I Promise You It's Not Hysteria

Hello, this is my first proper attempt at romance. I normally write pure smut, so I hope this hits the right story beats. I tried to make it as historically accurate as I could, the treatment for 'Hysteria' and that 'invention', completely real, google it you're in for a wild read. Otherwise I hope you enjoy. =)

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Anders had made himself a cup of tea and was sitting in his office early that morning reviewing the files of the patients with appointments for the day. Letting out a sigh of relief, there were no 'hysteria' patients today. He had long come to the conclusion there was no such thing, just bored housewives whose husbands couldn't bring them satisfaction. Since he had officially joined his father's practice the number of women requesting appointments with him for their treatment was astonishing.

He couldn't fault them that much, he was young, only recently turned thirty and been told on many occasions he was handsome. He had an angular face, defined jaw, prominent cheekbones and a strong brow. He was tall, with broad shoulders, blonde hair cut short styled neatly and wore round glasses over his ice blue eyes. Considering the nature of the 'treatment' it was understandable why they would choose him.

It was an almost daily occurrence that he would have a woman on his examination table who would need to be stimulated to 'paroxysm' to manage her 'hysteria'. In layman's terms, he fingered them until they came. For the younger and more attractive women, having them moan and squeeze his fingers as they eagerly wanted him to bring them to orgasm. While it was rare it sometimes left him with an erection he would be forced to hide and ignore, there wouldn't be time to deal with it. He had been given the impression on more than one occasion that the women didn't see him in a purely professional manner. When he got questions posing as small talk.

'Do you use a shapesmith or is there a particular exercise you do to fill out your suit so well?'

'You must find it difficult to find trousers that fit? Assuming everything is in proportion.'

'If you spend most of your day on your feet, you must have a lot of stamina?'

Despite their less than subtle invitations he was never tempted. He never wanted to cross that professional boundary nor deal with angry husbands. At one point he considered buying Dr George Taylor's invention to make the process more efficient and professionally detached. But when he saw the specifics of it, he changed his mind. The machine was huge and frankly it was terrifying the way it pistoned the penile attachment. It made him cross his legs and scrunch up his face in horror upon witnessing a demo at a medical conference. He wasn't even the one who would be using it. He decided to stick with doing it the old fashioned way.

There was one name in his appointment schedule today that he didn't recognise. A new patient it seemed, he would have to fill out a patient record for her when she came in that afternoon.

The time came and she was escorted into his exam room by the receptionist accompanied by who he assumed was her father. He was more than double her age and had a thick walrus like moustache. She on the other hand was a little taller than average, chestnut hair styled in an elegant updo with a hat pinned on top. Her face defined, heart shaped with high cheekbones, sitting below almond shaped hazel eyes. Before she even had a chance to speak, the older man talked over her.

In a gruff tone. "Hello Doctor Karlsson, pleasure to make your acquaintance, my daughter seems to suffer from bouts of exaggerated emotion. I need you to correct her hysteria before I can marry her off. It'll be impossible to do as she is now. Her temperament is far too disagreeable." He barked.

Anders saw the young woman quietly huff and roll her eyes. This was new, it was normally oblivious husbands, unaware to the true source of their wives unhappiness assuming this diagnosis. Regardless, he couldn't do this consultation with her father in the room.

He held out a hand in greeting to the mustachioed fool in front of him in a baritone timbre.

"Mr Starling, it is nice to meet you. While I appreciate your summary I will need to have a private consultation with the young lady to properly assess her. Having her father in the room may affect what she is willing to volunteer. Perhaps you should pop into the cafe across the street, have a cup of tea, and read the paper while you wait. I can update you when we finish." Anders addressed him with a friendly yet professional manner.

"You have a stellar reputation Doctor. I hope you can find a way to fix her. We'll talk about it later." He gave her a stern look before leaving.

Upon her father leaving the room, Anders turned to the young woman, giving her the respect of holding out a hand to shake, which she took.

"I am Doctor Anders Karlsson."

She introduced herself, her voice had a soothing lilt as it left her inviting full lips. "Ivy Starling. Is this where you nod along to what I tell you, then disregard all of it and give my father the answer he wants to hear at the end." Raising an eyebrow and giving him a wry half smile.

He chuckled in response. "How about we have a chat? You answer my questions as honestly as you can. I'll examine you, determine if there is actually anything wrong with you. Then give your father an answer we can both agree on." Giving her a warm smile. " Take a seat, Let's start with filling out your patient record."

She seemed appeased by this answer. She hopped up onto the end of the examining table as he took a seat nearby. He picked up a paper form and a pen, writing her name at the top.

"What's your age and date of birth?"

"Twenty years old, March 16th, 1850."

"Are you in good health? No chronic pain, headaches et cetera?"

She shook her head.

"Are your menses regular?"

She nodded.

"Please take off your glove and roll up your sleeve."

She obliged, he held two fingers on her wrist. Checking his watch as he monitored her pulse for fifteen seconds.

"That's all fine." He noted it down on the form. "Could you please unbutton your dress? I want to check your lungs."

She did as instructed, he pulled out his stethoscope from his desk to be greeted with the swell of her breasts pushing out of the top of her corset. An enchanting milky white, skin that had never seen the sun. He pressed the end of the stethoscope above.

"Breathe in... and out." His eyes momentarily flicked to her cleavage as she inhaled. Then repeated the process on the other side.

"Nothing unusual there. You can button back up."

He scribbled the note down.

"No issues when urinating or defecating?"

She shook her head. He shuffled a bit closer.

"Just going to check your glands."

He ran his fingers up and down her neck, examining it for any lumps and finding none. Promptly making a note of that fact.

"At the times of these 'bouts of exaggerated emotion' your father referred to what was happening exactly?"

She sighed. "Usually my father either tries to force me to quit my studies or browbeat me into having a meeting with another one of his friend's sons, for the purposes of organising an engagement."

"What do you study?" He asked, raising his eyebrows with interest.

"Chemistry, specialising in biochemistry at King's." She answered.

He nodded, making an approving noise. "I can assume you are passionate about it if you don't want to cease your studies."

"Yes... but my father thinks being educated to that level makes me less marriageable. That men will find it unattractive. I would rather be in a lab than be a housewife." She huffed.

"Why do you think your father is so keen to marry you off?" He asked, studying her as she answered.

"My mother passed away last year. She was the one that held the purse strings, since she and my father lived separately for the last ten years, married in name alone. She changed her will without telling him, putting the majority in a trust for me, accessible when I turn twenty five or get married. If he marries me off to a man he has influence over, he thinks he can get the money." She lamented.

Anders pondered this. "You only have another year to hold out before he has no further say on your life but... if he tries to have you declared mentally incompetent, he could extend his guardianship and potentially have you hospitalised." He warned. "Is that something he might do to you?" He asked with concern.

"I... think he might... but I'm perfectly sane. A reluctance to forgo higher education and get married to some witless bore is not a sign of mental fragility." She said, trying to comfort herself.

"That's a belief I share, but not all my fellow medical professionals do. Here's the thing, you seem perfectly healthy to me but... if I tell your father that, there's a chance he's going to keep taking you to doctors until one gives him the answer he's looking for. One who might be less than faithful to the Hippocratic oath... if you catch my meaning." He warned.

"There are doctors who would do that?" She asked, eyebrows raising in surprise, as though the idea had never occurred to her.

