Page 35 of The Unexpected

Hunter harrumphs.

“So we’re here for nothing.”

“No, that’s not true,” Stella says quickly, shooting him another reproving glance. “It’s just … well, it feels wrong.”

“Let’s dive into that,” I say in a slow tone. “When you say it feels wrong, does that mean you like how it feels, or that you don’t like it? Does the taboo aspect add excitement to what you do together, or does it make you feel disgusted inside?”

Stella hesitates, blushing, but then she bends her heads and whispers, “I like it. That’s part of why we’re here. I know I shouldn’t, but I adore the taboo aspect.”

Hunter takes her hand.

“There’s nothing wrong with that, sweetheart. We’re all fucked up and I just want you to know that you’re fucked up in exactly the way I like.”

Her head comes up quickly then.

“Is that supposed to reassure me?” she demands. “Because it doesn’t make me feel better to hear that I’m fucked up. Or that we’re fucked up the same way.”

I can see that this session is devolving quickly, so I interrupt.

“Have there been any changes since last time? Any progression?”

Stella starts to answer, then stalls. Her cheeks bloom pink, a rush that creeps up her throat.

Hunter fills the void. “Yeah,” he says, voice even. “I’m not sure what you mean by progression, but we tried something new.”

Stella shoots him a look that’s pure betrayal. “You weren’t supposed to—” she starts, then clamps her mouth shut.

He shrugs, not sorry. “He’s the counselor, star girl. Isn’t that what he’s here for?”

I raise an eyebrow. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Stella’s lips press into a thin, reluctant line. She looks at me, then at the floor, then at me again. “Hunter introduced me to something I’d never done before,” she says, every word a stone she’s forced to swallow.

Hunter’s eyes flash, and he smirks slightly. “I fucked her in the ass,” he says, voice flat. “It was Stella’s first time experiencing anal sex.”

The words hang in the incense-thick air.

Stella’s face goes scarlet, her eyes fixed on her knees. “You weren’t supposed to say it like that,” she hisses.

I don’t blink. “Was it consensual?” I ask, soft.

Hunter nods. “Of course.”

Stella swallows hard. “It was intense,” she concedes. “But I liked it.” The last part comes out in a rush, as if she can’t believe it herself.

I rest my hands on the desk. “You’re exploring boundaries,” I say. “That’s not unusual in exposure therapy.”

Stella glances up, hope flickering. “Is that what this is? Are we doing the right thing by exposing ourselves to the taboo so it stops feeling so bad? Does it even matter? Or should we just stop altogether?”

I let the silence expand before answering. “Sometimes, yes, it will feel strange. Sometimes you have to see what’s on the other side of the shame, and the only way is through, not around.”

Hunter’s smile is slow, predatory. “You want to try it again, Stella?”

She shivers, the movement so small it could be missed, then nods, her tongue darting out to wet her lips.

I watch the exchange. I watch them both. My own pulse is a hammer behind my ribs, but I force the detachment. “Would you like to try exposure therapy again?” I reiterate, the words coming out smoother than I feel.

Hunter’s gaze snaps to mine, and for a beat, I see something raw and unguarded. He nods, once. “Yeah. Why the fuck not?”