A Perfect Distraction

by Anna Sugden

  Who’d have thought she’d be dating again?

  A giggle escaped. Dating a bad-boy hockey player, no less.

  Her heart gave a nervous kick, but she reminded herself that while Jake might appear to be a bad boy on the surface, he was a good man inside. He’d showed her that in so many ways. Not least, his reaction to her second thoughts last night.

  She wasn’t fool enough to think everything would be plain sailing for them. There was too much baggage on both sides. But her doubts had been quieted enough to give it a try.

  Glancing across at her alarm clock, Maggie allowed herself two more minutes to revel in feelings of contentment before she had to get up. This time, though, her thoughts drifted toward anticipation of Sunday night’s date.

  The phone rang, its strident chirp interrupting her delicious daydream.

  Without thinking, she answered. “Hello?”

  “I’m sorry to call so early, Maggie, but we need to talk.”

  Her solicitor’s voice shattered the peace and joy of the morning. There was only one reason Samantha would call instead of emailing.

  Lee wanted something.

  Emily.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  I WON’T LET LEE get his hands on Emily.

  Maggie’s chest squeezed so tightly, she could hardly breathe.

  “What does he want?” she forced out finally. “Is he arguing about how much he pays in child support again?” The question was hopeful, rather than with any conviction.

  “You know I wouldn’t bother you with that.” Samantha’s tone was apologetic. “He complains about what he pays you, or rather Emily, every month.”

  After an initial settlement, Lee paid only child support. Maggie would rather not have taken a penny from him, but she’d wanted to ensure her daughter’s future was financially secure. She had the money paid into a separate account, in trust for Emily.

  “So what does he want?” She wished she could sound nonchalant, but that was impossible. She dreaded what her ex might be demanding.

  “Lee’s getting remarried. His fiancée, Patty, is the woman he’s been going out with for the past few months.”

  “Okay.” Maggie waited for the other shoe to drop.

  It landed like a grenade.

  “He wants Emily to come back to England.”

  Panic wrenched Maggie’s stomach. She wanted to scream her refusal, but her lips were numb. To grab Emily and run, but her limbs were frozen.

  The sound of her daughter moving around in the room next door broke through the wall of ice that encased Maggie. “She can’t. He agreed, in writing, that we could come to the U.S. for twelve months.”

  “He’s still entitled to see Emily three times a year.”

  “But he hasn’t seen her since before the divorce. Why would he change his mind now?”

  “I suspect this is Patty’s idea. Renewing contact with Emily will show everyone he’s changed. She’s been gushing to the gossip media about how they want to start a family.”

  “In other words, it’s a nice PR ploy.” Lee had loved to parade Emily before the cameras whenever he needed good press. No way would she allow him to use Emily like that ever again. “I don’t want Lee anywhere near my daughter.”

  “We can’t actually deny him access.” Samantha’s voice was steady and calm. “Despite your totally justified feelings about Lee, you have to put Emily’s best interests first. Remember, we want to show the court, should he ever decide to challenge the custody agreement, that you’ve been the reasonable one.”

  “Is that what this is about?” Maggie felt sick. This couldn’t be happening. “He wants custody of Emily?”

  “I don’t know for certain, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s part of his plan.”

  “No.” She tightened her grip on the phone. “He can’t. Never.”

  “Trust me. It won’t get that far.”

  The hard edge in Samantha’s voice cut through Maggie’s panic. Her solicitor was a staunch advocate for abused women. Smart, tough and dogged, her record for success was unparalleled. She wouldn’t recommend anything that would compromise Emily’s safety.

  Maggie forced herself to calm down. Closing her eyes, she took in several deep breaths. “What do you think we should do?”

  “First, we’ll tell him Emily can’t travel to England because she can’t be pulled out of school. However, if he flies over to New Jersey, he can see her there.”

  “Lee won’t go for that. It’s football season. Even though he’s injured, he can’t afford to spend time jetting back and forth to the States.”

  “That’s what we’re banking on. So when he rejects that offer, we’ll offer a compromise.”

  Maggie frowned. “What kind of compromise?”

  “We propose that he and Emily talk via Skype. It’s a court-approved means of communication which, conveniently, keeps Lee and Emily on opposite sides of the Atlantic. We offer to set up a schedule, saying regular face time is better than a one-off visit.”

  “What if he doesn’t accept the proposal? He could go straight for a custody challenge.”

  “Lee’s solicitor will agree that it’s better to take things one step at a time and see how this goes before taking up the court’s time with another custody hearing. Especially given Lee’s lack of interest in Emily to date. Under the circumstances, this is a more than reasonable offer.”

  “Okay.” Maggie sighed, knowing she had no choice.

  “Email me the best dates for you and Emily and I’ll take it from there.”

  After she’d hung up, Maggie sat for a few minutes, rubbing her chest and willing her erratic heartbeat to settle down. Though her lawyer’s plan was solid, Maggie knew if Lee pushed hard to see Emily, she couldn’t refuse. Perhaps she’d get lucky and Patty would see through his charming facade more quickly than Maggie had, preferably before the wedding, making the whole thing moot.

