High Sticking (Puck Battle)

by Kristen Echo

  CHAPTER SIX

  S he brightened when they reached the arena. Her frustration disappeared when she saw the ice and the excitement of the fans. April went to all of her dad’s games, but this executive treatment was a first for Meagan.

  “Hey, girl.” Caroline Northcote-Ivarsson waved her over as they entered the owner’s box. Her golden hair shone brighter than the diamond on her finger. “Dad said we’d see you here. How are you settling in at Cam’s?”

  “Great. He’s easy to work with and April is such a good girl.” She leaned down and fixed April’s bangs, moving them out of her eyes. “It’s been an easy transition. How’s your sister?”

  “Connie’s over there and will be happy to see you.” Caroline glanced over her shoulder at her sister, whose face was buried in her tablet. She rolled her eyes and smiled. “It’s nice to see you again April. If you’re hungry, there’s a hotdog on the table with your name on it. If that’s okay with Meagan?”

  Meagan let go of her hand and nodded. “Go ahead. I bet after your nap in the car, you’re ready to eat again. Take a seat and I’ll join you in a moment.”

  The little girl took off for the food and Caroline laughed. “She’s so much like her dad. He’s a big eater too. I thought Nico packed away the meals, but Smith could eat out a grocery store.”

  “She picks her moments. I’m learning about his appetites,” she replied with little enthusiasm.

  “Let me introduce you to some ladies here. Carly and Beth wanted to be closer to the action and are down there somewhere.” She pointed towards the empty bench. The players had yet to take to the ice. “Sylvie, Jill and some other wives are over there. It’s a great group. Oh, but if you want to survive the afternoon, don’t bring a hotdog around Sylvie. She’s in her first trimester and is having major morning sickness.”

  “Thanks for the tip. Which one is Sylvie?” She peeked at the women, but couldn’t tell if anyone was with child. Caroline looped their arms together, like they’d been friends forever, when that wasn’t the case. Meagan was certain that Caroline disliked her and thought she couldn’t handle caring for her sister. “Why are you being so nice to me? I thought you didn’t like me.”

  “I’m very protective of Connie. When you moved in, you didn’t have any experience with Asperger’s. I didn’t like the decision to hire you. It wasn’t personal. You’ve proven to be great with her.”

  “It wasn’t personal to you, but it was to me.” Meagan kicked a fallen popcorn kernel across the floor.

  “I’m sorry.” Caroline squeezed her arm and smiled. “Since those men chased the two of you, my opinion has changed. You protected her. You’re kinda badass. If you hadn’t been there.” She shuddered, and so did Meagan.

  “Don’t mention it. I’m happy my father’s tactical exercises came to good use, though I hope I never have to use them again. Speaking of all that, how’s your crusade to find the missing teens coming along?”

  The city had a rash of missing teenagers. The numbers were climbing at an unprecedented rate. A fact that hadn’t garnered the media attention it deserved. The police were confident the majority were runaways or suicides. They hadn’t ruled out foul play, but the man hours weren’t being devoted to crack the case. Caroline had the resources and the balls to make a difference.

  While most trust fund kids followed the path set before them, Caroline forged her own way. She’d dropped out of University to pursue her musical dreams. Went against her father’s wishes by dating and recently marrying a hockey player. Meagan had overheard Mr. Northcote laying down the law, but his daughter wouldn’t back down. When Caroline made a decision, she charged full force after it. Meagan could take a page out of her book. They were close in age and she admired her.

  “I hope you never have to use your training again either. You might not see eye to eye with your dad, but he was smart to train his girls. Nico’s been harping at me to take a self-defense class. Like I have time for that. I’ve been so busy with the band and recording lately that I’ve left poor Sylvie to do all the work of finding the missing teens. We’re hiring another person, but it’s still on my to do list.”

  Meagan immediately thought of her sister. Hailey had finished her tour of duty overseas and wanted to join the police force. They weren’t hiring. “I might be able to help,” she said as she spotted April sitting next to Connie. It warmed her heart to see them both smiling and having a good time.

