Page 38 of Trashy Affair Duet

It’s then I realize that Les and Zan are also in a forbidden situation. Leo is protective—make that overprotective—and he won’t handle his bandmate hooking up with his little sister very well.

Lesley’s attention darts over my shoulder, and when I turn I find Kaden heading for us again. She grabs my hand and squeezes. “We’ll talk about my lack of a love life later. Go work your magic.”

With a gulp, I hop down from the barstool and meet Kaden halfway. The first strains of a haunting rock ballad begin, and I shout above the speakers. “Is there a place where we can talk?”

With a nod, he gestures for me to precede him toward the staircase leading up to that mysterious place on the second floor. Just like his brother, he’s a gentleman and allows me to go first. The hired muscle at the bottom of the stairs nods at Kaden as he steps to the side to let us pass.

My heart gives a nervous thump behind my breastbone as we climb the stairs to the VIP area. The space is in eerie shadow, yet inviting too, with scattered comfy sofas and chairs grouped together. I spy the stage from the edge of the railing, and the dance floor looks like a zoo of a party from this angle.

Kaden ushers me to a couch and doesn’t sit until I do. He settles next to me, keeping a respectable distance, yet close enough to have a conversation over the music, which drifts up to us at a tolerable level.

“What’s up?” he asks.

As I meet his eyes—eyes that look so much like Cash’s yet they’re not—I wring my hands in my lap. “I hate to ask this, since you hardly know me, but my friend would sacrifice her firstborn to land a gig here.”

Tilting his head toward the busy floor below, he asks, “Your friend down there?”

“Yeah. She’s in a band. They’re really good. I’ve heard them play. If you’d consider talking to her—”

“I’m happy to give them a listen,” he interrupts, “if you’ll go out with me.”

I blink a couple of times before I’m able to find words. “Like a…a date?”

“Exactly like a date. You know, where two people go to dinner or a movie, or all the above.” He’s teasing me, his eyes bright and crinkling around the corners. For a second, I can almost forget he’s not Cash. The feeling is fleeting, and so alarming that I unwittingly scoot away from him by a few inches. Going out with Cash’s twin would just be…

A whole new level of low. Sick and wrong. I can’t look at Kaden without thinking of his brother and wishing he were him. And I like Kaden too much to do that to him. I don’t know him well, but he seems too nice to jerk around. He’ll never be a substitute for Cash.

“I…I can’t. I’m sorry.”

He leans toward me, invading my space in a non-threatening way. “It’s only one date, Jules. I won’t bite, I promise. Unless you want me to.”

Jesus, what am I getting myself into?

“You’re my boss’ brother,” I point out, hoping that will deter him.

“That’s true, and I can’t help that. Is Cash an ass to work for? I can try to look less like him, if that will help.” His eyes are laughing at me again. He’s at ease in his own skin, confident in his charming smile and flirtatious personality. Normally, it might work on me, but the problem isn’t that Cash is a mean boss.

Quite the opposite, actually.

And that’s the problem, but I can’t tell Kaden that.

“One date?”

“One date,” he says.

“As friends.”

“I’ll take it. Maybe once you get to know me, you’ll want to be friends some more.”

I can’t help but laugh. This man is too likable. But worry is already nagging me because I know I can’t offer him more than friendship.

“Okay,” I say with a bit of reluctance.

“Fantastic. I’ve got a thing next weekend that I’m in desperate need of a date for.”

I cock a brow. “You? Desperate?”

He puts his hands up. “Okay, okay. Desperate is pushing it a little. But I’d love for you to come along. Say around seven on Friday?”

Before I can give him an answer, he rises to his feet. “Looks like I need to talk to someone about a gig.” With a wink, he gestures for me to precede him back down the stairs.

Shit. What did I just agree to?

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