Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 121578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 608(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
“Yup. I guess we have to nuke them, and they get all gooey.”
“Yum.” She pulls the cookies out next and sets them next to the brownies.
“Those were for me.” I stuff my hands in my pockets and swagger over to her. “But I’ll share because you’re so cute.”
She laughs softly. “I don’t feel so cute today.”
I move closer and push the pharmacy bag toward her. “Open this one.”
The bottles of pills rattle as she pulls them out. “Two kinds of Advil?” She lifts an eyebrow in confusion.
“I wasn’t sure if liquid gels or regular ones work best in this situation.” I circle my hand in front of her stomach. “So I got both.”
She studies the blue box of liquid capsules. “I’ve never tried these. Thank you.”
She peers in the bag again and pulls out the flat, wide white box inside. “What’s this? Cuddly Plush Heating Pad? Why is there a cartoon cat on the box?” She pries the flap of the box open.
“It’s a Gretel-shaped heating pad,” I explain. “You wrap her in damp paper towels and pop it in the microwave.”
“Oh my gosh!” She laughs and pulls out the soft, flat, plushy black cat filled with some kind of seeds that warm when nuked and give it weight. “This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. How did I not know this existed sooner?”
I’m way too pleased with myself over a simple gift and try to wipe the grin off my face. “I thought it was cute and once I read that it was for cramps and you said…well, I thought it might help.”
“Aw.” She lunges forward, hugging me so fast, the heating pad whacks my cheek. “Oh! Sorry!”
“Heavy little thing.” I rub my cheek. “Soft though.”
“She really is.” Margot rubs her cheek against the flat cat’s belly. “I really love this. Thank you.” She sets flat cat on the counter and loops her arms around my neck.
“You’re welcome.” I brush my lips against hers. “You want me to heat it up for you? It’s supposed to stay warm for half an hour.”
“Actually, yes.” Her expression twists with pain and she reaches for the box of pain meds. “I’m going to take these and lie down if you don’t mind.”
“No.” I take the box from her hand and tear it open, then break the safety seal. “Did you eat something?”
She nods quickly. “I had some yogurt and granola right before you got here.”
“Okay.” I twist the cap off and hand her the bottle.
While she gets ready for bed, I wrap the heating pad and nuke it, praying it actually does what the box promises.
Margot
The band of pain around my forehead tightens, while the heavy ball of misery in my lower abdomen refuses to go away. I’m not sure how I feel about Jigsaw seeing me like this but I’m too tired to ask him to leave.
And for once, it’s kind of nice not being alone when I feel so awful. Instead of acting confused or telling me “it’s just nature, get over it” or something equally infuriating, he brought what I needed and more.
Exhausted, I pull the covers back and climb into bed. Oh, sweet comfy mattress and pillow. I curl up on my side, willing the Advil to hurry up and do its job.
Behind me, there’s a swishing of feet over floor.
“Flat cat is warm and ready,” Jigsaw says in a low voice.
I groan and hold my hand out.
“I got it. Roll over on your back for a second.”
I open my eyes and stare up at him. This tall, brutally beautiful man looming over me, concern etched into his expression, and what’s basically a stuffed animal in his hands. “Thank you,” I whisper, unable to come up with anything better.
I ease onto my back. He holds out the heating pad. “Is that too hot for you?”
I reach up and place the inside of my wrist on the warm, velvety material briefly. “No, it’s fine.”
He lifts my shirt and tugs my sweatpants down a few inches, then carefully spreads the heating pad against my lower abdomen. “Here?” he asks.
Mildly embarrassed, I reach for it. “A little to the right.”
Once it’s where I want it, he rolls my pants into place and lowers my shirt, then covers me with the blanket. The warmth slowly seeps into my body and a fraction of the achiness recedes. “That actually does feel a little better.”
“Good.” He stares down at me for a moment. “Do you want me to lie next to you for a while?”
Emotion wraps around my throat, holding my words hostage for a few beats. “I’d like that. A lot.”
“You got it.” He walks around to the other side of the bed. There’s a rustle of fabric, the ticking of his zipper, and the whomp of heavy denim landing on the floor. The covers lift and the mattress dips. “Not trying to be frisky,” he says as he eases closer and slides one arm underneath me. “Just don’t want to get my dirty clothes all over your sheets.”