Seducing His Opposition / Secret Nights at Nine Oaks: Seducing His Opposition

Five

Justin liked Selena’s cousins, Paulo and Jorge. They made him laugh and he understood them because they were both successful businessmen who were used to doing what they had to to get the job done. If only Tomas were a little more like his grandsons, then Justin had the feeling he wouldn’t be facing an injunction.

“I’d love to have you on a committee I’m putting together to make sure that the renovation of the Cuban American marketplace is both profitable and a benefit to Little Havana.”

“I’ll think about it. But my plate is pretty full,” Jorge said.

“I’ll do it,” Paulo said. “We need new investors to come here and I really like what you’ve done with Luna Azul. That’s the kind of club we need down here. And it drives business to my restaurant.”

“That’s the kind of synergy I think we can have at the marketplace.”

“You should call it a Mercado instead of marketplace,” Selena said coming over to join them.

“She’s right,” Jorge said. “I think you should have a Latin music store there. My boys have to drive across town to find the music and instruments they need. And you could tie it to the bands that play at Luna Azul … have them stop in there for a release party or a little concert.”

“I like that idea,” Justin said. But discussing business while Selena was standing so close that she was pressed against his arm wasn’t conducive. He could barely think since all of the blood in his body was racing to his groin and not his brain.

“Did you invite them to be on the community committee?”

“I did,” he said.

“Good, so you are done talking business?” “No,” Justin said.

“He’s like us, tata, he’ll be dead and buried before he stops trying to make a deal,” Paulo said.

Justin laughed and Selena smiled but he could tell that her cousin’s words disturbed her. A few minutes later the food was ready and the other men moved to prepare the platters for everyone to eat. He took Selena’s arm and drew her away from the crowd.

“Why does what Paulo said bother you?” he asked her.

“It just reaffirmed my fears that you are attracted to me because it might make dealing with my family easier,” she said.

That was blunt and honest and he shouldn’t have been surprised, since Selena wasn’t the kind of woman who was tentative about anything.

“I want you,” he said. “That’s it, end of story. If you said to me right now that you were going to keep that injunction in place against my company until we both died, it wouldn’t change a thing. I still want you naked and writhing against me.”

“Lust.”

“We discussed that.”

“I know. And I thought I’d found a solution.” “Vacation fling,” he said.

“It’s the only way to keep this in perspective,” she said.

He understood where she was coming from. He’d watched his own father love a woman who didn’t want him. Not the way he wanted her. It had always been Justin’s fear in relationships. He knew that if he ever fell in love it would dull his razor-sharp edge when it came to business. And he’d been careful to make lust his criterion for a relationship. Never really getting to know the family or friends of the women he slept with.

“I’m not going to lie to you, Selena. I will use whatever means necessary to make that marketplace successful, but that will not change how I feel about you. And I always go after what I want.”

“I bet you get it, too,” she said.

“Yes, I do. Today has been eye-opening for me.”

“Because of that dress I wore earlier?” she asked.

“Partly. I don’t think I’ve recovered full brain function since then.”

She laughed. “It’s nice to know I have a little power over you.”

“You have more than you know. Inviting me here was a very well-played move on your part. Talking to your cousins made me realize that we should be reaching out here more than we do. Luna Azul is successful in this location without community support. Imagine what we could do with support.”

“I have imagined it. That’s why it is important that my grandparents are in on the ground level.”

“I see that. I can’t wait to have the first committee meeting.”

“Me, too,” she said.

“Now about us,” he said after a few minutes of silence had fallen between them. “There isn’t any us.”

“Not yet,” he said. “But we both want it, so it’s silly to pretend that we don’t.” “Vacation fling, right?”

“I’m open to suggestions,” he said. “I don’t want to forget that you have a life in another part of the country and that you will be going back there.”

“That was a surprisingly honest thing for you to admit,” she said.

“There is no reason for me to pretend that you don’t have the potential to be a heartbreaker. I’ve never met another woman like you, Selena.”

