my clients don't want to start reviewing them until tomorrow."

I open the Rainier Realty website and see Alex's picture as the listing agent of the house we're talking about. She's even more beautiful in person than this headshot. "You haven't glanced at them?"

"I had a late night last night and my first showing was at 7:30 this morning."

She mentioned she had something to do after dinner yesterday, so her confessing it was a 'late night' makes my stomach sink. Is she doing something illegal? Does she have a side hustle? Is she seeing another woman?

I can't think about that right now—my focus needs to remain on work. "I'm thinking of kicking in a percentage of my commission to help the Goldmans get the house."

"Really?" I picture her eyebrows skyrocketing.

"I've only done it one other time," I say. "And it was worth it."

"That wouldn't be a small drop in the bucket," she replies. "You'd have to forfeit like $10,000 minimum."

"If it means getting this property, I think I'm going to do it." I punch some numbers into my calculator. "The reason I wanted to talk this evening is to see if we could have right of first refusal."

"I'll have to check with Tabitha."

"There's one other thing." I get up and open a window to let some fresh air inside. "Sometimes a personal letter from my clients helps tug at the heartstrings of the sellers. It's worked on a few occasions, and I'm wondering if that might be the case with the Kerry Park place."

I hear the engine stop, so she must be at her office. "So, you want me to tell you more about them?"

I nod. "Yes."

There's a momentary pause as if she's thinking about whether or not this is kosher. If the silence lingers much longer, I'll affirm that it happens all the time.

"The Zarings raised three kids in that house and lived there for nearly 35 years." I hear the car door shut. "Dr. Zaring retired a few years ago from a private practice about a mile from the house, and he and his wife moved to a single-level home in Poulsbo about a month ago."

My eyes widen. "He was a doctor?"

"Yeah." I hear what sounds like her jogging up a few steps. "Is that important?"

"My client is a doctor and he and his wife have three children," I reply, sitting back in my chair and jotting a few things down. "We could be on to something."

"Even with a special letter, Piper, the sellers are going to take the highest offer. Period."

I decide to fess up. "One of my colleagues—the one I told you about who I loathe—is putting in an offer for $4.4 million. I want to beat her. If that means kicking in $10,000 of my commission to cover closing costs, I'm willing to make that sacrifice."

"Tabitha, do you have a minute?" She says in a muffled voice as if she pulled the phone away. "I'm going to talk with my boss, and I'll call you back."

"Ok, thanks." I hang up and let out a long breath. This has to work.

I busy myself with filling out the pertinent paperwork again, and a few minutes later, I get a call from the Goldmans saying they want to see the house with their children tonight. Not long after that, my phone rings again.

"Tell me you have good news," I answer.

"I do," Alex responds. "We're willing to offer you right of first refusal, and if your client's offer is selected, they'd have to be open to escalating the closing."

"I can make that happen." I nod vigorously. "They want to see the house one more time with their kids. I'm going to head over there in about an hour."

"I'll meet you."

Nowadays, every agent can get into homes listed by other firms by having access to lockboxes or digital codes. As the listing agent, Alex doesn't need to let us in the house. I know that, and she knows that. That means she knows I know that. I can't help but smile—Alex wants to see me.

"Great," I reply through a toothy grin. "I'll be there just before eight."

"See you then."

I take a moment to swoon a bit at the thought of seeing Alex even though it's work-related. I still can't believe we didn't kiss last night, and even though this is a work thing, if the timing feels right, I'm going to kiss her when no one else is around.

Just before 8 p.m. I arrive at the Kerry Park home and notice the lights are on. That means either the last person here left them on, or Alex is already inside. I turn the doorknob and find it's open, so I walk in. "Anyone here?"

"Yeah," comes Alex's now familiar voice. "In the kitchen."

As I approach the entryway, I watch her run a paper towel over the expansive kitchen counter. "Hi."

"Hey." She smiles. "Are your clients with you?"

"No," I respond. "They should be here any minute."

