Enticing (Red Lips & White Lies, #3)

by Bella Matthews

“The first time you touched me, I knew I was born to be yours.” UNKNOWN

“Hockey Tots?” I ask my agent, hoping like hell I heard him wrong, but the amused grin on Hunter’s smug face doubles in size. “Like teaching ankle biters how to play hockey?” “Probably more like teaching ankle biters to skate.” Hunter crosses one Brioni-suit-clad leg over the other and stares back at me from the other side of the table in my favorite lunch spot in Kroydon Hills.

“Okay, Rumpelstiltskin. Then riddle me this . . .

Leo Anyone else get roped into helping with the Hockey Tots? Hendrix Is that like tater tots?

My chest vibrates with silent laughter. “Okay, short stack.” “I’m a full stack, thank you very much,” she answers, and I bite my lips, pretty sure this kid would be offended if I laughed at her. Instead, I narrow my eyes and tilt my head. She’s a tiny little thing. Far from a full stack of pancakes. “A short stack with very good manners.” I wink.

When I turn to see just who that voice belongs to, I’m dumbstruck. Ho-ly fuck. A literal angel is rushing toward us. Long white-blonde hair falls down her back over a creamy sweater that’s hitting her mid-thigh and covering tight black leggings tucked into knee-high riding boots. Her pale cheeks are flushed red, and big doe eyes are locked on Izzy. She doesn’t even see me here, but there’s no way I’ve missed her. It feels like someone just smacked me with a two-by-four.

I understand needing to be a responsible adult . . . but seriously. Every day? Like every single day? That seems a bit excessive. —Addie’s Secret Thoughts

“Leo, huh? Was he one of the coaches?” Okay, so yes. I’m doing a little digging. But it’s my responsibility to ask questions. I mean . . . I need to know who my girl will be spending her afternoons with. It has nothing to do with the zing. The zing was a fluke. It had to be. I don’t do zings. Not in a really, really long time. Zings and I have had words. Not nice words. Unkind words.

Words I try hard not to use in front of my daughters. Zings are no-good little scoundrels.

“Do you like mac ‘n cheese?” I watch carefully as he glances back at her through the rearview mirror of his fancy SUV, a grin spreading across his handsome face. “I love mac ‘n cheese, short stack.” Short stack? Izzy doesn’t miss a beat. “That’s what we’re having for dinner. You wanna have dinner with us?” “Oh, Izz.” I turn to face her, hoping to stop the inevitable disappointment when he hopefully politely declines. “I’m sure Leo has other plans that don’t⁠—” “How could I turn down dinner with two beautiful ladies?” he lays it on thick while his impossibly blue eyes crinkle as he turns a corner.

“Of course it’s all right with her. She makes the best macaroni. She likes to make it crunchy on top.” “I love the crunchy stuff,” Leo agrees, and any chance I had of telling him no flies right out the window with the happy little squeal of joy from my daughter. At least he’s in for a surprise . . . The crunchy stuff is usually burned macaroni.

Leo eyes me cautiously, like he knows exactly what I’m doing. “What can I say? Babies love me.” Something tells me they’re not the only ones.

Bellamy How’d you make out with the car? Caitlin Forget the car. I want to know if you made out with Leo. Addie Are you insane?

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.

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.

“Dude. Who’s that?” I leave Hendrix in the dust and walk right over to the beautiful blonde who demanded my attention just by fucking breathing in the same room as me.

“Fancy meeting you here. You stalking me?” Her long lashes flutter as she blinks up at me and steels her spine. “I was here first, Sinclair. Maybe I should be asking you that.” “You gonna introduce me, brother?” Hendrix slides in next to me, and I want to tell him to read the fucking room and give me some space.

Leo Understood. Just making sure there isn’t a man out there who’s going to try and fail to kick my ass when I ask you out. Addie . . . . . . . . . There she goes with those damn dots again. Leo Don’t worry, Addie. I’m not asking yet. But when you’re ready, I will. Addie Good night, Leo. Leo Night, Addie.

