AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She stopped next to Len’s side and crossed her arms like she was chilled. “I’m good. I should probably find my roommate and finish unpacking. Thanks for everything, though. It was nice to see a familiar face today.” She leaned down and looked at Lennox. “And to meet a new one.”
“Happy to be part of the welcoming committee,” Lennox said.
“And I’ll tell your mom and Maya that you were really helpful,” she said to Auden. “I’ll make sure you get all the brownie points.”
Auden laughed. “I didn’t do it for the brownies. But seriously, text me if you need anything.”
She straightened. “Will do.”
“Good luck on your first day of classes,” Lennox called out.
She gave them a little wave and then turned to head back to the dorm, the bun on top of her head bouncing with her purposeful stride and strands coming loose.
Auden watched her the whole time.
When she was a good distance away, he leaned back against the headrest, closed his eyes, and let out a long, beleaguered breath.
Lennox had pressed a knuckle to his lips, but now he lowered his hand and let his chuckle escape. “I didn’t do it for the brownies?”
Auden flipped him off without lifting his head.
“Man, your wholesome act issoentertaining to watch. What a perfect big brother for her to count on,” he teased. “One who definitely wasn’t picturing her naked at any point today.”
Auden turned toward him, a defeated expression on his face. “Off-limits.”
“Hey, I was on perfect behavior today,” he said, affronted.
“No, I mean for me too. I’m reminding myself.” There was a tired note in his voice. “She’s got at least a minor crush on me—or at least on the guy she thinks I am. She’d say yes if I asked her out. She trusts me. It wouldn’t take much to get her to sleep with me, especially since she’s feeling a little rebellious. I remember what that felt like when I first got here—that first real taste of freedom.”
Lennox’s mouth hitched up at the corner. “I remember too. I took full advantage of your blossoming rebellion.”
“But she’s not me. I didn’t walk in here innocent. My parents had rules and made me go to church and all, but I dated. I knew how to sneak out. I’d had sex. O’Neal…she’s basically been in lockdown her whole life. A PG-13 movie was considered scandalous at her house.”
Lennox rubbed his jaw, watching the dorm entrance door where O’Neal had gone in. “Damn. Sounds like the girl could use some fun. Maybe youshouldmake a move. I bet she’d be real good at followingyourrules and sayingyes, sir.”
Auden groaned. “No fucking way. No kink. She can’t know anything about that stuff. I don’t need that shit getting back to my family, especially Maya. And even if I went vanilla with her, if this is some kind of virgin fetish for me, then once I sleep with her, the appeal will be gone. I’m not looking to be someone’s boyfriend, especially not someone from back home. And I won’t use her like that.”
“I know.” Neither of them was going to manipulate someone into bed. If kink had a religious doctrine, it was thesafe, sane, consensualrule. “But are you sure it’s just a virgin thing? I mean, I get it. Introducing someone to things can be hot as fuck. Can be a power trip too.”
Auden sent him ayou would knowlook, and Lennox’s blood heated remembering how delicious it’d been when he’d first given Auden a peek into his tastes. When Auden had accidentally walked in on Lennox watching a very particular type of porn…and then hadn’t left the room.
“But are you sure that what you’re feeling isn’t something specificto her?” Lennox asked. “You two have history.”
He snorted. “History? What? Sharing popcorn while we played Scrabble with my sister? Teaching her to swim at summer camp? That’s childhood history. She was always justmy little sister’s friend.I don’t even really know her as an adult.”
“Maybe you should, then,” Lennox said with a shrug. “Maybe that will dampen some of the appeal. Right now you’re seeing her as a representation of something. If you get to know her as a real person, you’ll probably realize she’s just another pretty undergrad. Campus is full of them.”
He gave him a skeptical look. “You think?”
“Sure. You know, like idolizing a celebrity, and then you see some candid tabloid shot of them bloated and passed out at a bar or a video of them being rude to waitstaff.” He snapped his fingers. “The fantasy is shattered.”
Auden looked back toward the dorm. “Maybe you’re right.”
Lennox smiled. “I usually am.”
Auden rolled his eyes and started the car.
“Good. Then it’s settled. We’ll be O’Neal’s honorary welcoming committee and ease her into college life.” Lennox pulled out his phone. “Text me her number.”
