Page 51 of Tamed By You

“Oooh, have you doubled up on those bitch pills again Ali Cat? You’re extra spicy tonight.”

She gives me a sarcastic smile, lifting the string of her teabag and dunking it in her mug.

“You’re starting to hurt my feelings here,” I tease holding my hand to my chest.

“I really wanna give a fuck, but I just can’t quite get there.” She says lifting her mug and blowing into it.

I laugh shaking my head. This woman.

“Look, I have a thing going on here and you are interrupting it. I’ll hook up with you Monday, okay?”

“Why Monday? Why not now? We are clearly both available.”

She places the mug of tea on the counter, steam rising from it and I note the label: English Breakfast.

“I have Aunt Flovisiting,” she stares at me, eyes bulging.

“I don't see an aunt,” I say looking round her apartment.

“It’s shark week.”

“Excuse me?” I question, screwing up my face. What the fuck is shark week?

“My period, Harry, I have my period.”

My face drops. Oh shit, of course that's what she meant, and explains the look she's got going on.

“Now I know you haven't been with a woman long enough to experience a period, but it’s a thing that happens once a month and we like to be left alone when it occurs. So please, see yourself out.” She gestures towards the front door.

“I know what a period is. I have a twin sister, remember?”

“Yes, you do. Please send her my condolences. I don't know how she managed to share a womb with you for nine months.”

“Ha ha ha, your period clearly turns you into a comedian.”

She gives me a smile and rounds the island.

“Nah, I’m always funny. I just get extra funny one week out of the month,” She grins, then takes a sip of her tea.

“So, I know what a period is, but what's with the stickers,” I say pointing to her face. “Have Lexi and Elle been round.”

She places her tea on the counter and hits my chest. “No, you ass. These are pimple patches. We get pimples when we get our period. I thought you would know that since you have a ‘twin sister’,” she says the last part in air quotations and I laugh, pulling her in for a hug, her arms down by her side, her body goes ridged.

“I’m not trying to be an ass. You still look hot as fuck, pimple patches and all.” She softens in my arms and leans into my chest. Her coconut scent invades my nostrils and I take in a deep inhale. Her scent is the most comforting smell.

The moment is broken by a knock at the door. She unwraps herself from me and heads for the door, quickly returning with a DoorDash bag. She places it on the kitchen island and pulls out a white box. She opens the lid and sniffs. “Mmmmm, perfect.”

“Let me guess, the cheesecake?”

“Yep, and not just any cheesecake. Strawberry cheesecake from that little bakery next to the New York bagel stand.”

“Oh yeah, I know the one. Bella’s Bakery.”

“That’s the one.” She takes a fork out the drawer and lifts the box and her mug of tea. “Well, if you can see yourself out, I’ve got my hands full, and I have a date with Ryan Gosling.”

She walks down a small corridor and into an open doorway. I follow her into her bedroom. White walls, white bedding, and a huge floor-to-ceiling bookshelf that covers an entire wall, lit up with fairy lights that hang at the top. I walk over to the shelves and see a mixture of books, DVDs, trinkets, photographs of her friends, but I note there isn’t anything from her pageant days displayed. I remember her telling me in Vegas she was a big pageant queen and model in her teen years. I’m about to ask her why when a pin board with various images of holiday destinations comes into view and my eye catches one picture in particular.

“Have you been?” I ask pointing to the picture of the Eiffel Tower.”

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