章 63: Sleep With Me

I should've kissed him. Because the next day … my menses were upon me, and the last thing I wanted to do was to get too close to him and be tempted with what I couldn't have.

I hid in my room after a brief morning practice, half to stay out of his sight and half because I wasn't feeling well enough to keep moving. I had rarely felt pain before during these days of the month, but this time was a lot worse than usual. I wondered a little embarrassedly if it was because of all the time we spent in bed.

The season was finally changing, and I propped my windows open, letting the crisp autumn air fill the room. The cool weather was perfect for brewing—even with the fire crackling in my small kitchen and the pot simmering above it, I didn't feel hot. In fact, the heat was unexpectedly welcoming, and I reached my hands over the steam, rubbing my fingers to warm them.