Razed (Barnes Brothers #2)(47)

Unaware of Zane’s thoughts, Zach shrugged. “That happens. Just remember you can use the loft as long as you need it.”

“Thanks,” Zane said, smiling a little. He eyed a marinade that popped up, wracked his memory—he’d seen Keelie tear through a steak at a cookout over at Abby’s once. That could work.

They reached the first place and even though Zane could see why Abby liked it even from the outside, he knew it wouldn’t work.

Climbing out of the car, he met Zach’s gaze.

It was a modern, sprawling building done in desert tones of beige and sand, with a pretty garden that surrounded the perimeter, ornate windows and doors. Everything flowed and fit. And it also screamed female.

Zane ran his tongue along his teeth.

“It looks like Southwestern Barbie has some property available for lease,” he said.

“Yeah. She’d be your landlord.”

In that very moment, the door opened.

Zane closed his eyes at the squeal of delight that came from the door.

“Zach!”

Oh, yeah, he thought as a long, stacked blonde came rushing down the steps. Big round breasts pressed against a fitted, designer T-shirt and jeans gloved lush hips and long legs. Her feet were clad in shiny silver sandals, teal nail polish on her toes.

She flung her arms around Zach.

“Hi, Leslie.” Zach turned his head and grimaced at Zane. “Abby didn’t tell me you were the other tenant here.”

“Didn’t she?” The woman pulled back and smacked a loud, delighted kiss on Zach’s mouth. “Silly her! I’m part owner, too!”

Zane smiled at her blandly as she looked at him.

Zach cleared his throat. “Zane, this is Leslie. Abby met her through the wedding circuit when Leslie used to plan weddings.”

“Oh, that was ages ago. I’m a massage therapist now.” She smiled at him and held out a hand. And her eyes slid over him so thoroughly, he had the feeling she could have gone out and bought him a set of clothes . . . and underwear, from that look alone. “So. Are you the one who needs to rent some space?”

No. No. Absolutely not. The words leaped to Zane’s lips, but he managed to give the woman a polite smile. “Right now, I’m just looking at my options.”

And this wasn’t one of them.


*

“She did that to be mean,” Zane muttered as they pulled away thirty minutes later.

His head was still spinning from the incense and the scent of candles that had pervaded the air.

“She probably did it to get back at us for something. What, we may never know.” Zach sighed, glanced in the window.

Leslie with the big breasts and sweet smile and unexpectedly gentle humor wasn’t anywhere in sight. She’d taken Zane’s honest statement—I need space for a photography studio and I don’t think this will work—with good grace. When she’d pushed for why, he went with a diplomatic response, and not the Southwestern Barbie one he’d given Zach.

A lot of people have issues with scents, and the incenses, the candles here—I’m worried it would bother them. I have to keep this in mind.

She’d nodded, completely okay with that.

Then she wished them luck.

They’d left her massage parlor behind with a quiet sigh of relief, and she’d offered both of them a free session.

Zach, of course, was welcome to bring Abby for a couple’s session.

“Couples massages,” Zane said, pondering the idea as they drove to the other location. “Is that a romantic thing?”

“Abby thinks so. We did one in Alaska.” Zach shrugged, shot him a grin. “I was just laying there thinking about how much I hated having a guy put his hands on Abby while she was naked. He was gay, but I still didn’t like it. She should have had the woman.”

“Abby might have requested to have him.” Zane was never one to miss the chance to needle his brother. “You and Seb have a big following, ya know. She probably knew he was gay and didn’t want him thinking anything while he had his hands on you.”

Zach opened his mouth. Shut it. His hand started drumming on the console between them.

When he didn’t say anything after a minute, Zane pushed him. “What, no comment?”

“Go f*ck yourself, man.” Zach just sent him a look, rolling his eyes. Then he nodded at the building in front of them. “We’re here. Abby knows the current owner. She said he’s willing to let you in, if you want. Might be able to swing it today, if you have time. Not sure how long it would take.”

Zane looked away from his brother, a comment on his tongue.

But it died as he took in the building in front of them.

Whoa.

Zach shoved the car into park and Zane was out of the car a split second later, almost forgetting his bag. He swapped out his glasses as they neared the building and he lingered at the windows, staring inside as Zach put in a call to Abby.

“I figured that was a yes,” Zach said as Zane moved to the other window.

“What’s a yes?” he asked, distracted. The floor space looked perfect, he thought.

“You want to look inside.”

He stopped, looked at his brother and then back at the building. Then he grinned. “Yeah. I wanna look inside.” He went back to staring in through the glass while Zane went back to talking.