Page 86 of Aiden & Lily

“Then why didn’t you tell me?”

His shoulders sagged. “Because we were new. You and Reese were still close, and Reese knew every reason you shouldn’t trust me. I was afraid he would tell you exactly who I’d been, and that you’d decide I wasn’t worth the trouble.”

Her brows drew together. “You thought I would let Reese decide who I could date?”

“No.” Aiden scrubbed a hand over his face. “Maybe part of me did. But mostly, I knew what Reese would say about me, and I was afraid he would be right.”

“That still wasn’t your decision to make.”

“I know.”

“You took away my chance to decide for myself.”

His face tightened. “I’m sorry, Lily.”

Lily searched his expression. “Then why did you keep waiting?”

Aiden looked toward the ground. “Every time I thought about telling you, I pictured losing you. Then you told me how you felt about dating a friend’s ex, and I panicked.”

Her mouth parted.

He lifted a hand before she could speak. “That isn’t your fault. You were honest. Reese was honest. I was the one who wasn’t.”

Some of the anger in her chest loosened, though the hurt remained.

“You let me believe I knew you,” she said softly.

Aiden’s face crumpled. “You did know me.”

“Not all of you.”

“No.” His voice dropped. “Not all of me.”

Lily swallowed hard. “I gave you something I don’t give easily.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed.

“Second chances,” she continued. “I gave you the benefit of the doubt after I learned about your name. I asked whether there was anything else. You looked me in the eye and let me believe there wasn’t.”

“I was afraid. I didn’t want to lose you, Lily.”

The blunt admission took some of the force from her next breath.

“I kept telling myself I would tell you soon,” he said. “Then every day I waited made the truth worse.”

“You should have just told me from the beginning!”

He clenched and released one hand. “You want me to tell you everything, so I will. I wasn’t planning to stay with you at first.”

The tightness in Lily’s chest sharpened.

“What do you mean?”

Aiden’s face twisted. “When we first met, I didn’t think it would become serious.”

Lily stared at him.

“I thought it would be a few dates,” he continued. “Maybe a kiss. Then you would lose interest, or I would. I’d never stayed with anyone long enough for things to become serious.”