Page 56 of The Maverick's Homecoming

Yeah, she claimed she was through with love, that she would be raising her baby on her own. But sometimes, when he held her close and looked in her eyes, he knew that deep down she wanted what he wanted—another chance at the forever they’d lost when they were teenagers.

No, they weren’t there yet. But they would get there. He just knew it.

And not only were things going well with Kenzie, but the Titans were really stepping up, showing him both grit and dedication. Those boys got better every day. They loved the game and they gave it their all.

Friday afternoon, the team radiated excitement and energy as they boarded the school bus for Big Dusty, Montana. When the bus pulled in at Big Dusty High, home of the Eagles, Kenzie and the team moms and dads were already there.

At kickoff, the bleachers were packed on both sides. T-Grizz and the cheer squad got the Tenacity fans going as Dusty the Eagle and the Big Dusty cheerleaders got their team fired up.

The game went into overtime. But the Titans triumphed 14–7. At the team meeting in the Eagles’ girls’ locker room afterward, Finn had nothing but praise for his players. The bus ride back home was a happy one.

At 1:05 a.m. Saturday morning in the Tenacity High parking lot, Finn and Barrett thanked Oscar for the good work and watched him drive off with his dad.

A moment later, Barrett’s fiancée, Nina, drove up. She jumped out to give her future husband a steamy congratulatory kiss. Finn laughed and advised the two of them to get a room. Then he stood there in the darkness waving as they drove away, thinking about Kenzie, who was probably home already, tucked into her bed.

He was turning to head for his truck when a familiar Bronco pulled in right beside him. Suddenly the empty parking lot seemed to shimmer with promise.

“Lookin’ for a ride, big guy?” Kenzie called out her window.

He stepped right up and leaned in close. “Hey.”

They shared a kiss through the open window, one every bit as steamy as the one Barrett had planted on Nina a few minutes before. When Finn started to pull back, she grabbed his shoulder and yanked him close again. What could he do? If Kenzie wanted another kiss, he was so there for that.

Finally, she gave a low laugh against his parted lips. “Follow me home?”

“You’re on.”

* * *

Finn woke to sunlight streaming in Kenzie’s bedroom window. She was already awake, and grinning at him.

“What?” he asked. “Something’s funny?”

“Nope.”

“So, then…?”

“You’re just all cute and cuddly when you’re sleeping.”

He thought that over for a minute. “Cute and cuddly, huh?”

“Don’t be offended,” she advised. “Manly men can be cute and cuddly, too.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “If you say so.”

“I do. How about some breakfast?”

He pulled her closer and claimed her sweet mouth. She felt just right in his arms, the round fullness of her belly pressed close against him. He could so easily see himself waking up next to her every morning for the rest of his life—not that he would say that out loud to her at this point. She had her rules, after all.

“Breakfast?” she asked again.

“Hmm. I don’t know. I think I just want to lie here in this bed with you all day long.”

On the nightstand, his phone chose that moment to ping with a text. He ignored it.

Kenzie didn’t. “That thing does a lot of pinging.”

“Happy to silence it.”