That weekend, I took Jessica out to dinner again. I was determined to figure out what was going on, and I planned for this dinner to be the time that we discussed it. It had to be psychological, but I just couldn’t figure out what, and I could only solve that problem by talking to her. If a round of heady sex in a public place wasn’t enough to make her orgasm, then what was?

We sat down and ordered our drinks, and were just perusing the menus when another couple was seated next to us. It was a small restaurant, so the tables were all kind of close together; close enough, in fact, that I could easily have a conversation with whoever was next to us without having to raise my voice or crane my neck.

I didn’t much notice the new couple—I was planning out my strategy while pretending to study the menu—but right after they sat down, I heard Jessica say in a choked voice,

“Mom? Dad?”

I put down my menu.

There were two older people next to us—a woman with Jessica’s bright blue eyes, and a man with Jessica’s nose and cheekbones. Both were staring at Jessica, who was staring in horror at them.

“Jess!” her mom exclaimed, smiling widely. “Oh my goodness, you didn’t tell me that you had a boyfriend! Is this the young man you mentioned the other day?”

“I—Mom, I barely mentioned him, it was—”

“Oh, nonsense, I know you too well for that.”

Jessica’s mother turned to me and smiled. I could see Jessica’s face starting to flush pink, and not in a good way. She was embarrassed, I realized—no, mortified—that her parents had caught us.

Although we had been going out a lot, neither Jessica nor I had brought up the subject of what our relationship was or if we were serious. I was avoiding that topic because I didn’t want to break her heart before it was time, but now with her parents here, there was only one thing to do.

“I can see where Jessica gets her good looks,” I told her mother, smiling and holding out my hand. “I’m Asher. I’ve heard so many good things about you; it’s a pleasure to meet you both.”

“Veronica,” Jessica’s mother said.

“Charlie,” her father supplied.

“A pleasure,” I repeated. “I know I’m going to sound like a sap here, but I have to tell you, you raised a remarkable woman. Only thirty-one and already the vice president of a company? She’s amazing.”

“How old are you?” Charlie asked, ignoring Jessica’s expression of complete humiliation.

“Thirty-six,” I told him. “I’m an OB/GYN; I work in the North Shore district.”

“Wonderful,” Charlie said. “A doctor, what’s that like?”

“Positive, since I’m usually delivering babies,” I told him. “It’s a miracle every time.”

“And how did you two meet?” Veronica asked, clearly eager for details.

“My date stood me up,” I explained, “And I happened to look across the bar, where there’s this beautiful woman who sounds like she’s being stood up as well. I thought, well, misery loves company, so I went over and introduced myself. We talked for hours and I just knew I had to see her again.”

Jessica was staring at me with gratitude in her eyes, and I winked at her. Her parents might think that I was the charming boyfriend, but I knew that Jessica would understand that the wink was meant to reassure her that I had this under control. Parents always loved me.

“So, what brings you two out on this fine night?” I asked. “Celebrating anything?”

“Oh, no, just our normal date night,” Veronica said.

“Wonderful. And what do you two do?”

That was all it took to get Veronica and Charlie started on their work—Veronica was a schoolteacher and Charlie was a mechanic—and then from there onto how they’d met thirty-five years ago, and then stories about Jessica growing up.

I responded with enthusiasm and listened and encouraged them to chitchat. After all, the more they talked, the less explaining about myself I had to do. But I also found myself wanting to know more about them. I wanted to find out more about the two people who had raised the woman playing footsie with me under the table.

And, furthermore, I wanted to make a good impression. I told my best medical school stories and slipped in a few facts that I didn’t usually tell people, like how I liked to volunteer for Thanksgiving at a local shelter.

I wanted them to think well of me, I realized. I wanted to make a good impression.

But why? I was never going to see them again. As soon as I got Jessica to orgasm, this whole thing would be over, and if she complained to them later about that asshole Asher, what was it to me?

Yet, I didn’t let up. I still wanted them to like me.

The pink in Jessica’s cheeks never completely faded, but she started to get a bit more responsive and playful as the night went on. The waiters quickly realized what was going on and pushed our tables together for us, and at the end of the night, Charlie insisted on paying the bill.

“I have to say, I’m so glad that Jessica is dating a fine man like you,” Veronica said. “She’s never had a serious boyfriend, you know.”

“Mom,” Jessica said, her voice sharp in warning.

“She’s such a lovely girl; I don’t know why she doesn’t put herself out there more,” Veronica went on, ignoring her daughter’s protests.

“Well, she has me now,” I said firmly, trying to derail the conversation before Jessica burst into tears, which was looking more and more likely with every passing second.

Veronica smiled at me, and I felt something warm settle into my chest.

She really likes me, I thought. That felt good, and felt right.

“So, you two are official, then?” Charlie asked.

“Yes,” I said quickly to cover up the way Jessica’s eyes bugged out. “I mean, we’ve only been together a couple of weeks, but when it feels right, it feels right.”

“Exactly,” Charlie said proudly. I grinned. He liked me too.

Once the bill was settled and we left the table, Veronica and Charlie departed for their car—after giving Jessica many hugs and kisses and giving me a hug or two as well—and then, it was just Jessica and me.

“I am so sorry,” Jessica blurted out as soon as we were alone. “I’m so sorry, they just jumped right in and made all of these assumptions and—you handled it so well, thank you. I am so sorry.”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” I told her. I pulled her in close and hugged her, letting her rest her head on my shoulder. “I know they didn’t mean to embarrass you. Parents can be a lot sometimes.”

“Are yours anything like that?” Jessica asked.

“Mine aren’t around anymore,” I admitted. “My father died a couple years back from cancer, and my mom died in childbirth.”

“Oh my God.” Jessica pulled back to look up into my face. “I’m so sorry, Asher; that’s awful.”

I hadn’t told a lot of people about my parents—and certainly never any of my clients—but it just felt right to share it with Jessica, somehow.

“It’s okay. I miss them; my dad was the best. I loved him and he was a good father. And I know that my mother loved me. The OB/GYN who was with her saved my life, and was holding her hand while she passed. My dad said that it was a huge comfort to have that doctor with them. That was what made me want to become one myself.”

“I think that’s the sweetest thing ever,” Jessica told me.

Now it was my turn to blush. “Thanks.”

“No, really, I mean it.” She cupped my face in her hands. “And thank you, for being so amazing back there. I was almost going to cry at one point.”

“I could tell,” I said, laughing.

“You really didn’t mind…all of that?” she asked.

“Nope,” I promised, and I really didn’t.

I liked that her parents liked me. I liked that they’d joined us for dinner. I liked that I had gotten to learn more about Jessica through them, even though their timing and assumptions had made Jessica uncomfortable. And I liked the idea of Jessica and me as an official couple.

That thought made me stop in my tracks. What? No. No, that wasn’t okay. That wasn’t possible. Jessica was my client. She could never be anything more. And even if I did want her to be more, how could I explain to her my double life and my original reason for meeting her? What could I possibly say that wouldn’t make me look like a total heel?

No, it was for the best that I end this thing as soon as I got her to orgasm. I just had to figure out what the hell was blocking her from doing so.

The soft, warm feeling in my chest started to feel a little heavy, but I ignored it. I was Dr. O. This was what I did, and this was what I was good at. I wasn’t boyfriend material. Business and pleasure needed to be kept as separate as my career could possibly allow.