Page 28 of Three Minutes
“It’s called endometriosis…and it’s a real pain in the ass.” She chuckles lightly, though her expression remains serious.
I’ve heard the term before, but I know little about it. “What kind of issues does it cause?” I ask as she adjusts the heating pad on her abdomen.
“It varies from person to person, but for me, it’s excruciating periods that leave me unable to go to work, stuck in bed all day, while taking meds that hardly make a dent in the pain.” Her mouth opens like she has more to say, but she hesitates.
“Is that all?” I prompt gently.
She shakes her head, a hint of reluctance in her eyes. “Well, it…it also brings on a lot of pain after sex sometimes…a-and infertility.” She quickly looks down at her hands, avoiding my gaze.
Fuck, that’s a lot to take in, especially considering she’s only twenty-one. It really pains me to think about her dealing with this every month, and knowing she’s been here all day by herself, feeling miserable, just makes it worse. Clearing my throat, I finally say, “I, uh, I’m sorry.”
She tries to run her fingers through her hair, but they get caught in a knot. With a frustrated huff, she replies, “It’s okay…it’ll be easier tomorrow. Honestly, the first day is usually the toughest.” I nod slowly, doing my best to hide how her confession affects me.
I watch her as she opens the drawer of her nightstand and pullsout a small hairbrush. Sitting up, she starts to brush her hair, wincing at the knots she encounters. After a moment, she places the brush back on the nightstand and begins to part her hair in preparation for a braid. I clench my fist, feeling a strong urge to help her. Swallowing hard, I step into her room. “Can I help you?” I ask.
She pauses, glancing at me. “Help me with what?” I gesture towards her hair. For a second, she looks a bit puzzled, but then she nods, giving me the go-ahead. As I approach her bed, she shifts, pulling the heating pad off and laying it beside her. Then, she turns to face the headboard, crossing her legs. I gently take a seat, positioning myself so I’m facing her back while making sure to keep my shoes off her bed and blanket.
I take a deep breath through my nose, gently reach for her hair, and begin to detangle the small braid she started. My fingers glide through her silky strands, and I can’t help but admire the natural blonde and gold highlights that remind me so much of my mom’s hair. Memories flood back of her teaching me to braid; moments I cherished as they made me feel useful, as if I was repaying a small piece of love. I refocus on Raina, captivated by the sight of her exposed upper back. I spot a few faint freckles sprinkled across her shoulders, just like those on her cheeks and nose. I find myself imagining kissing each one, slowly counting them with my lips. Being this close to her feels dangerously intoxicating.
The silence between us is gently interrupted when Raina lets out a soft laugh. “What?” I ask, glancing at her.
“I never imagined you could braid hair.”
I take a brief pause, feeling a bit self-conscious. “Is that odd?” I reply.
“Not at all…actually, it’s really cute.” Her compliment brings a smile to my face as she hands me a hair tie from behind her. “How did you learn to do it?”
I sense genuine curiosity in her voice. Taking a deep breath, I respond, “My mom taught me. I used to braid her hair for her.”
Raina turns slightly, a warm smile on her face. “That sounds really special.”
I relax my shoulders and finish weaving her braid. “It was, yeah.” We fall into a comfortable silence as I tie off the end. “There…all done.” She reaches back to touch the braid, running her fingers along it.
“Wow…you’re really good at it.” Turning to face me, she hugs her knees close to her chest, a playful smile spreading across her lips. “Thank you.”
I nod, mirroring her lazy smile. Even when she’s completely worn out, there’s a beauty about her that’s impossible to ignore. Being close to her, reliving a moment that means so much to me, it’s hard to resist the urge to pull her in for a tight embrace. I imagine what it would feel like to draw her against me, wrapping my arms around her tiny frame. My gaze drifts to her chest, envisioning the way her perky breasts would fit perfectly in my hands. I can almost see the outline of her nipples through the fabric, enticing me to run my thumb over them and witness how they respond eagerly to my touch. I note how her chest rises and falls steadily with each slow breath. Our eyes lock, and I can feel the unspoken words hanging in the air between us. It’s like my self-control is slowly unraveling at the seams, and the longer I stay this close to her, the more I worry that I might do something that I’ll never be able to resist again.
With that truth, my teeth grind together as I quickly rise from her bed and head for the door. “I should get going. I need to check on the cat,” I say.
I hear her sigh behind me. “Stay?” she asks, her voice sounding more like a quiet plea.
I glance back over my shoulder. “What?”
She averts her gaze for a moment. “Could you sit with me alittle longer? It’s…helped take my mind off how lousy I feel.” She shifts back on the bed, picking up the heating pad and settling it back on her stomach.
How do I say no? My mind is urging me to leave, but my racing heart is pulling me to linger just a bit longer—for her. I steal a glance at the empty space on the other side of the bed, feeling an almost magnetic draw toward it. Shifting my gaze back to the door, I close my eyes for a moment.Just a little longer, I tell myself as I quietly make my way around her bed. I grab the pillow and prop it up against the headboard before sinking back onto it, making sure to keep some distance between us. I position myself so that only my feet hang off the edge, crossing one over the other. When I glance at Raina, she meets my eyes with a grateful smile before grabbing the TV remote and flipping through Netflix. Every once in a while, I find myself watching her, observing the way her expressions shift as she gets absorbed in some silly reality show that I don’t pay attention to. She’s caught me staring more than a few times, yet she remains silent. In this shared space, we simply enjoy the quiet company of each other, saying nothing at all.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Tell me about Raina’s friend. Do you think she’d be into a tall, incredibly handsome guy like me?” Blake croons from behind the bar.
I let out a long, exasperated sigh. The moment Raina mentioned her friend coming over, I knew Blake would jump at the chance to meet her. I flipped on theopensign and unlock the front door. “All I know is her name and age,” I say, walking back toward the bar and stealing a glance at him. He’s leaning against the counter, a goofy grin plastered on his face, eagerly waiting for any info I can share. I give him a glare. “Her name is Callie, and she’s twenty-four…happy now?”
He straightens up as customers begin to filter into the bar. “I suppose we’ll find out soon enough, brother.”
Beck walks through the double doors, finally emerging from the back where she’s spent over an hour organizing. It’s such a relief to see things starting to feel normal again and to have her here, actively engaging rather than avoiding me. From what Blake has shared, she and Jenson are getting along well. Although nothing official is on the table, they’ve been spending a lot of time together. I’ve noticed a new light in her. She seems genuinely happy, and that’s all I could wish for. “Why is Blake acting so strange?” Beck asks, standing next to me as we both watch him preen in the large wall mirror while mixing drinks.
I rub my jaw, trying to pull my attention back to her. “Uh…Raina is bringing a friend.”