  In the meantime, she should get those dates to her lawyer.

  Maggie threw back the covers, grabbed her dressing gown off the chair and hurried downstairs to the office. As she clicked on her calendar, her phone rang again.

  Bloody hell. Had Lee turned down their offer already?

  “Don’t tell me he refused,” she snapped.

  The silence at the other end made her look at the caller ID.

  She closed her eyes in embarrassment. Jake. “I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else.”

  “I wanted to catch you before you started work. Is this a bad time?” She could hear his unspoken question—who else would call her so early in the morning?

  “No. It’s lovely to hear from you...” Her words faded away.

  “But...?”

  “It’s not you. I just had a phone call from my lawyer. About my ex.”

  “Oh.” That clearly wasn’t the answer he’d expected. His tone changed, deepened. “Are you all right? What’s going on?”

  His concern warmed her, chasing away the chill that had gripped her insides since hearing Samantha’s voice.

  “It’s nothing, really,” she demurred.

  “If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine. But maybe I can help, or at least lend you my shoulder. It’s pretty broad.”

  Her lips curved. “That’s sweet.” His muffled groan widened her smile. “I’m sorry. I know blokes hate to be called sweet.”

  “I’d rather hear trash talk than...sweet or cute.”

  “I reserve my trash-talking for jerk ex-husbands.”

  “Are you going to tell me how he ruined your morning?”

  Maggie grimaced. “He’s demanding to see Emily.”

  Jake said nothing as she explained what had happened. When she finished, he swore.

  “There’s nothing you can do to s
top him, despite what he did to you?”

  “Not really. The courts bend over backward to ensure children have access to both parents. My only hope is this dies down as quickly as it blew up. Meanwhile, I have to play along.”

  “Your plan sounds perfect. It meets his demands and buys you time while you wait to see what happens.”

  She savored his support. “I hope so.”

  “Do you need an American lawyer? I could get one for you.”

  “Thank you, but no. Even though we’re over here, Emily’s custody is governed by English law.”

  “If the situation changes, let me know.”

  “Definitely.” Maggie yawned. “Sorry. I don’t do well with abrupt starts to the day. I prefer to ease into wakefulness.”

  “I’ll try to remember that.” Jake’s deep chuckle made her toes curl.

  “So...um...why did you call?” She rolled her eyes at her teenager-like stammering.

  “I wanted to say good morning.” His deep voice slid over her like a caress.

  Her heart thunked. “Good morning.”

  “I also wanted to make sure you haven’t changed your mind about our date.”

  “Definitely not. I’m looking forward to it.”

  “Me, too. I’ve got to run. The defensive coach has called an extra practice to go over some plays before we fly out to Ottawa.”

  “Keep your head up. I’d really like to see you in one piece on Sunday night.”

  Jake laughed. “No new black eyes, I promise.”

  Once she’d hung up, Maggie swiveled her office chair slowly from side to side, relishing the return of the warm, happy feeling she’d had when she woke up.

  A floorboard creaked overhead, breaking up the reverie and reminding her that she had to get those dates to Samantha. With a sigh, she checked the calendar on her computer screen, grabbed a pen and started to make notes.

  * * *

  “IT’S NOT AS bad as it looks.”

  Jake wasn’t about to admit the fifteen stitches in his right cheek, administered without anesthetic during the second period of last night’s game, hurt like hell. Even though the cut was the result of an errant high stick, rather than a fight, he didn’t want to give Maggie anything to worry about. He jammed his hands into the back pockets of his jeans and leaned against her front door.

  The porch light illuminated Maggie’s face. Concern shadowed her dark eyes. “Well, it looks dreadful. I can’t believe you carried on playing.”

  “It’s part of the game. Don’t let them see they’ve got to you.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Have you at least taken some painkillers?” She didn’t wait for his answer. “Silly question. It would probably break some part of your precious Code.”

  “Actually, I ran out of ibuprofen.”

  Her lovely lips twisted wryly. “Come through to the kitchen, tough guy, and I’ll get you some tablets.”

  As she led the way down the hall, she asked, “Are you okay to go out? We could order some pizza and go to Greg’s Steak House another night.”

  Though that was exactly what he’d prefer, he shook his head. “That’s not the special date I’d planned.”

  “A special date is one we both enjoy. You won’t enjoy eating at a fancy restaurant when you don’t feel good.”

  “I’ll be fine once I’ve had those painkillers.”

  “Uh-huh.” She gave him the same look she often gave her daughter. “If it helps, Tracy has taken Emily and her friend to the movies and won’t be back for a couple of hours.”

  He grinned. “A cozy evening in with pizza sounds great. Sure you don’t mind?”

  “Positive.” Maggie tossed him a menu. “I’ll get those tablets. Why don’t you order a couple of fully loaded pizzas? No anchovies, olives or pineapple on mine.”

  “Okay.” Jake pulled out his phone and put in an order. Once they’d confirmed a delivery time, he snagged a chair and sat at the kitchen table.

