Excerpt for Yours or Mine
“Let’s go down to the basement.” Karen turned to Blake. “I bet you’ll be interested in seeing the exercise room. The parents are leaving their equipment.”
Do I look like a sedentary person? Sydney wondered while on the steps to the basement.
Karen pointed out a bathroom in the basement before entering the exercise room.
Blake looked pleased as he touched the dumbbells. “I might drop my gym membership if I buy this place.”
She’d show Karen not to overlook her fit body. She hopped on the treadmill and pushed the start button. While running a little faster than she wanted, Sydney said in a loud voice, “I jog daily, but having a treadmill would be great to have on crappy days.”
“I try to jog while Carter’s in school.”
Karen stared at her for a moment. “Sydney, if you’ve had enough running, maybe we could go back upstairs.”
She quickly switched off the machine and before she could stop herself, her body smacked against Blake’s chest. He put his arms around Sydney to stop her from falling. Feeling a bit dizzy, she looked up at him. “Sorry, I slipped when I stepped off.”
“That’s okay. But I think I should tell you that something else slipped.” He gave her a sexy grin while looking at her blouse. “You’re unbuttoned from all that exertion you did on the treadmill.”
She glanced, seeing what Blake saw…the button over her breasts had popped open. Her face felt hot and probably now matched her pink shirt. It must have shrunk in the dryer. She’d noticed the blouse was a bit snug when she’d put it on in the morning.
While buttoning, she mumbled, “Thanks.” She pulled slightly on the shirt, then looked at Karen. “Could we see the master bedroom next? The picture online looked great.”
Karen said, “It’s a gorgeous room.”
As she followed Karen, Sydney thought about Blake’s hard chest. He definitely had told the truth about belonging to the gym. He must work out several times a week to have such a solid body.
Once in the master bedroom, Karen glanced upward. “Notice the tray ceiling and the recessed lighting.” Opening a door, she said, “There are two walk-in closets so neither of you will lack for space.”
Good, she could stop looking at the bed and quit imagining a naked Blake in it. Feeling Blake’s chest had aroused her. Being in this bedroom wasn’t helping her condition. Her body needed cooling off so she was happy to look inside the closets. They were huge. “Wow, this is awesome. So much room for my stuff.”
“Sydney, you’re going to appreciate the master bathroom. It has a garden tub, separate shower,” Karen said. “And the other side is exactly the same dimensions for the bedrooms.”
After following Karen, Sydney stopped by a fancy chair in front of the mirror. “I can sit here to put my makeup on. How nice.”
With his hands resting on the counter between the double sinks, Blake said, “I can’t get over how big the bedroom and bathroom are.”
Blake was absolutely correct. If she had a husband, it’d be perfect, but she might as well face it. This place might be too much house for her. What if Anna didn't want to rent the other side? She glanced at him. “It’s definitely bigger than where I live now.”
“Don’t forget the price is $50,000 below market value.” Karen touched her necklace. “Wait until you see the deck off the bedroom. I doubt you two will be able to tear yourselves away.”
As they left the bathroom and walked through the bedroom, Blake chuckled. “Hey, Sydney, you won’t need to use the treadmill. You’ll get enough exercise just walking through here a few times a day.”
The door opened to a deck overlooking a wooded lot in the back of the property. A breeze ruffled her hair. She took a deep breath, enjoying being outside. “The view’s incredible. I can enjoy the fresh air and sit out here while I write.”
“What do you write?” Blake asked.
“A column.”
Blake stood so close that his shoulder brushed hers. Her heart raced at his touch.
He arched his eyebrows. “What’s the column about?”
While Sydney hesitated, Karen blurted, “She gives dating advice. She’s good. My single daughter loves her column.”
His blue eyes widened. “That’s great. I’ll be sure to start reading it.”
Sydney was pleased with Blake’s reaction. Mark had laughed when he learned what she wrote and asked, “You get paid for that?”
She’d glared at him and said, “Hey, I work hard on my column. And I write about relationships which obviously are important. They are the foundation of future, deep love between couples.”
After leaving the deck, Karen showed them the other smaller but still roomy bedroom, which was now used as a study.
Sydney said, “I'd like to keep it as a study, but then I won't have a bedroom for my niece and nephew. It'd be great to have them spend weekends here.”
Blake cocked his eyebrows. “How old are they?”
“Jessica’s five and Aaron‘s seven.”
Karen clenched her jaw slightly. “Maybe you could have your study in the basement. Or live on the other side. The daughter has her two girls in the second bedroom.”
