JR (3 page)

“I think an apparatus like yours could be a beneficial tool. I would love to see it become a reality. I’d feel honored to know I had some part in its development. Look, I know you’ve given me raises when you didn’t have to. You pay me a lot more than you should. Any student would love to work for you, to learn from you, for free.

And finding another subject might be impossible. Please, let me do this to repay you.”

Some of the jovial reassurance faded from his expression. His professionalism slipped for an uncharacteristic moment. “Understand this or our discussion is over right now. You worked your ass off the last few years. You earned every bit of your way. I’ve never seen someone try as hard as you have. Hell, you push yourself to exhaustion half the time. You even fell asleep at your desk two nights ago!”

Oh crap.
She’d never seen him get pissed off.

“Dr. Foster, I’m sorry about that. I was studying for finals the night before and I had a few cases I wanted to catch up on before I left the office.” Mortification zinged through her. She didn’t think anyone had noticed.

On most occasions, she could operate effectively on less sleep than the average person could. With the recent culmination of her education, she’d had to make do with the time left after work and school, which was less than she could handle on a routine basis. She counted on the sacrifices she’d made paying off as soon as she finished her degree.

“Shh.” Dr. Foster waved off her excuses, his features relaxing again. “You misunderstood me, I’m not angry with you. I only meant it as an example of how far beyond my expectations you constantly go. In fact, you work too hard sometimes. If I thought for a second you’d listen, I’d order you home for a nap right now.”

She wondered why he glanced away when he spoke. Was he lying about being upset? Before she could ask, he continued.

“Let’s try a little test. If you can’t see it through, you can quit at any time. All you have to do is say you’re done and we’ll stop with no repercussions. Look at me, Becca.”

She met his stare. His eyes shone with tenderness and understanding.

“I realize we’ll be pushing the boundaries of your comfort and experience. I promise you, I won’t hurt you or force you to do anything you don’t want. You know that, don’t you? In fact, I’m willing to pay you for your participation regardless of whether or not you finish the study. I won’t allow money to be a factor in your decision.”

This was the familiar Dr. Foster. Her foolish discomfort evaporated. After all the kindness he had shown her, how could she think he would be mad over one tiny slipup? She’d never before met anyone she admired so much.

Picking up his favorite fountain pen, he twirled it between his fingers as he contemplated her proposal.

“Let’s be clear. I want you to participate. I think you would be an excellent candidate. However, I’ll only accept your request if this is something you choose to do of your own free will. I want you to do this for yourself. I think it’ll be an enlightening experience for you, though also probably one of the most difficult assignments you’ve ever had. There are no books to study for the answers here. They have to come from within you.”

Of course, he understands. I need this.
Her inability to overcome her shyness and articulate the real reason she wanted to join the experiment underscored her convictions. She could never reach her full potential as a sexual therapist when she remained so out of touch with her own desires. This experiment, and Dr. Foster’s invention, could be the answer. Her cure.

“So, Becca, what will it be?” Leaning back in his chair, Kurt steepled his fingers over his trim abdomen while he considered her. He paused, giving her a moment to mull things over. The space should have been a relief but his self-assured posture compelled her to accept.

“Will you be my subject?”

Rebecca gasped beneath the intensity of his stare, so persuasive it drew her in until his regard consumed her consciousness. She could detect his rich male scent, so strong and spicy in this room, and she shivered in response. Before she knew it, an answer escaped her lips.

“Yes, Doctor. I’m yours.”

As Kurt thought about things to come, the sharp teeth of the zipper on his slacks started to dig into his rock-hard cock. Thankful for the bulky desk, which hid the evidence of his desire from Becca, he soaked in the contrasts of her nature while she perched as prim as a Sunday-school teacher on the chair before him.

Petite, with brilliant green eyes, she made a striking image. The aura of responsibility and somberness surrounding her aged her beyond her mid twenties in direct contrast to her dewy appearance. Several shades of color ranging from chocolate brown to blazing red entwined in the lustrous stands of her hair. It was a look many women tried to procure from a salon but failed to match with half the vibrancy of Becca’s natural shades.

As usual, she dressed conservatively. She wore a black, skirted suit with a double-breasted jacket buttoned all the way to the top despite the heat wave scorching the city. When he surveyed her, she crossed her arms in front of her chest, blocking the caress he longed to bestow. He imagined her nipples hardening beneath that damned jacket. The boxy garment might as well be a suit of armor considering its bulk and the lush curves it obscured. His gaze continued to roam over her, inching along to her feet, saving the best for last.

The moment each morning when he discovered which shoes she wore had become the highlight of his day.

It always made his cock swell to see her stiletto heels, high strappy sandals or lace-up confections standing out in such drastic contrast to her stark wardrobe. Today’s footwear didn’t disappoint. The four-inch heels made of simple black leather had delicate straps that coiled around her fine-boned ankles in a seductive spiral, bringing to mind lascivious visions of her bound before him.

The hints of passionate woman lurking beneath her controlled façade intrigued Kurt. Her selection of shoes designed to give any man an instant hard-on provided just one example of those rare insights. As an expert, he believed Becca needed a push in the right direction to relax her inhibitions and unleash her true sensual nature.

Now they had no choice but to test his hypothesis. If only he hadn’t been called away to the hospital on a patient emergency two nights ago, he could have watched over her when she gave in to exhaustion and drifted off at her desk. He should have protected her. Maybe he could have driven her home and started the foundation for the new relationship he’d hoped to build as soon as she graduated and was recognized as his equal. Then they could have tested the waters without the taint of the board’s involvement.

Kurt couldn’t think of that now.

She had approached him like his greatest fantasy come to life, practically begging to explore, with a request mirroring his own primal needs. And, unlike his sultry assistant, he wasn’t used to repressing his needs.

