16. Remy

REMY

The lady checking us into the rented heat services nest had earrings shaped like eggplant emojis.

"That's a cute teddy," she commented, looking down at the monstrosity I had tucked under my arm. It was so large I couldn't keep its leg from trailing on the floor slightly.

And oh yeah, it definitely smelled like me. I'd been spooning it every night for two weeks straight.

"Hazel requested it," I said solemnly.

"Jill, it was a fucking joke," Hazel said exasperatedly, her cheeks red with a thin layer of sweat beading her forehead.

"Well, it's a very nice and cuddly joke, Hazel. Handsome, too. I'm very happy for you." Jill winked at me and it felt like she had put a gold star on my homework.

Hazel looked at my dopey expression. "Oh for god's sake," she muttered.

We had already signed the appropriate paperwork a couple weeks earlier so it was just a matter of getting my teeth caps put on with semi-permanent glue before being ushered to our suite. It was utilitarian at best — the furnishings of Hazel's filming nest were far more luxurious — but I supposed it was what to be expected from a nest for hire.

Hazel didn't even seem to take in the surroundings. She made no move to fix the folded stack of blankets and pillows into something that suited her better. She simply opened the storage closet and began unpacking. A cloth bag landed with a thump on the mattress as she threw it behind her.

"You're gonna want those within reach."

I opened it and a sausage-fest of silicone stared up at me.

Jill cleared her throat. "Remy, there are several call buttons around the room." She pointed at the intercoms dispersed throughout. "Use them during your lucid periods if you need anything. If we don't hear from you for a while or your regular food drops are untouched for too long, we'll check in. Otherwise, the room is yours until it's over. Good luck."

I walked over to where Hazel was trying to stuff her suitcase into the closet. "It never fucking fits," she muttered.

"Hazel." I carefully took it out of her hands, rolling it until it sat out of the way in the corner. I hugged her from behind, letting my nose rest in the curve of her neck and shoulder. The potency of her scent made me instantly hard and I knew she could feel it against her. "Let me run you a bath."