Thin Ice (13 page)

Wonder replaced wariness. She leaned back and looked into his dark eyes. “You're serious."

He tucked her head against his chest, settled his arms around her again and closed his eyes. “Dead serious."

For the longest time he simply held her. Security settled around Emily like a warm blanket. She could have stood there for hours, cocooned in his arms, listening to the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear, smeling the clean, musky scent of him mingled with the faint smel of leather and the crisp chil of winter. Only the idea of her son wondering aloud to a group of strangers what might've happened to them made her pul away.

Eric dropped his hands to his sides and smiled. “See? Told you I wouldn't bite.” At her sheepish look, he grinned. “Now, how about that kiss?"

Emily smiled. “Something tels me your storehouse of slick moves isn't limited to those you use on the ice, Mr. Cameron."

He laughed, a deep, hearty, happy sound that made Emily want to join in. Instead she looped her arms around his neck and drew his head down to meet hers, taking him by surprise.

She kissed him six times, her hands moving to frame his face and brush back his chestnut brown hair after the second kiss. Each time, brush back his chestnut brown hair after the second kiss. Each time, she studied his face first, fascinated by the restraint she saw in his features, his refusal to take control. Shamelessly she experimented, her last kiss a hedonistic freefal that left her breathless and weak-kneed.

"Enough,” Eric moaned, sinking against the Suburban, keeping a steadying grip on Emily's elbows. For a long minute they stood there, heads bowed, breathing uneven. When she finaly found the courage to look into his face, she found not the cool mockery she'd come to expect in the past ... but tenderness and open delight.

And it terrified her.

She puled away. Confusion flickered across Eric's features, but he let her go. In silence he opened the driver's door for her. She cast him a quick, embarrassed look as he as he shut the door behind her, then walked around the front of the car and climbed into the passenger seat. Once there, he smiled at her, but said nothing and waited patiently.

His message couldn't have been more clear. For the moment, Emily was in the driver's seat. He made no attempt to touch her once they were in the car and the disappointment of it rattled her so much she didn't say a word the whole two miles to Pizza King. Good grief, woman. You push the man away, then feel hurt when he keeps his hands to himself. What is wrong with you?

Eric made a point of it not to touch Emily again as she drove to Pizza King. But just before they reached the restaurant's door, he Pizza King. But just before they reached the restaurant's door, he broke down and puled Emily aside to kiss her again. She responded with an immediate, almost desperate sensuality that made his soul sing. The lady liked him, she just didn't know what to do about it.

A quick kiss to her temple, and he escorted her inside. Robbie spotted them and waved, then returned his attention to his friends.

Since there were no unoccupied seats at the table, Eric ushered Emily to a booth in the far corner.

When the waitress arrived, he asked Emily if she wanted anything to eat or drink.

Emily asked for water, then turned to stare out the window. She looked a little dazed. Eric hid a smile. He felt much the same, but knew time would be his aly in winning over Emily Jordan. The woman kissed like an angel, but needed her space. The chatter of two dozen elementary schoolers filed the air as a minute passed, then two, before Emily dropped her gaze and made a show of rearranging the contents of the sugar bowl.

When it seemed to Eric the packets couldn't be lined up any straighter, he spoke up. “Can I ask you something?"

Emily looked over at her son and decided the odds of tearing him away from his teammates before the last slice of pizza was gone were slim to none. The chances that Eric would wait in silence until Robbie rejoined them were even slimmer.

Robbie rejoined them were even slimmer.

She shrugged. “Shoot."

"Have you always wanted to be a doctor?"

Emily hid her surprise. She'd expected something more along the lines of, “So, what happens next?” Because something had happened between them in the parking lot, something that made her want to run as fast and as far away from Eric Cameron as possible.

He was getting to her, sneaking past her defenses in a way no man had. She stil couldn't believe how badly she wanted him to kiss her again, or how she'd thrown herself into his arms when he had.

Weakness, that's what it was. Pure weakness.

