Page 83 of Wildest Dreams

“Uh, yes they can, Aisling – most people make their judgement of a person in the first seven seconds of laying theirgoddamn eyes on them. It’s science, for fuck’s sake.”

He’s right and I hate it.

“What we had was different and you know it.”

I steel my jaw. “You were a player, Tanner. You played me like you did everyone else.”

He shoves his tongue in his cheek, his broad chest pumping heavily. “Don’t say that.” He shakes his head at me, his rigid jaw ticking angrily. “Goddamn it, Aisling. That shit stings.”

My voice is barely audible as I whisper, “Well, so did waking up and realising that I’d just fallen for the bad boy.”

“Aisling.” His stormy eyes are pleading. “How many times do I have to say it? It wasn’t like that. It wasnevergoing to be like that with you. Even after you ghosted me I tried to prove myself to you.”

“And why is that exactly?” I ask, cocking my head as I play dumb with him. “How come guys magically decide to ‘not mind’ settling down when it comes to the heiress of a multi-million dollar fortune?”

He frowns down at me in confusion. Then he rumbles, “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Sure,” I drawl slowly, sarcastic as hell. “It wastotallyone-hundred-percent out of the love in your heart that you chose to pursue me out of every other girl you’ve ever slept with, right? I bet you just happen to ‘not know’ that we’re staying in properties owned bymy parents, on land bought up bymy family.” I breathe out a laugh as I roll my eyes. “What else? Did you also ‘not know’ that we own the condominium on campus at Carter Ridge?”

Tanner blinks down at me, mouth opening and closing as if he doesn’t know what to say.

Oh.

Oh.

So… he actuallydidn’tknow that.

“Uh,” I say, laughing slowly, “actually, maybe that’s beside the point. I guess that that’s totally not important–”

Tanner presses his palm against his forehead, squeezing his eyes shut.

“Tell me that you didn’t think that part of the reason why I wanted to keep you was because of money. Money that – Jesus Christ – money that I didn’t even know that youhad. And, by the way, that makes no fucking difference to me whatsoever.”

He frowns down at me, a flicker of hurt pride shimmering behind his striking eyes.

“Say what you want but youknowme, Ash. I could have five dollars to my name and you could have five million, and if you ever gave me the time of day youknowthat I’d still pay for everything. Real men treat women the way that they deserve to be treated.” He drops his eyes for a moment and mumbles, “You know I wanted to treat you like a princess.”

I try to ignore how heart-warmingly perfect that sounds even though my defences are beginning to crumble.

“Okay, so you’re a gentlemanin theory. And, yeah, maybe your intentions were… honest. But that didn’t stop you from being the biggest freaking player on campus, Tanner.”

“Ihadn’tbeen a player since starting at Carter U! I had a shitty reputation that followed me to college. And you know it in your heart that I wouldn’t have–”

“People don’t change, Tanner! Once a player, always a player. Don’t freaking lie to me – you’re not going to change your ways for me.”

“You’re right. I’m not. Because Ialready did, four fucking years ago!”

I give him a vicious glare. “Tell that to the seven trillion girls you fucked.”

He grips his hand around one of my biceps, hauling my body right against his. “I waited for you, Aisling. I waited for you for months. What the fuck was I supposed to do?”

When I lift my chin in defiance, refusing to respond, something dark flickers in his eyes.

“And that’s another thing.” He jerks his thumb across the lake and I glance briefly over to his discarded shirt and jeans. “Funny. You gave me your number the morning after and I’ve been hitting it up ever since. But when you pulled your phone out of your shorts the other day at the range, I know that it wasn’t the same one.”

The colour instantly drains from my face, eyes wide as I realise what he’s realised, what he’s about to say.

I swallow hastily. “Tanner,” I begin.

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