Page 53 of Enticing

Her little eyes light up with glee, and Noah offers a silent thanks.

“Not a problem, but your sister might not be too thankful once Izzy starts talking. My daughter is a lot of things, but quiet isn’t one of them,” I warn.

“My cousin’s a lucky guy,” Noah throws out nonchalantly as he serves the next person, then looks between Caitlin, Coraline, and me. “My uncle is too.”

“Don’t look at me, buddy,” Cori snaps, and my heart cracks open. “Just because these two are in love with Sinclairs, doesn’t mean I want one for myself.”

The way the lie just rolled off her tongue kills me.

I’m not sure I’ll be able to say those words without meaning them, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be capable of meaning them again.

Izz and I have just read the last page of our book when the doorbell rings. Her sleepy eyes look up at me, pleading. She’s been waiting to see Leo all day. I close the book and set it on her nightstand. “Just for a few minutes, okay?”

“You’re the best, Mommy,” she squeals and scrambles out of bed. I’mMommywhen she’s playing me. Something this kid does with ease already. I’m so screwed.

“Five minutes,” I shout after her as my phone vibrates in my pocket.

“I’ve got her,” Cori yells back up the stairs, and I yank my phone from my pocket. A private number flashes on the screen.What the hell?

“Hello?” No response. “Hello . . .”

I end the call, thinking it’s probably another debt collector, and follow the sound of Izzy’s laughter downstairs.

Leo’s standing at the foot of the stairs—well, squatting is more accurate. He’s brought himself down to Izzy’s level while he watches her rip into a pretty red and white package. Ribbon is flying everywhere as my girl rips the perfect wrapping to shreds until she gets the lid off. Her wild movement stops, and her little jaw hangs open.

“What is it, Izz?” I ask, and Leo finally looks at me, and my goodness, the look in his eyes does me in. This man who constantly exudes so much confidence is nervous giving his gift to my daughter. Wow... I can’t put into words what that does to my heart.

She pulls out a beautiful, old, hardback copy ofCharlotte’s Web. Izzy runs her fingers along the gilded edges and gold-foiled font, tracing the raised lettering.

“It’s so pretty,” she gasps and opens the cover, then looks at me. “There’s something written here.”

I bend down and look over her shoulder, then suck in a small breath. “There is, baby. That’s E.B. White’s signature. He wrote the book.”

He also died nearly fifty years ago.

This man... the one now standing in front of me. He’s good. He could have bought her a doll or a hockey stick. It would have been a hell of a lot easier than tracking down a signed edition of a book that was first printed seventy-five years ago. But I think I’m starting to understand easy isn’t really his style.

Leo may want everyone to think he’s easy.

Simple.

But there’s so much more to him than that. And I think I’ve only just scratched the surface.

Leo

“Night, short stack.” I hug Izzy, then watch her walk up the steps, clutching her book to her chest and something an awful lot like pride beats in my own chest.

“Damn, Sinclair,” Adelaide whispers. “You’re good.”

I wait until Izzy is out of sight and pull a piece of mistletoe out of my pocket. “A regular Boy Scout,” I tease.

Addie eyes the mistletoe but doesn’t move as I raise it above her head and wrap a hand around her back. “Merry Christmas, Addie.”

She stiffens momentarily, then softens and tucks her hands inside my jacket. “Merry Christmas, Leo.”

I brush my lips over hers, slowly and gently, giving her time to pull away if she needs to.

But my girl surprises me when she presses her body against mine, each soft curve molding to my muscled form. I lick into her mouth, and Addie moans as my blood roars in my veins.

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