Once again, my heart begins wildly beating, and I’m at a loss for words. Seeing Reagan walking toward me, wearing an elegant blue dress with a jeweled bodice that enhances her curves and slims past her hips and legs, makes my knees weak. She’s beautiful. Gorgeous. She’s everything.

“You’re so beautiful, Reagan,” I tell her while pouring champagne for both of us. When I hand her a glass, I quickly take it back and set the glasses aside. “Forgive me. I’m sorry. I forgot you don’t drink.”

“It’s okay. One glass won’t hurt, and tonight, we’re celebrating the company and our first night out as a couple.” She smiles while caressing my hand.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. Now, may I please have that glass?”

“Absolutely, Miss Halloway.”

“Thank you, Mr. Powers.”

She takes the glass without hesitation, and I’m glad she’s doing more tonight than she has before. I hope I’m not pushing her but rather showing her that it’s okay to open up again. As much as I’d like to know about her past and why she was closed off before and, in ways, still is, I know that she’ll come around with time.

“To an unforgettable night.”

“Cheers.” She smiles and puts the glass to her lips, slowly taking sips and keeping her eyes on me.

I’m taking her all in. She’s breathtaking. The dress perfectly fits her figure, framing her lean and petite body. I notice she’s not wearing a necklace and has a pair of diamond studs in her ears. Through the time we’ve been together I rarely see her wearing jewelry so I hope she’ll love this gift.

I take a moment before pulling out a velvet box and taking her hand. “Baby?”

“Yes?”

“I don’t want you to freak out. Dawson and I were out shopping for Zoey’s birthday present, and he saw this.” I clear my throat and continue, “As soon as I did, I thought of you. This necklace,” I explain while opening the box and keeping my eyes on her, “symbolizes a journey. It’s not straight but spirals in a way that shows life is about taking chances and living for yourself. When you walked into my life, I admit, you annoyed me, but as I got to know you, there seemed to be another meaning to coming into work and seeing you. I’d like to take your hand and go on this journey of life with you.”

She brings her fingers to her cheek and wipes a lone tear. When I open the box, her eyes go wide, and I have her turn around, so I can securely place the necklace around her neck.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispers.

“You’re beautiful.”

She turns around and cups my face, bringing her lips to mine and passionately twirling her tongue with mine. It takes everything in me not to lift her onto my lap and fuck her right now. Her body is warm and soft, igniting a fire of passion between us. When I touch her, her body trembles, and I can’t stop thinking about tonight.

Sander pulls up to the entrance of the hotel, and I get out and help Reagan out. Her fingers entwine with mine, and we walk toward cameras with reporters asking me questions about tonight and whom I’m with.

“Over here, Drew!” a reporter shouts.

I place my arm around Reagan’s waist, tightly holding her to me.

“Just go with it,” I whisper.

She subtly nods.

We take a few pictures, and I give them short answers before walking into the ballroom with my beautiful girlfriend by my side. It’s one of the most elegant ballrooms in Chicago, and my mother doesn’t shy away from the high costs of throwing a party to raise awareness for this charity.

“Do you mind if we go to the bar? I’d like another glass of champagne.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Drew.” She leans over and softly presses her lips to my cheek. “Don’t worry; you aren’t doing anything that’s pushing me. I want another glass.”

“Okay, baby.”

We walk to the bar, and I order whiskey for myself and champagne for Reagan. Before I’m able to turn and talk to her again, I feel a hand touching my back, and I turn to see Mecca, a woman I slept with last year, curling her lips in a seductive smile.

“Drew, it’s been so long,” she says, trying to pull my attention and disregarding Reagan.

“Mecca.” I bring Reagan over, so we’re both facing her. “Mecca, this is my girlfriend, Reagan. Reagan, this is Mecca.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Reagan says.

I don’t miss the stare Mecca gives her and the up and down look most women do to one another when they’re trying to figure out what the other woman has and they don’t.

“Charmed.” She gives a fake smile. “Drew, I’d love for you to come over and say hi to Annon and Cora. We’re dying to hear what you’ve been doing.”

“Not now. I’m enjoying my night with Reagan. Maybe another time. Have a nice time tonight, and thank you for coming.” I turn away and forget about that unfortunate encounter.

“Do I want to know?”

“Nope,” I tell Reagan.

She sighs. “God, you were a man-whore, huh?”

“Maybe.”

“And please don’t tell me you had some freaky orgy with all three of them.”

I shrug, refusing to answer and hoping she’ll drop it. I’m not proud of my past, nor do I want her to know anything about it.

“Pig.”

I nuzzle my lips in the crook of her neck, and I feel her sigh as she places her hand on top of mine.

“Aw, you two are so freaking cute!”

We turn and see Zoey and Remy walking toward us. Zoey’s smiling from ear to ear, and I can’t help but notice the slight sadness in Remy.

“Reagan, you must come over here and meet some of my friends!”

“Okay.” She smiles, and Zoey takes her toward the crowd a few feet from where I am.

