After taco Friday with Charlie, I spent twenty-four hours trying to decide how to approach Tyler. Then instead of overthinking the situation, I hopped into my car and just made myself drive to his house. I forgot to check and see if he was actually at the gym. It was a split-second decision.

I pulled into the long driveway and parked my car behind his SUV. There was another SUV in the driveway. My split-second decision was failing. What if he had company?

Then my mind flew to Stephen. What if the company Tyler had was him? I spent twenty-fours thinking not only about Ty, but also about maybe getting to know the mystery man. Stephen had to be decent. I couldn’t imagine Tyler spending time with an asshole.

I had my foot still on the gas pedal with my head bent and my hand over the keys in the ignition. I was contemplating putting my car into reverse and going to the gym instead. Then I finally forced myself to look up and noticed two figures standing in a window upstairs.

Fuck. They both were here.

I became a chicken in a matter of seconds and immediately doubted my spur-of-the-moment trip. As I put the car in reverse, I saw a figure out of the corner of my eye running toward my car. “Zoe, wait,” Tyler yelled and placed his hand on the glass. It took all of my strength to look up into his piercing blue eyes. “Put it in park, Zoe. Stay.” He was begging, which I knew had to be hard for him.

My hand hesitated. I felt unsure what to do at the moment. I knew I felt curious about them both, and the opportunity presented to me. Finally, I stopped fighting my emotions and put the car into park.

Tyler tapped on the window. “Unlock the door, Zoe.”

There he was bossing me around…and I wanted more. “Why? I don’t even know why I’m here.”

“Let’s talk.”

“He’s here isn’t he?”

“Yeah, I can have him leave if you want?”

“No,” I quickly said, turning to face him. I lifted my hand without thinking and hit the unlock button.

Tyler opened the door and bent down beside me. “Fuck, I was so worried about you.”

“Why?” He had his hand on my thigh. The feeling was causing me to lose what little strength I had left.

“Zoe, look at me.” He lifted his hand and turned my face toward him. “When you left that night.” He paused for a moment. “I knew I fucked up.”

That statement took me by surprise. “Fucked up? I don’t understand.”

“Stephen is a player at heart. Somehow I managed to crack his outer walls, though.”

“That’s true,” a voice said from behind Tyler. It was Stephen walking our way. “I never planned to care about Tyler. It’s not who I am.” Stephen leaned against the car door and stared down at me.

“What changed your mind?” I said, feeling more curious by the minute.

“Have you spent more than twenty-four hours with this man?”

I had to think about my answer for a moment. No, I had only spent a few hours here and there with him. Even when we all went to Liverpool for the big AFC fight, I had spent minimal time with him. “No.”

“You won’t ask me that question once you do.” Stephen held his hand out. “Let’s talk.” I watched as Tyler leaned up and moved out of the way. “Clean slate.”

My body stayed rooted to the spot. I wasn’t afraid to move. It was more about the fear of feeling not just for one man, but two. What if all the walls cracked around us?

“What’s your poison?” Stephen asked and pulled a glass from the kitchen cabinet.

I finally broke and agreed to talk to them. Tyler was sitting next to me and wouldn’t leave my side. I sat on the barstool at the kitchen island, almost doubting my decision. Then Stephen set a glass down in front of me and held up a bottle of Crystal Head vodka.

“We have been milking this bottle all night. Want to join in?” I nodded and he poured a full glass. “A little dirty?” He pointed at the glass. “I mean the drink. You want some olives added?”

“Oh, no. Thank you.” Normally I would, but straight up sounded better at the moment. “I’m sorry I showed up unannounced.”

“I’m glad you did.” Tyler reached for my hand. “I didn’t know how to approach you. Then I decided to let you make that decision. I knew it was safer.”

I scowled at his choice of words. “Safer?”

“You left”—he paused before continuing—“and I knew you were pissed.”

“I wasn’t pissed.”

“You seemed like you were,” Stephen said and took a sip of the vodka.

“Confused.” I thought about my emotions and knew I was never pissed. “You assumed a lot that night.”

Stephen walked over and sat on the other side of me. “How so?”

“You thought we were at your house to fuck you. Tyler never even told me where I was going, so fucking you was never on my mind.” If this was going to get resolved I had to be honest.

Stephen smiled and something happened—my body reacted. “Tyler never told me he was stopping by. Maybe we both should be upset at him.”

I turned to face Tyler. “Maybe we should.”

Tyler stood up and walked over to the refrigerator. “Who’s hungry?”

“Way to change a subject.” I laughed and leaned my elbows on the counter. “You have any cheese? I have the urge to embarrass myself with something super cheesy.”

He lifted a block of brie and reached for a box of crackers. “I can warm this up. Would that satisfy your craving?”

I only nodded because I was finding it hard to talk. Stephen had moved closer to me, and his hand was resting on my thigh. Tyler must not have known Stephen had made a move because he continued to busy himself in the kitchen.

The conversation with Charlie was replaying in my mind. What if Stephen is an amazing guy? I realized at that moment he had to be, otherwise Tyler would never build such a strong relationship with this man. “What are you doing?” I said while working on my breathing.

“I don’t know,” Stephen admitted and moved his hand up a fraction of an inch.

His words caught me off guard. “You know.” I lightly laughed. Without a warning, he leaned forward and kissed me. His action surprised me and I leaned back. “See, I knew you did.”

“I was curious.”

“Oh.” So he was curious, too. “I feel confused again.”

He brushed a strand of hair away from face. “I’m sorry I created that. Tyler and I have had a lot of time to talk.”

“What did you both talk about?”

Tyler sat down behind me and moved his chair closer. “You,” he whispered in my ear.

Stephen followed suit and moved his chair closer. I thought about the dance floor at Noir and how it felt with them near me. My body deceived me and craved more. My voice felt uneven as I tried to speak. “I didn’t come here to have sex.” I had to take in a few deep breaths and let them out slowly. “Remember how I left for five days?”

“You don’t want to leave now, do you?” Stephen said and brushed his lips across mine. The contact sent a shockwave to my core.

“Damn it,” I said and jumped up. “You both know I want you.”

I noticed Stephen roll his eyes. “But.”

“You,” I yelled a little too loudly. “Your fucking attitude, and your fucking assumption I am a quick lay.” Without thinking I screamed at the top of my lungs, “Fuck you.” I needed to get out, get some air.

As I ran toward the front door, warm arms wrapped around my chest. I didn’t know who had a hold of me. My mind was not thinking at the moment. All I knew was the person needed to let go and quickly. I bent my body forward prepared to take the person down.

“Let her go, Stephen,” Tyler yelled from across the room. “You’re going to regret—”

Before Stephen could grasp the extent of the situation, I had him pinned down and was straddling him.

“Or, maybe not.”

I had Stephen’s hands above his head. “So,” I said and kept my face only six inches from his. “How do I crack through this wall of yours?”

“Have sex with me.” He shrugged and continued to try to free himself.

“You won’t have dinner and a movie first?” I was determined to prolong this game for as long as I could. He wasn’t going to make it easy, but he didn’t know whom he was dealing with yet. I was a fighter and I always got what I wanted.