2

Bella.

I was sitting nervously in the gynecologist clinic's waiting area, fidgeting with my phone and trying to ignore the increasingly disturbing sounds that were coming from behind the doctor's examination room door.

Every few minutes, I'd hear muffled voices that made my stomach tighten with anxiety. The woman who had rushed past me and barged into the doctor's room about thirty minutes ago looked completely out of place in her flashy red mini dress and towering stiletto heels. I couldn't help but wonder why someone would dress like they were heading to a fancy nightclub or expensive dinner date when they were just visiting a medical professional. Her outfit seemed wildly inappropriate for a doctor's appointment – most people wore comfortable, casual clothes that were easy to change out of when needed.

Suddenly, an unmistakable loud moaning sound pierced through the thin walls and struck my ears, causing me to nearly drop my phone in shock. Honestly, I felt completely frozen in place, like my body had forgotten how to move. My mind started racing with thoughts about leaving – maybe I could just cancel this appointment altogether or reschedule it for another day when this particular doctor wasn't working. Perhaps I could abandon the whole idea completely and just try to live a normal life that didn't involve ever stepping foot in a gynecologist's office again. The more I listened to the disturbing sounds, the more convinced I became that I should just walk out and never return to this place.

As my anxious thoughts continued to spiral and cause me to hesitate about what to do next, time seemed to fly by without me even noticing. I glanced down at my watch and couldn't believe that a full half hour had passed while I'd been sitting there paralyzed with indecision. Maybe my body was reacting strangely to the obviously sexual noises coming from the examination room – I honestly had no idea what was happening to me. I'm not the type of person who has much experience with these kinds of intimate situations or sexual interactions. Growing up, my family never talked about these things, and my friends weren't exactly open about their experiences either, so I was completely out of my depth sitting here listening to what was clearly not a standard medical examination.

I was suddenly pulled from my racing thoughts as the office nurse called out my name in a slightly impatient tone: "Miss Bella?" She was staring at me with a confused and somewhat irritated expression on her face, like she had already called my name several times without getting a response. Her clipboard was clutched tightly against her chest as she waited for me to acknowledge her.

Startled by the sudden attention, I quickly raised my head and nervously replied, "Yes, that's me," feeling my cheeks flush with embarrassment at being caught daydreaming in the waiting room while obvious sex sounds were coming from the doctor's office. I wondered if she was pretending not to hear what was happening or if this was somehow normal in this particular clinic.

She chuckled with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "I know you're Miss Bella. There's literally no one else sitting here in the waiting room except for you – you're our last appointment of the day." The nurse looked relatively nice despite her slightly condescending tone, even though she appeared to be somewhere in her middle ages with graying hair pulled back in a tight bun. I couldn't help but wonder if she was constantly annoyed all day long by the inappropriate sounds that seemed to reverberate through the entire clinic. Maybe she actually enjoyed overhearing these encounters or perhaps she was somehow involved too. Maybe she also had some kind of special arrangement with the doctor herself. I had heard plenty of rumors about this particular doctor and how he was known throughout town as quite the womanizer, always surrounded by beautiful women and never settling down with any one person.

I seriously considered getting up and walking straight out the door without looking back, but something kept me rooted to my seat. If I left now, I wouldn't be able to see my carefully constructed plan come to fruition after all this preparation and mental psyching up. I can't chicken out now, I firmly told myself while taking a deep breath. I absolutely must face my fears head-on and follow through with what I came here to do. I know deep down that I can handle this situation if I just stay focused on my ultimate goal and don't let my nerves get the best of me.

'…but remember that he who plays with fire always gets burnt,' a small voice of caution whispered in the back of my mind. I tried to ignore this warning, even though I knew there was definitely some truth to it. Getting involved in this situation could potentially lead to consequences I wasn't prepared to deal with, but I pushed those thoughts aside as best I could.

"Miss Bella," the nurse called out to me again, this time with clear impatience in her voice. "The doctor is finished with his previous patient and is waiting for you now. Please come in right away." Her tone was stern and professional, but her smile seemed completely fake and forced, like she was just going through the motions of being polite. Obviously, I was the last patient scheduled for the day, and I was making both her and the doctor wait longer than necessary, which probably meant they couldn't go home until I was done.

She walked over and opened the door to the examination room for me, then promptly closed it behind me as she returned to her desk in the reception area. I flinched slightly as the door clicked shut, feeling suddenly trapped. The doctor was busy doing something at his desk and had his back turned toward me. Without even looking in my direction, he casually said, "Please have a seat, Mrs. Bella." His voice was surprisingly deep and undeniably sexy, with a slight accent I couldn't quite place. From behind, I could see he was exceptionally tall, with impressively wide shoulders, and I couldn't help but notice the well-defined muscles visible even under the loose sleeves of his white medical coat.

I didn't move a single inch closer to him or say even one word in response. Instead, I immediately turned my body around, intending to make a quick escape from this increasingly uncomfortable situation. I suddenly realized I hadn't even known what appropriate attire would be for an appointment like this. I was wearing a simple black button-up shirt with blue skinny jeans that felt too tight in this moment. My long black hair was neatly braided, but it still reached all the way down to my waist, making me feel self-conscious about how I looked. I didn't even fully understand what a gynecologist actually did during an examination. Was he going to put his fingers in private places? I truly had no idea what to expect. I had never visited a gynecologist before in my entire life because I was such a painfully shy and private person when it came to my body.