Her eyes rake over my body. "How do you look this good at the end of a busy day?"

I glance at my outfit, and then at Alex in her perfectly fitted dark green dress. Her hair is wavy, and her lips are glossed. "If anyone looks good, it's you."

She slowly circles the kitchen island and heads towards me with a confident, seductive smirk in place. I take a step in her direction and am close enough to smell her Kiehl's lotion. She reaches out to grab hand, and as soon as our fingers touch, there's a knock on the door.

"Hello? Piper are you here?" Julia Goldman calls.

Fuck. Another possible kiss is thwarted by my client showing up two minutes early. I take a step back and reply, "In the kitchen."

Alex quickly drops my fingers and flicks her hair over her shoulders. "Back to work, I guess."

Before I have time to respond, two of the Goldman children rush in.

"Whoa, this place is huge," the older one exclaims.

"Where's my room?" the younger boy, who can't be older than five, asks.

Julia approaches us, placing a hand on her son's head. "This isn't our house yet, sweetie."

"Kids, what did I say?" Dr. Goldman crouches down, looking them in the eye. "We're just checking the house out. It's a long way from being ours."

They nod simultaneously.

"Where's the basketball hoop?"

Dr. Goldman points towards the backyard. "Out there."

The three children scurry outside.

"I'm not sure it was such a good idea to bring them here without knowing if our bid has been accepted," Julia sighs.

"Hopefully we can make it a reality." I smile. "This is Al—A.P. Vause, the listing agent."

"Thanks for coming." She shakes each of their hands. "I'm sure it comes as no surprise that we're going to get multiple offers on this place. I have two on my desk as we speak, and it's my understanding that at least one more will come in tomorrow."

"It's definitely not a surprise." Julia glances at her husband. "Piper told us there might be a way for us to come out on top. Mind if we talk that out?"

"Of course." I turn to Alex. "We'll be in the living room."

"I'll show the kids around if you'd like," she offers.

No other realtor has ever offered to help in such a way. I'm both surprised and honored Alex is willing to pitch in. Of course, the sale of this home will line her pockets nicely, so it's not completely altruistic.

I review the plan with my clients, they ask a few clarifying questions, and Dr. Goldman states that if his children love it as much as they do, they're willing to offer $4.4 million. If this goes through and I beat Fig, I'll be over the moon.

While Alex takes the kids on a tour, I help the Goldmans write a letter that should appeal to the sellers. I'll submit the letter with the offer that I'll e-mail over to Alex tonight.

The girl comes barreling downstairs. "Mom, when can we move in?"

"Did you see the basement with the big screen TV?" the older boy screams. "We could play video games all day!"

"Even if we buy this place, you won't play video games all day," Dr. Goldman states.

"What did you think?" Julia unnecessarily asks.

While they talk about the merits of the home and go on one more tour as a family, I excuse myself and join Alex back in the kitchen.

"How'd it go?" she asks.

"They're going to offer $4.4," I reply. "I know Fig's offering the same, but hopefully that's where my covering closing costs should put us over the top."

She bursts my bubble with, "Unless we get a higher offer."

I squinch my lips to the side.

"I'm willing to help you out, Piper, but you have to understand my clients will want top-dollar." Alex walks towards me. "It's not like I can turn down even $50,000 more just so you can get the sale."

"I know." I nod. "But with right of first refusal if they get out bid, the Goldmans can talk it over if it comes down to something like $50,000 more."

Seconds later, Dr. Goldman enters the kitchen. "I think we've seen everything we need to see. When will you be in touch?"

"As soon as I hear anything," I respond, then look at Alex. "When do you hope to make the decision?"

"Monday afternoon at the earliest; Tuesday evening at the latest."

"You'll be my first call," I say to my clients.

Dr. Goldman nods, and I see him and his family out.

"I know it's a longshot, but it's worth taking," I mention as I return to the kitchen. "Alex?"

