Free Awake by Natasha Preston

should’ve told him last week when I made the appointment. I owed him that.
    “I’m sorry. My parents and Jeremy don’t like talking about it. I can understand that, it’s a tough time for them to revisit. I didn’t want to tell anyone and have them talk me out of it.”
    Frowning deeply, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to his chest. “You never have to keep anything from me. No matter what you want to do – if it’s bathing in baked beans – I’ll be right behind you. On the outside of the bath, but I’ll be there. I don’t want any secrets, Scarlett. I want to know everything about you.”
    “Every couple has secrets.”
    He blinked twice before replying, “Not us.”
    “You have secrets.”
    “You can ask me anything and I’ll tell you,” he said.
    “Why haven’t you tried getting in my pants yet?”
    It bothered me. Now I so wasn’t ready for that yet but I still wanted him to want me in that way. It was stupid and a bit irrational. He knew I didn’t want to yet but here I was questioning why he hadn’t tried.
    He arched his eyebrow. “This isn’t temporary for me so I want to do this right. We’re a big deal. Sex means something. It means a lot.”
    I felt like I was floating. Smirking, I said, “You still haven’t answered my question.”
    His eyes glittered with humour. “You really know how to kill a moment. I haven’t tried anything because you’re not ready. But please let me know the second you are.” He slapped my butt, grabbed my hand and pulled me in the direction I was leading us.
    I gave Noah the address and we followed the street until we came to 7D.
    “Her office is next to KFC,” I said. “Perfect.”
    He turned his nose up, not liking the idea of fast food. “You’ll regret eating that rubbish one day.”
    “I doubt it, Mr Health Kick.”
    Noah pushed the door open and we walked inside. The building was tiny, wedged between KFC and a Post Office. A gold-coated plaque beside the door saying ‘Dr Pain’ was all that gave away what was inside.
    “Hello, can I help you?” a plump woman behind a small mahogany desk asked.
    “Um, yeah. I’m Scarlett Garner. I have an appointment with Dr Pain at four thirty.”
    She looked at her screen and smiled. “Have a seat, fill this form in, and I’ll let her know you’re here.”
    I took the sheet of paper and pen. “Thank you.”
    Noah led me to the leather seats in the corner of the room. “Do you want me to come in with you or wait out here?” he asked as I filled the paperwork in.
    “I don’t know,” I replied, rapidly ticking boxes and giving a brief description of what was wrong in the tiny space they’d allowed.
    Part of me wanted him there. I was nervous and he always made that better, but I also wanted to talk without anyone else around. I didn’t want Noah’s opinions swaying Dr Pain. Not that I thought a professional would side with a teenage boy and tell me I was just having normal dreams like everyone else, but I wanted her to hear only my side before she made up her mind.
    “I’ll do whatever you want, Scarlett,” he said, squeezing my knee.
    “Why do I feel so nervous?”
    He shrugged. “Don’t be. Should I wait here and if you need me you can come and get me?”
    “Yeah, thanks.”
    “Miss Garner,” a super-tall lady said from beside the reception desk just as I’d signed the bottom of the form. Me and Noah were the only ones in here. I gave his hand a squeeze before letting go and standing up. “Hello, I’m Dr Pamela Pain, please come through.”
    “Thank you,” I said, giving Noah a fleeting smile over my shoulder.
    I sat down on a massive, high-back leather sofa as instructed and Pamela sat on a smaller chair beside me.
    “What brings you here today?” she asked.
    “Well,” I said, shifting in my seat. “When just before I was four I lost my memory and it never came back.”
    “And you want it back?”
    I nodded. “I was recently in a car accident and as I was waking