“You scared the hell out of me.”
He smiled, but didn’t apologize.
Vanessa watched him from the corner of her eye while sorting through some of the other reading material she intended to pass out. He removed his leather riding jacket and draped it over a chair.
He was so attractive in work attire—a white shirt with navy pinstripes, solid blue tie matching his dark slacks. The brown, Ferragamo loafers on his feet were polished to perfection, too. She admittedly had a weakness for well-dressed men. And to top it off, he’d left the low stubble on his chin when shaving that morning, totally pulling off that ruggedly sexy, David Beckham look… with the accent to match.
Damn. Why’d he have to be so handsome?
Zander gazed up from his phone after checking an email, catching Vanessa mid-stare. The quick glance in the opposite direction didn’t fool him; he knew she’d been watching. After their talk at the bar the night before, he expected to get this look from her quite often. Despite her incessant opposition to his flirting, he knew he’d gotten to her. He could sense lust on a woman, like a predator sensed fear. It was in his DNA, in his makeup, part of who he was.
A hunter, if you will.
“Would you like some help?” he asked, trying not to let on that he’d practically read her thoughts a moment ago.
“Uh… no. I think I have it,” Vanessa replied with a tight smile.
Zander ignored the dismissive response and walked over anyway, approaching the table where she stood sorting papers to shove inside the green folders stacked to her left. He studied her method for a few seconds and then mimicked her actions. Reluctantly, she accepted the help.
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure,” he replied, intentionally standing too close. He breathed in her perfume, which, by the end of the day, had faded to a dull citrus undertone, falling under submission to her natural scent. He believed it probably smelled even better now than when she first applied it that morning. If she tasted even half as good as she smelled…
The thought had him wetting his lips.
“Would you like for me to grab more chairs?” Simon called out from the doorway. Vanessa only lifted her head, but didn’t turn to face him.
Zander continued to organize folders, gauging the pair’s interaction in silence.
The sound of Simon’s voice had Vanessa breathing a heavy sigh before she answered. “No, I have enough.” Her response was dry and she still hadn’t turned to give her full attention.
Zander hadn’t missed a thing. He picked up on her clipped tone, the cold shoulder she gave her soon-to-be ex.
Simon stood there in the doorway for a moment, watching her, maybe watching them, and then disappeared down the hall again.
Vanessa hoped he’d gone to his office to ready himself to leave for the evening, but she doubted it. It was habit for him to wait around until the group sessions were over because he didn’t like the idea of her being here alone at night, locking up on her own, walking to her car unescorted. Even since they separated, he hadn’t broken the habit. While some might think the gesture sweet, it annoyed the hell out of Vanessa. She wasn’t his to protect anymore. If she needed watching over, she’d find someone to do it, but it wouldn’t be Simon.
Returning her attention to Zander as he stood beside her, she spoke. “You really shouldn’t be helping me, you know. It doesn’t look right.”
She could hear Simon now, lecturing her about keeping clearly drawn lines between herself and her patients. Did she care what he thought? No, but that didn’t change the fact that he’d give his opinion if he was to ever become ‘concerned’. But honestly, she wouldn’t have even given it a second thought if she, herself, didn’t see wrong in it. The fact still remained; she was indeed Zander’s therapist and neither one of them could afford to forget it.
A laugh slipped from Zander’s lips. “Atop the laundry list of actions and behaviors you’ve so diligently informed me are inappropriate, now even basic acts of chivalry are off the table? That’s absurd.”
Vanessa wasn’t laughing. “I’m serious. You’re a patient, not a friend. People will read too much into it, so—”
“People or Simon?” Zander interrupted.
She ignored his insinuation and finished her statement. “Please… just have a seat like everyone else will when they get here,” she said quietly.
It didn’t offend him that she didn’t consider him a friend—her friendship wasn’t quite what he was after.
“At this point, with your marriage hanging by a soon-to-be severed thread… does it really matter what he thinks?”
Vanessa stopped what she was doing and glared at Zander.
