Page 54 of Undisputed Player
"Jax," she conceded, and hearing my name on her lips sent a thrill through me that was probably visible from space. "Avery seems very excited about a playdate."
"She's been talking about it all week," I added, which wasn't exactly a lie since I'd been steering every conversation in that direction. "It might be nice for the kids to spend some time together outside of school. Let them be kids instead of tiny scholars."
Estelle hesitated, and I could practically see the gears turning behind those cautious eyes.
‘Was this safe? Was this a trap? What was the catch? What did this gorgeous, sexy, devastating man want with me and Leo?’
Everything. I want absolutely everything.
"Please, Ms. Estelle?" Avery pleaded, deploying the nuclear option of a trembling bottom lip. She really was good at this. "Leo's my bestfriend, and we've never had a playdate before, and I really, really want to show him my toys.”
I watched Estelle's resolve crumble in real time, her expression softening in the face of childhood earnestness. She glanced at me, then back down at my secret weapon.
"I have to check with Leo, and we need to work out transportation, and?—"
"I can handle all of that," I offered quickly, pouncing on the opening like the predator I was. "Pick you up, drop you off, whatever works best for you both. My house has a pool, plenty of space for them to run around. Completely safe."
Safe for Leo, at least. Whether she’ll be safe from me remains to be seen.
She hesitated again, still unsure. She was beautiful when she was uncertain. "I don't know..."
"Please?" Avery's voice had taken on that tremulous quality that rarely came out. She definitely got that from me. "I promise I'll be super good!"
Estelle's expression softened completely, defeat written across her features in the most adorable way possible. "Let me talk to Leo, okay? If he wants to go, and if it's really alright with... Jax, then maybe."
Avery beamed. "Thank you, Ms. Estelle! Leo's going to be so excited!"
Mission fucking accomplished.
The first bell rang, signaling the start of another day of expensive education. Estelle straightened, slipping back into teacher mode like armor. "You'd better get to class, Avery. Don't be late."
Avery nodded, giving me a quick conspiratorial hug before darting off toward her classroom, leaving me alone with the object of my escalating obsession.
"Thank you," I said, stepping closer, close enough to catch that subtle scent of citrus that made my head spin and dick harden, even in this fucking school. "It means a lot to Avery."
Estelle met my gaze, her expression guarded but not hostile. “She's a sweet girl. And Leo could definitely use more friends."
I took another step closer, close enough that she had to tilt her head back to meet my eyes. "And what about you, princess?" I asked. "What do you need?"
The question caught her off guard. I could see it in the way her lips parted slightly, in the way her cheeks flushed pink. "I need to get to work," she answered, deflecting like a pro. "And I'm sure you have somewhere important to be."
But her voice couldn't hide the slight breathiness that had crept in, the fact that my proximity was affecting her, whether she wanted it to or not.
I smiled, letting her see just a glimpse of the hunger I kept carefully leashed. "Nothing more important than this."
She took a step back, and I could see the war playing out across her face, discomfort warring with something warmer, something that looked suspiciously like interest.
"The brownies yesterday," she declared abruptly, changing the subject like her life depended on it. "And the other things. You really didn't have to do that."
“I—Avery—wanted to," I said simply, because it was the absolute truth. "Did Leo like them?"
A small, genuine smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, transforming her face completely. There she was. My beautiful girl.
“He said they were the best thing he’s ever tasted. He saved the last one for lunch today.”
Satisfaction curled through me, warm and possessive. I'd provided something that made them happy, something that made their lives just a little sweeter.
It was a start, a crack in the wall I intended to demolish completely. "Good. I'm glad he enjoyed them."