"Sadly yes, I can think of five names off the top of my head for which that kind of behaviour wouldn't be remotely surprising. The kind of doctor who would spend a night in an opium den then head to work after having a coffee with a dram of cocaine mixed in. It would not be hard for your father to find a disreputable doctor." He laid it out clearly.

"What do I do? How can I avoid that?" She searched his face for an answer.

"I am prepared to lie to your father. I can tell him that you have an entirely treatable case of hysteria. That you can receive treatment in my office, that it might take some time but you'll eventually become the obedient daughter he wants that he just needs to be patient. Then we stall him for as long as we can." He proposed this solution to her.

She thought it over for a minute. "I read up on the therapy for hysteria. Are you actually going to 'treat' me?" She gave him a speculative, suspicious look.

He laughed. "I assumed we would sit and enjoy a cup of tea during that time. But I can give you some 'treatment' if you really want." Giving her a flirty wink.

She blushed, looking sheepish. "The tea will suffice. Please, could you maintain that lie to my father."

He smiled warmly at her. "Okay, we'll tell your father you have hysteria. Let's see how long we can string him along for."

Her father soon returned and entered the exam room without knocking, just barging in.

"Well, what's your diagnosis doctor? It's hysteria isn't it?" He asked imperiously.

Anders put on his best serious tone. "Yes, I'm afraid so. But I believe it's perfectly treatable, weekly appointments should make a noticeable difference." He hid the disdain he felt instinctively for this man.

"How long before she's cured and starts acting like a woman should?" He asked.

"I can't give you an exact time frame. Especially when it comes to treating psychiatric disorders, but as long as no undue stress is put on her and she keeps up with treatment. We should eventually see a difference. So she shouldn't be put through any dramatic life changes for the time being." Anders said, this was technically true, just not about her.

Mr Starling seemed to huff. This wasn't the answer he was fully hoping for, but it validated enough of his assumptions that he was willing to trust Anders' words.

"What if she gets worse? Becomes a danger to herself or others? Won't more extreme measures need to be taken?" He seemed to be almost enthusiastic at this prospect.

Anders kept his tone neutral. "We can cross that bridge if we come to it. For now let's just schedule weekly appointments and go from there."

Her father nodded and walked out to talk to the receptionist. Anders gave Ivy a comforting squeeze on her shoulder before she left the exam room. Once she closed the door behind her Anders let out a sigh. What a beautiful vibrant flower she was, he could only hope their subterfuge would give her the chance to grow into the sun. Instead of being deprived and trapped in the dark as so many of her gender.

A week rolled by and she was sitting in his exam room enjoying a cup of tea with him. Anders was enjoying the break from actual appointments.

She asked him a question.

"How many women are there like me amongst your patients?" She asked curiously.

He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. "Could you be more specific, what do you mean exactly?"

She clarified. "Women who there is technically nothing wrong with, people just think there is."

He pondered her question before he answered. "You are a notable exception. In the majority of the time, there's still a problem, just not the one people assume."

"What do you mean?" She asked, truly intrigued.

"Truly happy healthy women don't end up in a doctor's office the majority of the time. It's just intellectual and professional laziness or the need to conceal the root cause of the problem. Far easier to slap on the label of hysteria than find the true diagnosis or say the actual issue out loud." He explained.

"What is the actual issue?" She asked her attention afixed on him.

He let out a pensive sigh.

"Like how the majority of the women with 'hysteria' aren't sick, not really, they're just unhappy with their circumstances, stuck in unfulfilling marriages."

She took this in, chewing over this information. "Sounds like avoiding marriage is the sensible choice." She reasoned.

He chuckled. "Avoiding marriage to someone unsuitable, certainly. There are some couples who are happy, my parents for example. Married for thirty five years and still enjoy each other's company. Your parents on the other hand are not as good a model to follow from what you mentioned."

"Yes." She lamented. "My father has been living with his mistress for the last nine years. When he was still living with us he always seemed to get angry she didn't give him full control of her accounts. While she would be forever frustrated and snapping at him with his spending and attention he gave other women. It always baffled me why they even got married in the first place. When I asked her, she said her parents encouraged the match, saying he was from a good family. Not caring if they were actually compatible."

He smirked sadly. "It's a common enough tale. People getting married who should never have done so. Since you and your father have a strained relationship, do you have anyone else you are close to since you lost your mother?" He gave her a sympathetic look.

She sighed. "Just my aunt, we see each other regularly and often exchange letters. We both miss my mother though. She's been a true source of comfort." A warm smile crept onto her lips.

"Are you living with your father and his mistress?" He asked with concern.

"Yes, but I have rooms at King's. He routinely tries to badger me to give them up. Saying 'It's not proper for a young lady to live by herself'." He scrunched up her face in irritation. Anders found the expression somewhat adorable on her.

"I'm surprised he hasn't married his mistress. Considering he's legally free to do so?" He puzzled.

She mulled it over

"He said he's waiting until the right time. That could mean so many things..."

They heard a knock at the door.

"Doctor, it's time for your next patient." The receptionist said through the door.

"Just a minute!" He called back. He turned his attention back to Ivy. "Looks like our time is up, see you next week." He bid her goodbye.

She gave him a nod and a smile, then left through the door, leaving Anders free to see his next patient. He found himself looking forward to their next visit when he would have tea with her again.

The following week Ivy was sitting in the waiting room for Dr Karlsson's office. She found herself pleasantly surprised at how beneficial being his 'hysteria' patient was. For the last couple of weeks her father had not even mentioned trying to get her to give up her academic career or coerce any further meetings with the buffoonish sons of his friends. She hoped it would continue. She was calmly waiting for her appointment where they would have a cup of tea and chat.

When unusual noises came from the exam room. It was loud, sounding like feminine whimpers and moans. At the moment she was the only person waiting but she and the receptionist shared a look. A moment of awkwardness passed between them as they mutually understood what was happening in there. Eventually it stopped and a woman walked out of the exam room with a blissful look on her face. While Ivy and the receptionist did their best not to make eye contact. As the woman left the office the receptionist cleared her throat.

"Ahem. Doctor Karlsson will see you now." She said sheepishly.

Ivy nodded at her, picking up her handbag and walking into the exam room. She saw Anders washing his hands in the sink, and he turned to greet her.

"Ah Miss Starling, welcome."

He shook his hands dry and walked over to the door as Ivy stepped in. She eyed the exam table suspiciously and his fingers, finding a blush creep onto her cheeks.

He poked his head out the door and called to the receptionist. "Meredith, would you mind bringing us two cups of tea, please." Then pulled back into the room. Finding Ivy sitting on a chair looking embarrassed. "Is something wrong? You seem a bit off?" He asked.

She finally found the will to speak. "Good Morning, your previous patient... was quite loud..."

The vexatious atmosphere hung for a moment, before he let out a laugh.

"Oh dear, well I guess that makes it obvious what she was in here for. I'm guessing Meredith heard as well?"

Ivy nodded. He chuckled.

"I'm sure the patient would be mortified if she knew, best keep it between ourselves."

The blush refused to leave Ivy's cheeks. Now her mind welding the connection between 'that' and his fingers. Before, it had been purely theoretical.

"Why do you offer that treatment?" She managed to choke out the question. "Last week you made it seem like you didn't really believe in the existence of hysteria, yet here you are treating it in that manner? I thought you said that kind of diagnosis was lazy." She asked, wondering about his contrarian behaviour and why she felt she had to examine it.