"Turning the lights off," she calls from the dining room. "Would you mind making sure the grill is closed and everything is in order outside?"

I do as I'm told, then meet her in the living room. "It's all good out there. What about upstairs?"

"I was just about to check." She turns towards the stairs.

"I wouldn't mind seeing that master bath again." I jog up the stairs behind her. "Who do you guys use for staging? The furniture in here is nice."

"We alternate between three or four companies." She shuts off the lights in one of the bedrooms. "We used Houghton Homes for this one. They're pricey but worth it."

I pass through the Jack and Jill bathroom, turning off the lights. "I've worked with them a number of times. Have you tried Jacqueline Spade? I think she's a little less expensive but has a massive inventory for traditional homes like this."

"Send me her contact info." She enters the master bathroom with hands on her hips. "You have to admit—this is pretty amazing."

I walk up behind her and gaze through the large window just beyond the soaking tub that's trimmed with marble tile. Even though it's dark, I can see the outline of fir trees lining the backyard.

Her head swivels and she looks in the oval mirror as a smile slowly forms. "Look at us."

I stare at our reflection. We look good together—amazing contrasts especially with her dark hair and my blonde. Her skin is lighter than mine, and her green dress compliments my burnt-orange sweater and ivory pants.

"So different from when we were in high school," she notes.

I tear my glance away from the mirror and look directly at her instead. "I meant to dig through a few boxes in my basement to see if I still have my yearbook from freshman year."

A little snort escapes. "It probably says, Alex Vause, not pictured."

"There has to be at least one photo of you."

"Maybe." She touches my shoulder, brushing wisps of blonde hair back. "I'd rather focus on the present."

There is no way I'm letting this moment pass; however, Alex is a step ahead of me. She stares at my mouth, hand cupping my cheek, and I close my eyes as I crane my neck. Our lips touch tentatively at first, and then with a little more fervor as if we feel each other out. I can't help the mewing sound that escapes, and she chuckles against my lips. Hers are full and warm and she tastes like toasted bread. Her other hand moves up my arm, onto my shoulder, and then into my hair. I angle my head and feel her tongue press gently against my lips. I open my mouth wider, letting it in and tangling mine with hers. Alex moans, and I'm drowning in this kiss.

I place one hand on her hip and the other on her neck, pulling her closer as the kiss intensifies. I love the way she tastes, smells and feels, and as first kisses go, this might be the best ever.

She presses her forehead against mine.

"Wow," I breathe.

"Yeah." She pulls back and smiles. "Tell me you haven't been curious about how that would feel since we ran into each other that night at the Met."

"I have." I lace my fingers with hers. "And it might've happened if you hadn't walked out with a gaggle of women."

"A gaggle?" she laughs. "There were three of them."

I shrug. "Still."

"Well..." Her thumb traces my bottom lip. "I've been curious about what kissing you would feel like since high school."

My eyes pop open. "High school?"

She nods. "I mean, it's not like we knew each other well, but you went to that Gay/Straight Alliance meeting, and I thought you were cute."

"Really?" That shocks the hell out of me. "I thought I was the only one who was intrigued by you."

"Apparently not." She raises one eyebrow. "Imagine if we would've hooked up back then."

I squeeze her hand. "I wouldn't have known the first thing about being with a woman."

"I don't think we would've had sex or anything," she chuckles. "But if we would've kissed—where would that have led us?"

"It would've been exhilarating," I admit. "But it wouldn't have led us anywhere. I was too young to understand the nuances of any relationship much less one with another girl."

"Mmm."

I glance up at her. "Do you think things would've turned out differently?"

"No." She shakes her head. "I was a self-righteous dick back then—rebellious to the point of stupidity. I blew opportunities left and right with my education and with girls." She kisses the tip of my nose. "You were way out of my league, kid."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She shrugs. "You were all preppy and bubbly. I figured you were from a WASPy family and wouldn't have given me the time of day."

I crease my forehead. "You thought about me?"

