Page 34 of Must Be Love - Irresistible Bachelors

“Weirdly enough, I had a sandwich for lunch, too.”

“Did you? Was it mind blowing?”

“I wouldn’t say that. It was a good sandwich, but I’ve had better. The cafeteria at work isn’t known for its gourmet meals.”

“You work in marketing, right? What was the company again?”

“Merhalle.”

My eyes widen. “Wow! They’re huge. You know, that kind of makes you my competition.”

“Does that change things?”

I stare into her brown eyes. “Not for me. Does it change them for you?”

“Not even a little bit.”

We smile at each other. I’m still standing, so she has to crane her neck to look up at me. I wheel the stool a bit closer to her chair to make it easier on both of us.

“That’s good to know. Do you like it at Merhalle?”

“It’s a good job, and I’m good at it.”

There’s something in her tone that’s a little off, but I decide not to press. She didn’t actually answer the question. That makes me wonder if there’s something else Amber would rather be doing than working in marketing.

“Did you go to college for marketing?” I ask, curious.

Amber smiles and shakes her head. “I majored in history, actually.”

“Really? That’s surprising. Did you have a plan in mind?”

“Not even a little bit. My parents made me go to college, and I always liked history, so I figured that would be my major. I minored in marketing, though. If I’d found my love for it before junior year, I probably would have switched my major, but I figured a minor would be enough. It got me an entry-level job at Merhalle, so it worked out.”

“That’s impressive. You’ve done a lot for such a young woman.”

“Not nearly as much as you!”

“Have you been looking into me?”

“Maybe.” Amber blushes at the admission.

“Don’t worry, I’ve been looking into you, too.”

She laughs. “I’m sure it was a lot easier for me to find stuff on you. I hardly have an online presence.”

“I found a few articles from your college newspaper, but that’s about it.”

Amber groans. “I was forced into that club against my will. My best friend, Nicole, loved the newspaper. You met her at the convention, actually.”

I do remember another woman being with Amber, but she didn’t make much of an impression on me. I was too focused on the beautiful woman in front of me to notice anyone else.

At least Amber has stopped nervously messing with her shirt. Her posture is more relaxed than when I first walked in. All I ever want is for my patients to be comfortable, and I’ve achieved that with Amber.

“Well, the articles were impressive,” I continue. “You’re quite the writer.”

“I’m not, but I appreciate the compliment.”

“We’ll agree to disagree,” I say.

I grab Amber’s file from the counter and open it up. It’s mostly filled with my notes and observations about her progress on the serum.

“Why don’t we get started, then? How is the serum working for you?”

Excitement takes over Amber’s features. She leans forward slightly in her chair with a huge smile on her face.

“It’s working incredibly! My face feels entirely different in a good way. I swear, this serum is working miracles.”

I make a note of her enthusiasm. For a second, I feel guilty because she doesn’t know everything about the serum she has been using.

That’s what blind testing is for, I remind myself. Clinical trial patients often don’t know everything about the drug, serum, or lotion they’re using. There’s also usually a control group that gets a placebo. I’m withholding information from Amber, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary.

“You haven’t noticed any adverse reactions? Swelling, pain, itchiness, rash, anything like that?”

Amber is shaking her head before I even finish my list.

“Nope, not at all. The serum goes on smooth, and my skin absorbs it quickly. Even my hands feel better after I’ve applied it to my face.”

That’s interesting. The serum is specifically designed to work on the face. I suppose it makes sense that it would also work on hands. It was on the back of her hand that Amber first tested the product.

Still, it’s worth noting. Maybe if I can get approval on AJB-9, I can expand it beyond the facial serum. The secret ingredient could be added to lotions, sunscreens, and creams.

“I’m going to examine your face under the lamp again, if that’s okay.”

Amber stiffens for a brief moment, but she covers it up with a nod. Surely, she’s thinking about the last time we were in the same position.

I move the lamp and magnifier over to where Amber is seated. Through the lens, I get a good feel for how Amber’s skin is doing. Just between last week and now, I can see improvements in her pores. My serum is working!

We’re sitting so close together that, just like last week, it would be easy for me to kiss Amber. It takes everything in me to stay in my seat and keep my hands to myself. I need to treat Amber like a patient for at least a few more minutes.

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