A Perfect Distraction. Anna Sugden

      

      A face-off—head vs. heart

      For Jake Badoletti, this year is all about his career. He has a rare second chance to make the most of being a pro hockey player, so no parties, no scandals. Too bad he’s met a woman who could sideline those plans. Maggie Goodman is not his usual type—right down to being a single mom. Still, the sizzling connection with this gorgeous brunette can’t be ignored.

      With a little juggling and a lot of focus, Jake manages to have the game and Maggie. Then his performance on the ice suffers and a scandal erupts. Now he can’t afford the distraction of Maggie…even if she is perfect for him.

      Concentrate, damn it

      Jake repeated the silent mantra, hoping it would stick, hoping it would stop the parade of sinful images marching through his mind.

      Then Maggie turned her earnest gaze on him. “Is there anything you need me to do for you?”

      Her business-like tone should have doused the crazy feelings. But his traitorous body found another meaning to the innocent question, responding in a way that would have shocked her down to her covered toes.

      Jake looked up at the mirrored ceiling, with its etched-gold crown motif, and tried to calm the heat caused by her unintentionally provocative words with thoughts of ice. A great big sheet of ice.

      What the hell is wrong with you? Nervous, mousy brunettes weren’t his type, even with a sexy accent—he preferred cool, confident blondes. Plus he’d decided less than ten minutes ago to cut women from his life until he’d won the cup. His focus had to be on hockey. No distractions. No exceptions.

      His body obviously hadn’t got the memo.

      Dear Reader,

      Thank you for buying my first book! I’ve wanted to write romance novels since I read my first Mills & Boon at age nine, so having this book published by Harlequin is a dream come true.

      Of course, in those days, my stories were a little simpler and usually involved Barbie and Action Man—I thought Ken was a drip!

      But perhaps I misjudged Ken. Appearances can be deceptive, after all, and preconceptions can be dangerous.

      Think about the famous comedian who suffers from depression when he’s off-stage. The confident businesswoman who is really painfully shy. All those nerdy people who turn out to be superheroes.

      Hockey players have a reputation for being violent thugs because people can’t separate what happens on the ice, from the person on skates. In reality, hockey players are among the most humble, gentlemanly and kind-hearted people I’ve ever met.

      This dichotomy intrigued me and that’s how Jake’s story was born. Who better to challenge Jake than a woman who believes she’s weak, yet had the strength to survive abuse? A woman who thinks she knows the truth about sports stars.

      I hope you enjoy the journey of discovery that Maggie and Jake take. I love to hear from readers, so please drop me a line at [email protected] or Box 174, Regis House, 23 King Street, Cambridge. CB1 1AH. England.

      Happy reading!

      Anna Sugden

      A Perfect Distraction

      Anna Sugden

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      Three-time Golden Heart finalist, Anna Sugden, is as avid a fan of romance novels and happy endings, as she is of hockey. Her office is filled with overflowing bookcases, treasured trinkets and some pretty awesome hockey memorabilia. When not reading or watching hockey, Anna enjoys cooking, making simple cross-stitch projects and shopping for great shoes. Anna lives in Cambridge, England, with her wonderful husband and two bossy black cats. You can find out more about Anna by visiting her website, www.annasugden.com.

      For Keith, my hero, my inspiration—I love you.

      For Eileen Sugden (1924–2008)—this is your book.

      Acknowledgments

      With a first book, there are so many people to thank, especially when the journey to publication was a long one.

      I couldn’t have survived the journey without the writing advice, support, laughs and love of my best buddies—Beth Andrews, Terri Garey, Kathleen Long, Janice Lynn and Tawny Weber. You ladies rock!

      Special thanks to:

      My agent, Jill Marsal, and my editor, Wanda Ottewell—you made my dream come true!

      Kate Lutter, Maria Imbalzano and Nancy Northcott for their critiques, support and friendship.

      Jeff Vanderbeek for giving me access to the New Jersey Devils organization.

      Ken Daneyko for answering my questions and for sharing his experiences as a world-class hockey player.

      Tom Ferreri, VP of Arena Operations, Izod Center (Continental Airlines Arena) for taking me behind the scenes at the arena and giving me great insights into how it all works.

      Thanks, too, for the Zamboni ride!

      Caitlin Knighton for sharing her legal expertise and helping me plot and resolve Maggie’s custody issues.

      Contents

       Chapter One

       Chapter Two

       Chapter Three

       Chapter Four

       Chapter Five

       Chapter Six

       Chapter Seven

       Chapter Eight

       Chapter Nine

       Chapter Ten

       Chapter Eleven

       Chapter Twelve

       Chapter Thirteen

       Chapter Fourteen

       Chapter Fifteen

       Chapter Sixteen

       Chapter Seventeen

       Chapter Eighteen

       Chapter Nineteen

       Chapter Twenty

       Epilogue

       Excerpt