“No.Not because you’re a rake.Because you’re a man.”In his pause, she continued.“Women are not permitted to speak of, read of, learn of anything related to the bedroom.Some of us are lucky enough—or perhaps unlucky enough—to receive a short statement from our mothers.Others are not.Any language or information on the subject is veiled in homily or diatribes.Virtue, a woman’s virtue, is all that she possesses as a bargaining chip in the ring of bidding on a husband.A dowry, age, status, everything else is worthless without it.So I know next to nothing about my own body.And it feels shameful.”
Whether she paused to take a breath or a break, he took the opportunity to reassure her.“It’s not a shameful act.It’s natural.”
Her eyes pierced into him, pinning him in place.“That’s not what I mean.I mean it’s shameful that I know nothing about it.”
And that’s when the significance of his promise weighed in on him.This wasn’t a simple symposium of two, a meeting of the minds, a question and answer time.
This was a discourse where only one person had a voice of experience.She had to trust him implicitly to unveil a truth that she had every right to know but had little to no means of accessing.
Hewas her access.And as ominous as a crack of thunder, he suddenly felt like it was too much to bear.
“I should go.”
Chapter 12
Pru
“Pleasedon’tgo.I—”her voice caught “—I do need your help.I want to know.”
Earlier when she had stumbled upon him in her room, rocking back on his heels as if to say,I’m here,she had wanted to toss him out the window.Or onto her bed.Confusing, that.
But now, for the first time, she could see the opportunity before her for what it was.
He twisted the ring on his pinky and cleared his throat.“What’s your question?”
She didn’t wait any longer.Didn’t count.Just blurted it out.“How does a woman get pregnant?”
His spluttering cough had her offering him some water.After taking a sip, he said, “I wasn’t expecting that one.”
“Coincidentally, often a woman isn’t either.”She smiled wryly.“I understand that the act…produces a baby.I just don’t know how.”
Mouth agape, eyes wide, hands on his thighs.This wasn’t promising behavior.
“Well…” Stalling, he twisted his ring and then dragged his hand through his hair.
“Just tell me, Soren.The details.It’s science, right?”
Dumbfounded, he looked at her.“Yes.”It took another pause before he plowed on.“When a man is aroused, he produces seed that can impregnate a woman.”
“What does her arousal produce?”
“What do you mean?”
“You said when a man is aroused, he produces seed.What does a woman need to do in order to receive it?”
“Actually…nothing.”Soren looked as stumped as she felt.
Ignoring the heat in her body, the overall unease within her, and again with the sweaty palms, she marched forward in the name of knowledge.“That hardly seems fair, doesn’t it?”
Soren reared back in clear shock.“What’s not fair?”
“To have a baby a man must be aroused and enjoy the experience while a woman gets nothing out of it.”
“Well…she does get a baby.”
“So does the man.”
“If it helps to know, if it’s done properly, she’ll enjoy it as well.”
