by Anna Sugden
“Larocque wasn’t in his room at curfew. What did he do?”
They had to come clean. “You’re right.”
He and Tru explained, including how Mad Dog and Blake had risked their own necks to rescue JB. Jake finished by telling him their solution.
The coach raised an eyebrow. “I’m still punishing him. JB needs to know he can’t disregard rules.”
“Fair enough.”
Max pointed to Tru. “Get cleaned up. I need to talk with Bad Boy.”
What about? Jake’s stomach tightened.
Once Tru had gone, the coach said, “Clear your head of whatever the hell is bugging you by the time we hit the ice again, or you’re in the press box. Got it?”
“Definitely.”
On the way home, the worries that had plagued Jake throughout the game resurfaced. Would Maggie see beyond the story to the truth? Would she believe in Jake, as Max had, or in Bad Boy’s reputation? He wanted to trust her, but deep in his gut he couldn’t help doubting.
Dreading Maggie’s reaction had made him a step too slow on every move and take a second too long on every decision. He’d played like crap. Again.
Which raised a disturbing question. Would his good woman cost him his dream?
* * *
COULD THIS MISERABLE day get any worse?
When they landed in New Jersey, Ike took Jake aside. “If you can’t handle a relationship and play hockey, you need to choose which is more important.”
Like he didn’t know that already. “The problem isn’t Maggie—it’s me. My focus.” Jake glared at him. “I can handle it.”
His friend shook his head. “We need you with us one hundred percent. Park this personal junk until after the play-offs.”
It wasn’t that simple. Maggie was on his mind all the time. In his blood.
But Jake knew something had to change. “Give me a few more games. If it doesn’t improve, I’ll rethink it. Okay?”
Ike didn’t look convinced, but agreed to back off.
As Jake drove home, the goaltender’s parting shot echoed in his brain. “You’ll end up having to choose.”
Sweat trickled down his spine. He didn’t want to be forced to make a choice between hockey and Maggie.
Because there could only be one answer.
He pulled into his driveway and turned off the ignition. The dark, empty house loomed ahead of him. For once, it wasn’t a welcoming sight but a reminder of what he had to lose if he didn’t resolve the situation with Maggie.
It was almost 4:00 a.m. With tiredness tugging at every muscle and sinew in his aching body, he was reluctant to move. Sighing, he lowered his forehead to his crossed arms on the steering wheel and closed his eyes. Just for a moment.
He jolted awake, heart racing. Vestiges of his nightmare filled his sleep-fogged brain. Adam. The accident. Over and over again, like a movie clip stuck on eternal replay. Damn, he hadn’t had one of those since he’d come back to Jersey. Had the stress of the past few days triggered something in his brain?
Jake scrubbed his hand over his face. The clock on the dash said 7:05 a.m. Exhausted, but unwilling to risk another nightmare, he threw open the door. Stretching out the kinks in his stiff limbs, he let the rising sun and crisp air chase away his dark thoughts.
As his home came into sharper relief in the gray dawn light, so did his mind. He wouldn’t rest easy until he’d faced the music with Maggie. God knew his play wouldn’t be worth a damn, either. Good or bad, he had to know where he stood.
His chest squeezed at the thought that this might be the end, but he stalked back to his M-Class, determined to find out.
The lights were on at Tracy’s house when he pulled up. Maggie was probably getting Emily ready for school.
Sure enough, as he walked up the steps to the porch, the front door swung open and Emily came charging out. She grinned when she saw him, yelling a greeting before running to join the other children on the corner waiting for the school bus.
He turned and saw Maggie waiting in the doorway. Though she quickly smoothed the surprise from her face, the wariness in her brown eyes made his stomach plummet to his Nikes. This didn’t look good.
“Good morning.” She gave a half smile but didn’t invite him in.
No point tiptoeing around the issue. “I hope it’s not too early. I thought I’d stop by and clear the air about what happened in Tampa.”
“Okay.” Her neutral tone made it impossible to gauge her thoughts.
“I should start at the beginning.”
“Good idea.”
“It’s not what it seems.”
“Of course not.” She wasn’t giving him an inch.
“It’s complicated.” He paced the porch. “The team has strict rules about curfew.”
Her expression remained inscrutable as he told her about JB, but softened when she heard how he and Tru had bailed out the rookie. He finished by saying, “I don’t cheat. I wouldn’t mess with someone’s wife. If you believe nothing else, know I sure as hell wouldn’t disrespect you like that.”
“I knew you’d have a credible explanation.” This time her smile broke free.
“You did?” His pulse kicked. He stopped pacing and stood in front of her.
“I wasn’t sure at first,” she admitted. “The story and pictures looked pretty convincing.”
He grimaced. “For sure.”
“But the more I thought about it, the more I realized something was off.
“You did?” Her faith took him by surprise, rekindling the hope in his chest.
“That’s not how you operate. You’d never mess with someone else’s girlfriend. And though you fight when your Code demands—” she rolled her eyes to show she still thought it dumb “—that kind of fight didn’t make sense. What I couldn’t work out was why you’d be out clubbing the night before a game. You wouldn’t risk jeopardizing your performance. You take your fitness, your readiness to play, too seriously.” She shrugged. “Like I said, it didn’t add up.”
