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"Do I think I didn’t give you herpes? Yes"
"I know you didn’t," she says, rolling her eyes "I’"
I mimic her and roll my eyes "Yes, I’ a few times before You need to take some aspirin, put some cold compresses over those blisters, and drink a lot of water So let’s start here I’ll find the aspirin"
"I have Midol Will that work?"
I laugh "No, but I’ll run out to the store and pick souess you don’t have that either"
She shakes her head no and turns back toward thetheerator, looking for a bottle of spring water It’s co of lelass I fill it ater and when I turn she’s standing behind ed and put soht back Okay?"
She runs her hand down rab her hand and kiss it "You don’t have to thank ht"
I kiss the top of her head, the only place I knoon’t hurt her "There will be other nights"
She drinks the water, sets the glass down, and opens the refrigerator, re She sniffs them and I pause to watch her She sets them on the counter, cuts one in half, and squeezes the juice up her arm I watch her curiously as she repeats this process on the other ar?" I ask
She turns towardht sting more than it already does"
I bunch e leood for your skin, so it should help with sunburn too"
"Yeah, but don’t s "I’h
As I walk out the door nohy she always s about how our night has been ruined but rather about how I’rocery store is quiet at this tih the aisles I’ve decided to pick up a few things since I’ out this weekend My phone beeps and I slide it out of my pocket It’s S’belle
Did I say thank you?
You did and I told you you didn’t have to say that, but I think I’ve changedforward to tonight?
You did Don’t you want to knohy I changed my mind?
Did I tell you I really wanted to have sex with you tonight?
I nearly dropto kill me I hurry up and pay for s in the car By the tietto kill ed your et over this sunburn, I have a few ILLUSTRATED ways in et ht pick up ht away, I put the car in DRIVE and head back to her place, assuet back to her apartment, I pull the chain lock across the door and yell out, "Red"
"I’m in hing froain I see a few personal things but not ?" she calls
"I’ll be right there" I throw the cold things into the fridge and freezer, grab a feater bottles froht, the bottle of aspirin, the aloe, and walk down the hall I knohich roolow fro room--plain with very little in ter on the bed with practically nothing on--as I said, she’s trying to kill ht sleep shorts and a thin-strapped tank top Both are white Both see-through
"Hey, I got solances up ather I take her phone from her clutched hand and when I do it chirps--a text froht table "Wyatt? At this tis "He must have a question"
"Well, it’s after hours, so you can contact hi what I just said but doesn’t ht?" I ask as I set the things in htstand
"Yes"
When I sit beside her, my stomach jolts I want to hold her, to kiss her, to fk her But when I pull her chin toward ?"
"I’ave ently kiss her lips and whisper to her, "You’re the fking sexiest thing I’ve ever seen Yes, I gave you a second thought" Then I add, "Many second thoughts"
Silence overtakes us as we both seeain, she flinches I pull back and take the aspirin bottle, pop the cap off, and pour out two Then I twist the top of the water bottle off and hand her both She ss the pills After I kick my sneakers off, I crawl up next to her so we’re face-to-face I run h her strands of red hair and notice the blotchiness on the skin of her shoulders
"Bell," I say, caressing her cheek "I remember the first tile detail about the night we spent together And if you want to talk about it, I will But there are sos that I think are better left in the past I have this need to have you in my life I don’t understand what it is, but I know I haven’t felttime than I have with you these last six weeks"
A few stray tears trickle down her face "You called me Bell"
"That’s your na and carefully wipe her tears away I pullmy stomach, I say, "Come here"