18. Two Bouquets of Red Roses

Chapter 18

Two Bouquets of Red Roses

Leo

T here 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.

“Unless you’re putting a ring on it, that’s exactly how it is and exactly how Ryker will see it when he finds out. And he will find out, you know that, right?”

I cringed and gave a grateful nod as the waiter set down another glass for me. “The only way he’ll find out is if she tells him, and she won’t.”

“And what about Ethan? Libby will tell him, and I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but he doesn’t really like you.”

Jesus, what did Ethan do, talk about hating my guts all day at the office? This was another layer of complication with Ethan working for Ryker and my brother.

Luckily, the waiter returned to take our orders so that I could have a minute. There was really no good way to get around telling my brother everything.

“He knows because he was there too.”

Luca coughed as he swallowed a drink. “What?!”

“He’s in love with Libby, and I really like her. We both were in her room and it just… happened.”

“Who exactly were you with?” he asked carefully.

“Libby. Ethan would rather lick the bottom of his shoe than touch me… and besides, I’m not into that.” Even as I said it, I knew it was a lie. I’d always thought men were attractive but had only explored my bisexuality over the last year. Unfortunately, in both instances I’d been intoxicated.

“I know that you and Ethan went upstairs at the Christmas party.” Luca dropped that tidbit so casually that it made my head spin. Even more surprising was that he hadn’t given me shit about it or mentioned it.

“Nothing happened. I didn’t even know about it until yesterday.” I still wasn’t completely comfortable acknowledging my attraction to men, even to myself.

“Maybe you should try not getting shit-faced before hooking up with a man. Seems to always land you in some sticky situations… and not in the good way.” He was most definitely referring to the yacht incident which had cost me millions of dollars to resolve.

Yet, there I was again, putting myself in another situation with a couple. Libby and Ethan hadn’t declared anything, but it was only a matter of time. This wasn’t the same thing, though; it couldn’t be. They wouldn’t purposely record us with the intention of blackmailing.

“Leo?” Luca’s concerned voice snapped me out of my quickly spiraling thoughts.

“What do you suggest I do? Ask them on a date?”

“Why not? You certainly shouldn’t keep pursuing only Libby if she’s involved with Ethan.” He shook his head in disbelief. “But dude… you slept with Ryker’s sister? I can’t protect you from him.”

“I know.” I put my head in my hands. “I’m a fuck-up.”

“You’re not a fuck-up. Everyone in their twenties makes bad decisions sometimes. Hell, I’m in my thirties, and I still make them occasionally.”

I snorted and dropped my hands from my face. “Yeah, but your bad decisions don’t typically involve sleeping with the wrong people.”

Luca winced. “Fair point. But seriously, beating yourself up about it isn’t going to solve anything. What you need to do now is figure out what you want and how to move forward.”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “I don’t even know where to start trying to date them both, especially Ethan. It’s like trying to make cannoli.”

“Don’t bring cannoli into this.” Luca leaned back in his seat. “It doesn’t have to be complicated… ask them both out.”

I blinked at him. “Ask them out? It’s not that simple. How did you, Garrett, and Ryker come to the conclusion you wanted to share a woman?”

“I don’t like the term share; we don’t divide her up. The feelings grew with time… completely different than your situation. I think you need to show them you’re serious about pursuing something with both of them. Woo them.”

“But what if-”

Luca held up a hand, cutting me off. “No ‘what-ifs.’ You’re overthinking this. They’re already interested enough to sleep with you, right? So, build on that. Show them the Leo I know—the thoughtful, caring guy behind all that bravado.”

I felt a tiny glimmer of hope. Maybe he was right. Maybe I was making this more complicated than it needed to be.

“My biggest piece of advice? Communication is important. Like, ridiculously important. You need to be upfront about your intentions, your feelings, and what you want from them.”

I nodded slowly, absorbing his words. “You’re right. Running away this morning probably wasn’t the best move.”

“Probably not. Tread carefully, okay? This isn’t just about you and your feelings. You’re dealing with two other people’s emotions here.”

As our food arrived, I still had no idea how this would play out, but at least now I had the start of a game plan. A place to start was really all I needed.

I walked down the hall, two bouquets of red roses cradled in my arms. My stomach churned as I approached the condo door. What if Libby still wanted me gone? What if the night before hadn’t changed anything?

I took a deep breath, steeling myself to face whatever was waiting inside. Fumbling with entering my code, I nearly dropped one of the bouquets in the process. Smooth. Real smooth.

Finally managing to unlock the door, I stepped inside.

The living room was quiet except for the sounds of gunfire and explosions coming from the TV. Ethan sat on the couch, controller in hand, completely engrossed in whatever game he was playing. He didn’t strike me as a gamer, but the headset and his focus not wavering as the door shut said otherwise.

There was no sign of Libby.

“Hey.” My voice sounded unnaturally loud.

“Uh, hi.” He paused his game and turned on the couch, rolling his eyes as they landed on the flowers. “Seriously? Roses?”

I should have bought him black roses to match his attitude. “These are for you and Libby.” I held out one of the bouquets toward him.

Ethan stared at me like I’d grown a second head. “For... me?”

“Yes, for you.” I felt more awkward by the second. “I wanted to do something nice for both of you after... you know.”

He set down his controller on the couch and stood up, slowly approaching me as if I might bite. When he finally took the flowers, his expression was a mix of confusion and suspicion. “Thanks, I guess. But why?”

I took a deep breath. It was now or never. Communication was key, and beating around the bush was going to get me nowhere with him. “I was wondering if you’d like to go on a date with me.”

Ethan’s eyebrows shot up so high they nearly disappeared into his hairline. “A date? With you?”

“Yes.” I was trying to keep my voice steady, but fuck, I was a nervous wreck. “An actual date. I was thinking we could go out separately and then we could all go out. Me, you, and Libby.”

He narrowed his eyes. “So, let me get this straight. You woke up this morning, had a ‘work emergency,’ and came back a few hours later with roses wanting to go on dates? Including a date alone… with me.”

“Yes?”

“Is this some kind of joke? Or are you looking to experiment and then forget about it?”

The jab about forgetting our Christmas party fun was well-deserved, but it stung. “Look, if you’re going to be an asshole about it then never mind.” I reached for the roses, and he took a step back with them. “I’m being serious, Ethan.”

Ethan set the flowers down on the island. “First off, I’m not interested in being anyone’s test run. I’ve been down that road before, and it doesn’t end well. Secondly, me and Libby talked this morning and are together now.”

My heart sank because of course they already talked about their feelings and probably agreed to kick me to the curb. “What if we try and see what happens? Look at how happy Paige is with her three men.”

“And how long is that going to last? If anything, it’s a way for all of them to do one third of the work that goes into a relationship. Eventually, it’s not going to work, and Paige will be left to pick up the pieces.”

Why the hell was he so cynical? It was clear as day that each of them gave one hundred percent and also respected being their own people.

“Who the fuck hurt you?”

He studied me for a long moment, and I felt like I was under a microscope. Finally, he sighed dramatically. “Fine, but if at any point I feel like you’re not being genuine, I’m out, and so is Libby.”

It wasn’t a whole-hearted endorsement, but it was a start.