Total pages in book: 215
Estimated words: 217988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1090(@200wpm)___ 872(@250wpm)___ 727(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 217988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1090(@200wpm)___ 872(@250wpm)___ 727(@300wpm)
“Oh, no! What happened? I’m such a klutz.”
Trying to push through the breath-stealing agony in his balls, he rolled back over to face her, gently drawing her down against him as she kept apologizing.
“Shh. Shh.” He rubbed her back, trying to convince himself that he wasn’t going to be sick. “You’re fine. It’s okay.”
Suddenly, she sat up, staring down at him in horror. “I’m a terrible person!”
“What?” The pain was starting to recede. Thank God. And he’d managed not to cry.
Go him!
“You shouldn’t be comforting me. I should be looking after you. I’ll get you an ice pack or is a wheat bag better? I’ve never dealt with sore balls before.”
He had to chuckle. “You haven’t?”
“What do you need? I can’t believe I did that. I’m never this klutzy.”
She was always this klutzy, but he didn’t tell her that. He wasn’t a complete idiot.
“I’ll get an ice pack. That will help.” She jumped to her feet, then started swaying. Her hand covered her stomach. “Right after I vomit.”
She took off for the bathroom. He followed her as soon as he could move without throwing up himself.
By the time he reached the bathroom, she was finished. She’d flushed the toilet and was trying to stand.
He helped her up, then lifted her onto the counter before getting the toothbrush for her. She looked so pale. He carefully cupped her cheek. “You okay?”
“I don’t know,” she said.
Leaning in, he pressed his forehead to hers.
“When will everything get normal again?”
“It likely won’t. But it doesn’t matter. Because as long as I have you and you have me, we can face anything, yeah?”
“Like Batman and Robin,” she said with a smile.
“Or Wonder Woman and her lasso.”
“Oh, dibs being the lasso.” She put her thumb on her forehead.
He had to chuckle. “So, I’m Wonder Woman?”
“Well, you’ve got the ass for that outfit.”
Throwing his head back, he laughed. “Good to know, baby.”
After she’d brushed her teeth, he cupped her chin, tilting her face back. “Together, we can do anything, yeah? Forgive me for leaving you?”
“Of course.”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “You forgive too easily.”
“Oh, you want me to make you pay for it? Hmm, I could do that. Although, that kick to the balls was probably punishment enough. Poor little bally-balls.”
He grimaced. “Please, don’t ever call them little bally-balls. You’ll give them a complex.”
She bit her lip, laughter dancing in her eyes. And that’s when Brody knew they were going to be okay. Even if he was about to be subjected to her teasing.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. Do they have names? Ethel and Bethel? Donatello and Michelangelo?”
He groaned. “Stop. Stop, I beg you.”
“But I’m just getting started. Peanut and Butter. Ooh, that’s a good one.”
“My balls are not called Peanut and Butter. And you’re a brat.”
She giggled. And it made something inside him soften.
“Come on, let’s go watch some more of these cheesy movies. Then if you’re feeling better later, we can have a hot chocolate and put up some Christmas decorations.” And he was going to see what he could do about getting her a tree.
“Probably too late when it’s Christmas Eve.”
He gasped in mock horror. “It is never too late to put up Christmas decorations. For shame.”
She grinned. “Okay, Brody-bear, that sounds like fun. Ooh, and can we make Christmas cookies?”
“Yep.”
“And cover them with icing and sprinkles?”
“Yep.”
“And you’ll put whipped cream on the hot chocolate?”
“Sure, I’ll even make my scrumptious slow cooker hot chocolate.”
“You’ve had a scrumptious slow cooker hot chocolate recipe all this time and never made it for me? I’m disappointed in you, Brody-bear.”
“It’s only for special occasions.”
“I don’t know, Brody-bear. Every day is a special occasion. Life is short. We should drink hot chocolate and eat cake for breakfast and cookies for lunch.”
“Nice try. I’m not buying it. But since it’s Christmas Eve, I guess cookies for dinner is okay.”
She lay on the sofa with a groan. She was so full of cookies that she felt ill. And Brody’s scrumptious hot chocolate was soooo good that she’d had three mugs. And then made him make up a batch for the morning.
If she was still alive in the morning. She might have died of sugar overload.
Brody walked in, eyeing her. “You okay, Tutu?”
“My tummy hurts.”
“I thought you were over your hangover.”
“I think I might have sugar pains. You know . . . from eating too much sugar.”
He grimaced. “I knew I should have stopped you after cookie number six.”
“I’ve got no willpower, Brody-bear. But it all tasted sooo good.”
He sat beside her, running his hand over her tummy, trying to soothe her. She had changed out of her onesie into her Christmas pajamas. They had images of Rudolph and Santa all over them. She’d even surprised Brody with an early Christmas present of matching pajamas. Then she’d made him put them on straight away so she could take some photos of them together.