Page 2 of Cursed Mountain Man

“Do you mind if I come by and take a look?” I asked. “Maybe we could put it on the market, get you into a cabin you like better. There are several available on your street.”

“And I’ll be out all the closing costs I paid. Plus, I’ll have to go through closing and pay all those fees all over again.”

“It’s been five years.” I reached into my drawer and grabbed my purse, pulling out my keys. “You should have enough equity to cover all that by now. Who’s driving, you or me?”

I knew better than to continue waiting for permission before we did this. In real estate, you said what you were going to do and started out the door. Most clients followed. Not this guy, though. I was already around my desk and halfway to the door before I realized he was still standing there, staring at the spot where I’d sat just seconds earlier.

“You coming?” I asked.

He turned to face me, crossing his arms over his chest. That made his muscles bulge, and I was suddenly hit with the almost overwhelming urge to run my fingers over them, tracing the rigid contours.

“Where exactly are we going?”

“I just want to take a look around your house and see what the problem is,” I said. “You can pinpoint some things you don’t like, and I’ll help you come to a solution.”

In the silence that followed, I wondered exactly what resolution he wanted. If we gave him his money back on his house purchase—if that were even possible—he’d still need somewhere to live. Which meant he’d have to have someone like me.

The best I could do was swap his current house for another and try to minimize the impact on any equity he’d built. This community had grown so fast, I was confident I could find him something that fit those criteria. He just had to trust me.

He stared at me for another long moment. I swear his eyes narrowed slightly—barely enough to notice, but I saw it. Finally, he dropped his arms, released the defensive stance, and gave a nod.

“Let’s go.”

2

JOSIAH

Icouldn’t believe I let this chick talk me into looking around my house.

Okay, so she wasn’t a chick. She was a woman. A beautiful woman named Violet. She had the brightest blue eyes I’d ever seen and long, dark hair with a creamy complexion and full, plump lips. The rest of her was all curves, straining the seams of that sexy-as-hell skirt suit.

I always said I liked women in baseball caps, jeans, and a T-shirt. Casual was sexy. But this woman had me rethinking that. Maybe professionally dressed was exactly what turned me on.

“Sorry,” I said as she looked around the kitchen. “I didn’t know I’d have company.”

Plates were stacked in the sink. The counter was cluttered with items I’d bought from the store—non-perishables I hadn’t yet put away. Yeah, I pretty much sucked when it came to keeping a house clean.

“I’m a real estate agent,” she said. “Trust me, I’ve seen it all.”

I believed it. Especially with the bachelor population we had around here. Most of the cabins lacked that special touch a woman brought into a home. Or maybe it was just that we all worked such long hours and home was just a place to crash—and throw back a beer or two after a long day.

“I’d have no problem selling this place if that’s what you want,” she said, walking back toward me.

She pulled her phone out of her purse and held it in front of her, tapping around on the screen for a while without saying anything. Was she calculating how much money I’d make on the sale? Or how much I’d lose? Maybe she was looking up home values in the area.

“You could get six hundred thousand,” she said.

My eyes widened. I’d paid a little over four hundred thousand when I bought it five years ago. But I didn’t pay cash, and I knew that was a problem.

She lowered her phone and looked at me. “The issue is finding you another place to live. I assume you want to stay here in town?”

I nodded. “It’s where I work. It’s where I live. It’s home.”

“Right now, there’s nothing for sale. That’s why I think this would be snatched up pretty quickly. It’s a prime location. A beautiful view. And the perfect size for a rental cabin.”

“A rental cabin?” I narrowed my eyes. “Could we require it be purchased by someone who plans to live here?”

She shrugged and looked around. “You can pick whatever offer you want. Assuming you get more than one interested buyer.”

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