Page 35 of The Maverick's Homecoming

They did? Who knew what would happen? He sure didn’t. And he would very much prefer to leave things open-ended, see where this little agreement of theirs took them.

But he didn’t want to say that. If he did, she just might show him the door in a permanent way.

That couldn’t be allowed to happen. Because wherever this was going between them, he intended to see it through.

Tonight, for the first time in years, Finn knew exactly what he wanted from Kenzie. And what he wanted was more than she offered him now—more than he deserved, too, if he was honest.

He believed her when she said she would never get married again, that she and her baby would be a family, just the two of them.

Of course, he believed her. Love hadn’t been kind to her. She had no reason to put her trust in a man.

She’d found love twice. Both times, she’d ended up broken-hearted. First, Finn himself had walked away from her, and he’d done it right after they’d lost a child. And then she’d married a guy who lied to her, cheated on her and finally walked out on her, too.

However, tonight, as they sat here on her sofa talking so honestly about the past, about his father’s cruelty, about how winning wasn’t everything and sometimes what looked like a loss turned out to be the finest sort of victory…

Tonight, right here in her living room, Finn had finally seen the light.

He wanted Kenzie. However he might have her. For as long as it might last.

What she offered him now was so much better than nothing. Whether she knew it or not, her plan gave him hope for a second chance.

“Alright, then,” he said. “Let’s spend more time together, see where that takes us.”

She looked at him sideways. “Are you sure about this?”

“You bet I am. What are you doing tomorrow? Come out to my place for dinner.”

Those eyes were more green than blue right then…and very wide. “Tomorrow?” Now, she looked terrified.

Apparently, it was all fine and dandy to dance around the subject of becoming more than friends. But actually moving in that direction scared her. A lot.

He wanted to grab her, pull her close and whisper that she didn’t have to be afraid, that he was all grown up now and he would do this right. But that might alarm her all the more. Better to keep it light and easy.

“No time like the present,” he replied cheerfully. “After all, if we did become lovers, I’m guessing you would expect it to be over when the baby comes.”

“Hmm.” She frowned. “Probably several weeks before the baby’s due, depending.”

“Depending on what, exactly?”

She gave him one of those looks women often give men, a look of great patience mixed with barely masked annoyance.“Finn. Please. There are any number of reasons why a very pregnant woman might not be available for hot, sexy times. You don’t really expect me to list them for you, do you?”

“Uh…”

“Be very careful about what you say next,” she advised.

He thought he saw a spark of humor in those fine eyes. But he wasn’t about to put his observation to the test. “Well, tell me this, then, Kenz. How far along are you right now?”

“Tomorrow, I’ll be at twenty-six weeks.”

“Then realistically, if we do end up enjoying…benefits, we don’t have that much time. We need to get moving on it.”

She gave him that look, the one that said he was skating on very thin ice. “Get moving? Really?”

“Yeah. Really. If we don’t, then whatever might happen won’t happen because it will be too late before we even get started.”

For a second or two, she just stared at him blankly…and then she burst out laughing. “You’re just messing with me.”

He put a hand to his heart. “Never. If I do have a chance with you I’m going to want all the time I can get. Can you blame me for that?”