Read Online Leopold: Part Three by Ember Casey, Renna Peak - Free Book Online
Authors: Ember Casey, Renna Peak
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understand that I have no choice in the matter. It’s deep in my blood now. You are deep in my blood.”
Her eyes open and her hand comes up to rest against my chest. Her fingers burn against my bare skin, and I’m once again acutely aware that I’m still completely naked.
“There are things you still don’t know about me,” she says. “Things I’m not ready to tell you.”
“That’s fair, as there are things I’m not yet ready to tell you, either.” I loosen my grip on her slightly and let the fingers of one hand begin to slide slowly up her back. “But don’t use that as an excuse to deny what is happening between us right here. Right now.”
But she shakes her head again. “I still don’t understand why . Why do you care?”
“Why shouldn’t I?” My head dips even lower. “We are both the sort of people who are inclined to run from an emotional connection, are we not? And yet here we are again. There is no why , Elle. I didn’t choose to feel this way. I simply do.”
There’s a question in her eyes—perhaps multiple questions—as she brings her other hand up to my chest. I let my fingers move further up her back, stroking her gently. “What happens when they leave?” she asks.
The departure of the reporters might signify many things—perhaps it will mean they’ve found a bigger story, or perhaps it will be only the beginning of our struggles—but that’s not what she’s asking. She wants to know what happens to us.
“That depends,” I say carefully.
“On what?” She shifts her gaze down to the fingers she has pressed against my chest. “Leo, I need to know if you’re just going to walk away again the moment they leave. You can go on all you want about how none of this is a choice, but you made it a choice this morning when you decided to end things. I don’t care how noble your reasons were.”
“Things have changed,” I tell her.
“And what happens when they change again? When the reporters aren’t an immediate concern?”
I don’t think she comprehends how long they will bea concern, that the media isn’t something that can be switched on and off like a faucet.
“You’re here because you feel responsible,” she continues. “But you’re a prince, Leo. We live in completely different worlds.”
“That doesn’t matter to me.”
“But it matters to me. I love my job, Leo. I have things I want to do in this world. I can’t sacrifice my career for something that can only ever be a temporary distraction.”
“I’ve already told you this isn’t a temporary distraction for me,” I say, growing frustrated.
“It can’t be anything else. Leo, you live on a different continent. And even if you have the money to visit me whenever you like, you’ll still have responsibilities. I’ll still have responsibilities, assuming I manage to find a job after this is over.” Her fingers curl slightly against my chest, and she finally looks up at me again. There’s no anger in her eyes—only a sadness, a tenderness that I feel deep in my bones. “This was never, ever going to last, Leo. And I can’t let myself fall in any deeper.”
I’m already in too deep. There’s no stopping it now, no halting the course of things. I haven’t let myself think about the future—I never do. Why should I? The world changes around us constantly. This morning, I thought I could leave Elle. Now, I have no intention of doing anything but staying with her for as long as circumstances allow.
Soon, I will have to think about how I will handle Andrew—and my father. But there is no reason for us to concern ourselves with potential future responsibilitiesthat don’t even exist yet. We don’t know what will happen in the coming days. I only know that nothing she can say will make me leave her now.
“Leo,” she says softly, and her head falls forward, her forehead coming to rest against my chest. “Leo, I’m not sure I can put myself through that.”
Her breath is warm against
Her eyes open and her hand comes up to rest against my chest. Her fingers burn against my bare skin, and I’m once again acutely aware that I’m still completely naked.
“There are things you still don’t know about me,” she says. “Things I’m not ready to tell you.”
“That’s fair, as there are things I’m not yet ready to tell you, either.” I loosen my grip on her slightly and let the fingers of one hand begin to slide slowly up her back. “But don’t use that as an excuse to deny what is happening between us right here. Right now.”
But she shakes her head again. “I still don’t understand why . Why do you care?”
“Why shouldn’t I?” My head dips even lower. “We are both the sort of people who are inclined to run from an emotional connection, are we not? And yet here we are again. There is no why , Elle. I didn’t choose to feel this way. I simply do.”
There’s a question in her eyes—perhaps multiple questions—as she brings her other hand up to my chest. I let my fingers move further up her back, stroking her gently. “What happens when they leave?” she asks.
The departure of the reporters might signify many things—perhaps it will mean they’ve found a bigger story, or perhaps it will be only the beginning of our struggles—but that’s not what she’s asking. She wants to know what happens to us.
“That depends,” I say carefully.
“On what?” She shifts her gaze down to the fingers she has pressed against my chest. “Leo, I need to know if you’re just going to walk away again the moment they leave. You can go on all you want about how none of this is a choice, but you made it a choice this morning when you decided to end things. I don’t care how noble your reasons were.”
“Things have changed,” I tell her.
“And what happens when they change again? When the reporters aren’t an immediate concern?”
I don’t think she comprehends how long they will bea concern, that the media isn’t something that can be switched on and off like a faucet.
“You’re here because you feel responsible,” she continues. “But you’re a prince, Leo. We live in completely different worlds.”
“That doesn’t matter to me.”
“But it matters to me. I love my job, Leo. I have things I want to do in this world. I can’t sacrifice my career for something that can only ever be a temporary distraction.”
“I’ve already told you this isn’t a temporary distraction for me,” I say, growing frustrated.
“It can’t be anything else. Leo, you live on a different continent. And even if you have the money to visit me whenever you like, you’ll still have responsibilities. I’ll still have responsibilities, assuming I manage to find a job after this is over.” Her fingers curl slightly against my chest, and she finally looks up at me again. There’s no anger in her eyes—only a sadness, a tenderness that I feel deep in my bones. “This was never, ever going to last, Leo. And I can’t let myself fall in any deeper.”
I’m already in too deep. There’s no stopping it now, no halting the course of things. I haven’t let myself think about the future—I never do. Why should I? The world changes around us constantly. This morning, I thought I could leave Elle. Now, I have no intention of doing anything but staying with her for as long as circumstances allow.
Soon, I will have to think about how I will handle Andrew—and my father. But there is no reason for us to concern ourselves with potential future responsibilitiesthat don’t even exist yet. We don’t know what will happen in the coming days. I only know that nothing she can say will make me leave her now.
“Leo,” she says softly, and her head falls forward, her forehead coming to rest against my chest. “Leo, I’m not sure I can put myself through that.”
Her breath is warm against
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