Page 51 of Daring the Defender

“I know you’re broken up with David. Just wondering if you’ve met any one you’re interested in.”

“No,” I say, quickly. Too quickly, apparently, because her eyes narrow in suspicion. “I’m not looking for a new boyfriend.”

“No one said you were, and look, I’m not going to suggest you go wild or anything–been there, done that–donotrecommend.” She leans against the dryer. “But you came here to experience new things and college guys can be one of them.”

Twyler steps in the room. “Oh, there you are.” She pulls a keychain out of her hoodie pocket. “I didn’t want to disappear without giving you this. I know you forgot yours.”

Nadia snags it and crosses her arms. “Where are you going?”

Twyler gives her a look. “Where do you think?”

Nadia smirks at me. “Reese gets horny when he watches Twy win quarters.”

“Shut up,” her friend says. “It’s late and he’s worn out from the game.”

“Oh please,” I take a gulp of water trying to disconnect from this conversation, “we all know why he plants you on his lap like that while you play. He’s hiding his boner.”

A boner. Idoknow what that is. I may have grown up in a strict environment, but I’ve heard the boys quietly joking about things like this on the coed youth trips I took with the church. I lower my bottle and ask, “What are you going to do about it?”

Twyler’s big blue eyes land on me. “Uh, what?”

“When they get like that, guys, I mean…” I stumble around the words. “Like, when guys’ bodies get like that, what do you do to help?”

Twyler’s big eyes narrow suspiciously. “Is someone making you feel like you need to fix that? Because that is a classic d-bag move and you can tell them to fuck off.”

“No!” I say quickly. “No one is making me do anything. I promise.” I clear my throat because they both keep staring at me. “I’m just curious because David and I never went that far and I listen to you guys talk so openly about all this stuff and I feel like there’s a lot to learn.”

“Shelby,” Twyler sighs, “I have no desire to talk about all this stuff either but Nadia is a nosy bitch who has no boundaries.”

“It’s true.” Nadia nods vigorously. “I’m sex positive, so sue me.”

Twyler rolls her eyes. “But the truth is that it’s not that hard. When andifyou’re with someone that you want to explore that part of your relationship with, just talk to them about it. They know what they want–”

“A blow job,” Nadia interjects with a snort. “They always want that.”

Twyler shakes her head. “God, they really do, right?”

“Mmhmm.”

I gape at the two of them. Like the boner, I know what a blow job is, but I could never.

“They’ll take whatever they can get. Blow, hand, feet, tits…” Twyler counts them off like this is the most normal discussion ever.

“Oh, the titty fuck,” Nadia nods enthusiastically, “that’s always a winner.”

I glance down at my boobs, unaware they had a job, other than breastfeeding.

“But,” Nadia adds, “that doesn’t mean you have to if you don’t want to. It’s really about communication.”

“And consent is important,” Twyler inserts. “The most important.”

I think back to every moment with Reid that got heated between us. He always asked me if I wanted something, even if he could kiss me. Every step of the way he’s made sure I was comfortable with it, and he’s always walked away first.

“Twy!” Reese’s voice carries into the laundry room from the kitchen. “You ready to go?”

“I better go,” she says, grinning just at the sound of her boyfriend’s voice. “Just remember, Shelby, you don’t ever have to do anything you don’t want to. They’ll survive or take care of it on their own.”

“But,” Nadia adds with a mischievous grin, “it’s way more fun to help.”

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