“I—I never thought I could care about someone in the way I did about Madison. After we broke up, I vowed I was just going to play hockey. Period. That was my world, and I wouldn’t be hurt. But then I met you. I knew I shouldn’t have feelings for you. I should have kept it simple at Casino Night and walked away. But when I saw you, I felt something in my gut that I have never felt before. Then I talked to you, and I couldn’t walk away. My head was screaming at me that this would end in a disaster if it ever happened at all. You were off-limits. I knew that. But I didn’t care. And now that I’m here? I’m not going anywhere, no matter what the fallout is.”
“I would understand if you did want to walk away,” I say quietly. “I saw a preview tonight of how Dad is going to react. The price is going to be high to be with me.”
Aiden drops a kiss on the bridge of my nose. “I don’t care.”
I’ve never had anyone love me like this. No, Aiden hasn’t said it with words, but he’s telling me this with everything else that he does. He’s definitely falling in love with me. But I have to be sure he understands the reality of coming out in the open with me.
“Aiden, are you sure you understand what I’m saying? My dad is going to obliterate you. He will see this as a violation of his trust, and that’s something you value. You can say I’m going to be worth all this, but are yousureyou’re thinking this through?”
His expression doesn’t change. “Yeah, I know. I know the price I’m going to pay when everything comes to light. But if I have to choose a career in Miami over being with you? That’s an easy choice. It’s you, Scarlett. Every day I’ll choose you.”
Every day I’ll choose you.
I know now that he’s right. You don’t walk away from these kinds of feelings.
You fight for them.
For so long, I wanted to please my parents. Have them be as proud of me as they are of Ethan and Jamie. I followed all their rules. I was good and dutiful.
Well, I can still be a good person and make decisions that are at odds with them.
And that’s what I’m going to do.
“Scarlett.” Aiden covers my hands with his. “I wouldn’t break these rules before. You wouldn’t either. But life has given us something worth risking it all for. You’re making me want to fight for something other than hockey. You make me believe I can be loved again,” he says, his voice growing thick. “But I only want this with you. That’s why I will take this risk.”
I suck in a breath.Aiden doesn’t even realize he’s already loved.
I search his face, so honest and open with me. The old me—the me before Aiden—would wait for him to say the words first. To make sure the “appropriate” amount of time had passed before making such a declaration, to keep myself safe, to follow whatever stupid rule I had put inside my head that I needed to follow.
But I’m not that same person I was even a month ago. I’m braver now.
I’m brave enough to tell this man what is in my heart.
“Aiden, I’m already in love with you,” I confess.
He freezes. Shock registers on his handsome face. I hold my breath, waiting to see how he responds to this declaration.
“You … you’re already in love with me?” he asks, disbelief in his voice.
“You’re already loved,” I say, laying my heart bare before him. I pause for a moment, swallowing before continuing. “Iunderstand if you don’t have the same feelings right now. And I hope I’m not making you feel pressured by saying this or awkward or anything like that. But I want you to know that’s why I came here tonight. I was going to walk away from usbecauseI love you, and I want what’s best for you. I thought that was being an alternate captain for the Manatees. But now I know what’s best for you is being with me. Even if you aren’t in love with me yet.”
Aiden’s Adam’s apple bobs, his eyes rapidly searching mine. I draw my lower lip between my teeth anxiously.
“Say it again,” he says roughly, his voice thick with unshed emotion.
“What?”
“Tell me again that you love me.”
He loves me back.
I can feel fresh tears forming in my eyes as this wonderful truth washes over me. “I love you.”
Aiden’s eyes become rimmed with red. He blinks a few times, swallows, and then stares at me with such a look of love in his eyes, it takes my breath away.
“I have never had anyone love me like this,” he manages to get out. His hands move to my face, holding it firmly. “And I have never loved anyone as much as I love you. I love you so damn much, Scarlett.I love you.”
Then Aiden’s mouth presses to mine in a furious, heated, claiming kiss, leaving no doubt of his feelings for me.
