Shaking his head, Rhys couldn't quite meet his brother's eyes. “I can't,” he clipped out. “There's too much to do.”
“What's to do? The crew knows how to pack up without us. The Salvador Brothers wouldn't dare show their faces around here again. And as far as Seven Seas’ ridiculous request for a kiddie show goes, they can shove it—”
Rhys raised his brows pointedly, causing Max's words to trail off. He grimaced. “Too much?”
“Just a little.”
“I can tone it down. I know Melina would love to see you—”
“No,” Rhys said, shaking his head again. “You're the one she feels comfortable around. She always has.”
“Damn it, Rhys, she's not a kid anymore. And she's had a crush on you for years.”
Rhys jerked back as if his brother had hauled off and punched him. He immediately narrowed his eyes in warning. “I'm not a substitute for you or anyone, Max. I never will be.”
His brother flushed guiltily. “It was one kiss, and she didn't even initiate it—”
“Yeah, so you told me, but we're talking ancient history. I got over her a long time ago.” The two of them, mirror images, stared at each other, and it was Rhys’s turn to flush. Unwilling to face his own dishonesty, he stared at the stage floor.
“When did you turn into a liar?” Max asked quietly. “And more importantly, when did you start to think I was an idiot? We work together. We're brothers. You don't think I can read you?”
Rhys's face jerked up. “Yeah, well, maybe that's the problem.”
“Now we have a problem?”
“You think you know me, but you don't. Just like you don't really know Melina. If you did, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Even if she did want me for more than your stand-in, I can't give her what she wants any more than you can.”
“Speak for yourself.” His gaze dropped to Rhys's groin. “Something happen I don't know about?”
“Asshole,” Rhys gritted. He reached out and punched Max on the shoulder with a little more force than necessary. “I'm talking about stability. Roots.”
His brother rubbed the spot where he'd hit him. “Oh.”
“Yeah. Oh. You know she's prime mother material. She's got a job she loves. She wants the white picket fence, two-point-two kids. I can't give that to her.”
“Maybe she doesn't know what she wants. Maybe she wants to travel. Going on the road could be an adventure.”
“She could travel. She chooses not to. Not even with her parents. Even if she'd consider it, it wouldn't be for the long term. You really think she'd do that to her kids? The childhood we had, Max—” He lifted his arms and encompassed the entire theater in one sweeping motion. “The life we have now isn't conventional. It's not what most people want.”
“It sounds like maybe it's not what you want anymore. Is that it?”
Unease tickled at his brain. He could feel it. They were about to become big—really big—and he was used to the lifestyle. Maybe at one time he'd wanted something different, but that had been a grass-is-greener-on-the-other-side moment. “Are you kidding? I've never liked traveling as much as you, but if we land this contract with Seven Seas, we'll at least have our own theater. No more moving from one place to another every two weeks. We're at the top of our game. It's what you've always wanted.”
“You mean we.”
“What?”
Max stared at him. “You mean it's what we've always wanted.”
“Sure. You. Mom and Dad. Me. We. That's what I meant.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Boys!” Their dad poked his head around the corner, his sparse hair sticking up in tufts as if he'd been pulling at it. “Fair warning. I'm not the one who's going to go on stage in sequins.”
“I'm coming, Dad.” Shaking his head, Rhys began walking backward. “Look, I don't know how we got on this ridiculous topic. Melina and I are friends. I'm happy with the act. Everything's cool.” Turning so he wouldn't have to see the doubt on his brother's face any longer, Rhys strode toward backstage. Over his shoulder, he called, “Take her out. Make her feel special. And tell her I'll see her…well, I'll see her sometime.”
Rhys forced himself to keep walking despite the little voice in his head screaming that he was a coward. Hell, he wasn't a coward, he was just realistic.
He had his life and Melina had hers. Plus, he'd told Max the truth—their goals were so far apart they might as well live on opposite ends of the world. Still, he thought with a sigh after opening the door to the costume room, he'd been tempted by Max's offer more than he should have been. Especially because he'd wanted Melina to mistake him for Max.
Just once, he'd have liked Melina to greet him the same way she did Max. With open arms and an open smile instead of a friendly but reserved detachment that always left him wanting more.
Purchase Bedding the Wrong Brother, which is included in the Bedding the Bachelors Boxed Set or join my newsletter at www.virnadepaul.com to get it for FREE.
Books by Virna
BAD BOY DOCTORS
Book 1: Bad Boy, MD
Book 2: Dr. Hottie
BEDDING THE BACHELORS
Book 1: Bedding the Wrong Brother
Book 2: Bedding the Bad Boy
Book 3: Bedding the Billionaire
Book 4: Bedding the Best Friend
Book 5: Bedding the Biker
Book 6: Bedding the Bodyguard
Book 7: Bedding the Best Man
Book 8: Bedding the Boss
Book 9: Bedding the Baby Daddy
Book 10: Bedding the Fake Boyfriend
Novella: Wedding the Bad Boy
BELLADONNA AGENCY
Book 1: Turned
Book 2: Awakened
GOING DEEP
Book 1: Down Deep
Book 2: Royally Deep
Book 3: Deep Inside
Book 4: Deep Desire
HARD AS NAILS
Book 1: Hard Time
Book 2: Hard Case
Book 3: Hard Core
Book 4: Hard Place
Book 5: Hard Act
HOME TO GREEN VALLEY
Book 1: What Love Can Do
Book 2: The Way Love Goes
Book 3: I’m Gonna Love You
Book 5: Because You Love Me
Book 6: So Much In Love
KISS TALENT AGENCY
Book 1: Lip Service
Book 2: Pucker Up
Book 3: Locking Lips
Book 4: Lip Action
Book 5: Kiss Off
Book 6: Kiss It Better
PARA-OPS
Book 1: Knox: Chosen by Blood
Book 2: Wraith: Chosen by Fate
Book 3: Dex: Chosen by Sin
RED HOT COPS
Book 1: Getting Busy
Book 2: Getting Down
Book 3: Getting Dirty
ROCK CANDY
Book 1: Rock Strong
Book 2: Rock Dirty
Book 3: Rock Wild
Book 4: Rock Free
Book 5: Rock Sexy
Book 6: Rock Sweet
SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS GROUP
Book 1: Shades of Desire
Book 2: Shades of Temptation
Book 3: Shades of Passion
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Filthy Rich Alpha
His Royal Hotness (A Royally Hot Romance)
SEAL of a Lifetime
Nailing Studs
Sext Addict
Craving Her Cowboy
A Vampire’s Salvation
Wild For Mr. Wrong
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About the Author
Virna DePaul was an English major in college and, despite a passion for Shakespeare, Broadway musicals, and romance novels, somehow ended up with a law degree. For ten years, she was a criminal prosecutor for the state of CA. Now, she’s thrilled to be a full-time author as well as wife to a lawyer/magician, and mom to three boys and three fur babies,
Sprite, Mr. Pibb, and Dr. Pepper.
Bedding the Wrong Brother is a #1 Bestselling Contemporary Romance and USA Today Bestseller, and is followed by Bedding the Bad Boy in a fan-favorite series (each book can be read alone but many enjoy reading it in order). Virna writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, romantic comedy and more! She loves to hear from readers.
Virna loves to hear from readers at www.virnadepaul.com.
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Copyright © 2020 by Virna DePaul
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Lip Action
Copyright © 2017 by Virna DePaul
Kiss Off
Copyright © 2018 by Virna DePaul
Kiss It Better
Copyright © 2019 by Virna DePaul
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