by Kelex
Damien grinned wider. “If I had a boyfriend, that would likely be the case. Since I don’t, I find myself in need.”
In need. The idea of fulfilling Damien’s needs made Lucas’ body scream with want. “What about Golden and Jax? Golden’s your best friend.”
“That he is, but I think I’d prefer you here to test things out,” Damien answered, stalking closer.
Lucas could barely breathe. Damien stopped inches from him, the man’s body heat sweltering. He felt beads of sweat dotting his brow. “A man like you could find better company than me, I’m sure.”
Damien shook his head. “I disagree. First you refuse to tell me your name. Next you refuse my offer of a date. You really know how to hurt a guy.”
A date? Lucas’ eye rounded. “That wouldn’t be… professional. I’m your realtor.”
“Chance is my realtor. You’re just filling in due to an emergency. By the way, what was Chance’s emergency?”
Heat flooded Lucas’ face. “I don’t know. He sounded really rushed when he called and he spoke so quickly, filling me in—I forgot to ask. Hopefully he and Linc are okay.” Lucas felt terrible. He’d been so nervous about meeting with Damien, he’d neglected to ask if Chance was alright. What a horrible friend he was. “I plan to call him once you’ve walked through, to let him know what you thought of the house.”
“Well, what I think of the house hinges on your answer.” Damien closed in a little more, blocking all the light from the French doors behind him.
“But you haven’t even seen the whole house,” Lucas said, sidestepping Damien. The man’s aggressiveness was both titillating and overwhelming. Lucas didn’t know how to react, but he couldn’t ignore his reaction, either. Lucas liked a dominant man, but Damien was past that. He walked to the French doors and flung them open to the lanai and the view behind it, trying to catch his breath. “The house backs up to the creek, and the sunsets are phenomenal.”
He inhaled the outside air, trying to calm his nerves. How Golden had thought he was a match for the man inside, he didn’t know. Damien was too aggressive, and Lucas was too… submissive.
Damien stepped outside and looked around. “Nice and private as well. So when you want to truly enjoy your backyard.”
The house had large willows creating a barrier about the yard, as well as fencing behind those trees, giving anyone who moved in total privacy. Lucas wasn’t sure what Damien was hinting at by truly enjoying a yard, so he ignored the comment. “The view really is the icing on the cake. This house is amazing, and the price is more than fair.”
Damien looked over the spec sheet in his hand. “I’d pay three to four times this price for a house like this in Los Angeles, if not more.”
“Well, this isn’t Los Angeles.”
“No, it’s not, but this house is underpriced, even for this market. The price can’t be much over what the guys put into it.”
Lucas frowned. He wasn’t prepared for this line of questioning. Most potential buyers didn’t argue the merits of a price on a house being higher. “I’m sure the guys will make a profit. They wouldn’t still be in business, otherwise.”
Damien turned around, glancing back inside at the pristine kitchen. “They can’t make much of one.”
“I’m confused,” Lucas said. “Most buyers would be ecstatic at a price like this, not dispute it.”
Damien smiled. “I just want to understand why they don’t ask for what they deserve. On the surface, everything looks perfect, but is there a hidden issue? Shoddy workmanship?”
“Shoddy workmanship?” Lucas’ eyes rounded. “Not hardly. They do amazing work. Normally the houses fly off the market.”
“Yet this one has sat for weeks, unsold. Why?”
“My guess? The guys took a chance. A bigger house, in a more upscale neighborhood, and totally different than their typical flip. They spent more money, trying to go big. But the market isn’t going big right now, not here anyway.”
“Why would they change their formula?” Damien asked.
“I can’t answer that. I don’t know why they chose this house over their typical ones.”
“From what I’ve researched, JLC seems to have made a huge impact on this town. House sales are up. Except this one.”
