The next day, Dallas learned why she said she could shoot inside.
Her period had come.
A fever combined with her period was enough to bring down any ironclad warrior.
Averi, feeling dizzy and disoriented, had no choice but to call Jordan, telling her she wouldn't be coming to the office today but needed to be contacted by phone at any time if anything came up. After briefing on the work, she fell back onto the bed, turning her back to Dallas and said, "Go, the door will lock itself."
She felt a bit uncomfortable, remembering how clingy she had been last night.
Dallas didn't say anything. He left the bedroom, closed the door behind him, first called Sidney, then called Manuel to take a leave of absence. Manuel readily approved his leave, even praising him for his hard work over the past while and suggesting he take a few more days off if he wasn't feeling well.
Manuel was a generous and scholarly businessman, but as the saying goes, indulgent mothers spoil their children, and so do indulgent fathers—his children were one more troublesome than the next.
On the contrary, despite the undercurrents of rivalry among Cristopher's children, none of them were particularly bad; even impulsive and reckless Eli managed to get into a decent university on his own merit. Odin, much like her, had received an offer from H University, but for some unknown reason, he chose to stay and study domestically instead.
The bond between parents and children is something that is highly unpredictable.
After waiting a while and hearing no sound, Averi assumed Dallas had left. Dragging her sore body out of bed to take her medicine, she opened the door only to find him in the kitchen.
Averi glanced at him, quietly walked over, and poured herself some water.
The pills fell into her palm, but the man stopped her by holding her wrist, saying, "Take them after you eat."
Averi gently pushed him away, "It's fine."
Dallas took the pills directly from her hand, "Be good, take them after you eat."
Fiona was often ill as a child, far more troublesome when sick than Averi, crying and fussing, refusing to take her medicine. Back then, he was just a young boy himself, not knowing how to comfort others, but the phrase he used most often was "I need you to cooperate, alright?" Seeing her about to take her medicine on an empty stomach, those words slipped out naturally.
After saying that, he felt a bit off and turned away to stir the pot of oatmeal. However, he still held the medicine in his hand, not intending to give it to her just yet.
After saying that, he felt a bit off and turned away to stir the pot of soup. However, he still held the medicine in his hand, not intending to give it to her just yet.
With little in her fridge, Dallas made some oatmeal and a hard-boiled egg. He waited until she finished eating before handing her the water and medicine.
The medication worked, and Averi slept intermittently until evening. If not for having to get up to deal with her period, she could have stayed in bed all day without turning over.
Dallas took her temperature twice more during the day, only feeling relieved once he confirmed her temperature was gradually dropping.
In the end, it was his fault for staying up late with her last night.
After sleeping all day, Averi felt much better, but seeing the bowl of oatmeal and egg Dallas brought over, her eyebrows furrowed.
As a child, she envied classmates who got oatmeal from their mothers when they were sick, but now she realized that nothing could withstand being eaten three meals in a row.
After a couple of bites, Averi put down her spoon, "I don't want to eat."
Not only was she worried, but she also looked a bit angry, acting very childish, which made Dallas want to laugh.
But he kept his composure, asking calmly, "Then what do you want to eat?"
Averi thought for a moment and said, "Buffalo wings." Her mouth felt bland and lifeless, and every cell in her body craved something bold and flavorful.
"No."
Averi wanted to ask, "Why not?" but as the words reached her lips, she realized how childish the conversation was, even for someone who was sick, so she swallowed them back.
Picking up the spoon, she stirred the congee aimlessly, refusing to eat. After a while, she said, "Then feed me."
Dallas looked up at her, took the spoon, scooped up a spoonful of oatmeal, and offered it to her.
Averi turned her head slightly, avoiding it, and looked at him seriously, "Not like that."
How should he feed her? He understood after a brief moment of thought.
They looked at each other for a moment, then Dallas turned his hand, putting the oatmeal in his mouth, and Averi obediently tilted her head back.
Their lips met, Dallas opened his mouth, feeding her the congee. The person below, like a fledgling, took small sips, lingering with her lips against his, chewing slowly. After swallowing, she extended her tongue, licking the seam of his lips, releasing a faint fragrance of grains.
Averi half-closed her eyes as if savoring the taste and whispered, "Delicious." She opened her mouth slightly and said softly, "More, please," encouraging him to continue.
Dallas swallowed hard.
Feeding her this way, it was inevitable that things would escalate. Soon, eating became secondary, and kissing took precedence. Averi Averi quickly swallowed the oatmeal he offered, then captured his tongue, tasting the hint of oats as their mouths intertwined. She playfully returned a small amount of the oatmeal back to him, and as she heard his unguarded gulp, her mood lifted even more.
Dallas quickly took control, holding her chin as his tongue explored every inch of her mouth, wrapping around hers and drawing it into a deep, possessive kiss. His hands also became restless, expertly reaching under her clothes to caress her, vigorously kneading the heavy breasts to relieve his desire, then pinching the nipple between his fingers and squeezing it.
"Um..."
Hearing her moan, Dallas snapped awake, his face taut as he withdrew his hand and stood up, casting a glance at her lips swollen from his kisses before quickly averting his eyes.
After a moment of silence, he said, "I'm going to buy some Buffalo wings."
With that, he strode out of the bedroom.
Averi sat on the bed, her fingers caressing the blanket still warm from his body. The moment she heard the door close, she couldn't hold it in any longer. She collapsed back onto the bed with a thud and burst into laughter.
