Free What If (Willowbrook Book 2) by Ashlyn Mathews

be mad at you—”
    He silenced her outpouring of words with a warm hand to her face. His brown eyes shone with a brightness that had tears welling in her own. “It’s okay, Em. I’d be honored if you told him my . . . our secret.” He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. Before he ended the innocent kiss, his tears dampened her cheeks. “I think it’s time you tell him why you gave your virginity to me and not him. And you can’t give him one reason without the other, right?”
    “Right.”
    After he dried his tears off her face with the heels of his palms, he got into his truck and drove away, leaving her alone with Drew. He came up from behind and started to massage her shoulders.
    “Let’s head home, Em. You need to lie down, baby doll.”
    His moods confused her. In the beginning, he seemed pissed. Now he came off concerned. Shouldn’t he be giving her the third degree after witnessing Chris kissing her? She unraveled herself from his hold and faced him.
    Throughout their relationship, she’d kept unsafe topics out of their conversations, thinking they’d do more harm than good. Yet not talking about the unsafe stuff, the important stuff, the stuff that had mattered the most had done just that—more harm than good.
    She’d stick to her word and lay her heart out in the open. She traced a path from his stubborn chin down to the notch of his neck. The lock to her heart would’ve hung slightly below the hollow.
    “Earlier you were mad. Why?” She figured he was angry after seeing her with Chris.
    “I woke up and you weren’t there.” His voice shook. “I searched the house and the woods. You. Weren’t. There.”
    His truth left her breathless. His anger wasn’t from seeing her with another guy. Drew had been scared for her safety.
    “I’m sorry, Drew.” She reached up and cradled his face in her hand. “I should’ve told you.”
    He turned into her touch seeming to need her comfort. However . . .
    “Would you have let me go if you knew it was to see a guy?”
    Uncertainty marred his handsome face. Seconds ticked by. With a tenderness in his eyes that nearly brought her to her knees, he covered her hand with his and said, “Yes, Em, I would have.” His certainty broke her heart.
    Chris could’ve been her new love interest and Drew’s rival for Emma’s heart. Instead of treating him unkindly, Drew had accepted Chris and respected her and Chris’ friendship.
    It is what it is. Words Drew had uttered when he’d come to a conclusion that he couldn’t change something.
    He took her hand in his, and they started walking back to his place. The tulips on her father’s grave taunted her, begging her to ask her question.
    “Why’d you leave the chain and key where I’d find it?”
    His steps faltered then he continued at a faster pace, as though his hesitation hadn’t happened at all. With her hand firmly in his, she hurried to catch up with his long strides.
    “Why isn’t your lock near your heart?” he asked, in a quiet, brooding manner.
    His question was fair. She swept her hand over her throat. They’d made love last night, and she’d been naked, sans necklace. He waited for her answer, giving her a fleeting sidelong glance before he stared forward again.
    If the granite mask over his face was meant to shield his hurt from her, he was too late. Emma had heard his pain in his words.
    “The key and heart are safe, Drew.” She reassured him. “Answer my question.”
    He clamped his jaw.
    She whispered her plea. “Whatever you have to say to me, I won’t judge.”
    He squeezed her hand, and she squeezed back. Toss safe out the window, love , she had wanted to tell him. But he had to decide to take that next step himself. There’d be no more reassurances from her. Yes, talking about the unsafe stuff sucked.
    “After I got to Willowbrook, I stopped by to see you,” he finally said. “I wanted to apologize for being a jerk, for being so crass. But after I saw you with him . .