“Before they started flipping, a lot of downtown was falling into disrepair. A lot of people were moving on to newer communities on the outskirts or off to places unknown. Thanks to JLC’s passion and desire to rehab these older neighborhoods, they’ve drawn families back here. There’s a lot of young, fresh faces in San Alicia the last few years and it’s helped grow this city. But that’s part of the problem with this house. The young families moving in can’t afford a house like this. I know Chance has shown it over and over with no takers. It’s a real shame.”
“It is. This house shouldn’t sit empty. So, what about that date?”
Lucas stared at Damien, shocked by the man’s single-minded focus. He’d relaxed a little, more comfortable talking about anything besides himself or sidestepping Damien’s forcefulness. Now Damien was back on the offensive. But why? “I can’t.”
“Do you have a boyfriend? That guy you were dancing with at the reception, maybe?”
Lucas shook his head. “No, he’s just a friend.”
“Then why can’t you?”
Because you scare the hell out of me. Because I’m afraid I’d get lost in someone like you. “I—I just can’t.”
Damien closed in. Lucas felt like prey.
“Why can’t you, Lucas?”
Lucas stared into those sexy grey eyes and just blurted out what was in his head. “Because you make me too nervous.”
A wolfish grin spread across Damien’s face. “There’s no reason to be nervous around me. Come have dinner with me tonight. I don’t think I can wait until I move in here to spend some time with you.”
“Does that mean you’re going to buy the house? You haven’t even seen the upstairs.” Lucas’ mouth went dry at the thought of spending more time with the man.
Damien placed one hand on the railing near Lucas, boxing him in. “If it means I get that date, I’m buying.”
Lucas swallowed. This is what you wanted, just say yes. Stop searching for a motive.
“Okay.”
“Okay? You’ll come have dinner with me tonight?”
Lucas nodded.
“Good,” Damien said before swooping down and capturing Lucas’ lips.
Lucas jumped slightly, shocked by the feel of Damien’s mouth on his. Blood thundered in his ears as the man claimed his mouth with the heated kiss. A quick swipe of Damien’s tongue and Lucas was lost. He kissed Damien back with all the desire he’d felt since seeing the handsome man at the bachelor party.
Liquid heat pumped in his veins, and his cock thickened in his pants.
Damien broke the kiss and stared down at Lucas. “Make an offer on the house… for fifty thousand over asking.”
“Fifty-thousand? Over?” What the hell was Damien doing?
“Call it an extra wedding present,” Damien answered, stepping away. The man walked back into the kitchen and looked over the house. He turned back to Lucas, who was finding it more difficult to walk. “I’m assuming you have my number?”
Lucas nodded.
“Text me your address. I’ll be by to pick you up at seven.”
With that, Damien headed for the door, leaving Lucas to reel in the man’s sudden departure. He leaned up against the island and tried to finally catch his breath.
A date. With Damien Rosetta.
A smile played over his lips before he finally got control over himself and shut up the house. He walked to his car, the smile refusing to leave.
Chapter Four
“You mind telling me what this offer is about?”
Damien paused before a parking spot as he listened to Jax’s firm voice over the car’s speaker system. “Meet me at the coffee shop on Main and we can discuss it.”
“What’s there to d
iscuss?”
“The future of your business,” Damien said.
The phone went dead just as he started to parallel park along San Alicia’s thriving Main Street. Even though Jax had hung up, he knew the man would show up to learn what Damien was talking about. He got out of his car and looked up and down the busy corridor. Small mom and pop businesses lined the street for several blocks, a mixture of cafes, bookstores, restaurants, antique stores, and just about anything else under the sun. Chance’s office was just a few blocks down as well, and Damien smiled, thinking of Lucas sitting there diligently doing his job.
Lucas had captured his imagination at the wedding. Now having him put within his grasp drove him to distraction. He’d have Lucas Cullen, if it was the last thing he did. Lucas’ taste was still on his lips. Damien had wanted to take the shy male right then and there. With the house empty, there had been nothing to stop him.
Yet Lucas was a bundle of nerves. Damien had enjoyed watching the timid man fighting with his attraction. It only drove Damien’s need to claim him. Why he was fighting his desires, Damien didn’t know. But he’d soon find out.
