He probably has more girls come on to him than he can keep up with and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t even remember meeting me a few months back when I was with Mary. That unexpected meeting left me tongue tied and I got the hell out of there before I made a fool of myself by drooling or throwing my number at him. This time, I did my best to prepare when I saw him. Equally hoping he wouldn’t come over and hoping he would.
The point of this fair is to entice people to take their health seriously, even if it means luring them in to a booth with sexual innuendos. After all, sex sells and if that is what it takes to save a life, I’m not above it.
“Exactly how is playing with fake balls going to save my life?”
“Did you know that about 50% of all males who develop testicular cancer are between twenty to thirty-four years old?”
He pulls back in surprise. “No, actually.”
Even though I hate getting clinical, sometimes we need to and this topic is important to me. More than the others, except maybe drug addiction and depression. Hell, all of them are important and it’s why I took on the health fair this year. It needed to be more than general topics, generic information and pamphlets. It needed to be fun to draw the students in and hopefully, it might save some lives, which is why no topic was ignored and they are being presented in a manner that won’t bore the student body.
“How old are you?” I ask.
“Twenty-four. How old are you?”
“Old enough to know that I need to check my body for lumps.”
He tilts his head and frowns. “That’s not really an answer.”
“Twenty-two,” I finally answer, not that my age matters where his balls are concerned.
“Testicular cancer is rare though, right? I mean, not like breast and lung cancer.”
“Almost 6 men in every 100,000 will be diagnosed, but wouldn’t it suck to be one of those six and you die because you are too squeamish to feel around your balls?”
“I’m not squeamish,” he defends, though his cheeks start to turn a little pink.
“Look, nobody thinks twice about women doing breasts exams, touching their boobs and feeling for lumps, but ask a guy to do the same to his balls and they get all weird, so tell me, why?”
Christian shrugs. “I don’t know. I guess I’ve never thought about.” Then he narrows his eyes on me. “How would I even know what to look for?”
I grin and pick up the exam stimulator. I feel around until I locate the lump then place it in his hands. “Now, with the tips of your fingers, press and feel your way around and become familiar with what is normal and what isn’t.”
At first he balances it in his hand and then does as I ask. His eyes go wide. “This almost feels like the real thing.”
“I thought you said you don’t play with your balls.”
His face gets even brighter. “Well, there have been moments,” he grudgingly admits. “Like when I was a kid and had only myself.”
“To play with,” I tease.
Just because this is a serious topic doesn’t mean we can’t have fun with it. Besides, I’ve found most guys are more comfortable learning when humor is involved.
At least he is taking this seriously, unlike some of the guys who came by and got wigged out. So far today, it’s been about 60% who really wanted to learn something and 40% who were too immature to understand the seriousness of the disease and how easy it is to check for.
I don’t get it, not really. It’s nothing for a girl to feel around her boobs when she’s washing them in the shower so why can’t guys take a few extra minutes when washing their balls. At least, I hope they’re washing them.
I watch as Christian presses over the spot where I know the lump is and goes on. Then he stops and goes back. “Is this it?”
“Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner.”
He grins at me and sets the simulator down. “What’s my prize?”
“You get to start playing with your balls in the shower for a reason instead of just pleasure.”
He presses his palms on the table and leans in close. “I still think it would be more thorough, and pleasurable if you were doing the examining.”
So do I, but I need to remain professional. “You and the twenty guys who were here before you.” Then I pull back. “Sorry, I’m only here for demonstration, not actual hands-on.”
“So, that’s all I do?” He asks. “Press my fingers around my balls and see if there is a lump?”
“Yes and no. First, the best time to examine yourself if after a bath or shower because the skin is relaxed. Hold your penis out of the way, then hold your testicle between your thumbs and fingers and roll it gently between your fingers, feeling for lumps like you felt on the simulator, or any type of mass or something that might not feel like it belongs.”