"For like a week after that GSA thing," she confesses. "When I came back after being suspended, I saw you holding hands with a guy in the cafeteria. I never really thought about you after that."

I can't help the smile that spreads across my face, knowing that Alex had the inklings of a crush on me 20 plus years ago. "Damn that Noah Singleton."

She lets out a soft laugh and runs her fingertips down my cheek. "You're even more beautiful now."

I blush at such a compliment. "I admit that I was oddly attracted to you back then, but you're far more beautiful now."

Her lips tic up. "Oddly attracted to me?"

"I was conditioned to like boys." I lift my shoulders. "But you fascinated me despite that."

"Well, now that high school is far behind us…" She leans forward, gently kissing the corner of my mouth. "Here we are."

"Here we are." I kiss her again.

"I'm glad I ran into you, kid." Alex cups my cheek. "And I'm glad we're finally doing this."

"Me, too." I glance at our surroundings. "Even if it's in the master bath at a house you're trying to sell."

That earns me a hearty laugh. "Yeah, that's kind of weird."

I tilt my head. "You've never had fantasies about making out in a house you've listed?"

She wraps her finger and thumb around her black eyeglasses and replies, "Not until now."

Once again, I lift my head and our lips meet. This kiss is just as exhilarating as the first, but it deepens faster.

Alex walks backwards towards the bedroom, pulling me by one hand. She stops in the middle of the room and breaks the kiss. "You are so beautiful," comes out barely above a whisper.

I kiss her again, wrapping my arms around her shoulders and pulling her so close that our noses smash. Her lips trail from my chin to my neck, while one hand runs down the front of my sweater, stopping to massage my breast. I can't control the moan that such a move elicits. Alex sticks two fingers into the neck of my sweater, moving it aside so she can kiss my bare skin. She drags my bra strap along with the wool fabric, and my shoulder is exposed to the cool air, but her mouth is warm against it.

My fingertips skim up her arm and across her chest, ultimately landing on her left breast. It has been a very long time since I touched a woman like this, and as I recall, her boobs were small, and I was wasted. My senses are on overload and I can't think straight; however, I know where we are—in the middle of someone else's bedroom. Though this isn't the owner's furniture and there are likely no sheets beneath the fancy comforter, I don't think we should go much further than we already have.

"Alex?"

Her teeth lightly graze my clavicle. "Hmm?"

I tilt my head, allowing her easier access across my shoulder blade and back to my neck. "We should…um…"

"We should what?" she asks in a deep, sex-laced voice. "Stop?" She doesn't stop; instead, she kisses a line up my neck, tongue darting out every so often, until her mouth returns to mine. It's warm and inviting like a hot cup of tea on a cold morning, and I never want her to stop kissing me.

If she's not going to quit, then I might as well continue. Trouble is, she's wearing a dress—a tight yet professional dress that leaves no place for me to reach bare skin—and I want to touch her skin.

I pull back again, noticing Alex's pupils are slightly dilated and her lips are perfectly parted; I'm sure her expression mirrors my own. I'm mere inches away from tangling my hands in her long, black hair and pulling her flush against me, but I'm cognizant of where we're standing. "This is wildly inappropriate," I mumble with very little conviction.

"What can I say? I got carried away." She runs a hand over her head. "I just look at you and my body responds, you know?"

Do I really care where we are? It's not like one of us is a man and there will be ejaculation that we'd have to clean up if we have sex. That's a positively disgusting thought and almost makes me back away. The fact is I want this—I want Alex.

So, my hands do tangle in her long, black hair and I pull her flush against me just as I'd hoped to a minute earlier. Our kiss is ferocious, teeth hitting each other enough for both of us to pull back and run a finger over them to make sure there's no damage. That elicits a couple of quick, thankful smiles, and then we're kissing again. Alex tugs at my sweater, so I lift it over my head. As I reach for her, she grabs my wrist.

"Stop." She's breathing heavily.

Is she now having a change of heart?

"Let me look at you."

