Run! The Black Wolf's prey.

Chapter 15 - Prussian blue silk

“If I didn’t know you just broke up with David, I would think you were in love,” Emma teased, winking at Isabel. “But hey, Dr Hendricks would be the perfect first pancake!”

“What do you mean, first pancake?” Isabel was confused.

“Sometimes, I think you’ve been living under a rock the last years,” Emma laughed. “The first pancake is the first guy you have s*x with after breaking up from a long relationship. It’s supposed to be a really hot guy who definitely is no boyfriend material.”

“Ahh OK…” Isabel chuckled before she bit her lip. “But you know, he's actually been really nice to me. A real gentleman...”

She had been walking on clouds ever since she met John at the grocery store, and she had barely been able to hide her excitement when she met Emma at work the day after! She took the first opportunity to drag her friend away for a coffee break.

“Are we talking about the same person here?” Emma looked at her curiously. “Dr Hendricks is infamous for his attitude. I’ve never heard anyone calling him a gentleman before.”

“But he was,” Isabel insisted, smiling foolishly. “And I’m so winded-up, I can barely sleep or eat! All I can think of is him,” she admitted, sipping her coffee.

“Well, in such case, I am definitely having a go at that hot guy we met in the bar the other day,” Emma grinned.

“You mean Marcus?”

“Yeah, we swapped numbers. But he’s clearly obsessed with you, so I thought I would let you have him... But I’m sure I’ll be able to change his mind, now if you’re not interested,” Emma smiled wryly. “I told him we’re going out tonight, so I would be surprised if he doesn’t show up.”

“But how would he know where we’re going?” Isabel raised a brow.

“Because I told him, of course!” Emma giggled.

“You did what? Emma!” Isabel gasped.

“What? He’s handsome and he is definitely more gentlemanly than your surgeon.”

“Well, I’m not interested,” Isabel shook her head, smiling.

“We’ll see about that tonight,” Emma patted her knee. “After you've had a few drinks and that cougar deep inside of you is coming out to play.”

“I’m no cougar!” Isabel objected, playfully pushing her friend so she almost fell off her chair, making the others in the coffee room look at them disapprovingly.

“Just kidding, babe,” Emma smooched her cheek. “Now we have to get back to work.”

“I guess,” Isabel sighed. “I can’t wait for this day to end.”

They both stood up and placed their coffee mugs in the dishwasher.

“So, after work, you’ll come along to my place? Before we go out and meet the others?” Emma dried her hands.

“Sure,” Isabel nodded. “But I don't know if I have anything to wear.”

“That's not a problem,” Emma smiled. “I sure have something that will fit.”

Isabel had trouble focusing the rest of the day. Her mind was constantly obsessed about John, and she took a few detours around the hospital just in case she would bump into him... She didn’t though, and it made her frustrated. Where was he? Apparently, not at work!

She was getting impatient, just wanting the day to be over so she could hang out with friends and drink wine. She couldn’t wait to go out, her whole body yearning to dance and abandon all thoughts spinning in her head. Besides, maybe he would be out too...

The mere thought of them bumping into each other on the dance floor made her overly-excited. She imagined how it would be to dance with him, their bodies pressed towards each other - she would unbutton his white linen shirt, her hands on his chest, her lips on his stubbled chin...

She blushed and pinched herself. What was wrong with her? What made her min go all crazy like this? She never used to be this shameless before! It must be the hormones, she thought, they had been all over the place since she stopped taking the pills.

As soon as the working day ended, Isabel joined Emma at her apartment, located only a few blocks away from the hospital. Isabel had brought an overnight bag so she could sleep over - she preferred her mother not knowing exactly what she was up to this evening! She would probably want Isabel to stay home and watch TV instead... Or read a book...

“Shall I pop a bottle?” Emma asked, already taking two champagne flutes out of the cupboard.

“Perfect,” Isabel grinned and reached for the glasses. She had just showered and was only wearing a large towel, her long hair flowing over her shoulders.

“OK, so should we try to find something for you to wear?” Emma poured some prosecco into their glasses. “Come with me,” she opened the door to her walk-in closet and stepped inside.

