Tempting (Red Lips & White Lies Book 1)

I park outside of Lindy and Easton’s house and look at my text messages.

Nixon

I’m sorry I hurt you.

She left me on read.

Fuck.

I look up at the house in front of me and realize Easton is sitting on the porch with Lindy. Are they . . . shit. They’re having coffee and staring at me.

Guess I’m about to ruin both Hayes siblings’ mornings.

Lindy gets up and kisses my cheek. “Try not to die. I’d be a terrible prison wife.” She turns to her husband and cups his cheek. “And you . . . Try to remember that you love your sister, and she’s happy. And if you’re going to fight him, do not fuck up my hydrangeas. They look pretty.”

I laugh when she disappears inside, leaving me here with Easton, who looks like he might actually consider killing me if he thought he could get away with it.

“You can try, you know,” I tell him, already frustrated by the conversation we’re about to have. “But I’m not going down without a fight.” I ignore the radiating pain I feel from fighting with Mac this morning and drop down into Lindy’s vacated rocking chair. “Look, man. I don’t know why you’re so pissed.”

“You’ve got two sisters, and you don’t know why I’m so pissed? What the hell’s wrong with you, Sinclair?” He looks at me, equally pissed and baffled, and I’m so fucking over this shit. “Are you really going to sit there, in my fucking rocking chair, on my fucking land, at my fucking house, and blow smoke up my ass?”

I look out over the lake views he’s got from both sides of his house.

“It’s a nice piece of land. Kinda private. Peaceful,” I add as I kick my feet up on the ottoman in front of me, thinking this is what I want—Mackenzie and me and a house full of kids running around, safe from the rest of the world. I want a compound.

“Seriously . . . you were living with Ares Wilder when it came out that he’d been sleeping with Gracie. How do you expect me to believe you didn’t want to rip him limb from limb?”

He puts his coffee down and stands from his chair, then walks over to the front door and yanks it open, and Lindy practically topples through it from the inside. “Princess . . . Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s not nice to eavesdrop?”

She rolls her eyes, and I stifle a laugh.

“You know you’re going to tell me everything later anyway. This way, we don’t have to waste time before you have to get on the plane this afternoon.”

He wraps his hand around the back of her neck and whispers something I can’t hear, and Lindy Hayes giggles before she walks her ass right back inside that house. “Sorry, Nix. I tried,” she calls out just before she shuts the door.

“Now.” He turns around, crosses his arms, and leans back against the porch railing. “Tell me how happy you were for Gracie and Ares when you found out he knocked her up.”

“Listen, man, I’m trying to be patient here. But you talk shit about my sister again, and I’ll give you a fucking reason to hate me. We’re not so different, you know. I’m a protective bastard too. The difference is, Ares is a good guy who made my sister happy. He’s a fucking great dad to my niece and nephew, and my sister fucking loves him. I can see all of that. You just see someone who what—took my sister away? That’s fucking sick, she’s not mine that way. She’s his. She’ll always be my sister, but she’s his fucking world.”

“Am I supposed to believe in what—a few weeks—months, maybe . . . you made her your world?”

Hardheaded fucking pain in the ass.

“How about you ask your sister? Or hey,” I push back. “I’ve only been on your team for four years before this. And you know, your sister and your wife both practically lived at my house growing up. How about you trust me to not be a gigantic fucking disrespectful dick.”

“You weren’t there, Nixon. You didn’t listen to her cry herself to sleep for a year straight. You didn’t see the pain she lived through.” He shifts as his voice goes from angry to less . . . “Go through that, and then tell me I’m supposed to trust her to anyone else.”

“Do you want me to apologize for not going through hell, E? Sorry. You happy?” I stand up and move across from him. “Just because I trusted my sister to live her own life and make her own decisions doesn’t mean I’m any less protective than you are. But here’s the thing. I knew Ares Wilder, and he’s a good dude. He loves her. He’d never hurt her, and that’s all I can ask for.”

“You gonna stand there and tell me you love Kenzie? Is that supposed to be a joke?” Oh yeah. That anger comes back with a vengeance, like he can’t believe anyone could ever make her happy or put her first, and now I’m gonna kill him.

I throw Easton back against the wall with a hand to his throat, no longer giving a shit that he’s Mac’s brother or my goalie.

“Fuck you, man. I asked her to marry me last night. She’s going to be my wife, and you can either get on board or get the fuck off the train. But I’m going to marry her. I’m going to love her and protect her. And there’s not a goddamn thing you can do to stop me.” I rip my hand away from his throat and shove him away. “Get over yourself, man. You take care of your fucking family, and I’ll take care of mine.”

He looks like he just took a puck to the chest.

“Did she say yes?” he asks quietly. Hurt, if I had to guess.

“Yeah . . .” I smile, unable to be pissed when I think about last night. “She did.”

“Fuck . . .” he hisses. “I didn’t even know you were together.”

“I love her, E. I think I always have. You can hate me all you want. But you better get used to me. Because I’m not going anywhere.”

Not if I can get her to talk to me again.

Nixon

Landed in Calgary. Headed to our rooms now. First game is tomorrow night. We have walk through in the morning.

Nixon

How was your day?

Nixon

Love you, baby. Sleep well.

Nixon

Morning, Mac.

Nixon

Guess who thought Easton and I should room together for this game?

Nixon

If you guessed Jace, you’d be the winner. Your brother says Jace is paying him back for when Easton married Lindy. Apparently, you and I are bringing it full circle.

Nixon

Don’t ask me. I have no idea what they’re thinking.

Nixon

Okay, so Easton and I now have a common enemy. Jace.

Nixon

We may have put Saran Wrap over his toilet last night.

Nixon

It was Easton’s idea.

Nixon

You’ve got to forgive me, Mac, I can’t stand not talking to you.

Kenzie

Forgiving you has nothing to do with being mad at you. I forgive you. But I’m still furious. And when I’m mad, I shut down.

I watched your game on TV with Callen. Nice goal.

I look at the time when we get off the plane after our Calgary game, and board the hotel bus in Alberta. It’s too late to call her.

Fuck.

Nixon

Morning, baby. One more game, and then I’m home tonight.

Are you on call?

Kenzie

. . .

No. Not tonight. I’m heading to the hospital for rounds now. I’ll be home before your game.

Nixon

Mac . . . You asked me not to shut you out once. I’m asking you now to not shut me out. Shutting down might be how you deal, but fuck, baby, I can’t do this.

Kenzie

I’ll see you tonight, Nixon. Have a good game.

I guess that’s a start.