Oh, thank God.

I stand before her in my pink lacy bra, matching her shallow breathing and feeling a little self-conscious. Her fingers trace the material between my breasts and down my stomach, leaving a path of goosebumps prickling my skin. She traces the slight V that forms on one side of my stomach until hooking a finger into the waistband of my pants, tugging me closer.

"I'm trying to think of a different word." She kisses my jawline. "It seems I've overused beautiful."

"Thank you for the compliment," I reply, tickled by Alex's commitment to semantics. "No need to pull out the thesaurus."

"See, now I feel like I should." She brushes my hair aside, lips returning to mine. "Gorgeous, stunning, elegant, attractive…" Every word is followed by a kiss. "I didn't need to go to college to describe exactly how beautiful you are."

"If you're trying to butter me up, that's wholly unnecessary."

She holds my upper arms and stares at me once more, shaking her head and making an appreciative sound. Her eyes journey down my body until landing on my navel. She unbuttons, then unzips my pants. I'm thankful that I chose a matching set of underwear this morning. Alex's hands wander over my hips and land on my ass inside the pants. She makes a quick motion, and they fall to my knees. I step out of them as my pulse quickens. I've never felt this…admired before.

"Turn around," she says, but it's not like I have a choice—Alex's fingers press into my hips, forcing me to turn.

She stops her movements when my back is to her, and it's then when I notice a floor to ceiling mirror. She hooks an arm low over my chest, making a sort of V with her elbow with her hand holding my opposite shoulder.

"We make a stunning couple," I note.

She smirks. "We do." Her other hand scrolls down my right side, landing on my waist and squeezing it. "After dinner last night, I had plans to see another woman."

That is not where I expected this conversation to go. I'm beginning to feel as naked as I am.

"I drove to her house, and she was waiting for me in a skimpy little negligée." Her fingertips glide over my stomach muscles. "We've had a purely physical relationship for the better part of a year."

I can't take it anymore. I turn around and stare at her. "Why are you telling me this?"

She raises her eyebrows. "Because I ended things with her last night—permanently."

"Why?" I shake my head.

"Maybe this is premature," she responds. "And maybe I'm overly optimistic, but I couldn't agree more with what you said—we make a stunning couple."

I meant physically, but I don't voice that.

"I've never done that before," she admits. "Ended things preemptively so I could be with someone else. Those relationships just sort of ran their course." She kisses my shoulder. "This might sound crazy, but I think there's more to us than just a physical relationship."

I shake my head, blush landing on my cheeks. "You're not crazy."

She grins. "Though I have a feeling the physical component will be spectacular."

"I can't imagine it not," I concur.

Alex presses her lips against mine, and this kiss is slower, lazier than the others. "I didn't kiss you after dinner last night because I wanted to do this right, Piper."

My knees weaken not only because of the way she's touching the indent on my lower back but because she has showered me with praise for the past 20 minutes.

"Let me do this."

I don't know exactly what she's talking about, but I'll let her do just about anything right about now so does it really matter?

She turns me around again, mirroring the position we were in moments ago where I can see our reflection in the mirror. This time, both hands cover my breasts and she kneads them until my nipples form stiff peaks. Her thumb and forefinger pinch my left nipple enough for me to elicit a deep, guttural moan. The other hand snakes down my stomach, fingertips lingering at the waistband of my lacy thong before reaching in.

I know I'm soaking wet, but I'm not sure if I should be embarrassed or turned on. When Alex smirks, I have my answer. She kisses my ear and mumbles the word, wet against it. My mouth hangs open as she runs a finger in my slit and her hot mouth cups my ear. The sounds she's making that I can hear oh so well considering they're literally in my ear are enough to make me like Jell-O in her grasp.

Her eye catches mine in the mirror. "I want you to watch me make you cum, Piper."

I swallow hard as her movement increases. She uses a second finger to roam up and down my slit and the pad of her thumb circles my clit. I'm not sure if I've ever been this aroused before.