Damien walked into the small coffee shop he’d parked near and ordered his drink and a bagel. Not long after he’d found a seat, Jax came in through the front door.
Jax stepped up to the table, wearing a curious look. “What’s this all about?”
“Have a seat,” Damien said, closing his laptop and glancing over at the counter. “Did you want a coffee or something to eat?”
“I don’t have a lot of time. Why don’t you just tell me what you want?” Jax said as he lowered into the seat across from Damien.
“I thought after seeing my offer you’d be happier.”
“Lucas told me you drilled him for info, said we were undercharging for our houses. Why are you so interested in how we do business?”
“Did Lucas say drilled?”
Jax shrugged. “Not exactly, but he said you were questioning our business practices.”
Damien grinned, knowing Lucas wouldn’t have used that language. The realtor had been enjoying Damien’s attention. The man’s high color and the lust in his eyes had been proof enough.
“I asked because I want to invest in your company.”
Jax’s frowned deepened. “Invest? Why?”
“I see potential in what you’re doing here and I want to be a part of it.”
“Again, I ask the same question. Why?”
Damien leaned back in his chair. “I spent my whole life working toward a goal I now realize I never wanted. My father was an attorney, as was his father, and his father before him. I did my familial duty and became like them. Only, I’m nothing like them. I want to try on a new hat and do something different. Your work is amazing, and I see so much potential there.”
“JLC Construction is just fine. We don’t need investors nor do we need someone coming in and trying to change what we’re doing.”
“Golden made a comment once, that there was a property he was working to try to pin down the financing for because all your money was tied up in two other properties.”
“He shouldn’t have shared that with you.”
“Who do you think gave him the money you needed?” Damien said.
Jax sat back, his mouth a thin line.
“Golden didn’t tell you that, did he?”
“No, he didn’t. He’s been handling some of our accounting work these last few months. It’s our busy season, and the wedding on top of it…”
“I gave you that loan at two percent, much lower than any bank would’ve given you. But here’s the thing… wouldn’t you like to buy whatever house you wanted to, when you had the opportunity? I mean, the loan was paid off in no time, but still. Why be in that predicament?”
“That just happened to be a one-time thing. We were sitting on two houses and a third came available. We never take on three at once.”
“The house you wanted was the one I went to see today. It’s gorgeous. And shows you were trying to go big. Which makes me think you wanted to grow your business. I can help.”
Jax stared at Damien a few seconds. “We went big and until you came in to save the day, it was a failure. We need to stick to what we know and keep flipping middle-income small to medium family homes. It’s what apparently works for us.”
“One failure and you’re ready to tuck your tail between your legs and run? You didn’t appear to be that kind of man to me.”
Jax scowled. “I’m not. I’m prudent and I want to ensure I can continue to take care of Golden for a long, long time.”
“Golden doesn’t need you to take care of him. He’s fine on his own.”
Jax narrowed his lids. “I didn’t say he wasn’t.”
Damien sighed. “Look, Jax, I’m not here to piss you off or start an argument. I like what you guys do and wanted to be a part of it. I want to get my hands dirty and try wearing a new hat. I respect what you three have done here in San Alicia. I saw that house today and made an assumption. Maybe I was wrong.”
Jax crossed his arms over his chest and exhaled a slow breath. “Maybe we did want to grow, but we’ve abandoned the idea at this point. Things are doing fine as they are.”
“But you could do more,” Damien said. He was pushing, sure, but it’s what he did to ferret out the truth. “Hell, if you had foremen, you could flip more than three at a time.”
“Foremen? Now we’re talking hiring on more people?”
“Which would only further boost the economy here. Hiring more laborers would put a steady paycheck into a few more men’s pockets.”
Jax looked swayed for a half second before the frown returned. “It just starts getting out of hand. We started this company because we were good friends and wanted to work together doing something we loved. We’re happy doing things our way.”
“We? Do you speak for both Linc and Colt? Are you sure they still aren’t interested in growing the business?”
