Page 85 of Mine to Love

“Squirreling?”

“You know, squirrels in the middle of the road. Start to cross one direction then get distracted and go the other? They’re little ADHD rodents.”

“You’re comparing me to a rodent or ADHD?”

“Both,” she says with a grin, which quickly turns to a frown. Reese doubles over in pain.

“Sweetheart, what can I do?” I massage her shoulders as she rocks back and forth. Her moans are from discomfort and not from pleasure. I don’t like them.

“Ibuprofen and the rice bag.”

I reached for the bottle and shake out two pills, handing them and the glass of water to her. “What’s a rice bag?”

She points at the brown bag thing on the table.

“This?” I lift it up. It feels like the little bean bags we toss when playing corn hole.

She nods. “Microwave for two minutes.”

I pick it up and go to the kitchen. “Do I put it in water first?”

Reese laughs and moans at the same time. “No. Don’t make me laugh. It hurts.”

It’s weird, but I follow her directions and fill up her water glass while I wait for the microwave to beep. After two minutes, I take the hot bag out and bring it to her.

She lies back on the couch, stretching out her legs, and rests the rice on her lower stomach. “Thank you.”

I shove my hands in my pockets, unsure what to do. Hell, I’m still wearing my work clothes from this morning. Toeing off my dress shoes, I toss them by the front door and unbutton my dress shirt. I untuck my undershirt and sit on the edge of the coffee table.

“Does this happen often?”

“Once a month.”

“Wow. This bad?”

“I’ve been on the pill for a few years to regulate my period, but the cramps were still intense. I had an appointment last week with my doctor and she suggested trying an IUD since it can stop your period. With my luck, I’ll be one of the few who still gets it every month.”

“I had no idea.”

“I’ve been getting my periods on Mondays, and they only last for three or four days, so by the time I see you, it’s gone.”

That explains why I haven’t seen her like this before. “Hence the cover up of hanging out with Emerson tonight.”

“Sorry.”

“You could have told me. I still would have come over. Unless...”

Reese scoots to a seated position again. “Which brings us back to our squirrel moment. You come over for sex. I’m in no condition or mood for that.”

“We do other things besides sex.”

“We eat. I’m not hungry when I’m bloated like a blowfish.”

“Do you want me to leave?”

“I’m not at my best right now.”

“That’s not an answer.”

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