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I can’t breathe. My hands are unsteady.
I can’t support my weight and slump to the ground.
There’s no use fighting it. I’m gasping for air on the ground, feebly waiting for it to pass.
“Dex?...Oh my God, Dex.Babe, can you hear me?”
She drops to the ground and scoops up my head, cradling it as best she can in her lap. The towel she’s wearing untucks at the top and falls into my face. Lennox rips it away from my nose and mouth, exposing herself completely. I look up at the underside of her bare tits as she strokes the side of my face. She makes no moves to cover herself, unwilling to release me.
“Dex,” Lennox says very calmly. “Are you feeling any pain in your left arm, neck, or shoulders?”
She thinks I’m having a heart attack. I shake my head. “Count…” I murmur. “Just count for me.”
“What?” she asks. “No, here, listen…stay with me. You’re safe. Are you hot or cold?”
“I don’t know,” I gasp.
She continues to stroke my cheek. “Think about it. How do my fingers feel? Cool or warm?”
“Warm,” I answer.
“Yeah,” she says. “I was just in a hot bath. I should feel warm. What do you smell?”
I focus on my senses one by one. Her thighs are smooth and soft. There are still a few water droplets on her legs, probably dripping from her wet hair. I nestle deeper into her lap. “Something sweet. Like candy.”
“The Starburst I was eating. I had a whole log. It’s probably molting out of my pores at this point.”
I laugh. “Smells good on you.” My breathing settles as my heartbeat slows. “Keep going.”
She mops up the sweat on my forehead with the edge of the towel. “What do you see?”
I smile as I look up. “Your nipples.”
She chuckles. “How do they look from below?”
“Perfect.” Relief spreads as the hot, anxious tension in my body subsides. I sit up and lean against the side of the bed. Lennox refastens her towel but stays seated, giving me space.
“Can I get you some water?” she asks.
“You know, I came home fully prepared to comfortyou.But then I saw this.” Using my thumb, I point over my shoulder to her laid-out suitcase. “I’m so sorry.”
“For what?” she asks.
“For not being here. For not protecting you from all this bullshit... I was just informed about the article.”
“I should’ve called you, but you were flying, and I didn’t want to worry you.”
“I don’t care, baby. All I care about is how you’re doing. Are you okay?”
Her eyes drop to the floor. “Mostly.” When she looks up, she shows me a weak smile. “Honestly, I’ve been better.”
“Oh, Len?—”
“It’s my fault. I fucked up. I carelessly told her everything, no idea she’d use it all against me. We were just chatting—girl talk. I had no idea she would… She seemed like?—”
“A friend?” I ask. Lennox nods solemnly. “That’s how they get you. Len, listen to me?—”
She holds up her hands, stopping me. “No lecture needed, I promise. I will be extra careful moving forward. My lips are zipped unless?—”