Be Mine, Doctor Jax

~Michelle~

I stood at the head of the boardroom, my eyes fixed on the slide as it changed. "This one’s different from all the other prototypes we’ve built," I began, forcing my voice to stay steady.

The room was quiet, too quiet. I pushed forward, ignoring the tension. "This is something everyone will love—"

"Is it functioning properly?" Mr. Hughes interrupted, his voice cutting through the silence like a knife.

My eyes flicked to him, seated right in the center of the table, his sharp gaze locked on me. I nodded.

"It’s functioning, yes, but it hasn’t been fully tested yet, sir."

Hughes pursed his lips. "And the features?"

I resisted the urge to sigh. If he hadn’t cut me off, he’d already know. Pushing a strand of brown hair out of my face, I cleared my throat. "It can be used anywhere—standing, walking, even at the gym. It’s nearly silent, with only a low buzz that the user can hear."

From the corner of my eye, I caught Jack grinning, obviously trying to suppress a chuckle. I ignored him and continued, pointing at the image on the screen. "And as I mentioned earlier, it’s specifically designed for the female body."

The room fell into an expectant hush. My pulse quickened. Were they going to reject it? I could feel my palms growing sweaty. Come on, someone say something.

Mr. Hughes finally cleared his throat and rose from his chair. "Have it tested and report back to me. We might have something for the market soon."

A wide grin spread across my face, relief washing over me like a wave. "Thank you, sir," I managed, feeling the tension in my shoulders finally loosen.

As Mr. Hughes left the room, the rest of the team turned to me, smiling and offering congratulations. Jack, ever the dramatic one, swooped in and pulled me into a hug.

"Damn, girl! You did it!" he said, squeezing me tight. I returned the hug, letting myself soak in the victory.

"I know, right?" I said as we pulled apart, my grin still in place. "For a second, I thought he was going to shut me down."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Please, Hughes is too smart to say no to a goldmine."

I chuckled, running a hand through my hair. "Still, he’s never been a fan of mine."

Jack lowered his voice, his tone conspiratorial. "Well, that’s because he’s boring and you’re out here making sex toys. It’s jealousy."

I snorted, shaking my head as I moved toward my desk to collect my things. "So," Jack drawled, leaning against my desk with a mischievous smile. "Who’s going to test it? Barbie’s still out of town."

I sighed, clutching my notebook to my chest. "She’s supposed to come back today."

Jack raised an eyebrow, not buying it. "Why not test it on yourself? A few orgasms never hurt anyone, even if they’re courtesy of your brilliant invention."

I swatted his arm playfully. "Jack, Jesus, keep your voice down!" I hissed, glancing around as if someone might overhear. "And no, that’s not happening."

He smirked, clearly enjoying himself. "Oh, come on. It’s for science!"

"See you later, buddy," I shot back, laughing as I moved past him, trying to ignore the idea now buzzing in my head.

"You know you can’t survive without me!" he called after me, earning another laugh as I headed to my office.

Jack had been my best friend since high school, and despite his teasing, I appreciated his support more than anything. He’d come out in tenth grade, and from that moment, he had been unapologetically himself—a quality I admired deeply.

When I finally reached the quiet of my office, I shut the door behind me and let out a long breath, sinking into my chair. I closed my eyes, a wide smile tugging at my lips. Two months of hard work on this new prototype, and now it might make it to the market. I’d been with Boo-Uild since I graduated college, and some of their bestselling adult toys were my designs. From men’s toys to women’s—I’d done it all, and now this one would soon be out there too.

My smile faltered slightly as my father’s words echoed in my mind. "You’re a disgrace to the family, Michelle. Your siblings have respectable professions, why can’t you?"

No matter what I accomplished, it was never enough for him. He’d never forgiven me for choosing a path so far from the traditional ones my siblings had followed, and since Mom died, it seemed like he hadn’t cared to understand me at all.

I opened my eyes, determined to push the painful thoughts away. Today’s a good day, I reminded myself. I should be celebrating, not dwelling on the past.

Grabbing my phone, I scrolled through my notifications, trying to distract myself. Barbara’s social media popped up, and I noticed a recent update from fifteen minutes ago. I blinked at the caption:

"Skiing with my man #Hawaii #myman #vacation."

It was a picture of Barbara and her boyfriend, Simon, all smiles and wrapped up in snow gear.

My shoulders slumped. Barbara had told me she’d be back today, but apparently, they were extending their trip. Just as I was about to text her, a message came through:

Sorry, peach. We’re staying for a couple more days! Miss you. Xoxo :-*

I groaned, dropping my phone on the desk. So much for that plan. I’d been counting on Barbara to help test the prototype, but now…

I glanced over at the sleek little device sitting on my desk.

For goodness' sake, I guess I’m going to have to test it on myself.

I sighed, running my hand through my hair. It wasn’t the first time I’d tested one of my creations, but still… this wasn’t exactly how I pictured spending my evening.