Andra rolled her eyes and tried to rein in the smile that wanted to stretch across her face. It had been too many years since they’d talked about boys. She half wanted to, but it felt weird to share details as an adult. She started walking instead, her strides long and self-conscious. Dew dampened the leather of her boots as she kicked through the chilly grass.

Stacia jogged to catch up, following even when Andra started heading up the hill away from the stable. “Personally, I don’t know how you lasted this long. That body and those manners wrapped up in a southern accent? I had at least four Jane Austen love affairs with him in my head the first week he was here.”

“Jane Austen?” Andra wrinkled her nose. “What do you mean?”

Stacia bumped her shoulder. “Lots of talking and longing looks across the drawing room. It’s the way he treats you like you’re a lady, you know? And then he smiles, and my fantasy goes straight from the ballroom to hard-core tack room fucking.” She stopped, her blue eyes going round. “Please tell me you’re getting hard-core tack room fucking.”

“Uh, not exactly.”

Stacia fell silent for a few steps, and Andra’s shoulders clenched more with every one. This is why she’d started avoiding her friend after the attack. As well-meaning as Stacia was, Andra didn’t want to talk about her issues with sex. Though last night, she’d slept in LJ’s bed. The whole night had passed softly, with her twined in his sheets and his bare, muscular arms, without the hint of a panic attack. She hadn’t even been nervous.

Andra bit her lip against a grin she didn’t want to explain.

“I should have guessed you were staying over when I heard that gorgeous saxophone solo last night,” Stacia said. “I mean, I’ve heard him practicing through the wall before, but the other nights, I didn’t have to change my panties afterward.” Andra choked on a laugh, and Stacia bumped her shoulder again, encouraged. “Is that a yes? Did he woo you with his great, big . . . saxophone?”

This time Andra couldn’t hold back the laugh. “You’re ridiculous. And how are you two not best friends? You’d think your minds would have bumped into each other by now, wandering around in the gutter all the time.”

Stacia hooked a thumb back toward the house. “I’ve got to get breakfast on, so I should run. But if you want to talk more about crushes and boys, well . . .” She grinned. “Then call your brother. He’s got more X chromosome than I do any day of the week.”

Andra rolled her eyes, laughing. “Duly noted.”