“First floor looks good. Let’s take a peek at the second.”
Zach McKinley nodded silently before following behind his boss, Jax Montgomery, up the stairs. As he climbed the treads, he lifted his gaze and couldn’t help staring at the gorgeous man’s perfect ass. Absolutely perfect. Each cheek would fit in my palms, and I could squeeze while he did terrible, naughty things to me.
That wasn’t the first time he’d stared at it and had wicked thoughts. The things that had gone through his mind thinking of that ass… Heat flooded his face, and the stirrings of another killer hard-on were beginning.
He’s married. Happily married. Why the fuck am I doing this to myself? Averting his gaze and turning it to his feet, he nearly ran into the man at the top of the stairs.
Jax reached out to right him, preventing him from falling back down the stairs he’d just mounted.
“Thanks,” he murmured, trying to ignore the heat of Jax’s hand on his forearm.
Jax chuckled. “I can’t have my best new foreman breaking his neck.”
Zach smiled, enjoying the bit of praise. He’d worked for JLC Construction for nearly three months and loved it. After working various construction gigs for over a decade, he’d found a place where he felt like he fit.
Not only because JLC focused on remodeling old homes—taking the outdated and updating it—they also respected the houses they renovated and kept as much of the old charm within them while making them work for younger families. Zach had grown up in San Alicia, in a neighborhood that had long ago died. Thanks to JLC, it had been reborn over the last few years. When he’d moved back home six months before, he’d soon realized he wanted in with the company.
The fact that the owners were gay and would accept him… that was just icing on the cake. Jax being gorgeous and fueling his lust-filled dreams was the cherry on top.
A cherry he’d never get his hands on. Jax loved his husband, Golden—who also worked as JLC’s attorney. Golden didn’t seem to like him, and Zach wondered if the man sensed his attraction.
“Okay, finish giving me the tour,” Jax said before urging him on.
Zach pointed to the floors. “Not sure if you noticed the patch job on that rotten section.”
Jax looked down, searching over the area for a moment. While he did, Zach allowed his stare to roam a little. Muscled thighs led to a thick package… on up to tight abs and big biceps. Not that Jax was baring any of that. Zach had once caught a glimpse of Jax with his shirt off on a hot day while they’d been working on site. Zach had nearly lost his mind.
He needed to stop before he got himself into trouble. Jax lifted his stare and grinned. That grin that was boyishly charming and did things to Zach. “I can’t even tell the difference.”
Zach willed the lust to stop rushing through his veins. “Yeah, he did good work. Really good work.”
“Shit… where was it?” Jax said as he looked down again. “I thought it was about here.”
“It was. You’re standing on it.”
Jax chuckled and looked up again. “Luis was new to us… glad we took a chance on him. We’re keeping that man working from here on out, that’s for sure.”
“Come on,” Zach said. “I want you to look at the trim work in the master.”
“Were you able to track down some more of it?”
Some of the older houses made their lives difficult. If a large section of woodwork was destroyed, they tried to replace it whenever possible. From experience, Zach knew that replicating some older pieces could be an arm and a leg—especially some of the intricately carved, swirling pieces the Victorians were so fond of. Sometimes it just wasn’t cost effective to fix or reproduce. They’d replace it with the next best thing.
“No.” Zach walked over to the spot in question. “I think it was original to the house, which would’ve dated it turn of the last century. I called several mills and couldn’t find anything close. Rafael was able to do a patch I think you’ll approve of.”
Jax’s eyes widened. “Rafael was able to make it?”
“He’s a really skilled woodworker. He also milled a few spindles for the staircase we just came up. You can’t even tell they aren’t original.”
“Who knew?” Jax said. “Did we pay him for the work?”
“Not yet. I figured I’d show you what he’d done and let you make that call.”
“I’ll pull him aside next time I see him and discuss giving him a bonus for that—he likely saved us. And find out what else he might be capable of.” Jax scratched his light beard. “If you don’t mind, get me a list of everything he made.”
That was another reason Zach liked working for JLC. Jax, Linc, and Colt were good to their employees. The trio of owners worked just as hard as anyone else, if not harder, and they weren’t cheapskates. Too many of the companies he’d worked with in the past had been all about wringing every last drop of work out of every dollar. Businessmen needed to be frugal, but not at the expense of their workers.
He eyed Jax. “Of course. Anything you need.”
The smile Jax gave him in return made his knees weak.
“Okay… let’s move on to the next room,” Jax said.
They traveled the rest of the upper floor, with Zach pointing out a few obstacles they’d had or answering his boss’ questions. By the time they’d completed the tour, Jax was all smiles.