She needs air to fill her lungs and books to fill her soul. —Addie’s Secret Thoughts

I look over my spreadsheet again and cringe. I’m basically stealing from Peter to pay Paul each month. But at this point, I’m going to have to start blowing Peter to get him to hand over more money because my bank balance is going to be in the negative once I pay December’s bills. Poor Peter is never getting paid back . . .

I push away from my desk, where I’ve basically been writing any extra second I can find this weekend. Because when inspiration strikes, you harness that bitch for all it’s worth. Apparently, my inspiration comes in the form of an incredibly gorgeous six-foot-four-inch hockey hottie whose velvety voice I hear in my mind even when he’s texting me. My knees crack as I squat in front of my daughter and run my thumb over her chocolatey cheek. Such an old-ass twenty-five-year-old.

I settle in on the couch and get Lennox situated to nurse, listening to Izzy and Cori’s conversation and knowing I did something right. My girls are happy. They’re safe. And most importantly, they’ll never know a life where they aren’t.

I’m not sure what it says about me that I just realized all the punishments I threaten my daughter with are my actual adult goals. Staying home. Going to bed early. Having to be quiet for five minutes. And my favorite . . . getting spanked. I’ll never spank her, but I’m certain I wouldn’t mind being spanked once in a while. —Addie’s Secret Thoughts

But when Izzy manages to slap the puck down the ice and get it absolutely nowhere near the goal, he celebrates with her like she just won the Stanley Cup. He lifts her up in celebration, and Izzy’s face soars, while my heart sinks.

Adelaide’s presence hits me like a Mac truck before I even look back, and once I do, there’s no keeping my eyes off her. She stands, swaying back and forth with Lennox tucked against her chest.

She’s the most effortlessly beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. “Might want to make it a little less obvious, Sinclair.” Ares cracks a grin and shakes his head.

I’m about to tell him to fuck off when Izzy turns around and sees her mom. “Leo, are you coming to dinner at my house again tonight?” Ares’s eyes grow as wide as his stupid smile. “Ummm . . .” I have no idea how I’m supposed to answer her. “Again, huh?” Ares asks just before Molly pulls her stick back to swing and hits him in the shin. “I’m going to ask my mom,” Izzy tells us before taking off at a pretty fast pace for a five-year-old. “She’s asking her mom,” my brother-in-law taunts, and I fight the urge to smack his other shin with my stick, only harder than my niece just did.

I stand from the kitchen table, grab the cardboard boxes from West End, and look around Addie’s kitchen for a trash can I can’t find as she laughs softly.

“Woman . . .” I tease. “ Where the heck have you ladies hidden your trash can?”

I’ve never had to take it slow. Never had anyone worth taking it slow for. I wasn’t exactly a girlfriend guy in high school or college. When you grow up watching two people so disgustingly in love, they can’t keep their hands off each other, even with two crazy careers, five busy kids, and one special uncle who lived with us, the relationship bar is set pretty high. That’s not to say there haven’t been plenty of women in my life. Just none who ever felt like they belonged there. This one . . . She feels different.

“One day, you’ll believe I’m a good guy, Adelaide.” My thumb skims the apple of her cheek, soft and delicate and pinking under my touch. “And then what?” she whispers. I bring my face within an inch of hers. “And then I’m going to kiss you.” Addie’s breath hitches in her throat.

“I want to be your everything.” I pull the covers over her and run a hand over her face. “But you’re gonna have to let me in for that, sweetheart.”

“I’ll do it,” he interrupts and my entire world tilts. “I’ll marry you.”

Coraline clicks her tongue as she picks up a cherry-red laptop from an end table. She slides down to the floor and rests her laptop on her knees with her back to the couch. “Yeah, ya do. Look at it this way, sissy. He’s perfect. Your kids like him. He’s not after your money because he’s got his own, and truth be told, you could even offer him a settlement at the end of the marriage. And let’s not forget he’s pretty to look at too.”

“He’s also right here,” I remind her, and she laughs at me. “Don’t like being objectified?” Coraline laughs. “Nope. That part’s fine. I just wanted to remind you,” I tease, trying to thaw the ice that’s formed in the room.

