Campus Player

“That’s when we ran into him after stats class,” I murmur. Only now does Rowan’s strange reaction make so much more sense.

“Yeah.” Humiliation flags his cheeks as I cup the sides of his face with my palms. “As long as he’s free, he’ll never stop coming around, trying to milk me for everything he can. I didn’t want him anywhere near you.” He shakes his head. “Maybe I went about it the wrong way, but in the end, all I was trying to do is protect you from the ugliness of my past.”

All of the puzzle pieces I couldn’t fit together now make perfect sense. I had noticed changes in his behavior but was unable to put my finger on the reason for them. All the times I’d caught him zoning out, he’d been worrying about his father. He didn’t want me to know anything about his family. More specifically, his dad. Now that the man was out of prison, Rowan didn’t want me exposed to him. And the quickest way to cut ties would have been to—

“So, you made sure I found you with the one girl who would hurt me the most.”

His shoulders slump under the weight of my retort. “I was scared and didn’t want him anywhere near you. Pushing you away seemed like the easiest way to achieve that. It was stupid. The look on your face,” regret fills his eyes as he shakes his head, “I’m sorry for hurting you. I don’t expect you to forgive me.”

“Why didn’t you tell me the truth? I would have understood.” There’s a beat of silence. “I would have stood by your side.”

“I was embarrassed.” He quickly amends the statement. “Hell, I’m still embarrassed. My father has always been a drain. Not only on me, but my mom as well. I hate that he’s in my life, causing havoc. The last thing I wanted to do was bring him into yours. Coach has been nothing but good to me. How could I repay that kindness by bringing a degenerate into his daughter’s life?” His voice dips, sounding scraped raw. “Tell me how I was supposed to do that?”

The heaviness of his emotion shatters my heart into a thousand jagged pieces.

“I wish you had trusted me with the truth.”

“It had nothing to do with trust and everything to do with keeping you safe. That’s all I wanted to do. Protect you.”

With my palms still cupping his cheeks, I bring my forehead to rest against his. “Your father has nothing to do with you. The truth wouldn’t have changed my feelings.”

“I realize that now. I made a mistake, and I hurt you. I understand if that’s something you can’t forgive.” His gaze clings to mine. “But I hope you will. I love you, Demi. I always have.”

“I love you, too.”

Air escapes from his lungs in a rush as he tilts his head until his mouth can slant across mine. When his tongue sweeps over the seam of my lips, it never occurs to me to hold back. No one has ever made me feel the way Rowan does. And the truth of the matter is, I don’t think anyone ever will again.

What we’ve found is once in a lifetime.

He breaks away long enough to search my gaze. “From the very beginning, it’s been you.”

It might have taken me three years to realize that I had feelings for him, but I’m there now. He took the time to break down all of my resistance until I could see the man standing before me with his hand stretched out.

Maybe I didn’t want to admit it—even privately to myself, but it’s always been Rowan. And if I have my way, that will never change.

Epilogue

Rowan

Three years later...

“As you can see, the kitchen is completely stainless steal with brand new marble countertops.” The real estate agent beelines from the spacious kitchen with an island so massive, I could probably roll around on it, to the adjoining living room.

Instead of following her, I stay in the kitchen and stare at the island. I can just imagine christening the joint, and that ocean of white marble is the first place I’d start.

“I know exactly what you’re thinking,” Demi whispers in my ear.

“That’s because you’re a dirty girl and thinking the exact same thing.”

“Only with you,” she says, pressing a kiss against my lips.

“Hey, that’s my line.” I glance at the realtor who stands next to the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the white-capped waves of Lake Michigan.

“You have to check out the view!” She pauses for a beat before doing her best impersonation of Vanna White. “Isn’t it absolutely fabulous?”

Ignoring the woman, I glance around the wide-open space. “What do you think of the place?”

We’ve been condo hunting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and have toured a couple dozen buildings. Demi and I have spent the last two years living in separate cities. I ended up getting drafted in the first round by the Milwaukee Mavericks and Demi tried out for the Chicago Suns women’s soccer team after graduation and made it. Even though we’ve been in different cities, we’ve only been an hour and a half away from each other. As much as it sucks, it could be worse.