Series Starter Firsts in Series Collection - Kaylee Ryan Page 0,324

trying to process all that I’ve just learned.

“She’s amazing, the strongest person I know. She’s not like the girls we’re used to; she doesn’t bitch and whine all the time. She’s been dealt a bad hand in life, but she keeps her head up and just lives for each day. She constantly worries and fusses over her gran, but it’s endearing. Her gran had to make her stay on campus. She wanted to drive back and forth each day, just so she would be there if her gran needed her. It took a lot of convincing from my parents and Gran’s home-care nurse that Gran would be well cared for to get her to go through with it.” He takes a deep breath and runs his hands through his hair again. “She didn’t go to prom. I told her that I would come home and take her, she refused. Said she didn’t need her best friend to be her pity date. The thing is, she had offers, tons of them, she’s beautiful, but she always turned them down. Gran came first. Instead, she stayed in, and she and Gran watched movies and ate popcorn. So, you see, Ash is different, special. Once the guys get wind of all of this, her innocence, it’d become a challenge for them. I want better for her, more. She deserves better, she deserves respect and love. She needs to find someone who’ll make her the center of their universe, because that’s what they would be for her.” He rests his head against the back of the couch.

Fuck! Now I feel bad for always razzing him. “I see, now, where you’re coming from. I get it.” I get up to get more cookies out of the basket. Damn things are addicting. “So, I helped Hales move into her dorm today.” I need to change the subject.

“Oh, yeah, so your little sis is officially a college student.”

“Yep, she’s really excited, her roommate was there, she’s...beautiful.” What the hell, did I just say that?

Aiden throws his head back and laughs. “Wow, that’s huge coming from you. You feeling alright?”

It’s my turn to run my hand through my hair, trying to process what I want to say. “Fuck if I know. This girl has consumed my thoughts all damn day. I spent two hours with her and Hales, and now she’s all that I can think about. I can’t describe it, there’s just something about her. She’s gorgeous and I’m drawn to her, man. I know this sounds fucked up, and I’m in major jeopardy of losing my man card, but I can’t seem to stop thinking about her.”

I plop down beside him on the couch with the entire cookie container. “Get this shit. I shook her hand when Hales introduced us and when she let go it bothered me. What the fuck is that about? I’d just met this girl, and I didn’t want her to let go of my hand.” I take a drink of milk. “Go ahead and say it, I’m a pussy.” I take another drink of milk. “Then, when I introduced Blitzen, he kissed her cheek, and I wanted to punch him. So, tell me what the fuck is going on with me?”

Aiden chuckles. “Sounds to me like it’s love at first sight.” He winks at me, winding me up even further.

I take a minute to process what he said, and to finish the cookie I just shoved into my mouth, addicting fuckers. “Do you believe in that shit, love at first sight? I mean, I’ve heard my dad talk about the moment he met my mother that he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. I thought he was just spouting shit to me and Hales. Besides, you know me, I don’t do relationships. My commitment is football.”

Aiden doesn’t hesitate. “I do, actually. I heard the same story growing up from my parents. More so from my dad, it took Mom a few months to warm up to him.” He laughs. “I thought you would flip out on me from my comment, it didn’t seem to faze you. You’re really into this girl.”

“Fuck, man, I don’t know. I know I’ve never had this reaction to anyone before in my life, maybe I just need to get laid,” I say, repeating my thoughts from earlier today.

“All I can say is when I find someone who makes me think of them all day long after only being in their