by Ashlee Price
“Yes, Ivy.”
“Is she your significant other?”
I didn’t know why that mattered, and I wasn’t sure why I tempered my answer. It was not something that I did often. “She’s just a friend.”
“I see. Well, how is she dealing with it?”
“Okay, I guess. I haven’t seen her much this week. It isn’t like there’s much between us. I just see her once or twice a week.”
It slipped out before I could stop it, and I saw the blush creep into the woman’s fair skin. I rather enjoyed the way it looked on her, more than I should have. That was what egged me on to say more.
“She’s that kind of friend, so I don’t really have these conversations with her. Ivy is just pretty to look at and fun to be around late at night.”
Dr. Camilla looked away, unable to keep my gaze. I wanted her to think about me naked, as I was thinking about her. It was the first thing I’d thought of when I saw her curvaceous body, and now I wanted her even more. The longer I sat across from her looking at her face, the more I was eager to make these meetings more interesting.
Chapter 2 – Camilla
This man was too much. I was trying my best to keep a straight face. I didn’t know if I should laugh at his audacity or if I should be offended. I felt a little of both. It was my first day back to the office, and I’d had a few good breakthrough moments with others. I was feeling like it was going to be a good day, until the handsome devil in front of me sat down. Now I wasn’t sure if I hadn’t come back too early.
“Would you like to describe the scene and how you found yourself there?”
I tried not to stare at the hard lines of his jaw and the even harder chest in front of me. The pictures of him on the television had not done him justice, not at all. He was far bigger and cockier than he’d been in the clips that I’d found and watched of him over the weekend. I always did my homework, but it was never as extensive as it had been with him. His internet footprint was just too interesting.
“Sure, Doc.”
I cringed a little as he started. This was going to be a long hour. If I could get him talking about anything else, it would have to be better than this.
“We were there to get her something hot for an event that was planned for next week. I don’t know what I was thinking, letting her drag me out there in the first place, but you know how you women get.”
I could only imagine what he meant by that, but I wasn’t going to let it bother me. There was no reason too.
“Of course, go on.”
He paused and smiled at me, a dashing smile that showed all of his perfect white teeth and a small dimple in his chin that I hadn’t noticed before. His dark eyes held lust, and while it was misplaced, I was as guilty of it as he was.
“I think that I’m aggravating you, Doc? Is that true?”
“Not at all.” He was doing more than that, but I wasn’t going to argue with him, and I certainly wasn’t going to admit the way I was feeling about him. I had no business doing so, and I was trying my best to be as professional as I was able to with Tyler. He was all kinds of bad news, a man that I needed to stay far away from. That was going to be hard to do, and I was already wondering how long he was going to keep coming back.
“Good, because I was just getting to like you.”
“So go on, please. I would like to hear what happened from your point of view.”
“Well, like I said, we were there to get something for Ivy to wear. I didn’t really want to be there, so I was going to hang out in the front while she picked something out. The owner was busy, though, with someone else in the back, so she was waiting up front with me.”
Tyler was finally sitting back, and his eyes closed as he tried to picture the day in his mind. It was already coming back to me, and I wished more than anything that I could forget it for just a little while.
“I saw the man come in. I remember thinking that there was something off about him. He was really mad and had a bag in his hands. I thought that it was a return and he just had his panties in a bunch. I didn’t know that there was a gun in there until he pulled it out. The owner was the first one who got shot. It was quick and point blank. He yelled something, but I don’t remember what.”
My heart was racing. He was talking about Marge, and an image of her lying dead on the ground crept into my mind. I was going to miss her. I hadn’t known her that well, but she was always a bright spot in my day. Marge was a gentle woman and hadn’t deserved that.
The need to ask if it was quick filled my head, but I didn’t want to say anything. I shouldn’t have said what I did, so I let him speak. I wasn’t the only one who had to get it out.
“The sound was so loud. Ivy screamed. I mean, she really screamed. It was as good as those actresses in the horror films. That’s what made me get with it, her scream.”
In spite of myself, I was getting into his story. He was a good storyteller, even though I knew he wasn’t trying to be. The man was handsome, and now that his eyes were closed, I could look at him without having to worry about what he thought of me. I didn’t have to keep my eyes away. I knew that he was a patient, and that he was off limits and a mile out of my league, but he was at least fun to look at if nothing else.
“So what did you do?”
Those cocoa brown eyes opened up and met mine. I was busted looking at him, and I had to force myself to not look away guiltily.
“Well, I grabbed Ivy and I pulled her under the front register. I didn’t have anything on me, and the man had his gun pulled out before I could really think to do anything else. So I hid.”
“That was what kept you alive. You shouldn’t be ashamed of that. Your actions kept you and another person alive. That’s nothing to be upset about.”
He stopped, and our eyes met again before I finally pulled them away and looked at the notepad in front of me. I was so wrapped up in the story and my own take on events that I hadn’t written much of anything.
