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“And if I do or say something wrong?”

It takes everything in me not to smirk in satisfaction because Noah just proved what I said before right.

“Don’t worry about that; just observe and describe. Remember, either of you can use green, yellow, or your safe word any time you feel uncomfortable, want to slow down, or stop.”

“Like I said, sounds easy enough.” Quinn turns her head to look at Noah and smiles adoringly. “We’ve got this.”

He leans down to peck her lips. “You’re right. We’ve got this.”

I take in their interaction, happy that it’s a small step up from yesterday. And they don’t notice, but they’re already breathing together as if they’ve been practicing.

I don’t speak my observation, letting them settle into themselves. After I tell them to start whenever they’re ready, they both close their eyes, and Quinn leans back in Noah’s arms.

I’ve got some light-frequency music playing over the sound system so it’s not completely silent in the room. The serene tones and trickling water provide a spa-like backdrop for them to sink into their breaths.

“Good,” I say after a minute. “Maintain your breathing. Noah, open your eyes so you can blindfold Quinn, then we’ll begin.”

Noah retrieves the blindfold from Quinn’s hands. He carefully places it around her head, and I note the way he makes sure it doesn’t tug on her hair, testing it to confirm she can’t see without me having to ask.

It’s obvious Noah loves her and that he wants to pay attention to her, that he cares for her just like he once cared for me behind closed doors. He just needs to be reminded and understand that he can be this Noah alongside the Noah who plays hockey and carries the weight of everyone’s expectations on his shoulders. He doesn’t have to be one or the other like he’s always assumed.

As a person he’s hurt, I probably shouldn’t be the one to help heal that in him, but I’m his mentor. And at the end of the day, I’d be a big fat fucking liar if I said I didn’t still care about him. I’m here, aren’t I? I’m here helping him heal his relationship with Quinn, a person he so obviously would do anything for.

“Pick any item you want to start with,” I say.

Noah’s gaze is tense, and I see the same emotion I saw when he had to answer the question Hazel asked him in his eyes: Panic.

“Like I said, just observe and describe. Trust yourself, and trust that you can read Quinn’s responses to what you’re doing. There isn’t a wrong way to do this exercise.”

Quinn’s arms flex as she squeezes Noah’s knees in reassurance, and after a moment, he inhales and syncs his breaths with hers again, eyes softening before bobbing his chin in thanks.

He grabs the first thing he sees in the basket: a long white feather. He steadies it in his hand before bringing it to Quinn’s cheek. He drags the soft tip down her jaw, and she shivers—the full-body kind that makes her shake against Noah.

He pulls back for a moment but starts again when she’s settled. He traces the curve of her cheek with the feather before moving down the column of her throat.

“Describe her reaction to the sensation,” I remind him.

Noah swallows, Adam’s apple rising and falling in his throat. He continues the path over Quinn’s clavicle, the feather dipping into the valley of her ample cleavage.

“Um…she, ah…” He stammers, cheeks reddening in frustration. “Her, a—”

“Her breathing has shortened?” I suggest.

Noah licks his lips. “Yes, her breathing has shortened, and there are goosebumps on her arms.”

“Good. What else?”

Noah holds the feather so the long side can glide over the tops of Quinn’s breasts, covering more surface area. Her breath hitches, the gasp echoing around us.

“She liked that,” he comments. He does it again, and Quinn squirms. On the third pass, he traces the feather down until he brushes over where her nipple is covered by her shirt and bra. Quinn gasps again, and this time, the sound goes straight to my cock. I ignore my reaction as Noah traces the other one, eliciting the same response.

“She’s gripping my legs so hard she’s going to leave nail marks on my skin.”

“Sorry—”

“Shh,” Noah whispers against her ear. “I like it.”

Oh, fuck. I find Noah staring at me, the fear that was there only a moment ago gone and replaced with something else. What that else is, I can’t quite figure out yet.