"Since I was seven or eight."

He smiled and she tried to relax. Robbie would ride back to the rink with them. She'd be al right as long as they weren't alone again.

As long as he didn't touch her again.

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me,” Eric said. “I'l bet you were a straight A student."

Considering the countless hours she'd spent at the library, hiding from her father's wrath, then Ryan's, it was no wonder. But she didn't care to go there. With anyone. “Al the way through med school."

Eric's smile dimmed. He looked down at his plastic cup, twisted it Eric's smile dimmed. He looked down at his plastic cup, twisted it idly, and studied its ripples and ridges before meeting her eyes again. “I never finished high school, myself."

At the unexpected note of insecurity in his voice, Emily forgot her own problems. Experience had taught her diplomas didn't confer inteligence on their owners. The thought that Eric might think less of himself because he didn't have one was too compeling to ignore.

She smiled. “I suspect it was because your priorities were elsewhere at the time."

His eyes registered surprise before he chuckled. “You're right. The only thing on my mind those days was playing hockey, morning, noon and night."

"I'd say your determination paid off."

He looked out the window, his expression suddenly oblique.

“Maybe, maybe not."

Emily let the silence ride, keeping her distance.

"Do you ever wonder what your life might have been like if you hadn't made the choices you did?” Eric asked.

"No.” She didn't have to wonder. She'd either be living under the thumb of her tyrannical father or in terror of her homicidal husband.

School had been her avenue of escape in both cases. But she hadn't forgotten the loved ones she left behind. If it was the last thing she forgotten the loved ones she left behind. If it was the last thing she did, she'd see to it that her younger siblings found the same freedom and independence she had.

"No regrets? No second thoughts?"

"Not a one."

"Not even about Robbie's father?"

"Especialy not about that."

His eyes held hers. “Were you married to him?"

"For three years."

He sat back, looking baffled. “What happened?"

"Excuse me?” Was he implying she was some sort of failure?

"I'm just trying to understand. You're a beautiful, inteligent, caring, compassionate, and very passionate woman. One any man in his right mind would do his best to hold onto. Instead, you're raising his child alone.” His eyes softened. “Did he hurt you, Emily? Did he decide one day fatherhood wasn't for him and disappear?"

She couldn't stand the thought of him pitying her. “He doesn't know about Robbie. I'm the one who disappeared."

Eric stared. “You left him? Knowing you were pregnant? Without teling him?"

Too late, she realized her mistake. “He ... didn't want me to become a doctor.” That much, at least, was true. Ryan had tried to sabotage her every chance he got, tried to force her to flunk out.

But the truth was he would have tried to force her into getting an abortion if he'd known she was pregnant. Or worse, kiled the baby inside her himself. Ryan Montgomery had no room in his life for anyone but Ryan Montgomery.

"So you deprived him of his child because he didn't want you to have a career?"

She knew how cold that sounded. Especialy to a man who wanted children but didn't have any. But Emily wasn't prepared to unveil the horrors of her marriage. She doubted she ever would be.

"Yes,” she answered quietly.

Eric's eyes darkened with disappointment ... and anger. “I see. And since then you've decided not to let any man get close enough to interfere with your career."

If she wanted to drive him away, it was as good an opportunity as any. His quickness to judge cut deep, as deep as his quickness to believe she could be so self-centered as to consider her career more important than her marriage vows. Never mind that she'd been as quick to judge him in the beginning. This was different.

They knew each other better, now. And that was the problem.

They knew each other better, now. And that was the problem.

Catching the sound of a commotion across the room, she glanced at Robbie's table to see the group breaking up. She took a final drink of her soda, then met Eric's gaze.

"Exactly."

"Do you think he'l come tonight, Mom?"

"Who, sweetheart?” Emily asked absently as she dragged the hockey bag containing Robbie's uniform, pads, gloves, skates and helmet from the back of the Suburban. Her mind was stil at the hospital, where she'd spent most of the past twenty-four hours.