“I don’t feel bad about it, but in a way I wish I could have done more. So many people died for no reason. Do you know that they still don’t have a motive?”
“I didn’t. I’ve been staying away from the news.”
“I can’t stop watching it. I just want to know why.”
Tyler seemed frustrated, and I could tell that it was genuine. I felt the same way, and I felt helpless. I didn’t know why I’d been spared and so many others hadn’t, but I was happy that Tyler was one of the ones who’d been saved. It sounded like his quick thinking had saved more than one life.
“So even after the shooting, Ivy wouldn’t budge from under the cash register. The police had to coax her out.”
I could relate to that. I hadn’t wanted to leave the dressing room because that was where I felt the safest.
“But that was it. The cops came and we left.”
There was more to it, but it was clear that I wasn’t going to learn anything else just then. He was done with his story, and I didn’t want to press him for more. He’d said it all in a monotone voice, and although he liked to say that nothing had bothered him, it was clear that something had. It was hard to walk away from something like that and to feel nothing. I certainly felt things, guilt, fear and a myriad of other feelings. I just felt too much. It was all just too much, and for a moment I wished that I could just shut it off like he had.
“That’s quite a story. I’m glad that you two made it out of there okay.”
“Where were you, again?”
“I was changing into a dress when the shooting started.”
“A blue dress?”
Nodding my head, I asked him how he knew that.
“I saw you and I thought you were an angel. You didn’t have a spot on you, and you just walked through the chaos looking ahead.”
His description was nothing like how I would have described it. I’d felt like I was a shaking mess, and although it was all a blur now, I knew that there had been nothing majestic about me. I’d been terri
fied, and if the police officer hadn’t come to get me, I was sure I would still be in that changing room.
“It was quite a day, Tyler, and I’m glad that you shared that with me.”
“It was just another day, Doc. I try not to worry about things that I cannot change. I look forward to seeing him in court and picking him out. He’ll go to prison for the rest of his life, and I’ll be happy to help with that.”
The idea of having to come face to face with the man who had worn the boots was not something that I was looking forward to. It was the very last thing that I wanted to do.
“Well, then I’m glad that you were there and saw him. I only saw the man’s boots a couple of times. I wouldn’t be any good trying to identify him.”
Silence came over us. I knew that we were both deep in our own thoughts. How different the same experience had been for us. While he’d drawn strength from the experience, I was still nervous when I heard a loud sound. I’d been a doctor for years, and it still amazed me how differently two people could react to the same scenario. I wouldn’t say that it had ruined my life, but it had made my already fragile psyche a little more fragile.
“I find it rather odd that you’re my doctor and you were actually there. This must be some kind of coincidence.”
“Not at all. The police most likely talked to your family and gave them my number. Who did you say set up the appointment?”
“My mother was worried that it was going to emotionally scar me. I don’t know where she got your card from.”
“I work with the police department on a regular basis. Most of my clients have had traumatic experiences, so I’ve had several survivors sent my way.”
“I’m sure glad that it’s you. Here I was worried that it would be some stuffy man, but look at you.”
Chapter 3 – Tyler
The pretty blush was back on her face, and her eyes were avoiding me. Camilla looked at the clock, which I actually hadn’t noticed before. Here I was thinking that time was going to painfully drag on, but instead, it had flown by and I only had ten more minutes with her. Where had all of the time gone?
“Enough of that nonsense. What are you doing after this? We could go out and get a cup of coffee or something.”
It was a long shot, I knew, but the way that I was with women, I half expected her to agree. The doctor was like no one that I’d ever met before, but that was okay. I liked a challenge, and Camilla was a challenge. She did not respond the way most women did, and that just made me want to find out why. What was it about her that was so different? That made me stand up and take notice?
“I don’t date patients, Tyler, but I thank you for the offer. Why don’t we talk about something else, anything else? It doesn’t have to be about the mall shootings. I’m here to help you in any way that I can.”
“It would be helpful if you would go out with me.”
She just shook her head like it wasn’t going to happen, and unlike the coyness that I was used to from other girls, I believed her when she said no. It was clear to me that I was just going to have to work a bit harder on her first.
“Okay, so what would you like to talk about?”
“It doesn’t matter, Tyler. This is your session, so whatever is bothering you, or just anything that you want to talk about is fine.” I could tell that she wanted to say more, but didn’t.
“Well, there’s not much else to talk about. I’m stuck in a loveless marriage with Maya, and she’s been on me to come here as well.”
“You’re married?”
That came as a shock to her, and I kicked myself for saying anything. Maya was the only other problem that I could think of. Work was good, even if I worked way too much, but it was the deals that kept me going. Making money was my favorite thing to do, but I didn’t much think that she wanted to hear about that.
“Yes, for about five years. It will be five years soon.”
“That’s a long time to be married.”
“It’s especially long when you don’t want to be in it.”
“Have you tried working things out with your wife?”
“I have.”
