Bedding the Wrong Brother(68)



Rhys threaded his fingers behind his head and shrugged.

“When?”

“The night after you accosted me on stage wearing nothing but your bikini. Grace called the theater to check in with you, and Max answered the phone. I have no idea what was said or if and when they've ever met in person. All I know is that he's been walking around in a daze, muttering her name. He's reverted back to his old ways, nothing like the new-and-improved Maxwell Dalton, magician and host of the getting-to-be-quite-famous Dalton Theater.”

Still trying to imagine Grace with Max, or heaven forbid, Lucy with Jamie, Melina walked to her dresser and touched the little box she'd set there earlier. Smiling wickedly, she decided to wait a little while longer before she gave it to him. “Well, I suppose he deserves some time off for good behavior. Let's not forget we're together because of him.”

Rhys snorted. “Let's not forget he's the reason I didn't get into your pants when you were sixteen.”

“Like that would have happened.” When he stared at her, she smirked. “Okay, it would've definitely happened. But who can blame him for being jealous of you? He felt bad and tried hard to make amends.”

Eyes wide, Rhys stood and waved his palm in front of her face. “Hello? This is the same man who copped to taking an ax to Metamorphosis.”

Melina smacked his hand away. “Impulsive, but determined. He knew you weren't going to be happy with Seven Seas so he made sure it didn't happen. Then he worked like a madman to get you guys signed at the Portofino Casino. You both did.”

“I suppose,” Rhys grumbled. “In any case, the meeting with the attorneys to nail down the final contract went well today.” He lit up. Rubbing his hands together, he started untying her belt. “Now I get to enjoy the fruits of my labor—at home and in my bed with my own little sex dynamo—while he has to slog through standing-room-only performances in the newest luxury resort in Vegas.”

Melina rolled her eyes. “Yes, I'm sure all that fame and female attention will get old eventually.” He knelt in front of her, peeled back her robe, and kissed her stomach. She ran her hand through his hair and peered down at him. “Sex dynamo, huh?”

“Hey, you're the one who bought the crotchless underwear and crop. I was just your hapless victim.”

She jumped on him and pushed him down at the same time, digging her fingers into his ribs even as he did exactly what she wanted him to. Flipping her onto her back, he covered her with his body and pinned both wrists above her head with one hand. “I love that this is your favorite position,” he whispered, then laughed when she tried to knee him. He easily deflected the blow, pushed her legs apart, and rubbed the hardest part of him against the softest part of her.


They moaned together, and he took that as his cue to get busy with his free hand.

“Before you—” She gasped when he sucked her nipple into his mouth, then flicked it with his tongue. Tangling her fingers in his hair, she tugged to get his attention. “Before you distract me with sex, can I ask you a serious question?”

He groaned dramatically and dropped his forehead lightly on her chest. “If you must, but make it quick. I have a wife to satisfy.”

“Be honest. Do you have any regrets about leaving the act?”

He sighed then met her gaze. “Just one,” he said.

She jerked in surprise, inadvertently rubbing against his erection. He bit back a moan even as he shook his head. “Don't look like that. I love my life. I love our home, love being able to travel with you when we want, love that I get to manage my brother's flourishing career and charge him an obscene amount of money for the tricks that I invent for him. Most of all, I love that I can have all that and you can be happy studying your bugs at UNLV. I love you.”

“Then what's your one regret?”

He lowered his head and whispered in her ear.

She smiled. This time when she rubbed against him it was deliberate. “That's okay. That pair of cuffs has bad memories, anyway. Think how fun it'll be to find our new favorite pair.” It shouldn't be hard, she thought, given the assorted restraints that now waited on her dresser. But for now, she wanted only to enjoy his touch.



THE END

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