“I bumped myself. In the shower.” My face goes hot. It’s too close to the truth.
“Doing what? Getting it on with the showerhead?” she says drily. That’s even closer to the truth. I want to die. “Come on, Niks, spit it out. You got laid. The only time I see that expression on your face is when you’ve spent the night diddling yourself.”
I give an outraged gasp. “I do not ‘diddle’ myself!”
“No. You use that arsenal of sex toys you keep stashed away.”
“Andy!” I look around the waiting room. Thankfully, it’s empty, aside from a teen wearing headphones on the far side. “I don’t have an arsenal of toys,” I mumble.
“Bullshit! Remember when I told you about the vibrators you could charge using a USB connection? Duracell battery shares dropped twenty points in a week.” I try to muffle a snort of laughter but fail. “Of course, now every time you recharge, the national power grid dips.” Andy’s on a roll.
“So what?” I counter. “I have needs.”
“So does Danny the Dolphin. Greenpeace has already flagged you for what you did to that poor thing.”
I feel myself fighting giggles. If anyone can lighten my mood, it’s this crazy woman.
“Spit it out,” she says, not letting up.
Where to begin? “I met a guy,” I finally heave out. “Just a hookup, nothing serious.” How do I tell her he’d saved me from being raped after I stumbled drunkenly from a bar…after learning my father had lost me in a poker game? She’ll have me committed.
“And? What’s his name? Where’s he from? Are you seeing him again?” her questions come out rapid-fire. I shrug.
“No idea.”
“No idea what? You don’t know when you’re seeing him again?”
“All of it,” I admit. Andy’s mouth drops open.
“Nikki Love! You spent the night in‘flagrante’with a man whose name you don’t even know? Youslut!” she exclaims. Her wide, expressive mouth curves into a wicked grin. “You are a freaking rockstar!” She laughs out loud.
I shrug. What’s there to say? It was entirely out of character, but then again, nothing about last night fits into any part of my world.
“So, was it good?” she presses. My crimson face answers her question. “Was it…dirty?” she winks.
I give a low grown. “Oh, my God,sodirty,” I exhale. “Although oddly clean.” I giggle. “We spent half the night in the shower.”
“You bad girl!” she laughs. Her words bring back a memory of him calling me that. I pinch my lips together and look down. Andy latches onto it like a bloodhound on a scent. “Ooh…so you were? A bad girl?”
“Maybe…” I say. Andy is showing far too much enthusiasm over this, but I can’t help myself. I want to talk about it. “He…he spanked me,” I whisper. “And I loved it.”
“Lord have mercy!” Andy chortles, then glances at my face, which I want to hide.
“Is that…normal?” I can’t help casting furtive glances around us. If anyone overhears this, I’ll die.Dead.
“Course it is, babe. Nothing wrong with a bit of slap and tickle,” she reassures me. “I don’t mean you have to go fullShades of Greyor anything, but heck, why not explore a little? And God knows, you need it more than most.”
I heave a sigh. Andy’s right. My sex life could do with a serious overhaul. If anything, last night proved that to me. I’ve been limping from one lackluster relationship to another. Andy’s shuffling through files behind the counter of my workstation, but I’m certain she’s not done with this topic.
“Excuse me,” a hesitant voice intrudes. A young woman is on the other side of the counter, holding the hand of a small boy.
Thank God…saved from more interrogation.
“Evening, ma’am,” I smile warmly, “how can I help?”
“They sent us up from Emergency,” she says. “We’re looking for Pediatrics?”
“You’re in the right place,” I confirm. “I’m Sister Love. What’s the problem?”
