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 naked?”

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.

“You’re always gracious. That’s one of the things I like about you. Want to come over for dinner this week?”

The change in topic caught her off guard. “Dinner?”

“At my place. With Brittany. Just the three of us.”

Nicole didn’t know what to say. Inviting her to his house wasn’t a public date designed to further the lie that they were a real couple. It actually felt like a real date. Did she want that?

Stupid question, she told herself, remembering all the recent fluttering. “I’d love to.”

“How about Wednesday night? I’ll cook.”

“I look forward to it.” Maybe more than she should.

NICOLE ARRIVED at Hawk’s house close to five-thirty. He and Brittany lived in one of the older Seattle neighborhoods with mature trees and houses with great architectural detail. The lawns were green, the porches wide, and kids’ toys lined the sidewalks. Not exactly the sort of place one would expect to find a former NFL player worth millions.

She parked on the street and walked up to the front door. Hawk opened it before she knocked.

“Hi,” he said, drawing her in, then kissing her.

She closed her eyes and got lost in the feel of his mouth on hers. Heat grew, wanting stirred, then she heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs and reluctantly pulled back.

“Hi, yourself,” she managed, hoping she wasn’t blushing. “This is not anywhere I would have pictured you.”

“What do you mean?”

“A middle-class neighborhood with lots of families. Where are the gates and the fancy cars?”

He laughed. “Not my style. Serena and I bought this place when I got my first signing bonus. After the small house we lived in during college, this place seemed like a mansion. We like it here. It’s home.”

Brittany burst into the entryway. “Hey, Nicole. How are you? Dad said he’s cooking, but it’s just barbecuing, which doesn’t count. He’ll make us put together the salad. Want to see the house?”

If only they could harness Brittany’s energy and use it to power a hospital or something, Nicole thought with a grin. “I’d love to see the house.” She set down her purse on the small table in the entryway. “I like craftsman-style homes. All the details and built-ins.”

Brittany wrinkled her nose. “It’s old, you mean. When I’m on my own, I want a high-rise condo with a view.”

“How do you plan to pay for your fancy condo?” Hawk asked.

Brittany beamed at him. “You’ll buy it for me, Daddy, because you love me.”

He grunted a response, but Nicole saw the humor in his eyes. Hawk wasn’t just pretty-he had a great relationship with his daughter. She liked that about him.

“Here’s the living room,” Brittany said, leading the way. “All the moldings are original. Even the dental molding, which is unusual for the time period. We think the builder brought it from another house. Maybe one he’d owned before.”

Nicole looked around at the crowded room. The dental molding was the least of it, she thought, taking in the oversize floral-print sofas and the knickknacks dotting every surface. While she usually loved the casual hominess of country-style decorating, this was country on steroids.

There were plenty of country prints on the throw pillows and curtains, braided rugs on the hardwood floor. A porcelain goose family posed by the fireplace and silk flower arrangements filled every corner. There were colored glass dishes and little bunnies on tables, along with photographs. Lots and lots of photographs.

Nicole walked toward a display on the wall. The grouping showed a younger Hawk with a pretty young woman. Serena, Nicole guessed. There were pictures of them laughing, wedding portraits, a few from an NFL ceremony. More photos showed happy parents with a pretty toddler.

The photos on the mantel showed Brittany from birth to age ten or so.

The room felt oppressively crowded-like a museum on crack. It reminded her of her grandma’s house. Too hot, with too much stuff. She wouldn’t have been more surprised to find faux fur and leather handcuffs.

The dining room was more of the same. The country theme continued with floral-print wallpaper and built-in cabinets filled with old-fashioned dishes. There were several cross-stitched sayings framed and hung on the walls.

Nicole felt awkward and out of place. This wasn’t a house-this was a shrine to a lifestyle lost. She would bet that nothing had changed since the day Serena died.