by Mona Moore
“Excuse me?” She asked incredulously. The word sex coming from his lips sent a little chill down her spine, making her both turned on and uncomfortable.
"Sex in my life has always been excellent. Thanks, though," she told him, knowing at heart that it was a lie.
Frank may not have specifically complained and neither had she, but sex had been very - dull. It was the only reason she could think of that would have made her husband cheat on her. It also wasn't something she was going to buy into scientifically. Scarlett came to see the good Doctor because her job was on the line, nothing more.
Sex therapy, she thought with a laugh as she exited the office, but shivered a little as she could still feel those intense, blue eyes on her retreating back. Sex therapy, indeed.
CHAPTER THREE
As the days crawled by, Scarlett found herself insanely bored with her life and her work. It was unusual for her to feel that way considering how much she loved her job. But, she was consulting on cases and paperwork rather than actually taking part in any of the cases. George still didn’t trust her to handle things, even now that she was seeing this weirdo shrink who didn’t wear shoes and looked like some hot-to-trot frat boy. Part of her worried that her crazy quack’s eccentricities and her turning down the offer for ‘sex therapy,' would hurt her chances of fully integrating back into work.
After all, George was now asking for reports from the good Doctor.
By now, she was pissed off and extremely embarrassed by Dr. Winters' suggestion that she would even need such a thing as sex therapy. The balls! Who the hell did he think he was? He had only met her once and was clearly looking at stereotypical factors; possibly her traditionally masculine job, or the fact that she grew up Catholic. It also had felt personal when he raked over her with his eyes, the color of warm Bohemian oceans, like he was judging her. She thought psychiatrists weren’t supposed to subscribe to stereotypes.
Prick.
Bristling, she looked at herself in the mirror, a little unhappy that she had opted for another night of sweatpants and Netflix. All she was missing was a pint of Ben & Jerry’s and a bib. It was Saturday night after all, and she did have another option. It wasn’t a great option, but it was an option nonetheless; Her mother's dinner party.
On the one hand, Scarlett knew it would be good for her to get out and do something. On the other hand, she was not looking forward to navigating the dating world again since her mother was so keen on setting her up, especially so recently after the divorce. Though Scarlett and Frank had been living separately promptly after she’d caught him with his secretary, the ink was barely dry on the paperwork since she had procrastinated in her sadness. She didn’t know if it was - appropriate for her to try and get involved again so soon.
Scarlett shrugged and sighed, finally concluding that she needed to start somewhere. Just because her mother wanted her to meet someone didn’t mean she had to sell herself in marriage to another man. She could just say hello, have a few cocktails, and mingle. It would be like her first slow foot in the water before learning to swim again – if she didn’t drown first.
Scarlett went straight to the closet, looking for something that would make her at least look like she wasn’t an awkward teenage girl going to the prom for the first time. An old, barely worn, vintage, black cocktail dress hung in the back, calling to her. She’d bought it on a whim a few years back hoping to wear it out to one of Frank’s Christmas parties, but – well. The dress wasn't her usual attire for an outing at her parents’, generally opting for something more conservative, but she was feeling, dare she say, defiant? Her parents were far from being prudish, but they always expected a certain amount of decorum at these events.
Oh, well.
After a quick shower, Scarlet slid the heavy material over her body and smiled at how it hugged her womanly curves perfectly. Her breasts were greatly enhanced by the pull of the fabric at her chest, giving her just the perfect amount of cleavage. She paired it with patent leather, red heels and a matching pair of earrings and bracelet. As an afterthought, she styled her hair to match her dress, clipping it away from one side of her face to cascade in waves over her shoulders. She dramatically lined her eyelids with black liquid liner and applied some red lipstick to match her shoes and jewelry. Scarlett cleaned up well.
When she arrived at her parents’ house, she was greeted enthusiastically at the door by her mother, who was looking ravishing as usual for a woman in her sixties. “Red! You came!”
“Mother,” She said, smiling inside and admittedly, more than glad to see her.
Her father kissed her check. “You look beautiful darling.”
She thanked her father and accepted a flute of champagne as a waiter passed with a tray. The who’s who of everyone was there. Scarlett had forgotten how grand her parent’s parties could be and decided to soak it all in before going back to her mundane life on Monday. Without a second thought, she down the contents of the first champagne flute and quickly accepted another.
"Wow, Scarlett, is that you?" Scarlett hadn’t noticed Louis Evans, the son of a man that often did business with her father, was standing there, admiring her while she was laughing with an old college friend named Josh.
Apparently, she had chosen just the right outfit because she had been hit on by at least four men so far; all of which she knew already in some way or another. It was exhilarating to feel so wanted, but also exhausting to receive so much attention. Scarlett wasn’t normally an attention seeker, but tonight, she was feeling bold! She continued to be coy with all of them, enjoying the flirting, knowing her mother would be a little upset if she hooked up with someone else before Scarlett had even met this amazing doctor her mother wanted her to meet. She smiled at Louis.
"It is. How are you, Lou?" She asked, turning to the side as not to completely cut off Josh.