"I'm…I'm…so close…" And that does it. I collapse against her, convulsing in ways I'm entirely unaccustomed to, but she doesn't relent.

She holds me against her, never stopping her ministrations on my clit. "Don't stop," she whispers.

I'm not sure if a second orgasm rolls through me or if this is still the first, but I've lost all control of my body. If it weren't for Alex holding me upright, I'd collapse. I'm not quiet either, but judging from the grin on her face, she likes my exuberance.

"That's it," I pant. "I can't, please."

Slowly, she removes her slick fingers from my pussy and stares at them. So help me God if she pops them in her mouth.

And she does. Her eyes roll back as she tastes me and a moan rings out. "So good."

I'm entirely too turned on by what she's doing. "What are you doing to me?"

One brow cocks up. "Just getting started." She pushes my shoulder until I'm sitting on the bench at the end of the bed.

"Alex, I want to see you," I say as I finger the lacy fabric that clings to her skin just below her hips. "I want to touch you."

"But I'm not done with you." Despite the grievance, she unzips her dress, then steps out of the garment, revealing teal underwear similar to mine with the lace, but hers are tangas.

I waste no time, reaching around the material to find her hairy pussy. The outside is already wet, so when I dip a finger inside, I'm rewarded with a soaking wet center. I can't help but smirk. "I like that I did this to you."

"You did that to me the night we first met," she confesses. "Hell, you did that to me in high school."

Even though she confessed that she had a crush on me back then, it's still unbelievable. "We didn't even know each other."

"I didn't have to know you for my body to react," she chuckles. "So, imagine my delight when we reconnected at the townhouse that night."

I lower one bra strap, mouth immediately seeking her erect nipple. "You thought I was hot back then?"

"Yes," comes out in a raspy voice. "But not nearly as hot as you are now."

I plunge a finger into her opening, and she lets out a low moan. I will return to this newfound knowledge about what Alex thought of me 20 plus years ago, but for now, I want to make her cum. I've never done this to a woman, so the sensations are all new. This is an entirely different sexual experience—it's more intimate and sensual. I love how soft and squishy her pussy is.

I get self-conscious enough to ask, "Is this ok?"

"It will always be ok," she replies.

"I want it to be more than just ok." I take her breast into my mouth, and her head falls back.

"Trust me, Piper, it is."

While I bathe her breast with my tongue, she lowers her hand into her own underwear, taking my wrist and moving it in a way I'm assuming works better for her. I allow her to show me what she wants.

"Like that," she whispers.

I want to watch her cum just as she got to watch me, so I replace my mouth with my fingers on her nipple and stare into her eyes. "Like this?"

She nods. "Yes."

That's all it takes for an orgasm to rip through her. My name comes out of her mouth in a litany of praise, and her head rolls back with delight. I watch her intently, hoping to take in every inch of her convulsions. I stick two fingers inside her opening and feel ripples roll over it like a tiny earthquake.

She comes down from that high breathing heavily like I was just a few minutes ago.

"Fuck," she mumbles.

I sit on the carpet and reach for her so that we can lie in each other's arms.

She sloppily kisses me as her breathing slowly returns to normal. "That was unexpected."

"It was." I wrap my arms around her, kissing whatever skin I can find.

"We're going to have to seriously disinfect this room."

I smile against her shoulder. "I've never had a one-night stand."

"You still haven't—" she chuckles. "That's not what this is."

Alex has done everything to assure me this isn't a singular event. She ended things with her occasional lover for God's sake. "No; it's not."

"You mentioned you'd hooked up with girls before." She rolls onto her back, bringing me with her until my chest rests against hers in a sort of lopsided way.

"I never had sex with them," I admit. "And I didn't have sex with the guys I've been with until at least a month into our relationship."

She lazily runs her fingertips up and down my back. "Mmm."

"I'm assuming you have."

"Yeah." Alex lifts my chin with two fingers. "It's never been worth it really."

