“I don’t want my children exposed to certain elements common in a pro hockey player’s life.”

“Elements? Like what?”

“A revolving door of women, for one, drugs and alcohol for another.”

“That won’t be an issue. I don’t do drugs or have a revolving door of women.” Hell, I hadn’t wanted another woman since Caro came back. Now there was subject a shrink would love to explore, and I wasn’t going there.

“You don’t have roommates who’re single hockey players? What about them?”

She had me there. “Uh, I do. Kaden and Steele. They’re good guys. They’ll behave when the kids are around.”

“Have you discussed this with them?”

“Uh, not yet.”

“Then how do you know they’re willing to give up their decadent lifestyle when children are present?”

“Because they will, or I’ll get my own place.”

She sniffed and looked down her nose at me. I’d forgotten how much I hated it when she did that. She made a few notes in the back of her day planner. I leaned forward to read them, but she slammed the planner shut.

“I’m willing to do what it takes. I’ll be by later this afternoon to meet the kids.” I glowered at her. We were at a standoff, and we hadn’t discussed any of the other points in the agreement. Unfortunately, my dick wasn’t nearly as annoyed. In fact, my boy found her anger a turn-on and was begging for a chance. Damn it. This wasn’t the time or place for lust, and my weakness for her annoyed the fuck out of me.

“It’s too soon.”

“In my opinion, it’s way too late. See you around four thirty.”

“We have plans. Come tomorrow.”

“I have a game.” I crossed my arms over my chest and gave her one of my intimidating hockey-player glares. She didn’t even blink.

“Friday night then.”

I wanted to argue. I didn’t want to wait even one more hour, but two days? I didn’t answer, but I stood, tossed a few bills on the table to cover the tab, and left before she had time to change her mind.

It was crucial we maintain an amicable relationship for the kids’ sakes, not ours. While my parents had always presented a united front, I’d had too many friends whose parents used the kids to get back at the other parent. I would never do that. Never.

One way to maintain a cordial relationship with Caro was to stay out of her pants, yet every time I was around her, I wanted nothing but to strip off every stitch of clothing and plant myself deep inside her. She had always had some kind of sexual hold on me, and seven years later, she still did.

My self-control was infamous, but she tested not just my patience but my willpower to the limits.

~~Caroline~~

That afternoon the sunshine turned to rain, and the kids were getting cabin fever, edgy and distracted.

Some days they put aside their resentfulness and sorrow, behaving as they once had. Other days Heath barely spoke to me, and Hailey freely expressed her anger by directing it toward me. Today was one of those bad days. Despite my efforts to engage them, they chose to ignore me and played a video game. While I normally limited their playing time, on a crappy day like this, I was too tired to argue. Instead, I tortured myself by thinking of my earlier conversation with Easton.