Jules was absent again at dinner, but since I didnโt want to
invite any further questions from Alex about why I was so concerned about Julesโwhich Iย wasnโt; I was merely curiousโI waited until we returned to our cabin before grilling Ava.
โWhatโs wrong with JR?โ I kept my voice low.
Alex had disappeared into their bathroom for a shower, but I wouldnโt be surprised if he had supersonic hearing.
Ava chewed on her lower lip
โAva.โ I pinned her with a stern stare. โIf sheโs going to die on me in the middle of the night, I need to know so I can plan my sleep accordingly.โ
โFunny.โ She glanced at the closed door. โOkay, Iโm only telling you because youโre a doctor. Also, because it got worse this afternoon but sheโs too stubborn to ask for help.โ
My earlier seed of worry blossomed into a full fucking tree, leaves and all. โWhat got worse?โ
My sister hesitated before saying, โJules has reallyโฆ painful periods. Beyond regular cramps. The pain usually goes away after a day or so, but during that dayโฆโ
โItโs unbearable,โ I finished. A hard knot formed in my chest. โEndometriosis?โ
Most women experienced primary dysmenorrhea, or common menstrual cramps. Secondary dysmenorrhea, such as endometriosis, was the result of reproductive organ issues and was usually far more excruciating.
Ava shook her head. โI donโt think so, but I donโt want to speak for Jules. She doesnโt like talking about it.โ
โUnderstood.โ
There was a societal stigma regarding periods, and a lot of people, men and women alike, were uncomfortable discussing them.
After years of med school and residency, I had no problem discussing any bodily function, but I wouldnโt bring something up if the other person didnโt want to talk about it.
โLay off the insults tonight, all right?โ Ava gave me a pointed stare. โSheโs not in the mood.โ
โIโm not a monster, little sis.โ I ru๏ฌed her hair, earning myself a scowl. โDonโt worry.โ
After Ava turned in for the night, I stopped outside my room and rapped my knuckles against the door in case Jules was indecent. No answer.
I waited another beat before I opened the door with a quiet creak. The lamp was on, and I immediately zeroed in on Julesโs curled-up form. She lay in a fetal position on her side, hugging a pillow to her stomach. I couldnโt see her face, but I saw her stiffen at my entrance.
Still awake.
โHey,โ I said softly. โHow are you feeling?โ โFine. Just a stomachache,โ she mumbled.
I closed the distance between us until we were face to face, and my chest pinched again when I noticed her shallow breaths and the white-knuckled grip strangling her pillow.
โDid you take any ibuprofen? I have some.โ I always carried a mini first aid kit with bandages, painkillers, and other essentials.
โYep.โ Jules peered up at me with a scrunched brow. โAva told you, didnโt she?โ
โYeah.โ There was no point in lying.
She groaned. โI shouldโve told her not to say anything.โ โPretty sure I wouldโve noticed something was wrong
when I saw you curled up like a deformed shrimp.โ
It didnโt count as an insult if I was trying to make her feel better. It gave her the perfect opportunity to snark back, and arguing with me always perked her up.
My smile faded when she didnโt respond.
Okay, maybe the deformed shrimp comment wasnโt as helpful as I thought.
Shouldย I try to help her, or should I leave her alone? There wasnโt a foolproof method for alleviating severe cramps, and sheโd already taken ibuprofen, but there were other remedies that might help.
The question was whether or not she wanted my help.
I made up my mind when Jules winced and clutched her pillow closer to her abdomen, her face screwed with pain.
Fuck it. I was helping her whether she liked it or not. It wasnโt like I could sleep next to her knowing she was in agony. I wasnโtย thatย much of an asshole.
I walked into the bathroom and scanned the amenities lined up on the marble counter. When we dropped off our luggage, I couldโve sworn I sawโaha.ย I picked up the tiny bottle of lavender oil and returned to Julesโs side.
โI might be able to help with the cramps,โ I said. โTurn over.โ
โWhy?โ
โTrust me.โ I held up my free hand when she opened her mouth. โYes, I know. Youย donโtย trust me. But I am a trained medical professional, and I promise I donโt have nefarious intentions. So unless you want to toss and turn all nightโฆโ
โTrained medical professional, yet your bedside manner could use major work.โ Nevertheless, she did as I asked and shifted positions so she lay on her back.
โIโve never had any complaints before.โ I sat next to her on the bed and placed the pillow to the side. I nodded toward the hem of her shirt. โMay I?โ
Wariness etched onto Julesโs face, but she acquiesced with a short nod.
