Page 97 of Darling Venom
“Fair enough. Let’s ask Abe Linc.” I produced a penny out of my purse. I didn’t feel bad about cheapening my tradition with Kellan because this was a completely different one—I was flipping a coin, not offering it to Tate. “Heads for Bernard. Tails for Marchetti. May the best man win.”
I tossed the coin.
Both our gazes followed its graceful somersaults in the air. It landed in my palm. I flipped it over the back of my other hand and peered down to see the verdict.
My mouth went dry.
I looked up at Tate.
“Well?” His voice cracked mid-word.
There were approximately a million butterflies swirling in my chest right now, kissing my heart. I felt like throwing up, but in the best possible way.
I licked my lips. “Tails.”
“It means nothing. I can still call Walter.”
Walter Bernard.
He sounded like someone they’d assign to do my taxes at H&R Block, and quite frankly, I was afraid he’d judge my vagina.
“No, it’s fine. I’m sure you’ll maintain professionalism.”
“Of course.” Tate leaned forward, pressing a button on his switchboard. “Grace, please show Miss Richards to one of the exam rooms.”
A pretty girl in a gray nurse uniform materialized at the door, an iPad in hand. “Please follow me.”
A deep breath heaved out of me as soon as the distance grew between me and Tate.
I followed Grace to a private examination area beside the nurses’ station, where she took my blood pressure, weight, and height. She asked me a series of questions about my health for the next twenty minutes, jotting notes on the tablet after each answer.
“Are you on birth control?”
“Yes. I get it prescribed by the pharmacist near my apartment.”
“Any reactions to it?”
“Lighter period symptoms and a regular cycle, which are exactly why I take it.”
“Are you sexually active?”
I cleared my throat, taking way too long to answer. “Not currently.”
“When you were, did you use any contraception?”
“Is this…” I swallowed hard. “Is Dr. Marchetti going to read this?”
I stared at her clipboard. Her eyes dragged up from the form to mine, confusion marring her features.
I couldn’t blame her.
What a stupid question.
“Of course.” She had a soothing voice that did nothing to soothe me. “This is obligatory pre-exam information to assess the patient.”
Damn it.
“Is anything wrong?” she asked gently, slanting in my direction. Her hand cupped my knee. “Do you have anything you’re worried about? Have you been… assaulted in any way?”