I'm not sure why I feel the desire to have this confirmed, but just so we're clear, I ask. "You broke up with your lover to be with me?"

She nods. "Like I said, I don't want to be with anyone else."

That astonishes me. I mean, I have no intention of being with anyone else either, but for this confident, bad ass, stunningly gorgeous woman to say that to me is shocking. "Neither do I."

"That's strange, isn't it?" She smiles. "That we've only hung out a few times and are already talking about being exclusive. It's never happened to me before."

"Same." I kiss her, and we remain silent for a moment. I reflect on what has happened over the past hour, and I'm amazed by this turn of events. I knew I wanted to kiss Alex, but I never imagined a kiss would lead to sex—spectacular sex.

She glances at the clock behind me. "Fuck, we have to go."

I don't want this evening to end. "You're right."

She gets to her feet and arches her back. "I promised two clients I'd write up offers tonight and have it in their inbox before they wake up tomorrow."

"Two offers in one day?" I stand, feeling tightness in my back and neck.

She smirks as she opens the closet, pulling out a vacuum cleaner. "Is that unusual for you?"

"I can't say it happens often," I admit, wondering how often our competitiveness will surface. "Where are the properties?"

"One is in Renton, the other is in White Center." She picks my sweater up off the floor, hands it to me, and then turns the vacuum on, making quick work on the Berber carpet.

"I don't show much south of I-90," I reply after she turns it off. "One of our agents, Jeremy Thorpe, has been covering South Seattle for four or five years."

"I've met him a few times." She wheels the vacuum back in the closet, then proceeds to the bathroom. "Seems like a nice enough guy."

"He is." I stand next to her, staring at my messy hair in the mirror and trying to tame it with my fingers. "Unlike Natalie Figueroa."

"Tell me how you really feel." She pulls a can of Lysol from under the sink, giving the room a good spray, and then moves into the bedroom to do the same.

"I don't like anything about that woman," I say. "She's smarmy and competitive and rude for the sake of being rude."

She places the can back under the sink. "Is she the skinny woman with dark hair and kind of a pointy nose? Relatively attractive?"

"Gross."

Alex chuckles as she wraps her arms around my waist. "Not nearly as attractive as you."

"You're just saying that." I turn around and link my hands behind her neck.

"I'm not," she responds with a slight laugh. "You're the hottest realtor out there."

"No, I'm not." I lean up to kiss her. "You are."

She deepens the kiss. "Are we still on for tomorrow night?"

"Definitely," I reply between kisses. "I know we're getting together at your place, but if we start going out in public, what are we going to do if someone from one of our firms sees us?"

"I'm willing to take my chances." She nips at my lower lip. "And we can discuss our strategy if we're seen in public later."

I don't want her to stop kissing me especially as her hand moves to my ass.

She steps back, arms extended on my shoulders. "If we don't walk out of here now, I'm never going to leave."

I take her by the hand and walk out of the bathroom to the stairs.

She looks around once more, making sure everything is tidy. "I'll never look at this house the same way again."

I laugh. "Me, neither."

"Ready?" She holds both my hands in the entryway.

I nod.

She kisses me before stepping outside and locking the door. "Should I expect an offer from you tomorrow morning?"

"I'm hoping to finish it up tonight." I love that she's still holding my hand as we walk down the sidewalk. "Will you let me know the status of things as soon as you can?"

"I will." She squeezes my hand, then releases it when we get to my Acura. "I can't wait to see you again tomorrow night."

"Me, too." I lean up and kiss her. "Good night, Alex."

She steps back and waves. "Good night, Piper."

What I told Alex about my fantasies about making out in a house I'm trying to buy or sell is true, but I never thought I'd have sex in one. We seem to have this magnetic pull, and all reason went out the window when her lips touched mine or her fingertips landed on my bare skin. This is a night I'll never forget.

Author's Note: My guess is you're either going to think the sex scene was hot or inappropriate. I wrote it from personal experience but in a model home not a home for sale.