“I knew I made a mistake not changing the locks,” she said, moving toward the railing and looking down at her soon-to-be ex-husband. “This isn’t your house anymore, Drew. Go away.”

“I’m not leaving until we talk. Although now I know why you’ve been avoiding me. So this is the new boyfriend. A kid? Is that the best you could do, Nicole?”

“You know him?” Raoul asked.

“We were married.”

“We’re still married,” Drew said.

“Separated, divorcing. It’s over.”

Raoul nodded, then turned his attention back to Drew. “You need to leave.”

“I don’t think so.” Drew looked at Nicole. “Is it fun with a kid? Are you teaching him things you know?”

The slap caught her off guard and she felt herself flush. But before she could figure out what to say, Raoul grabbed Drew, hauled him up to the landing, then wrapped his arm around Drew’s neck, locking him in place.

“Didn’t your mother teach you any manners?” he growled. “You will not speak to Nicole that way.”

Drew flailed against his attacker, waving his arms and gasping. “Nicole!”

“She deserves respect and appreciation,” Raoul continued, his voice low and angry. “Something you need to learn.”

While Nicole was enjoying the show, she didn’t like how all the blood seemed to drain from Drew’s face. The last thing Raoul needed to deal with was an assault charge.

“Thanks for looking out for me,” she told Raoul. “But you need to let him go. You can both wait for me in the kitchen.”

“Do I have to?” Raoul asked, and she knew he wasn’t referring to the meeting.

“Yes. It’s not a fair fight.”

Raoul looked disappointed as he released Drew. Drew staggered forward, gasping for air as he steadied himself on the railing.

“You bitch,” he said, his voice raspy.

“I guess we won’t be talking.”

“No. Wait.” He rubbed his throat. “I want to talk.”

“Then meet me downstairs. And don’t try anything. Raoul doesn’t always do what I say.”

There was no reason to threaten him, but it still felt good to say the words. Probably childish of her, she thought as she returned to her bedroom, but fun all the same.

She washed her face and brushed her teeth, then quickly dressed. Dealing with Drew and their relationship didn’t bother her. She was over him—she’d known that from the second she’d found him in bed with her sister and had been more devastated by Jesse’s betrayal than his. But there was the question of the baby. Did she tell him?

As the possible father, he probably had the right to know. But Jesse was already dealing with trying to make it on her own. Did she need to be worrying about Drew, too?

Nicole briefly debated the issue, then decided it wasn’t her call to make. If Jesse wanted him to know, she knew where to find him. As far as Nicole was concerned, she wasn’t going to get involved.

She made her way to the kitchen where she found Raoul and Drew in a standoff, each on opposite sides of the kitchen, staring at each other. If there was a tree in the middle of the room, they would each be peeing on it.

She ignored Drew and crossed to Raoul. “I need to talk to him without you glaring. Would you please take Sheila for a walk.”

“I don’t trust him.”

“I don’t trust him, either, but I’m pretty sure I can take him. My leg is much better now.”

That earned her a smile. “I’ll be close and I’ll take my cell.”

“I’ll call if there’s trouble.”

Raoul got the dog’s leash from the pantry and left the kitchen. Nicole waited until she heard the front door close before turning to Drew.

“What the hell were you thinking, sneaking in here again? Didn’t you learn your lesson last time?” He’d broken in before, late at night and drunk. Claire had held him at bay with a few unexpected moves and a high-heeled shoe. He still had the scar.

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“So use the phone.”

“Who’s the guy?”

“No one you need to worry about.”

“You’re sleeping with him?”

“He’s in high school, Drew, not that it’s any of your business. He needed a place to stay so I’m letting him live here. You’re the one who has inappropriate relationships, not me. I don’t need to chase someone younger to make me feel better about myself.”

Drew took a step toward her. “I don’t want to fight anymore. It’s been long enough. When are you going to let me come back?”

He couldn’t be serious. “I’m not playing a game,” she said. “I’m not pretending to be mad, Drew. Our marriage is over. It was a mistake from the beginning.”

“Don’t say that.”

“It’s the truth. I don’t know why you’re hanging on to me, but you shouldn’t. We were never good together.”

Just then the back door opened and Hawk walked in. He looked big and strong and sexy in his running shorts and a T-shirt. He ignored Drew, strolled over to her and kissed her on the mouth.

“I thought I’d stop by and say hi,” he told her, never taking his eyes off Drew. “Who’s your friend?”

“My ex-husband,” she said automatically, wondering what on earth Hawk was doing here. Why would he show up like this? Then she got it. Raoul must have called.

Hawk was worried about her. Knowing that gave her a toasty feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She turned to Drew. “This is Hawk.”

Hawk grinned. “The new boyfriend.”

Drew bristled. “We’re still married.”

“I filed papers,” Nicole reminded him. “We’ve agreed on a settlement. Right now we’re just waiting out the time until the divorce is final. That’s not married.”

“I’m not letting you go.”

“You don’t have a choice, Drew. It’s over.”

He looked like he was going to cry. “But this isn’t what I want.”

She could almost feel sorry for him, until she remembered he’d slept with her baby sister. “I should have changed the locks the last time you broke in. This time I’m doing it for real. Show up here again and I’ll get a restraining order. It’s time to move on, Drew. It’s time to grow up.”

She thought he might argue or try to make his case again. Instead, he left, letting the front door slam behind him. She looked at Hawk.

