The Billionaire Athlete’s Christmas Fling - Leslie North Page 0,10

step stool with the water running when Tana got to the bathroom door. “I met Chase Elkin,” she announced as if Tana hadn’t been in the car the whole time. “He is the best skier in the world. And now I get to ski with him.”

“Honey—”

“I’ve always wanted to ski.” Lindsey pouted, her expression pained. “I’ve always wanted to ski just like you, Mommy. And you said it was dangerous, but Chase is a good skier. He wouldn’t do something dangerous.”

Tana bit back the urge to remind Lindsey about the fact that Chase’s skiing career had been ruined by an injury. She wanted to be able to talk to her daughter about everything in a calm and collected way.

“You know what, Lindsey? Your teacher texted me today. She told me you got all your homework done in the Kids Club.”

Lindsey nodded proudly. “I did my whole sheet.”

“Then you know what?” Tana leaned down and brushed her fingers gently over Lindsey’s ribs, causing her daughter to giggle. “You can watch Frozen as a special treat. Okay?”

“Yes!” Lindsey punched a fist in the air, spraying droplets of water all over the bathroom. “Oops.” She flashed Tana the most charming grimace she’d ever seen before grabbing the hand towel to dry off the floor.

“And that can go right in the laundry.”

Lindsey scampered off to her bedroom to change clothes, leaving a shirt and pants and underthings in her wake. Drawers opened and closed, and then she ran out again in her favorite Frozen PJs to turn on the movie.

Tana picked up the laundry and went through the kitchen to the small utility and laundry room. With a six-year-old girl, there was always laundry to do. Lindsey seemed to generate dirty clothes even when she was in school, which should have been impossible. And yet...

The opening notes of the first song from Frozen filled the apartment, and Tana loaded the clothes into the washer. In the privacy of the laundry room, she tipped her head back and let the emotions of the day wash over her. Irritation. Embarrassment. More irritation. A surprisingly lovely few minutes. And then...awkwardness. Tana closed the washer lid. Chase was hot. The scruffy look worked for him. And he had the most intriguing eyes she’d ever seen on a man. They made her want to sit in a room with him for a couple days on end, learning everything there was to know about him.

Maybe not just sit.

Chase was like a walking set of red flags. No matter how hot he was—and he was very attractive—the way he’d reacted to the idea of kids was telling. Tana had accepted long ago that dating men who couldn’t handle the fact that she had a daughter would never work out.

That didn’t mean she had to deny his hotness. The way she felt when he looked at her was just a feeling, and one she didn’t need to act on. Couldn’t act on. Not ever.

She took a deep breath and hit the button on the washer to start the load. After dinner, they’d have to have the talk. The one where she explained to Lindsey why she couldn’t take ski lessons from Chase.

The thought of disappointing her daughter made Tana’s heart ache, but it was the right thing to do. It would be best for all of them if she nipped whatever sparks there were between herself and Chase in the bud. That also meant keeping Lindsey away from him. Tana swallowed an aching lump in her throat. Lindsey hadn’t been this excited about anything since they’d moved to Elk Lodge.

Tana’s most deep-seated instinct was to keep her daughter safe. Her body couldn’t necessarily handle things like learning to ski, and Lindsey would not be happy to hear it. But Tana was the grown-up in this situation. She had to make the tough choices now so they could be healthy in the long run. And keep both of their hearts intact.

Because that would be worse, wouldn’t it? If Lindsey and Chase developed a friendship, it wouldn’t be a big leap for her to start getting ideas. Daddy ideas. And the next thing Tana knew, she’d be having to explain why Chase wasn’t going to come live with them.

She’d choose a painful conversation now over an agonizing one later.

The washer finished filling, and the wash cycle kicked into high gear. Tana had been standing there long enough for “Let It Go” to start playing in the living room. Lindsey sang along with it, her