“It’s not your crazy to carry around.” She laugh-hiccupped. “If anyone understands that you can’t pick your parents, it’sme.”
He put both hands on the edge of the table. “Maia, tell me the truth. Is there any hope forus?”
The tears came fast now, rivers of relief and sorrow and hope. “I think thereis.”
He was on his feet in a flash, pulling her out of the booth and to his chest. “Do you mean it? Don’t play with me,princess.”
She poked his chest. “Don’t call meprincess.”
“How about honey? Can I call you honey?” His voice was low and inviting and his lips close to herear.
She shivered from the nearness. “Yes,” shebreathed.
He kissed her lightly, which wasn’t nearly enough. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him close, not able to get enough of him. Several moments later, they broke apart, gasping forbreath.
“If this is your version of taking it slow, I’m all forit.”
Maia tipped her head back and laughed deeply, relieved that they’d waded through croc-infested waters and come out the other side stronger, better, and deeper in love. She placed her hands on the sides of his face. “I love you, London Wilder. You’re the beginning and the end of myheart.”
He pressed his forehead to hers. “I love you, Maia. I need you, but more importantly, Iwantyou in my life—every day, every hour. I swear to never be myfather.”
She gazed into his molasses eyes. Where she’d seen unhinged thoughts and uncontrolled fury in Reed’s eyes, all she saw in London’s was pure love. “I know. London, Iknow.”
He traced his fingers down her cheek. “Did you know you taste likecherry?”
She lifted her arms off of his. “Ew. Gross, I am so sticky.” She pulled, but his hands went to her hips and he brought their bodiesflush.
“I don’t care.” He brushed his thumb over her top lip. “You’re perfect,honey.”
He kissed her, earning a whistle from the waitress behind the counter. Maia lost herself in his embrace. She was covered in a sugary, sticky, crusty mess; her dress was a disaster; and her hair was crunchy; and she felt like a real princess when London whispered her name and kissed herslow.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Maia stood on the Texas Titans’fifty-yard line. She glanced down at the platform that had been positioned for her and smiled, remembering that this is where it had all started with London—both times. First in high school and then at theirpicnic.
And what a beginning it was for the two of them. The slussie incident ended up splattered across newsstands and the internet, each version of the tale becoming more outrageous than the last. When it came out that her attacker was London’s father, they received another round of unwantedpublicity.
Aaron hated the negative press. He was in a constant state of upset stomach over Maia’s dating life. He’d never had a princess act so un-princess-like and run off to date a football player. She didn’t break her contract; in fact, she’d been at every event after Reed was arrested. So was London, right up until he started preseason workouts. Then, they were together as often as possible. There were these things with wings called airplanes that made being together fairlyeasy.
Aaron was the only one upset by her relationship with London. With London in her life, she was happy—truly happy. She didn’t have to run from her past. He knew where she came from, knew that Maia’s mom was a deadbeat who preferred gambling to seeing her daughter perform at a football game—and he didn’t care. All he wanted was Maia, and she was happy withthat.
London had hired a shark of a lawyer, and his dad was convicted of attempted murder without London having to take the stand to testify. Since he was declared mentally incompetent, he was in an institution and not allowed visitors. Not that any of them wanted to visit, but at least they could blame the facility for that and not feel an obligation they had toignore.
Maia and London had decided to treat the new season like a new start and put all the ugliness Reed clouded into their lives behind them once and for all. From now on, they were looking toward thefuture.
Maia held the mic loosely in her hand, waiting for the first note to come over the loudspeaker. The sun was high in the sky, and the stands were full of excited Titansfans.
Her face appeared on the big screen, and people cheered and screamed her name. She lifted an arm and waved. “Where is the music?” she muttered through hersmile.
The screen switched to another view, and she saw London coming out of the tunnel in his uniform without his helmet. Dang, he looked scrumptious. She always did like him in football pants. Her heart spun in happy circles as she turned to watch him approach in reallife.
“What are you doing?” she asked. Her mic wasn’t on and she wasn’t worried about anyone hearingher.
London grinned, hooked his arm around her back, and pulled her in for akiss.
The fans wentnuts.
Maia laughed and pulled back. “You couldn’t wait until after the game forthat?”