He was a shoot-from-the-hip kind of guy and he wasn’t going to change at this late date. Especially where Selena was concerned. She needed to know that even though he was suggesting a vacation fling, he wanted it as badly as she did. He couldn’t get her out of his mind and until he did he had the feeling he was going to be operating on backup power instead of at full strength.

Everyone filled their plates and sat down to eat, and though he knew these people thought he was their enemy, he felt like he could be part of this family. He wanted to be here not as a business rival, but as Selena’s date.

After dinner was over, Selena mingled for the rest of the evening trying to stay as far from Justin as she could.

He’d waved at her earlier and said goodbye, but that was it. She tried not to be disappointed. After all that had been her one desire, right? She’d been tired of trying to avoid him and the attraction she felt for him. Now she could just be a granddaughter and a niece and a cousin and not have to answer uncomfortable questions about a man who was too good-looking and a point of conflict with her family.

“Why are you hiding out over here?” Enrique asked as he sat down next to her on the wrought-iron bench nestled between the hibiscus trees.

“I’m not hiding out,” she said. “I’m just taking a

break.”

“From the family?” he asked. “I guess when you aren’t used to it our kin can be a little overwhelming.”

She had to agree. It had been so long since she’d been to a family gathering that she found it tiring and loud. And she wasn’t sure she fit in here anymore.

“Are you used to it?” she asked him.

He shrugged. “It’s all I know.”

“Have you thought any more about coming to New York and living with me for a while? “

She wanted her baby brother to see more of the world than just this slice of it but so far he’d resisted her efforts to bring him up north to the city.

“I have, tata, but I don’t think I will do it. I like Miami and the family and everything. And I don’t want to move away from here.”

She nodded. She understood where Enrique was coming from. When she’d left home, she’d felt she had to and those first few years had been terrifying. She’d hated being away from everything familiar. That first October had felt so cold and she’d almost come back home; only shame had kept her in New York. Only slowly had she shed the girl she’d once been and become the woman she was today.

“It’s an open invitation.”

“I know it is, sis. How’d you like my music?”

“I loved it. You are a talented deejay.”

“I know,” he said with an arrogant grin. “I’m going to use Justin Stern to get a gig at Luna Azul.”

“How is that going to work? He’s not an easy man to use,” she said. She didn’t want her brother and Justin spending too much time together.

“He wants something from us and I will offer to help him get it if he helps me.”

Her brother was always working an angle. “Be careful. Justin isn’t the kind of guy who gives up things easily.”

“I can tell that. But I think with the right manipulation it could work.”

“Let me know if I can help. He’s putting together a committee to discuss his marketplace. Perhaps you can get a gig at the ground-breaking if we reach an arrangement with his company.”

“Great! I like that idea, tata.”

She hugged him close. “I knew you would.”

She missed Enrique probably the most of all the people she’d left behind. He’d only been ten when she’d left. It had been just a year after their parents had died and she knew she should have stayed to help in raising him but she’d been too young to do that. And after Raul and the con he’d run on her family, she’d had to get away and prove herself.

“I wish you’d move back here, tata.”

“I can’t.”

He nodded. “A group of us are going clubbing, you want to join?” “Who?”

“The cousins. Some of them are older than you.” “Geez, thanks.”

“You know what I mean,” Enrique said. “It will be fun. And it’s not like you have to be at work tomorrow.”

“That’s true. I’m on vacation—sort of,” she said, thinking back to earlier when Justin had offered to be her vacation fling. Was she overthinking this?

“You are on vacation. Come on, live a little.”

She nodded. “I’d like that. Am I dressed okay?”

“You’re perfect,” Enrique said. “Hey, guys, Selena is coming with us.”

“Great, let’s go.”

She followed Enrique over to Jorge and Paulo and a group of her other cousins. The tiki torches that had been placed around the edge of the yard still burned and there were plates and cups littering every surface.

“I have to help clean up first,” she said. Her grandparents didn’t need to be doing all this work by themselves.

“No, you don’t,” her grandmother said as she came up behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist. “Go and have some fun with your cousins. Remember what it’s like to have family around you.”

