:
Connor returned to the suite in less than thirty minutes, shopping bag in hand and slightly out of
breath.
“Found a pharmacy, sir,” he reported to Ethan. “Though not every store here carries these items.”
“Thank you, Connor,” Ethan said, taking the bag with a satisfied nod. “That was efficient.”
“Everything you requested and some pain medication are in there, sir,” Connor added, ncing briefly toward the closed bathroom door where I was still hiding.
I heard their exchange through the door and felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me. Great. Now both billionaire boss and his assistant knew I was dealing with period cramps. <b>Just </b>another fantastic development in my Venezu adventure.
A gentle knock pulled me from my thoughts. “Miss Morgan?” Ethan’s voice came through the door. “Connor’s back with what you need.”
I cracked the door open just enough to stick my hand through. “Thanks. That was fast.”
“Looks like Connor knows his way around,” I added with a hint of amusement, taking the bag.
“He’s not usually this efficient,” Ethan replied, his voice carrying a note of humor.
When I finally emerged from the bathroom twenty minutester, I was still pale but at least standing upright without wanting to curl into a ball. Ethan looked up immediately from hisptop, his eyes quickly assessing my condition.
“Feeling any better?” he asked, closing hisputer.
“<b>I’ll </b>live<b>,</b><b>” </b>I replied, fighting another wave of cramping. “Unfortunately.”
Ethan gestured to the coffee table where a steaming cup of tea sat beside what appeared to be a hot water bottle. “This should help relieve some of your difort.”
I blinked at the items, genuinely surprised. “So the billionaire knows how to take care of sick people? That’s unexpected.”
He smiled, the corner of his mouth quirking up slightly. “Our fortune wasn’t made on medical knowledge, I assure you.”
<b>7:58 </b><b>Fri</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b>19
I sank onto the sofa and pressed the hot water bottle against my abdomen, sighing with relief as the heat prated my muscles. The tea was perfectly steeped–not too strong, with just a hint of
honey.
“This helps, but…” I hesitated, then decided to take a chance. “Do you think you could help me find a portable TENS unit? <b>It’s </b>really effective for muscle spasms.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow. “A transcutaneous electrical nerve stimtion device? Isn’t that prescription medical equipment?”
I was impressed he knew the full term. “It’s a physical therapy method I learned about in medical ss. Works wonders for menstrual cramps.”
“You’ve used one before?” He seemed both curious and skeptical.
“Yes. The electrical pulses disrupt the pain signals to the brain. Much more effective than painkillers for this kind of pain.”
Ethan considered this for a moment, then nodded and reached for his phone. “Connor? I need you to find a portable TENS unit. Yes, the pain relief device… I don’t care how difficult it is to find, just get
it.” He hung up and turned back to me. “It might take a while.”
While we waited, Ethan adjusted the room’s thermostat, raising the temperature slightly. He
returned with a soft throw nket, draping it over my legs without a word.
“Do you need an actual doctor?” he asked after a moment. “Or stronger medication? Venezu has very good doctors<b>, </b>contrary to what you might think.”
“I just need that device,” I insisted. “I can handle it myself.”
His gaze was assessing. “Where did you learn all this medical knowledge?”
<b>I </b>shrugged, keeping my answer vague. “I wanted to be a doctor once. I studied a lot on my own.”
Connor returned quicker than I expected, this time with a small case that contained exactly what I needed–a portable TENS unit with multiple settings and electrode pads. I immediately set about adjusting it<b>, </b>my fingers moving confidently over the controls.
“You really do know what you’re doing,” Ethan observed as I ced the electrode patches on specific
points around my ankle.
<b>7:58 </b>Fri<b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>19 </b>
“Different frequencies and intensities work for different types of pain,” I exined, adjusting the settings. “This one’s good for acute pain, while this one works better for dull<b>, </b>chronic difort.”
<b>93 </b>
“Fascinating,” Ethan murmured, watching me with unexpected intensity. “You know more than most
medical students <b>I’ve </b>met.”
I smirked. “I’m a woman of many talents.”
The first wave of electrical stimtion pulsed through the muscle, and I felt the familiar relief <b>as </b>my
nerves responded to the interruption in pain signals.
“There’s one spot I can’t reach,” I admitted reluctantly. “Would you mind helping me?”
Ethan hesitated, and I could see the wariness in his eyes. Still, he nodded. “Of course.”
I turned andy face–down on the sofa, lifting my shirt just enough to expose my lower back. “I need
an electrode right here.” I reached around awkwardly, trying to touch the spot.
Ethan remained frozen, his hesitation palpable.
I twisted slightly and reached for his hand, guiding it to my lower back. “Just there, next to the
lumbar vertebrae… Feel that muscle indentation?”
His fingers were warm against my skin, and I felt him tense slightly at the contact. But his touch
remained clinical as he carefully ced the electrode patch exactly where I’d indicated. When he
finished, he gently tugged my shirt back down, his movements precise and respectful.
The full effect of the TENS unit was almost immediate. The tight knot of pain in my abdomen began
to loosen, and I felt my entire body rx for the first time in hours.
“Better?” Ethan asked, handing me the control unit.
“Much<b>,</b><b>” </b>I admitted, sitting up and adjusting the settings again. “Thanks for your help, Dr. Haxton.
Not a bad assistant.”
His mouth quirked into that half–smile again. “Walter Morrison wasn’t exaggerating when he said you had medical talent. I’m impressed.”
“I could give <b>you </b>free treatment for any physical difort you might have,” I offered with a slight smirk.
7:58 Fri, Sep 19
Ethan raised an eyebrow. “Do I look like I have health problems, Miss Morgan? You seem awfully
interested in my physical condition.”
Our eyes met, and something shifted in the air between <b>us</b>–a subtle current, not unlike the one
pulsing through the electrodes on my skin.
“Just offering my services,” I said lightly, breaking the tension. “Professional courtesy and all that.”
93
Ethan’s eyes remained on mine for a beat longer than necessary before he nodded and turned away.
“Of course.”
The room felt suddenly warmer than it had a moment ago, and I wasn’t entirely sure it was due to
the adjusted thermostat.
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