“It means I remember what this is.” His eyes flick to mine, quick and indecipherable. “Just you checking things off your sexy little bucket list, right?”
The words shouldn’t sting, but they do. Because I can’t keep my usually perfect compartmentalization skills intact around him.
“Right,” I say, despite myself.
There’s a sharp twinge lower in my belly, pulling my focus from the emotional discomfort of his words to the physical pain I’m now in. I shift my weight, hoping he doesn’t notice, but it’s useless.
I press my knees together in sudden yet familiar agony. Of all the times for this to happen, it has to be while I’m curled up on his couch under his arm. I flinch as another cramp claws through me, making me break out in a cold sweat.
“You okay?” he asks, face full of worry.
The telltale warmth dampening between my thighs has me bolting upright through the pain.
“Yep. Be right back,” I mutter, running to the bathroom down the hall.
I slip inside, cringing when my fears are verified by the spots of deep red dotting my underwear.
Fuck my life.
I do my best to clean myself up and open the bathroom door.
“Are you feeling okay?”
I jump, clutching my hand to my chest. “Jesus. Why are you lurking right outside the bathroom door, you creep?”
“I was worried you were sick the way you rushed to the bathroom.”
His face is still pinched with concern.
I drop my eyes to the floor. “I’m fine, but I need to go.”
“What? Why? You just got here.”
He’s not going to let me walk away with a flimsy excuse. Not Tripp. Not when it comes to me.
I look anywhere but at him as I mumble, “I started my period.”
Understanding washes over his features. “Ah, okay. What do you need?”
I stare at him, waiting to see a flash of disgust, but he just looks relieved I’m not sick.
“All of my stuff is at the ranch. I didn’t even bother to bring my purse, just grabbed my wallet. I’ll go back to the house and curl up in bed for the next twenty-four hours until the worst of the cramps subside. We can watch the movie another night.”
His face screws up in disappointment. “I wanted to watch the movie tonight, though.”
“If you’re that hard up to see the naked woman dive into the pool, you can watch it without me,” I say with a tired smirk. “I’ve seen it about a hundred times anyway.”
He snorts. “That’s not what I meant. I just wanted to spend some time with you like we used to. As friends.”
I arch a brow. “You weren’t expecting to have sex tonight?”
He shrugs. “You know I’d never say no to you, but I just wanted to hang out and talk. I’ve missed you.“
Those words hit me like a wrecking ball to the chest, making it hard to breathe. “I still don’t have any tampons here, and I need to change.”
Tripp holds up a finger and bolts up the stairs. I roll my eyes at his exuberance. Seconds later, his footsteps thunder back down the steps.
“Here,” he says, handing me a pair of his boxers. “You can change into these.”