“I can’t believe I only have a couple little things on my nitpick list. You’ve thought of just about everything,” Jax said, turning to him. “I didn’t think anyone was as OCD as me when it came to the jobsite.”
“Glad you approve,” he murmured, his chest swelling with pride.
Jax fished his phone from his pocket and his long, lean fingers began to move the screen. “I’m letting Chance know to get the contract and listing rolling.” Jax paused and looked up at him. “How much longer before you wrap up for the day?”
“I’ll likely be here another half hour or so. I can stay longer if you need me to.”
“Let me see if Chance can come by and take a peek before you go,” Jax said as his fingers resumed, punching out a quick text or email. “But I won’t make you stay later.”
“I’ll be back tomorrow and the following day, if he can’t come now. The fence guys are scheduled to be here at nine. As you probably saw, the sod was delivered this morning and the landscapers are supposed to arrive around the same time the following day.”
Jax frowned. “The fence guys are gonna need time first.”
“That small of a section of fencing shouldn’t take more than a day. Even if they’re finishing up next day, the landscapers can start laying the sod out front—plus they have trees and shrubs for the front yard to put in, too. By the time they’re ready, the back fence should be nearly done.”
“But the demo crew is going to be over on Elm tomorrow, right? I thought you were going to be with them?”
“Demo starts at seven, so I’ll have nearly two hours there to make sure they’re moving in the right direction… head back here and make sure the subcontractors arrive and know what they’re supposed to be doing. It’s only four blocks between, so I can easily be in and out and watch both… Chance can call me when he’s on his way over.” Zach said. “And I’ll make sure I’m here to let him in.”
“You sure you can juggle all that?”
“You hired me to juggle, Jax.”
Jax glanced around the empty house. “That we did… and you’ve proven you’re capable.” Jax turned and met his stare… and Zach sucked in a breath.
“Heelllllllloooooooo!” Came a call from downstairs.
Golden. Of course Jax’s husband shows up.
“Up here,” Jax called, heading for the stairs. “We’re on the way down.”
Zach watched as Jax made a beeline for the first floor. After taking a regretful sigh, he trailed down behind the man. As soon as he was partially down the staircase, he witnessed the pair hug and share a brief kiss.
He had no right to be jealous. Golden was married to the man. Zach knew there was no chance in hell and he didn’t plan on lifting one finger to try and change those odds. He was no homewrecker.
But he was gonna look all he wanted. Although moments like this—he could do without seeing Golden in Jax’s arms.
“Hey, sexy,” Golden said breathily.
“Right back at ya,” Jax said, his voice a low rumble.
Zach longed to hear the man talk like that to him. Jealousy slammed into him hard.
“Oh, hello Zach,” Golden said, his voice tight and his eyes holding no mirth. “How are you?”
“Great, thanks,” he said, his gaze once again traveling over to Jax. “I was just showing your husband our nearly finished project.”
Golden gave the foyer and stairs a once over. “Looks great so far,” the attorney said.
The two men couldn’t be more different. Jax was all glorious, laid back manliness in a black t-shirt and faded jeans, old work boots on his feet. He had a dark beard, with hair to match, both of which were a bit on the wild side.
On the other side of the coin, Golden was light and blond… wearing a tailored three-piece gray suit with polished dress shoes and an expensive-looking haircut. His stare caught everything, and Zach always felt as if he was under a microscope when Golden was around.
Opposites attract, I guess.
That gaze of Golden’s sized him up again, and Zach could tell the man didn’t like what he saw.
Jax turned to Golden. “Let me show you the place.”
“I wish we had time. I came because we need to talk to Damien. Now.”
Zach saw a frown crease Jax’s brow. “What’s wrong?”
Golden glanced Zach’s way before slanting his gaze to Jax. “I can tell you on the way. I took an Uber here so we can drive over together.”
Zach sensed there was an issue—one Golden didn’t want him to hear about. As far as Zach knew, Damien was the finance side of JLC. Jax, Linc, and Colt were the muscle and the construction brains and Damien had the bank account.
Hopefully this isn’t financial troubles for the company. Fuck, I really like it here. It wasn’t like it would be the first construction company to go belly-up while he was employed with them. With any luck, I’m wrong. Real, real wrong.
I don’t want to leave. He met Jax’s stare, his chest aching.
“I’ll text you if I hear from Chance,” Jax said before following Golden to the door and heading out.
Zach headed for the door and watched the pair climb into Jax’s big dual cab before pulling out of sight, his stomach already knotting.
Why the fuck am I torturing myself like this?