Page 26 of Taming a Menace
“According to my parole officer I have to be here,” he said, smirking as he took a seat in the chair across from my desk. “I thought I was supposed to lay on the couch or something.”
“Mr. Glover, I can’t see you. I’m sure this is a conflict of interest or something. I have to see if we can reschedule you with another therapist.”
“Nah, I would rather be with you.”
“That’s not a good idea,” I said, picking up the phone and hitting the button to call the receptionist back.
“Don’t,” he said, leaning forward and pressing the button to end the call.
“Don’t touch my phone!”
When our eyes connected, I was temporarily disarmed by his jovial smile. Why did my body pick this very moment to betray me? I swallowed hard. I wasn’t in control of my own actions as I hung up the receiver and sat back in my chair.
“I missed you, Moon,” he said, licking his full lips as he too sat back in his seat.
“My name is Iyla.”
“I missed her too.”
I shook my head, attempting to bring myself out of his trance. He had no business looking so good in a plain black T-shirt and jeans, but the way the cotton clung to his body reminded me of the masterpiece that lay beneath.
“There are four other therapists that work here. I’ll make sure you get the best one.”
“I doubt anyone here is better than you. Besides, they said something about a waiting list. It took weeks for me to get on your schedule,” he stated.
“I’m sure you don’t have a problem with that. It’s not like you’re here because you want to be. I see that these sessions have been ordered by your parole officer.”
“And he already told me that this is my last chance. If you give me the boot that will just give them an excuse to send me back to prison. I’m still trying to get on my feet, Iyla. I can’t go back down the road.”
“I’ll make sure that I convey how much it’s not your fault that you were put back on the list. I just can’t see you,” I explained.
“It doesn't work like that, Iyla. I gotta complete my therapy within a certain time period, or the man is going to violate me. They’re already on my ass due to me getting kicked out of my anger management class.”
I shook my head and held up my hands to stop him. “That’s not my problem, Mr. Glover.”
“I know it’s not. Listen, just give me a chance. I’ve been dreading coming to do this shit ever since the moment he told me it was my last recourse. I’ve only been home close to two months. I’m not fucking up like you might think I am. Until I get my business back off the ground, I’ve been working a nightshift at one of the diners downtown. Since I’m usually working until after two in the morning, I struggled to get up and be in the anger management sessions by nine. After fifteen minutes, the counselor locks the door.”
I sighed as I mulled over what he had to say. I’d worked with attractive patients in the past. That wasn’t the issue. The problem was the fact that the man hadn’t even gotten close enough to touch me, and I needed to change my panties. The problem was he knew me intimately. I knew him in ways I had never known any of my other patients. The problem was I wanted to experience him again.
Over the past three years, I had thought about looking up Eat Up with Key over a dozen times and talked myself out of it. A couple of weeks after my solo anniversary dinner, I tried to book his services only to find that his website had been disabled. I couldn’t find him anywhere. Although he was embedded in my mind, it was as if he had vanished from the face of the earth. I took it as a sign to move on. A few months later, I met Wyatt. Key being my new client was a disaster waiting to happen. I couldn’t risk it.
“I can’t put my license in jeopardy,” I said, shaking my head.
“There’s no jeopardy. I’ll keep it professional. We don’t have to tell anyone that we met before today. Our prior knowledge of each other doesn’t have to leave this room. You’re not supposed to discuss what happens in here anyway. Right?” he asked.
“I’ll put down today’s session as a success, but I am going to try to find a replacement for you by Thursday.”
“Fair enough,” he said, springing to his feet.
“Where are you going?” I asked with a scowl.
“I was probably gonna grab something to eat then go home to rest up for work tonight.”
“Have a seat. Your sessions are an hour.”
“You don’t want daddy to leave?” he asked, flashing a boyish grin that made heat crawl up my neck. When I cocked my brow, he held up his hand. “I’m just messing with you. Don’t kick me out.”
“You’re pushing it,” I warned him.
