A little back story - my boyfriend (24) and i (24) have been dating for almost a year and a half. We had a great start, a rocky middle, and were doing wonderfully until a few days ago. I came across an old phone he was using around the mid point in our relationship. I was curious and I snooped (which I know is wrong). I found texts from a girl who lives in a city about 6 hours away that were inappropriate.

His phone automatically deletes old texts so I didn't get the whole conversation. But it was January this year and they were having a regular conversation that turned very flirty. (ex: come lay in bed with me, when she said she was going on a run he replied "run your sexy ass over here"). Then he asked her to send him a picture with panties on. She did, it wasn't a very graphic picture, everything was covered. The conversation turned into talking about investing money and then he stopped responding to her texts in general. She texted him a handful of times since and he hasnt responded. I looked in his gallery and found another picture (of her stomach and the top of her underwear, everything covered for the most part) from a week before the first picture. So clearly this happened twice.

I also found a text from a girl who is now seriously dating one of our friends. One night in february, we had our first fight at the bar and I left. She sent him a text at 3 AM thanking him for walking her halfway home. He responded saying he wished her route had been different. She seemed confused and asked what he meant, he said a route including him. The texts pretty much stopped there and I feel confident knowing he didnt actually make a move on her considering she was confused what he was talking about.

I called him out on this and he admitted everything. He said he never physically cheated on me and these were the only incidents. He was extremely sorry and said he stopped all of that and hasnt done anything since. His explanation was basically he didnt want to make an excuse, he knew it was wrong and inexcusable. Basically he just explained his state of mind at the time and his emotions.

He said he was basically freaked out that this was his first serious relationship. We had been doing so well at the beginning and he thought of me as someone he could marry. When things started to not go well, he got confused. He still knew he loved me but was afraid to settle down when we werent actually doing well. He felt awful after the texting with the first girl and he stopped speaking to her. The second girl he said he was so drunk he doesnt even remember sending that text (which isn't an excuse, just he couldnt tell me his state of mind or why).

He basically told me that he knew after he saw the texts with the second girl that he needed to step up and make the decision that I was the one and he was committed. I have seen such a change in his overall behavior since that time period and our relationship has been going so well since. I've glanced through his new phone before and never seen anything questionable. He's told me since then I can look at his phone whenever I want. I dont want this for our relationship at all, I want to trust him enough not to look through his things.

Sorry this is so long. I am having a really hard time getting over this (granted its only been a few days). I just need some advice - anyone think I'm dumb to try and trust him?