“This isn’t about Simon,” she clarified, which was partly true. She wouldn’t want any of her peers to think she’d crossed the line with Zander, Simon included. “What’re you trying to do?” she asked, feeling the tension in the room increase tenfold. It made her uncomfortable, feeling stretched tight like a guitar string.
He shrugged. “What do you think I’m trying to do?”
She’d been on the receiving end of Zander’s instigating before, so she recognized his response for what it was. He meant to frustrate her, but she, instead, took this opportunity to apply an answer to the rhetorical question he posed.
“I think this is a classic case of transference. I’ve been helping you and you’ve misread my kindness for something it isn’t,” she lied, knowing full well she’d sent Zander clear signs of interest, starting with her meeting him for drinks the night before. “Somehow,” she went on, “you’ve allowed yourself to become transfixed on me and you’re confused.”
Zander barely let Vanessa finish rambling before violently crushing his mouth down on hers. The distinct taste of salt and metal alerted her taste buds that he’d drawn blood when his unsolicited kiss forced her top lip against her teeth. Zander squeezed her waist tightly in his hands, pulling her as close to his body as she could possibly get—her soft breasts against his hard chest. Her palm pressed against his shoulders, trying desperately to push him away, but his strength outmatched hers.
Between them, she felt the unmistakable beckoning of his erection through his slacks. Perfectly aligned at the meeting of her thighs, fitting into that sacred space like the missing piece of a puzzle, he rubbed against her rhythmically. The heat mounting between them sent up smoke signals from her core. She enjoyed the sweet friction of his grinding way more than she ought to and her mind drifted, imagining what it would be like if their clothes weren’t in the way.
With the little strength she could gather, Vanessa cocked back and slapped Zander across his face, feeling the sting of it reverberating out from the center of her palm. She managed to wriggle out of his grasp.
“Get the hell off of me!” She whisper-shouted, feeling conflicted as her reasonable nature warred against her sex-starved flesh. She took several steps away from Zander so he couldn’t snatch her into his grasp so easily. A bright red streak appeared on the back of her hand when she wiped it across her mouth, confirming that he had, in fact, cut her lip. When she stabbed him with a sharp look, it only made him laugh.
“You’re out of your mind,” she hissed, launching the statement like a dagger.
“Which is why I’m paying you to fix me,” he replied with unimaginable nonchalance.
When he took a step closer, Vanessa backed up again, eventually, hitting the wall. Zander continued toward her.
“Don’t,” she managed to breathe before he consumed her lips for a second time, fully aware of the fact that Simon, or someone else, could walk in and catch them at any moment. She remained tense while he had his way with her again. She attempted to lock him out of her mouth, but slowly, surely, her lips lost tension and softened against his.
The wall behind her gave Zander added leverage and he pushed. Her hands were at her sides, curled into tight fists. She was determined not to touch him the way she truly wanted to. This was wrong and she knew better. In fact, s
he turned her nose up at other professionals who somehow found themselves entangled with even former patients, vowing that she’d never give in to her flesh like they had. She’d never allow herself to get distracted from what was most important: treating her patient.
However… the feel of Zander’s warm, moist lips against her throat made that high-and-mighty logic fly right out the window.
He found one of Vanessa’s fists and gently kneaded her hand in his, using his thumb to loosen her tense fingers. Never once did he slow their kiss. With Vanessa’s palm now open, Zander pressed it against his dick, making her feel the effect she had on him. This would’ve been the perfect opportunity for her to take control of the situation—after all, she now had him in the most vulnerable of positions; however, she didn’t even consider turning this moment into a war. Instead of fighting him, she molded her fingers around his manhood through his slacks and rubbed feverishly. Zander moved his hand to her throat where he squeezed just hard enough to feel her pulse against his palm. She panted as his kisses moved from her lips to the tender flesh near her ear.
What was he doing to her?
She knew she should be pushing him away, but she couldn’t. It wasn’t until they heard a pair of high-heels clicking on the tiled hallway floor that Zander pulled away. With his back to the door, he casually eased his hands inside his pockets, waiting for his erection to settle. Vanessa had set a fire in him and it would be nothing short of a miracle for him to succeed at putting it out on his own in the next few seconds.
