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“Forced?” Aidan repeated calmly.
Too calmly.
“Yes. You were rude to Matt and who knows if I have a job now?”
He crossed his arms. “Carry on.”
She swallowed, her eyes falling to the floor. “I’m just overwhelmed. My dad is gone—”
Aidan had his arms around her a second later. “Don’t push me away, Lily. Tell me how you feel, even if you’re scared, but don’t fight me.”
Her eyes lifted. “I am scared! I’m terrified. But do you know why?”
“Tell me.”
Her heart pounded, the words on the tip of her tongue. She knew it was going to destroy everything, but it was better now than a month, a year, or ten years when Aidan finally figured it out himself.
“Because I do like you. A lot,” she said more quietly.
“You more than like me, Lily.”
Tears pooled in her eyes, and she shook her head to stop him from talking. “And I know you like me.”
“Lily,” Aidan warned.
“No. Let me get this out. You may not see this clearly, but I can.” Her voice shook with emotion. “Your dad doesn’t approve of me. You don’t like that. I think your feelings for me are exaggerated in a type of rebellion to him.”
He physically reacted, pulling his face back.
“So now you’re dating the poor girl from the block. To rebel against his attempts to control you,” she explained.
“First, he doesn’t control me,” Aidan growled, releasing his arms and moving an inch away. Lily’s heart began to pound harder, and she could hear every damn beat.
She was losing him.
Wasn’t this what she wanted?
Free from the pain of eventually losing this beautiful man when he’d one day wake up and see her for what she was: someone who didn’t fit into his world. A woman without a qualification, without money, without any accomplishments in life.
“I won’t live knowing one day you will look at me and realize I’m not who you love. Because when you do, Aidan, it will break me.”
“Lily, stop. You’re wrong,” he growled.
“Look at this place. Look at me,” she cried, waving her arms out. “A torn rug. The TV is two decades old. My God, I shop at Old Navy, and you’re wearing stupid Prada socks.”
“Jesus. You and Prada. I’ll throw out every fucking Prada thing I own if that would make you happy!” Aidan cried.
They stared at each other, panting out their anger.
Lily shook her head slowly and sat back down on the sofa.
“You know that I’m right. This would never work. I’ll fall in love with you, and you’ll throw me away.”
He crouched down in front of her, and she couldn’t help but appreciate the way his strong thighs looked in the denim. She might as well take her last look at all his powerful beauty.
Taking her hands, Aidan looked her straight in the eye. “This has nothing to do with my father. I’m fucking in love with you, Lily.”
She gasped.
