Me:Good morning, Doctor.
Him:How are you feeling right now? Any discomfort or swelling?
Me:I was fine a while ago, but now that I've started talking to you, Doctor...
A goofy grin forms over my lips, and I'm unable to fight it off as I type the rest of my reply.
Me:The symptoms are back. *shocked face*
Me:What do I do, Doctor?
These words are so not me, and I think that's why I'm having so much fun texting them. Pretending to be someone like Temptation is just so strangely liberating that headaches have firmly become a thing of the past, and I've also been sleeping better the past few days.
I think this shows, too, since Nik's expression turns approving when I bump into him on his way out.
"You're looking a lot better these days," he comments.
"Um...yeah." I muster a smile without meeting the billionaire's gaze. I really don't like lying to him, but I also know telling him the truth will only make things worse.
And besides, it's not like I'm doing anything really wrong.
I'm just being treated by my doctor, you know?
Daria is sipping on a tall glass of piña colada when I join her at the pool deck, and she immediately straightens up on the sun lounger upon seeing me.
"I heard what Nik said," the older woman says slyly as one of the attendants hands me a watermelon shake. "I was so tempted to lean over the railings and yell out to him. He should know it's not a matter of what you're doing butwhoyou're doing—-"
I sputter on my shake."Daria!"
Nik's wife laughs. "But seriously, though. You're looking really great these days," she gushes, "and so happy, too."
Cringe.
I've never seen myself as the kind of girl who looks 'happy' because of a guy, and Daria's words linger in my mind even when I finally leave for class. The thought just doesn't sit well with me, but maybe it's only because this thing I have with Dr. Somebody...isn't really a thing?
My friends and I meet up at lunch, and the two other girls are even worse than Daria with the way they nag and badger me in hopes that I'll eventually kiss and tell.
"C'mon, Lei." Andie gives my shoulders a shake with each word. "Give us something, please!"
I wriggle out of her hold. "We've just been texting."
Madeleine flashes a mischievous smile. "You meansexting,right?"
I make a face. "Do you really think I'd answer that?"
My friends grin. "You just did."
Shit.
I keep my mouth shut after that, and it's a relief to hear the school bell eventually ring, and I finally have an excuse to escape my friends. I get why they're curious about how things are going between Dr. Somebody and me, but I really don't think there's anything for me to say...when I still don't fully understand how I feel about him.
Distraction-wise, he's been absolutely awesome. While this makes me feel so shamelessly wanton to admit, I've been consulting Dr. Somebody every night, and it always ends with me writhing in ecstasy under the covers.
He's just so good at turning me on, but more surprisingly than that is how he's just as good at making me laugh and distracting me in so many other ways every time we text.
Classes end for the day at four, and Nik's driver-slash-bodyguard is already waiting for me outside the gates of St. Francis College.
"Hey, Lou."