“Life is about pain, as well, is it not?” he said, philosophically. “Without the lows, the highs would not feel as high.”

“But without so many highs, you’d get more stability,” Keira contested.

“Who wants stability?” The waiter laughed. “It is boring! Especially when we are young. Our bodies are healthy and beautiful. Do you want to just settle with a man now and prepare for motherhood? Of course you do not! You want to use this fine vehicle that God gave you and experience all the wonder you can.”

Keira found herself shrinking a little under the intensity of his words. He seemed very passionate, and she wondered how much the women he hooked up with were aware of his views in advance. There was certainly nothing wrong with cultural differences in the approach toward love as long as everyone was on board. But what the waiter was describing seemed quite close to the American equivalent of a player, someone who pretended they cared more for a girl than they did just to get her in bed, who liked the thrill of the chase and the excitement of someone new more than they did the actual experience of connecting romantically with someone.

She cleared her throat. “I understand what you’re saying, but why do you need more than one woman at a time? If you truly fall in love with these women as you claim and have a passionate, loving affair with them, then why would you need more than one?”

“Do you feel satisfied with one lover?” Vanni countered. “Is one person able to tick all your boxes, meet all your needs?”

“Yes,” Keira replied, an image of Shane intruding into her mind.

“I don’t believe you,” he argued back. “When you are with a man, you really do not look at another? You have never felt your heart belong to one but have space for more?”

With a sting of guilt, Keira realized that she was indeed in that very position right now. She was still deeply in love with Shane—the way his face haunted her mind was testament to that. But she had also allowed herself to get completely wrapped up in Cristiano. Maybe she was the naive one. Maybe there was something to this idea that one lover could never be enough, one person could never provide all your needs. And once the mind was open to the idea of being able to love more than one person at once because of their different qualities, then the position she was in right now with her heart belonging to Shane but craving Cristiano made perfect sense.

“Would you say you respect the women you’re with?” she asked.

“Of course. I love them. I cannot live without them.”

“But you need more than one?”

“Yes.”

Keira tried to wrap her head around it. She felt like she was starting to understand, though it still felt paradoxical to her. At least she was getting some good material. She could clearly see how to approach this interview in her article.