Part of me wants to come clean to Drew. Tell him everything about my past and the man who temporarily destroyed my life. I want him to know that, without even trying, he has given me back the person I once was.

Drew’s making me trust again, and he’s making me believe that, one day, I’ll have my happy ending. The more time we’re spending together, the more I feel ready to open up and let him all the way in, the way he’s done with me.

But the fear inside still has me convinced that I should keep it all hidden. Not only fear of rehashing that traumatic time, but also fear that, once he knows, it might change the way he feels about me. What if, when I tell him, he finds me disgusting? Tainted? I’m not sure I’d be able to handle that.

I don’t want Drew to look at me differently. I love the desire in his eyes when we get wrapped up in a kiss. He wants me, and being wanted feels extraordinary. It makes me feel sexy.

“If, right now, you were given the choice to do something you’d never done before, what would it be?” Drew’s question regains my full interest.

“A trip around the world,” I say with a smile. “Visit all the major landmarks and even some of the places that are easily forgotten. Stand in the very place where so many of those you only read about in history books stood.”

I look up to find Drew staring at me with a surprised expression.

“What?” I ask, suddenly self-conscious about my choice.

“You surprise me,” he confesses. “It’s not that I feel that isn’t one of the most amazing choices you could have made. I guess I just expected something less adventurous.”

“Are you saying, I’m boring, Drew?” I ask, challenging him with a stern look. Or at least I hope that's the impression I'm giving.

“You’re nowhere close to boring.”

I immediately feel the heat rise in my neck and cheeks, and I tuck my chin to my chest to hide my reaction. “What would you choose?” I ask, hoping to move the interest away from myself.

When Drew chuckles, I lift my gaze once more and lock on to his.

“I was going to say skydiving, but after your confession, it only seems boring.”

I no longer feel embarrassed but empowered because Drew is in awe of me. I’ve never felt something so exquisite before.

“Looks like we'll have to take that trip one day,” he suggests.

"I'd love that."

"Then we'll go skydiving." He chuckles, making me laugh, too.

“I can hear the two of you laughing from down the hall.”

Drew and I turn toward the door to find Remy standing in the opening.

“Sounds like a party that I’m a little sad I missed.”

I look at Drew, Drew looks at me, and we both smile wide. I know it’s a complete one-eighty from my first interactions with him, but I honestly created that hostile situation on my own. That was me fighting an undeniable attraction. Now, I'm embracing it.

“Our meeting with Roland Farris starts in fifteen,” Remy adds.

Shit, I’m in panic mode.

“What time is it?” I ask as I begin to stand.

“A quarter after one,” Remy says. “Relax,” he adds. “Just tell Miranda that Drew had you tied up.”

When he suggestively wags his eyebrows, I roll my eyes and start to rush past him. Only I don’t make it far before I’m being tugged back into the room and spun around.

Strong arms engulf my waist just before Drew presses a possessive kiss to my lips. For a moment, I'm surprised, but that quickly fades, as things do whenever this man kisses me.

“Enjoy your afternoon,” he whispers as he pulls back, leaving me breathless.

The idea of throwing caution to the wind and clawing this man’s clothes off just before attacking him sounds really tempting right now. I have never in my life wanted another man the way I want Drew Powers.

* * *

I step out of the shower, reach for the towel, and wrap it around my body. With the wetness of my hair lying cool against my back and shoulders, I step up to the mirror and wipe away the fog. The woman staring back at me looks happy. There was a time when I wasn’t sure I’d ever see her again.

I know I owe thanks to Aimee for being there for me. She never truly knew exactly what was related to my nightmares and fears. She just held my head in her lap night after night and gave me the comfort I needed.

But the woman I see now with that glowing smile and those happy eyes, it’s because of Drew and Dawson. Having them in my life is a godsend. I’m falling in love with the both of them, and that alone is slowly washing away any sadness that remains within me.

I exit the bathroom and find Aimee lounging on the couch, still wearing her boy short underwear and a tank. The girl doesn’t care. It is her everyday attire when she is home.

