I relaxed my wrists and he let them go.
“Sam is the womanizing friend who Carlos said he couldn’t keep up with?” I raked my hand through my hair and fell back against my car door.
Drew exhaled before he answered with a slow nod. All this time I’d assumed Sam was a guy.
“She still shouldn’t be on top of you, lesbian or not.”
Jesus, what was happening to me?I was losing my mind, that’s what. Instead of infuriated and heartbroken, I was humiliated.
“Noted, and I’m sorry, Sara. Instead of assuming the worst, why didn’t you approach me, try to kick Sam’s ass, something?” His face softened into a frown. “Why did you just run?”
I pulled at the roots of my hair before lifting my eyes.
“I hate that you turned me into this. Made methatgirl, the insecure idiot that jumps to the wrong conclusion like a bad fucking sitcom. I never needed anyone before I met you. I hate that you made me need you so much.” I shook my head and scoffed, so pissed at myself for being such a damn fool. “This isn’t me. Falling in love made me stupid.”
“What did you say?” Drew stepped closer, but I was too ashamed to look him in the eye. To say I’d made a fool out of myself tonight was an understatement.
“Answer me. What did you say just now?” He clutched my shoulders and squeezed.
“I said that I assumed the worst and made an ass out of myself. I watched you with her and it made me so angry how easy she could make you laugh, that you looked like you were having more fun with her than you ever did with me. I hated it. It hurt. A lot. This is what happens when I let myself have feelings. Can we just drop this? Please?” I begged.
“After that. You’re in love with me?”
“I . . .” I met Drew’s widened eyes and trailed off. “Yes,” I admitted. May as well put it all out there. “And believe it or not, you’re my first. Funny thing to say in your thirties.” I huffed out a laugh. “I have no clue what I’m doing or how to not act like a psycho. Let’s just forget tonight. You go back to your friends and I’ll go home. Pretend you didn’t see me and I’ll do the same. Goodnight, Drew.”
Drew grabbed the back of my head and crashed his lips to mine. I grunted in protest before I melted into his arms. His hands roamed my body, drifting down my thighs and grabbing my ass to pull me closer. I would never win an argument if he kept kissing me stupid and senseless. There was something in this kiss making it different than our others. It was passionate, but desperate. As if he was holding back all the other times, and now he was letting it all go. I fisted the collar of his T-shirt, dizzy from the intensity and lack of oxygen. I broke the kiss, gasping for air and limp against Drew’s chest. This man made me feel so much it was terrifying.
“I love you,” he whispered as he rested his forehead against mine. “I love you so much. I even love how pissed off you got tonight.” I shoved his chest as I bit my lip, willing the tears burning my eyelids to stay put. Loving someone and accepting their love in return was something I never thought I’d be able to do. But as much as I’d fought it the past few months, it was impossible not to love Drew. He made me feel loved, protected, and worth it. It was a heady feeling I was still too frightened to fully embrace, but damn it felt wonderful.
He laughed as his lips found my forehead. “And you know what, you’re my first, too.” The corners of his mouth twitched into a smile. “Now, let’s get out of here. Give me your keys.” He delved his fingers deeper into my hair and pulled so I’d look up. “You’re coming home with me.”
Sara
MY KNEE BOBBEDas Drew drove my car to his apartment. I didn’t even protest as nerves, excitement, and exhaustion from the last half hour filtered through my system. I thought I’d witnessed Drew cheating right before my boss hit on me, then after a ridiculous misunderstanding on my part, I blurted, “I love you.” It was as if I morphed into someone else tonight, someone without any semblance of control wearing her heart on her sleeve, and that sure as shit wasn’t me. But with Drew, I wasn’t myself. He brought out a side of me I never knew existed—and didn’t know how to handle. I’d always hid my insecurities with snark but being in love was a totally different ball game. I couldn’t hide how I felt or how vulnerable it made me.
Drew stayed silent the entire ride to his place, throwing a smirk in my direction a couple of times but not saying a word. He pulled into the spot in front of his apartment and palmed my still shaking knee after he shut the engine off.
“Stop being nervous. It’s me. And I love you. Relax, Gorgeous.” He grabbed my hand and kissed the top of my wrist before opening the driver’s side door and stepping out of the car. I sucked in a breath and opened my door. Drew was the only person on this planet that didn’t make me nervous . . . well, not anymore. When I first started spending time with him, sure, my knee bobbed all over the place then, too. But at some point along the way, he became my calming center. It’s when hewasn’taround that I felt anxious and uneasy. As I followed Drew into his apartment, I did a quick calculation in my head of how long it’d been since I had sex. Almost ten years?Shit.I was a thirty-two-year-old born-again virgin, and Drew was a gorgeous man in the prime of his life. Hairstyles and music were more or less the same the last timehe’dhad sex.
He led me into his room, shutting the door and locking it. I plopped down on the bed, peeling my down jacket off but so awkwardly unsure what the hell to do next.
“Hey, what did I tell you in the car?” Drew whispered as he grabbed my hand and pulled me up to stand. “It’s me. And we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. I just want to sleep next to you tonight. So, if you aren’t ready—”
“I am,” I cut him off as my hands drifted down the soft cotton of his T-shirt. “It’s . . . it’s been a really long time.” I shrugged as my fingers flirted with the hem of his shirt and inched it over the waistband of his jeans. I traced the smooth skin over the hard muscle, and the corners of Drew’s mouth lifted in a carnal smile as I brought the soft cotton higher.
“How long?” Drew’s voice dipped to a husky rasp as our eyes locked. My fingertips traced over every muscle and ridge, pressing deeper into his smooth skin as I continued to explore. My heart hammered in my chest as the air thinned between us.
“Nine years. And eleven months. Full decade, Kostas. I hardly remember the last time, to be honest.”
Drew stepped back and peeled his shirt off, flinging it on the floor behind him.My God, he was breathtaking.I’d glimpsed parts of his hard, muscular body, but I salivated as I took in every detail.
“Sara,” he whispered, his eyes almost black. “I don’t want to think about you and . . . anyone. Makes me a little crazy.” I licked my parched lips, checking the corner of my mouth for drool.
His fingers tangled into my hair as he took my mouth in a fierce kiss. The intensity made my knees buckle. It was rough and hot and somehow still sweet. Shivers drifted up the fibers of my spine as he fisted the bottom of my shirt before pulling it over my head. His hooded eyes glossed over my half-naked body, but I wasn’t embarrassed or scared, only impatient we still had clothes on.
His hands glided over my chest, my nipples puckering at his light touch. He kissed down my shoulders, sliding the bra straps to my elbows before unhooking the back and slipping it down my arms.
“You are beautiful. So fucking beautiful.” He cupped my breasts on a tortured sigh before dipping his head to suck one of my nipples into his mouth. My body responded by almost collapsing at his feet. “And you have no idea. No clue how amazing you are. I’ve never wanted anyone this much.” Our lips crashed in a searing, breathless kiss. “Tell me to stop,” he murmured, his mouth still moving against mine.