"I've been good; learning the business from Dad and all. I heard about what happened with Frank. I am so sorry. But I can see that you're handling it well." It was funny how much outward appearances could speak for a person, instead of their own words. How could a dress or some makeup define how well she was doing with the fact that he husband had been fucking other women for a better part of their marriage?
Before she could say anything to warrant outrage, an arm wrapped around hers; her mother's, and she was whisked away to another part of the large foyer. Fantastic. Here it came.
"I am so excited about this. I think this man could really be good for you and you look perfect," Her mother whispered before placing her right in front of an embarrassingly familiar man with eyes the color of Italian blue glass. "Scarlett, this is Doctor Charles Winters. He is a psychiatrist."
The way her mother said the word ‘psychiatrist’ made her swallow with difficulty nearly choking on her champagne. Unsure of how to react, she looked to him instead for answers. Charles was looking at her, no, devouring her with his eyes. It was like he couldn’t peel them off her, and she felt strangely hypnotized, and incredibly aroused, looking into those baby blues of his.
"Doctor Winters, this is my daughter Scarlett who I told you about."
Charles held out his hand for her to shake and smiled. Something about the way he did it made her think of a wolf stalking his prey. Scarlett shook his hand numbly. It was like she was in a fog and couldn’t see or breathe. Her mother walked away discretely to let them talk, but she had no idea what to say. She wanted to give him heck and jump into his arms all at once. Instead, she headed straight for the balcony for fresh air, happy to be alone for a moment despite the cold February night.
Looking down at the lawn below, she took deep calming breaths, not noticing until a hand on her shoulder alerted her to the fact that someone had followed her outside. Shrugging Charles off, she turned around with a red face and stared. When previously she’d been unsure of how she should feel, the moment brought her straight into the appropriate emotion.
She was infuriated.
"You?" She demanded. "I can't bel
ieve you're the one that my mother wanted to introduce me to. My own damn shrink! Well, isn’t that just peachy? And I bet you're just eating this all up aren’t you Doc, pretending not to know who I am. I bet you had realized before you got here that..."
If Scarlett thought for a moment she was going to be able to give him a piece of her mind she didn’t get a chance to finish. Unexpectedly, she found herself pushed up against the cold stone wall of her parents' home with Charles' lips hovering mere millimeters from her own. His eyes searched hers intensely for a moment before a switch flipped inside of her. Abandoning all else, she sunk her fingers deeply into his hair as she found herself opening her quivering lips beneath his. Charles’ mouth came down on hers like a hawk descending on its helpless victim; his body was surprisingly strong and hard pressed against hers.
Oh, it was cold, but she melted like snow.
His tongue slid slowly, sensuously into her mouth as she felt one of his hands slither down the side of her body in an aching trail that left her skin on fire beneath her clothes. He grazed the side of her breast, his hand moving down to grip her hip roughly and she gasped into his mouth.
Charles moved his body against hers until she could feel his hard member pushing into her flesh making her writhe against him in return. His chest was rising and quickly falling as he consumed her lips. Scarlett’s breath began to come in short bursts, and a wild abandon took over when his mouth dragged away from hers to nibble at the side of her neck, moving down towards her cleavage. Someone giggled not far away from them inside, and all attention to her neck and breasts stopped momentarily.
"I need to go," She snapped awkwardly, not waiting for an answer from him, surprised and appalled at her behavior.
She was certain that whatever had just transpired would have led to some scorching outdoor sex had no one come along, but when did that become something she did? It had been a brief and fleeting moment, though it seemed like it had been hours. Scarlett felt as though Charles, with his deliciously hard body, pressed so intimately against her own, had awakened things in her that Frank had barely even touched upon in all their years together.
Hastily, she made her way back into the house, barely stopping to say goodbye to her parents before running out to the car. As Scarlett slipped into the driver's seat, she glanced up and spotted Charles watching her from the balcony they had occupied together only moments before, and her breath caught. He smiled, tipping his champagne flute at her before she turned the key in the ignition and sped away. Her brain was scrambled with emotions and distractions as she drove home, opting to strip down immediately and get in bed. She needed to calm herself, but she felt like someone had set her skin on fire.
Calm wasn’t something she was capable of at that moment. Scarlett found that her body was aching for more of his life changing kisses and nibbles; more of his hands on her hot body. She twisted against the sheets, feeling wanton with need. Closing her eyes, she imagined that Charles was right there with her, snaking his hands over her naked form. She imagined the hard body she’d felt pressed so seductively to her own, and those eyes that seemed to pierce through her soul.
That mouth. Good God, that mouth.
Before she knew what was happening, she found herself rubbing her clit ardently, working it just the way she liked and in the way no other had been able to duplicate. She tipped her head back and moaned before she took advantage of her wetness at the thought of Charles having his way with her and slid a finger down inside of her throbbing, fleshy center. She slid her finger in and out, increasing the speed as she moaned and pumped her hips imagining it was his cock inside of her. A hand climbing to her breast to pinch and tug at her aching nipple.