I lifted her shirt, baring her stomach, before I uncapped the oil and warmed a few drops in my hands. It was made for baths, but itโd serve as a massage oil in a pinch.
I swept my palms over her abdomen and rubbed gentle circles before easing into more targeted kneading. I wasnโt a licensed massage therapist, but Iโd picked up on the basics and a few tricks over the years.
Julesโs muscles tensed at my initial touch, but as the minutes passed, they gradually relaxed.
โThatโs it,โ I murmured. โDeep breaths. How do you feel?โ
โBetter.โ Her eyes fluttered shut. โYouโre good at this.โ It came out equal parts grudging and admiring.
โIโm good at everything.โ A smile ghosted my mouth at her scoff.
We fell into a comfortable silence as I continued my massage. Julesโs skin was soft and warm beneath my touch, and her breathing evened out into a steady rhythm.
I stole a glance at her face. Her eyes were still closed, so I allowed myself to linger on the sweep of the dark lashes against her cheeks, the lush curve of her bottom lip, and the silken fan of her coppery hair splayed out on her pillow. Her brow was no longer scrunched with pain, and the knot in my chest loosened.
It was my first time seeing Jules so unguarded. It wasโฆ unnerving. I was so used to our bickering Iโd never given much thought to what she was like behind all the fire and brashness.
How do you know I havenโt already?
My family wasnโt big on skiing. We didnโt have the money for it even if we were.
Jules has reallyโฆpainful periods. Beyond regular cramps.
Iโd known Jules for years, yet I knew so little about her. Her family, her history, her secrets, and her demons. What was she hiding beneath that fiery exterior? Something told me it wasnโt all sunshine and rainbows.
I shifted my attention back to the task at hand and tried to reign in my wandering thoughts. โFeel better?โ The words came out strangely husky.
โMmhmm.โ Julesโs drowsy affirmation elicited another smile.
My gaze drifted upward again, and heat curled low in my stomach when I saw her staring at me with a lazy, slumberous expression.
Her lips parted slightly as our eyes locked. Held.
Burned.
Electricity charged the previously tranquil air and danced over my skin, which suddenly stretched too tight over my bones and thundering heartbeat.
Julesโs breathing turned erratic again. Not only could I hear her rapid inhales and exhales, I couldย feelย them beneath my hands, and they matched the uneven rhythm of my own breaths.
She licked her lips, and God himself wouldnโt have been able to stop the X-rated images flooding my brain. Those full, pouty lips wrapped around the head of my cock, that delicate pink tongue licking up and down my length while she stared up at me with her big hazel eyesโฆ
My hands stilled and curled into loose fists. There was no use pretending I was still giving her a massage. The only thing I could focus on was the erection straining against my zipper and hiding said erection from Jules.
It was so fucked up. She was in pain, and here I was, hard as a rock. Proof that the body and mind were incompatible more often than not.
But Jules didnโt quite look like she was in pain anymore.
Instead, she was looking at me likeโฆ
Donโt go there.
โYou should be good for now.โ I cleared my throat of its rasp before speaking again. โIโll bring out a warm compress so you can use it through the night.โ
I stood and walked into the bathroom before she could respond, angling my body so she couldnโt see the severely ill-timed tent in my pants. By the time I came back out with the towel compress, Jules was already fast asleep.
Relief and disappointment coursed through me in equal measure.
I placed the folded towel gently on her stomach and moved her hands on top of it to prevent it from sliding off. I pulled the comforter up, turned off the lamp, and stepped into the bathroom once again, where I turned the water on full blast and let it pound the tension out of my muscles.
I rubbed my hands over my face, trying to make sense of the events of the past fourteen hours.
That morning, Jules and I had traded insults like normal, but over the course of the day, Iโd willingly taught her how to ski, worried over her well-being, and given her a fucking aromatherapy massage. Not to mention, I was still harder than a steel pipe.
What the hell is happening to me?
Instead of giving in to the urge to take care of my situation downstairs, I finished my shower and changed into sweatpants.
I couldnโt jerk off to Jules, not when she was sleeping in the other room and I didnโt evenย likeย her. Then again, lust and like werenโt always a package deal.
I climbed into bed, making sure to stay as far away from her as I could, and tried to fall asleep, but my damn brain wouldnโt shut off.
Jules. Alex. Michaelโs letters. Jules. My fucking erection
that wonโt fucking go away. Jules.
My cock pulsed harder, and a low groan rose in my throat.
This was going to be a long night.
