Page 49 of Falling for Them

“I love you too. I just hadn’t really given a lot of thought to it because you never showed interest in me... or any other woman.”

He squeezed my hand. “I’ve thought about it a lot this past week. I only really have the way I feel towards you to go from, but I’m still not attracted to women… just you.”

“And how are you feeling about that?”

“After last night and this morning, I can’t imagine going back to only being friends.” His eyes were hopeful, yet there was uncertainty there too. “How are you feeling?”

“The same as you. But there’s a problem… I mean, what are we now? Boyfriend and girlfriend? That doesn’t seem like a strong enough label.” I was feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness about all of this. “Partners? Soulmates? Lovers?”

“Anything you want.” He brought our hands to his lips and kissed my fingers. It felt so natural and right that I knew that for us, a label didn’t matter.

I hesitated, trying to decide how to ask the next question. It was probably on his mind too, so I ripped off the Band-Aid. “What about Leo?”

Ethan sighed. “Honestly? I have no fucking clue. I worry about his intentions, and now that we’re going to try this… I don’t know if he fits into that equation.”

My heart dropped, but I nodded. “It was only supposed to be a one-time thing anyway… plus, there’s the whole worksituation.” I wasn’t doing a great job at convincing myself that Leo was a quick fling.

“We should get cleaned up and go get breakfast. I’m starving.” Ethan kissed me as he pulled out.

He went into the bathroom, and I lay there for a minute, thinking about the past twenty-four hours. Ethan was right, I didn’t know Leo’s intentions. I couldn’t risk what I had with Ethan to chase some fleeting feeling I got from a man I barely knew.

Chapter 18

Two Bouquets of Red Roses

Leo

There was no work emergency.

I woke up with my arm and leg thrown over Ethan’s instead of Libby’s, and I’d freaked the fuck out. The last thing I needed was to be cuddling with someone who probably still hated my guts. Although, he had suspended that hate for at least one night.

I still couldn’t get the way Libby had been so open and willing to be with us both out of my head. Or the way Ethan had hardly hesitated to please her… or the looks and sounds of pleasure from both of them.

Damn it.

I slid into the booth across from my brother, who was already on his second mimosa. He probably thought he needed them after I frantically started texting him as soon as I was out of the condo.

“You look like shit.” Luca signaled to the waiter who promptly brought me my own drink.

“Do I?” I’d literally thrown on the same clothes from the day before—minus the jacket—and had brushed my teeth.

After downing half the champagne flute, I ran my fingers through my hair. “Long night.”

“I thought those days were over.”

“They are…” Now that I was sitting across from him, I didn’t know why I’d called him instead of Carter. I would have preferred to hash out my feelings with Ryker, but that was not an option seeing as I’d railed his sister for a second time.

Luca stared at me as I opened my menu, considering how to talk about Libby and Ethan without him figuring out who I was talking about. It would be damn near impossible.

“I think we need an NDA for this conversation.” I pulled out my phone, ready to send him a generic one I kept ready at all times.

“I’m not signing a damn NDA.” He reached over the table and snatched my phone. “You’re the one who texted me about ten times this morning asking if I wanted to go to brunch because you needed to talk. So, talk.”

“You can’t tell Paige, Garrett, or Ryker.”

He rolled his eyes. “I swear on my Prince Albert, I won’t tell them… well, unless you are laundering money through the foundation or…” His eyes narrowed. “Tell me you didn’t.”

“It’s not like that.” I finished the rest of my drink and caught the waiter’s eye. I usually hated how we were watched like royalty, but right then, I was grateful for the quickly supplied alcohol.

---