Jake stopped in front of her. Speechless. Maggie had seen through the hype, looked beyond the obvious—his image, his reputation. She’d believed in him.
He shook his head. Was he dreaming? Don’t let me wake up.
“Is something wrong?” She looked worried.
“No. I just can’t get over it.”
“Why? You don’t believe everything you read?”
He laughed. “If I did, my ego would need to be wheeled into the room ahead of me.”
“I’m not touching that comment with a barge pole.” Her tone was prim, but the twinkle in her dark eyes was not.
Even if the whole scene seemed surreal, his body’s predictable reaction was genuine. He forced a casual tone. “So are we still on for tonight?”
“Of course.” She bit her lip. “Unless you’ve changed your mind.”
“Hell, no. I’ll pick you up at eight.”
He leaned forward and brushed a kiss across her lips. Without waiting for her response, he turned and jogged down the steps to his M-Class. He couldn’t resist sneaking a glance in his rearview mirror as he headed down the drive. Maggie had paused halfway through the door. She fluttered her fingers at him, then disappeared inside.
He couldn’t wait for tonight.
* * *
WHAT A DIFFERENCE a day makes.
Twenty-four hours ago, Jake had been worried about having to choose between Maggie and hockey. Now his biggest concern was if Maggie would think he was moving too fast if he ordered their dessert to go.
Not that the problems in Tampa had been forgotten. There had been a brief media flurry that afternoon when he and the Ice Cats had put out a carefully worded joint statement that neither confirmed nor denied the story. When there was no further comment from anyone in
volved, including Frank and his wife, it had all died down.
Still, he’d been nervous picking up Maggie. He’d half expected her to call and cancel but she hadn’t. His pulse had jolted when he’d seen her silky red dress, with its shiny black buttons running down the front, and the matching spiked red heels. The conversation on the way to the restaurant had been stilted, nervous, but had eased as they’d ordered their meals. By the time the main course had been served, the atmosphere had warmed considerably.
As the server cleared their dishes, Maggie’s gaze caught his. She must have read the message in his eyes because her cheeks tinted a delicate pink. She bit her full bottom lip, sending a spear of desire through his body.
Oh, yeah. Things were definitely heating up.
He shifted to ease the tightness in his pants.
“These all look delicious.” She sighed as she closed the dessert menu. “But I couldn’t manage another bite.”
“We could take dessert with us. Jenny says their tiramisu is to die for.”
Amber sparks danced in her dark brown eyes. “Sounds good.”
The tension during the drive home was for a whole different reason.
Jake did his best not to break the speed limit, but didn’t crawl, either. He didn’t want to risk anything changing Maggie’s mind. As he pulled up in front of his house and turned off the engine, his heart thundered in his ears. “How about some coffee to go with that tiramisu?”
His voice sounded raw, giving the question a suggestive edge.
The hitch in her breathing told him she understood what he was really asking.
He remained still, waiting for her reply.
“That sounds...lovely.” Her husky voice was like a caress.
He grabbed the door handle. “Let’s go.”
She didn’t wait for him to open her door, joining him at the foot of the steps. Hand in hand, they dashed up to the porch. She laughed as he fumbled with the key.
Her laughter faded as the front door closed behind them. Slowly, he pulled her toward him, until they stood toe-to-toe in the dark hallway.
His head dipped until his lips were a breath away from hers. “Last chance to back out.”
Her free hand trailed up his chest and neck to rest along his jaw. “There have been an awful lot of rumors about you.”
His heart thudded. “Yes,” he said cautiously.
“One should never trust the media,” she murmured. “One should always go straight to the source.” Her thumb danced lightly across his lower lip.
The gentle caress was nearly his undoing. Fire rushed through him, setting his nerve endings alight.
“Yes.” He trapped her thumb between his teeth, then flicked it with his tongue. Her soft gasp confirmed her desire for him. As did the pulse that throbbed at the base of her throat. And the subtle scent which rose from her heated skin.
Calling on what vestiges of self-control remained, he waited impatiently for her to answer his original question.
“I think it’s time I found out the truth, don’t you, Bad Boy?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
* * *
THE HOCKEY PRESS might rave about Jake’s puck handling but, in Maggie’s opinion, his mouth was as talented as his hands.
The man could certainly kiss.
She could only imagine what his lovemaking would be like. Actually, that’s all she’d been imagining since he’d left on his road trip. Now she was moments from finding out.
Somehow, she suspected her imagination didn’t come close.
His mouth savored hers. His lips and tongue explored and tasted. Seduced and teased. Flames of passion flickered urgently in her veins. Wanton desire pooled deep within her.
She shifted restlessly, wanting more yet unable to whisper even the smallest demand. Her tongue danced against his in invitation, full of sultry promise.
He read her need perfectly.
