A pair of shiny red shitkickers was currently winning.

She usually met Jada, her realtor, at her office, but today Jada insisted they meet at the first property.

After scanning the general literature on the building, Liberty dropped her head back and stared up at the funky metal and concrete high-rise. “I don’t remember asking to see this one.”

“I know. When you told me your base price had increased, I figured you should see what’s available in the next price bracket. Sometimes it helps you decide if you’re settling for a something that fulfills a basic need rather than going after what you really want.”

Liberty gave her a sharp look. That seemed to sum up everything going on in her life.

Jada smiled. “How about we head inside?”

The “lobby” of the high-rise reminded her of the hotel/condo place they’d stayed at in Houston. An armed guard parked at the desk immediately requested IDs. He took Jada’s driver’s license and checked it against a master list before he handed her a keycard.

According to the spec sheet, this building had twenty-seven floors. Besides the penthouse, which took the entire top floor, the main floor lobby, and the second floor, which held the business offices and the building’s janitorial services, the remaining twenty-four floors were all privately owned condominiums. Some floors had six units, some had three or four units, and the floor right below the penthouse had two units.

“What do you think so far?” Jada asked brightly.

“I think it looks expensive.”

“Let’s go up to the unit I wanted to show you. The square footage and pricing information is detailed on the seller’s sheet.”

In the elevator, Jada ran a keycard through the digital reader and hit the button for the twenty-sixth floor. “The cool thing about this building is not only is it just under three years new, close to downtown and public transportation, but most of the units have mountain views. The security system is state-of-the-art. The elevators are coded by keycard and only the owners have access to their specific floor.”

“That is pretty cool.”

“Very safe for a single woman,” Jada added.

Talk about a hard sell.

“The underground parking garage is under security twenty-four hours a day, and each unit is able to rent two spots per month.”

The elevator didn’t stop until it deposited them on the twenty-sixth floor. They stepped into an elegant hallway with doors at either end. The doors were crafted with architectural details that resembled the entrances to upscale houses in the suburbs.

“Which one is for sale?”

“They both were, but that one recently sold.” Jada sashayed to the archway on the left, using an old-fashioned key to open the door. She held the door open and said, “Go on and look around. I need to make a call.”

The instant Liberty walked in, she fell in love. Like hard-core in love. The view? Amazing. The connected living room and dining room provided an unobstructed view of the Rockies. She opened the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the balcony.

Cool wind stirred her hair, and she could see herself out here, stretched out on comfy patio furniture, drinking coffee and lazing in the sun.

Devin would love this outdoor space. She saw him with his feet propped up, dinking around on his guitar, the breeze wreaking havoc on the sexy curls in his hair she loved so much.

Not helping.

She returned inside.

The kitchen was strategically placed, keeping separation of spaces but with doorways to the dining and living areas. Since she wasn’t much of a cook, the bells and whistles of the granite and stainless steel space were lost on her.

A gas fireplace was centered on the far wall in the living room. She envisioned cozy seating areas scattered throughout the space. No place for a TV, but with that view she’d spend her time staring out the window.

Just past the dining room was a funky octagonal-shaped hallway with eight arched doorways going in every direction. Behind the first door was a half bath. The next door led to a decent-sized bedroom with a big closet and windows facing the mountains. The next bedroom was bigger. It had an attached bathroom with a tub/shower combo. She opened the door to the master bedroom and stopped.

Holy shit. This room was enormous. She could put two king-sized beds in here. And check it out. Another freakin’ fireplace and another balcony that boasted a view of downtown Denver. The master bathroom had a gigantic black marble shower with half a dozen showerheads in the walls and two hanging from the ceiling. At the back of the bathroom was a set of pocket doors that revealed a tiled corner garden tub with whirlpool jets. The main part of the bathroom had cabinets galore, big mirrors and a double vanity.

Devin would love this suite. He’d want to christen every feature in these rooms, making love to her in front of the fireplace, banging her against the wall in the shower, bending her over the balcony railing.

Not helping.

She returned to the bedroom and peered into the closet. Not a single closet—his-and-hers walk-in closets. Half the bedrooms she’d slept in growing up weren’t this big.

Back in the hallway, Liberty opened the three remaining doors. Behind door number one—a laundry room. Behind door number two—a storage room with another built-in pantry. The last door revealed a media/family room, complete with a small wet bar.

Devin would love this room. She saw them cuddled up, watching movies, playing video games, installing a card table so they could outdo each other in a game of strip poker.