When she’s not in earshot, I turn and look at Remy, wondering what’s going on with him and why there’s displeasure on his face.

“You okay?”

“Can I be honest, and then we never talk about it again?”

“Yes.”

He rakes his fingers through his hair and over his face. “Did you know how much I liked Reagan?”

The fuck?

“Don’t take that the wrong way, Drew. I’m happy for both of you. I’m not trying to do anything with her, nor do I have any intention of attempting to come between you either. It’s obvious she’s falling in love with you, and you, with her.”

What? Love?

“Seeing you with her…I don’t know, man. It makes me want to stop fucking around and find someone like her. You’re lucky. She’s beautiful, the whole package.”

“Thank you. I appreciate your honesty. You know, I’ve been getting to know her best friend, Aimee. Sexy woman. We should do a double date or whatever it’s called.”

“Ah, my wingman’s back. Always looking out for me.”

“Always, man. But”—I turn around, so my back’s toward Reagan—“I’m trying to take this slow with her and not push her.”

“Then listen to what she’s saying and communicate better. Don’t let her get away.”

“I’m trying.”

“She’s head over heels in love with you, and if you open your eyes, you’ll see it and feel it, too.”

I take a moment to think about the past few weeks. I care about her so much, and I love our time together. She’s constantly on my mind and I crave her touch, her kiss, and everything about her. Falling in love with Reagan is as easy as taking my next breath. There have been several times I’ve had to hold back, in fear of saying those three words and scaring her off.

“Come on,” Remy urges, “let’s go sit down.”

When we arrive at our table and get settled in the front of the room with Remy and Zoey, I can’t help but look at Reagan and admire her. She’s been with Zoey, walking around the ballroom, laughing, and meeting people. The once closed-off woman is blossoming right before me.

After dinner, the dance floor opens, and the song “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran starts to play.

“May I have this dance?” I ask Reagan, and hold out my hand to her.

“You may.”

I guide her to the dance floor and pull her close to my body. As we’re dancing, I slowly whisper the lyrics in her ear and feel her smile against my shoulder. My hand’s around her waist, and it feels good, having her in my arms like this. I can feel her trembling.

“This should be our song,” I whisper in her ear.

“And why’s that?”

“Because you look perfect tonight, and it’s our first dance, so it’ll be quite significant. Plus, from what I hear, all the women go crazy over this ginger lad.”

“Ah, you’re right on that. Ed Sheeran’s songs make my ovaries happy.”

“What?”

We both laugh, and I have to kiss her again. When our lips part, I spin her around and bring her back to my body, swaying to the softness of the music. I sing in her ear as she hums along.

When the song ends, we go back to the dinner table.

As the night goes on, I can see Reagan getting tired. It’s nearly eleven forty-five by the time we leave after saying bye to everyone with a promise that I’ll bring Dawson and Reagan over tomorrow afternoon for lunch at my parents’ house.

During the car ride back to my apartment, Reagan’s fallen asleep in my arms, and I feel bad when Sander pulls up to the entrance.

“Come on, baby.”

Once we’re in my apartment and in my bedroom, she turns around when she sees her bag on my bed.

“You can say thanks to Aimee.”

“She’s my best friend for a reason. I’m sorry I didn’t even think about bringing my things over. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I could go through with this tonight.”

“Like I said,” I tell her while walking to her and placing my hands on her hips, “we don’t have to do anything tonight. As long as you’re in my arms, that’s what matters to me.”

“Okay.”

I give her privacy to change while I call Jason, Jennifer’s father, to see how Dawson’s doing.

“Sorry for calling so late. Just wanted to see how Dawson was tonight.”

“Great. We went out to dinner at a pizza shop near the hotel, and he kept talking about his dad’s new girlfriend.” He laughs. “Good for you, Drew. I know I shouldn’t say this since Jennifer’s my daughter, but I’m glad you have someone to take care of you. It’s been too long.”

“Thanks. That means a lot. I should be getting him after breakfast.”

“Sure thing. I’ll be back next month, and I’d like to take him for a few days longer than I normally do, if that’s okay.”

“Of course. Let me know, and we’ll coordinate.”

When we say bye and I disconnect the call, I walk back to my bedroom and find Reagan asleep on my bed. Her auburn hair is scattered over the pillow, and she looks perfect where she is.

I quickly change into sweatpants and climb into bed, pulling her to me and whispering good night before finding sleep.

Sometime later, Reagan stirs in my arms, waking me up, and when I open my eyes, she’s looking at me.

“Is everything okay?”

She touches my face and leans in to kiss me before telling me what she’s thinking, “I want you, Drew.”

For a moment, I just stare at her, as if maybe I’m hearing things. “Are you sure? Baby, it’s okay. This right here is perfect. We don’t have to do more. I don’t mind.”

“Well, I do.”

I swallow hard and trace the outline of her lips with my finger before kissing her again. Whatever pain she’s feeling, I want to kiss it all away and replace those memories with happy ones from here on out. I softly kiss each of her cheeks and down her neck. I need to fuck her, but I also know I need to take my time.