“I didn’t know you had so many dresses!” Isabel exclaimed. Emma's dress collection was very impressing, several racks full of dresses in all possible colours and styles.

“I hate wearing the same dress twice,” Emma confessed. “I know it’s stupid, and not very environmentally-friendly, but I guess buying dresses is my guilty-pleasure,” she shrugged her shoulders and smiled. “Anything you fancy?”

“I like this one,” Isabel was holding a black lace dress in front of her. It was knee-length and fairly low-necked.

“No, no, no!” Emma laughed. “That’s my funeral dress! I thought you were going to let go of that nun-vibe you’ve been having the last few years?”

“I thought it was pretty!” Isabel protested, but hanged it back on the rack. “What about this one?” she said and grabbed a flowery skater dress. “Isn’t this one the perfect combination of sexy and cute?”

“Maybe….” Emma was eyeing her, biting one of her nails, contemplating. “What about this?” she then said and took another dress from the rack. It was made of dark Prussian blue silk, with skinny straps sprinkled with tiny crystals.

“Isn’t it a bit… too much?” Isabel eyed it questioningly.

“Not at all! Try it on,” Emma urged.

Isabel unzipped the dress and stepped into it. Emma helped her with the zipper, and Isabel looked wide-eyed at herself in the mirror. The dress was gorgeous! It was sensual and sophisticated at the same time, with a discrete slit and the dark and delicate soft fabric hugging her curves perfectly. The crystal straps were like gems on her skin, no other jewelry would be needed. The most intriguing thing about the dress, though, was the open back, exposing Isabel’s long slender back all the way down to her waist.

“Em, it’s amazing…” Isabel inspected herself in the mirror.

“But..?” Emma sensed Isabel wasn’t convinced.

“I can’t wear a bra,” Isabel grimaced and let down her gaze.

“You don’t need to,” Emma grinned.

“No, seriously, Em... I don’t have boobs like yours,” she blushed.

“Your boobs are way better than mine in that dress,” Emma affirmed. “It’s better to not have them too big in a backless dress. Yours are actually the perfect size. The guys will go crazy when they see you in that.”

“And that’s a good thing?” Isabel laughed. “OK, as long as my mom doesn’t see me in this, or she’ll think I’ve had a stroke.”

“Well, if we find your mom out clubbing, I’d seriously think SHE had a stroke,” Emma giggled, and they both burst out laughing.

They continued to get dressed, putting on make-up and listening to music as they were drinking prosecco, getting ready to go out. Emma called her other friends and asked them to meet up at the bar within an hour. They would start off with a few drinks there before going clubbing.

“Damn,” Isabel stopped abruptly as they were about to leave the apartment. “I can’t find my phone and credit card! I think I forgot them at work.” She remembered having them in her scrubs, she probably forgot to empty her pockets when she had changed. “They must be in my locker...”

“No worries,” Emma put on her shoes and fixed her hair, watching herself in the mirror. “Work is really close! I can go get our table and you will join us after you’ve picked up your stuff.”

“But I can’t walk in at work looking like this?!” Isabel objected.

“Use the back door, the staff entrance. There won’t be anyone there at this time,” Emma reassured her. “Just pop in and pop out again. I guess your ID is there as well?”

“Yep,” Isabel sighed. “OK, I’ll hurry.”

They parted in the street, Emma walking towards the bar and Isabel in the direction of her work. The sun was beginning to set, colouring the sky in beautiful pink hues, and a waning crescent moon was rising above the city roofs. Isabel gazed at it in awe. She had always loved the moon, ever since she was a little girl. She had used to peep out through her bedroom window, thinking the moon was her guardian angel, always looking out for her.

She suddenly had this surreal feeling. Almost as if she was dreaming? Probably because she was walking dressed for a night at the club and not for going to work... It felt very odd.

She was acutely aware of her braless boobs, moving underneath the silky dress with every step she took, her nip.ples stiffening. She sincerely hoped she wouldn’t meet anyone dressed like this, or she would die of embarrassment! She made sure to hold her head down as she rushed towards the staff entrance at the back of the hospital.

Just as she was about to open the back door it unexpectedly and forcefully swung open, knocking her to the ground.