“Abuelita, I always remember that.”

“Then I hope you also know that we love you. I will call you in the morning,” her grandmother said. “I’m not staying at my house, abuelita.” “Where are you staying then?” “At the Ritz. Call me on my cell phone, okay?” “Tata …”

“I just couldn’t stay there. I hope you aren’t upset.” “I’m not upset, but I worry about you.” “The hotel is nice and I can relax there,” Selena said.

Her grandmother hugged her. “Then that is all that matters.”

“Whatever you do, don’t call too early, abuelita,” Jorge said. “We are going to be partying all night. It’s not too often the prodigal daughter returns home.”

Selena shook her head. “I’m not the prodigal anything.”

Jorge put his arm around her as they walked through the house. He and she had been so close growing up. Their mothers were twins and the two of them had been born only eight days apart. Jorge was more than a cousin to her. He was her big brother and her childhood twin.

“That’s the sad part, tata, you don’t even realize how important you are to us all and how much we’ve all missed you.”

“But I am responsible for ruining—”

“You aren’t responsible for anything but the actions you took to make things right. And you did make up for everything that happened long ago. Stop punishing yourself for it,” Jorge said.

“I’m not punishing myself.”

“Yes, you are. And it’s time you stopped.”

* * *

Nate and Cam weren’t pleased with the news that they’d have to wait on the ground-breaking. Actually, Nate didn’t seem to care too much but Cam was ready to use every contact he had to make the Gonzalez family suffer.

“We can’t do that,” Justin said as he sipped his Land-shark beer and relaxed in the VIP area of the rooftop club at Luna Azul.

“I know but it would make me feel good. Tell me what you have planned.”

“I’m taking the zoning commissioner out for some golf, which should help to speed up the review process. We haven’t broken any laws and I’ve reviewed the injunction they filed against us.”

“Are we in the right?”

“We haven’t done anything yet so technically we’re fine. There is a zoning provision to keep the marketplace as part of the community. I think this committee will satisfy that.”

“Good. Then there’s no problem?”

“Cam, bureaucracy runs slowly. And you want everything finished yesterday. We are going to be lucky to have a ground-breaking at the tenth anniversary party.”

Nate shook his head. “Cam, are you going to stand for that defeatist attitude?”

“Shut up, little bro,” Justin said. “We have to be realistic.”

“I don’t have to be,” Cam said. “I have you to do that. I think I will be on the committee with you and we will get as many local business owners involved with the anniversary celebration as we can. Once they have a vested interest in the celebration they will help make things happen.”

“I agree,” Justin said. “I have a young deejay who I can get to play at the marketplace ground-breaking—he is Tomas Gonzalez’s grandson.”

Cam nodded over at him. “You’re already taking steps to make this happen. Keep us updated on your progress.”

“I will. How’s everything else going at the club? Do you need anything from me?” Justin asked.

“Just get the approvals for that ground-breaking taken care of, we can handle the rest,” Nate said.

“I will. I’m going to take a few days for a staycation,” Justin said.

“What? You can’t take any time off,” Cam said. “Not now.”

“I guess I’m explaining this wrong. I’ll be working every day but at night I’m going to be staying at the Ritz,” Justin said.

“Why?” Nate asked. “I mean the Ritz is nice but why not stay at your home?”

There was no way he was going to tell his brothers that this move involved a woman. “I just haven’t had a break lately and staying at the Ritz will give me one.”

“As long as you are still working, it doesn’t matter to me,” Cam said.

“I might have you check in on some friends who are staying down there,” Nate said.

“I don’t want to have to check in on your celebs.”

Nate ran with the celebrity crowd—all friends he’d made back when he’d been a major league baseball player. And Nate still used these connections for the club, even though he was recently engaged to Jen Miller, a dance instructor at Luna Azul. They were a cute couple and very happy together. Justin was surprised that his playboy brother had fallen for the pretty dancer and her quiet lifestyle.