His eyes drifted toward her as she smoothed her hair and clothes, wiping her bleeding lip once more. This woman was positively delectable with little to no effort. Her eyes flashed his way and he felt his pulse quicken, fueled by lust from that one, simple gesture.
To him, she was more than a weakness, more than an unquenchable desire he couldn’t seem to rid his mind of. Yes, she was more than that. She was the one being on this planet he believed could feed his intellect as well as the ravenous beast that lived deep within. While her lure was tempting, there was also a certain level of fear and respect Zander had for a woman who wielded such power. He’d never encountered anyone like Vanessa in all his life. However, now that he’d had the pleasure, he couldn’t imagine ever letting her out of his sight again.
Jasmine entered the room with a smile. “Hello,” she said, taking her seat.
Vanessa, still flustered and a little out of breath, somehow managed to force a smile as she spoke. “Good evening, Jasmine. Glad you could make it.”
“Yeah, there was an accident on the freeway so traffic’s terrible. I almost turned around and went home.”
Vanessa glanced over at Zander straightening his tie. After a second or two, he turned around and found a seat. She still wasn’t sure what the hell had just happened between them. He glanced up, feeling her persistent stare, but didn’t smile.
Jasmine eyed Zander and then looked back at Vanessa. “Will the other Dr. Ferris be joining us tonight?” she asked.
“Uh… I don’t imagine so,” Vanessa replied, trying to focus.
Jasmine nodded and two more patients walked in, Roxy and Lauren. Both hesitated a little when they saw Zander sitting there—most likely halted by his good looks. Vanessa watched them over her glasses as she gathered four of the folders she’d prepared.
“Lauren, Roxy, and Jasmine, you three have all met here at previous meetings, but I’d like to introduce you to Zander,” she said reluctantly. “This is his first time here, so make him feel welcome, please.”
After exchanging a brief greeting with the three women, Zander shifted his eyes toward Vanessa again, paying the others very little attention.
Simon tucked his phone into its holster at his waist when he entered and Vanessa did a double-take. He made himself comfortable in a seat near the door and she was outdone, realizing he planned to observe her meeting. He even got back up to grab the remaining folders to pass out to the other patients who hadn’t yet arrived. If she didn’t mind causing a scene, she would’ve let him have it right then and there, but she wouldn’t let her patients see her lose her cool. She’d definitely address it later, though.
The three women had already taken the time to say a few words of welcome to Zander before one patient and then two others walked into the room. Simon handed out the last of the literature and then got comfortable at his post near the wall where he probably thought he’d be out of the way.
Vanessa’s patients stared in her direction, waiting for her to get started. Her eyes shifted to Zander once more and she cleared her throat.
“Okay,” she began. “Let me start by welcoming all of you here this evening. I appreciate you all for coming. Trust me; I know what a push it is to attend events after a long work day. However, I firmly believe these group sessions are instrumental in treating your individual conditions.”
She could feel Zander’s eyes blazing a hole through her, but dared not look his way.
“Now,” she went on, “let me begin by stating that no one here should feel obligated to share his or her personal situation, but know that you’re welcome to do so if you choose. With that being said, the floor is open if anyone would like to share a personal experience or triumph they’ve had this week. Remember, it isn’t necessary to give details. A general summation will do just fine.”
Her eyes shifted to Cliff—the patient who suffered from nocturnal emissions—when he raised his hand. “Well… I’ll start things off. I was going to wait until our session this week to share, but here’s as good a place as any. I took the plunge and told my fiancée about my problem.”
Vanessa smiled. “That’s great! How’d it go?”
Cliff smiled back. “Surprisingly well. She wasn’t put off at all by my confession. In fact, she asked what she could do to help with my treatment. Even offered to come here with me next week.”
It was success stories like this that made Vanessa’s efforts seem worthwhile. No, Cliff hadn’t gotten rid of his problem, but he’d reduced the frequency of his nighttime ejaculations and found a way to openly express his condition with his fiancée.
“Cliff, I am thoroughly impressed. If this isn’t progress, I don’t know what is,” Vanessa beamed.
