Cole(4)

He straightened back up. “Good afternoon, Ms. Bowman.”

He used my maiden name. I hadn’t been called Bowman for two years—even before Liam and I got married, our friends were calling me Mrs. Sailor. I caught Sia’s reaction from the corner of my eye. She snapped to attention, her eyes jerking to me, but I didn’t say anything. It sounded strange to hear my old name, but maybe it was time I started using it.

I nodded back. “You, too, Mr…”

“Kenneth. You can call me Kenneth.”

“Okay. Thank you, and good afternoon to you, too, Mr. Kenneth.”

He’d started to indicate behind us, but at his name, he paused. The corner of his lip tucked under, like he might have been holding back a grin. He was just slightly shorter than me, maybe around five foot six, and he wore a thick black sweater over black dress pants. I saw a coat hanging just inside the door and imagined him whisking it on as he stepped outside. He was a cute little man—reddened chubby cheeks, warm brown eyes, and a little pudge in the stomach area. He had a huggable, teddy bear appeal. If I somehow ended up living here, I’d be calling him Ken within the week, whether he wanted it or not.

I found myself grinning back, even though he was still trying to hold his in.

Sia looked between us. “Ookay…”

A door opened and closed, and I heard a low voice call, “Ms. Bowman, Ms. Clarke, welcome to The Mauricio.”

A very quiet squeal came from Sia. I ignored her and nodded at the approaching man. He was tall, with a slender build. Unlike Kenneth, this guy gave off a no-nonsense vibe. He held out his hand and shook mine firmly. I wouldn’t have called him handsome. His eyes were dark, and he had a big nose with a strong jawline. But although he wasn’t pretty, he was authoritative. Sia’s mouth opened an inch, and I knew she was instantly taken with him.

“You can call me Dorian.”

I nodded. “Hello, Mr.—”

He interrupted, showcasing a blinding white smile. “Just Dorian. No Mr.”

“Dorian it is, then.” I spoke at the same moment Sia breathed out, a hand to her chest.

“Oh yes. Dorian,” she murmured.

“Ms. Clarke, it’s good to meet you in person, put a face to the voice.” He turned to her.

“Uh-huh.”

If I looked, I wouldn’t have been surprised to see her knees shaking. She was enraptured, and I knew I’d be hearing about Dorian for the next two months, until she slept with him. Mr. Kenneth and I cast her a look, and when she didn’t notice, still transfixed by Dorian, I cleared my throat.

“Thank you for letting us see the apartment,” I said, hoping to break the spell. “And for talking with Sia to set this up.”

Dorian’s eyes had lingered on Sia, but as I spoke, he turned to me. A flicker of something passed over his face. I frowned, not identifying what it was. It didn’t feel right, but then it was gone. He gazed back at me with only the utmost professionalism. Clearing his throat and with a quick nod, he extended a hand toward an elevator located across the lobby.

“Ah, yes. It’s more than an apartment, though.” He glanced at Sia, but went on without saying her name. “I’m sure you’ve been informed that we have a small number of residents. Most have an entire floor. The owner is private, so rent checks will be made out to The Mauricio, should you decide this is a place you’d like to live.”

The elevator doors opened as we approached, though Dorian hadn’t pushed a button. He paused before stepping inside and gestured behind us. “As you can see, Kenneth’s office is right next to the front door. You’ll never have to worry about waiting for entry. When you approach, if you live here, the door will automatically open, just like this elevator. If Kenneth or myself isn’t here, the system recognizes our residents. You should never be left outside, and if you are, all you need to do is press a button. But we guarantee that will never happen.”

Besides the elevator, the doorman’s office, and the front door, there was only one other doorway in the lobby, situated to the left of the elevator. Dorian pointed to it. “The front lobby is not extravagant, but that doesn’t mean all the amenities aren’t here. Beyond that door you’ll find the pool, the patio, and places where you can grill and socialize. We have a gym, along with a running track that winds around the building and basement. It’s covered, so it looks like a tunnel when you’re inside. Passersby won’t see you. There’s a garden and a fountain on the way to the pool. The owner spared no expense, and I think you’ll appreciate his efforts, but first…” He held a hand toward the elevator, which had remained open for us the entire time. “I’ll show you the third floor, which is the only floor open right now.”