“Come watch this with me!” she hollers, waving her hand but never once looking away from the television. “This guy actually thinks his wife doesn’t suspect a thing even though she’s found condoms in his pocket and lipstick on his collar.”

Aimee’s a Lifetime binge-watcher.

I’m just about to join her when the buzzer sounds, announcing we have a visitor. I look at her, and for the first time, she looks away from the television. We’re like two bobbleheads shifting from the door to each other, confused. We never have anyone coming over without a heads-up.

“Don’t look at me,” she says. “I didn’t invite anyone.”

I walk over to the buzzer, and as if it might bite me, I quickly tap it. “Hello?” I say skeptically.

“Let me in, Reagan. I brought cookies,” a sweet little voice says happily, “and pizza.”

There’s absolutely no hope of holding back my own smile. Dawson’s the most adorable little boy I’ve ever known. His happiness is contagious.

“Okay. They’re good to come up, Henry. Thanks,” I reply without hesitation.

I spin around, and then it hits me. I’m still in a towel, only a towel. Aimee’s still wearing her skimpy little number, too, and a rush of panic hits me.

“Get dressed!” I shout as I rush past her. “Preferably something that your ass or tits don’t hang out of, please.”

I don’t pause to listen to her response as I hurry to get myself dressed. Then, I look in the mirror, groaning at the drowned-rat look I’m sporting. With a quick brush and a few wild flips, I look again, feeling no less self-conscious.

The sound of knocking sends a flash of excitement through me.

I rush from my room and skid to a stop in the living room as I take in the two before me. Drew stands next to Dawson, his pajamas in place as he stares up at my best friend. Drew has ditched his suit from earlier today and is now wearing something more casual—and mouth-watering. A T-shirt, what appears to be designer sweats, and a pair of sneakers.

As I scroll up his body, my face heats when I find he’s staring back at me with a cocky, adorable smirk.

“Hello, gorgeous,” he says.

My knees grow weak from that bedroom voice of his.

“Hi,” I say, sounding breathless.

“Dawson wanted to surprise you.” He holds up two pizza boxes in one hand and a brown bag in the other. “I hope this is okay.”

"As long as that bag has dessert then yes it's fine." We move aside, letting Drew and Dawson come in and I don’t miss the way she checks him out from behind.

She mouths the word, Wow, when she lands on his backside.

My own mind is screaming, Yes, my dear best friend, I know exactly what you’re thinking. He’s very wow.

“I thought we’d invade your space tonight,” Drew states just before leaning in to press a kiss to my cheek.

I might have swooned just a bit at the gentleness of his lips against me.

A gentle tug on my shirt has me looking down to find Dawson stretching up on his tiptoes.

“What is it, buddy?” I ask.

He tugs a little harder. As I lean in, he, too, presses a kiss to my cheek, mirroring his father’s movement, and I close my eyes for just a moment, trying to rein in my emotions.

It’s adorable and without a doubt one of the very sweetest things I have ever witnessed in my life. The action only cements his place in my heart. I love him, and in this moment, I know I’ll always love Drew. It’s still new, but even if he and I don’t work out, Drew’s given me hope again. That will forever be remembered.

* * *

Throughout dinner and dessert, Aimee gets a small glimpse of the two guys who are winning over my heart. She laughs at Drew and entertains Dawson. It feels good, having them both here, at our place. Drew looks comfortable and easily holds my hand and kisses my cheek and forehead. We’re not over the top in showing our affection, but it’s nice, how close we are.

At times, I catch her giving me that knowing smile just before she goes back to whatever it is that Dawson conned her into doing.

When Aimee leaves the table with Dawson, chasing him around the apartment, neither of them paying any attention, Drew cups my face and kisses me hard. I moan into his mouth, my fingers in his hair, wanting and needing more.

“Wow,” I whisper against his lips.

He kisses the tip of my nose before sitting back on his chair and feeds me a piece of his cookie. The smile he has makes me melt. I’m clenching my thighs together to ease the distracting sensation. The walls around me are slowly falling, making it hard for me to resist him and almost impossible to continue at the slow pace I've insisted on.