“Hey, Bethany, sorry I’m late.”
Carina, who was supposed to man this booth starting an hour ago steps behind the table. “Matt worked over and I didn’t have a sitter to fill in until he got home.”
Matt is her husband, a police officer with the NYPD and they have a nine-month-old son. “That’s okay. I had this.”
She glances up at Christian then recognition lights in her eyes. Carina was with me the night we saw his band play. Carina also knows that I kind of really crushed on him that night. I hope to hell she doesn’t say anything.
“So, if you don’t need me, I think I’ll do a check.”
“Go ahead.” She’s grinning, but at least she’s keeping her mouth shut.
“What do you need to check?” Christian asks as I come around the table.
“This, all of it.” I spread my arms about indicting the entire health fair. “It’s my baby this year and I need to make sure all is going well and that nobody needs anything.”
While it would be nice to spend more time with Christian, I do have a job to do and I’m sure he wants to go find his friends because I’m pretty sure he didn’t come with just Mary since she’s dating Dylan.
“Mind if I tag along?”
No words could surprise or thrill me more. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah.” He shrugs. “I’m in the mood to learn something.”
About Jane Charles
Jane Charles is a USA Today Bestselling author who has lived in the Midwest her entire life. As a child she would more likely be found outside with a baseball than a book in her hand. In fact, Jane hated reading until she was sixteen. Out of boredom on a long road trip she borrowed her older sister’s historical romance and fell in love with reading. She long ago lost count of how many novels she has read over the years and her love for them never died. Along with romance she has a passion for history and the two soon combined when she penned her first historical romance. What turned into a hobby became a passion. In addition to historical romances, she has been pulled to write contemporary and began penning her new series, Baxter Academy of Arts. She intends to continue writing both historical and contemporary.
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Also by Jane Charles
Baxter Boys
Rattled: Rattled #1 (Baxter Boys Series ~ Rattled)
Rattle His Cage: Rattled #2 (Baxter Boys Series ~ Rattled)
All Horns and Rattles: Rattled #3 (Baxter Boys Series ~ Rattled)
Shake, Rattle & Roll: Rattled #4 (Baxter Boys Series ~ Rattled)
Rattling Around: Rattled #5 (Baxter Boys Series ~ Rattled)
The Christmas Rattle: Rattled #8 (Baxter Boys Series ~ Rattled)
Slightly Rattled: Rattled #7 (Baxter Boys Series ~ Rattled)
The Rattle Box: Rattled #8 (Baxter Boys Series ~ Rattled)
* * *
Baxter Academy
Valentine Wishes: The Legacy #1 (Baxter Academy Series ~ The Legacy)
Colors of You: The Academy #1 (Baxter Academy Series ~ The Aca
demy)
Shadows of Memory: The Academy #2 (Baxter Academy Series ~ The Academy)
Casting Doubt: The Academy #3 (Baxter Academy Series ~ The Academy)
Between the Lines: The Academy #4 (Baxter Academy Series ~ The Academy)
The Tenacious Trents
Compromised For Christmas
Landing a Laird
A Misguided Lord
A Perfect Gentlemen
Devil in Her Dreams
A Lass For Christmas
A Reluctant Rake
Lady Revealed
Lady Disguised
Lady Concealed
A Tenacious Trent’s Wedding
Lady Admired
The Spirited Storms
Christmas Spirits
Ruined by a Lady
Weathering Captain Storm
Wiggon’s School For Elegant Young Ladies
To Walk in the Sun
Ghosts From the Past
The Witching Hour
A Gentleman’s Guide to Once Upon a Time
His Impetuous Debutante
His Contrary Bride
His Not So Sensible Miss
His Christmas Match
Muses
Her Muse, Lord Patrick
Her Muse, Her Magic
Her Muse, Her David
Her Muse, His Grace
All Horns and Rattles: The Baxter Boys #5 (The Baxter Boys ~ Rattled) Page 31