“Raoul called,” she said.

“Yeah. He had a feeling you would make him leave and he didn’t want you alone with the guy. That’s really your ex?”

She nodded. “Not my proudest moment.”

“I don’t want him showing up like this.”

She smiled. “I like it when you get all macho.”

He didn’t smile back. “I’m serious, Nicole. You can’t have this guy wandering around your house. He’s a weasel and I don’t think he’d do anything, but he shouldn’t have a key.”

“I know. I’ll get the locks changed as soon as I can get someone out here.”

He looked at his watch and swore. “I have to go have breakfast with one of my players and his parents. They’re already hearing from recruiters and I’m going to talk to them about how to handle things.”

He grabbed her, pulled her close and kissed her hard. She leaned into him, enjoying the feel of his lips on hers. The tingles started immediately.

When he released her, she said, “Thanks for coming to my rescue.”

“Anytime. Nobody messes with my girl.”

The words didn’t mean anything, she told herself. They had a deal, nothing more. But that didn’t stop her heart from fluttering a little and her imagination from asking what it would be like if it was real.

“IT’S HAWK,” Maggie said Monday morning as she handed over the phone. “He has a very nice voice.”

Nicole stepped away from the loaves of bread she’d been putting on racks to cool. “Yes, he does.”

“And a great butt.”

“One of his best features.”

“Any chance I’ll see him na**d?”

Nicole laughed. “I don’t think so.”

“Bummer.”

Nicole took the phone. “Hello?”

“I heard that,” Hawk said, sounding a little rattled. “All of it.”

“You have a fan.”

“She’s old enough to be my mother.”

“So she has a lot of experience. You should enjoy her appreciation. It’s flattering.”

“It’s uncomfortable.”

“Is the big, bad football player afraid of a little old lady?”

“Maybe.”

“So if I ever need you punished, I should send Maggie after you?”

“Can we change the subject?” he asked.

Nicole grinned. “Sure. Pick a topic.”

“Did you call a locksmith?”

He was checking up on her. It was kind of sweet. “Yes, I did. He’ll be at my place at nine-thirty tomorrow morning.”

“Not until then?”

“I think Drew is sufficiently intimidated to stay away for another twenty-four hours.”

“Probably.”

“Is that why you called?” she asked. “To make sure I’d called a locksmith?”

“Yeah.”

“Worried about me?”

“A little.”

“You’re sweet.”

“Don’t tell anyone. I have a reputation for being tough.”

“Your secret is safe with me. Bye.”

“Bye.”

He hung up.

Nicole set down the phone and felt the fluttering start again. The sensation told her that she would have to be careful around Hawk. What had started out as a simple deal might be getting just a little more complicated.

NICOLE ARRIVED HOME to find seven very tall teenage boys sitting on her front step. Raoul wasn’t with them—he would be at football practice until close to five. So who were they?

She parked in the garage, then walked around to the front. “Can I help you?”

The boys scrambled to their feet. “Yes, ma’am. Nicole. I’m Billy. Coach Hawkins asked us to stop by after school. Look around and make sure everything was all right.”

Three of them held basketballs. Based on their height and the fact that they weren’t on the football team, despite an impressive amount of muscle, she could guess their sport of choice.

“He’s not the basketball coach,” she said.

“Yes, ma’am. But we like him and we were happy to help him out.”

“By coming here?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The ma’am thing was starting to get on her nerves. She couldn’t believe Hawk had done this—arranged protection.

“What exactly are you supposed to do?” she asked, trying to decide if this was funny or annoying.

“Wait for you, check out the house, stay here until Raoul gets home.”

“But you don’t know me.”

Billy frowned. “I’m not sure why that matters.”

She had a bad feeling they weren’t going away until their mission had been fulfilled. It would probably be easier to simply accept their presence than fight it.

“Okay,” she said and opened the front door. “Check away. I’m guessing you’re all hungry, so I’ll be in the kitchen, putting out food.”

Billy grinned. “Thanks. We appreciate that.”

Five minutes later, they’d swept the house and were clustered together in the family room. Each of the boys had introduced himself, but the names were a blur. Nicole put out chips, sodas and cookies, then retreated to her study and called the high school. A few minutes later, Hawk picked up the phone.

“I’m in the middle of practice,” he told her.

“Then why are you taking my call?”

“I thought I might have to talk you down.”

“Because I could be annoyed by your high-handed assumption that I need protection from the man I used to be married to? You sent me basketball players.”

“They’re bigger than baseball players. Drew’s the type of guy to be afraid of size.”

Possibly, but not the point. “You had no right to do this.”

“He broke into your house.”

“He used a key. I’m getting the locks changed.”

“Not until tomorrow. The guys will stay until Raoul gets home. Can you be patient until then?”

“I don’t know if I should hug you or hit you over the head.”

“Why don’t you tie me up and have your way with me?”

That made her smile. “You’re pissing me off, Hawk. This wasn’t part of the deal.”

“It is now. I didn’t like that guy showing up when he was pretty sure you’d be asleep. He wanted the advantage. That’s not allowed.”

“I don’t need a man to protect me.”

“I need to know you’re safe.”

Because that’s the kind of guy he was. Because he would take care of anyone in need. She knew that. He didn’t mean anything else by what he’d said. She would have to remember that.

“I’ll let them stay.”

“Good.”

“It’s not like I could get rid of them on my own,” she muttered.