But my body had other plans.
“It’s still there,” he murmured.
“What is?”
“Us. That need to whisk you away and worship you. Soon, baby, I’m gonna remind you what it’s like to be breathless.”
With that, he walked away to help Faith, leaving me…well, breathless. I wanted to call out and tell him I didn’t need to be reminded—I’d never forgotten.
“Whoa, Nelly. I know that look.”
I twisted and found Bobby standing next to me with what could only be described as a shit-eating grin. She looked like an older version of Hayden Panettiere—petite in height, blonde wavy hair that brushed her shoulders, and a smile that could win awards.
God, why do I have to be surrounded by beautiful women?
“What look? I don’t have a look,” I protested.
“Girlll…” Bobby drawled out the word, her Tennessee accent more pronounced than normal.
“What are you girling about?” Evie joined.
“Charleigh here’s denying she has the look,” Bobby offered and Evie took me in.
“You so have the look.”
“What look?”
“Like you’re happier than a dead pig in the sunshine,” Evie returned.
“What?”
Both women looked like they were fighting back a laugh when Evie dropped her voice and unleashed the full drawl of her Southern twang. “Girl, you look as happy as a tick on a hound dog.”
“I think you’ve gone crazy,” I noted.
“That’s right,” Bobby started. “Fat and sassy, makin’ plans to eat that boy up.”
“Yeah, both of you have lost your minds.”
Evie got close and hip-checked me, making me stumble to the side before I regained my balance. “We’re joking with you. What we’re tryin’ to say is, you look happy.”
“Maybe that’s what you’re sayin’, but I’m sayin’ she looks like she wants to get that man into the nearest bed and give him a go. Not that any of us would blame you for dragging him off. That man is fine. Please tell me he’s as good as he looks.”
My mouth dropped open at Bobby’s forwardness and Evie busted out laughing. The sound rang out in the room and my cheeks heated.
“You don’t have to answer that,” Kennedy said as she entered the conversation. “Bobby has no concept of basic decency.”
“I take offense to that. I’m decent.”
“You’re nosy.”
“There’s a difference between nosy and indecent.” Bobby pointed out.
“What are we talking about?” McKenna asked.
“About Bobby being nosy,” Evie supplied.
“Ah. Has she asked how big Holden’s—”
“No.” Evie laughed. “She hasn’t gotten that far. She just wanted to know if he was good in bed.”
McKenna nodded as if that was a normal question then confirmed my thoughts when she added, “I can see why she’d ask.”
“Thank. You,” Bobby snapped and put a hand on her hip. “It’s only fair, y’all are getting some, I’m the one on the longest dry spell in the history of dry spells.”
“Think I got you beat by about eight years. I haven’t had any since the night my daughter was conceived.”
Four women sucked in lungfuls of air and I wished I could pull the words back in. Why had I shared? Damn. Damn. Damn.
“You’re born-again. The first time Holden gets in there, it will be like poppin’—”
“Bobby,” Evie chastised.
“What? Why is everyone so sensitive? I’m right. A woman goes that long and things close up.”
“Close up? Oh my god.” Kennedy laughed. “See? No decency.”
“Holden will be careful,” McKenna proclaimed and my face burned.
It burned so hot, I wanted to run away and never face these women again.
“Why does Charleigh look like she’s overheating?” Macy asked.
Goddamn. Could it get any worse?
“Because Bobby told her that after like eight years of no sex, her vagina is closed.” Kennedy’s matter-of-fact tone only made me more embarrassed.
“Like, closed for business?” Macy inquired. “Because from what Alec told me, Holden’s in it to win it. So the “Closed for Business” sign might have to come down. I’d start dustin’ it off now.”
Macy said that. Sweet, mother-of-three, unassuming Macy just said I needed to dust my vagina off. The nervous laugh bubbled up so fast I couldn’t stop it from bursting out of me in a rush of high-pitched hilarity that rocked me so hard, I had to bend forward and hold my stomach.
This went on for so long I couldn’t breathe and my stomach muscles started to ache. Sweet Jesus, these women were insane.
“Oh my god,” I wheezed.
“Does that mean you’re ready to answer my question?” Bobby pressed.
“What question?” Macy, late to the game, asked.
“If Holden’s good in bed,” Kennedy repeated. “He looks like he’d be.”
“Oh, shit.” Nixon’s voice boomed and I snapped straight.
“Hey, honey.” McKenna smiled at her husband innocently.
“What’s wrong?” Holden joined our huddle.
And there it was, it could absolutely be worse.
“Nothing,” I squeaked, and Bobby snickered.
“Leigh-Leigh—”
“Did you get the box open?” I rushed to change the subject.
“Yeah. What’s wrong?”
“I told you, nothing’s wrong.”
“Baby, your face is on fire and you look like someone’s been force-feeding you lemons.”
“Oh, for God’s sake. She’s fine, macho man. We’re not torturing her,” Bobby sighed.
Nixon chuckled and Holden’s gaze went to his friend. “They’re totally torturing her. They’re on step one of the initiation process.”
Oh, Lord, there was more?
If step one had me ready to bolt, I wasn’t sure if I’d survive step two.
“What’s that mean?” Holden asked and moved closer to me.
A wide smile formed on Nixon’s face. He hadn’t missed Holden positioning himself—and neither had I. That was a typical Holden maneuver—if he’d even caught a hint someone wasn’t being nice to me, he moved in for the kill.
“Brother, you’re moving in the wrong direction. If I were you, I’d get my ass out of here. When I walked in, Kennedy was asking if you were good in bed. That’s step one.”
“I was not,” Kennedy objected. “I was repeating Bobby’s question. I told her she didn’t have to answer.”
“Nice, throw me under the bus for asking the question everyone wants to know.”
“I don’t want to know,” Micky lied sweetly.
She so wanted
