Chapter Four #2
“There’s absolutely no judgment in this room,” he reassures me, voice calm and steady.
“Everything we discuss is completely confidential. I’m simply offering it as a possibility.
If no woman has been able to bring you the pleasure and release you’re looking for, it may point to a deeper need for connection… possibly with another man.”
A short, surprised laugh escapes me before I can stop it. I wasn’t expecting that… not in a million years.
Dr. Hart smiles softly, understanding. “I know that’s a lot to take in at once. Would you like to talk about how that suggestion lands for you?”
I clear my throat, the sound rough in the quiet office. “No… not right now.”
He nods without pressure. “Would you feel more comfortable if we cut today’s appointment a little short?”
I nod quickly.
The rest of the goodbye is quiet and professional. He walks me to the door, gives me a kind handshake, and reminds me I can call anytime if I want to process more. I manage a polite “thank you” before stepping into the hallway.
The elevator ride down feels numb. I stand here staring at the glowing numbers as they count toward the ground floor, my reflection in the mirrored walls looking pale and distant. Dr. Hart’s words keep echoing in my head.
By the time I reach the parking garage and slide into my Jeep, the suggestion still feels surreal. Like someone dropped a bomb in the middle of my neatly ordered life and then politely asked how I was feeling about the crater.
…
The drive back to my apartment passes in a numb, automatic haze.
I keep drifting at every red light, lost in thought, until some impatient driver behind me lays on their horn and snaps me back to the road.
Before I even register the journey, my Jeep is sliding into its usual spot in the underground garage.
Cade’s sleek black Porsche sits right beside it like an expensive reminder that my sanctuary is no longer mine alone. I can’t just walk in, collapse on my own couch, and wallow in self-pity. There’s another human in there now… one who takes up space, both physically and mentally.
I climb out, lock the Jeep with a sharp beep, and head straight for the elevator.
Too much to process, way too early. I always take Dr. Hart’s very first appointment slot, so after cutting today’s session short, it’s only half past eight.
Far too early in the day to be grappling with the fact that a professional who specialises in sexual issues thinks I might be gay.
I step into the elevator and press the button for the nineteenth floor, leaning back against the mirrored wall as the doors slide shut.
How would that even work? Finding a man willing to… I don’t know, have sex with me? With a woman, it’s easy… bars, apps, mutual friends. But a man? That feels like an entirely different world. I shake the thought away almost violently. You’re not seriously considering this, I tell myself. Stop.
The elevator dings. I walk down the quiet hallway, unlock my door with a sigh, and step inside.
I’m heading toward the living room when Cade steps out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a short white towel slung low around his hips.
Water droplets cling to his shoulders and chest, tracing the sharp lines of muscle down to the deep, prominent V that disappears beneath the towel.
His dark hair is wet, dripping down his face and onto his collarbones.
A startled yelp escapes me. “Ah, fuck!”
I spin around so fast I nearly lose my balance, heart slamming against my ribs.
Cade lets out a low laugh behind me. “Good morning to you too. Am I that repulsive, brother?”
I blink. That might be the longest sentence I’ve ever heard come out of Cade’s mouth. I wonder if he’s in an unusually good mood for some reason.
Before I can respond, his damp body brushes against my back as he reaches past me toward one of the moving boxes stacked by the door. I jolt away like I’ve been burned, pulse spiking.
Cade laughs again, clearly amused by my reaction. He flips open the lid of the box and gestures inside with a casual tilt of his head. “Clothes.”
Simple as that.
I nod stiffly, eyes fixed anywhere but on his wet, half-naked body. “Hurry up.”
He stands there holding a fresh outfit, frowning as he searches my face. “Why?”
My gaze keeps darting away from his bare chest, the way water still trickles down his skin. “Because I don’t want a naked man in my house.”
Cade stares at me for a beat, then lets out a deep, rolling laugh that vibrates through the open space. He turns and heads back toward the bathroom, still chuckling.
I drag both hands down my face, groaning inwardly.
For fuck’s sake, Dr. Hart. Why did you have to plant that idea?
Now I’m scared to even look at Cade. I’ve seen men in towels before…
at the gym, after swimming, whatever; it’s never been an issue.
But with this new suggestion hanging over me like a neon sign, I feel like I’m dissecting every glance and every reaction.
Overthinking everything. Who wouldn’t? If Dr. Hart is right, this is one hell of a life-altering realization to drop on someone at thirty-five.
I’ve never looked at a man before and had inappropriate thoughts. And the first man I look at like that absolutely should not be my stepbrother. But fuck… it’s too late now.
I drop onto the sectional and hope Cade has somewhere to be today.