"I'm glad the two bedrooms are close together. I want Carter in a room close to mine. My wife died from cancer when Carter was only four years old. He's all I have.”
“I’m so sorry about your wife.” Sydney wondered if that was why he wanted to move. Maybe there were too many memories of his wife where he lived now with Carter.
Karen gave Blake a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry about your loss. This floor plan would be nice for you and your little boy. Do you have a house you need to sell first?”
“After my wife died, I sold our house. I’ve been renting a townhouse, but I’d like to have my own place again,” Blake said.
After they walked out of the house, Karen stopped by a hot tub. “They're leaving the hot tub.”
“That’s great,” Blake said. “I can relax after working out.”
Her parents had a hot tub but it’d be nice to have her own. “I’d love to soak in it after playing sports.”
Blake gave her a thoughtful look. “What sports do you play?”
“Right now, I’m on a church softball team and, during the winter, I play on a co-ed basketball team. What about you?”
“Racquetball—whenever I can fit it in.”
Karen motioned to them to join her on the huge deck. “The sellers told me they enjoyed throwing summer parties here.”
Sydney thought how cute the deck would look with big clay pots of flowers. “With this view and deck, I’d love to give a party. And I’d enjoy sunbathing here.”
Karen ignored her comment. “Blake, I bet your son would love to play in this big yard.”
He nodded. “I was just picturing tents pitched back here for a campout for Carter’s Cub Scout troop.”
“Excuse me,” Karen said as her cell phone rang. “I better take this call. It’s a client I’m showing a house to next.”
When Karen was out of earshot, Sydney turned to Blake, “You’re using the kid a lot to discourage me from buying the house.”
Blake grinned. “Is it working?”
She grinned back. “No, but it is for Karen. She definitely favors you. I think she’s expecting you to have a better cash flow to buy the house or better credit to get a loan faster.”
“I liked your party idea. Sounds like fun. If you buy the house, am I invited?”
“Clever man, changing the subject. I guess that means you won’t have any hard feelings if I get it.” She was elated he wanted to see her again. But she wanted to play it cool, even though she definitely wanted to feel his arms around her again. She’d never mentioned in her column about meeting guys while house shopping, but maybe going to open houses could be productive for other singles. Young professionals needed houses after all and didn’t want to rent forever.
Do I look like a sedentary person? Sydney wondered while on the steps to the basement.
Karen pointed out a bathroom in the basement before entering the exercise room.
Blake looked pleased as he touched the dumbbells. “I might drop my gym membership if I buy this place.”
She’d show Karen not to overlook her fit body. She hopped on the treadmill and pushed the start button. While running a little faster than she wanted, Sydney said in a loud voice, “I jog daily, but having a treadmill would be great to have on crappy days.”
“I try to jog while Carter’s in school.”
Karen stared at her for a moment. “Sydney, if you’ve had enough running, maybe we could go back upstairs.”
She quickly switched off the machine and before she could stop herself, her body smacked against Blake’s chest. He put his arms around Sydney to stop her from falling. Feeling a bit dizzy, she looked up at him. “Sorry, I slipped when I stepped off.”
“That’s okay. But I think I should tell you that something else slipped.” He gave her a sexy grin while looking at her blouse. “You’re unbuttoned from all that exertion you did on the treadmill.”
She glanced, seeing what Blake saw…the button over her breasts had popped open. Her face felt hot and probably now matched her pink shirt. It must have shrunk in the dryer. She’d noticed the blouse was a bit snug when she’d put it on in the morning.
While buttoning, she mumbled, “Thanks.” She pulled slightly on the shirt, then looked at Karen. “Could we see the master bedroom next? The picture online looked great.”
Karen said, “It’s a gorgeous room.”
As she followed Karen, Sydney thought about Blake’s hard chest. He definitely had told the truth about belonging to the gym. He must work out several times a week to have such a solid body.
Once in the master bedroom, Karen glanced upward. “Notice the tray ceiling and the recessed lighting.” Opening a door, she said, “There are two walk-in closets so neither of you will lack for space.”
Good, she could stop looking at the bed and quit imagining a naked Blake in it. Feeling Blake’s chest had aroused her. Being in this bedroom wasn’t helping her condition. Her body needed cooling off so she was happy to look inside the closets. They were huge. “Wow, this is awesome. So much room for my stuff.”
“Sydney, you’re going to appreciate the master bathroom. It has a garden tub, separate shower,” Karen said. “And the other side is exactly the same dimensions for the bedrooms.”