  “Can you turn down the heat? Este, it’s hot in here.” A woman with a thick French accent, wearing a white jersey and leggings, stepped next to her. She was taller than Meagan, but her curves were every bit as pronounced.

  “Just the lady I wanted to see,” Caroline air kissed the woman’s cheeks. “Sylvie Thomas, this is Meagan Rylen. Connie’s nanny and temporarily helping Cameron with April. Sylvie married Martin Thomas, our starting goalie, on the same day I married Nico. Valentine’s Day is the perfect wedding day,” she said with an ear to ear grin.

  “Oui, I overheard Martin talking with Joe about finally having someone dependable to help him. It’s nice to meet you. Once this little one comes, I might try to steal you.” They laughed. “I might be married, but my last name is still Lamont. I won’t change my name and I refuse to hyphenate. No offense Northcote-Ivarsson. You have to admit it’s a mouthful.”

  “But what last name will the baby have?” Caroline placed her hand on Sylvie’s stomach. “Don’t you want to all have the same name?”

  The announcer introduced the team, and the men skated out. Her eyes found Smith as soon as he drifted into view. She clapped along with the rest of the fans. Once the fanfare died down, Sylvie tapped her arm, drawing her attention once again.

  “Our child will take Martin’s name. Back me up, Meagan. You wouldn’t take your man’s name or hyphenate, would you?”

  She held up her hands in defense. “I’m old-fashioned and would most likely drop Rylen and take my man’s name. If I had a man that is. I’m not even dating anyone at the moment.” She shuffled her feet, looking at the ice. The man she wanted to date skated his warm up circles. “Subject change. If you need someone to help investigate, my sister would be great. She’s waiting for the next opening to join the city police, but she was part of a special team’s operation with the army. Hailey’s extremely smart, hardworking and in between jobs. She needs something short term like this.”

  “If I don’t have to do interviews and post a job, that would be so awesome. However, the final decision is yours, Sylvie. You’re the leader on this project now,” Caroline said, leaning closer to the ice before blowing kisses.

  Sylvie laughed and slapped Meagan on the back. “She’s hired. I’m great at web design and blogging, but I can’t handle the investigation. The clues point every which way and since we added a forum, and group chat, it’s been insane. Is she cool with long hours?”

  Meagan knew her sister would be perfect for this. “She’s ex-military. Long days wouldn’t bother her.”

  “Good. We hired one lady who does nothing but data entry. We need someone to look at the information and make heads or tails of it before we send it to the cops. They say they are happy for the help, but I think we piss them off.”

  “Why wouldn’t they be happy for the help?”

  Sylvie shrugged her shoulders. “They don’t think these teens are in trouble, but they are wrong. Please have her call me next week. I told Martin this week was all about us. I’ll be on the road with him and the team. When we’re back, my focus will be on the case.”

  Her focus had already returned to the rink. “I’ll pass along your number and have Hailey call you next week. I should go make sure April isn’t getting into any trouble. Thanks for considering her.”

  “I like her,” Sylvie said to Caroline as Meagan walked away. The feeling was mutual.

  They sat in the best seats and watched the best team in the national hockey league pummel the competition. The first period had been a nail biter, with both goalies shutting down the
offense. Then Smith and Larson worked their magic on the line, getting the puck to Montagne who sailed one past the crease. By the time the third period started, they were already up by three goals. The lead didn’t stop them from playing hard. Ivarsson and the defense did their jobs with precision and kept the puck out of their zone. Both teams brought their A games, filling each second with non-stop action.

  The final score was four to zero. A victory that brought the team one step closer to the playoffs and the Stanley Cup. Meagan had brought a bag full of supplies to entertain April, but she’d been riveted by the game, yelling at the ref’s calls like she knew what they meant. Connie mostly played on her tablet, but they shared a few laughs and the girls hit it off, despite the age gap.

