Page 37 of Wildest Dreams

“Yeah,” I say quietly. “Have a great day with your brother.”

I don’t mention his football team. I may be trying to be a gentleman here but Connell’s football team can fuck right off.

“Thanks,” she breathes, slowly making her way to the front door. Just before she steps outside she smiles and adds on, “Big shot.”

She’s out of the door before I can say anything but I traipse slowly to the jamb, smirking anyway.

Her brother – Carter U’s freshly graduated star quarterback – instantly takes the coffees out of her hands and throws her over his shoulder, talking in a loud happy bellow about how amazing his sister is to his teammates.

I lean a shoulder against the doorframe, watching Aisling giggle with a smile crease in my cheek.

Then my eyes flash down to the broken railing and a different idea comes to my mind.

I take my phone out of my pocket and shoot a quick text to Hunter, telling him that I’m ditching our first hike of the trip. Doesn’t matter, I’ll join the next one – one where Aisling’s brother isn’t watching her every move and maybe we can progress on rebuilding our relationship.

Just as Connell and the guys start making their way around to the other side of the lake, Aisling looks up at me from over her brother’s shoulder. She’s smiling, a little shy and curious, and there’s something wild and hopeful burning behind her eyes.

I jerk my chin at her, smirking when she bites her teeth into her lower lip.

Then I give her a wink and watch her breath catch in her throat.

Being hated by this girl feels better than being liked by any other.

Chapter 10

Tanner

Four years ago

It’s one thing to enter a chick’s bedroom to help her construct a piece of furniture, but it’s another thing entirely to sit shoulder to shoulder on her bed.

And those sheets that I carried in from where they were cosied up on her couch?

They’re softer than sin.

And they’reblack.

I watch, wary as fuck, as she slips her fork into a slice of strawberry, and I have to physically tear my eyes away from her mouth before I get my hundredth hard-on of the afternoon. Her Macbook is positioned on the quilt in front of us, playing a football game that I haven’t seen before.

Something nudges gently against my leg and I see that Aisling is silently offering me her little fruit bowl. She slides a second fork my way and I rub my chest, aching for how cute she is.

I give her shoulder a thank-you nudge as I take a piece of strawberry.

“So, do you not like football?” she asks, glancing up at me with those big beautiful eyes.

I didn’t have the nerve to tell her earlier that I’m a hockey guy, through and through. If Aisling is into football though for her I can sit back and bear it.

“It’s okay, I can tell,” she laughs, returning my shoulder nudge. “Actually I… I like that you’re not into it. It’s really nice to meet a guy with interests that are different from the ones that I’m used to.”

A muscle tics involuntarily in my jaw. “What kind of guys are you used to?”

She hums contemplatively as she slides another piece of strawberry into her mouth, sucking at it for a while before shifting her hips and swallowing.

At this rate I could probably grow enough wood to build her another bed.

“I went to a prep school – co-ed, so that Connell and I could be together. I was mainly friends with his friends, so they were all of the football guys, and it just made me super aware of the kind of lifestyle that male athletes lead. Play hard and thenplayhard, if you get what I mean.”

I watch her carefully for a moment. “So it’s a no to guys who play football?” I clarify, very fucking specifically.

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