Page 12 of Deeply Examined

She used to be untouchable.

Not anymore.

Jessica

Dr. West stands close to the door with his head bent as he makes a note in my chart. Our appointment is about to end. The reality of it leaves me hollow, the empty ache of having lost something.

“Did you know I make house calls?” he asks.

I perk up at that.Is he suggesting we see each other outside of the office? Does he wantto take this further?

“Oh?” My voice is cautious, but my pulse betrays me, kicking up a notch. I must be imagining this, right? It seems too much to ask, thathecould be interested inme.

He nods, amusement dancing in his expression. This is the most animated I’ve seen him so far, and it feels like a gift, to get this glimpse of the man behind the white coat. He settles back into his usual cool façade. He pulls a small white notebook and ballpoint pen from his pocket. It only takes a few seconds for him to scribble some numbers on a piece of paper.

“This is my cell phone.” He holds the paper out to me, seven digits neatly printed. No messy doctor handwriting. “Text me your address later. I’ll come to your place on Friday at 7:00 p.m.”

I take the paper and stare down at it, cocking my head. “Don’t you have my address in your files?”

“I do.” He sets his jaw and says no more.

Puzzled, I chew on the inside of my cheek. It takes a long minute before I understand. This is his way of giving me the option to reject him. To have control of the situation for once. If I don’t want to let him know where I live, he’ll respect that. He won’t look it up.

Mostly, I’ve viewed him with lust. For the first time, a slow flush of affection works its way through my system.

I beam at him, which makes him blink in a way that’s almost comical.

“Okay!”

“Okay,” Dr. West repeats slowly, then says words that send my heart soaring. “It’s a date.”

Chapter four

Jessica

That night, when I get home, I give in and call my best friend, Monica. I haven’t told her anything about Dr. West yet. It had all been so strange and almost humiliating, but now that he’s coming to my place, I can’t hold back. With rushing words that tumble over each other, I spill all my secrets. All the weird, dirty, andveryinappropriate things that happened in the doctor’s office. Monica is appropriately shocked and impressed. She gasps, says “no way” approximately twenty times, and then makes me rewind and tell her everything all over again.

“I don’t even think he realized what happened,” I stammer. “Like how I…you know.” My face burns and thankgodshe can’t see me. Saying it out loud somehow makes the whole situation ten times more mortifying. “He didn’t say anything.”

“I find itextremelydifficult to believe he made you orgasm not just once—but twice—and didn’t notice.” Monica says in her most disbelieving tone. “And now he’s coming over? No way. He knows exactly what’s going on. I think he likes you. All the evidence points to it.” She says like she’s giving a closing argument in court. I’m reminded this is why she’s such a successful lawyer.

I giggle, then correct her. “I’m not sure. Maybe he likes…you know…doing things, but that doesn’t mean he likesme.”

“You said he’s gorgeous, rich, and successful,” she reminds me. “He could have any woman, right?”

I think back to his movie-star good looks and nod, which is silly. She can’t see me over the phone. “Yeah. He’s like god-level hot.”

“But on this Friday night, a night he could spend with anyone, he’s coming to seeyou,” she argues, reminding me why she’s my best friend.

I bounce happily on the couch, my grin so wide it hurts my cheeks. “That’s true.”

My phone chimes, vibrating in my hand. “Hang on, Monica, I’m getting a text.”

“Is it him?!” Her voice pitches high with excitement.

“No, it’s not. Calm down.” I check the notification, expecting to see another message from Sarah, but this time it’s from the principal at my school, Kent Wilson. I groan. This isn’t exactly swoon-worthy content. “It’s Wilson,” I say, exasperated.

Wilson: I need you to cover crossing guard duty this week.

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