Leo kisses Lennox’s head, and my heart cracks. “If you’d have left him earlier, you wouldn’t have her.”

Fuck him for being so damn perfect.

Lennox babbles happily in Leo’s arms, and her small fist grabs the front of his white t-shirt, happy to nearly choke him. He doesn’t get pissed when I’m pretty sure she gets a fistful of skin. This giant of a man just kisses her fist. Maybe . . . maybe we can do this.

Leo pulls me against his chest, and in a move so unexpected I can hardly believe myself, I wrap an arm around his waist and let the first tears fall. “We can make this so believable, you won’t feel like you’re lying, Adelaide.” His words are quiet and confident. Powerful. “I promise.” Lennox smacks my cheek with her chubby palm and plants a wet, open-mouth kiss on my nose. “That’s what I’m scared of, Leo,” I breathe out, trying to sound stronger than I feel. “I won’t hurt you or the girls. I’ll protect you.” he promises, and I wish I could believe him, but experience has taught me otherwise.

Addie, I promised you everyone would know you were mine after tonight. I thought this would make my intentions crystal clear, in case there was any question who you’re there to see. Can’t have anyone doubting, now can we, wife? I kinda like the sound of that. Leo

My twin sisters move next to Addie behind the glass, and Everly calls out to Cross, while Adelaide’s cheeks grow red from the already-growing fascination. “You boys going to warm up or stand around and talk like a bunch of little girls?”

She sags under my touch the smallest bit and leans into me, and damn . . . that one little movement shows more trust than most people ever convey. “Hi,” I whisper. “You doing okay?” She nibbles her bottom lip and nods. “My sisters behaving?” I ask, aware they’re watching the whole interaction with interest. I haven’t brought a woman around my family since high school. This should basically tell them all they need to know. “Yes.” She smiles, and Lennox reaches for me.

“Sinclairs—” Coach Kane yells. “Sorry to interrupt this little powwow you’ve got going on, but if you’re done gossiping like a bunch of teenage girls, we’ve got a game to play. I’d love you to join us, if it’s not too much trouble.” “Sorry, Coach,” Nix and I both answer and skate away.

“That’s the plan,” I agree and flip the guys off behind Coach’s back as he walks away. “Later, shitheads.” “Running off to your new woman, Leo?” Cross asks as I pocket my phone and keys from my locker. “Who said she’s new?” I answer and shoulder my bag. “See you assholes tomorrow.”

Before she says another word, I gather her soft face in my hands and enjoy the sweet oh that forms on her lips. “What are you doing, Leo?” I drag my thumb along her bottom lip and fucking love the way she closes her eyes. “Waiting for permission.” “Permission for what?” she whispers, her warm breath turning to smoke in the cold air. “To kiss my wife, Adelaide.”

“Tell me yes, Addie,” I groan, holding on by a fucking thread. “Tell me yes, and I’ll tell you why.” She runs the backs of her fingers over the scruff on my face, then wraps her hands around

the collar of my wool peacoat and takes a tentative step closer. I slide my hand to the back of her neck, and Addie’s pulse thrums beneath my fingertips. The sweetest sigh slips past her lips, and I have to force myself to stay in control. “Fuck, I’m going to savor you.” “Kiss me, Leo.”

“Ask me why I’m doing this, wife.” I’m holding on by a thread, but I’m not sure she knows it. “I’m not your wife yet, Leo.” She sounds hot and dazed and still so fucking feisty. “But I’ll bite. Why are you agreeing to this?”

“Because Adelaide . . .” I breathe her in and slow down. “The minute I laid my eyes on you, I knew you were everything. Somehow, I just knew it. And I knew you were supposed to be mine. You and those girls. But you were never going to let me prove it. This way, I can show you why.”

“I’m a Sinclair, sweetheart. I know everything I need to know.” I’m not sure I ever really understood it before, but I do now. Dad always used to say, when you know, you just know, and there’s no stopping it. When I’d ask him what he meant, he’d tell me, we’re Sinclairs, we love hard, and we love fiercely. He’d say Sinclairs are scared of finding the right women. And when you find her, don’t let go. Well, I’m not letting go.