She began to pump her hand harder, adding a finger as she felt her body begin to quiver under her own touch. Her breath was coming hard and fast. She imagined Charles, climbing over her body and fucking her relentlessly. The vibrating sensation began to expand, uncoiling where her fingers plunged hotly into her pussy. A well-deserved and much-needed orgasm followed, pulling a low, guttural moan from her lips.
Scarlett stared hard at the ceiling above her, confused by the emotions running rampant through her body. No man’s kisses had ever brought her to the point that she had to throw her clothing off and masturbate until the ache inside disappeared. Ironically, it made the ache that much worse. With her mouth set in a grim line, she huddled down beneath the comfort of her covers and closed her eyes.
Sleep, unfortunately, did not come.
CHAPTER FOUR
Despite their scandalous encounter at her mother's party, Scarlett decided to attend her next session with Charles regardless, knowing that her job was at stake. That was the deciding factor which propelled her forward. As they sat there for a good twenty minutes in awkward silence, she was beginning to regret it. The two had been staring at one other, waiting to see who would talk first, but she didn’t know how to talk with him as a patient now. Especially since she’d masturbated to the thought of him fucking her every night since that damn party.
A blush found its way into her cheeks at the memory. It was infuriating that he didn’t have much to say to her either. Wasn’t it his job to know what to say?
"I’d like to spend more time with you, Scarlett," He finally said, maintaining that calm quietness of his that exasperated her so much. Where was the emotion? Where was the man that had pushed her up against her parents’ home without a care or thought of who could find them?
"I don’t think that would be very professional of you Doctor Winters," She snapped back.
How awkward would it get with the two of them dating and him still trying to psychoanalyze her to give George the reports at work? Anyway, she was sure she had learned about there being a rule along those lines in law school; not having relations with your patients.
"I would agree,” Charles said looking down at the papers on his desk. When he looked up, his eyes were in flames. “Which is why I cannot be your doctor anymore. I can easily refer you to someone else. The fact of the matter is – I’m very attracted to you, Scarlett. I have been from the moment you walked into my office.”
Scarlett nearly gasped at the heat radiating from Charles’ eyes and body. It was coming from him in waves. The whole situation was embarrassing and insane, but intensely sexual, and it seemed like Charles was just feeding into it and making it intolerable. The worst part was how slick her pussy was just being in the same room with him. He hadn’t even touched her, and she was sopping wet already. Something inside of her couldn’t explain the intense attraction she felt for this man, but it was there. She deep down wanted to know more about the man who had eyes that could stare through her soul.
"Fine,” She said shortly, pursing her lips and making sure she was in control of the situation somehow. “We can go to dinner."
"I have your address. I'll be there to pick you up tomorrow evening, then. How is eight o'clock?" Charles murmured, his eyes traveling over her body like a lion stalking his prey.
Scarlett nodded quickly and bolted for the door before anything else happened. Beneath his calm exterior, she sensed a bubbling volcano underneath. She didn’t trust herself around Charles Winters and not only was she puzzled by it, but it enflamed her.
What happened the next morning at work, however, baffled her beyond anything else could.
She’d walked into work, settling down at her desk and prepared for another boring day of paperwork unaware of what the end of her day would bring. She was beginning to wonder why she was going through so much trouble if they weren’t even going to let her step foot in a courtroom.
"Hey, Scarlett, I wanted to ask you how the sessions are going?" George asked, popping in and leaning on the back of Scarlett's desk.
"Umm, I am not sure," Scarlett answered honestly, having been taken by surprise. Roger Philips slipped out of his office as well with a big grin, standing next to his partner.
"I've heard all is well. We're very proud of you, Scarlett," he chimed in, to S
carlett's confusion and her brow furrowed.
"Dr. Winters called to let us know that the therapy is coming along very well; that you're progressing. We wanted to recommend you take a week off, get some rest and enjoy yourself. Maybe we can talk about getting you back into the swing of things when you return," George explained.
Scarlett looked up at her bosses in wonderment and confusion. This had Charles written all over it, but she wasn't about to turn down a week off that might get her back into the courtroom. She’d bring the work home with her in preparation if she had to.
"Well, thank you," she said in bewilderment, packing her things back up to leave. She supposed it was a blessing in disguise as it would give her more time to get ready for her dinner date with Charles; it was her first, first date in almost seven years.
***
Scarlett had decided to go for sweet and simple this time, pulling her auburn locks away from her face and placing a delicate crochet sweater over her white and brown dress. It left a little leg showing below the knee just before the ankle of where her suede boots began. They’d driven for quite some time in Charles' car to get to their destination; a quiet Thai place outside of town.
"This place is pretty far out," she commented as the hostess led them to a dimly lit corner with a table set for two. There were red curtains and hanging lanterns everywhere. Incorporated into the Zen theme were Buddha statues and a trickling rock fountain. It was lovely, but it didn’t seem to be very busy.
"I like it because it's a good place to talk and get to know one another without a lot of distraction; it had a calming atmosphere. Plus, the food is pretty authentic; as close to being in Thailand as I can get." He smiled at her, a little more relaxed in this environment than in his office.
"You've been to Thailand?" She questioned, extremely curious though she feigned nonchalance as she browsed the menu.