He gave her a smirk, feeling tickled by her interrogation. "I don't ever diagnose it myself. But I end up with many patients already diagnosed as such. Many of whom use their diagnosis as a means to access 'treatment'. Rather than challenge them on it, I just let them. It's a form of easy money for the practice and it's better than them medicating themselves unnecessarily. Nobody really loses. For those whose problem is deeper than 'hysteria' I do try to steer them towards actual therapies that might help them." He gave her a comforting smile. "I hope that hasn't lowered your opinion of me too much."

She cogitated on his words. As she thought it over, she realised once she got over the shock and awkwardness of it. He did have a point.

"Doesn't it bother you? Being used like this?" Asking him yet another burning question.

He took a seat in the chair opposite. Meredith came in and handed them each a cup of tea before leaving again.

"Being a doctor has many parts that are less than palatable. I have a friend who works in the morgue at Scotland Yard, the stories he tells. Or a colleague who works at St Bart's who's constantly dealing with patients trying to score morphine. It's just part of the job." He shrugged, taking a sip of tea.

"Doesn't it concern your wife?" She asked.

"I'm not married." He said nonchalantly.

"Oh, I'm sorry... I now see you're not wearing a ring. My apologies. But... surely that would bother your hypothetical wife?" She gave him a sheepish yet wry smile.

He chuckled. "Well, my hypothetical wife would need to adjust to the fact that my fingers end up in many orifices over the week, not just that one."

Her shocked, horrified expression caused him to burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry... but your face... was priceless." He choked out between giggles.

She huffed, pouting a bit. "Is that why you're not married?"

He kept his smile. "No, I want what my parents have. So I'm waiting for Miss Right. Who will have to accept my fingers will not be hers exclusively."

She raised an eyebrow. "She'll get everything else to herself then?"

He smirked at her. "She'll get as much of it as she wants."

Ivy didn't know why but she felt the blush creeping back into her cheeks. Which was noticed by Anders.

"You're looking rather flushed Miss Starling? Something making you hot under the collar?" He teased.

"It's nothing." She insisted, taking a large sip of tea.

He changed the subject. "What's the plan with regards to your studies? What are you going to do when you finish your degree?" He inquired.

"Masters, then maybe doctorate. Moving into research potentially." She answered.

"No plans for a husband or children?"

"Only if he would be a husband worth having. Being married to a twit who is only after my mother's money does not appeal." She declared.

"Well it's easy to filter out idiots, they tend to be rather obvious about it." He got a giggle from her. "The money grabbers on the other hand, are a little bit harder but you need to have a lawyer on hand."

"What does the lawyer do?" She asked with a smile.

He chuckled. "They can drive off gold diggers like sunlight to a vampire, by invoking two powerful words... Prenuptial Agreement... Which in your case I would advise, find yourself a good lawyer."

"You know any?" She asked playfully.

"Yeah, but he specialises in medical malpractice. Nuptial and family law is not his thing. I could ask him if he has any colleagues, but you won't actually need one until you meet someone you're considering going down the aisle with." He reasoned.

She eyed him suspiciously. "Why do you have a medical malpractice lawyer?"

"The practice does, in the event someone tries to sue us. It's yet to happen... we do our best to ensure we give the best care we can. Not all can say the same." He said neutrally.

"Well if you could ask him for me that would be good, perhaps a lawyer might be able to help with my situation overall?" She pondered.

He smiled. "Perhaps, but my specialty is clearly not law. But it doesn't hurt to ask a professional."

She returned his smile, feeling like there might be a course of action out of her situation.

"What do you do, when you aren't working?" She asked.

"Reading, swimming in the outdoor pools. I occasionally attend a club to network. Going to medical conferences." He listed.

She giggled. "Those last two are still work. Sounds like you're married to the job."

He smirked. "I guess I am, that would change if I had a woman in my life. But for now, making the practice successful is my priority. Along with my patients."

A knock on the door from Meredith indicated their time was up for that week. They bid each other goodbye and parted ways. True to his word, Anders sent a letter to his lawyer asking for a referral for Ivy. Over the course of the week he found his thoughts drifting to her often, wondering what she was doing. Hoping that she was doing well. Whilst Ivy had been having strange dreams.

She had been dreaming of being on his exam table, completely naked, while Anders ran his hands over her skin. Starting at her breasts, teasing her nipples between his fingers before trailing them down. Stroking down her hips to her thighs, sliding them between her legs and touching her most intimate spot. His deep voice whispered, "Let me make that ache go away."

Feeling his fingers pushing inside her, sighing and moaning as she felt the sensation of his large fingers pumping in and out. His handsome face looked down at her wearing a lustful smirk. Each time she would feel something building, then would wake with a start. Feeling a telltale dampness between her legs. She had complicated feelings about the dreams. He was her doctor, she shouldn't think about him like this.

When she met him the following week, she had to suppress the urge to gulp when he gave her a warm welcoming smile. Feeling her mouth going dry, and her heart beating a little faster.

"Hello, Doctor." Her voice cracked a little. "How have you been?"

He gave her an assessing look before he spoke. "Fairly standard, what about you? Everything fine?"

"Yes, perfectly alright." She said, the slight hitch to her tone betraying her. "I met my aunt for lunch, she's dragging me to some event hosted by the Athenaeum society at the weekend. She thinks it will be good for me to make some connections." She shrugged.

He chuckled. "Is that the sporting charity fundraiser?" He enquired.

"Uh, yes." She replied.

"I guess I'll see you there, me and some other members of the Doctor's Association are signed up to compete." He mused.

"For what events?" She enquired.

"I managed to keep it to just rugby and swimming. As it's for charity I can bear that much." He tittered.

"Not a sports fan? I thought you liked swimming?" She teased.

"Enjoying the bracing feel of cold water as I exercise is very different to dealing with a bunch of others, trying to prove their masculine prowess in a public forum. Competition can really show you a different side to people." He explained.

"I don't know..." She pondered. "It can be a great way to spur people on and cut some others down to size when their skill doesn't match their confidence." She grinned.

He looked at her with interest, pulling a smirk. "What an intriguing answer, why do I get the impression that you have 'cut a few people down to size'?"

She giggled. "Perhaps because I have."

"Oh! Miss Starling, what hidden talents do you possess that I should be aware of?" He asked playfully.

"If I told you, they wouldn't be hidden. But I can say with certainty that rugby and swimming aren't amongst them." She cheekily grinned.

"What a relief. Now I just need to watch out for god knows what else." He returned her grin.

He found himself deeply charmed by her smile, and the playful side to her.

"Well I at least won't have to fake my interest in the outcome of the events you are participating in, even if I still find the rules of rugby baffling." She mused.

"Ooooh, I could give you a full lecture right now, going into painfully elaborate detail." He said with a sardonic smile.

"Please... don't." She replied, stifling a chuckle.

"Okay, but just one basic rule. You can't tackle anyone who doesn't have the ball. No matter how tempted you are. Nor any biting or scratching." He joked.

"I assume hair pulling, switchblades and guns are out as well?" She jibed.

He chuckled. "I think that's frowned upon in most circles. As much as it would liven things up. Hopefully the evening games will be more interesting for you."

"Here's hoping." Giving him a warm smile, that caused a strange flutter in his stomach.

They engaged in idle chatter for the rest of the appointment, with him handing her a business card for a recommended lawyer before she left. That Saturday Ivy picked out one of her nicer dresses for the event. It was the same colour as her namesake and flattered her hazel eyes. Her aunt picked her up and escorted her to the venue. A large manor surrounded by greenery. There was a lake in the distance for swimming and a section of the lawn painted out for the Rugby game.