“And what about your ‘friend’ Ivy? How does that fit into making things better with your wife?”
She had me there, but I didn’t want to talk about that. I didn’t want to admit that in spite of the fact that I hated my father for cheating on my mother and treating women like they were disposable, I’d ended up just like him. It was a hard fact to realize, and it wasn’t one that I wanted her to know about.
“It doesn’t. Ivy keeps me sane. She isn’t the only one, but I see her more than the rest.”
“The rest?”
I sighed to myself and realized that again I’d said too much. What was it about Camilla that made me want to bare my soul to her? She would have my whole life story in an hour if I didn’t pay more attention.
“Well, there are a few more that I see on occasion. I find it hard to stick with one woman.”
“That’s usually taken care of when you get married, Tyler, but I’m not here to judge.”
I could tell that she was doing that very thing by the way she looked at me. It looked to me like she was thinking I was the lowest form of scum on the earth, and I wasn’t sure why that bothered me so much. Why was I so worried about what this doctor thought about me?
“I had to do something. We haven’t had sex in months, and I have needs.”
My need was showing in my face, and the way she looked away, I was sure that Camilla could feel it. She was a very curious woman, but it seemed like she was actually upset with me and my philandering ways.
“Do you have a husband? I didn’t see a ring, but you know how people are nowadays.”
“No, I’m not married.”
“Divorced?”
She shook her head again and smiled. “Never even got close.”
“Why is that? You’re beautiful, Doc, and I can’t see why anyone that was with you wouldn’t want to marry you.”
What the hell was I saying? Marry her? It was something I’d never even thought of, but what I said was true. I couldn’t see any man getting a woman like her and not trying to lock it down for good. She was marriage material.
“I don’t really feel comfortable talking to you about my love life, Tyler. It would be unseemly at best.”
“Come on. I just poured my heart out to you and you won’t give me anything?”
I hadn’t, of course, but I would have said anything to have changed her mind about it. I wanted to know more about her, and as I looked at the clock, I realized that I didn’t have much time left to do it. I also knew then that I was going to be back. It wasn’t because I was trying to placate the women in my life; it was more because I wanted to make Camilla one of them.
“I’m not married.”
“Are you dating anyone?”
It was her turn to look at the clock, and I didn’t like the way she did. It was obvious that this conversation was making her uncomfortable, but I didn’t back down. I was going to wait her out if I had to. It didn’t really matter if she was with someone or not. It didn’t matter to me at all who she had in her life. I was going to have her, one way or another.
“I was dating someone, but I don’t think that I am anymore.”
The buzzer went off, and she silenced it with a touch of a button. “Well, that’s all for today’s session, Tyler. That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
I told her that it wasn’t, but I didn’t get up to leave. I didn’t want to. I wasn’t finished, and the many meetings that I had to go to didn’t matter. I wanted to stay there with her for a while longer.
“No, it was a lot better than I thought it would be. And that’s because of you.”
She smiled and stood up, signaling that whether I was done or not, she was. The doctor had another client waiting, of course, but I was tempted to offer her a large amount of money to tell him to go away. If she thought that I really needed the help, I knew she would ask me to
stay, but Camilla didn’t seem like the type who could be persuaded by money. I kind of liked that about her.
“Well, thank you for seeing me, Doc. It was a lot easier to talk to you than I thought it would be.”
“I’m glad for that. Will I see you again?”
Nodding my head, I told her that she would. There was no mention of how busy I was or anything else. All she had to do was give me a time and I was going to make sure to be there. I wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to see her again.
“Here’s an appointment card. Just give it to Denise in the front and she’ll take care of you.”
I wanted her to take care of me, but it was just Camilla’s nice way of saying it was time to go. It was crazy how badly I wanted to stay. What had the woman done to me?
“Thanks, Doc. I’ll see you next week.”
Going out of the office, I did as she asked, talking to the redhead who’d greeted me when I first came in. She was still pretty, but her painted beauty was nothing to the natural charm of Camilla. I was lost for the first time ever, and it was only when my phone rang that I realized I was just standing outside of the building. Looking at the number that came across it, I groaned inwardly and turned it off. I was not in the mood to speak to my loving wife at the moment. She was just going to have to wait.
Part 3: Maya
Maya is in a loveless marriage to billionaire playboy Tyler Hudson. They’ve been married for years, and after so long without the attention and affection she needs, Maya is ready to look outside of the marriage. She knows it’s wrong, but there’s nothing else she can do. Instead of waiting in vain for Tyler to realize what he has, Maya finds a man who loves her. She finds what she needs with Dylan.
Dylan James runs a local restaurant. Maya is slow to give him her number when they meet on a train, but once they starting seeing each other, everything changes. Maya starts to think that it wasn’t her who ruined the marriage. She is still desirable, a fact that Dylan is eager to show her. When the moment comes upon them, the moment of truth, Maya has to decide if she’s ready to throw it all away on a chance.