Again, he remained silent.
“She means well, but she wants everything in our lives to be perfect. She wants us to be perfect, especially me.”
His head cocked to the side as he asked, “How so?”
I shrugged. “It just little things that she says. She’s constantly giving me advice about everything, and it makes me feel like I’m not living up to her expectations. I’m not skinny enough. My hair isn’t straight enough. I don’t wear the right clothes or makeup … It’s never-ending.”
His long fingers raked through his short, perfectly-groomed brown hair, which immediately fell back into place when his hand ran along the nape of his neck, then back down to his lap. “Do you really feel like she expects more from you than she does your sister?”
My eyes skirted to the floor as I chewed on the inside of my cheek. It was a sore subject, but one I’d come accustomed to over the years. “Well, my sister is pretty much perfect. She has a great job, an amazing figure, and she has two wonderful kids and a great husband. There’s nothing for my mother to be disappointed about where she’s concerned. I, on the other hand, am a different story.”
The sound of his pen clicking echoed through the room, and I could actually feel my nerves tingling as I watched his teeth toy with his bottom lip. The wheels were turning in his head, and I desperately wanted to know what he was thinking. Had I already given away too much? He quickly wrote something on his notepad, and a part of me wondered if he already knew the answer when he asked, “And how are you so different?”
“Because she thinks I’m making a mess of my life.”
His tone changed slightly as he asked, “Why does she think that?”
“Because I’m not married. I don’t have a boyfriend. Oh, and the clock on my ovaries is ticking like a giant time bomb.” I couldn’t believe I just told him all that. I had every intention of keeping things simple, away from the hard stuff, but I’d just opened the door to the vault. Shit. Trying to force it closed again, I grumbled, “Enough said.”
The room fell into silence as he looked at me with a puzzled expression. I guess I surprised him. I’m not sure which part threw him off, but there was no mistaking the stunned look on his face. When he didn’t respond, I continued, “Personally, I don’t think she could be more wrong. A man is the last thing I need in my life.”
That comment seemed to shock him even more as he cocked his head to the side and clicked his stupid pen, again. “I’d like to further discuss your last statement in just a moment, but let’s take a step back before we continue. So, you’re not seeing anyone right now?”
“No.”
There was another dramatic pause as he shifted in his chair. I noticed a flicker of intrigue in his eyes, which I hadn’t seen before, and it became even more apparent when his gaze slowly drifted down my body. If I hadn’t known better, I’d say that he was doing it in a rather seductive manner, or maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me, right? Ignoring the intense look in his eyes, I leaned back on the sofa and sighed. “I was seeing someone, but it just didn’t work out. He was a self-centered jerk, which seems to be the status quo with all the men I date.”
“Do you care to elaborate on that?”
A sexy smile spread across his face, and as much as I tried to fight it, I couldn’t help but let my guard down even more. “Which part?”
“The status quo?”
“I seem to have the same issues with every man I date.”
I tried to fight it, but the words just came flowing right out of my mouth. There was something about Seth Michaels that had me telling things about myself that I’d never shared with anyone, and it terrified me. If I wasn’t careful, I would end up revealing that one secret— that one humiliating secret—that I’d never shared with anyone.
Chapter 2
There was only one word to describe her—exquisite.
In my entire life, I’d never been so completely captivated by another human being. As soon as she stepped into my office, I was completely caught off guard by my body’s reaction to her: my pulse started to race, my body temperature rose, and sweat began to bead along my brow. I couldn’t help myself. She was a true beauty, like an angel with a body that looked like it had been sculpted by God himself. Her long, almost white, blonde hair flowed down her delicate shoulders, accentuating the ocean-blue color of her eyes. As she walked past me, the soft essence of lavender and vanilla filled the room, seducing my senses in a way that had me imagining her in my bed. I could almost feel her there, nestled in my arms as I inhaled her scent. This was not a good way to start a session. I was a complete mess as I made my way over to my chair. When I reached for my notepad, my eyes met hers, and my heart stopped cold. The way her eyes pierced straight through me made me wonder if she’d noticed the effect she was having on me. Had I managed to hide it, or had she realized from the moment she walked into the room, I’d been imagining her sprawled out on my desk as I explored every inch of her body? I was fucked.
I’d come across beautiful women before, but none had ever tempted me in such a way—none had ever made me consider risking my entire career for just one moment, just one touch, one taste. It was all I could think about. She was my every desire wrapped up in a beautiful, but damaged package. I knew I was in trouble. I knew I was crossing boundaries, but curiosity had gotten the best of me. It was the only thing keeping me from showing her the door. I had to know what brought her into my office.
I sat there marveling at her intoxicating beauty and couldn’t understand why she was single, and I certainly couldn’t understand why her mother didn’t think she was absolutely perfect. She was smart, independent, and had a body that could bring any man to his knees. Needing to know everything about her, I asked, “Could you expound upon some of the issues you’ve had with the men you’ve dated?”
Her teeth clamped down on her bottom lip, letting me know that she was contemplating her response. “I don’t know. I’m sure it’s the same for everyone.” She shrugged and continued, “At first, it’s like you’ve found the perfect guy. He’s handsome and charming. He does all the right things … says all the right things, and everything seems to be going great.”
I waited for a moment, giving her time to think. Her nose twitched as she gave me a look of indifference. “But over time, things start to change.”
I knew exactly what she was saying, but I wanted to hear her take on it. “How so?”
Her brow arched as she waved her hands. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s just me. Maybe my expectations are too high.”