While Justin was glad his younger brother had kept in contact with the glitter set, the last thing he wanted was to have to socialize with them.

For the most part he had nothing in common with people who traded on their looks or talent to get by in the world. He’d always used hard work and determination.

“Fine. We can have drinks tomorrow night when I’m down there.”

“Why do we have to?” Justin asked just to needle his brother.

“Because you are making me drive down there. And you’re buying!” Nate said as his cell phone rang. He glanced at the screen and then excused himself.

Warm breezes blew across the rooftop patio. “I like this place,” Justin said.

Cam arched one eyebrow at him. “I’m glad to hear it, considering you helped me build it.”

Justin nodded. “I know. I wonder how different it could have been if we had real community support?”

Cam took a sip of his whiskey and then rubbed the back of his neck. “In the early days it would have made a big difference. I hate to think of what it was like before Nate got injured and came home … do you remember that first summer when he just sat in the back of the club and his baseball playing friends visited?”

“Yes. You wanted to turn the club that we’d invested every last penny in, into a sports bar.”

“Hey, it seemed like a good idea at the time,” Cam said.

“It was a good idea, I’m just glad we didn’t have to do it. By the way, Selena suggested calling the marketplace the Mercado. I like it.”

“Yes, I like it, too. Who is Selena?”

Justin took a deep breath. It didn’t matter that he and Cam held equal positions of authority in the company; Cam was always going to be Justin’s big brother. “She’s the lawyer the Gonzalezes hired. She’s also their granddaughter.”

“Pretty?”

“Breathtakingly beautiful,” Justin admitted. “Can you still be objective? If not, we can use one of your junior managers to take the lead on this.” “No,” Justin said. “I’ve got this under control.” “Is she staying at the Ritz?” Justin just nodded.

“I’m not sure how under control you have this,” Cam said.

“I’m not going to let you down or do anything to hurt the Luna Azul.”

“I know that,” Cam said. “What about yourself? Are you going to do anything to harm you?”

Justin finished his drink with a long, hard swallow and then got to his feet. “I’m the Tin Man, Cam. No heart. So nothing to be hurt by Selena.”

Justin walked away from his brother and wished that it wasn’t true. But he had learned a long time ago that women and love never really touched him on a deep level. True, this attraction to Selena was intense but it would burn out like all things did.

Six

Justin walked through his house, pausing beneath the portrait of his family that had been done when Cam graduated high school. They looked like the perfect family. Picture-perfect, he thought. On the outside they’d always made sure to present a front that others would envy.

And what a front it was. His father, the pro golfer, who traveled to tournaments in his private jet, and their socialite mother, who moved in all the right circles and made sure that her sons were successful and dated the right kind of girls.

He glanced up at his mother, really staring at the blonde woman with her perfectly coiffed hair, and wondered why she’d never been happy with their family. No matter how well he did in school or how well Nate had played baseball, she’d never been pleased with them. She’d never smiled or shown them any real signs of love or affection.

He’d often thought that all women were that way but he’d seen his brother fall in love with Jen and therefore got to see a different side to women. Jen had cracked through Nate’s doubts. Justin was still a bit cynical but seeing how Jen and Nate had worked together to make their relationship successful … well, it made him wonder why his mom hadn’t tried just a little bit harder to make it work with his dad.

“Mr. Stern?”

He glanced over his shoulder and saw his butler standing there. “Yes, Frank?”

“I have your bags ready. Do you want me to drive you to the Ritz?”

“No. I’m going to take the Porsche.”

“I will park it in the circle drive. Do you need anything from me? “

“No. You can take the next two weeks off.”

“Thank you, sir, but I don’t have anywhere to go,” Frank said.

Justin knew that Frank was always at work and he appreciated it. “Don’t you have any family?”

“Not really. I left them behind a long time ago. I could go to Vegas but I really don’t like to go more than once a year.”

Justin smiled at his butler. Frank was a very carefully measured man. He didn’t want to give in to his enjoyment of gambling and let it become an addiction. Frank would only go to Vegas and only once a year.