Enticing: Chapter 24

I go in search of Addie and laugh when I find her trying desperately to tame Izzy’s wild hair into a bun. Damn. I think I’m having flashbacks to the years of watching my mom and sisters before every dance class and recital.

“Hey, ladies. How does takeout sound for dinner tonight?” I ask the two of them and toss my phone to Addie. I’ve got the menu pulled up.

“Can I get a grilled cheese and french fries?” Izzy asks as she hops up from Addie’s lap.

“Sure, short stack. Go get your ballet bag together. We’ve got to leave soon, and we’ll eat after your class. Sound good?” I ask, reaching out for a high five.

She smacks my hand. “Sounds good, Leo. Could we go to the diner across from the studio for dinner instead of takeout?”

“The Busy Bee?” I ask and look over at Addie, whose glaring at my phone and not answering me. “Sounds like a plan. Go get your bag, and we’ll get out of here in a minute.”

I wait until she’s out of the room, then move across from Addie. “Hey, sweetheart. What’s going on? You okay?”

She holds my phone out for me. “I didn’t mean to read your text, but it was still up on your phone when you tossed it to me. What does Hunter mean you’ve been working on your image?” She stands up, shaking. “Is that what I am? What we are? A way to improve your image?”

“What?” I take the phone and re-read the text. “Fuck no, Addie. I can’t believe you’d even ask me that.”

She doesn’t look convinced.

“Adelaide . . . I’m telling you the truth,” I snap, not liking that she’s even questioning this.

“Tell me your image didn’t play any part in you marrying me.” She stands and faces me, clearly not convinced. “Tell me this whole thing hasn’t been a game to you, Leo.”

I wrap my hands around her shoulders and hold her before she can walk out of the room. “Sweetheart, you’re shaking.”

“Leo . . .” she pleads, and it fucking breaks me.

I bend my knees, bringing us to eye level with each other. “I love you, Adelaide James Sinclair. I have for longer than it even makes sense to have loved you, but I fucking do. At no point was me marrying you for any reason other than it was the only way I could come up with for you to date me.” I brush my lips against her forehead, and she grips the front of my shirt, shaking.

Her breath catches in her lungs, and I pull her against me. “You and me, sweetheart. It was always going to be you and me. I just had to convince you of that. Marrying you helped.”

She laughs, and I hold her tighter.

“I’m sorry, Leo. You didn’t deserve that. Sometimes I think I’m past the fear and the hurt, then something triggers me, and I realize I’m not.”

“You’ll get there, Addie, and I’ll be holding your hand every step of the way.” I cup the back of her head and drag my thumb along her jaw. “Now go get your shoes on. I may have gotten conned into going to The Busy Bee for dinner after Izzy’s class.”

Her dark eyes laugh back at me. “Sucker.”

“Only for the James girls,” I tell her.

“Guess that makes us the luckiest girls in the world, Leo.” She lifts up on her toes and presses her lips against mine.

“Pretty sure I’m the lucky one.”

No truer words have ever been spoken.

Addie