Page 48 of Love and Loathing

The car was racing along, eating up the miles with ease, but it was still a long journey, and she was tense, growing stiff, shifting uncomfortably in her seat until she realised the ache in her back was one she was familiar with. Her period was due.

The cramps started an hour later, miserable, clenching things that had her closing her eyes in pain, trying not to hiss through her teeth.

“What’s wrong?” asked Aubrey, glancing momentarily from the road ahead.

“Nothing.”

“You’re a terrible liar, Evie.”

Hah, if only you knew.Then she winced again, unable to stop a small groan as a spasm went through her, almost making her double over in her seat.

“Jesus. I’m stopping the car.”

“No, no. It’s nothing. It’s just…” She blushed, awkward. “Just cramps. You know.”

“Menstrual cramps?”

She closed her eyes, wincing with embarrassment this time. “Yes.”

“What do you need?”

“Nothing. Just…if you could stop at the next service station so I can… Anyway. It’ll pass by tomorrow. It always starts like this. But it doesn’t last long. I’ll just get into bed with a hot water bottle and some paracetamol. I’ll be fine.”

Aubrey glared at the road. After a moment, he said, “You don’t have a bed.”

“What?”

“You said you’re sleeping on this Zig person’s sofa.”

Evie clenched her teeth around another groan, the cramp squeezing her gut, sending a burning ache up her spine. She wasn’t in the mood for semantics. “I’ll curl up there, then.”

“Is there a hot water bottle?”

“For goodness’ sake,” she snapped, half-breathless with pain, embarrassed and sore, and suddenly close to tears. “Stop interrogating me.”

He gave her another look. “I’m only asking because I’m wondering if you’d be better off coming to my place.”

“Your place?”

“I have a spare bed. I can get the things you need. You can sleep, rest, do whatever you want while I’m at the office. If you’re better when I get back, I can drive you to Zig’s place. Though it won’t be until late—probably ten when I get home. Or you can stay over and I’ll take you tomorrow.”

When she said nothing, he gave her another look.

“You can say no if you want to. I know you enjoy making stupid decisions.”

She opened her mouth, no idea what she was going to say, then snapped it shut, curling miserably around another cramp. “Why…” she said when it eased off. “Why are you doing this?”

Aubrey changed gear, speeding up to overtake a van. “Obviously I’m just hoping for more sex, Evie. There must be other menu items lurking in that brain of yours.”

She stared at him, hardly knowing whether to laugh or kick him. “More meaningless sex,” she said, a slight tremor marring the joking tone she was aiming for. “Is this how you treat all those meaningless women?”

“Evie,” he gave her a short look, his voice firm, almost angry. “Has anything that’s happened between us ever felt meaningless to you?”

TWENTY-ONE

Evie took the bagAubrey handed her as he got back into the car with an incredulous smile. He pulled out of the supermarket car park for the short drive that would finish the journey back to his place.

She laughed in disbelief, pulling out a pink, fluffy hot water bottle, and a pair of pink fluffy socks.

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