“Fantastic,” she said, her brain trying to whirl and spin with thoughts of what could go wrong tonight. What if she completely embarrassed herself? Her knee started bobbing up and down, the jitters turning physical.
A hand touched her shoulder. Lennox. “You okay, Sweets?”
She swallowed past the tightness in her throat. “Sorry. I’m fine. Just…”
“Starting to panic?” he asked, tone gentle.
She peeked back at him. “Not panic so much as overthinking. It’s a bad habit of mine. It’s like when they gave me ten minutes in a room alone before I had to give my valedictorian speech. By the time I got to the stage, I had already pictured myself tripping on my gown, forgetting how to speak, passing out, losing my notecards, crying, and/or burping mid-sentence.”
Lennox chuckled and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Hey, if it makes you feel better, some of those would be good results from sex. I mean, if Auden can make you forget how to speak for a little while, job well done. And cry? Sometimes even better.”
Her lips parted and a little sound of surprise escaped her. “Peoplecry?”
It was still strange openly talking about these things. That Auden’s best friend had just casually suggested Auden might be able to give her an orgasm strong enough to make her lose speech or cry and it was fine.
“You’re going to make her more nervous,” Auden said with a sigh. He put his hand on her thigh and rubbed gently, the touch both soothing and sending hot shivers through her. “I’m not going to make you cry.”
“You don’t know that,” Lennox said, a teasing sparkle in his eyes as he looked at O’Neal. “The lovely Miss Lory may be a crier. We don’t know what she’s like when she comes. How’s it go for you when you’re alone, Sweets?”
O’Neal put her hand over her face. “Oh my God, weare notdiscussing this.”
“Len, stop freaking her out,” Auden said, his palm warm against her leg.
When O’Neal lowered her hand, Len gave her a tilted smile. “I’m not trying to freak you out. Just trying to keep you from overthinking things while we sit here. When I touched your shoulder, it was like touching steel. You’re as tense as a bowstring.”
“I know. I’m sorry,” she said, frustrated with her automatic reactions.
“You don’t have to be sorry. It’s completely understandable. But I bet we can help. Or Auden can at least,” he said. “Want some help getting back in the right headspace?”
She considered him. “What do you mean?”
He cocked his head. “Get in the back seat, Sweets.”
She shivered at the suggestion, but his calm expression had her taking another deep breath. “Why?”
“I’m going to take over the wheel for a while,” he said. “Let you and Auden hang back here. I bet he can make you forget to be nervous.”
She glanced at Auden. He was looking at her intently and he gave a little nod. “Might help.”
She swallowed hard, butterflies alighting in her stomach. “What might help?”
“Trust me?” he asked.
The question was a loaded one, but the answer rose in her without edit. “Okay.”
Auden put the car in park since they weren’t moving anyway, and they all got out and switched seats. She was relieved to feel steady on her feet as she made the move, the effects of the alcohol having faded considerably after switching to water and dancing with Auden for hours.
When Lennox clicked his seat belt and shifted into drive again, he peeked back at them. “Auden can help you get out of your head and remind you how you were feeling when y’all were pressed up against each other. You both have my word I won’t look.”
Her heart thumped at the implication, and Len turned back toward the road.
“He’s right.” Auden shifted toward her, his voice low and intimate, creating a private space between them. “I can help.” He tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and then pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “Len won’t look. He’ll keep that promise. Is it okay if I touch you?”
“Here?” She glanced out the darkened window.
“No one can see in,” he said, cupping her jaw. “Let me make you feel good.”
Her throat was tight like a fist, her mouth dry, but she found herself nodding, mesmerized by the suggestion and the way he was looking at her. “Okay.”