Undressed by the Rebel: The Honourable Maverick

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‘Thanks.’ Ellie’s smile was genuine now. Sympathetic, even. She could well believe that Gina had thought of Max. What woman wouldn’t?

Max didn’t appear to have returned the interest, however.

‘Gina? Gina who?’ He’d brought Chinese food home with him and the aroma was seriously tempting as he unpacked the carry bags.

‘She didn’t say. Gorgeous looking, though. Leather pants and long, dark hair. Said she met you and Rick at a bike rally or something.’

‘Oh-h…We did pop in on a Ducati show a couple of weeks back. Yeah…rings a bell. We swapped cards but I gave hers to Rick ‘cos he was thinking he might give her a call.’

‘She left you brochures. Said you were looking for a property to buy?’

Max grimaced. ‘I should be but I really can’t be bothered. I might just move back in with Rick when Jet gets another stint away with the army.’

‘What’s wrong with this place?’

‘I’ve only got a sub-lease for three months. Sarah reckoned she wouldn’t be away any longer than that, though I can extend it if she doesn’t come back. She took this on as a two-year lease.’

‘Oh?’ Ellie was distracted, both by the tubs of hot food now on the table and the reminder of her old flatmate. ‘I must email her and see how things are going with Josh.’

‘Good idea. Might give me a shove in the right direction.’

‘Which is?’ Ellie pulled the disposable chopsticks apart. Max was opening the tubs and she’d never felt so hungry in her life. She must be getting better, she decided. Her body was coming back to life.

Max saw her practically drooling and he grinned. ‘Good to see you looking hungry. Steak with black bean sauce in that one. This one’s chicken and ginger and that’s stir-fried veggies ‘cos it looked healthy. There’s a bucket of rice so dig in.’ He dipped his chopsticks into the first container and started filling his plate. For a minute or two they were both preoccupied with their food but after a few mouthfuls Max paused and glanced at Ellie.

‘I guess the right direction is settling down,’ he said sadly. ‘I’m thirty-six. I can’t ride round on my bike and move from place to place for ever. I like it here in Dunedin so maybe I need to put some roots down. Buying a house seems like a good first step. What do you think?’

A settled-down Max? With a home of his own? Would a wife and children and maybe even a dog be on the agenda as well?

Stupid to feel that bubble of hope but irresistible not to take the opportunity to soak in the expression on Max’s face. To enjoy that rough look his jaw always had at this time of day that made her fingers itch to touch it. To make direct eye contact and feel it all the way to her bones.

‘Couldn’t hurt to look,’ she offered. ‘The picture’s lovely and Gina seemed to think it was something special.’

‘But it’s way out on the peninsula. Long way to work.’ Max ate in silence for a while again. ‘Mind you, it’s a great road for a bike ride. Good twists and turns and it runs right along the harbour’s edge.’ He ate another mouthful. ‘I’ve got a couple of days off coming up. Why don’t you come with me and help me look?’

‘On your bike? Not on your life, mate.’

Max laughed, a wonderfully rich sound that made Ellie feel warm all over and happier than she could remember being in such a long time.

‘Hardly. Not with the mouse to take into account. We’ll take the car and it’ll be as safe as houses, I promise.’

Ellie still shook her head.

‘Why not?’

‘Um…I kind of told Gina that I was your wife and she assumed that Mouse was yours as well. She looked kind of disappointed.’

Max was grinning. ‘Is that so? I’ll tell Rick. She’s just his type.’

‘Not yours?’ Ellie knew she sounded surprised.

Max shrugged. ‘Used to be. Maybe I’m growing up a bit. Thinking about house buying does that to a man, you know.’

Ellie wanted to ask what he thought his type was now but she didn’t dare. This wasn’t a conversation she really wanted to have because the little spears of wishful thinking were too delicious to want to give up. It couldn’t hurt to indulge a small and very private fantasy for a little while, could it?

But Gina used to be his type and Ellie couldn’t help remembering the way she’d felt that morning. Dumpy and dowdy.

‘I still couldn’t go.’ It was her turn to grimace as she looked down at herself. ‘Even if I went back to the motel for my bag, I didn’t bring any non-pregnancy clothes with me. I look like I’ve been rummaging through the unwanted stuff from a charity shop. You really wouldn’t want to be seen out with me, Max.’

‘So wear something else.’

