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“Most of the time, I don’t,” she said. In the weeks after learning she hadn’t gotten the part in Naïve to Death, she tried to meticulously control everything she put in her mouth, the word matronly flashing in her head when she looked at food.
“Okay, let’s just get this and get back to your place,” he said, sounding unsure.
She knew she’d been tense and short with him since he’d picked her up at the airport.
She was silent on the drive from HEB to her house. Jake grabbed the bags and followed her into the lobby, then the elevator. She saw his sideways glance, and the way his lips were moving.
“Okay, Sweets, what’s up?” he muttered.
“Nothing, why?” she said shrilly, darting her eyes away. It wasn’t fair. They hadn’t seen each other in weeks; she needed to put on a smile, but it was more than she could muster at that moment.
The elevator door opened, and she marched out toward her apartment. He followed her, not saying a word, but when they entered her apartment, he set the bags on the counter and turned toward her. “Sweets, come here,” he said cautiously.
“What? I’m fine. What?” she snapped, catching the concerned look scrunching his features.
He tilted his head, his mouth pensive, like he was studying her. “Okay you’re fine, so you’re being…” She saw how his mouth pursed, the letter B bouncing on his lips.
“Bitchy? Was that what you were going to say?”
“Snappy, just to see how patient I really am before you decide to commit?” He needled, one corner of his mouth turning up.
She shot him a stern look. “Already committed, and I’m not being fucking snappy!”
His chin went up, his mouth stretching into a wide grin. “Sure, okay, not snappy,” he said, amusement lacing his tone.
Quickly, she shut her eyes as she tried to figure out how to tell him something personal. Finally, she smiled and spoke. “Okay, a little snappy.”
“Just a little bit, Sweets, soo?”
“Nothing, just not feeling…” She didn’t know how to tell him she’d started her period; escorts didn’t share personal information with men and were not allowed on sexual assignments during that time.
He moved across the kitchen to where she stood. “Come here.” He wrapped his arms around her, leaned down, and kissed her forehead before moving his mouth to hers, kissing her firmly.
She collapsed into him. The weeks apart had felt like months, and the different time zones had made communication intermittent.
Then she pulled back. “Jake, I know it’s been a while, but tonight’s not the night for sure,” she blurted out. Even to her own ears she sounded like a middle school girl. Just talk to him, let him know you’ve missed him but it’s that time of month.
His arms were still around her waist. “Um, I wasn’t getting that vibe. I know I am slow, but really?” He smiled. “What’s wrong?” he asked, pushing like he already knew the answer.
“Nothing I’m, well, I’m…” she grimaced, her words seeming unsure. “I’m just tired, and I’ve spent the past few weeks grinning like a Disney character whose job is to make ornery kids laugh. It’s like that with marketing executives, too. Oh yes, I love your product,” imitating the internal dialogue she forced herself to perform every time she went into a meeting.
She arched away from him, but he yanked her waist firmly, looking down at her. “Sweets, are you on your period?”
Her jaw went lax; he had just thrown it out there as a matter of course, no biggie. “What? Yes,” she said softly, averting her eyes. One minute, she felt bold with him; the next, insecure and unsure.
“So why didn’t you just tell me?” He loosened his grip on her waist, his eyes perplexed, examining her.
“Well, what am I supposed to say? ‘Hey, I’m on my period, and I don’t feel well?’” Her eyes slid to the side, absorbing his dismay as if she were a little girl incapable of communicating.
Gently, he guided her chin so she was looking at him. “Um, Sweets, yes, that’s exactly what you say. That information could be critical for my survival.” She let out a peal of soft laughter as she hit his arm.
“And for the record, you being on your period doesn’t matter to me as far as sex is concerned,” he explained.
Heat ran up her neck as she felt her cheeks flush; besides Matt, she’d never talked to a guy about her period. Escorts didn’t work at all when they were menstruating; one of the reasons most were on the pill was to decrease the number of days it would last. “I can’t imagine having sex on my period,” she said reluctantly, her teeth raking over her bottom lip.
His hand held the side of her chin as his thumb feathered over her cheek. “Sweets, um, you will with me. I mean, I’m not going to not touch you for a week every month.”
Her eyes dropped. She couldn’t imagine it, a man wanting to be with her while she was bleeding. “I don’t feel comfortable, but I don’t mind sucking you off during that time,” she stated as if she were negotiating a deal.
