28. Theo
28
THEO
I spend the day at one of my other properties, a rental that recently suffered some damage from the last group of renters. It’s frustrating, dealing with the aftermath of careless guests who don’t respect the space. I’m walking through the living room, inspecting a hole in the wall that wasn’t there before, when my thoughts drift to Mia.
It’s only been two days since we decided to give our relationship a real shot, but I’ve found myself thinking about her more and more. Her smile, the way her eyes light up when she talks about her grandmother’s house, the warmth of her touch—all of it occupies my mind, even as I try to focus on the repairs that need to be made here.
As I finish up the inspection, making notes of what needs to be fixed, I decide to give her a call. Maybe seeing some of my other properties could give her some ideas for her bed and breakfast. Plus, it’s a good excuse to spend more time together.
I pull out my phone and dial her number. She answers on the second ring, her voice warm and welcoming.
“Hey, Theo. How’s your day going?”
“Hey, Mia. It’s been a bit of a mess, actually. One of my rentals got pretty banged up by the last group of guests.”
“Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that. What did they do?”
“It looks like one of them was smoking in the bed and decided to snub the cigarettes on the headboard. Who does that?”
I can hear Mia trying to hold back her laughter. Even though I’ve spent two hours inspecting and calling contractors to fix things, I can’t help it. Hearing Mia happy does something to turn my mood around, even if it’s just a little. “Go ahead. Laugh if you want.”
Mia stops holding her laughter back, and I find myself smiling along with her.
“Why don’t you just make your property no smoking? Then you won’t have to deal with–”
“That’s the funny part of this whole not-funny story. It is non-smoking. And besides that, there’s something blue in the shower that won’t come up and a hole in the wall. I have another set of renters coming in two days, so I need contractors who can deal with the issues right now. I need to either buy a new bed frame or somehow cover it up. I don’t want people seeing the marks and assuming they can smoke too.”
“But don’t they have to pay for it?”
“They do. It’s not about the money. It’s about my time and frustration. But you can bet this group is going to get an amazing review on their profile. They’ll never be able to rent anywhere again.”
Mia continues laughing on the other side of the phone. “Okay, you can stop enjoying my misery now.”
“I’m sorry. I was just thinking about how they’ll probably just make a new profile.”
My mouth drops open. I hadn’t even thought of that option, that my review might not even do anything.
“Theo, just let it go. People are going to be assholes, and it’s our job to let them go. I just hope none of my guests treat the place like that.”
“Speaking of, the whole reason I called you was not to complain about the asshole renters. It was actually because I’ve got a couple of properties that might give you some inspiration for your place. You were saying something about not knowing how to do the interior decorations. How about we check them out together? Maybe you’ll see something you like.”
There’s a pause on the other end of the line, and I can almost hear her considering it. “That sounds great, actually. I could use the ideas. Plus, I’m just nosy.”
“I don’t mind nosiness. How about I pick you up in an hour? I’ve got two properties that aren’t occupied right now.”
“Perfect. I’ll be ready.”
After I finish settling things with some contractors so the place will be ready by the end of tomorrow, I drive to Mia’s house.
When I pull up, she’s already waiting outside. She’s wearing a green sundress, and looks beautiful, as always. I can’t help but smile as she climbs into the car. Perfume, something fruity, hits me, and I glance at her again, taking in the way the sundress rides up her leg so that I can see most of her thigh.
I think about places I like to press her thigh and how close it is to another part of her body that I like very much. But I try to keep those thoughts out of my mind. I want to enjoy this time with Mia, though if we did want to be together, we would definitely be alone in the rental houses.
“Hey,” I say, leaning over to give her a quick kiss. “Ready for our little tour?”
“Absolutely,” she replies, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “But I thought all your places would be rented out for the rest of the summer.”
“It’s Saturday. I have a lot of turnover today and tomorrow. People leave by mid-morning, and the new renters can’t come in until 4:00.”
“So, we have to hurry?” Mia asks.
“Well, they probably wouldn’t appreciate being greeted by us, so yes, we should be out by four.”
Our first stop is a beachfront property I renovated a few years ago. The house itself isn’t huge, but it has a lot of character—exposed beams, large windows that let in plenty of natural light, and a cozy, welcoming atmosphere.
