Page 39 of Color of Love

Chapter 12

By Wednesday morning, Justine was a mess. She had barely slept, she couldn’t eat and now she couldn’t even think straight. All she could think about was Blake’s proposition, and how alive he had made her feel. Is this what she had been missing out on in life? Because damn.

She was at war with herself. One part of her, the horny, slutty part thought it was a great idea, the best idea since panties were invented. The other part of her, the sensible, rational, ethical part of her couldn’t believe she was even considering it. She was more than a little shocked at herself.

There were pros and cons for each outcome. For example, pro: she would be able to keep treating him. If she could help him control and reduce his panic attacks it would be a huge achievement for her career, and she would have truly helped someone. Con: she would be violating her ethics. Pro: she could act out every fantasy that had tormented her since she’d lain eyes on him. Con: it was unprofessional, bad psychologist, bad! Pro: his muscles. Ugh! She went back and forth so many times that she broke her brain.

Now, she was sat in her office, nervously waiting for him, and she still didn’t have an answer. She heard his deep voice before she saw him. Probably charming Hilda. Then he was sauntering into her office, every inch the brooding bad boy and her stomach started fluttering like a swarm of butterflies. He faced her, his mouth unsmiling as usual, but now she knew how soft it was, how it felt and how he tasted, it was branded on her soul.

“Good morning, Dr. Rodríguez-Hamilton,” he said slowly. The way he said her name had her mouth running dry and her palms sweating. He closed the door and the distinct click echoed around the room. They were alone.

He stalked to the couch, watching her the entire time, like she was his prey, calculating the best moment to strike. Except she wasn’t prey. This was her office, her domain, he’d stepped into her lair, and he needed her.

The knowledge filled her with confidence. She lifted her chin defiantly and discreetly dried her palms on her pants before standing. She came to a stop in front of him, her heels putting her in line with his shoulder so she still had to stare up at him. But her gaze didn’t waver. This alpha male had met his match. In her office, she was the alpha. The lead. The female boss. If he didn’t like that, he knew where the fucking door was.

“So pleased to see you, Blake. Take a seat,” she said, her professional smile frozen on her lips. She watched him sizing her up, contemplating how to handle this. A muscle ticked under his eye, and he slowly lowered himself onto the couch. A frisson of triumph bolstered her as she took her seat opposite him.

“I think today we should focus on talking about Katie. I think how you view your relationship, what happened and the narrative your mind has focused on is behind a lot of the negative emotions and anxiety you’re feeling. What do you think?” she asked, pressing her hands over her thighs, oozing confidence.

“I think I’d like to know what your answer is,” he replied smoothly. She pursed her lips, sassy bastard. She ignored him. My office, my rules.

“Tell me how you and Katie met, what was your early relationship like? I believe you mentioned you were childhood sweethearts?”

There was no response, just more of that intense eye contact. She tried again.

“How did it feel when she told you she was pregnant?”

“How did it feel when you rubbed yourself over my hard cock the other night?” he asked casually. She blinked, heat flared through her at his coarse language and the visual his words created. He was trying to mess with her, but it wouldn’t work. She wouldn’t let it.

“Blake, please try to stay on topic,” she chastised. She wouldn’t let him get under her skin, no matter how much he affected her. “You said Katie faked her pregnancy to keep you from leaving to go to college. How did you feel when you found out she had lied?”

He didn’t reply, just stared at her, assessing. His steel gaze held firm. They had reverted to their first few sessions. Tamping down her growing frustration, she decided to wait him out. The minutes dragged by, at one point she thought she had successfully stifled a yawn, but his damn perceptive gaze missed nothing.

“You look a little tired, has something been keeping you up at night?” he asked genially. She snorted.

“Not exactly your best compliment, are you this good with all women?” she drawled, forgetting herself and where she was, instantly regretting her words. Satisfaction flared in his eyes.

“Take me to bed and I’ll show you how good I am.” His words were gentle, his tone low but his eyes burned. Her stomach clenched. Take him to bed, like she would be in charge, dominating him. The idea firing her blood. Now she understood her previous date’s obsession with dominance. To dominate Blake, to own him, control his wants, actions and pleasure, that would be worth nearly anything. Except her ethics. She whimpered internally, damned ethics!

“Agree to my proposition and I’ll answer all of your questions. All of them. Otherwise, you won’t be getting anything else out of me. Ever.” He folded his arms over his chest, his firm biceps bulging, distracting her for a moment and then his words registered.

“This is blackmail! You would really ruin your own career over this? Just to get laid?” she spluttered. He didn’t say anything, but a smug smirk had spread over his face when he saw how worked up she was getting. Gah! Why can’t I hide my emotions better?

“Are you really that hard up, Blake?” she spat, but that stupid smirk stayed fixed on his face.

“You’re asking a lot of questions, doctor, but not answering mine. Yes, or no?”

“No!”

Blake pursed his lips again and a flicker of irritation lit his face before quickly disappearing.

“Then I have nothing else to say.”

“Then I guess we’re done for the day,” she retorted, and stood up expectantly.

“We’ve got another forty-five minutes left, please take a seat, Dr. Rodríguez-Hamilton.” A smug grin crossed his face. He had her over a barrel. Smug, sexy asshole! She thought she was going to explode, this man infuriated her. How dare he come into my office, looking so gorgeous, and manipulate me this way!

She needed to calm down, she’d been simmering since he came in. It was time to take it down a notch. She didn’t want him to see his effect on her or how turned on their verbal sparring had made her. She fixed that smile on her face, the one that seemed to piss him off so much.

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