Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
DANI
The paper crinkled under my legs as I rolled up to a seated position. Dr. Sue pushed the stirrups out of the way for me to lower my feet. My bright pink socks looked back at me when I glanced down. “It’s still cold in here,” I offered.
She looked over her shoulder and grinned. “I know.”
After disposing of her gloves, she turned back, leaning her hip against the counter a few feet away.
“My guess is, you were ovulating. Sometimes ovulation can cause that kind of pinching, achy pain you described. Both of your ovaries feel exactly the way they should, so I have no reason to do further testing.”
“Oh,” I said softly, feeling rather foolish.
“I’d rather you come in anytime than work yourself up into a tizzy inside. You had a scary thing happen once, so it’s completely reasonable for you to be more sensitive than most to any pain in your reproductive zone.”
“Is that what you call it?” I asked with a slight smile.
She shrugged. “That’s what it is. Any other questions for me today?”
“One more.” Taking a breath, I blurted it out. “So, I have the IUD, but I’m so freaked out about getting pregnant that I’m asking”—I paused long and hard here because I didn’t know what word to use to describe Wade—“my boyfriend to wear condoms too. Is that overkill?”
One thing I’d always loved about Dr. Sue was she took every question I threw her way seriously, and she was never dismissive.
Just now, she nodded slowly, her gaze considering.
“Here’s the thing, the only one hundred percent way not to get pregnant is not to have sex.
Or engage in any advanced technology that allows women to get pregnant with other methods, I should add.
But an IUD is more effective than condoms at preventing pregnancy.
Condoms protect from STDs in addition to pregnancy, so if you’re not concerned about that, I would say you’re in the clear to have sex with your IUD.
It’s about as good as it gets for protection.
I trust you recall our prior chats about STDs and so on.
I won’t repeat myself unless you need me to. ”
I felt my cheeks heat slightly, but I nodded slowly. “I’m not worried about that.”
“Is your boyfriend pressuring you to not have sex with condoms?”
“Oh no! He’s totally fine with it.”
A look of relief passed across her face. “Good to know. I always get concerned when there’s pressure around that.”
“I guess I was more worried about me overreacting than anything.”
“I think you’re all set,” she said with a smile. “It’s a little funny that at your last visit, you were asking about pregnancy, and this one you’re making sure your birth control is good enough. I’m getting the impression you’re finally dating someone you might be serious about.”
My cheeks got hotter. “You could say that.”
“Yes!” Dawson exclaimed, punching his fist in the air as he spun in a circle.Evie burst out laughing beside him, rolling her eyes as he picked her up and spun her around in his arms.
When he set her down, she shook her head. “You won a stuffed horse.”
“Babe, I don’t care what I won. I just like to win,” Dawson replied with a grin.
I leaned back in my chair, letting my gaze travel around the room.
The staff kitchen had been very belatedly decorated for the holidays, with lights strung haphazardly around the ceiling and a giant wreath mounted on the wall above the door leading into the front kitchen.
We’d carted extra chairs back here for our last-minute staff holiday party.
Wade stretched his arm across the back of my chair as I glanced in his direction. “Do you want to win something?” he asked, one corner of his mouth curling in a grin and sending butterflies spinning in my belly.
“I certainly don’t need to win a stuffed animal,” I replied, biting back a smile.
“Oh, come on.” Dawson overheard my reply as he sat down beside me, stuffed horse in hand. He had Evie’s hand held firmly in his other. “Hey, Lucas!” he called.
Lucas looked up from where he sat on the stool beside the wide baking table. He finished chewing a piece of pizza before replying, “Yeah?”
“This is for Rylie,” Dawson said, holding the stuffed horse aloft.
“In that case, go win me a stuffed animal so I can give it to Rylie,” I said to Wade.
Wade leaned over, dropping a hot kiss on the side of my neck as he stood. “Anything for you, baby.”
As he strode over to a hastily organized contest that involved darts and a basket of stuffed animals, Shay leaned over from the chair just beyond the one Wade vacated.
“Now that is a man who is whipped,” she teased.
“You think?” I couldn’t help but ask. Everything was so fresh with Wade, I was still marveling at how it felt.
“Oh, I don’t think, I know,” Jackson commented, leaning forward past Shay and giving me a wink.