As we walk through the house, Mia’s eyes are wide with admiration. “Theo, this place is amazing. I love the way you’ve used the space. It feels so open and airy.”
“Thanks. I wanted it to feel like a retreat, somewhere people could come to relax and unwind.”
“You’ve definitely gotten that. It’s like someone took a cabin from the mountains and transported it to the beach. You get the best of both worlds for your guests.”
She walks over to the kitchen and is about to run her hand along the counter when I stop her. “Sorry, but we can’t actually touch anything. I have strict cleaning standards, and if there’s an oily handprint on the counter, my listing’s rating could go down.”
Mia’s hand hovers over the counter. “Are you calling my hands oily ?”
“I mean, everyone’s hands have natural oils. It’s not like yours are oilier than someone else’s, but…”
“But you don’t want them to touch anything .” Mia looks up at me with a mischievous expression.
Then, she comes for me, her hands outstretched like she has some sort of disease. I’m frozen for too long, and even though I start moving after a few seconds, Mia catches me easily.
She wraps her arms around my waist and tries to stop me from moving. I turn in her grip so that I’m facing her and wrap my arms around her too. “Oops, too late. I’m already touching,” she says, grabbing my ass.
I laugh. “Well, there are no rules about touching me, just the house. Touch me all you want.”
“Oh really?” Mia asks, sliding her way around my waist until she’s reached the front of my pants. I can feel my dick growing harder and harder the closer Mia gets. By the time she reaches it, it’s rock-hard. She wraps her hands around me, and I can feel her taking my breath away.
“Question,” Mia says. “Are your clothes allowed to touch the floor ? Because I don’t want to break any rules here.”
I want to tell her yes, that we should rip each other’s clothes off and have as much fun as possible. But I don’t. I have to be responsible. “If you want to see the other house, we should get going. Then, you can see me later.”
Mia shrugs playfully. “Your loss.”
I realize as we’re turning to go that Mia didn’t even see the two bedrooms of the place, but we’re already heading out.
Our next stop is a larger property, more of a family home with a grill and a playset in the backyard. It’s not right on the beach but three blocks back. This one has a more traditional feel, with classic furniture and lots of seashell decorations.
“This is beautiful, Theo,” Mia says as we step into the living room. “It feels so homey. I can imagine a family staying here, making memories, coming back to the same place every year.”
“That’s exactly what I was going for. I wanted it to feel like a place where people could settle in and make it their own…for the week at least.”
We move through the house, and I show her the different rooms—the spacious kitchen with its granite countertops, the cozy den with its stone fireplace, and the large master suite with its own private balcony.
Mia is clearly impressed, and it makes me happy to see her so engaged. “I love the balance between modern and traditional. You’ve managed to create spaces that are both stylish and comfortable. And the color palette in the living room is what I was going for, but I haven’t quite gotten there. You don’t mind if I copy some of your ideas, right?”
“That’s what I brought you here for—inspiration.”
“Well, you are inspiring and distracting, but I guess we’re not talking about that, are we? When can we book this place for ourselves? I think the master suite looks…fun.”
“Are you talking about the jacuzzi in the room?”
Mia nods, wiggling her eyebrows at me suggestively.
“Fall isn’t as busy. I’ll squirrel away a few days for both of us.”
Mia wraps her arm around my waist, and we walk out of the house only a few minutes before four.
On the drive back to Mia’s house, she talks about where she can get the decorations she wants for the last two bedrooms in her house. I listen and give her some suggestions, mentioning an antique store on the next island over.
When we pull up to her house, I walk Mia to the door, reluctant to say goodbye. “Thanks for coming with me today. I had a great time.”
“Me too,” she replies, smiling up at me. “I really appreciate you showing me your properties. It’s given me a lot to think about.”
“I’m glad. If you ever need any help with your renovations, you know where to find me.”
“I might just take you up on that,” she says, her eyes twinkling.
We stand there for a moment, the evening air cool around us. I lean down and kiss her, a slow, lingering kiss that leaves me wanting more. When we finally pull apart, she’s smiling. “ Now will you come inside and let me touch you?”
I laugh, grab her hand, and place it on my ass. “No need to wait until we’re inside,” I tease back.