“I’m not the one in therapy.” She walked toward me. “I’m supposed to keep my life separate from yours. It’s not my fault that you make me…” This time she cut herself off.
“I make you what?” I waited for her to say more, but she didn’t. “I make you what?” I pushed off the wall and went to her. “What do I make you want, Rita?” My hand came up to touch the side of her face. “Is it the same thing I want?”
“We can’t do this.” She didn’t move.
“Are you sure?” My eyes went to her mouth. Her teeth were pulling at her bottom lip in the sexiest way I had ever seen. It was amazing I wasn’t hard as stone right now.
“Major.”
“Stewart.” I damn near growled out. Was she ever going to use my name?
She pulled at her lip again, and I was done. If anyone was going to bite her lip, I wanted it to be me. I started lowering my head. I didn’t move as fast as I normally would. I wanted herto have the chance to tell me to stop if she wanted to. I barely brushed her top lip when someone knocked on the door.
Rita jumped clear across the room. Her cheeks red enough to give her brown skin a maroon hue. “Yes?”
“Just letting you know it’s been an hour.” Jas spoke from the other side of the door.
“Thank you.” Rita replied. “We will be out in a moment.”
She didn’t bother looking in my direction. She went over and picked up the drink she had made earlier. “We will pick up our session next week.”
“Rita.” Frustration filled my voice.
“In the meantime, if you want me to sign your paperwork, then I need to see some progress.” She still wasn’t looking in my direction. “I’d like you to start a sleep journal and socialize with your friends at least once this week. And before you ask, visiting them in the hospital doesn’t count.”
“Rita.” I repeated her name. I’d made my way over so I was standing behind her. I let my hands rest on her shoulders. “We have to talk about this.”
“No, we don’t.” She shook my hands off. “I actually need to get going. I have another appointment back at the office.” She went through the door. “I’ll see you next week, and if you show progress, I’ll consider letting you get back to work one, maybe two days a week.”
She finally looked back at me and nodded. “Have a good day, Major.” With that, she was gone.
Chapter 6
Rita
As soon as I got back to work, I ran straight for Aspen’s office and knocked. I really needed someone to talk to, but I waited until she replied before walking in. I didn’t want to barge in if she was with a patient.
She turned her pale green eyes up to take me in. Her long red hair was pulled back in a ponytail today, and she wore the barest hint of makeup.
“You look troubled.” She leaned back in her seat. Her normal chill demeanor gave way to the serious and sometimes intimidating look she got when working.
“Don’t do that.” I sat in one of her chairs. My mind when right to Stewart. He’d be impressed that she had these uncomfortable chairs waiting for her people to take a seat.
“What are you talking about?”
“You aren’t my therapist.” I reminded her, and she never would be. I knew she was good at her job, but we were too close for her to ever be the right fit. If I ever decided to do therapy, it would have to be with someone I didn’t go for drinks with on occasion.
“I know I’m not, and yet you knocked on my door looking like you are desperately in need of counseling.” She pointed out. “Do I need to recommend someone?”
I shook my head. I’d had enough therapy years ago to know when I needed to talk to someone and when I didn’t. At this point, I needed professional advice despite the fact I knewexactly what she was going to say. It was the same thing I would tell anyone else in my position if they came to me.
“I think I might have crossed a line with a patient.” I blurted out.
Aspen leaned forward and let her arms fall onto the desk. She was a few years older than me, so there were times it was hard not to see her as a mentor, and this was one of them.
“Crossed a line how?” She questioned.
“Last week when I met with one of my patients, I did too much and my side started hurting.” I explained. “He helped me to my car, and later that night he called the hotline in order to get to me so he could check to make sure I was okay.”
