Page 27 of The Sky Between Us

“I’m sorry,” he squeezed my hand. “But whatever happened doesn’t define you.”

“It kind of does.”

Aiden reached out with his free hand and cupped my face.

“Hey,” he smoothed back the mess of my hair. The curly ends were all stuck together from my sleep. “Don’t be hard on yourself.”

“It’s not that easy,” I muttered, leaning into his touch. “Nothing is easy with me.”

“Maybe that’s why you are worth it,” he winked, and I blushed.

Honestly, I needed my brain to function again. I can’t keep doing this. This was dangerous.

He is a soccer player.

Again.

My dad’s player.

Again.

He is everything, he was.

But he is nicer.

“Why did you say what you did back in the kitchen?” I asked him, sitting up on my heels.

Aiden pulled back and sighted. “I told you. I feel like you are not being honest with me. Honesty for me is the most important thing. I’m a very straightforward guy. I tell everyone what I want from them. I can’t read you, and it makes you dangerous because you could cost me my career.”

I silently nodded because he was completely right. My dad would lose it if I dated another soccer player. He had a soft spot for my ex, and I can tell he has one for Aiden too.

“Yet, I feel like I don’t have a choice. I’m drawn to you, and I got to this point that I know I couldn’t stop with a simple hookup. You drive me crazy, Hazel.”

A small smile tugged on my lips. It was nice to know he felt just as powerless as I did.

“Maybe you could take me out on a date,” I suggested and immediately slapped my hand over my mouth. “Forget it!”

Aiden laughed. “I imagined it many times, but I’m still undecided.”

“Want to know all my deepest secrets before a date?” I teased when in reality this wasn’t a joke.

“Now that you say that, I get there’s a flaw in that,” he shook his head with a bright smile.

“I don’t do one-night stands. I’m only in it for the long run,” I continued with a giggle.

“Would you go on a date with me?”

The laughter stuck in me and I froze. “Aiden…”

“Just say yes, and let’s stop pretending you don’t want to kiss me every waking moment.”

“Very confident,” I muttered, staring at my half empty coffee mug. Could I go on a date with him? One date doesn’t mean confessing all my secrets. Sex would. But maybe I can drag this out and we don’t have to have sex for a long time. Then he could grow to like me and he wouldn’t tell everyone in the world the truth.

Aiden gently tugged at my hair. “You are incredibly quiet and pale. It scares me. Are you okay?”

“I was thinking,” I mumbled, looking up at him. “I can go on a date with you.”

“I know you can, you have two legs. But do you want to come is the question,” he pressed on, sitting closer to me.

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