her. She didn’t know what to say. He was obviously attracted to her, but he just refused to fawn over her like other men did. He’d said she had him spinning, but it was she who was struck completely off balance by his cool aloofness interspersed with moments of intense, entirely addictive, raw sexuality.
She glanced at his handsome profile and scowled. He’d said he wanted her to learn self-control, but it just wasn’t fair, how much control he wielded over her.
The following Tuesday, Elise waited nervously in the examination room of the Michigan Avenue medical practice.
She hadn’t seen a lot of Lucien since they’d gone marketing on Saturday, much to her disappointment. He wasn’t avoiding her—or at least she hoped he wasn’t—it was just that their paths didn’t cross often at the busy restaurant. She’d been excited when Lucien had covertly pulled her aside this morning at Fusion, but he’d merely given her a few instructions and handed her a piece of paper with the address and time for her doctor’s appointment. When he’d told her his appointment was at a different time, and that he wouldn’t be accompanying her, she’d heaved a sigh of relief. She was highly anxious about this appointment, and she didn’t want him witnessing her nerves with those cool, knowing eyes of his.
When the gynecologist entered a few minutes later, introducing herself as Dr. Sheridan, Elise was glad to see she was fairly young. Maybe she wouldn’t laugh at Elise’s questions or confessions.
“When was your last pap smear?” The doctor asked the inevitable question a few moments later as she did the interview portion of the exam.
“I . . . I’ve never had one before,” Elise said.
Dr. Sheridan masked her surprise well. “Are you sexually active?”
“I’ve never had intercourse with a man. I know you must think it’s odd, since I’m twenty-four.”
“Not at all,” the doctor reassured. “Lots of women are choosing to wait these days.”
“But can you do an exam if I’ve never had intercourse?”
“Certainly. It’s good that you told me, though. I’ll use a smaller speculum. The vaginal muscles will be tight, but the chances of you actually having an intact hymen at age twenty-four are rare. You’re in very good condition. Are you an athlete?”
“I run. I used to ride almost every day, even though I haven’t had access to a mount for a year or so.”
“More than likely, the hymen was ruptured long ago if you’ve ridden that long. We’ll take a look.”
“If the hymen is broken, then the man would never know, would he? That I was a virgin?”
Dr. Sheridan hesitated. “Is that important to you?” she asked quietly.
“Yes.”
“Probably not. Not many men are all that experienced in gauging the subtleties. But I would encourage you to talk to your partner if you do become sexually active. It would be better if he could be as gentle as possible.”
She nodded. Dr. Sheridan must have noticed her anxiety as she flipped back the cover on the tray that held the instruments for the exam. “Don’t worry. I’ll tell you everything I’m going to do beforehand.”
The exam was slightly uncomfortable, but nowhere near as bad as she’d worried. According to the doctor, her regular horseback riding or some other activity had indeed long ago ruptured her hymen. Elise was relieved to hear it.
When the doctor had finished and told her to dress, Elise grasped for her courage. Lucien had arranged this appointment and was paying for it, after all.
“What I told you about not being with a man before, that’s . . . that’s confidential, right?”
The physician looked nonplussed. “Absolutely. I’ll supply you with your records, and whom you choose to share them with is your business. But there won’t be anything in the record but pertinent testing data.”
She gave a heartfelt thanks and the doctor left the room.
Elise’d had her share of men and exchanged sexual pleasure with some of
She glanced at his handsome profile and scowled. He’d said he wanted her to learn self-control, but it just wasn’t fair, how much control he wielded over her.
The following Tuesday, Elise waited nervously in the examination room of the Michigan Avenue medical practice.
She hadn’t seen a lot of Lucien since they’d gone marketing on Saturday, much to her disappointment. He wasn’t avoiding her—or at least she hoped he wasn’t—it was just that their paths didn’t cross often at the busy restaurant. She’d been excited when Lucien had covertly pulled her aside this morning at Fusion, but he’d merely given her a few instructions and handed her a piece of paper with the address and time for her doctor’s appointment. When he’d told her his appointment was at a different time, and that he wouldn’t be accompanying her, she’d heaved a sigh of relief. She was highly anxious about this appointment, and she didn’t want him witnessing her nerves with those cool, knowing eyes of his.
When the gynecologist entered a few minutes later, introducing herself as Dr. Sheridan, Elise was glad to see she was fairly young. Maybe she wouldn’t laugh at Elise’s questions or confessions.
“When was your last pap smear?” The doctor asked the inevitable question a few moments later as she did the interview portion of the exam.
“I . . . I’ve never had one before,” Elise said.
Dr. Sheridan masked her surprise well. “Are you sexually active?”
“I’ve never had intercourse with a man. I know you must think it’s odd, since I’m twenty-four.”
“Not at all,” the doctor reassured. “Lots of women are choosing to wait these days.”
“But can you do an exam if I’ve never had intercourse?”
“Certainly. It’s good that you told me, though. I’ll use a smaller speculum. The vaginal muscles will be tight, but the chances of you actually having an intact hymen at age twenty-four are rare. You’re in very good condition. Are you an athlete?”
“I run. I used to ride almost every day, even though I haven’t had access to a mount for a year or so.”
“More than likely, the hymen was ruptured long ago if you’ve ridden that long. We’ll take a look.”
“If the hymen is broken, then the man would never know, would he? That I was a virgin?”
Dr. Sheridan hesitated. “Is that important to you?” she asked quietly.
“Yes.”
“Probably not. Not many men are all that experienced in gauging the subtleties. But I would encourage you to talk to your partner if you do become sexually active. It would be better if he could be as gentle as possible.”
She nodded. Dr. Sheridan must have noticed her anxiety as she flipped back the cover on the tray that held the instruments for the exam. “Don’t worry. I’ll tell you everything I’m going to do beforehand.”
The exam was slightly uncomfortable, but nowhere near as bad as she’d worried. According to the doctor, her regular horseback riding or some other activity had indeed long ago ruptured her hymen. Elise was relieved to hear it.
When the doctor had finished and told her to dress, Elise grasped for her courage. Lucien had arranged this appointment and was paying for it, after all.
“What I told you about not being with a man before, that’s . . . that’s confidential, right?”
The physician looked nonplussed. “Absolutely. I’ll supply you with your records, and whom you choose to share them with is your business. But there won’t be anything in the record but pertinent testing data.”
She gave a heartfelt thanks and the doctor left the room.
Elise’d had her share of men and exchanged sexual pleasure with some of
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