The doctor turned around in obvious confusion when he heard me fumbling with the doorknob in my desperate attempt to regain my freedom and escape this increasingly awkward situation. Coming here had been a terrible mistake, but I hadn't fully realized it until this exact moment when panic set in completely. However, his surprisingly husky voice made me freeze in place before I could open the door. "Mrs. Bella," he asked with genuine curiosity in his tone. "Where exactly do you think you're going? We haven't even started your appointment yet."

I nervously cleared my throat and very slowly turned my body to face him, my hand still gripping the doorknob like a lifeline. At the very least, I reasoned with myself, I should see the face of the infamous man who supposedly shatters and destroys women's hearts all across town according to all the gossip I'd heard. Once I finally laid my eyes upon him though, my tongue seemed to tie itself into a complicated knot, and I completely lost the ability to form even a single coherent word. He looked incredibly hot and drop-dead gorgeous in person – the rumors about his appearance weren't exaggerated at all. His beauty was absolutely breathtaking in a way I wasn't prepared for. His wide, piercing green eyes and his stylishly tousled black hair immediately made me feel dizzy and lightheaded. He had thick, dark eyelashes that many women would kill for, and his perfectly tan skin tone was the kind that would make virtually any woman fall helplessly at his feet and eagerly do whatever he commanded without a second thought.

What the hell am I thinking right now? I scolded myself internally. He is supposed to be the enemy in this situation! Don't fall for his obvious charms like all the other women do. Remember that you came here specifically to take revenge and make him beg for mercy when you're done with him. Don't lose sight of your goal just because he's attractive.

I couldn't help checking him out from head to toe, but I quickly realized he was doing exactly the same thing to me, his eyes traveling up and down my body in a way that made my skin tingle. He was practically drooling as he stared at me with eyes full of unmistakable sexual desire mixed with some kind of unreadable confusion, as if he couldn't quite figure me out or place me in his usual categories of women.

"Mrs. Bella," he repeated in a softer voice, "please come in and have a seat so we can begin your appointment." He spoke deliberately slowly, almost like a whisper or the gentle twitter of a bird singing in the early morning. His voice had a hypnotic quality that was hard to resist even though I was trying my best to stay focused.

I shook my head with what I hoped was a confident grin and said, "No, I don't think so. I believe I'll reschedule and come again another day when I'm better prepared." My voice sounded shakier than I had intended, betraying my nervousness despite my attempt to appear calm and collected.

He smoothly crossed his muscular arms over his broad chest and stepped a little closer to where I was still standing by the door. My hand remained firmly on the doorknob, ready to make a quick exit if necessary. The cologne he was wearing smelled expensive and intoxicating, making it hard to concentrate on my escape plan.

"Why exactly are you leaving so suddenly?" he wondered aloud as he raised his perfectly groomed eyebrows in obvious curiosity. "Is there something specific that's bothering you about this appointment? Perhaps I can address your concerns if you'll just tell me what they are."

I blurted out without thinking, "I am Ms. and not Mrs., by the way. You keep calling me Mrs. Bella, but I'm not married." I don't know why I chose to correct that particular detail instead of answering his actual question. What the hell was I thinking? Even now, looking back, I'm not sure why that seemed important in the moment.

He stepped even closer, leaving just a couple of inches between us, close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating from his body. He widened his striking green eyes and looked directly into mine. "You still haven't answered my question," he said with surprising gentleness. "Why are you so determined to leave without completing your scheduled appointment? Is there something I should know?"

I shrugged my shoulders nervously and replied, "I just don't think I can go through with this examination today. Thanks for taking the time to see me anyway. I'm really sorry to have wasted your valuable time and kept you here after hours." I couldn't bring myself to explain that hearing him with his previous patient had completely freaked me out.

I turned my body to leave once again, desperate to escape the intensity of his gaze, but I instantly felt his strong, warm grip wrap firmly around my wrist, effectively stopping me in my tracks. The unexpected physical contact made me quiver from head to toe. His touch sent an electric current through my entire body that I wasn't prepared for. He looked deeply into my eyes and said in a surprisingly gentle tone, "Please, come in and at least talk to me before you decide to leave. We don't even have to do an examination today if you're not comfortable."

My heartbeats immediately accelerated in an unstable, erratic rhythm that felt dangerously close to a panic attack. My body felt strangely cold on the outside like I'd been dunked in ice water, but from the inside, it was burning hot like hellfire was consuming what little remained of my resolve and self-control. Something powerful seemed to be controlling my actions, and I was rapidly losing the ability to guide my own body and make rational decisions in his presence.

I finally managed to pull my hand away from his surprisingly gentle grip and walked with what I hoped looked like confidence toward the examination chair across the room.

I sat down stiffly and blurted out without thinking, "Just so you know, you need to be gentle with me during the examination. I'm a virgin and I've never done this before." As soon as the words left my mouth, I wanted to crawl under the chair and disappear from embarrassment.