Page 140 of Ruthless Temptation

“Aidan, don’t. I can’t.”

For a long moment he watched her, and she saw the pain creep into his green eyes, his face shift.

“Jesus, Lily. I’m telling you I love you and you’re shoving it back in my face.”

He stood.

“My father just died. I don’t even know how I feel one minute to the next, let alone tell someone I love them.”

“But it’s okay for you to tell me I’mnotin love with you and that I have daddy issues. Right. Great. Nice one.”

Lily stared at the floor.

“This is a lot. The submissive sexual stuff. You’re a billionaire—”

“You say that like it’s a disease.” Aidan shook his head.

He didn’t understand. How could he? It was intimidating. Especially after his father had made her feel, in front of others, that she was not acceptable.

How many others would do that if she stepped fully into his world?

Would his friends tell him he was crazy?

Would he expect her to suddenly change everything and wear Prada shit and bathe in champagne? Okay, a slight exaggeration, but Lily didn’t know how to be the woman he wanted.

And she wasn’t going to enter his world when this was all because he enjoyed dominating her and proving to his father he was in control.

After all, that was Aidan’s thing. Control.

Lily sighed. “It’s not a disease. I’m proud of your success. You are an amazing man. But our lives are different. Your dad was right. I won’t fit in with your family and people. I don’t want that life.”

“You did okay in Hawaii,” he snapped.

“I wasn’t comfortable,” she lied. She was until Andrew Dufort had told her she was basically a leper. “Your father made me feel like a loser because of my bank balance. He won’t be the only one who does that. Do you want me to be treated like that all my life? Is that what you want for me, Aidan?”

“Of course it's fucking not,” Aidan yelled, “Fuck.” He spun around and cursed again. “So that’s it?” he asked, glaring at her. “This is over.”

Tears stung her eyes.

“I—”

“No. Answer the question. You’ve just told me you don’t like me because I’m wealthy. That my father has made you feel uncomfortable once, so my life would be intolerable for you. You’ve told me that my feelings are not my own and that I’ll break your heart, so you won’t even give us a chance.”

Lily stared back and then slowly swallowed.

“Did I miss anything?” he demanded.

“No.” Her voice was weak.

It sounded really bad when he said it like that, but she knew she was right. This wasn’t a Cinderella story. Aidan couldn’t save her from a life of poverty.

He couldn’t bring her dad back.

She could never let him pay for her education and pull strings so she could become a teacher. It would be meaningless if he did.

Aidan rubbed the back of his head. “Lily,”

Her heart began to crack like a shattered windscreen. She dropped her face into her hands. He was there in an instant, pulling her into his arms. She wrapped hers around him and began to sob.

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