Bedding the Wrong Brother(50)

* * *



Rhys stared at the closed bedroom door, once more debating whether to follow Melina. He got within two feet of it, his hand raised to knock, before he turned away. Rubbing his hands over his face, he muttered a curse. Several curses.

When he'd mentioned the end of the weekend, he'd thought he'd seen a flash of panic on Melina's face that echoed his own. But then she'd started talking about the conference, and he wasn't sure what to think. All he knew was that he didn't want to leave her. Only, how could he justify that to her or himself?

Everything he'd told Max was still true. They wanted different things in life. If he had only himself to consider, he wouldn't hesitate to make changes. But it wasn't just him. He was an integral part of the Dalton Twins’ Magic Show. Plenty of people were counting on him, including his mom and dad, who'd sacrificed their retirement funds to invest in their children's dreams. Their crew and their assistants had families they had to support, and Max… Rhys closed his eyes. Max was smart and he was talented, but he just didn't have the focus or the drive to deal with the business aspects of the act.

So ask her to come with you, he thought.

He glanced at the doorway again. She'd already shown she was far more adventurous than he'd ever believed. Hell, that little bikini he'd found had just about knocked him off his feet. He could easily picture her in it, her perky breasts high and firm, her curvy hips and ass mouthwateringly exposed.

How could he really know what she wanted unless he asked?

For the first time, he allowed himself to feel hope where Melina was concerned.

Turning back to the mantel, Rhys started sanding with vigor.

One hour, he'd told her. He'd finish up, take her out, maybe get her some wine with her lunch, and then he'd ask her what she thought about extending her little experiment.

Indefinitely.



* * *



After walking Shasta's small downtown with its quaint shops, including a gold rush museum, Rhys took Melina to his favorite outdoor bistro. As the waiter delivered their meals, Melina deliberately ignored the beautiful weather, as well as the vibrant bursts of azalea vines and roses that climbed the iron trellis surrounding the patio. Instead, she forced herself to remember the intense pain that had crippled her that morning. She knew that in order to avoid even more pain, she had to get away from Rhys as soon as possible.

“How about some wine?” Rhys asked.

Without glancing up from her salad, Melina shook her head. “Better not. I have a bit of a stomachache.”

“What? Why didn't you tell me?”

At the genuine concern in Rhys's voice, Melina looked up. Guilt almost made her wince. He looked so concerned, and for no reason. She'd only said she had a stomachache to prepare for her escape, but she didn't want to ruin their last moments together, either. Reaching out, she squeezed his hand. “It's not too bad, but I should probably just stick with water.”

He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it. Melina closed her eyes, commanding herself not to cry. “So,” she forced out, pulling her hand back. “You've got a show coming up, right? Where will you be performing next?”

“Reno.”

Her eyebrows rose. “Reno. Not one of your more exotic locals.”

Laughing, he shook his head. “No. But it's definitely one of our most important shows.”

“Why's that?”

He leaned back in his seat. “There are going to be some important people watching on Wednesday night. In a way, we'll be auditioning for them. Seven Seas Cruises pulls out of Florida. They want the Dalton Twins' Magic Show to be part of their onboard entertainment, which means we'd have a permanent theater to work out of.”

Although she wondered why she hadn't heard anything about this before, even from Max, surprise and excitement rushed through her so intensely that she squealed. Despite his casual demeanor, she could plainly see how much the cruise ship opportunity meant to him. “Oh. My. Gosh!” She jumped up and threw her arms around him. “That's amazing. How wonderful. Your parents must be thrilled. You and Max are hitting the big time, just like you always wanted.”

“Yeah. Just like we always wanted.”

Something in his voice made her step back. Mixed in with his excitement was something akin to nerves. Even doubt. “Is something wrong?”

He laughed nervously. “Other than the fact I'm sometimes prone to motion sickness? Nah. I've been assured the Seven Seas ships have the best stabilizers in the business.”