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had
    never spoken of those things with Riley.
    “I listen.” Riley wanted to reach for his hand but
    restrained herself. “Three years, Sean. There were times when you didn’t notice
    me. Practice. A party. After a few beers, you like to reminisce. I’ve learned a
    lot because I care. I love you.”
    “You have to stop saying that, Riley.”
    “Not saying it won’t stop it from being true.”
    Her earnest expression was almost Sean’s undoing. He wanted
    to gather her close and tell her it would be all right. Then he remembered
    Gaige’s advice. He had to kill Riley’s hope. It would be like crushing a
    butterfly emerging from its cocoon, but he knew in the long run, he would be
    doing her a favor.
    “Do you know what I’m going to do tonight?”
    “Have a beer with the guys. Pick up a woman. Have sex.
    Forget her name before you have your first cup of coffee the next morning?”
    Jesus, she did know him . Sean’s resolve stiffened.
    All the more reason to end this silly crush right now.
    “Then I’ll do it again. And again. And again.”
    “But—”
    “I can see that mind of yours working.” Sean sighed. “Forget
    it. You can’t fix me because I’m not broken. I didn’t have a horrible
    childhood. I wasn’t abused or misused. I’m famous, rich, young, and healthy.
    There is an endless supply of willing women out there, Riley. One—sometimes two
    or three—for every day of my life. Why would I settle for the same meal day
    after day when my palate demands something wild and exotic?”
    “I’m not asking you to change.”
    “Then what do you want, Riley?” Sean demanded. He knew what
    he wanted. This. Over. Now.
    “You.”
    “Shit. And, no, I’m not going to apologize for swearing.”
    Sean ran a distracted hand through his hair. “Open your ears. We are never
    going to happen.”
    “Why?”
    “Too young. Too inexperienced. Too naive.” Sean ticked each
    off on his fingers.
    “Those things I can change.” Riley reasoned. “Except the too
    young part. But with more experience, I won’t seem as young. Or naive.”
    “You could fuck a hundred guys a hundred different ways,
    Riley. It wouldn’t change the most important fact. I’m not attracted to you. I
    don’t want you. Not now. Not ever.”
    Her mother’s slap hadn’t fazed her. However, Sean’s words
    felt like a punch to the stomach. For a moment, Riley couldn’t breathe. The
    pain was sharp. Intense. It was all she could do not to double over. Tears
    filled her eyes. Mortified, she turned away. She never let anyone see her cry.
    Not her parents. Not her friends. She refused to let Sean be the exception.
    Without a word or a backward glance, Riley ran.
    Sean almost called out to her. It killed him to know he
    caused her pain. He liked Riley. Truly liked her. However, seeing the
    unadulterated hero-worship shining from her eyes had made him uncomfortable. No
    one could live with those kinds of expectations. One day he was bound to
    disappoint her. Better now while she was young.
    Riley believed her heart was broken. Sean knew better. It
    was dinged. She had been crushed by her crush. In a few days, a week at the
    most, she would laugh at her foolishness. Their first meeting would be a little
    awkward. Then things could go back to normal. Friends. Brother and sister. That
    was how they would go forward. They would put today in the rearview mirror.
    Satisfied that he had done a good thing, Sean headed to the
    locker room, blissfully unaware of the wheels he had set in motion.

 

CHAPTER FOUR
     
     
    IT WAS TWO weeks later and Riley still wasn’t laughing.
    Her heart that Sean so blithely believed was only dinged,
    was a constant ache in her chest. She couldn’t sleep or eat. The only thing
    that got her up and out of her bedroom was school. That one constant gave her a
    purpose. A goal.
    Winter break was fast approaching. A month without classes.
    Riley had no idea what she would do with the time.
    Her world had been turned