Chapter 11
CHAPTER ELEVEN
RIANN
When I wake the next morning, the faint scent of body wash still lingers, clinging to my skin and sticking to the blankets. Stomach fluttering, I jump out of bed to brush my teeth and get dressed, even though I still have a few hours before my appointment.
I order pancakes with fresh fruit via room service and dig through the clothes I brought with me, contemplating what to wear.
I want something sexy, which isn’t the easiest thing to accomplish when it’s freezing outside.
More material is preferable to shield me from the icy bite of the wind, but it also needs to scream fuck me.
I pull on a tank top and a pair of thigh-high black tights, flip-flopping between options before finally settling on a short black skirt and a slouchy cream-colored sweater.
I finish the outfit with my favorite black ankle boots and work a little mousse into my hair to give it some volume.
My usual braid isn’t going to cut it today.
Breakfast arrives, and I scarf it down without even tasting it, too consumed by thoughts of my impending appointment.
And the fact that I get to see Dr. Morales again.
Butterflies erupt in my stomach, and a smile curls my lips. This is my chance, and I won’t screw it up this time.
I won’t.
I can’t.
Makeup is last. I go a little more dramatic than normal, smoking out the black liner around my eyes and painting my lips with a cherry red lip stain. I give my appearance a final approving glance in the mirror before hurrying for the door.
As soon as I'm outside, a gust of icy wind slams into me, making my teeth chatter. The skirt and tights weren't the best decision, but I know it'll only be a few minutes of torture to possibly impress Dr. Morales.
I’ll gladly freeze my tits off if it gets her attention.
The warm air of the clinic lobby is a welcome relief, the heat licking at my skin and returning some of the feeling. My nose is frozen, my cheeks ice cold as I approach the receptionist’s desk.
“I’m here for my appointment,” I say, my eyes quickly drifting away from the disgruntled looking secretary to the nearby hallways. My heart rate is already picking up at the thought of seeing a flash of black hair or a white lab coat. “I’m a bit early.”
“Name?” Her tone is flat and disinterested.
“Riann Saunders.”
A few clicks of her mouse, and she jerks her head to the small sitting area in the lobby.
“You’re checked in. You can wait over there for the nurse.”
I can’t explain the deflating sensation in my chest—it’s not like I really expected Dr. Morales to appear immediately and drag me down the hall to use me as her own personal science experiment—but I force a smile and make my way over to the stuffed chair in the corner.
The minutes drag by excruciatingly slow, and the curious texts I receive from Ziel aren’t helping with my patience.
Ziel: Did you wear sexy underwear?
I snort a laugh and reply.
What underwear?
I picked out my laciest thong in the hope Skylar might find out what I’m hiding underneath this skirt, but Ziel doesn’t need to know that. He knows way too much as it is.
After a bit of back and forth with him that helps calm my nerves, a nurse appears around the corner and calls my name. She’s the same one who gave me the injection yesterday.
An electric shock shoots through my system. My heart lurches as I get shakily to my feet, heat blooming around me.
“How are you doing today?” The nurse asks as she leads me down the hall to an exam room.
It’s across from the one I was in yesterday but nearly identical inside. Exam table, small desk in the corner, and a chair in the one opposite.
“I’m good,” I say automatically, not in the mood for small talk. For some reason, the temperature in the exam room is hotter than the lobby. That, or I’m having a hot flash like yesterday when I first saw Skylar.
“Good,” she says as I hop up on the exam table, her sweet, professional demeanor never failing. I keep my knees clenched together to avoid giving her a free show. “Did you notice any side effects from the injection you got yesterday?”
Side effects.
I think back to the shower last night, of how I fucked myself to the thought of Dr. Morales, and my face flames.
“Umm…” I’m not sure if the insane libido had anything to do with the injection. I might find the courage to bring it up to Dr. Morales when she comes in, but there’s no way I’m telling this beta nurse how I nearly crawled out of my skin last night. “No. No, I don’t think so.”
Her smile brightens. “I’ll let Dr. Morales know you’re here, and she’ll be in shortly.”
The second I’m alone, my pulse lurches, and I begin to wonder if I can shatter apart from nerves.
That, or combust from impatience.