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“Aedan, this is a lot to take in A lot I don’t know if I’m cut out for this It’s been about ” Jess pulled out her phone, “Thirty e” She noted that she had about fifteen

Aedan got down on his knees in front of her as she sat on the couch, and held her hands in his “Jess, I know this is a lot I know it’s a circus and a bit mental, but I really care about you I know this isn’t what you signed up for I know being with s a bit of a mess, but I also know that I want to be with you,” Aedan said with a fire in his eyes

“I know that I want to spend time with you I don’t want this to stop whatever it is that we’re building together And believe ive it up Do you want to give it up?” Aedan asked, and Jess stared back into his eyes, biting her lip

19

Aedan held his breath as he waited for her answer All of this was the worst possible way for Jess to find out about all of his secrets, especially about Kate He could see the mistrust in her eyes and he couldn’t blame her

He’d been so wrapped up in pretending he was only a regular guy that he’d s liness by not h to Kate that in no uncertain terether Because he hadn’t wanted to cause a scene, he didn’t make a statement to the press, and now they were stuck in paparazzi hell It wasn’t what he intended at all, but because of his stupidity, here they were

Knowing that Jess had topiranha, Aedan tried to think of a quick fix

“What if I denied that we’re together? If I said ere only friends,” Aedan knew iht choice, and the look of shock followed by hurt that passed over Jess’s face made him wish he could take it back

You don’t want people to know that we’re together? You want to hideAedan attempted to pull her back to him, but Jess pushed him away

“Jess, I want to shout about us from the rooftops I want to tell everyone Iwith me entails And I know it can be a lot of pressure I don’t want you to have to do anything you don’t want to do”

“Aedan, I don’t even knohat I want to do I was trying not to think about ould happen when you went back to the UK Now you’re this big international soccer star with an entourage and a fleet of paparazzi that follow you”

“It’s not a fleet, ent I did tell you that it wasn’t a big deal about the money for the hotel, didn’t I?” he said wryly

“Yes, you certainly did,” she said with a small chuckle “You had your family in on it as well didn’t you?”

“I mentioned to them that you didn’t know the full extent of my football career,” he ducked his eyes away at that admission

“That’s why they got all weird at the VIP thing, isn’t it?”