‘Don’t think your boxers and shirt would work either.’

‘So…go shopping.’

‘What?’ That hadn’t even occurred to Ellie.

‘You’re feeling better, aren’t you? You’re certainly looking better.’

Ellie nodded.

‘So, take a taxi and go to one of the big department stores in town. You could take Mouse in the car seat and they’d have everything under one roof. Not too much walking about to tire you out. You’ve got those outpatient appointments tomorrow afternoon, haven’t you? So you have to go out anyway.’

Ellie continued to nod. Everything under one roof? Clothes, lingerie, shoes. A hairdresser, maybe?

How long had it been since she’d worried about her appearance? Or had a reason to want to look good? This was a kind of hope that was permissible. Part of her fantasy, maybe, but one that was grounded in reality. It could happen. She could make a dramatic improvement to the way she looked. It was exciting.

‘If I go to a bank, I won’t even have to use my credit card.’

‘Is that a problem? You want some cash?’

Ellie shook her head hurriedly. ‘I’ve just been careful for so long because people can trace where you are if you use cards, can’t they? I’ve seen it happen on those crime shows.’

The reminder of why she had come here in the first place and the continued need for care dampened the atmosphere.

‘I’m sure it’ll be fine,’ Ellie muttered. ‘It’s not as if he doesn’t know where I am now anyway.’

He could be waiting. Biding his time. Probably quite confident that he would receive information about the birth of his child and he would, eventually, because time was running out. The birth had to be registered. Mouse had to be given a name.

‘The offer’s still open, you know,’ Max said quietly.

‘To see the house?’ Ellie’s smile was a little tight. ‘Sure. Sounds like fun.’

‘No.’ Max had stopped eating. He was watching her face. ‘The name. Marriage.’

Ellie stopped eating, too. Her appetite had vanished.

She wouldn’t marry Max to give Mouse his name. Or to take it herself.

To marry Max knowing that it was in name only and that a very amicable divorce was already pencilled in?

No, thanks.

CHAPTER EIGHT (#ulink_0f7efb37-1de0-5e5f-8f79-3e5c0416256a)

GINA the real estate agent did a double-take when she saw Ellie for the second time on the Sunday that was Mouse’s two-week birthday.

Max wasn’t surprised in the least. He’d been kind of stunned himself when he’d got home from work the other day after Ellie had been on her trip into town. She’d been wearing jeans that actually fitted and a soft, russet-coloured knit top that made her eyes and her hair seem the most astonishing mix of copper and chestnut shades. She’d looked…amazing and it was confusing because it wasn’t so easy now to dismiss errant thoughts by reminding himself that she wasn’t his ‘type’.

She still didn’t fit with the kind of athletic, leggy girls who were out for little more than a good time. She was different all right. Dangerously different because there was an attraction there that went a lot deeper than sex. He and Rick had always favoured blondes, too, but Ellie’s hair was so rich. She’d said she’d only had her hair trimmed and that the hairdresser had put some rinse through it to bring out natural highlights but it glowed in some mysterious fashion and it looked so soft. His fingers had itched to bury themselves in it.

He hadn’t, of course. He was being very, very careful ever since that kiss that hadn’t been a kiss. Ellie valued her independence. She had some definite plans for her future that didn’t include him and he didn’t want to be involved. It would only complicate her life. Not to mention his. Coming to see this house was an aberration that was making him distinctly nervous for some reason. It had only been intended as an outing. There were lots of tourist attractions out here on the Otago Peninsula. Larnach Castle and the aquarium. The lighthouse and the world-famous albatross colony. It was just a bonus that he could make a foray into the world of real estate that he knew he should enter and now was probably as good a time as any.

Maybe it was because it was something he’d never done before. Or maybe it had something to do with the way Gina had been staring at Ellie as if she couldn’t believe she was the same woman and Max could sympathise with the confused expression. Things were changing and Max wasn’t sure about the direction they were taking. Some of it was good. He was delighted that both Ellie and Mouse had passed the assessments given in their outpatient appointments at the hospital. He could have predicted how pleased the doctors would be because he could see Ellie’s strength returning day by day. She had a sparkle about her that couldn’t be attributed entirely to a new wardrobe or a clever hairdresser.

Pretty soon now she’d disappear out of his life. She’d already been on the internet, checking out discount flight fares to Australia. She’d been exploring job opportunities as well and rental accommodation that might suit. The next step was to update her passport to include her child and that was only on hold until she decided on the name she wanted for her daughter.

