Page 14 of Enticing

When Nix and Kenzie moved in together a few weeks ago, I hadn’t realized how quiet the condo would be. Not gonna lie. I miss having him and his dog hanging around. I’m not the biggest fan of quiet. Give me the roar of the crowd or the shit-talking of the guy across from me on the ice, and I’m happy. Give me a puck to chase down, and I’m in my element. I’m basically a simple man. It doesn’t take much.

Put me in a house full of chaos, and I’m home. But that’s what happens when you grow up as one of five siblings all bornwithin five years of each other because you also have two parents who couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Still can’t.

Loud and crazy are my default settings.

My thoughts go back to Addie’s house last night.

To the way Izzy argued with her mother more like a tiny teenager instead of a short stack in kindergarten.

To the way Addie kept her guard up all night, only letting it down for her girls.

Damn... there’s just something about her that called to me from the second I saw her. Even before I was able to suss out there was no Mr. Addie in sight. I probably should have been more concerned about that than I was, but somehow, I just knew...

She made me work hard as hell for every tiny detail, unlike her daughter, who happily filled me in on anything and everything she could before her mother kicked me out so she could give the kids baths.

But something was there... Not just attraction, but something else.

Something bigger. Stronger. Insistent.

Something I don’t just want to explore, I need to.

Have to.

She and her kids and the chaos around them settled me in a way I haven’t been in a long time.

My head snaps up as Nix smacks me with his stick. “Where the fuck are you?”

“What the hell?” I glare and shift my hips.

He stretches his arms behind his back and cracks his neck, acting way more annoyed than he actually is. It’s what we do. The roles we play. Nix is the oldest, serious brother. I’m the middle son. Easygoing and under the radar. And Hendrix... well, Henny’s the baby of the family, and he gets away witheverything.

“Dude,” Nix snaps. “I’ve been talking to you for five minutes, and it’s like you’re looking right through me.”

“It’s not my fault you’re boring as shit.” I pop up and hit his stick with mine, not willing to share where my mind was and abso-fucking-lutely not willing to think aboutwhyI want to keep that to myself. Instead, I taunt him. It’s more fun to fuck with him anyway. “Wanna race?”

“Save your energy for the game, man. You’re gonna need it.” Always the older brother. So fucking serious.

I smile like the cat who ate that annoying little canary. “That what your fiancée tells you too? I hear there’s a pill for that.”

Nixon’s grip tightens on his stick as the team starts filing off the ice. “You better hope I don’t catch you, little brother.”

I smile, excitement coursing through my veins. “I’d like to see you try.”

Time for some fun.

Hendrix

Nice win. Can I crash with you tomorrow?

Leo

Yeah, man. You know Mom is gonna cry when you surprise her. She might make you crash at their house.

Hendrix

She can try, but I’ve been scarred enough by Mom and Dad’s hormones to last a lifetime. I think I’ll skip the post-Thanksgiving sexcapades.

Leo

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