One calloused fingertip traced a heated trail from her flushed cheek, behind her ear, down the sensitized skin of her neck to that spot where her pulse thrummed. Then it dipped lower, along her breastbone to the hollow beneath.
He backed her against the front door and pressed closer. His body heat surrounded her. His musky, masculine scent filled her nostrils. She wrapped one leg around his muscular thigh, aligning her aching core against his erection.
When his mouth left hers to follow the downward journey of his finger, a soft mewl escaped. She felt his lips curve against her throat as she arched to give him better access.
Sparks shot through her as he nibbled on the cords of her neck. Desire rippled through the pools of heat within when his tongue laved the bones of her shoulder. Delicious shivers danced along her spine as his warm breath caressed the shadowy vale between her breasts.
Her buttons melted away. The dress slipped open, draping and framing her body.
Jake’s fingers became busy once more, stroking the length of her back, exploring the ridges of her hips. Cupping the curve of her bottom.
Maggie thrust her fingers through his thick hair, savoring the silky feel before heading lower to grip his broad shoulders.
His cotton shirt was an unwelcome barrier. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons, making her groan in frustration. Jake reached up, fisted the material and tugged. The rip echoed in the silent room, followed by the click-click-click of buttons showering onto the hardwood floor.
She smiled with satisfaction as the expanse of his chest lay bare, not wasting a second before embarking on a thorough exploration of the sleek skin.
Her heart tightened as she encountered the scarred ridges from the accident. Her lips honored every one. Maggie had barely finished before Jake began his own journey of discovery.
His tongue dipped beneath the lacy edge of her bra, tracing its shape across the upper curve of her breast, down into the valley between and up the other side.
Her dress slipped off her shoulders and down her body, the cool silk whispering over her heated skin like a caress. He dragged down one bra strap, then the other with his teeth. His tongue returned to taste the mounds, edging the lace lower with each pass until it rested on her hardened nipples. The soft, damp fabric rasped against the sensitized buds.
Then, that too had gone.
Maggie started when the hot cavern of his mouth surrounded one taut tip, then the other.
Jagged bolts of white heat speared through her system as he suckled. Wave upon wave of liquid need flooded her molten core as he nipped.
When his tongue flicked out at an aching peak, she gasped at the intense, exquisite sensation. Her grip tightened on his shoulders as he pushed her closer to the edge of sanity.
Not enough. She wanted to feel him buried deep within her.
As one, they sank slowly to the floor. Her thighs cradled him. Her breasts cushioned him. Every inch of her body welcomed him.
His mouth found hers once more. Their tongues danced. Urgency overcame her.
Her fingers tore at unwanted clothing. His palms kneaded her naked flesh.
Hot and hard, his erection strained against her.
Soft and damp, her mound rose to meet him.
Desperate, she rubbed against him. Unbearably delicious friction.
It wasn’t enough.
Once again, he understood what she needed.
His hand slipped between them, discovering the sensitive nub hidden in her moist folds. He knew how gently or how hard to stroke, when to tease and when to drive her passion.
Just when she thought she couldn’t take any more, his finger slid inside. And nearly drove her over the edge.
Now, Jake!
She barely noticed him pulling a condom from his wallet, though it seemed to take forever for him to rip the packet open with his teeth and put the bloody thi
ng on.
With one swift thrust, he was inside her.
He groaned. She sighed.
They both stilled, their breathing harsh in the silent hallway.
He fit perfectly, as if he’d been made for her and she for him. For the first time, she understood what it meant to be truly joined with a man, as one in body and soul.
Slowly, almost tentatively, they began to move.
Then desire and need overtook them, pushing the pace, the intensity.
Harder. Faster. Hotter.
Her arms wound round his neck, pulling his mouth to hers. His hands slipped beneath her bottom, driving him deeper.
Together, they sped toward completion.
Together, they reached the pinnacle of pleasure.
Maggie arched against Jake as her climax overwhelmed her. She felt him stiffen, holding her tighter still. A kaleidoscope of colors whirled through her brain. Nerve endings fizzed and sparked. Deep within, her core pulsed and throbbed. Deep within, Jake’s hardness pulsed and throbbed, too.
She’d been right. Her imagination hadn’t even come close.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
JAKE WAS IN heaven. Correction—heaven was in his arms.
Sunlight streamed through the bedroom window, bathing him and Maggie in its warm glow. Their legs were tangled together. Her lush breast filled his hand, her pebbled nipple pressed against his palm. The curve of her butt fit perfectly against his groin.
His nose was buried in the mass of brown curls spread invitingly across his pillow. He inhaled, drawing in her sweet scent. The nape of her neck enticed him. He couldn’t resist. Shifting slightly, he ran his tongue down the soft skin. Delicious.
Though he’d tasted every delectable inch of her last night, he couldn’t get enough.
Something new for him.
He’d always enjoyed women—their company the perfect antidote to too many hours surrounded by testosterone. The sex was invariably good, but never enough to stay long. Have fun, move on.
Maggie shifted in her sleep, her bottom settling more snugly against his hardness.
He went from sated to insatiable.
Something new, for sure.
