Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 91504 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91504 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 458(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Gabriel leans in, inches closer from his seat. “What if the person who’s off-limits isn’t really as off-limits as we think? Then does it become dangerous?”
I open my mouth to respond—with what, I have no idea—but nothing comes out. Gabriel’s eyes gleam, almost like he’s enjoying my squirming. But it can’t be that, can it?
He shifts back from the edge of his seat. “Have you ever had forbidden fruit, Dr. McCall? Maybe slept with a patient?”
“What? No, of course not.”
“Think about it?”
My mind shuffles through the dozens of times I’ve thought about it—how I’ve masturbated to thoughts of Gabriel, how I kissed Robert while imagining it was my very own, off-limits patient—one who is more off-limits than any patient could ever be—how I wanted nothing more than to feel his big hands all over my body.
The corner of Gabriel’s lip curls. “You’re turning red. You have.”
“No. I, I… don’t think this is an appropriate conversation for us to be having.”
Things are spiraling out of control, and I have no idea where the reins are to pull them and stop it. In the middle of my freak-out, there’s a knock at my office door. No one ever interrupts a session, but I jump at the opportunity for it now.
“Come in!”
Sarah cracks the door open and pops her head in. “I’m really sorry to interrupt. I just got a call from my son’s school. He’s got a fever, and I can’t reach my mom to pick him up. Is it okay if I run out?”
“Of course. Go.”
“Thank you.” She looks at Gabriel, who never even bothered turning his head, and makes an apologetic face. “Sorry again to interrupt.”
The door closes and my office, which is a decent size for Manhattan, suddenly feels very small. And apparently, I was the only one who allowed Sarah’s interruption to cut through the tension. Because Gabriel is staring at me with an intensity that makes me feel like I’ve touched a live wire.
“Sorry about that,” I say. I force a smile, but at best, it comes out troubled.
“Can I tell you about the woman I fantasize about? Some of the things I want to do to her?”
“I don’t think—”
“I want to bend her over her desk.”
My jaw goes slack.
“Slide into her from behind.”
My breathing comes in quick, shallow spurts. I should say something. Stop this conversation. But I can’t. I want to hear more. Ride the edge.
My eyes drop to his lips, and I start to feel dizzy. The warm brown of his irises is almost completely gone, pushed out by dark pupils. I imagine what he’s just said. Me, folded over my desk, Gabriel’s lean body over mine. Harsh thrusts. Maybe hair pulling. Giving in to the feeling of being completely overwhelmed by another human being. Deep, deep pen-etration.
I don’t even realize my eyes are fixated on my desk until they’re on their way back from it and they meet Gabriel’s. His lips curve to a slow, wicked smile.
“I think we should end our session for today.” The words come out of my mouth so fast I don’t even get a chance to give them any thought before they’re spoken.
Gabriel closes his eyes. He swallows and nods. “Okay. I’m sorry.”
Without another word, he gets up and walks to the door. I hold my breath as he reaches for the doorknob, pinch my eyes shut—feeling desperate for it to open, even though Sarah isn’t on the other side, and there’s no one to save me from myself.
I wait and wait, dying for the creak of the door opening and closing to come, but when it does, I panic and jump up.
“No! Don’t go!”
Gabriel doesn’t move. He stands rigidly still while my heart thunders in my chest. What am I doing? What the hell am I doing?
Long seconds tick by. I might not have any clue what I’m getting myself into, but I know the ball is in his court, so I wait for him to speak. When he finally does, he doesn’t turn around.
“I think about you all the time,” he says. His voice is so strained it sounds like he’s in pain.
I swallow. “I think about you, too.”
He drops his head and shakes it. “I know it’s wrong.”
“Me, too,” I whisper. “But I don’t care anymore.”
There’s another long stretch of silence. Heaviness fills the air like a room full of secrets waiting to be unveiled. I keep staring at Gabriel’s back, waiting…
Eventually, he reaches for the doorknob. I shut my eyes, thinking it’s over. Unlike me, he’s strong enough to walk away. But then…
A loud sch-liff echoes through the room.
The door lock clanks closed.
He’s locked my door!
My eyes flare open.
Gabriel turns, and our eyes meet. He stares at me with an intensity that burns my skin.
He begins to walk. Slowly. Like he’s giving me a chance to stop him. But every step makes my pulse quicken. By the time he reaches my desk, I feel like a pot of boiling water and the lid is about to blow off. I don’t move. Not an inch. But Gabriel keeps coming, right around the barrier of my desk, until he’s so close behind me I can feel the heat of his body, his hot breath tickling my neck.