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 their picnic.

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 unwanted publicity.

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 fairly easy.

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 with that.

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 to ignore.

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 the future.

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 Titans fans.

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 her smile.

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 real life.

“What are you doing?” she asked. Her mic wasn’t on and she wasn’t worried about anyone hearing her.

London grinned, hooked his arm around her back, and pulled her in for a kiss.

The fans went nuts.

Maia laughed and pulled back. “You couldn’t wait until after the game for that?”

He smirked and slipped the mic out of her hand. Turning it on, he got down on one knee. The noise level streaked to winning a spot in the Super Bowl.

Maia’s mouth fell open. “Are you kidding me right now, London Wilder?”

He put the mic to his lips. “Maia, my love. Will you marry me?” He held out a small white box with a giant ring inside.

“Yes!” Maia jumped at him at the same time he stood to catch her. He kissed her once, and then again, and then again. “I love you,” she said between kisses.

“I love you, too.”

She framed his happy face with her hands, drinking in the sight of so much joy and knowing she was the reason for it.

He kissed her cheek. “For luck.”

“I don’t need it.” She ran her fingers up the back of his head and tugged him down. “I have you.” And then she kissed him like she wanted to kiss him for the rest of her life.

* * *

Thank you for reading “The Warrior Groom” by Lucy McConnell. If you enjoyed this Texas Titans Romance, you will love “The Miracle Groom” available by