Page 72 of Against the Rules (Harts of Passion 1)

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Maybe supervise the kids and try to keep them from tearing apart the prizes. We're also trying to sort everything according to the game and put them in those boxes along the wall." I pointed to one of the moms across the room. "That's Micah's mom, Torie. She could probably use a hand marking and coding the inventory. I've got to finish a bit of paperwork and some phone calls, then we should be all done."

He looked over and seemed surprised to see her. "After what you did to help Micah, she's been coming over after her class to pitch in," I explained. "Your good deed has turned into more. She's been a tremendous help."

He actually blushed. "Sure. Coding and inventory. I can handle that."

I looked dubiously at him. "Are you sure you don't mind? You can handle this?"

"Haven't you heard I run an empire? I can handle this. You go do what you need to do."

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Flashing him a smile, I dodged the booby trap of small toys and took refuge in Shane's small office to compose an email to all of the carnival volunteers and contributors with a schedule. I heard Jax's voice call for attention, and within seconds the shrieks turned into a more subdued chatter. I finished and sent my email. Grabbing a pencil, I attempted to turn my attention to my notebook of lists and other paperwork, but unable to focus on anything other than how crappy I was feeling, I ended up curling up on a loveseat, hoping that lying still would settle the throbbing pain in my head and the burning in my lower abdomen.

Fingers brushed my cheek, startling me since I hadn't heard anyone come in. "Grace?"

I had no idea how much time had passed. "Hmm?"

"Let me take you home. You shouldn't be here."

I shook my head. "I can't leave the kids."

"Shane's here. He'll take over. Can you walk?" he asked, helping me to sit up.

I cringed at the throbbing in my head. "Yeah, just give me a minute." I took a deep breath and stood. "Thanks, Jax. It was really sweet of you to come to the center today."

He grinned. "Not so sweet. I had ulterior motives."

"Oh yeah? What would those be?"

"Well, by the looks of you, you're not up for what I had in mind."

"Ouch. Way to knock a girl when she's already down." I tried to tease, not wanting him to know how bad I felt.

He stopped walking and turned to face me. "That's not what I meant. You could have a stampede of elephants trample you, and you'd still be the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

I flushed at his compliment. "Wow. From one extreme to the other, but I like this one better. You should be a character in a romance novel."

He quirked an eyebrow and shook his head. "Can't say that I've ever read one, but what I say is the truth, not some fictional bullshit."

He put me in his car and drove to my apartment. I felt like someone was stabbing me with a hot knife in the abdomen, my head was pounding, and I was exhausted. Once we arrived, he half walked, half carried me inside.

"You don't have to stay," I mumbled, not wanting him to see me at my worst, which I was pretty sure was still to come.

My period could never just show up and be done. It came with lots of unwanted fanfare, like bloating and cramps and sometimes migraines. Like many normal teenage girls, I'd looked forward to this huge sign of womanhood until I realized that for me, it meant at least a day of almost wishing for death. I'd finally sought medical help, thinking there was something that could be done to make it more bearable. The doctor determined it wasn't endometriosis, and sympathetically told me I was one of the unfortunate ones who got to suffer through painful menses. She'd put me on birth control to try to help regulate it as well as some strong pain relievers, but I still had a rough cycle every once in a while.

"So that's how this is?" he asked, guiding me to the couch and pressing on my shoulders until I was sitting.

"How what is?"

"I thought we were going to make a go of us. But that means the bad with the good, the sick with the fun. You've seen me at my assiest. At least let me help take care of you when you're not feeling well."

"Assiest?" Despite the pain, he still made me laugh.

He grinned and brushed the hair off my face. "When did you last take medicine and what can I do to help?"

"I have a prescription bottle in the bathroom. It's the only one in a brown bottle." I curled up into a ball, praying for relief.

He came back with it in a minute, frowning at the bottle, and then at me. "This is more than a headache, isn't it?"

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