Free Leopold: Part Three by Ember Casey, Renna Peak

been fun, but honestly, this is getting out of hand. I mean, the sex is one thing, but the thought of hundreds of reporters out there, waiting for any salacious detail they can get their hands on…” I shake my head at him. “We really, really have to stop.”
    His smile falls. “Elle, I don’t believe you understand that it’s far too late for that. As I’ve been trying to tell you, something has happened to me. I can’t explain it. But nothing is as I expected it to be.” He takes a step toward me. “And it’s not only about the sex, though I’ll admit it is glorious.”
    “But it is only about sex, Leo. There can’t be anything else between us. Haven’t you been listening to me? We live in completely different worlds. They…” I motion toward the door. “They don’t care that I need to have a life after this. They’re perfectly willing to try to ruin it for me because I decided to pursue this little fling between us. What am I supposed to do now? Now that they know who I am? How am I supposed to make a living after this? And what if they…” My breath hitches in my chest and I pause, looking up into his eyes. I only barely stopped myself from asking him what would happen if they found out what Owen did. What happened in my personal life before I left for Rio de Campo was bad enough. The last thing I need is for anyone to go digging anything else up about me.
    I can’t run forever. And I can only run so far.
    “Elle…” He reaches out for my shoulder.
    I flinch away. “You should probably cover yourself up. They might be able to see through my curtains. They’re pretty sheer.”
    He looks over at the curtains before he turns his gaze back to mine. His lips curl into another smile. “If you’d rather I be clothed, I have no objection. I seem to remember we’re fairly adept at accomplishing our goals while relatively clothed—”
    “Leo, please stop. You say I don’t understand the gravity of this situation or how it’s affecting you, but I think maybe you don’t understand what a problem this is for me.”
    “Ah, but I do. Which is why I suggested our clothing is merely a hindrance, not an obstacle. If done carefully, we can both remain fully clothed—”
    I throw my hands in the air and groan loudly. I shake my head and walk to the couch, sitting before I look at him again. “I’m not talking about any of this again until you have your clothes on.”
    He smiles, staring at me for a moment before he walks toward the hallway without another word.
    He must know I have zero self-control when it comes to him. I don’t know what I can do to get the balance of power to shift back to my side. Considering he can get me to melt just by giving me one of those looks—I know I’m done for. I’m in too deep.
    After I sit, wondering how the hell I’m going to get myself out of this mess, I remember how I was interrupted earlier by his return. It seems like it was so long ago, but he did leave me. And I know he will again.
    He’s in the bedroom for a long time, so I decide to finish doing my laundry before I return to the living room. I need to keep myself busy so I don’t have to think about how the stunt he’s just pulled with the media has probably ruined any chance of my having a normal life ever again.
    He returns a few minutes later dressed in a white button-down shirt and gray slacks—he looks almost exactly like he did on the day we first met.
    He grins at me and holds his arm out like I’m supposed to get up and take it. “I thought we’d have a proper first date.”
    “You thought we’d…what?” I blink at him a few times. “Are you insane?”
    “I believe we have already determined we are both a bit out of our minds, Elle. Something about you makes me forget how things are supposed to be.”
    “Well, I guess we’re in agreement there. But I do believe there is a way things are supposed to be. And how the hell can we have a proper anything with a thousand cameras in our