Page 16 of Examining the Bond

I turn down the volume on my phone, which I should have done several minutes ago. Ziel is many things, but he is not the friend I can put on speaker.

Taking my time, I stroll down the aisles to peruse the options. Maybe I’ll get a face mask or something so my skin will be glowing when I make it to the clinic in the morning. Or maybe I’ll see what kind of body sprays they have since my perfume clearly didn’t do the trick with Dr. Morales…

“Earth to Riann. Hello? Excuse me, I’m still here.” Ziel’s impatient voice rips me out of my daydream, and I grimace.

“Sorry, I was just thinking.” Heat prickles over my cheeks, and I can only hope the reception isn’t good enough for him to notice.

“Did you see someone hot?” He whispers, peering closer to the phone like he can magically see into the store. “Turn me around, let me see. Why else would you be blushing like that?”

Even with the volume turned down, he’s still way too loud.

“I’m going to hang up on you if you don’t stop embarrassing me,” I threaten, turning down the candy aisle. My eyes grow wide at the endless array of options. “And no, there is no one hot here. There is a very hot doctor at the clinic though.”

Ziel squeals and I shove him into my hoodie pocket to muffle the noise. “And you were going to tell me when? When you get back? What does he look like? He’s an alpha, isn’t he? Is he tall? I bet he’s tall. Riann Marie, you better give me the details right now!”

With a sigh, I drag him back out of my pocket.

“Okay, I’ll tell you.” I throw a wary glance over my shoulder like one of the afternoon shoppers is dying to hear my piping hot tea as much as my best friend. I’m the only person in this aisle. “The doctor is an alpha.”

His eyes widen as a grin splits his face. “Okayyy, what’s his name?”

My stomach wiggles at the thought of admitting my first girl crush to Ziel, but he’s going to find out one way or another.

“Hername is Skylar Morales.”

His jaw drops. “She’s a female alpha?”

I exaggerate a nod.

“Hold please.” I don’t even have time to argue before Ziel disconnects from the video call and leaves me on voice. I hearhim shuffling around in the background but can’t fathom what he’s up to.

“What… am I holding for?” I toss a bag of gummy worms in my basket and walk further down the aisle. “Ziel, what are you doing?”

“Just looking her up to see if she’s as fine as you say—oh my god!Rie, holy shit!” His face pops back up on the phone as heat scorches my cheeks. I grab some more candy—tiny chocolate bears with little hats—and hurry to the end of the aisle. “She’s so fucking hot.”

“Right? And she smells amazing,” I swoon, remembering the way her crisp smoke-wrapped pine scent filled the exam room. “Too bad I don’t have a chance with her.”

Ziel is walking now, apparently back into his dorm building. The clank of a door closing and echoing footsteps comes through the phone. “What makes you say that? Is she bonded?”

I shake my head. “I don’t think so, but… Oh, Z, I fucked up so bad. She was there, in the room with me, and I just went blank. I talked about how I like winter.Winter.It wassoembarrassing.” I grimace as the memory replays in my mind. “And then her scent was so much,toomuch. She had to open the door before I passed out…”

“Jesus, Rie, way to make a first impression.” He looks away, and I hear the faint beeping of buttons as he punches in the passcode to his nest. He steps inside, and all I can see is blue, his favorite color. “There’s always tomorrow, right?”

I groan. “Technically, but… what if I just freeze again?”

“Call me and put me on speaker,” he offers with a giggle. “I’ll play matchmaker.”

“Absolutely not.”

After wandering through the store and listening to Ziel go on about how he plans to settle in for a solo movie night withoutme, I make my way down the skincare aisle and stop in front of the body washes.

If I smell absolutely delicious tomorrow, Dr. Morales won’t be able to resist me.It’s a silly thought, but I can’t shake it as my eyes fall over the different scents.

What would possibly appeal to a hot female alpha, if not marshmallows? What would go best with her fresh, woodsy scent? Vanilla? Lemon? Eucalyptus?

I freeze when my eyes land on a forest pine scented body wash, and my stomach flutters.

“My turn to put you on hold, Z.” I stuff my phone into my hoodie pocket again without waiting for a response and grab the bottle of body wash off the shelf.