Page 39 of The Maverick's Homecoming

“Hmm…”

His lips brushed her cheek. “More coffee?”

She elbowed him lightly. “Are you kidding? This baby takes up too much space for another cup of coffee. There’s hardly room for my bladder anymore. What I really need is a quick visit to the powder room.”

“For that, I would have to let go of you.”

“And I would definitely advise you to do that. Like…now.”

“Whoa!” He stepped away. “Come on, I’ll show you where it is.”

“No need. I spotted it on the way in.” She turned on her heel and headed inside.

In the half bath, she relieved her bladder, washed her hands, smoothed her windblown hair and then leaned in to meet her own eyes in the mirror.

“You shouldn’t,” she whispered to her reflection, noting that her eyes gleamed with anticipation and her cheeks were flushed with excited color. “You like him too much. You always have…”

And really,likedwas far too bland a word for the emotions Finn Monahan had stirred in her over the years. She had loved him wildly, longed for him desperately.

For a while, she’d believed she hated him…but that was just self-protection. She’d needed to get over him and telling herself she hated him had helped her to move on.

And right now…

Right now, she wanted him. So much. Wanted the magic of his kisses, the sweetness of a love affair…just for a little while. Just a last, wild fling before she settled down to a good life with her baby, to a family of two.

However…

She bit her lip and shook her head at her face in the mirror. It wasn’t a good idea.

Not tonight, anyway.

This was happening too fast and she needed to put the brakes on, give herself a week—or a few more days, at least—before jumping into a love affair, however brief and frivolous. Tonight, she needednotto get carried away in the excitement of the moment. She needed to give herself enough time to be sure.

Of what?the voice inside her asked.

There was nothing to be sure of. It was afling—short and sweet and just for fun.

In the mirror, her eyebrows were all scrunched together and she was chewing her bottom lip.

Because clearly, she wasn’t ready. “Not tonight,” she whispered, drawing her shoulders back, giving her reflection a firm nod. “Not tonight.” She pulled open the door and headed through the giant kitchen and the back hallway to the deck.

When she went out the back door, Finn stood at the top of the steps leading down to the backyard that seemed to go on forever, a sea of waving grasses interrupted by the beautiful rustic fences and the big red barn. The whole, wide-open expanse of prairie looked magical in the fading light.

Kenzie paused by the table. He’d cleared it while she was in the house. That made her heart ache a little, made her think of the boy who never did housework, the boy who left his clothes on the floor when he was through with them. The boy whose father had never struck him but instead had hurt him with harsh words and unreasonable expectations.

He turned and gave her that big, open smile of his. “There you are.”

She held out her hand to him. In three long strides, he reached her side. When his fingers closed over hers, all her nerves and anxiety just faded away.

She wanted him. She saw in his sky-blue eyes that he felt the same.

No, it wasn’t forever. And that was just great. Forever, after all, had not been kind to her.

He leaned in. She melted against him. Their lips met.

Sheer heaven, she thought—to be with him now, on this warm, late-summer evening as the sky slowly darkened and the full moon rose over the faraway mountains.

When he lifted his head, she sighed and smiled lazily up at him. “Please take me to bed, Finn.”