Page 44 of Brainwashed

Wriggling beneath the weight of his gaze, I wait eagerly for him to speak.He has to say something to me, right?? I mean, he can’t go another session without uttering a word…

After a moment, his head does a little dip. “These aren’t my books. I just got here yesterday.”

I almost choke on how stupid I feel. “Right…”

My eyes fall away, and the room goes silent once more, oxygen weighted with the lingering foolishness of our first interaction. The only thing I can hear is my own rushing blood, the adrenaline of not knowing what to expect from this man taking me over.

But then he says, “Would you like to read one?”

My chin jumps. “I could have a book…?”

“Why not?” His head slants.

My mouth hangs open for a minute while I think about how to respond. “They’ve never given us books in here. Or music. Anything entertaining, really.”

The doctor shifts in his chair, leaning in on the desk, closer to where I’m standing. Then he nods at the shelf. “Choose one.”

I can’t help how my face lights up. I feel it happening, a grin forming on my lips as I turn to the shelf and eye its contents. I haven’t read a book in so long, at this point I think I’d enjoy just about anything. That said, I want to pick something good. Most of the books on this shelf are psychology journals and things that sound kind of boring.

I also don’t want to take too long choosing, in case he changes his mind, but I make sure to really look over all the options. Something catches my eye, and my fingers pluck it out.

Beneficial Brainwashingby Dr. Melvin Strange. I smirk at the name…

Turning to face him, I state with confidence, “I’ll take this one.”

My grin falls away fast when I realize that he’s gawking at me, eyes rounded in some sort of surprise. He looks much less aloof than he’s been up until this point. I glance at the book in my hands.

His throat clears. And he nods.

Then he goes back to his file.

Okay…

Clutching my book to my chest, I wander around the room some more, all the while watching the doctor in my peripheral. He’s just reading the file, but every once in a while, I catch him peeking up at me.

Minutes are passing, and we’re stillnot talking, and it’s driving me insane. He still hasn’t evenintroducedhimself to me. This guy has to be the strangest human being I’ve ever encountered.Isn’t he supposed to be asking me questions? What’s going on??

When I decide I’ve had enough of the insufferable silence, I come up to the edge of his desk and lean against it. “Are you ever going to tell me your name?”

He angles his face in my direction, and I take a moment to admire his complexion. He has great skin, especially on his face. Smooth, not many lines. Maybe a few, but still, I think it’s clear that he takes care of himself. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s in his early thirties.

“Would you like me to tell you my name?” His voice startles me.

I shrug casually. “I mean… yea. You’re the new doctor who’s here to study me, right? Shouldn’t we like… introduce ourselves?”

He blinks at me a few times, with no discernible emotions on his face at all. This man is impossible to get a read on. I’m usually great at sniffing out people’s intentions right away, but this guy is a total mystery.

I won’t lie… It’s massively intriguing.

He stands up, slowly, so that we’re face to face, with only a couple of feet between us. My eyes hang on his while he leers down at me where I’m leaning my ass on his desk, feeling very unsure about this stance. It’s a vulnerable position. He could shove me backward and pin me down…

If he wanted to…

“My name is Dr. Lemuel Love, PhD,” he says, rumbling right into me. I’m frozen in place, and he’s holding me there with his penetrating gaze, his overpowering closeness, and that scent…

God, he smells so good.

His hand extends, and my eyes drop to it before jumping back up to his. He lifts his brows impatiently.He wants to shake my hand…?