As she and her aunt claimed a couple of seats near the pitch. Ivy saw a couple, they appeared to be in their late fifties. Between the two of them she recognised all the features that made up Anders. The man had the height, broad shoulders, brow and jaw. While the woman had the blue eyes, blonde hair and the cheekbones. Were this couple his parents?

They took the seats next to her and her aunt. Seeing them up close made Ivy even more sure. Her aunt introduced herself.

"Hello, I'm Priscilla Ravensbruck, this is my niece Ivy Starling. What a fine day we're having."

The couple both extended their hands to shake. The woman spoke.

"I am Freya and this is my husband Dr Erik Karlsson, our son is competing today. We're here to cheer him on."

Erik gave a good natured snort. "He's a grown man, you just wanted to come and see young men in tight trousers." He playfully accused her.

Freya smirked as she gave him side eye. Priscilla played along.

"Here was me thinking I was the only one." Letting out a giggle.

"Erik, if you put on a pair of tight trousers I'd ogle you too." Freya teased. Earning a chuckle from Erik.

The players began to stream onto the pitch.

"Which one is your son?" Priscilla asked.

"That tall blonde one over there." Ivy pointed out.

Earning her a speculative look from all three of them. Immediately feeling the need to explain.

"I've met him in his professional capacity. Plus with your name and how similar you look to him it was easy to work out the connection." Ivy explained.

Freya and Erik chuckled, Priscilla's face making the connection. Erik spoke after. "Yes, I suppose it's not that hard to work out. Here's hoping he has fun playing today." Giving Ivy a smile, that looked so similar to the way Anders smiled.

They watched the match. Anders' team doing a sterling job passing the ball between them scoring tries. Ivy found herself burying chuckles when the ball passed to Anders, whenever the players from the other team attempted to tackle him, they either missed embarrassingly or needed multiple people to bring him down. By the end of the game Anders' team had won hands down.

Emphatic cheers from his parents brought his attention to their direction. Bringing her into his view as well, giving a wave to his parents and a smile directed at her before his team left the pitch. Going to change for other events.

They moved over to the side of the lake where the swimming event was scheduled to take place. The swimmers approached the diving platform at the water's edge. All dressed in knee length swimming costumes. They took their places, diving in when the referee fired the starting gun. Charging through the water to the other side of the lake and back with Anders clearly in the lead. He slapped the finishing platform a full one and a half lengths ahead of the next competitor. The undoubted winner. He climbed out of the water and walked over to them.

As he drew close, Ivy had to consciously prevent her jaw from dropping. Up close the wet swimming costume clung to him tightly. Leaving very little to the imagination. His large biceps glistened from the water, while the outline of the muscles on his chest were visible. The wet shorts clinging to his strong thighs. Ivy kept her focus affixed to his face, desperate not to be caught staring. Anders saw the blush that formed on her cheeks. Quickly checking himself over, noticing her stiff awkwardness and reminded of her reaction on the third visit to his office. He gave her a knowing smirk before addressing his parents.

"You did so well my boy." Freya beamed with pride.

Erik chuckled. "You trounced them. That's going to cause some jealousy."

Anders shrugged. "It's just a swimming race. I'll see you shortly. I'm going to change into some dry clothes."

He walked back over to the changing area while the rest of them made their way back to the main building. Anders joined them soon after, hair still damp wearing his glasses and regular suit. There were a few more events they pretended to be interested in, making the appropriate noises and clapping when required until the sport section of the day finished. They retreated inside, exchanging small talk with drinks. When Erik tried to get a friendly game of chess going.

A puffed up young man came over.

"I'll take you up on a game." An air of arrogance followed him.

Erik accepted, hoping for a fun game. Only for that not to be the case.

The young man played against Erik. Making snide comments everytime he took a piece.

"Checkmate. You're not very good at this game are you old boy?" He snarked. "Don't feel too bad, I'm a master."

Erik's face twitched. Clearly insulted but not rising to the bait. "I was only hoping for a casual game but got to play a master, what a privilege." He nodded before leaving the table.

Ivy saw the irritation on Anders face from the disrespect this man had shown his father. She saw it as an opportunity to play a little game.

"Ooh, can I play? It looked like so much fun." She feigned a vapid tone.

It caused Anders to raise an eyebrow.

The young man huffed. "I don't play beginners."

"But that's not fair. How about I make it interesting for you? Shall we play for stakes? How about the winner gets half a pound." She proposed maintaining her facade.

He looked her up and down, leering at her in a way Anders didn't like. "How about when I win you let me take you out for dinner?"

She pretended to think it over. "What do I get if I win?"

The young man snorted in derision. "I'll give you a pound."

"Okay." She bounced. "Let me see if I can remember the rules." She sat down to play.

Keeping an innocent smile on her face throughout the game, she toyed with him. Slowly baiting him and taking pieces he wasn't focused on. Until she declared...

"Checkmate!" She announced, with a shit eating grin.

"What!?" He exclaimed, frantically studying the board. Then letting out a frustrated growl when he realised she was right.

"You're not very good are you?" She said mockingly.

"I am a master!" He spat through clenched teeth.

"Oh, are you? As a woman who can't compete, I don't know if that means you are all that competent if I beat you. Regardless, you owe me a pound." She beamed smugly.

He slapped a pound note on the table before storming off. She picked it up and turned to Erik, who seemed very entertained by the whole thing.

"Was that as good for you as it was for me?" She grinned.

He laughed. "You played him like a fiddle young lady. He didn't know what hit him. I hope you'll indulge me in a friendly game one day."

She gave him a smile. "Happily, Dr Karlsson."

He, Freya and Priscilla wandered to the bar.

Anders looked slightly amazed. His mouth turned up into a grin. "I assume this is one of the hidden talents you mentioned."

"Yes, I've a few others up my sleeve." She giggled.

"You feel like telling me what the rest are yet?" He asked playfully.

She pretended to think it over. "Hmmm, no. I prefer to surprise people. Makes it far more entertaining." She teased.

He gave her a wry look. "Well the poker tournament is about to begin, would you like to watch it together?"

She pondered for a moment. "I think with the extra pound in my pocket I'm going to enter." She grinned.

He gazed at her curiously. "Am I about to see another one of your hidden talents?"

"Maybe." She gave him a coquettish wink. Before walking over to write her name on the tournament sign up sheet.

Anders watched with interest as she took her seat at the table. Beyond intrigued as he watched her play. Looking refined in her emerald coloured dress as she proceeded through the tournament. Slowly knocking out the other players and staying in the game. Making almost preternatural judgments each hand. Playing each one spectacularly. Until finally she was the last one standing and declared the winner.

Anders, his parents and her aunt had spectated with rapt attention. All four of them cheered as she won. She collected her winnings and joined them. Her aunt gave her an affectionate pinch on her cheek.

"You are definitely your mother's daughter. Same beautiful brain." She gushed.

"How did you do that? You read all those people like a book." Asked Anders. His parents similarly wanted an explanation

Ivy let out a good-natured sigh, answering with a smile. "It was never the people. I counted the cards, just calculating the probability. People lie, numbers don't." She shrugged.

Anders chuckled. "I find myself exceptionally intrigued to discover the rest of your talents, Miss Starling."

He gazed at her admiringly. Freya noticed and slyly smiled to herself.

The evening soon drew to a close, the gathering parting ways for the night. Ivy was escorted home by her aunt and Anders took himself back to his house.

