Page 59 of Falling for Them

“Yes and no. They are fairly traditional, so the idea of Luca never marrying and being in an unconventional poly situation doesn’t make them too happy. But he’s also not fucking Ryker and Garrett as far as I know, which is probably why they tolerate it.”

“Ah.” Now I understood. “I’ve been lucky in that regard, but obviously, I’ve had my fair share of people voicing their not-so-nice opinions about who I am. It sucks, but at the end of the day, you have to do what makes you happy because it’s your life, no one else’s. If that means you lose some people from your life, then they are only making your life better in the long run.”

He nodded and swirled the wine in his glass. “I also understand your concerns about my intentions. My reputation isn’t exactly stellar.”

“That’s putting it mildly,” I muttered.

He winced. “Fair enough. But I want you to know that I’m trying to be better and not just chase the next thrill.”

I studied him for a moment, trying to gauge his sincerity. “And what if what you want is just a fling with me and Libby?”

Leo shook his head. “That’s not what this is. It scares the shit out of me, to be honest.”

I could relate to that fear. My own feelings for Libby were a mess that I was still trying to sort out. Before I could respond, though, we were interrupted by the arrival of our dinner.

The server set down two plates of perfectly grilled salmon with roasted vegetables, the aroma making my mouth water. As the server poured more wine, Leo’s eyes never left me.

The intensity of his gaze made my pulse quicken. Maybe it was the romantic setting, or the raw honesty of our conversation, but suddenly, the air between us felt… charged.

Maybe there was more to him than the womanizing playboy persona he often projected.

I settled back against the plush cushions, my mind whirling. The evening had taken an unexpectedly intimate turn, and I couldn’t deny the way Leo’s honesty and vulnerability had started to chip away at my opinion of him.

Chapter 21

Why the Ellipsis?

Ethan

Iwould have laughed if someone had told me I’d actually be reconsidering my thoughts on Leonardo Caponetti. While I still wasn’t entirely convinced about his intentions, he seemed serious about at least trying not to hurt Libby.

That was really all I cared about—her not being hurt. She had enough reasons to keep people at arm’s length and didn’t need another. The fact that she was willing to give Leo a chance spoke volumes in his favor, but maybe she was in a rebound period after her last relationship.

Thank fuck that ended. I hated that guy, and I was pretty sure he hated me too.

The sun had fully set now, leaving Leo and me in the glow of strategically placed lights around the deck as we finished our dessert. I hated to admit it had been the perfect dinner, but it had. It would have been way too noisy at a restaurant to talk.

Leo stood and stretched, his shirt lifting enough to show off a sliver of skin. “How do you feel about going for a swim?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Is this your sneaky way of getting me naked? Because I hate to break it to you, but I didn’t exactly pack my swim trunks.”

Leo’s lips quirked up in a smirk. “As tempting as that sounds, I do have some extra trunks on board… Unless, of course, you’d prefer to skinny dip.”

I stood, trying to push down the swell of lust at the thought of being naked with him. “In your dreams, buddy. Lead the way.”

We made our way down to the deck with the pool where there conveniently were towels, swim trunks, and more drinks.

I grabbed the blue pair that had anchors on them and followed Leo inside the gym area where there were changing rooms. The yacht was like a cruise, and it had everything.

Once in the room alone, I pulled out my phone to find I had several messages from Libby.

Libby: I hope you are having a good date.

Libby: I wanted to clarify that when I said to have fun, that meant any kind of fun.

Libby: Like… if he kisses you or you kiss him… or whatever.

Libby: Ignore me.

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