Her soft lips open again, and my tongue enters her mouth. I bring my hand under her shirt and feel her bare breast against my hand. Shit, even touching her like this gets me rock hard.

Our greedy tongues tangle in delight, and her hands grip my back as she positions herself right where she needs to be. I slowly thrust into her and feel her heat against my sweatpants. Shit, this is going to end sooner than I want it to if I’m not inside her.

When I break our kiss, I reach over and grab a condom, but she stops me.

“I’m on the shot, and I’m clean.”

“I’m clean, too,” I tell her. “The results of my physical came back a few weeks ago, and I haven’t been with any other women since then.”

“Drew, I trust you. I want to feel all of you. Please.”

I toss the condom to the side and sit her up to take off her shirt. “You’re so damn beautiful,” I tell her. I bring her back down and slide down her panties, slipping my fingers between her wet folds.

“Drew,” she moans as I slide a finger into her tight pussy and rock it back and forth.

Her nipples harden from the excitement of what I’m doing to her, and her moans and whispers of wanting more are perfect. She has the body of a goddess, and I’m going to enjoy exploring her every inch. Sliding my finger out, I move down the bed and spread her legs apart, kissing her inner thighs and slowly licking her folds, sliding my tongue deep inside her.

“You taste so fucking good.”

“Keep going,” she rasps.

She moans louder as I suck her clit. She places her hand on my head, urging me to keep going. I can do this all night. I’ll never get enough of her sweetness. When I feel her come, I quickly discard my sweatpants and crawl up her body, wasting no time before I push inside her. She smiles at me and screams my name when I’m fully inside her.

“You’re so tight, so perfect.”

“It’s been a while,” she mutters.

“It’s okay, baby.” I lean down and kiss her again, sliding in and out of her before we find our rhythm.

“Faster,” she pleads. “Drew, please go faster.”

“Shit,” I moan, “are you sure?”

“Yes!”

My thrusts are quick. The passion, lust, and warmth our bodies are creating hit me, and in that moment, I know I’m falling in love with her.

Both of us moan as our bodies sync together, and we come at the same time.

The trembling of her body beneath my own excites me. The pure, undeniable connection we share, both emotionally and physically, is written on both of our faces.

This is it. She is it. The one I am meant to share my life with. I believe that now.

I offer a gentle kiss before sliding out of her and moving toward the side of the bed. Knowing she’ll be a little sore, I rush to the bathroom and bring out a warm washcloth to ease the soreness and clean her.

She giggles when I toss aside the cloth and bring her back in my arms.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing’s funny. I appreciate how you look after me. No matter what it is, you’re always thinking about me.” Her words become softer, almost a whisper. “Tonight truly was amazing. You mean so much to me, Drew, and I can’t thank you enough for trusting me to trust you.”

“Anything for you. I told you from the start, this isn’t about sex. This is about us and you making everything in my life and Dawson’s better.” I lean down and kiss her again. “I wasn’t too rough with you, though? I was a little scared,” I admit.

“No. Don’t ever be scared. We have a strong foundation, and I’ll tell you if you’re doing something that makes me uncomfortable. I know you’ll do the same with me.”

She sits up and covers her body with the bedsheet. Although I wish she hadn’t, I don’t want to tell her that.

“Ever since we became a couple, I’ve always wondered, Why me? You’re this amazing, successful, sweet, and sexy man with the cutest son and a great life. But, now, I know why. We share a connection I think most people look for their whole lives. When you look at me, I feel butterflies in my stomach, and I love how you make me feel. Making love with you tonight affirms everything I’ve always known. I love you, Drew. You brought back the woman I once was, and I can’t thank you enough for your patience and warmth.” She pauses for only a moment before smiling in the sweetest way. “We still have so much to learn about each other, and I want you to know the real me, everything about me. Like the fact that I love music, and I think music helps heal us in more than one way. You’re my chord, Drew. It’s special and unique, and I think whoever created the repeat button knew it was meant for people who loved music, so they could listen to that one song over and over again. Well, I want to be with you and only you, on repeat, and someday, I hope you’ll want that, too.”

“I do want that, Reagan. I love you, and I realized it tonight. I wasn’t looking for anything after my divorce, and I was fine with being alone with Dawson. When I found you, it made me question everything I wanted. Was I ready for love again? And the answer is yes. You’re making me see the beauty in the little things in life, and I’m appreciating those moments as well. You unexpectedly came into my life, and suddenly, I can’t stop thinking about you and what our future holds. And I don’t know if you know this about me, but I enjoy reading. Sometimes, I’ll read the classic romances and some new age romances. Regardless of what story I’m reading, ours is my favorite. You’re my love story come true, and I don’t want this to end.”

“You’re quite the smooth talker, Mr. Powers, but I’m done talking if you are,” she whispers.

Our lips meet, and it's as if our bodies already know exactly what the other needs. The moment I slide inside her once again, I can’t feel more complete.