He washed up rubbing his aching limbs before sinking into bed, soon to sleep with a hint of a smile on his lips. A dream found him.

Ivy in the middle of a light space, sunlight beaming down on her. She twisted around dancing, the skirt on a beautiful low cut dress swirling about her. Practically inviting him to dance with her. As he approached, she gave him a sultry look. Placing her hand on his shoulder, offering him the other as he clasped her waist and led her in a waltz. Spinning and gliding across the floor, their lips leaning closer and closer together. Until they finally pressed together in a kiss. Their tongues caressing, deepening the kiss.

The waltz abandoned as their bodies pushed together. Clothes torn off, piece by piece. A bed appearing behind them, he threw her onto it. Climbing on top of her, kissing her lips, her neck, her nipple. Pulling her legs apart and burying himself deep inside. Finding her tight, wet and aching for him. She ran her hands over his chest and through his hair. Her moaning as he thrust inside, rocking his hips on top. Feeling her brush her lips and teeth over the skin on his neck. Squeezing on his cock as she wrapped her legs around him, holding him close to her. Her crying out as he pounded inside. Her eyes glazing over as she looked at him, her face contorted in ecstasy. Until she finally screamed 'Anders!'.

He woke up with a jolt, finding the inside of his underwear sticky. It had been years since he had last had a wet dream. Yet here he was, having one about a patient... a sort of patient. A brilliant enchanting young woman. Who he had promised to help. Who blushed at the sight of him in wet clinging clothing, who flirted with him, and gave him witty back and forth. He held his temple between his fingers. There were certain boundaries he shouldn't cross.

But this was the first time he was truly tempted to do it.

Ivy's own dreams had escalated. She would find herself bound naked, her hands tied above. Watching as Anders would emerge from the water in front of her. His muscular body was on display for her eyes as he would walk towards her. Her mind always drew a blank on what hung between his legs. He would pause in front of her gazing at her uncovered skin before grasping her hair and pulling her head back. Planting his lips on hers, snaking his free hand between her legs and making her writhe. Before whispering in her ear 'you're the one who wants this'. Grasping her thighs in his hands, lifting them up and parting them. Fully exposed to his gaze, before he rubbed that male part against her and...

... She would wake up, feeling flustered and embarrassed. Drenched between her legs. Feeling guilty. Thinking about him like that, felt wrong. Was it though? He wasn't married, he had no fiancée. Surely this crush was harmless. She wouldn't be the first woman to be infatuated with her doctor. She should just behave appropriately. Within the confines of their relationship.

He felt delight and tension when he saw her name on the appointment list for that day. That dream still lingered in his mind. He tried to push it from his thoughts.

When she arrived later that day, she walked in greeting him with a smile.

"Hello, it was fun the other day wasn't it? I liked your parents. I see why you want a marriage like theirs." She said, keeping things light. As she took a seat.

He returned her smile. "Yes, they're a great pair. You made a good impression, my father is looking forward to a chess game and my mother wonders if she could get you to teach her to play poker like that."

She grinned. "Happy to do both next time I see them."

He eyed her curiously. "Where did you learn to do that?"

She met his gaze. "Poker is just maths, chess is memorising strategies. I'm not a savant at either, it's just practice. My mother enjoyed both pastimes. Since I had no siblings we spent a lot of time playing. Are you an only child as well?"

He snickered. "No, I'm one of five."

"Five?!" She exclaimed.

He grinned. "Yep, my parents have had a very happy marriage." Giggling as he finished speaking.

"Clearly." She chuckled.

"I was the only boy, so it was often me and my dad versus a house of women. It was often a losing battle." He half smiled.

"I can imagine, are you all close?" She asked.

"Fairly, but since all barring my youngest sister are married with children. Family gatherings are a bit chaotic." He explained.

"I think that sounds nice, one big family. My dad was an only child and my aunt never had children so... it's been pretty small. Even smaller considering it's hard to see my father as family most days. It's why numbers are easier than people, they'll always behave in predictable and sensible ways." She mused.

He raised an eyebrow. "True, but having the right people in your life can be rewarding."

"Yet having the wrong people can be detracting. How many people do you think are stuck together because the law forces them to be?" She posed the question.

He sighed. "Based on the number of 'hysterical' women who come to this office and many others. I'd say a lot and that's just amongst the echelon's who can afford it." He answered, contemplating his words as he spoke them.

"What about those who can't afford it?" She cogitated.

"Suffer in silence or have an affair?" He suggested.

"Is sex really that vital? I don't truly understand why women would come to a doctor's office to have 'that' done to them?" She puzzled.

He sniggered, then tried to stifle it. "That answers one question about you that would be too rude to ask."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He managed to keep his snigger in check. "If you had any real experience with 'the act' you might understand why that part of yourself being left unsatisfied causes unhappiness in the long run. Having to satisfy a husband's urges whilst he might not return the favour would be very frustrating." He did his best to explain delicately.

Her cheeks flushed pink. "So these women come to you because you give them what their husbands don't?" She asked, feeling embarrassed at the question.

He felt sheepish as he answered with her eyes boring into him, feeling drawn to the flush on her cheeks. "Basically... yes."

"Does that mean you are better at it than most men?" She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. Wishing she could pull them back.

He felt awkward as he answered. "Ahhh... I have a greater awareness of what parts of a woman have a sensitive response I suppose. That is purely within the context of the 'treatment' I offer in this office."

"Perhaps I should try the 'treatment'." Her eyes stretched wide. She couldn't believe what she had just said. Her mouth had a mind of its own.

His own eyes widened, a dark quality entering them. "Ah... I'm not... I don't. Perhaps that's not the best..."

"It's just a medical procedure isn't it? What you do in this place?" Why was she trying to force this, she wasn't sure.

He steeled himself. "Yes, just a medical procedure."

She hopped up on the exam table. Waiting for him to approach from across the room. When he got close he awkwardly issued an instruction.

"If you could remove your bloomers and lie back with your legs apart for me." He tried to keep his friendly professional tone. But this didn't feel professional.

She pulled off her bloomers, parted her legs as she lay back, pulling up her skirt. Anders had to force his face to stay neutral. He hadn't needed her to pull up her skirt, he would normally just reach his hand up. Instead she had exposed herself to him, her untouched sex with the chestnut triangle of hair above just laid out in front of him. Her cheeks were still flushed pink as she had trouble meeting his gaze.

He ran his hands up her thighs before pulling back her clitoral hood. He began to roll his thumb over it, seeing her hips instinctively start to jerk.

He started to narrate, as though describing what he was doing would remove the undercurrent of what was happening.

"This part is called the clitoris, it's very sensitive in some women. It's enough to stimulate this alone to cause paroxysm."

"I can understand that." She gasped.

Her legs were starting to shake as this foreign sensation spread through her hips. As he began to flick his fingers over it, she started to let out little moans. She slapped her hand over her mouth in embarrassment.

"It's quite normal to let out some moans as this happens. I'm going to increase the stimulation now."

Her moans had turned him on far more than he was willing to admit. He slid a finger inside, angling it up to caress her sweet spot. Hearing her let out a muffled squeak through her hands. When she began to squeeze on his fingers it sent little twinges to his cock as he imagined what it would be like to bury himself between her legs and take her. Trying to refocus himself he started narrating again.

"I am currently massaging a cluster of nerves on your vaginal front wall that is connected to the clitoris. Stimulating both at once increases the pleasure response. Is that what you are feeling right now?"

He asked, doing his absolute best to keep his professional tone.

