Grace was nearly digging holes in the sheets of the examination table with her nails while Dr. Kian took a seat in front of her, ready to examine her... breasts.
Now she wasn't feeling self-conscious about her body since she had a perfect figure with all the right curves in all the right places. She was also not someone who had never been with a man before, and yet, she found her heart on the verge of jumping out of her chest.
Dr. Kian didn't seem to notice her discomfort - or if he did, he was too professional to mention it. He moved with practiced ease, setting up his tools and making notes on her file. His calmness should have put her at ease, but instead, it only made her more aware of her own awkwardness.
She knew she was being ridiculous. She had been to doctors before, had gone through similar examinations with male gynecologists. But there was something different about Dr. Kian. She couldn't pinpoint it. Maybe it was the way his hair fell slightly over his forehead, or how his eyes seemed to linger just a fraction too long on hers? Whatever it was, it set her on the edge.
"We will start the examination now," he said, pulling on a pair of gloves. "This won't take long."
Grace nodded, not trusting her voice. She lay back on the table as instructed and tried to distract herself by focusing on the ceiling, but her body refused to relax.
She didn't even realize that she was holding her breath as she felt his hands moving over her breasts. The only sound she could hear was that of her rapidly beating heart, and at one point, she even started feeling light-headed.
"Ms. Blackwood, you are too tensed. Please try to relax."
She heard him speaking, and this time, his voice was soft, almost soothing. He didn't use that professional tone from before as he tried to help her relax, but she wasn't sure if it was working on her at all.
"Is this your first time coming in for an examination, or have you had one before?" He continued to ask her questions as if to keep her engaged in a conversation.
"First," Grace whispered, her voice barely audible.
She heard him hum in response. He also gave a nod of his head as he moved his hands gently over her skin. His touch was clinical and professional, and yet her nerves buzzed under his fingertips.
"Are you here because of any discomfort, or just a routine check-up?"
"Routine," she croaked, her voice failing her again.
He nodded again. There was silence for next few moments before he started explaining as he continued with the examination, his words were a gentle murmur in the quiet room. "I don't see anything unusual so far. Everything feels normal."
But she barely heard him as her mind was too busy racing. Why was she feeling like this? Why was her body reacting as if this was something more than a simple examination? She found herself thinking about these questions.
She knew he was just doing his job, but her body didn't seem to get the message. Her eyes returned to him again and she found her gaze tracing the outline of his face.
Though the mask was covering the lower half of it, she could still see enough. His jawline was sharp, his skin smooth. And those eyes - those deep, piercing blue eyes seemed to hold a storm behind them. She was unable to tear her gaze away.
As if sensing her stare, Dr. Kian looked up and their eyes met for a brief second. Grace's breath hitched in her throat and she immediately looked away. She felt her cheeks burning and her heart was pounding so loudly that she knew for sure he could hear it too.
"Okay, take a deep breath for me," he said, his voice calm as ever.
She did as he asked, filling her lungs with air, her chest rising under his touch. The moment stretched on, the silence in the room feeling almost too loud. She exhaled shakily, her eyes fluttering shut, willing herself to just get through this.
She wasn't sure how long it was, probably only a few moments later when he finally stepped back. "You are all set, Ms. Blackwood. You can get dressed now."
She opened her eyes and watched him walking out of the examination area. Once she had the privacy, she wasted no time in sitting up and reaching for her clothes.
Her hands were shaking as she fumbled with the buttons on her blouse, her heart was still racing. She felt like she had just run a marathon and her body felt exhausted from the tension.
When she stepped out from behind the screen, Dr. Kian was seated at his desk, typing something into his computer. He looked up as she approached. "Everything seems normal. There's nothing to worry about, but if you have any concerns in the future, don't hesitate to come back."
Grace nodded, but her brain was barely functioning. The room felt too small, the air too thick. She needed to get out of there - away from him. She couldn't understand why she was reacting this way, why the simple act of being in his presence was throwing her off balance.
"I... I have to go," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.
She didn't wait for his response and practically ran out of the office even though she heard him calling her name. She didn't stop until she was outside, standing beside her car in the parking lot. The cool air hit her face, but it did little to calm the storm raging inside her.
She leaned against her car and closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing. She didn't understand what had just happened. It was supposed to be a routine appointment, nothing more. But now her heart was pounding, her thoughts racing, all because of him. Because of Dr. Kian.
What was it about him that made her feel this way?