She'd barely made it home in time to colect her son and drive him to the rink for his game. As it was, they were running late.

"You know, Eric."

She paused, recaling the quiet finality of their parting in the Pizza King parking lot two weeks earlier. He'd chosen to walk back to the rink, leaving her feeling cold and empty.

"I doubt it, sweetheart.” She handed Robbie his stick.

"I thought he liked us."

Emily slung the hockey bag over her shoulder and straightened, then Emily slung the hockey bag over her shoulder and straightened, then bumped the door shut with her free hip. “I'm sure he does, honey,” she prevaricated, “But that doesn't mean he doesn't have other plans."

"Like what? He doesn't have a game, like last week."

The strap dug into her shoulder and she shifted the bag, thankful Robbie wasn't playing goalie. Twenty-two pieces of equipment was enough, thank you. “He's stil a very busy man."

"Like you?"

Emily went stil and looked into her son's innocent eyes, and felt guilty for having spent the night at the hospital. But two of the other staff doctors were out with the flu, and Augustus had needed someone to pul a double. The good news was she'd have the rest of the weekend off to recuperate.

"Like me.” She sent him a conspiratorial smile. “But not tomorrow.

Tomorrow it's just you and me, kid. So what do you say we—” Emily broke off as Eric strode out of the building, clearly scanning the parking lot for someone.

"There he is! Hi, Eric!"

"Hi, Sport. How come you're late?” Emily barely had time to recover from her surprise before Eric deftly slid the hockey bag from her shoulder and handed it to her son. “Did you have car trouble?"

trouble?"

"Nah. Mom had to work late."

Eric's gaze met Emily's. Clearly he hadn't forgotten their conversation at Pizza King. “I see. Wel, I'm glad that's al it was.” He ruffled Robbie's hair. “Better get inside, Sport, let Coach know you're here. I'l be in to help you in a minute."

Robbie didn't argue. The idea of Eric Cameron dressing him was way cooler than having Mom do it.

"You staying for the game?” Eric asked, as Robbie raced toward the rink, al but dragging his hockey bag behind him.

"Of course."

"I thought you might be headed back to work.” His gaze swept over her, taking in the scrub pants peeking from beneath her winter coat and her splotched white shoes. She looked a mess and knew it, but hadn't been able to spare the time to change.

Piqued pride made her say, “I just might, now that you've obviously got things under control here."

He looked at her, sighed. “We need to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"You're wrong. We—"

"You're wrong. We—"

"There is no we, Eric, and I don't have the time or energy to argue with you today, so please, just let it go.” Determinedly, she started for the rink.

"This conversation isn't over, Dr. Jordan."

The icy authority in his voice stopped her cold. Slowly, she turned.

“Excuse me?"

"I don't appreciate your walking away from me like I'm invisible. It might work with your patients, but not me."

With an effort, Emily corraled her rising temper. “Al right. Want do you want to talk about?"

"For starters, I'd like to know what you do have the time and energy for. In case nothing comes to mind right away, I've come up with a list."

"I don't think I want to hear this."

"Tough. Because I find it hard to believe your life is so ful that you can't take time out for (A) a casual dinner date, (B) a walk in the park, or (C) some quiet conversation with a man who finds you interesting and attractive.” He paused and met her eyes, his voice silk over steel. “A man who might be able to take your mind off your troubles for a few hours."

It was tempting, oh so tempting. But try as she might, Emily couldn't It was tempting, oh so tempting. But try as she might, Emily couldn't get past the idea that the troubles Eric could take her mind off of would pale in comparison to the troubles he could cause her.

"I'm not asking you to marry me, Emily. Just for a date."

She wavered. The truth was she'd missed him, and had spent several restless nights trying to come to terms with the feelings he brought out in her. Her Ice Queen act at Pizza King had been a knee-jerk reaction to something she didn't understand. She stil didn't understand it, but at least she now recognized it for what it was—a strong physical attraction to a man who, at best, would only bring her heartache.