Certainly not for years upon years. His cock twitched in excitement and he couldn’t resist testing her immediately. He flashed her a broad, disarming smile, then moved from behind his desk.

She also stood, expecting him to dismiss her as in typical training sessions they’d had before.

“Good, then it’s settled. Let’s get started with that trial run, okay?” He grinned.

“What? Right now?” The uncommon sound of uncertainty from her only reinforced his determination. Her eyes widened in shock and she took an instinctive step back from him.

Kurt didn’t intend to let her run far.

“Yes, Becca. You know there are some things we need to take care of before we can commence the study.

You need to have a preliminary screening to ensure you’re in good health and can proceed safely with the experiment. I also need to know of any preexisting conditions and some background information in order to verify the results of the study are due to the effects of my invention. Standard procedures. Plus, we’ll see if you can handle my touch.”

He didn’t give her time to falter over her decision. She wouldn’t be able to resist his challenge. Over the past six years, he had come to realize her dedication never wavered. She had been focused on the attainment of her goal to obtain her psychology degree for so long everything else vanished from her awareness as though she had tunnel vision. With the difficulty level of her studies ever increasing, she had thrived on the challenge, mastering new skills and abilities with ease.

As the magnitude of her drive to excel in their field became evident, Kurt found himself becoming more and more intrigued. Every day he worked near her increased his curiosity about the woman behind the perfect academic and ideal protégé who scholastically mastered the science of human interaction yet kept the world at arm’s length in her personal life.

Her separation from emotion prevented her from being the top graduate in their field. It also worried him.

What if she wasn’t ready to explore her sexuality with him yet?

When she’d begun her apprenticeship, she’d been a young woman. At first, she was just a girl, an incredibly mature and responsible girl, but too young for any honorable man to touch.

Back in those days, he thought her youth, and the power of her excitement as she discovered new things in their profession, fed his attraction. He identified with her need to excel. Part of him had enjoyed reliving his own journey as he introduced her to some of his favorite works, guided her in conducting experiments and watched with pride as she developed into an amazing therapist.

Becca’s growth toward her personal goals had been rewarding for Kurt. Over time, he’d watched her progress and develop, but still, the appeal hadn’t dimmed. Rather, it had strengthened. Today, she was a grown woman, fiercely independent, intelligent and loyal but he feared pushing her. She possessed an underlying fragility, which she masked well but couldn’t prevent him from glimpsing on occasion.

Lately, he’d sensed her iron will cracking as she neared the completion of her studies. Now, she prepared to graduate, hovered on the cusp of embarking on a new phase of her life, and Kurt wanted to be a part of it but not only as her employer.

He approached relationships with women as a lighthearted interlude both parties could enjoy for a while before moving on. But, instead of initiating any of those fleeting associations in recent months, Kurt sat in his office most evenings, content to listen to Becca working diligently, happy knowing she sat right outside his door.

He had waited years for her to entrust him with the true sensual nature he sensed lurking inside her reserved character but, if she still wasn’t prepared, then somehow he would continue to wait. To hell with consequences and the board. The problem was, he found her more enticing every day and each passing moment dropped like a grain of sand from an hourglass marking the time before everything changed.

If he didn’t act soon, the opportunity to guide her through this last lesson would never arise. The board’s insistence on the experiment might be the perfect opening for both of them. He prayed something good would come of this clusterfuck after all.

As long as she never found out he had let her down, allowed Dr. James Wexford to steal her most private dreams and share them with the world…

Kurt crossed to her, still not breaking eye contact. She was too wrapped up in her own anxieties to notice his obvious arousal. Good thing, since the swollen head of his dick pushed above the waistband of his underwear and made him wonder how far he could take her this first time. Deciding to test her limits while she teetered off balance, he stalked toward her.

Becca retreated until the backs of her knees bumped into the chaise lounge he reserved for patients. When she stumbled, he reached out to steady her. Observing her pupils dilate at the contact, he aimed a disarming wink in her direction.

“That’s right. We can take care of this right here in my office.” He spoke to her in a soft croon, like a wild animal. The fear mixed with awakening desire in her bright green eyes caused them to turn glassy as he watched.

His stabilizing hands lingered on her arms and pushed with gentle but insistent pressure until she sank onto the sofa. “There’s no need to go down to the laboratory. You’ll be more comfortable here.”

“Kurt, I mean, Dr. Foster…”

“During the experiment things will be different but, for now, please call me Kurt. I’ve always felt Dr.

Foster was too formal.”

“Kurt.”

He loved the sound of his name on her lips.

“I had a physical a month ago, I could call my doctor and have her fax the results to you.”

The flare of arousal he detected in the dilation of her eyes betrayed her. He pressed on, ignoring her offer, certain he understood her true desire.

“No, I need to do the exam myself.” There. The flash of relief manifested in her features with the slight relaxation of her jaw muscle and a deep breath. She must have felt obligated to offer him a way out, but would have been disappointed if he’d accepted.

The fact that their extensive time together had taught him to read her well delighted him. Every passing moment cemented his belief in the purpose and success of the experiment.

Despite what had to be tricks of the board, considering he’d placed no paper on her desk this morning, and the sudden coincidence of her sister’s monetary distress, it was clear to him Becca craved this experience. Still, he could tell he made her tense and nervous. He promised himself to go as slow as the need inside them both would allow.

Kurt turned his back for a moment as he mimed note taking and closed his eyes. He hadn’t imagined it would be this hard to keep his self-control. It never had been before. He wanted nothing more at this moment than to push her back on the couch, rip open that heavy jacket, shove up her skirt and bury himself in her wet warmth.