Dr. Shofner glanced at me and then Wes. “I understand that the two of you are here because you are having some problems from a recent tragic experience.”
I nodded. Wes didn’t budge or say a word. “And this trauma is affecting your relationship?” the doctor hedged, poking a bit into the personal nature of why we were there.
“Yes,” I stated firmly.
Wes’s shoulders tightened when he spoke. “I almost forced myself on Mia last night. I was stuck in the middle of a dream,” Wes stated flatly. “I don’t want to ever do that again or risk hurting her. I love her. We plan to get married. Can you fix this?” He rushed the request out so fast I just stared and waited for the doctor to respond.
Dr. Shofner licked her lips and clucked her tongue. “Okay, well, I hope to help—” I cut her off. “He didn’t force me to do anything, and he most certainly didn’t hurt me. More than anything, I was surprised and rattled because the night terrors routine has changed. I’m not sure how to bring him back anymore.”
The doctor held up two hands. “Whoa, whoa. Night terrors. Routines. Assault. Marriage. Let’s slow down. Mr. Channing…Weston…can I call you Weston?”
Wes nodded.
“Okay, Weston. I know who you are. I’ve read the papers and have an inkling of what you may have undergone.”
Of course, we’d just seen Gina leaving her office. Obviously, she’d told the doctor what had taken place.
The doctor clasped her hands in front of her and leaned forward. “You’ve experienced something that no human being ever should. Captivity is something you survived. It does not define who you are.” She sat back and let out a slow breath. “Now, what we need to do is talk about your personal experience. Go through the event and discuss it, no matter how off-putting or vile. We can do this alone or with Mia here. It’s up to you.”
Wes looked at me and then away. “For now, she stays. But maybe the next session, when we uh”—he cleared his throat—“talk about the details, we can do that alone. Is that okay?” He directed the question at the doctor but was looking at me. Through all of this, he still wanted my approval. What he didn’t realize was that I just wanted him to be better, to come back to himself. Find peace. I smiled big and squeezed his hand.
“Okay, so since we have Mia here this session, why don’t we talk about this issue of force you mentioned.”
I rolled my eyes and was about to deny it, again, when Wes placed a finger over my lips. “Sweetheart, what happened was intolerable. I’m afraid to sleep by your side tonight. That’s why I agreed to come here. If this will help, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
I tipped my chin and watched my strong man, the love of my life, tell a stranger about our torturous night.
“Often, I have night terrors. Mia has figured out a way to bring me back from them,” Wes said.
“And that is?” she prompted, lifting her notepad off the table and scribbling some notes.
Wes’s cheeks turned pink, and he opened and closed his mouth. The shy guy thing was ridiculously adorable and made me want to kiss him repeatedly until I, too, held that rosy glow. He lifted a hand and cupped the back of his neck, rubbing it and shaking his head.
“We make love,” I answered softly, wanting to save him even a speck of embarrassment.
The doctor smiled. “And how does that bring him back?” The question was directed to me.
“I don’t know exactly. At first, he’s really angry, sweaty, his eyes completely dilated. He usually wakes with a scream or cry, or I have to wake him by turning on the light because he’s thrashing around.” The doctor made some notes and waited for me to continue. I checked that Wes didn’t want to continue in my place, but he just gave a gesture that said keep going, so I did. “Sometimes I can tell he’s still there.”
“There?” The doctor’s eyebrows rose.
I twirled a lock of hair around my index finger, thinking about how to respond when Wes jumped in.
“In the dream, on the compound, in that hut chained to a wall, sitting in my own filth.”
I leaned back, hoping he’d take the reins.
“Then it’s like I hear Mia through a fog, or from very far away asking me questions.” He frowned and looked at his shoes, his gaze intent on the loafers he’d paired with a dark wash pair of jeans.
“What questions?” the doctor interrupted.
He shrugged, not lifting his gaze, his shoes seemingly the most interesting thing in the world. “If I love her. Where I’m at? Those types of things. Usually, that helps bring me back. But then I’m…uh…you see, my lower region uh is so…” He couldn’t continue even as he gestured to a part of his body that made me weak in the knees. He should be damn proud of that appendage. It did amazing things to me and deserved to be spoken of in high praise.
“Hard? Ready to copulate?” The doctor offered in a monotone, not even a hint of suggestion. I wanted to applaud her professionalism as my thoughts went astray with the mere mention of his fat cock.