Page 36 of Tempting

“I’m not, Kenz. Trust me. I’m pretty sure he’s always had a thing for you.”

“What kind of thing, Mommy?” Griff asks, and Lindy and I both smile at her beautiful boy.

“The kind of thing that makes boys smile at girls, sweetheart. The way Daddy smiles at Mommy.” Talk about always watching someone. My brother has only had eyes for Lindy since he was barely twenty years old. Some things are just written in the stars. But that’s not what everyone gets.

“He doesn’t have a thing for me... Why would you even say that?” I ask, even though I’m sure she’s crazy. Right?

“Kenzie, do you really not see it? You’re smart and kind and beautiful. And Nixon Sinclair has seen that for years. I’m telling you, he has. Ask him if you don’t believe me.” She sips her wine, then rests her elbows on the table. “You and your brother are so blind.”

“What do you mean?” Lizzy fusses in my arms until I adjust her again, then try to act like I’m not dying to know what Lindy means.

“Just keep yourself open to everything, Kenz. Don’t shut down before you even give yourself a chance.”

“You’re not making any sense,” I murmur, trying to string together what the heck ever she’s talking about. “I know Nixon Sinclair is attracted to me. He’s shown me that. But there’s a difference between being attracted to someone and actually being interested in someone.”

“I agree. There’s a difference. But let me ask you this... are you interested in Nixon?”

Well, that’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?

“I’m attracted to him,” I admit and leave off that I got myself off to the sound of his voice the other night, then to the memory of that every night since. And maybe this morning too.

What can I say?

Having a healthy sexual appetite was never my problem.

Finding someone worth the time was the issue.

Is Nixon worth the time?

I’m sure he is.

But that’s not part of our arrangement.

Lindy runs the tip of her finger along the edge of her glass. “So you’re just attracted to him? You couldn’t see yourself dating him?”

“I didn’t say that,” I admit softly as Lizzy starts to squirm on my shoulder.

“No, you didn’t.” Lindy stands and stretches her arms. “Give me the baby. She needs to be changed. And you need to decide what exactly you’re saying. Take it from a woman who waited too long to go after what she wanted. Don’t waste time on what-ifs. Life is too short.”

Lindy takes Lizzy into the other room to change her diaper, and Griffin looks at me with mac and cheese stuck to his lips. “I’m not going to be short like life, Aunt Kenzie. I’m going to be as tall like Daddy.”

“Yeah, big guy.” I drop a kiss on his head. “You’re going to be big and tall and have a really big life.”

He beams up at me like I just made his day. Meanwhile, his mommy just threw a glitter bomb into the middle of mine.

Do I want Nixon Sinclair?

Yes.

Do I want a life with Nixon?

I haven’t thought about sharing my life with anyone in years...

And I’m not sure I’m ready to do that now.

But if I were, Nix sure is one hell of a guy to count out.

KENZIE

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