When Kevin and Julie graduated last winter and he moved back, they fell in love. They had tried to hide their feelings from me because they didn’t know how I’d react, but I knew. I’d just ended a three-year relationship, and being the awesome friends that they are, they didn’t want to upset me. I had known these two all my life. I love them both and told them I couldn’t be happier for them. That night, we celebrated and ended up with massive hangovers the next day.

“Earth to Dora. Come in, Dora!” Kevin’s voice jolts me from my musings. “Not thinking about last night, are you?” he jokes, his dimples dancing in his cheeks.

“Yeah, I was,” I say, watching him stand taller and push out his well-defined chest. “I was thinking it hasn’t grown much since I saw it last.”

I giggle and quickly exit as he throws an oven mitt at me.

Later that night, while finishing up my homework, I remember the slip of paper from the grocery store and pull it out of my purse. Grabbing my cell phone, I quickly dial the number. A female voice answers.

“Hello?”

“Uh, I saw your ad on the board at the supermarket, and I was wondering if the rental is still available, and if so, could I come by and look at it?”

“Yes, it is, and yes, you can! How about tomorrow, say around one?” her bubbly voice replies.

“Sure. I mean, that would be wonderful.” I grab a piece of paper and write down the address and then thank her. She tells me her name is Emily. We say our goodbyes and disconnect.

I breathe out a sigh of relief. Well, that was easy, and she sounds so nice. I’m not going to tell Kevin and Julie just yet. It might not work out. I know they’ll be upset, but I have to give them some space for my sanity … and theirs. I’ve only been back two days, and soon they’ll realize they need to be alone.

I hear Kevin yelling my name as the front door opens, announcing that Julie’s arrived home. I tuck the address in my backpack, put a smile on my face, and exit the room to greet her.

Smoothing down my hair, I ride up in the spacious freight elevator. When I found the building—or, should I say, giant warehouse—I’d become more excited. I watch those home improvement channels and I’ve seen what people have done with warehouses. There are four floors, and the address I’m looking for is at the top.

The wide steel doors open, and I pull back the old-fashioned gate. I step out and look to my left, where I see two blank doors. The same on my right. In front of me is an ornate double door with the number four hundred above it.

My excitement turns to nervousness when I wonder if this whole floor could be the loft. No, it can’t be. I mean, really, it would be so huge!

I hesitate and shake my head. Just do it, nothing to lose. It’s just a rehearsal for looking at future apartments. I want to see what this place looks like. The rent is probably so out of my league anyway. So buck up, Dora, and march on.

While I’m doing this dialogue in my head, my feet have made the decision for me, and I find myself standing in front of the door. There’s a button to the side and I press it, hearing a muffled chime sound from inside. I paste a smile on my face as I hear the lock being disengaged and the door is flung open.

Oh, my sweet sexy heaven, my brain thinks as my eyes ogle the sight of a tall, beautiful male standing before me wearing nothing more than a skimpy pair of silky boxers and a smile. I take a quick glance at his face before examining his body, which is tanned and totally amazing—with twelve-pack abs. I swear, honest truth. I give it a twelve out of ten for definition. His hands rest on his hips and my eyes are drawn to the area.

“Do you like what you see?” his husky voice asks, bringing my embarrassed face up to meet his laughing eyes.

“Uhhhh, I’m looking for Emily?” How moronic can I sound? I know my face is a “wish a hole would open up in the floor and swallow me” cherry red.

“Emily, you have a visitor,” Mr. Dreamboat’s loud voice echoes in the hall.

“Geez, Drew. What would our grandmother say if she saw you answering the door in your boxers? Move your bubble butt out of my way,” a feminine voice, the one I recognize from the phone call, pipes up from behind the black-haired god.

A tall, black-haired girl emerges as she pushes gorgeous Drew to the side. “Hi. I’m Emily, and you must be Pandora. Come in. I swear, this boy never learned manners.”

Besides the hair color and the height, they don’t look like siblings. Maybe I heard her wrong. She’s very plain until she smiles and then her whole face lights up. I instantly like her and wish I could afford to live here just to have her for a friend.

The whole time I’ve been thinking this, she’s been chatting to me and I notice Drop-dead Gorgeous has ignored her suggestion and made himself comfortable on a deep brown sectional in the middle of the room. And what a room it is. It’s like my apartment living room times ten. My favorite fall colors of rich browns, oranges, and reds fill the room. It looks like a room right out of one of those popular design magazines.

