Dirty Pucker (Denver Bashers #2)

29. Ingrid

Chapter 29

Ingrid

I wake from a dead sleep to the sound of my doorbell ringing.

I groan as I push up off my couch, where I fell asleep this afternoon. It’s a fight to open my eyes. My head is foggy and my lower abdomen is aching.

I rest my hand on my stomach. I got my period this morning, a few days earlier than expected.

I wince when I feel a cramp, searing me from the inside out.

Before falling asleep, I texted Del that I wasn’t feeling well and that I’d have to cancel dinner tonight. The hot night in bed I’ve been anticipating ever since we got back from Las Vegas yesterday will have to wait.

God, I hate my body sometimes.

The doorbell goes again. I sigh and stand up to answer it.

When I open the door of my condo and see Del standing there, I’m surprised.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“I thought we were getting dinner tonight.”

“Oh…didn’t you get my text?”

He shakes his head. Confused, I walk back over to the couch and grab my phone. I pull up my text conversation with Del. I see that I drafted the text but never sent it.

I turn back to Del and hold up my phone to show him. “I was so out of it earlier that I forgot to send you the text I wrote.”

“It’s okay.” He looks at me, his gaze tender and concerned. “You’re not feeling well?”

I shake my head, hesitant to tell him why. The guys I dated in the past were always grossed out whenever I just mentioned I was on my period.

Del glances over to my coffee table, where there’s a bottle of pain relievers, an empty bag of salt and vinegar chips, and three candy bar wrappers.

“That time of the month?” he asks.

“Um, yeah.” I let out an embarrassed laugh. “Usually I’m fine, but some months the symptoms hit me kind of hard.”

“It’s okay. I understand.”

I mess with the hem of the oversized sweater I’m wearing, feeling self-conscious.

“What do you need?” he asks.

“What do you mean?”

“What do you like to eat and drink when you’re on your period? I’ll run out and get whatever you want.”

I stare at him. “Seriously? You’d do that?”

“Yeah.” He frowns. “Didn’t the guys you dated do that for you?”

I shake my head.

His frown deepens. He leans close to me and kisses my forehead. I close my eyes, savoring the sweetness of it.

He rests his hands on my waist and pulls me close. “Make a list of everything you’re craving and I’ll run out and get it right now.”

I’m grinning like an idiot. “Are you sure? It’s gonna be a long list.”

He flashes a relaxed smile. “Positive.”

“Okay.” I text him a list of everything I’m craving.

His phone buzzes and he pulls it out of his pocket to look. “Pretty standard stuff,” he says while looking at the screen. “How about something for dinner? What takeout do you like to eat when you’re on your period?”

My chest tingles. That’s such a thoughtful thing to ask.

“Pad Thai with chicken and extra basil.”

“You got it.”

I bite my lip as I work up the nerve to ask him for one more thing.

“Could you also maybe pick up some tampons? I thought I had more in my bathroom, but I’m almost out and I forgot to grab some on my way home today.”

He doesn’t even blink. “Of course.”

“Seriously? You’re not bothered by that?”

“Why would I be bothered? I grew up with a single mom and a sister. Period stuff is standard for me.”

“So you were never embarrassed to buy pads and tampons?”

“I was when I was a teenager. But I’m twenty-nine. I’m over that. I can handle going to the store and buying period products.”

I’m actually swooning. I smile and kiss him.

He grabs my hand and walks me back to my couch. “Lie down and rest while I’m gone.”

Warmth pools in my chest as Del drapes a blanket over me and hands me the remote for my TV. He’s tucking me in, making sure I’m comfortable before he runs out and buys me tampons and every single snack I’m craving.

He starts to walk off, but I grab his hand. “Wait.” I sit up and grab my wallet from the coffee table. I dig out some cash and hand it to him, but he shakes his head.

“I’m not taking that.”

“Del, come on. You’re going out and getting all my snacks and food and tampons. I’m paying you.”

“No, you’re not.”

His voice is a soft growl, on the edge of bossy. My skin tingles. I like it when he’s a little bossy.

He pins me with his gaze. “I’m taking care of you.”

He gently pushes my hand away as he leans down and presses a soft kiss to my lips. “I’ll be back soon.”

He walks out the door and I fall back against the couch, grinning like a goofball, the butterflies in my stomach going crazy.

“Oh my gosh.” I glance at my kitchen island, which is covered in two grocery bags’ worth of snacks and food. “You got everything on my list. And then some.”

I count three bags of salt and vinegar chips, three boxes of Little Debbie oatmeal cakes, organic beef jerky, three packages of gummy bears, gummy worms, sour candy, Earl Grey tea, and four pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.

Del grabs the ice cream and stores it in my freezer, then walks over to me and kisses my forehead. “I didn’t want you to run out of stuff. It sucks to leave the house when you’re not feeling well.”

I tilt my head up and kiss him on the lips. “You’re gonna get so lucky when I’m done with my period.”

Heat flashes in his eyes. “We don’t have to wait.”

I stare at him, stunned at what he just said.

He blinks and suddenly looks shy. “Sorry, that came out wrong. I didn’t mean to sound like I was pressuring you into sex when you’re not feeling good.”

His face reddens and he runs a hand through his hair. “I just mean that I’m good with period sex.” He pauses. “Wow. I sound like a freak.”

I cup his face, heartened at how cute he is. “Don’t be sorry. It’s nice to know you’d be up for that. No other guy I’ve been with was. My exes made it clear that even the thought of fooling around with me while I was on my period was disgusting.”

He frowns and brushes a lock of hair out of my face. “That’s messed up.”

I shrug. “I completely understand if someone isn’t into doing certain things in bed. But to make your partner feel gross or disgusting is kind of hurtful.”

“They were assholes. I’m sorry, Ingrid.”

“It’s okay. I’m over it. And I’m really happy you’re not like that.” I smile and gesture at my disheveled appearance: ratty sweater and leggings, my hair in a messy bun. “You saw me looking like a hot mess when I answered the door and you didn’t go running for the hills.”

He grips my hips and pulls me against him. “You could never look like a mess. Not in a million years. You got the ‘hot’ part right though. You always look sexy.”

My skin tingles as he leans his head down to kiss the side of my neck. I shiver.

He pulls back. “Let’s get you fed. What do you feel like digging into first?”

I grab the sour candy and walk over to the takeout bag. I inhale, savoring the smell of herbs and fish sauce. “Pad Thai.”

He smiles. “You got it.”

He grabs a couple of plates from the floating shelves on the wall of my kitchen, dishes up the Pad Thai, and hands me a plate. I thank him and head back to the couch. We sit down and I turn on the TV, my heart doing somersaults in my chest at just how amazing Del is.