  After the game, April wanted to watch a movie. She clapped and sang songs the entire drive back to the house. Meagan set her up in the theater and excused herself to get work done. That kid was so easy to love; Meagan felt her attachment growing faster than it should. This was a job and a temporary one. She wanted to avoid getting too attached. The sooner she got out of this assignment the better, for her heart.

  She called two agencies to send over resumes for the next nanny. There was no such thing as a weekend in their line of work. Both said they’d send them over. Once she hung up, she wondered how many nannies he’d already slept with. It bothered her that she cared. It wasn’t like she intended to sleep with him. Even if they were both single and attracted to each other, she’d resist him and those dimples.

  Pictures of Cameron and April lined the theater walls. Newborn April snuggled in her father’s arms was her favorite. Their happiness melted her heart along with part of her resistance. Every angle of his smile chipped away at her reasons to stay away. He was an amazing dad. Missing in the collage was a leading lady. All the shots were of them, making Meagan wonder if he wanted a partner or not.

  Being around him, even his pictures, made her insides turn to mush. The hockey game hadn’t helped. All that power and virility on the ice had sparked the fires of desire. She’d never been so attracted to anyone. She wasn’t sure how she’d react when she saw him next. Gail’s and her father’s words did little to temper her crush.

  As if he’d read her naughty thoughts, he called and doused the flames. He wasn’t coming home for dinner. She kept her disappointment well-hidden over the phone. The team planned to celebrate the win. He promised he’d be back in time to tuck April in. When he asked to speak with his daughter, the little girl told him to stay out as late as he wanted and he could read her two stories in the morning. Meagan laughed, but there was something in his tone, a hesitation that made her think he didn’t trust her yet.

  Trust was something she gave freely, but with Cameron, it had to be earned. After they hung up, she realized how much she wanted his trust. Mr. Northcote had been the same at first, always present when she’d interacted with Connie. It had pushed her to try harder and to be the best. She’d prove the same thing to Cameron. He’d also have to get over his issues soon since the team was scheduled to travel.

  The rest of the evening cruised by. April settled into bed without a fuss and Meagan finished her book. All the sex on those pages had supercharged her engines. She was about to satisfy that itch when the first wail erupted. Non-stop tears followed for the next hour. April yelled for her dad and it took a while to settle her. Meagan held her and soothed her until she fell asleep. Meagan closed her eyes, leaning back against the racecar headboard.

  When she opened her eyes, Cameron hovered over them. Her initial instinct was to scream, but she remembered where she was, with a sleeping baby in her arms. He chuckled at her distress. “You didn’t have to sleep with her,” he whispered as he pried April out of her arms and tucked her in. His body pressed against her as he did so. The scent of whiskey surrounded him.

  “Each time I tried to leave the room, she’d cry again. I didn’t think I’d fall asleep.” She got off the bed and lingered by the door, yawning as he kissed his baby goodnight.

  His movements were slower and less fluid than normal. “Thanks for taking care of her.” Cameron inhaled as he walked by. “You smell good. Sweet.” He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall.

  “Do you need a hand with anything?”

  “Yes. Come with me.” He reached for her hand, but she kept them by her side.

  They made their way to the kitchen; his ass taunted her with each step, breaking the last of her willpower. She wanted him. “How many nannies have you hired since your mother left?”

  “Five. Why do you ask?” He leaned against the island, preventing her from walking past him to the table.

  “I wondered why none of them worked out. Is there anything I should know since I’ll be starting interviews next week for my replacement?” She placed her hands on her hips to stop herself from touching him.

  He huffed. “Don’t rush things. What did you think of the game?” He smiled and gripped her hips, pulling her flush against him.

  “Are you drunk?” She tilted her head up to see his face.

  His eyes traveled to her lips and then down her shirt. “Not at all. I don’t get drunk.” His hand moved over her ass. He groaned.

  “Joe played well, scoring three assists,” she teased. It earned her a hard squeeze, and she moved her hands onto his biceps. The muscles flexed under her fingers.