  He’d been worried about Maggie’s reaction to his slashed face. They’d spoken every night while he was on the road, so he knew she’d watched the Cats games on TV. He also knew that she still didn’t like the hits or the fights. She’d had plenty to say about the return bout with Stemgarder in Ottawa.

  Logically, he knew she didn’t equate what he did during a game with the man he was off-ice. But, where Maggie was concerned, Jake’s mind wasn’t logical. Her disapproving expression popped into his brain at the worst times. The harder he checked, the more aggressive his play, the more she haunted him, causing him to second-guess his actions. Inevitably, he then made mistakes. It had to stop before they became costly mistakes. If he didn’t fix this craziness, his season would be a bust. That couldn’t happen.

  Focus on the positive.

  Their growing relationship was one hell of a positive. Not just physically—though the passion between them was hot. He liked the way she made him feel. Maggie was good company; he was able to relax with her, have fun. She was the only one outside of his parents and the Jelineks who could make him laugh at himself.

  More than that, he admired and respected her. She was a good person. A good friend. A good mother.

  A good woman.

  It would take time for her to overcome her past completely, but she was worth the wait. Besides, he wasn’t free of his own ghosts.

  Maggie walked back into the kitchen and handed him a little white bottle, then poured him a glass of water. “Take the maximum dose while I get out some plates.”

  “Thanks.” He swallowed four pills. “The pizza will be here shortly.”

  “Good. You’ll feel better when you’ve eaten.”

  He pulled her onto his lap. “I’ll feel better when I’ve had a proper hello.”

  She leaned forward to kiss the tip of his nose. “Hello.”

  “That’s not a proper hello.” He tilted her back, cradling her in his arms, and covered her mouth with his.

  Desire slid through his veins as easily as a blade on fresh ice. His body reacted instantly. The aches from last night’s game fled his muscles, leaving fiery heat in their place.

  Damn, he wanted her naked.

  He needed to be buried deep inside her, almost more than he needed his next breath.

  He wanted to lose himself in her until none of their problems mattered. Until nothing mattered but bringing them both to satisfaction.

  Her hands moved restlessly over his body. She wanted this as much as he did.

  Wanted him.

  Triumphant, he pulled her closer, caressing her through her sweater. It wasn’t enough. He wanted to sample her delicious curves.

  The sweater had to go. And her jeans.

  And whatever lay beneath.

  His shirt fell open, thanks to Maggie’s nimble fingers. Her fingertips traced his collarbone to the hollow at the base of his neck, then dipped lower to stroke his chest.

  His hand slid beneath her sweater, encountering only soft, smooth, bare skin. His fingers trailed over her flat stomach. She moaned softly, urging him on, but he lingered only a moment before heading toward the curve of her breasts.

  He needed to taste her, every inch of her. He ached to trail his mouth, his tongue, over every mound and valley.

  The chair tilted precariously and Maggie grabbed his shoulders. Jake planted his feet on the floor, righting them. The moment passed. They remained wrapped in each other’s arms, pulse rates slowing, passion cooling.

  The doorbell rang.

  Jake swore.

  Maggie chuckled softly.

  “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.” He set her aside gently and hurried to the door, buttoning his shirt as he went.

  Thankfully, the delivery guy wasn’t chatty, handing over the pies with barely a grunt. Jake rushed back to
the kitchen, tossed the two boxes onto the table, dropped into his chair and settled Maggie back onto his lap. “Now, where were we?”

  “Your dinner will get cold.” She buried her face against his neck.

  “It’ll be the only cold thing in this kitchen.”

  “You have no idea,” she murmured huskily, before nipping her way down the corded muscle in his neck.

  His pulse jerked as she swiped her tongue delicately across the sensitive hollow behind his collarbone. The banked fire within him flared back to life and roared through his veins.

  He caught her chin in his hand, gently turning and tilting her face until her lips were a breath away from his.

  She closed the gap. Damn, she was one hell of a kisser.

  Flames of desire licked along every nerve in his body until the endings sizzled.

  Suddenly, he knew if they continued like this, for even a moment longer, there would be no stopping.

  Gently he pulled his mouth away from hers.

  Maggie gave a little mewl of protest, which he soothed with a brush of his lips.

  Their ragged breathing sounded loud in the silent kitchen.

  He had to know how she felt. “Maggie?”

  She lifted her gaze, looking him square in the eye.

  He stumbled over his words, unsure how to say what he wanted.

  Laying a finger across his lips, she silenced him. “I’m ready.”

  “You are?” His heart contracted.

  “Aren’t you?”

  “Yes. No. I mean...” What the hell did he mean? “I’m not just talking about kissing, though that’s uh...great.” Damn. He’d never had a problem getting his words out before.

  Maybe because it hadn’t mattered so much before.

  Satisfaction curved her lips. “Oh?”

  “I want you to be sure. No pressure.”

  She shifted on his lap, rekindling his straining erection. “Thank you for being patient. For being prepared to give me more time. I know it seems a sudden about-face, but I did a lot of thinking while you were away. I’m ready.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. Are you?”

  “Hell, yes.” What happened to the smooth Bad Boy?