Emily leads me to the sectional, ignoring Drew, and sits on the opposite side of him. “Please sit, Pandora. Would you like something to drink?”

I shake my head and try to ignore the eyes that are watching me. I will my face to quit turning red, but does it listen? Hell no.

“So how did you hear about the apartment?” Emily asks.

“I saw it on the board at the supermarket. I just live about a block away from here.”

“Damn that Liam. We’ll never hear the end of it!” Drew’s rich voice interrupts. I wonder who Liam is.

“Shut it, Drew. You guys and your juvenile games.” She looks at me. “They each put an ad in different places, and so far, Liam has had more nibbles from his ad. Now Pandora, let me tell you a little about the place. There are four bedrooms, each with its own bathroom and a sitting room. There’s a games room complete with pool table, big screen TV, etcetera, a kitchen, of course…oh, and an indoor garden complete with a lap pool. Any questions?” Emily sounds like a real estate agent trying to get a sale.

“Well—” My brain seems to have forgotten to signal my mouth, as I find it hard to speak. This place is a freakin’ palace. Like I can afford it.

“She’ll take it. Look, she’s speechless.” Mr. Dreamboat interrupts again and Emily taps her foot, looking at him with disgust.

“You wanted me to do this, right? Well, let me do it,” she says to him. “My flight leaves in three hours and if I miss it, you’ll be in big trouble.” She turns to me. “Pandora, what do you think? I think you’ll be a perfect fit.”

“It’s beautiful, but I don’t think it’s in my price range. I mean, I’m a college student and I work, so…” I shrug.

My eyes are drawn to a billboard outside the window with a picture of a male model in his underwear. The model is Drew. I swear by my twenty-twenty vision it’s the same grinning guy who is presently sitting across from me. I look out of the corner of my eye and see him look at the window and then he chuckles.

“Yeah, it’s me. The others are jealous, but what can I say? Fame, baby, fame.”

Emily rolls her eyes and glares at him. “Conceited much? Pandora, look. You can afford it. Our dad owned the building, and he gave it to Drew for his birthday last year. Yeah, I know he’s a spoiled brat, but I have to love him—it’s in the family contract.” A pillow flies across the room and hits her in the head. “Anyway, money isn’t the problem. It’s whether you’re a fit, and I have an overwhelming feeling, you are.”

“So you live here with Drew and another roommate?” I ask when it finally sinks in this is his apartment.

“Oh. No, I don’t live here. I just popped in for the weekend. Drew and two others live here,” she says. I get the feeling she’s not telling me everything. “Why don’t I show you what would be your room?” Emily gets to her feet, pulling me up as she does.

“Who are the two others?” I ask. A feeling of dread lies heavily in my stomach.

“Oh, just two guys who are model friends of Drew,” Emily says quickly as Drew laughs.

“I’m the best-looking one, of course,” he quips.

“Drew, you are not helping. Go to your room,” Emily’s voice echoes in the vast room.

“Okay, okay.” Drew stands and moves closer to us. “All kidding aside, Pandora, you are the one. When can you move in?”

“God, Emily. What is all this racket?” a male voice with an Australian accent sounds behind me.

I turn to see a brooding, masculine blond guy in a robe, pajama bottoms, and bare feet. I can’t believe my eyes! Julie and I drooled over him in a magazine last month as we were being made up for her wedding. A few feet away from me stands one of the most famous models in the world. This must be a dream.

“Hey, Liam, come meet our new roommate, Pandora,” Drew says cheerfully as Liam scowls more.

“I need coffee. I was up all night, and I get no respect for my rest,” he mumbles as he exits the room.

“Ignore him, Pandora. Liam pulled an all-nighter for a shoot last night, and if Drew had behaved himself, Liam wouldn’t be as peeved as he is. Liam really is a sweetheart. As is Colin. He’s from England and is a love.” Emily grabs my hand as if she knows I’m ready to flee this place. “When can you move in? Oh, I forgot to show you your room, didn’t I?”

I pinch myself—no, not a dream. It’s time to go. I have enough drama in my life with school, work, and my crazy family. No way am I living with three giant male models. I figure the third one is tall too, because geez, there are no short models.