Seducing my hot maintenance man

Chapter 6

Greyson’s POV

“I’m willing to take you to Lee’s Pho King restaurant for dinner,” my mouth opened and spat out before I could manage to get my brain involved to stop it. “My treat.”

And now I can’t believe that I just said that. Out loud. And I wait for the inevitable laugh, excuse, or other negative response from this woman who had managed to get under my skin in such a short time. She stares at me for a moment, looking confused.

“Do you suppose Lee knows what the name of his restaurant sounds like?” She asks, surprising me. I can’t help but laugh.

“I’m a friend of Lee’s,” I inform Aubrey, who still looks skeptical. “And he definitely knows. He actually chose the name on purpose. Lee thinks it’s funny.

“I see,” she says hesitantly. “I don’t know.”

“Look, it’s no big deal,” I tell her, stupidly. Because I’m a glutton for punishment, I suppose. “Your stove doesn’t work. It’s dinner time. I’m hungry. You’re hungry. It’s just one meal together, it’s not a date or anything weird.”

“Alright, fine then,” she says grabbing her purse. “But I can pay for myself. I probably make more money than you do.”

I snort. She obviously has no idea about me if she thinks a young woman who recently passed the bar exam makes more money than I do as the owner of The Pines on 4th. And several other investment properties as well. I have an extensive portfolio of mostly rental properties and a couple of parking garages in King and Pierce counties. I just manage this one building personally because I live here, and it keeps me busy and out of trouble for the most part.

Although if Aubrey Downing was at all interested I might be willing to get into a bit of trouble with her, I think as I follow her out of her own apartment. She’s a very attractive woman. Maybe not dressed up in her work clothes as she is right now, hidden away in a navy pantsuit with a cream blouse underneath. But when I’ve seen her in the fitness room working out, I may have noticed she’s got a rocking hot body. One I’d love to see naked. Underneath me. Screaming out my name in ecstasy.

“Greyson?” She suddenly asks, breaking into my lovely little fantasy.

“Hmm, yes?” I say, and notice she’s holding the elevator door open for me. I step inside. “Sorry, I guess I was wool gathering. It’s been a long day. I’m glad it’s the weekend, aren’t you?”

“I suppose,” she says with a sigh. “Although I have to work tomorrow. I have appointments with two clients who aren’t available during regular office hours.”

“Yeah, I know how that is,” I grumble. “I don’t know why I even pretended to sound excited about the weekend. I’m usually far busier than on the week days, unless I specifically ask for time off. And actually leave.”

“So you don’t have any specific office hours?” She asks, and we step out of the elevator together.

“Nope!” I say, feeling somewhat sheepish about it. “I generally take maintenance calls 24/7. If your toilet is clogged at three AM, I’m the guy who gets that call. Although I might not respond until morning unless it’s an emergency.”

“I bet your wife hates hearing phone calls all night long,” Aubrey states as we walk together towards Lee’s.

“There is no Mrs. Greyson at present,” I tell her, clearing that up. “Although if I ever do finally get around to marrying someone, there’s sure to be quite a few changes around The Pines at 4th.”

“Do you believe your future wife will make you quit this place and get a different job?” She asks as I open the door to Lee’s Pho King restaurant for her.

“Most likely she’ll probably make me quit at least one of my jobs,” I reply, although I have no idea why I’m telling her all this. “Maintenance isn’t the only thing I do at The Pines. It’s actually more like a hobby for me. I just do it because I kind of like it. And it’s so damn difficult to find a decent maintenance guy in Seattle these days who doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, without a criminal record. I can’t hire a guy who goes into people homes while they are away who has a criminal record!”

I direct us towards a table and then I hold out a chair for her like a gentleman.

“That’s very true,” she says, taking a seat and I push her in. “Thank you.”

I take the seat opposite.

“If you know what you’d like, I’ll go get the order placed,” I offer. “This place is pretty casual.”

“What do you recommend?” She asks. “I enjoyed the seafood pho last time, but I like to try a couple things on a menu before I settle on a favorite.”

“Everything good here,” Lee Fang Tran says, coming right up to our table. I can only assume he wants to poke his nose in my business. “Grey, who this girlfriend you with? And why you sit here and make me wait on you like a dog?”

“Lee, this is Aubrey,” I introduce my friend. “She’s a new tenant at The Pines, not my girlfriend. Her oven is broken, and I can’t get her a new one before Monday, so dinner is on me.”

“I see my friend Grey is now renting out slum to pretty girls just to get date!” Lee says, sounding like a fresh off the boat immigrant, even if he is anything but since he was born here of immigrant parents who came as children. “Smart move. Otherwise no get girlfriend!”

“The lease is up on this place in a few months, isn’t it?” I warn him jokingly. “Keep talking, I’d love a reason to bump up the rent here by 50%. That’d be in line with the other rents I get in the area.”

“Grey’s actually a decent guy,” Lee confides to Aubrey suddenly switching back to his typical very American accent, looking inscrutable as only he can do. “Just ignore me! I’d suggest ordering the lemongrass chicken and shrimp noodle bowl, and the shrimp salad rolls.”

“That sounds good, thanks,” Aubrey replies with a shy looking smile.

“I’m in the mood for the marinated pork noodle bowl and spring rolls,” I say. “And ice water, please.”

“Anything to drink for the lovely lady?” Lee probes. “We have bubble tea!”

“Sure,” Aubrey agrees.

Then Lee is gone and Aubrey and I just sort of stare awkwardly at each other for a minute or so.

“You own this restaurant?” She finally asks.

“I just own the building,” I explain casually. “I rent this space out to Lee. Whenever I eat here, the total just gets deducted from the next month’s rent.”

“Oh,” she says. “That’s kind of convenient. Wait, you own this entire building?”

I nod.

“Which includes The Pines on 4th,” Aubrey clarifies, and I nod once more. “So you weren’t lying when you said you were just doing maintenance for fun.”

“I don’t just own this building,” I say, gauging her reaction. Something I typically don’t do before I’ve known a girl for a while, if ever. But Aubrey seems different somehow. “I own the entire block. And some other real estate nearby.”

It takes a minute or so for her to get her jaw up off the floor.

“OK, I did not expect that from someone so…,” Aubrey suddenly clams up, apparently embarrassed by what she was going to say, seeing as how she was starting to blush.

“So…what?” I prompt.

“Normal,” she claims. “I didn’t expect that from someone so normal. Or young. You don’t look anything like a real estate mogul.”

Sure, I completely believe that. Not!

Thankfully our dinner soon arrived, and I got to enjoy the little sounds she makes as she eats the delicious food. All her little moans of pleasure. It was driving me wild with desire for her.

It makes me think of the sounds she will make when we finally sleep together. Because I’m determined now to make that happen sometime soon. Or my name isn’t Judah Nathaniel Greyson.