Jax paused a moment, his frown deepening. “Yeah, I speak for both of them.”
Damien lifted his hands in surrender. “Fine. Just know how much I respect what you’ve done here. I only made the offer because I wanted to help grow what you’ve started, with the capital you needed.”
Jax relaxed some. “I can appreciate that.” The man rose to his feet. “I need to get back to the job site. I’m expecting a city inspector today.”
Damien rose and offered Jax a hand. “Thanks for taking the time out to listen to me.”
“No problem.”
“And know I have no issue helping in any way in the future.”
The scowl slightly returned to Jax’s face. “Yeah, thanks.”
Damien watched Jax heading back out to his pickup, wondering if there was still a shot.
* * * *
“Why didn’t you ask us before making such a huge decision like that?” Colt asked while he reached for the large bowl of pasta salad on the patio table. “We’ve always wanted to grow JLC. He opened the door to let us do just that without threatening our savings.”
“I don’t know. If Jax isn’t feeling it, then maybe it’s not right,” Linc added before shoving a forkful of salad into his mouth.
“It’s the point he didn’t even bother asking us,” Colt threw back at Linc before turning to Jax, glaring. “I thought this was a team? I thought we made decisions together?”
“We do,” Jax said. The meeting from earlier that day was still running through his head, and he wondered if he’d made too snap of a decision. He hadn’t liked Damien’s tactics and he’d reacted to that without considering the opportunity involved.
“Yet you made this one for us, one that could’ve meant we could take on more houses,” Colt snapped.
“For one, the last time we tried to go big, we nearly failed. For two, I didn’t like the pretentious way Damien went about getting my attention. He badgered Lucas into giving him information and then threw money around like it was nothing.” Jax glanced at Golden and
his jaws set. “And I don’t appreciate you seeking a loan from him without telling us.”
Golden’s chin rose. “I didn’t ask him. I made an offhanded comment during a phone call that I needed to get off the phone because I was working on getting a loan. He offered. You asked me to help and I did just that. It was a better interest rate than the bank. He got the cash to you quicker than any bank would’ve, and you three saved money on the deal and put a little in his pocket, too. It sounded like a win-win deal to me.”
“I know he’s your friend, but business and private lives need to be kept apart,” Jax answered. He knew Golden had had their best interest at heart, but Jax didn’t like it.
Golden sighed. “I should’ve told you that’s where I got the loan, but I honestly didn’t think it would matter. As far as what he did, I know he can be a bit aggressive… it’s just the way he is. The way his family is.”
“Family? I’ve heard some rumors about the Rosetta family,” Linc said. “Mafia ties. I think Jax might be right on this one. Better walk away while the walking’s good.”
Golden laughed. “Yeah, the Rosettas have made a name for themselves back east, but that isn’t Damien. He isn’t mafia. His grandmother was determined her descendants wouldn’t be a bunch of thugs. Now, Damien’s cousins, I can’t say the same for them.” Golden shivered beside Jax.
Jax wrapped an arm around Golden’s back. He leaned over and whispered into Golden’s ear. “What’s that about?”
Golden shook his head. “Damien’s cousins… they can be intense.”
Jax frowned. It only added to the list of reasons they shouldn’t get into bed with Damien.
“Jax, do you still want JLC to grow and take on more houses?” Colt asked, interrupting his moment with Golden.
Jax glanced at Linc before turning to Colt. “I don’t know. After that house flopped.”
“But it didn’t. Damien bought it and for well over asking price.” Colt tossed his fork onto his empty plate. The metal clanged against the porcelain before sliding to a stop. Colt brushed a hand over his face and then looked at Linc and Jax. “We take a risk with each and every house we flip. So far, we’ve been lucky, and we almost lost our shirts on Damien’s house, but we lucked out—once again. There’s going to be a time when we really do fail. It’s inevitable that one of these houses is going to end up being a money pit. Having an investor in our corner to offset that failure would cushion the blow.”