Page 100 of Fighting Spirit

“Rowan, I’m serious.”

“Fine,” he sighs, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “But next time he puts flour in the cheese sauce, I’m gonna shrink one of his sweaters in the washer.”

“You wouldn’t.” I mock gasp.

“I would,” he speaks into my hair. “All that bitching about wheat-free pasta, and he puts it in the fuckin’ sauce.”

“He’s an idiot,” I mumble through a yawn.

“No arguments from me.” Rowan shuffles back and lies down, tugging me with him until my back is flush against his chest. He reaches over me to grab the heating pad and placesit against my stomach, keeping his arm wrapped around me to hold it in place. I pull the comforter up and burrow back further into him, accidentally grinding my ass against his crotch in the process. Rowan lets out a small hiss. “Behave, woman,” he grunts, tightening his arm to keep me still.

“Sorry.” I giggle back.

I relax my muscles, feeling the warmth from the heating pad seep into me and start to ease the cramps as I eventually drift off in Rowan’s arms.

Chapter Forty-One

RUTH

“Fuck!” I hiss as I frantically pull my dress over my head. My arms get stuck somewhere around my neck and I stumble, my face still swathed in fabric. My shoulder hits the wall with a thud, and it’s only by some miracle that I manage not to end up sprawled on the floor.

“Ruth?” Rowan’s sleepy voice comes from somewhere on my left. I’m able to wrestle my head loose and I see him sat up on his elbows, sheets gathered around his waist and looking adorably mussed. “What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry!” I whisper as I get my dress situated. “I have to go.”

“Wait, what? No.” His face clears and he gets up to where I am, his hands immediately touching my forehead like he’s checking for a fever. “You’re leaving? Are you feeling okay?”

I’m exhausted from my restless night, but the worst of the reaction has passed now.

“I have something I forgot to do.”

“It’s seven am. What’s going on?”

I sigh and run a hand through my hair. “I have an English assignment due this afternoon.”

“It’s not done?”

“No,” the word comes out more like a whine, “I forgot about it.” I could almost cry, my throat aching from how hard I’m trying to hold it in. I thought I was doing better at managing all my school stuff. I’ve been to study with Clara a couple of times, and I even did okay on a quiz. Having this fall through the cracks makes me feel like I’ve taken one step forward and about seventeen giant leaps back. I can feel my face crumpling, and Rowan’s eyes widen in panic.

“Hey, hey. No, no, no, don’t cry, Frog.” His big arms engulf me, crushing my face into his chest. “I’m gonna lose my shit if you start crying.”

“I’m so frustrated,” I half sob, the tears coming full force now. “Why can’t I do anything right?”

The despair is unstoppable. I feel like I’m never going to be able to get through school, or achieve anything I want to do—if I even knew what I wanted to do—if I can’t get over this one thing.

“Baby, no.” He pulls back and wipes the tears from my cheeks. It’s a futile effort with how fast they’re coming. “That’s such bullshit.”

“It’s not bullshit. I fuck everything up.”

“Hey, stop that.” He dips down so we’re at eye level. “Nobody talks about my girlfriend like that.”

A watery laugh bubbles out of me. “That was really corny.”

He gives a half-shrug. “Corny’s not so bad. At least you’re smiling.”

“I just don’t know what to do,” I whisper hopelessly.

“Can you get an extension?”

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