Page 71 of Riding the Pine

Gizmo: LOL! Did you leave any for me?

Scanning the surface of my bed, I take a quick inventory.

Athena: Could do with more chips. Good for chocolate. Might want to grab another pack of Twizzlers.

Gizmo: More HDMI cables. On it. If you’re mainlining pop, you might want to drink some water. I read that caffeine on your period isn’t good for you.

Athena: Are you mansplaining my period to me?

Gizmo: No!!!! I would never. Just making sure you stay hydrated. Water’s always a good choice, Bright Eyes.

He’s also cute when he’s backpedaling.

Gizmo: I’ll be with you in twenty. Let me know if there’s anything else you need.

I rest my head back down onto the bed, curling myself around the now warm hot water bottle. Someone opening my bedroom door draws me out of another unexpected nap.

He’s there, looking fifty shades of delicious in my doorway. Handsome in his suit, grocery store bag in one hand. He’s resting his forearm on the wood of the doorframe, that lazy smile directed right at me.

“You’re adorable when you’re sleeping, Bright Eyes.”

Instinctively, I swipe at my chin with my hand to make sure I haven’t been drooling. “How long have you been standing there?”

“It’s cheesy if I say long enough, right? That’s what they all say in the movies. Don’t worry, already checked for drool in case I could snap a picture. The mighty Athena de la Peña drools like the rest of us.” He shrugs. “No dice.” He looks like he’s about to move toward me, but I hold up a hand.

“Don’t. Let me look at you a little longer.”

“You can still look at me when I’m closer, you know. Eyes are amazing things. Kinda gooey and gross, but also amazing.”

I shake my head. “You’re too hot to come any closer. I have urges.”

His face twists. “So? I have urges too. Want to see my urges?” He moves to open his fly, bag still clutched in his hand.

I scowl at him. “Don’t taunt me, Scottie. I watched that penalty kill.”

He looks even more confused but steps closer all the same. “Wait. You got turned on by the PK? That’s a new one. Can’t sayit feels sexy in the heat of the game. Kinda burns in all the wrong ways.”

I roll my eyes. “Hence being so damn hot.”

He takes another step, his eyes taking in the strewn confectionary decorating my bed. “Rough day?”

I groan. “My uterus is trying to kill me.”

He nods at me, threading his fingers into my hair. “I can only imagine, Bright Eyes. Anything I can do?”

“Rip it out with a crochet hook? A fork?” A little dramatic? Sure. But also, pretty sure it would help me not feel so much like death.

He chuckles. “I was thinking something a little less… permanent?” He rolls me onto my back, sits on the edge of the bed, then rubs my abdomen. I can’t say it’s not nice, the pressure, the heat, the concern… but the heat in his eyes suggests exactly what he has in mind.

“Scooooott.” I drag out his name. “We can’t have sex. I’m on my period.”

He clucks his tongue, shoving a bunch of candy out of the way. “And?”

“And it’s not the, like, day five to seven tail end of my period, Gizmo. It’s day two. It’s gruesome, it’s gnarly, it’s like something out of a horror film. It’s not sexy.”

“I’ve dealt with blood before, Athena.”

I snort. “Sure.” Sweeping my fingers over his face. “From busted lips, and heads, and your nose. Not menstrual blood. It’s a different beast entirely.”

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