Leonardo (Romancing the Weavers #5) - Kit Morgan Page 0,49
even be in love with you. But you want my cousin, don’t you? You’re trying to spend time with her, get to know her … why am I even here? I don’t want to betray her.
He shifted, drawing closer. “Oh, mio carino. Sembri così perso, così solo.”
“Ahem.”
They jumped as Gabby approached. “Am I interrupting anything?” She glared at Leo before spying Savannah upstream.
“Not at all,” Leo said, scooting away from Parthena.
Gabby frowned. “Are you sure?”
Parthena noticed his ears turn pink. What had he been saying? She looked at Gabby, then Leo. His sister had to have heard him, and probably understood what he said.
Savannah waved, drawing Gabby’s attention. “Over here! Did you bring a pole?”
Gabby held up the pole in her hand, gave her brother another glare and headed upstream.
Parthena stared at Leo, her mind racing. “What did you say?” she asked softly.
His eyes met hers. “I was only asking how you are, la mia bella.”
“That … la mia bella. What does it mean?”
He smiled. “You worry too much. I’m not calling you names.”
She gazed at him a moment. “I know. But I’ve heard Arturo say that to Rayne.” Just before he kissed her, in fact.
His ears went pink again. “Have you? How interesting.”
What was he playing at? He hadn’t answered one question yet, and he knew she didn’t understand what he was saying. “La mia bella. I should ask your sister what that means.”
He tensed up. “No, there’s no need of that. I’ll tell you.”
She leaned toward him. “Well?”
He took a deep breath and picked at the grass. “It means … ‘my pretty one’.”
She gasped.
“It’s not a bad thing,” he said, moving closer again.
Her breath caught in her throat. All she could manage was, “Why?”
He smiled as his eyes roamed her face. “Because you are, for one. Sei una ragazza molto carina.” He put his finger to her lips. “Before you ask what it means, I’ll tell you.” He lowered his hand. “You are a very pretty girl.”
Parthena stared at him, unable to speak. He thought she was pretty? She looked at the grass and found her voice. “Thank you.” Her eyes met his once more. “You’re a very handsome man.”
He smiled. “Grazie. Thank you.”
She smiled back. “I guessed that one.” She gazed into his eyes. “How do you say ‘I think you’re handsome’?”
His smile grew. “Penso che tu sia bello.”
Her eyes darted to his lips. “I’m not sure I can repeat that.”
“Try.”
She glanced at Gabby and Savannah before speaking. “Pen-so … kay see-a bello.”
He laughed. “Penso che tu sia bello. You said ‘I think it’s cool’.”
She tried not to giggle. “That doesn’t surprise me. My sister in-law Lorelei says ‘cool’ a lot.”
“Is it cold in England where she lives?”
“That’s not the way she uses the word. To her it means ‘ interesting’.”
He gave her a quizzical look. “That’s odd.”
“She’s odd, but never mind about that.”
He glanced at the others and back. “You’re interesting.”
“I am?” She wasn’t sure what to make of that.
He watched her intently, his eyes resting on her lips now and then. She swore he was thinking about kissing her, but she had to be wrong. If he did, wouldn’t he have done it by now?
They continued to gaze at each other until Gabby broke the spell. “Leo, Parthena, look! Savannah caught a fish!”
They turned and looked. Savannah held up a trout with a proud smile. “If I can catch some more we’ll have enough for supper!”
He smiled and turned back to Parthena. “Around here? Too many people. They would be a snack.”
She nodded, knowing it was true. She looked at Gabby and Savannah as they headed further away. Savannah recast her line and tried again.
“She’s determined to feed us,” Leo said.
“Savannah is nothing but determined. Once she sets her mind on something, she tries her hardest to get it.”
“Does she?” He sounded doubtful.
She let her eyes meet his again. It was like looking into two dark pools with a highly intelligent mind behind them. She could see his creativity, humor, wit and … something else. That was the part Savannah should be striving to get to know to see if they’d suit. Instead she was catching trout and leaving her cousin behind to mind him – her cousin that was quickly falling for him!
“What are you thinking, carina?”
Her breath caught again. His voice was soft, gentle, almost a whisper. “Why don’t you speak English?” Her voice was a whisper.
He leaned toward her and closed his eyes, breaking contact. When he opened them, he looked in