She nodded. Starting to roll her hips from his touch and her eyes glazing over as muffled sweet moans continued to escape from behind her hands.

His restraint was beginning to crumble as she shook her hips and her face filled with bliss. The animal part of his masculinity was screaming at him to yank down his trousers, climb on top of her and show her just how much pleasure he could give her. To claim this beautiful creature as his own. But a cold snap of reason brought him back, he would lose everything, his career, his reputation and her as well most likely.

Ivy was in heaven, no wonder women asked him to do this to them. Something was coming by virtue of his fingers caressing her most intimate of places. She had never been so eager or desperate for something in her life. Her fingers dug into her skirt, whilst her other hand tried to muffle the moans he was forcing out of her. If this was just his fingers what could the rest of him do? Finding her eyes flicking between his face and the large bulge that had formed between his legs. Burning with curiosity as to what it looked like. Imagining him on top of her thrusting it inside her, sent her over the edge.

She let out a muffled squeal as her body tensed up, she squeezed on his finger as a bolt of delectable lightning shot up her spine, lighting up her synapses and spreading bliss through the rest of her. She finally went slack, removing her hand from her mouth, letting out gasping pants. She looked up at Anders who seemed to be breathing heavily too, his face taut and tense.

Without thinking, she smoothed her hand over his hard crotch. His eyes widened and he seemingly recoiled, she felt rejected.

He tried to recover. "... Just keeping things professional." He said attempting to sound reassuring but failing.

She pulled down her skirt and redressed her bloomers. Believing Anders had no interest in her, she was just another one of the women he had done this to.

The reality for Anders was, as ecstatic as he had been about her touching him. He had been holding himself back by a hair that had almost snapped. There was no polite way to explain she had been moments away from being violently ravished. Seeing the disappointment and rejection on her face left him feeling torn up and conflicted.

"You're right." She sighed. "Don't know what came over me." She smoothed down her clothes. "I think our time is probably up. Good day Doctor."

She walked out of his office leaving Anders feeling dejected. He had royally messed this up, he should have just said no, made up an excuse. This had just spectacularly complicated things. He buried his emotions for the rest of the day hoping that he would be able to patch things up next week.

A week rolled by and her name hadn't appeared on the patient list, he hoped that she was just busy. When the second week came and she still had not shown up, he started to suspect that she wasn't coming back. By the third week it was a certainty.

There was a Karlsson family get together planned for that weekend at a hotel in the country. A repurposed stately home. He figured it would at least be a good chance to relax and distract himself.

He travelled with his parents and little sister who chatted the whole way down. He tried his best to maintain the facade of a pleasant demeanor. But it felt weak and it probably showed. They eventually arrived at the hotel to be greeted by his other sisters, their husbands and their horde of children who made up his nieces and nephews. Putting on the act of fun uncle Anders, being jumped on, pulled at and begged for piggyback rides.

Until eventually his sisters corralled their children inside so they could check in. Once in the lobby he saw a familiar face. Priscilla, reading a book with a cup of tea over in the lounge. He ambled over to say hello, as it was only polite.

When she saw him she greeted him. "Ah, the younger Doctor Karlsson, how lovely to see you. I see the whole clan made it down?"

"Yes, a family get together, there's too many of us to comfortably fit in one house." He jovially explained.

"Yes, your mother mentioned. She suggested I come down for the weekend and join in the fun. We've been exchanging letters since the Atheneum event. I brought Ivy with me too, it seemed good for the girl to get out of London for the weekend."

"Ivy is here too?" He tried to ask the question nonchalantly, not sure if that was how he came across.

"Yes, your mother insisted. She was keen for Erik to have a chance to play her at chess. I believe she's making her way through the hedge maze at the moment. If you wish to say hello." She relayed casually, a knowing smile forming at the corner of her lips.

"I might do that, see you later." He definitely failed to sound nonchalant that time.

As he walked past reception where the rest of his family were checking in his mother feigned disinterest in where he was going. Her face acting like butter wouldn't melt. He kept going past seeking out the hedge maze and marching towards it. He headed inside, searching through, looking for that familiar head of chestnut hair. He finally reached the centre and found her, sitting on a bench, studying a small book.

She looked over at him, alerted by the sound of his footsteps. Her eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Doctor Karlsson... I... what are you doing here?" She blurted out

He slowly walked over. "My family is down for the weekend. I saw your aunt, she mentioned you were in the maze... I thought it might be a good idea for us to talk." He explained.

A flash of recognition shot through her eyes. She smirked a little. "I now know why, my aunt was so insistent I join her this weekend..." Her tone became slightly nervous sounding. "... I want to apologise for what happened the last time I was at your office. What I did was inappropriate, it crossed a boundary, then I stormed out like a sulking child. Too embarrassed to come back and face you."

He stayed silent for a moment. Feeling awkward as he chose his words. "There's no need for you to apologise. What happened crossed a line on both sides. I didn't pull away because I was rejecting you..." Finding it difficult to say as she was gazing at him with rapt focus.

"You weren't repulsed?" She asked, sheepishly.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose, pushing up his glasses. "Quite the opposite, I had to... because I was beyond tempted to deflower you on my exam table. So vigorously I would probably break the table, make you scream and things would have become permanently awkward with my receptionist... because there's no chance I would have been quiet about it." He felt ashamed as he spoke his piece.

Her eyes widened, her expression indiscernible. "Why? That can't be how you normally behave around your patients?"

"I don't think about you in the way I think about my other patients. They don't inspire the feelings in me that you do. They don't dance through my dreams and my thoughts don't regularly wander to them, putting a smile on my face, unlike you. Our relationship drifted outside the bounds of doctor and patient before that day. Unless you feel otherwise?" He studied her as he made his confession, burning to hear her response.

She gulped, her mouth going dry. "I assumed I was the only one who felt that way. You've also occupied a great many of my thoughts. Certain dreams have made it hard to meet your gaze." She blushed. "We really did all of this out of the proper order, didn't we?"

He chuckled. "It's a bit unusual that I've been beneath your skirts, before I've even kissed you." He looked at her face, his focus swapping between her eyes and lips.

He sat next to her on the bench. The blush intensified on her cheeks.

She giggled. "What happens now? I'm technically not your patient anymore."

"I would like to court you, if you would let me? But if you aren't coming to my office anymore, what are you doing about your father?" He asked, keen to hear answers to both his questions.

"I would like to court you as well." A warm smile spread across her lips. "As for my father, I contacted the lawyer you gave me the details of. I explained my situation to him, he requested to look at my mother's will. There were two copies of it, there was another stored in a safe deposit box that had been forgotten about. That version contradicted the one read out after the funeral. Absolutely no mention of the trust becoming available before I turn twenty five. The marriage clause was forged. My lawyer pointed this out to my father, politely explaining what could happen if he was taken to court over the matter. Unsurprisingly, he has backed off entirely and I've moved in with aunt Priscilla now." Her smile became a beaming grin.

He returned it. "That's excellent news. On both counts." He feathered his hands over the back of her neck. "Would you accept us having our first kiss now?"

She nodded as her face inched closer to his. Their lips finally pressed together, chastely at first. A tingle ran through her at the contact. As she let out a sigh the kiss began to deepen. Her lips parting slightly, he mirrored her. Teasing his tongue against her lips, whilst she dared to meet it. The kiss intensified, their tongues gently caressing together. His hand slid up into her hair, twisting his fingers into it. While she ran her hands across his chest as he pulled her closer to him. As the kiss continued, they found themselves leaning back on the bench. Him on top of her, his weight holding her down, feeling the hardness between his legs pressing into her. One of his hands, reaching up her skirt, stroking it up her calf to her thigh. Whilst one of her hands slid down his chest, over his taut stomach to squeeze his bulge.

