Page 76 of The Game Plan

He kisses the top of my head. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Yeah, it’s not a lot of fun.”

“You didn’t miss anything interesting in class today,” he comments idly. “I’ll leave you my notes.”

“Thank you.” I rest my head against his strong chest. “Thanks for laying here with me.”

His arm tightens around me. “Any time.”

We doze. I don’t know how long I sleep, if I actually sleep at all. Mostly I’m just aware of his presence behind me in the bed, curled around me. He keeps me warm.

I wake up around three to the bed jostling behind me. I turn over as best as I can. My back isn’t on fire anymore. My stomach still aches, but it’s the dull ache that tells me the pain medicine is finally starting to kick in.

“Where’re you goin’?” My speech is sleep-slurred.

The mattress dips as he places a knee on the bed. “I’ll be right back.” He leans over and kisses my temple.

I crawl over into the warm spot left by his body heat and sigh happily. It’s so warm.

He pulls the covers up over me and slips out of my room.

I finally have a chance to check my text messages. He texted me at the start of class and again once it was over, checking in on me. Messages from Lex and Aleesha, letting me know I have a guest. Texts from Kiersten and Haleigh, letting me know how much they enjoyed meeting him the other night. Jake, trying to schedule a study date. Josh Sinclair with an ambiguoushey.

There’s a knock on my door, and then Miles is back, his hands laden with a plate I recognize as being from his kitchen two doors down.

“I made you a sandwich,” he says, setting the plate down on the dresser. He’s also brought an apple, a pear, a small bag of chips, and a chocolate swirl pudding cup probably pilfered from the dining hall. “How’s your appetite?”

I assess. The pain meds are working.

“I could eat.”

He helps me sit up and props the pillows up behind me. It’s a little easier sitting upright. I don’t require the heating pad nearly as desperately as I did before.

“Do you want to take a bath? Do you think that may help?”

I stare at him. “Who are you?”

Miles goes red and chews his cheek. “My sisters, when they have bad cramps, they like to take bubble baths. They say the hot water helps. I figure a cyst rupturing is like mega cramps turned up to ten?”

“Up to eleven.”

He gives a little chuckle. “Let me go draw you a bath.”

The turkey sandwich is simple but satiating. I haven’t eaten all day. I’m halfway through the pear when my stomach tells me it’s had enough.

Miles is in the bathroom I share with Tamar, kneeling on the tile as he tests the temperature of the water. He’s filled the tub with my cherry pomegranate soap, making it froth and bubble.

My heart melts.

Padding over to him, I slip off my cozy socks. He lumbers to his feet. He towers over me, surrounding me with his presence.

“Feeling a bit better?”

I wrap my arms around him and burrow into his chest. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For doing this for me. For making me a snack. For holding me. For being you.”

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