  “He’s not a great guy. Not for you. Although, he’d love your tits.”

  Meagan laughed. “That’s good to know. So, he’s bad for me, and are you good?” She watched his eyes move back to her lips, and she licked them, waiting for him to speak. He never answered. They stood there with their bodies pressed together not talking. “I liked the game. Watching it from the box seats was incredible. I had no idea hockey was so sexy. I mean hot. No, that’s not the word. Virile.”

  His lips covered her open mouth and his tongue slipped inside. She dug her nails into his arms as her tongue greeted him. The whiskey flavor rolled around her taste buds. She was getting drunk off his kiss.

  He cupped the back of her head, deepening the connection. Her eyes closed and she let him take control. They were kissing. A mash of lips, tongues and hot breaths. She whimpered as he nibbled on her lower lip and ground his erection against her stomach.

  “I want you,” he said, kissing along her jaw towards her ear.

  She wanted him too. She opened her eyes and looked around the room. Wondering where he’d take this. Would he make love to her right there on the island? The counters were clean, and that’s when Gail’s words rushed back, like a firehose extinguishing the blaze. He’d had sex with five nannies. He wasn’t kidding when he said his life was complicated. Five different women in the past few weeks. Meagan had only ever had one other partner.

  If they took this step, she’d be disposable like them. Nothing more than a warm body and she didn’t want that. She wanted more; a relationship. Once that realization hit, she pushed him away.

  “We can’t do this.” She pressed against this chest, creating distance and he let her go. “Sleep it off. Let’s not do anything we’ll regret.” She doubted she’d regret the sex, but she’d hate the aftermath and the inevitable rejection.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  T he kiss wasn’t mentioned the following morning. They sat next to each other and he acted as if it hadn’t happened. Pretending the attraction didn’t exist failed to stop the sparks between them. Each time their eyes met the connection resurfaced. Occasionally, his cheeks would flush. She would have given anything to know his thoughts as they ate breakfast. Her legs bounced under the table and her fingers inched towards him.

  The conversation revolved around April and the crafts she had sprawled across the table. With Easter around the corner, she was in full bunny mode.

  “I’ll clean and then see if I can find a pipe cleaner in my stuff. Your bunny basket needs a handle.”

  “Leave the dishes. We’ll make a paper handle and then clean all this mess. I don’t have hockey; so, take t
he day off. I’m not sure when you’ll get another chance to escape.” He kept his eyes on the papers and his smile didn’t reach his ears.

  “Oh, thanks,” she said, pushing away from the table. The sting of being dismissed hurt. A day off should have been welcomed, but she had nothing planned. Visiting her family was out of the question. Plus, she wanted to be near him. She was a ball of contradiction. “When will you need me or want me on my back? I mean to come… back. Oh, goodness.” Meagan stumbled over her words and chewed her lip to stop the flow.

  “That’s a trick question given how our evening ended.” He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. His dimples were in full force with his cheeky smile. “You tell me when you’d like to come.”

  “Well, I… thanks for the time off,” she replied, too flustered to answer him. “I’ll be in my room.” She put her dish in the sink and left the kitchen. Once in her room, she flopped down on her bed and exhaled. Lindy would have known exactly how to respond. She picked up her phone and dialed her best friend.

  “It’s about time you called.” Lindy’s raspy voice put Meagan at ease. “How was the game? Did you meet other players? Leave nothing out.”

  “We kissed,” she blurted. “To be more precise, Cameron Smith kissed me.” Silence followed. Meagan picked at a thread on the covers. “Say something. Please.”

  “I hate you, and I’m happy for you all at the same time. You sound freaked out. Was it bad?”

  “It was so good. Too good. Lindy, I can’t be kissing my boss. This is messed up and I don’t know what to do. Not surprising, right?”

  Lindy giggled. “I know what I would do and that would involve him being naked and inside me as often as possible. I don’t see the dilemma. Help me out.”