As the door was pulled closed behind her, Dr Jade Cointreau was hit by a wave of scent. The small cell was filled with smoke, no not smoke, vapour -- Swirling clouds that felt chill against her pale skin. The smell a rich chocolate which, as she took her first breath, melted into a sweet cherry blended with softening vanilla cream. The flavours seemed to caress their way down into her lungs. The feeling not an unpleasant one compared to the sterile air in the rest of the facility. Jade found herself licking her lips and taking another, deeper, breath before remembering her purpose.
Clearing her throat, she looked down at her clipboard held loosely in her left-hand its pen, hanging loose, dangling on a chain of carefully looped coloured paperclips (Purples and yellows interlocked)
"Mr J..."
"It's just Jinx"
she was interrupted by a voice from the clouded shadows. The voice was soft and relaxed. She did not feel like he intended to be rude, in fact the warmth was infectious and she found herself replying in kind.
"Well, Jinx..." A smile beginning to form on her red lips as she sounded out his name. Christ! Jade thought, his name and I'm grinning
"I'm Doctor ... My name is Jade"
She gripped her clipboard a little tighter and continued.
"I have been sent to finish your final assess..."
Jinx had sat up. Bare feet in heavy boots, with the laces missing, pointed straight at her. Jeans, so worn and frayed they seemed to be more white than blue. With more holes than denim they barely covered his legs. The soft denim had pulled tight over muscled thighs as he stood. Tall and lean, face still wreathed in the swirling mist of vapour. He was bare chested, his navy shirt only had one button fastened (And that had been put through the wrong button hole) One tail now hung down low over the bulge at his groin, whilst the other barely reached his slim waist. He wasn't intimidating but his presence certainly awoke something inside her.
Jade appeared to be staring so Jinx helpfully finished her sentence.
"Records say that I've reached the end of my useful purpose and you're here to assess what use I can be now"
Trying to regain composure, Jade took another glance down at her clipboard...
DEFUNCT
... in large block letters were stamped across the paperwork. Slowly she turned the board to face her thigh, although she somehow felt that Jinx already knew what the notes said. Feeling his eyes on her, Jade was slow to look back up, she finally had to meet his gaze. His face was lined, partially hidden behind long curls of dirty blonde hair. Short greying hairs lined a strong jaw. His eyes though were bright. Even in the dim light Jade was held by their intensity. (How could he know?? Jade felt a rush of heat coming from within.) Her white lab coat suddenly didn't seem to be covering enough and she reached to pull at a collar.
* * * * *
"Erm yes... shall we begin with your cognitive assessment?"
Jade was flustered and beneath the unblinking gaze of Jinx attempted to reassert some sort of control.
"Cock-native what?"
Jinx spoke the word quickly; Jade wasn't sure if she heard him correctly... It didn't matter the words had had the effect Jinx desired, her eyes had instinctively dropped to his groin. The top of his jeans were already open and the soft denim hung low, showing one hip, she could tell he was naked beneath the worn fabric. Just a few straining buttons separated her from, what she began to imagine was, a healthy erection.
Jinx's boots scuffed closer...
"Can I think straight? Aware of my surroundings? Hmmmm"
For a moment Jade thought he was going to confront her. Her heart started to race. There was another flash of heat, as for a second, she thought she would quite like to have him standing close. Her heart only started to beat faster though as instead of moving to face her... He began to circle.
"DOCTOR... Jade Cointreau"
(Wait. What? How does he know my full name?)
Jade wasn't allowed time to think. Jinx spoke softly and his voice faded each time he walked around behind her. She found herself stilled and straining to hear every word. Her head turning from one way to the other as she tried to keep him in sight.
"You'll have to forgive me, I'm terrible with ages... So, I'm going to say thirty. Just. That watch at your wrist is new and you thought of treating yourself to mark the big day."
(That watch had just recorded a spike in her heartbeat, perhaps she was imagining it, but she thought that she felt the warmth of his breath against the back of her slim neck as he spoke those last words).
Coming back into view Jade felt herself within his spotlight. Temporarily blinded by his, correct, observation. She spent all day putting men under her scrutinizing gaze, now with the tables turned, she was off balance. A few, choice, comebacks were on the tip of her tongue. Once again, just as she was about to speak, he continued...
"There is no Mr. or nearly Mr. Cointreau -- If there were a significant other in your life you wouldn't be working so late into the night. Oh, and about work ..."
Jinx paused and as she watched he shamelessly took a long moment to let his piercing gaze play from the point of her high heels right up to the high bun of her deep red hair ...
"Work. You enjoy the pay, those are Louboutin's ... Last years though, so maybe they don't pay you enough. But it's not what you want to do and the work bores you..."
"I..."
Jade failed again to stem the flow of truths.
"I dunno, you either can't leave because you either like the safety of a solid occupation or can't because you're afraid that you couldn't cope without the luxuries you've grown accustomed to."
This time Jade was sure his lips were close, they were, his voice was barely a whisper when he uttered to next few words into her ear,
"Trust me, you would be just as