He let out a groan, then broke off the kiss. Retrieving his hand from under her skirt and raising himself off her. Ivy looked up, a confused look on her face.

He sighed. "We shouldn't do this here. Anyone could walk over and we're running the risk of you having your first time on a bench." He smirked.

She giggled. Sitting back up and smoothing down her skirt. Gesturing to the hardness between his legs and giving it yet another playful squeeze. "Feels like part of you doesn't really agree."

He chuckled. Placing his hand over hers before pulling it away from him. "It has a mind of its own sometimes. I don't mind you playing with it but... somewhere private and more appropriate." A hungry look in his eyes as he gazed at her.

"Do you have your own room here?" She asked, batting her eyelashes coquettishly at him.

"Yes, on the top floor away from everyone else." He answered, excited as to where she was going with this.

"Could I maybe come visit you later?" She requested, her tone sultry.

His jaw muscles clenched. "Come at midnight, everyone will be asleep."

She nodded, giving him an inviting smile. She stroked her fingers along his jaw. "Shall we go back inside?"

He smirked. "You go, I need some time to calm down." He replied, looking a little embarrassed.

She giggled before making her way out of the maze. He sat there waiting for his erection to dissipate, which took longer than normal because the thought that she would be sneaking up to his room that night was a tantalising prospect. He tried to force his mind onto less enchanting subjects, the smell of formaldehyde, gangrene. Remembering the patient with a case of haemorrhoids he had to treat the day before did the trick.

He finally marched his way out of the maze back to the main building. To join in the family activities, where Ivy was playing his father in a game of chess. Watching the determined look on his face as analysed every angle of the board, attempting to determine Ivy's next move. It was all for naught within a few moves she had checkmated him.

Once he realised, his father cursed. "Jävla skitsnack!"

His mother playfully smacked him on the back of the head.

"Language, Erik. The children may not understand but we don't want them to learn it regardless." She raised an eyebrow, tittering.

It got giggles from some of the nearby children.

"Well it was still a fun game, Doctor Karlsson. Let me know when you wish to play again." Ivy said, a peaceable smile on her face trying to hide her amusement.

Erik playfully huffed. "I'm going to have to try harder next time."

Anders chuckled. "She must have really trounced you Dad to make you lose your composure."

Erik smirked. "Embarrassingly so. I'll play you again when my ego recovers, thank you Miss Starling."

He got up and proceeded to be mobbed by grandchildren.

The family activities continued until after dinner. The children were put to bed and the adults enjoyed some drinks. Eventually they all retired to bed. Ivy, whilst dressed in her nightdress, with a dressing gown wrapped around, snuck through the hallways at midnight to Anders's room on the top floor. She lightly rapped on the door for him to open it and he invited her in.

"Would you like a glass of port?" He offered.

"Uh, yes. A drink would be nice. Now that I am here, I feel somewhat nervous."

He handed her a glass and gave her a comforting smile. "We don't have to do anything. There's no rush, we can just enjoy each other's company." Taking a sip from his own drink. Both of them sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Yet I invited myself up here... Have you done this before?" She asked, apprehensively.

He chuckled awkwardly. "Yes... but it has been a long while."

"Yet, you didn't stay with them?" Concern colouring her tone.

"Well, it wasn't a serious relationship. She saw me as a passing dalliance, we were never meant to end up together. I didn't feel anything deeper for her and she had a habit of quickly getting bored. I was one of many. You and I are not the same thing." He explained trying to soothe her reservations.

"What is between us, is it different then?" Continuing her line of enquiry.

"Yes." He took another drink. "That past entanglement was effectively an affair. We snuck around, our relationship was hidden. Not for public knowledge. For you I wish for it to be honest, open, not something to be ashamed of. Building something worthwhile together. This sneaky nocturnal visitation notwithstanding." He smiled at her warmly.

She chuckled. "Yet you didn't introduce me as such to your family earlier?" She said jovially.

He smirked, giving her a wry look. "Now I know you are teasing me, because no sane person wants to be initiated into that circus on the first day of a new courtship. Even if my mother and your aunt obviously planned for this."

She laughed. "They weren't even subtle about it were they? At least I can be safe in the knowledge your mother approves of me so far."

They both shared a giggle, finishing off their glasses. Her eyes drifted up and down his form dressed in thin pajamas. He caught her ogling, giving her a knowing smirk.

"See something you like?" He playfully asked.

"Uh..." The blush returned to her cheeks. "Can I see? I mean, what you look like undressed."

He raised his eyebrows. Mulling over her request for a second. He stood up in front of her, beginning to slowly unbutton his shirt. Watching her eyes widen as he removed it, exposing his bare chest to her. He then moved to loosen the buttons on his trousers, then his drawers. Bending over and pulling them both down at once to the floor. Extracting them from his ankles and casting them to the side. Her eyes fixed on him, drinking him in, intensely studying what hung between his legs.

She spoke, sounding slightly stunned. "So that's what it looks like... you're not 'excited' right now? Are you? It's just in its normal state."

He let out a bemused huff. "That's right." She placed her hands on the front of his hips, almost daring herself to touch it. "If you want to see it 'excited' you're going the right way about it. Touch it if you want." He invited her.

Encouraged, she glided her hands towards it. Running them through the blonde hair surrounding the base before reaching the pink appendage. She feathered her fingers over it, wrapping around, picking it up. Feeling it start to engorge and hearing him let out a sigh. She stroked her hands up and down, watching just how much larger it got. She was able to detect his pulse through it, listening to him let out quiet moans as she kept playing with it. As she continued to pump her wrists along slowly speeding up his moans got a little louder and deeper. Succumbing to the urge to rock his hips in her hands. Whilst Ivy found herself growing increasingly aroused by his pleasured face, his moans and the movement of his hips. The enticing way they moved and how his stomach muscles tensed in the process.

His blue eyes looking down into her green, glazing over while his lips remained slightly open to let out his harried breaths.

Her hands touching him felt outstanding. She may have had clumsy technique, but it was doing wonders. It wasn't long before he felt himself approaching his finish. His muscles clenched, his balls pulling up as that familiar joyous release surged up his spine spreading to his limbs. He was too involved in the sensation spreading through his body to realise where his cock was currently aimed as it sprayed a load on her face. Getting her by surprise.

He stood there panting for a moment as he took in the sight of her covered in his seed. Her stunned face sobered him, as arousing as he found the view. Becoming flustered and profusely apologising.

"I am so sorry! Let me find something to wipe you down." He rushed to acquire a means to do that.

Once she got over her surprise she started to laugh. "Quite a bit of momentum on that, I really should have considered where I had it pointed. It's not like that wasn't a predictable outcome."

He sheepishly handed her a towel. "Yes, but, getting you in the face with it is still rather discourteous."

She giggled. "It's flattering to know I satisfied you."

He hung his head in exasperation as she cleaned herself off. "Is there any way I could make this up to you?"

She gave him a flirtatious smirk. "Perhaps you could return the favour?"

He raised an eyebrow and grinned. He untied her dressing gown, pushing it off her shoulders. Lifting the hem of her nightdress and whipping it over her head. Grabbing her bare thighs and pushing her further onto the bed. He gazed at her naked body beneath him, a pair of pert breasts with gorgeous pink nipples leading down to a narrow waist, flaring out to wide hips, with that triangle of chestnut hair nestled between.