“I remember when I told my husband about my condition. He was only my boyfriend at the time,” Roxy began with a smile. “I’m not as shy as the rest of you, so I’ll tell you straight out; I’m a thirty-seven year old wife and mother of four who’s never had an orgasm in her entire life. It was about three months into my relationship when my now husband and I became intimate, and it wasn’t until another three months later that I decided to tell him about my issue. We went through a phase where he thought it was just him, or something he wasn’t doing right, but after a while he realized that… this is just who I am,” she added with a smile. “Long story short, we now have a very healthy sex-life and I got four beautiful babies out of the deal.”
Most of the group smiled and found Roxy’s story inspiring… but not Zander. He frowned before interjecting.
“It’s all a bit ironic, though, wouldn’t you say? You consider hours of pain, bearing your children, a fair payout for unfulfilling sex?”
Vanessa’s mouth fell open. Her mind immediately started working to clean up Zander’s outburst. “I-I think what he’s trying to say is… what was the thought process that got you to this point, Roxy? Was it difficult to come to terms with being able to experience the pain of labor without ever having experienced the pleasure of an orgasm?” When Vanessa finished speaking, she shot Zander a look and he shrugged nonchalantly.
Roxy appeared to be stunned by Zander’s forthrightness.
“Well…,” she stammered, “I think my outlook on sex just had to change. I mean, biologically, sex is nothing more than a means of ensuring the survival of the human race.”
“That’s a great way to look at it, Roxy. Sometimes it’s all about perspective,” Vanessa said, backing up her patient.
“That’s compl
ete and utter bullsh—”
“Zander!” Vanessa hissed, silencing the man who couldn’t seem to help but undermine her at every turn.
Simon’s brow tensed as he shifted his gaze to Vanessa’s rogue patient, too.
Zander straightened in his seat. “Pardon my language, but I stand by my statement. Isn’t it somewhat primitive to view sex as nothing more than a means of populating the Earth? Once upon a time, okay, yes, maybe, but take a look around. Our lovely, blue planet is home to billions of souls, most of which haven’t enough food to eat nor suitable living conditions. I hardly believe we’re in need of more mouths to feed.”
The room was quiet while he went on. “Sex is about escaping our rigid, boring existences for however long, or… short in some cases, the experience may last, recharging our bodies and minds before we’re forced to face the monotony once again. This escape, albeit temporary, is somewhat of a necessity in my opinion.” He shifted his gaze toward Vanessa when he continued and she definitely felt the heat of that stare. “One can simply not survive, happily anyway, without a… release, if you will.”
“Why does the release have to be sexual?” Vanessa shot back curtly.
“Because we’re designed and hardwired for the express purpose of attracting and satisfying a mate, for Pete’s sake—from the curve of a woman’s hips, to the swell of her breasts, to the suppleness of her skin. If you ask me, it’s absurd to say that sex isn’t meant to be enjoyed.” He smiled before adding, “As frequently as possible.”
Vanessa’s nostrils flared and she sucked in a breath, pulling herself out of Zander’s spell. “Okay… but—”
“The man has a point, Dr. Ferris,” Raymond interjected, a longtime erectile dysfunction sufferer. Vanessa looked at him curiously because he’d never shared during one of these meetings. “I mean, take me for instance; you know my issue. I’ve known for years that the pressure to impress my partner is part of the problem. Sex is like this huge… test.”
Vanessa frowned. “Test? I don’t think that’s really a healthy—”
“Precisely my point,” Zander added, cutting her off. “Consider how many examples we have in nature where the male counterpart of a species goes to ridiculous lengths to gain the attention of the female. Sex is, perhaps, the most important test any of us will ever face! The pretest is getting someone’s attention. And the final exam is the sexual encounter itself! One can gather so much insight into who their mate is at the core after just one night in the sack. We’re able to gage their virility, strength, level of selfishness.” Zander glanced at Simon for the fraction of a second and then settled his eyes on Vanessa again. “If you ask me, one’s ability to please his mate is a clear indication of a man’s worth.”
Overdose: A British Bad Boy Romance Page 9