After following Karen, Sydney stopped by a fancy chair in front of the mirror. “I can sit here to put my makeup on. How nice.”
With his hands resting on the counter between the double sinks, Blake said, “I can’t get over how big the bedroom and bathroom are.”
Blake was absolutely correct. If she had a husband, it’d be perfect, but she might as well face it. This place might be too much house for her. What if Anna didn't want to rent the other side? She glanced at him. “It’s definitely bigger than where I live now.”
“Don’t forget the price is $50,000 below market value.” Karen touched her necklace. “Wait until you see the deck off the bedroom. I doubt you two will be able to tear yourselves away.”
As they left the bathroom and walked through the bedroom, Blake chuckled. “Hey, Sydney, you won’t need to use the treadmill. You’ll get enough exercise just walking through here a few times a day.”
The door opened to a deck overlooking a wooded lot in the back of the property. A breeze ruffled her hair. She took a deep breath, enjoying being outside. “The view’s incredible. I can enjoy the fresh air and sit out here while I write.”
“What do you write?” Blake asked.
“A column.”
Blake stood so close that his shoulder brushed hers. Her heart raced at his touch.
He arched his eyebrows. “What’s the column about?”
While Sydney hesitated, Karen blurted, “She gives dating advice. She’s good. My single daughter loves her column.”
His blue eyes widened. “That’s great. I’ll be sure to start reading it.”
Sydney was pleased with Blake’s reaction. Mark had laughed when he learned what she wrote and asked, “You get paid for that?”
She’d glared at him and said, “Hey, I work hard on my column. And I write about relationships which obviously are important. They are the foundation of future, deep love between couples.”
After leaving the deck, Karen showed them the other smaller but still roomy bedroom, which was now used as a study.
Sydney said, “I'd like to keep it as a study, but then I won't have a bedroom for my niece and nephew. It'd be great to have them spend weekends here.”
Blake cocked his eyebrows. “How old are they?”
“Jessica’s five and Aaron‘s seven.”
Karen clenched her jaw slightly. “Maybe you could have your study in the basement. Or live on the other side. The daughter has her two girls in the second bedroom.”
"I'm glad the two bedrooms are close together. I want Carter in a room close to mine. My wife died from cancer when Carter was only four years old. He's all I have.”
“I’m so sorry about your wife.” Sydney wondered if that was why he wanted to move. Maybe there were too many memories of his wife where he lived now with Carter.
Karen gave Blake a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry about your loss. This floor plan would be nice for you and your little boy. Do you have a house you need to sell first?”
“After my wife died, I sold our house. I’ve been renting a townhouse, but I’d like to have my own place again,” Blake said.
After they walked out of the house, Karen stopped by a hot tub. “They're leaving the hot tub.”
“That’s great,” Blake said. “I can relax after working out.”
Her parents had a hot tub but it’d be nice to have her own. “I’d love to soak in it after playing sports.”
Blake gave her a thoughtful look. “What sports do you play?”
“Right now, I’m on a church softball team and, during the winter, I play on a co-ed basketball team. What about you?”
“Racquetball—whenever I can fit it in.”
Karen motioned to them to join her on the huge deck. “The sellers told me they enjoyed throwing summer parties here.”
Sydney thought how cute the deck would look with big clay pots of flowers. “With this view and deck, I’d love to give a party. And I’d enjoy sunbathing here.”
Karen ignored her comment. “Blake, I bet your son would love to play in this big yard.”
He nodded. “I was just picturing tents pitched back here for a campout for Carter’s Cub Scout troop.”
“Excuse me,” Karen said as her cell phone rang. “I better take this call. It’s a client I’m showing a house to next.”
When Karen was out of earshot, Sydney turned to Blake, “You’re using the kid a lot to discourage me from buying the house.”
Blake grinned. “Is it working?”
She grinned back. “No, but it is for Karen. She definitely favors you. I think she’s expecting you to have a better cash flow to buy the house or better credit to get a loan faster.”
“I liked your party idea. Sounds like fun. If you buy the house, am I invited?”
“Clever man, changing the subject. I guess that means you won’t have any hard feelings if I get it.” She was elated he wanted to see her again. But she wanted to play it cool, even though she definitely wanted to feel his arms around her again. She’d never mentioned in her column about meeting guys while house shopping, but maybe going to open houses could be productive for other singles. Young professionals needed houses after all and didn’t want to rent forever.
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