He climbed over her, lowering his face to hers engaging her in a kiss. No pretense of starting chastely, he teased her lips apart, her tongue seeking out his. He grazed his fingers down her neck, trailing down to her breast. Giving it a gentle squeeze, rolling his fingers over her nipple and feeling it harden from his touch. He broke off the kiss, giving her a nibble as they parted. Teasing his lips across her skin feathering them down until they found her other nipple. Clamping them around it and sucking.

His touch was sending tingles between her legs, making her let out little sighs. He gave her a playful nip, causing her to let out a gasp as he rolled her nipple over his tongue. He pulled his lips away, grazing his fingers down her skin, between her thighs. He parted them, lowering his face between, looking up at her with his blue eyes. Like on the exam table she felt him pull up clitoral hood.

This time he pursed his lips around it, moans left her with the flicks of his tongue. Pleasure flowed into her, his tongue feeling worlds apart from his fingers. He gripped his hands into her thighs as she ran a hand through his hair, her fingers twisting into it. He looked like he enjoyed what he was doing, like he was savouring a fine wine on his tongue. She moaned louder when he started to suck as he flicked. Unconsciously spreading her legs wider for him, he took this as an opportunity to slip two fingers inside. Quickly finding that delicious spot and pumping them in and out of her.

She felt the plentiful moisture forming between her legs. His fingers sliding in and out without resistance with a wet slurping noise. The urge to rock her hips seized her, humping his face and fingers. Like she was trying to increase the pleasure, take his fingers deeper. He increased the speed of his tongue and the strength of his sucks. Making her pant, sweat, let out mewls and whines.

He was going to make her come soon. She clearly wanted it badly with the way she was humping his face. It couldn't have turned him on more, her panting face with those beautiful green eyes glazing over as she caved to the pleasure, her clit twitching in his mouth. He was rock hard again.

Her legs were shaking, hips quivering, insides desperately squeezing around his fingers. Ivy was so close it felt divine. That feeling was arriving soon, she could almost taste it. She needed it. When it finally hit her she squealed, back arched, toes curled, eyes rolled back as her body tensed up, her thighs clamping around his head as her insides did the same to his fingers. That delicious surge spread through, filling her with rapture. She only released him when she finally came down, relaxing into the bedsheets.

Anders raised his face from between her legs, his mouth glistening from her juices with his lips forming into a victorious grin.

"I assume you're happy with that? Looked, sounded and felt like you did."

She chuckled in between breaths. "You definitely did well." She eyed the tumescence between his legs. "Looks like you enjoyed doing that to me."

He climbed further up, kneeling between her legs as he leaned over her. "I could do that to you many times over and still be enthusiastic." Keeping his grin.

She giggled. "I don't doubt that."

She feathered her fingers over his manhood, stroking her wrist along and loving the face he made. When she started to tease his tip against her folds, his face became conflicted. A mix of eagerness and apprehension.

"Don't for a moment believe that I don't want to... but I don't trust that I can hold myself back from leaving my seed within you." He expounded.

She bit her lower lip as she looked at him. Speaking in a sultry tone. "That's a shame, I guess I got excited at the idea. But if you are certain that you don't want to take me when I am offering myself to you... while you are already between my legs, part of you ready and eager..." She kept teasing him against her folds.

His resolve snapped. He lined himself up against her entrance, planting his hands either side of her shoulders.

He let out a resigned sigh, his eyes gazing down with a hungry look to them.

"For the record, you asked for this."

He began sawing his hips into her, each pass slowly burying himself deeper. Until his hips met hers, that primitive male part of him delighting in the mix of pleasure and discomfort on her face as she adjusted to his full length inside her.

"You okay?" He asked, not truly wanting her to be in pain.

"Yes, I just need a moment. I didn't fully realise how big you were." She whimpered.

His ego swelled.

Ivy tried to acclimatise to this large introduction into her body. His weight on top of her felt... right. Having him fill her like this while initially uncomfortable, satisfied a primal urge. When she finally adapted to being wrapped around him, she truly wanted to connect with him. She ran her hands up his arms, holding his biceps under her fingers.

"You can move now, I'm alright." She permitted.

He nodded, then slowly rolled his hips into her. Eliciting quiet moans and groans from them both. She tried to rock her hips to match his rhythm, finding it ground him against that spot inside he showed her.

As she squeezed and moaned under him he had to resist the urge to pound his hips. He bit his lip, trying to stay gentle. He couldn't lose control, as delicious as it would be to ram himself inside. This was her first, he couldn't behave like an animal.

While he was slowly driving pleasure into her, it didn't feel like it was enough. She needed more, for him to rock his hips harder, go faster. She pressed her legs against his hips and leaned up to purr in his ear.

"Could you... go a little... mnph... faster?"

The words sent a jolt through him. He granted her request, abandoning his gentle rolls, pulling his hips back and thrusting them back inside. The sound of slapping skin filled the room.

"Was this what you wanted?" He groaned.

"Yes!" She sighed.

Spurred on, he kept up the new pace. Feeling much more gratified.

Ivy felt an intense increase in pleasure as he drove in harder, wrapping her arms around his back, digging her fingers in. Looking up at him with her face filled with bliss, her lips slightly parted to let out her mewls, while her eyes became half lidded.

Anders lowered himself down to an elbow. His other hand slid down her stomach between her legs. Rubbing over her clit in little circles. He couldn't help pumping his hips a little harder as he felt her squeeze him. He was melting inside her. He needed her to come; he wasn't going to last much longer like this. Her moans in his ear, the heat of her skin, the way her internal muscles seemed to want to wring his finish from him.

She felt like her nerves had been sunk into a hot bath. The world fell away as her focus was solely on Anders. His touch, the feeling of him deep within, his breath on her neck as he grunted with his exertion. Everything started to go white and fuzzy as she felt herself tremble, her breath rushed yet harried. After a few more thrusts he sent her over the edge.

She let out a whine then a squeal as her back arched, toes curled, eyes rolling back as her eyelashes fluttered and an eruption of ecstasy burst through her. As her muscles tensed, her insides crushed around Anders, spasming.

He barely managed to withdraw as he was pounced on by his own release, euphoria shooting up his spine. His balls drew up and gushed their contents over her stomach. He let out a groan of relief, both from the pleasure and pulling out in time. Watching her panting beneath him, her breasts rapidly rising and falling, her skin coated in his seed for the second time that night.

He leaned down and gave her an affectionate kiss, before reaching to grab the towel from earlier and wipe her down before collapsing on the bed next to her.

She gave him a cheeky smile. "See, you managed to control yourself."

He snickered. "You place far more faith in me than I deserve. It was very touch and go for a moment."

She turned to him, stroking a hand over his chest. "Well Doctor, I think I'm going to enjoy doing this with you. I didn't realise how tiring it is though, I feel sleepy."

He gave her a wry grin. "I hate to sound like a scoundrel, but you can't fall asleep here. Unless you want to be seen coming out of my room tomorrow morning and allow gossip to spread like wildfire."

She snuggled up. "That's a shame, but you're right it's too early. It will be nice if it's just us for a while."

He wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sure there will be many occasions in the future for us to wake up together. But when you feel ready, you need to put your clothes back on and get out, young lady." He said jovially.

She laughed. "But I can stay a little while longer. Right?"

He chuckled. "Yes you can stay a little longer."

End