Page 41 of Enticing

It’s backward, but it’s going to work because there’s been something about Adelaide James since the first time I saw her at Hockey Tots.

“It’s not that simple, Leo...” Her voice softens.

“It really is, Adelaide,” I try to convince her, desperate to get her to take the help I’m offering.

“If you’re serious, Sinclair, it really isn’t that simple,” Coraline adds, looking between us. “Let me get breakfast cleaned up and Izzy occupied, so we can all discuss the details because I promise you, there is nothing about our parents’ estate that isn’t complicated.”

Adelaide doesn’t move.

She doesn’t offer to help with the kids.

She doesn’t argue with her sister.

She stands, frozen in place, and I can’t get a good read on her.

“Addie... tell me what you’re thinking,” I push but resist the urge to go to her. She needsspaceto process this, and something tells me she can’t do that with me in it.

My hoodie dwarfs her, hitting her mid-thigh, and a vision of her bent over the couch with nothing on but that... her hips gripped in my hands... Fuck...

That’s a good image.

She shifts her weight and crosses her arms over her chest, plumping what’s gotta be the most perfect breasts I’m ever going to see... one day. “I’m thinking ... what do you get out of this, Leo? Why on earth would you agree to this?”

“Why wouldn’t I? I can help you, so let me.” Not going to her right now, when all I want to do is touch her—to hold her and ask if she really doesn’t feel this between us... if she really doesn’t understand why I’d do this... holding my ground—is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

“I just don’t understand how it can be so easy for you. That’s not real, Leo. Nobody is that much of a nice guy.” She shakes her head, frustrated. “Not without wanting something in return.”

Fuck this.

I cross the distance in two steps and have her face in my hands before her next fucking breath. “I’m a lot of things, Adelaide. I’m a good man, a great fucking hockey player, and a pretty good friend. I’m not sure what I’m going to have to do to convince you I am a nice guy. But only to the people I give a shit about, and sweetheart, you are on that list. You have been since the minute you stormed into the arena, pissed at the world, and didn’t even look at me.” Addie rolls her lips together and bites down, and I fucking groan and run my thumb along her lower lip. “And I never said there wasn’t something in this for me too.”

“Can today be a pajama day, Mom?” Izzy darts out of the kitchen, and I drop my hands and take a step back.

Adelaide’s attention jumps from me to her daughter, and she runs a gentle hand over her wild hair. “I don’t know what we’ve got planned for today, Izz.”

“Aunt Cori said I could watchFrozen.” She spins around in her pajamas as if to say,look, Mom. “I’m already in my Elsa pj’s. Please, Mom.”

Addie sighs and looks over Izzy’s shoulder at Coraline, who just walked back in the room with Lennox. She hesitates butgives in, and this kid knows it before her mom ever opens her mouth. “Fine.”

Izzy practically tackles Addie as she throws her arms around her neck. “PJ days are the best days. Thanks, Mom.”

“Love you, Izz. Now, how about you go grab a blanket and find a spot on the couch? Do you need help putting it on?”

“Nope. I got this,” the tiny tornado answers before taking off toward another room.

“Where’s she going?” I ask, having assumed she’d be plopping down on the couch I slept on.

With her eyes still locked on where Izz just ran off, Addie shakes her head. “She has a playroom in the back of the house. It used to be Gran’s solarium. It’s her favorite room.”

“Even better. She doesn’t need to be part of this conversation.” Coraline passes Lennox to me. “Have you ever changed a diaper, number ten?”

“Cori—” Addie throws her hands in the air when I laugh.

“I’ve changed a few. My sisters have a ton of kids.”

Coraline giggles. “I’m kidding. I just changed her. I just wanted my hands free, so I could grab my computer. We’ve got some things to discuss.”

“No,wedon’t,” Addie argues with a little less force behind it this time.

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