An age gap love story.
A brokenhearted billionaire.
A college girl.
*****
"Nevaeh," Aiden whispers, "can I rest my head on your shoulder?"
I nod, letting him rest his head on my shoulder. He closes his eyes.
"Thank you." He sighs in contentment. "...
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My chest tightens as I look into Aiden's intense amber eyes. This is the first time that Aiden shares his feelings, and I feel like my heart is about to break.
Why is he looking at me with so much sadness in his eyes?
Why is his vulnerability breaking him?
Why is he looking at me like I would leave him anytime?
"What do you feel about me?" I ask.
Aiden doesn't answer. I can see the pain crossing his expression.
I remember everything his therapist, Mr. Bennett, said.
I know that Aiden is slowly breaking down all his walls, and tears threaten to fall from my eyes.
I feel so much joy, thinking that Aiden's heart isn't frozen anymore. But the sight of Aiden looking so broken hurts me. There's still a part of him that doubt everything that's happening between us.
He's still afraid. Terrified.
I take a step closer to him. "I want to know everything you feel for me."
A mixture of alert and disbelief crosses Aiden's expression, as if he can't believe that he just made me say something like this.
"You don't want to," he says.
It's not that I don't want to, Aiden. It's you who are afraid to admit it.
I want to see the real Aiden. I want to see the man who cried at the altar for hours that night when Olivia went away. I want all this man's heart, one that made me cry with him too.
I will never destroy his heart like that woman did. I will cherish it, and if possible, heal all the wounds in it, if he allows me to.
"Can I ask you something again?" I whisper.
Aiden is silent, still locking his gaze with mine.
"Why would you say that some of the things you feel for me are bad?"
I hear no answer for him, so I add, "They can't be that bad."
Aiden's jaw tightens. "You should be afraid of me, of these feelings inside me. You should tell me to stop. You should kill these feelings--"
"I will never do that," I cut him off.
I plaster a warm smile on my face. He, on the other hand, looks confused, unsure of what I meant by that.
"These feelings that you said are bad for me, are they good for you?" I ask softly.
Aiden seems to be at a loss for words. Silent passes for a few more seconds before I say with all my heart, "Paint me then."
This time, it's my voice that's shaking. But it's not because I'm afraid of him. It's because I realize how much I want him too.
I want all of his heart, and to do that, I'm going to give him all of mine first.