She’d bought a book of names when she’d been in town and it had come out again last night.

‘Annabelle? Bella? I quite like Bella. Oh, look…here’s Maxine. It means “greatest”.’

‘You’re not calling her Maxine.’

‘She’s probably going to end up being Mouse for the rest of her life,’ Ellie had said mournfully. ‘Mouse Peters. Doesn’t have the best ring to it, does it?’

Mouse McAdam didn’t sound too bad. Not that he’d pointed that out, mind you. Funny how the idea of marriage to Ellie to provide a legal name had suddenly lost its appeal. Why? Was it because he could finally see that it would be such a sham and not what any marriage should be about? Especially a marriage that involved someone like Ellie. Not that Max had ever given that much thought to the institution but, deep down, he had principles and one of them was obviously that marriage was not something that should be taken that lightly.

Who knew?

Perhaps house hunting was another aspect of grown-up life that shouldn’t be taken lightly but they’d driven out along the windy peninsula road on this sunny afternoon, admiring the shards of light playing on the ruffled harbour waters. They’d had a bit of trouble locating the address, despite his satellite navigation device, because this house was set on a hillside and hidden from the road by a thick stand of native bush. Sunlight filtered through the canopy of these private woods, which effectively killed any traffic or other noise from the outside world and there was an atmosphere that made Max pause when he climbed out of the car. He had an odd feeling that he was being pushed towards something he really wasn’t ready for. He gave himself a mental shake. Anyone would feel like that with a smiling real estate agent bearing down on them. He was only a potential buyer here. He could say no and he already knew he would say no.

The house itself was a wonderful, rambling old villa with a wisteria vine adorning the deep veranda and a view of the harbour and the green hills on the other side that would probably make it sell in a flash. They all stood for a moment at the top of the steps, their backs to the front door.

‘That’s Port Chalmers over there,’ Max pointed out to Ellie. ‘That’s where Rick’s place is. He’s got a converted warehouse loft close to the container terminal. Very industrial. Trendy.’

‘Bit different from this, then.’

‘Mmm.’ It was a bachelor pad all right and it hadn’t had the space for the three of them when Jet had come home for a spell. Why had he offered to move somewhere else? Had he seen his new apartment as a stepping stone from bachelor pad to family home? If so, he hadn’t had his feet in the interim space for nearly long enough.

‘You’ll love this place,’ Gina said, turning to unlock the door. ‘Come on. I can’t wait to show you around.’ She waited for them to enter the wide hallway. ‘Such a cute baby,’ she said as Ellie went past. ‘What’s his name?’

‘It’s a she,’ Max said. ‘And her name is Mouse.’

Gina giggled. ‘What’s her real name?’

There was a moment’s awkward silence and then Ellie spoke. ‘We haven’t decided. Max doesn’t like my choice so I’m waiting till he comes up with something better.’

‘Fair enough.’ Gina was heading for a sweeping stairway at the end of the hall. ‘Let’s start upstairs with the master bedroom. It’s got the most amazing view.’

Max followed in silence. It was just part of the pretence, wasn’t it? Ellie wasn’t really expecting him to come up with a name for Mouse, was she? That was a responsibility he wasn’t happy to take on but what if he didn’t and she ended up calling the poor kid Maxine?

‘Vacant possession,’ Gina told them as they came back downstairs. ‘The owner was hoping not to have to sell but he’s decided to stay in Europe and he needs the capital for his business venture.’

‘It’s big,’ was Max’s verdict as they completed the tour.

Gina nodded happily. ‘Four bedrooms and the office, two bathrooms, the games room in the basement and the guest suite over the garage. It’s a perfect family home.’

But he didn’t have a family. Gina glanced to where Ellie was standing with Mouse in the baby sling near the French doors that opened from the open-plan kitchen living area to a terrace that flowed into a large, sloping garden. Max followed her gaze. Was Ellie admiring the backdrop of the bush or deliberately avoiding having to keep up the deception that they were just the kind of family that this house was crying out for?

‘I know it might seem a bit big compared to your apartment at the moment but think of it as future-proofing,’ Gina said with a smile. ‘Who knows? You might end up with a few more little ones and this is the kind of house you’d want your grandchildren visiting, isn’t it?’