Leo wasn’t even sorry that he was no longer the heir apparent to the family fortune, the business. He had plenty of money of his own, and he would still have a roll in the business if he wanted it.
He wasn’t sure he did anymore.
The only thing he was sure of at the moment was figuring out a way to continue seeing Shannon when this vacation was over. Beyond that, well, he’d figure his life out, eventually.
He held the phone at an angle, so that Shannon wasn’t in the picture. It was hard to do since she was on his lap, but he didn’t ask her to move.
He liked her this close.
But he didn’t want his brother to see her in that bikini. Not that he was one of those possessive alpha-holes like Davit, but his brother would say all the wrong things that would get under Leo’s skin and then they’d start arguing, and it just wasn’t worth it.
“Hey, Max,” he said when the call connected.
Shannon glanced over her shoulder, her eyebrow raised. Leo shrugged. He had no idea why his brother was calling again so soon.
“What’s up?”
Leo watched him peer at the screen, taking in the background.
“Are you on the water? On a boat?”
Leo turned the phone around and waved it so Max could have a better look. “Yep. Jealous?”
“Wait, pan back to that hot chick. Is that the famous Shannon?”
Leo rolled his eyes. Shannon smirked. “She’s hardly famous, but, yes, that’s Shannon.”
“Let me see her again. All I saw was bronze skin and a red string I’m guessing is a bikini.”
“No.”
“You’re no fun. Seriously, I want to see what sort of woman you date without our parents’ influence.”
“No. What do you need?”
Shannon chuckled and rattled the ice cubes in her empty glass. They’d packed a cooler with cherry vodka and sparkling lemon-flavored water and fresh raspberries, and she had introduced him to his new favorite drink. Which they were sharing from one cup because why not?
“Want more?” she mouthed, and he nodded, releasing his hold around her waist so she could get up off his lap.
He immediately missed her presence. Damn, he had it bad.
“Bridgette wants to know if you want her to go ahead with plans for your birthday party. And I want you to call Dad so she can start planning her wedding, part two.”
Leo shook his head. How the hell was his brother okay with the way this was going down? Did he honestly think she wanted to be with him? That she’d stay faithful?
And to be honest, Bridgette wasn’t that great of a catch. She was attractive and she came from money, but she was vain and shallow and she had spending habits that would cripple the family business if Max weren’t careful.
Maybe he didn’t care about any of that. Maybe he was exactly the way their parents had hoped Leo would be: doing what was necessary to grow their empire.
“Tell her to cancel the party; I’m not interested. I’m not even sure I’ll be home for my birthday.” Hopefully, he’d be with Shannon.
He watched as she crouched next to the cooler and added more ice and mixed their drink.
“Okay, one down. Now you need to call Dad so she can put her focus into wedding planning instead. Otherwise, she’s going to be all pouty, and I’ll be honest here, that’s my least favorite of all her attitudes.”
Shannon stood and for a split second came into view on Leo’s phone before she stepped around to snuggle back onto his lap.
“Whoa,” Max said, his eyes going wide. “That was a smokin’ hot lady I just saw. She looks kind of familiar too. Do I know her?”
“Nope. And it’s probably going to stay that way.”
“Yeah, right. I’ll let Bridgette know you’re bringing a plus one to the wedding.”
Shit, if he could get away with not attending the wedding, he would.
Would Max ensure kids were written into their contract? Leo had because he’d wanted them, not to mention, there was an expectation that he’d create heirs to carry on the Beneventi name and take over the family business someday.
He should probably warn his brother that Bridgette hadn’t been pleased with that particular clause. She told him she wasn’t mother material.
Leo hadn’t argued, but he figured he could be a decent enough father to make up for it.
Damn, had he really had those sorts of conversations, those thoughts, about his own marriage, his own future?
What the hell kind of world did he live in?
“I’ll call Dad,” he finally said, because he wanted to end this call and get back to the little fantasy world he’d created with Shannon.
“Thanks, man, I appreciate it. Later.”
The call disconnected, and the music started up again. A song called “Sucker” by the Jonas Brothers.
Appropriate.
“I don’t really want to know, but I actually do,” Shannon said, sipping her drink and then handing it to him.
He took a grateful swallow. “You mean about my brother and how fucked up it is that he seems so excited to marry my ex-fiancée?”
She chuckled. “Exactly.”
He shook his head. “I don’t get it either. He’s never expressed any remote interest in getting involved with the family business, and now he’s so all-in that he’s willing to marry a woman he really doesn’t even know just to please our father. Man, I’m so glad I woke up when I did.”
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the hollow of her throat.
“Because waking up when I did led me to you.”
She stiffened under his touch. He frowned and grasped her biceps, pushing her upper
