can wash them,” I repeated.
“You relax, sweet girl.”
The door opened and closed again as Ms. Vera left me to my shower.
Aiming the showerhead lower, I sat and wrapped my arms around my bent legs, letting the water hit my back until the last of the tension eased away.
I should’ve grabbed that chocolate bar.
Maximo
As I walked into my house, I caught a brief glimpse of Juliet’s back as she raced up the stairs.
What the hell?
Passing by the dining room, I saw Juliet’s MacBook still open with papers and a calculator next to it. Along with her school stuff, there were snacks and chocolate.
Freddy.
I went into the kitchen to find Freddy dumping ingredients into the stand mixer. Ash leaned against the counter next to him, his arms and ankles crossed.
“What the hell happened?” I asked.
“You saw Juliet,” Ash surmised. “She’s good, boss, it’s just that time.”
I glanced at my watch. “What time?”
“She’s a woman.” Freddy raised his brows. “That time.”
Shit.
I was an idiot. In my defense, I’d never lived with a woman before—not counting my ma. But not in my defense, I was a fucking idiot to not take into consideration something that happened to almost half the population on a monthly basis.
“My sisters called it shark week,” Ash said. “Four older sisters, all synced. Made it easy to work out why Juliet was upset and needed Ms. Vera.” He gave Freddy a pointed look. “No wonder she was holding that chocolate bar like it was her one true love.”
“I’ll run to the store. What does she need?” I asked, feeling out of my element.
“Ms. Vera was prepared.”
“And I’m making her mac and cheese and,” he gestured to the mixer, “chocolate cake with chocolate chunks and cream cheese frosting. If carbs and chocolate don’t help, nothing will.”
Since there was nothing I could do, I was out of my element and useless—two feelings I wasn’t familiar with.
“Let me know if something changes.” I backtracked through the house, snagging the unopened chocolate on my way up to my office. I’d barely sat when someone knocked. “Come in.”
Vera opened the door. “Juliet is not feeling well.”
“Ash told me. Does she need anything?”
“She’s in the shower now. I’m going to bring her some medicine and a hot pad when she’s done.”
“I’ll do it.”
She tilted her head, and I thought she was preparing her argument. “It seems to be heavy. Painful. She should be on the pill. It helps. It would be smart to start sooner rather than when it’s needed later. Call your doctor friend to prescribe it.” Then, not giving me the chance to process what she’d said—or the heavy implication in her words—she turned, still speaking as she left. “I’ll leave the supplies in front of her door.”
I sat back in stunned silence.
That was unexpected.
After a few minutes, I got up and headed to my room to grab a pair of my sweats and a tee. At the memory of what she’d done—what I’d watched her do—the last time she’d worn my clothes, my body reacted. I tucked my dick into the waistband of my slacks, the hard length stretching up my stomach. The fabric cutting in nor the uncomfortable angle did anything to lessen my hard-on, but at least it was hidden.
I carried the clothes to her room and picked up the waiting items before unlocking the door.
The little dove didn’t even lift her head when I entered. Her eyes tracked me as I approached where she was curled on the couch, but she stayed in her ball.
“I brought you water, pain meds, a hot pad, and a change of clothes.”
Her eyes dropped to the bunched fabric. “I can’t wear those.”
“Why?”
“Because.”
I looked at her fitted PJ pants and top. “It’ll be less constricting.”
She opened her mouth then closed it. Her lids closed, too, her cheeks flushing.
“I don’t give a damn if you leak on them. It happens.” Her eyes shot open but I kept going. “And Vera can get anything clean.”
And she’s got experience with blood stains.
A small tear dripped from her eye. She swiped at it as she sat up and grabbed the clothes. “Thanks.”
The loose comfort must’ve been needed because she didn’t wait until I left before closing herself in her bedroom. She returned a minute later, wearing my clothes. They were huge on her, but that was the point.
I waited until she took the pain pills before passing her the heating pad and plugging it in.
She pressed it to her stomach and curled around it. “Thanks.”
I reached into my pocket