Exposure Therapy Chapter One

It was five hours since Colby last fucked.

Yes, fucked. Sex was a sanitised word. Cold. Clinical. He didn’t make love. No romance or sweetness involved. Fucking was the last word left for him.

Waking up with three women in a massive bed might sound like every man’s dream come true but not for him. Not anymore. Avoiding his problems was his speciality.

Outside the ordinary office block, Colby unbuttoned his top shirt button and checked his Rolex. Dread settled in the pit of his stomach. There was only minutes left.

With every movement, he was aware of the thick envelope of cash in his jacket’s inner pocket. Palming his wallet, Colby ran his thumb along the gold-rimmed business card.

Thick textured cream paper with the corners cut and rounded.
Expensive.
Classy.
No name.
Only an address.

He scanned the business listings of each floor. A coffee shop by day and gin bar at night nestled on the ground floor. Above the cafe/gin bar was a lawyer’s office, dentist practice and other mundane businesses. One floor of the listing was blank. He glanced again at the business card. A perfect match.

Riding up in the elevator, Colby took a few deep breaths. No turning back now. The doors slid open with a muted ding. He paused at the door and tapped his chest, feeling the familiar outline. He hadn’t dropped the thick envelope bursting with thousands of crisp dollars.

Raising his hand to knock, the door swung open. Wearing a tailored jacket, skirt and an expensive white silk shirt, a petite brunette looked up at him. Her hair was pinned into a tidy bun, a forgotten loose curl draped across the nape of her neck. Even with heels, she barely reached his shoulder.

“Colby?” she repeated, a glimmer of irritation flashing in her blue eyes. “You’re late.”

“I’m not.” Colby flicked a glance to his watch. 10:02. “Barely late.”

She tilted her chin up and pierced him with a glare. “Are you going to be a problem?” And no doubt, she’d tell Ryan he chickened out.

A sinking feeling gnawed at Colby. Effortless charm wasn’t going to work this time. “No,” he muttered with a shake of his head.

“On time is ten minutes early. I have a waiting list of patients who value my time. And you, Colby, skipped my list.” Her tone was firm. Unyielding.

Colby felt her eyes sweep over him. She kept her expression blank but he recognised it. He’d seen that look before. Disdain.

“Am I clear?”

Colby swallowed and gave a jerky nod. “Yes.”

The petite brunette didn’t move. She pinned him with a hard stare. Sizing him up. Without speaking, she stepped back and opened the door.

Colby strode through the threshold with a shiver.  “Thank you Doctor…?”

“First names only. Call me Monica.” The way she spoke sounded odd to him. Like it wasn’t her real name. Monica locked the door and sashayed ahead. “Follow me.”

Large frosted glass panes lined both sides of the wide corridor. Monica glanced back and pushed open the closest door.

Her office wasn’t like anything he’d seen before. No stuffy bureaucratic  antique desk. No desk at all.

In the centre of the room, there was a soft couch, an overstuffed bean bag, a tartan tub chair and a high-backed seat that looked almost like a throne.

A Japanese-style changing screen lingered in one corner of the room. Beside the screen, a couple of large plant pots burst with wide shiny green leaves. A wide industrial-style locker dominated one wall with a thick padlock securing it. Colby’s thoughts didn’t linger on the out-of-place furniture.

“Sit anywhere you like.” Colby went for the safe choice and picked the couch.

Monica perched on the edge of the tub chair and smoothed her hands down the sides of her skirt. Colby’s eyes devoured the slow slide of her delicate hands.

“My fee?” her voice came from far away.

Colby’s eyes jolted to her face. “Yes.” He patted the heavy envelope and passed it to her. Careful not to touch her. He folded his hands together in a casual manner but clenched them tight. He kept his gaze tight on his hands. Staring at his hands was safe. Neutral. Familiar. Comfortable.

Two goddamn minutes and he was already crushing on his therapist. He couldn’t control himself. He needed to stay professional. He didn’t miss the slim gold band around her finger.
Married.
Off-the-market.
Safe.

Though a small piece of gold didn’t stop him before. Every fragment of self-control fled when he was picturing his doctor with her hands braced on the desk, skirt hiked up and thighs clenched around his waist. Her low throaty moans filling his ears as she urged him faster…

“Doctor.” Colby cleared his throat and stood, trying and failing to shake the thoughts from his mind. “Monica,” he said, his voice firm. “This was a mistake.”

"What's a mistake?"

"This,” Colby gestured around him. “All of it. Being here."

She propped a hand on her hip and gave him a slight smile. "Why is it a mistake?"

Fuck. He'd stepped right into her trap. There was no way out. She was forcing him to say the words.

“I’m…” His voice faltered. “I’m a sex addict.”

“Yes, and?” She clucked her tongue almost in disappointment. “Is that it?”

Colby frowned. Her reaction left him mute.

Monica paused at the doorway and tapped the thick envelope. “I have a strict no refund policy.”

“Keep it,” Colby found his voice and shrugged. “We’ll pretend it didn’t work.” He crossed the room in three steps and waited for her to step aside.

“No, we’re not doing that.” Monica held up a finger and didn’t budge an inch. “You’re not special and I’m not lying for your ego. Our mutual friend asked me for a favor. I don’t make exceptions. I didn’t break my rule for you, I broke it for him. So you’re going to sit there, grit your teeth and do exactly as I say. If today doesn't work, we never have to see each other again.”

“You’ll tell Ryan?”

“Worse,” Monica shook her head. “I’ll tell him you wasted my time.”

Colby couldn’t slink out now. Even if he could, he’d barely make it to the car before she called Ryan shortly followed by Ryan calling him. Colby had no doubt that in those few minutes his best friend would discover some way of leaping out of a phone to punch him in the face several times.

“Sit down. Get comfortable. I’ll be back in a few moments and we’ll have some fun.” Monica dropped the double-entendre with a small smirk. She’d won this round. Without a backward glance, she left Colby to stew in his thoughts.