Freaked out by wondering what ‘things’ were supposed to happen today, he was about to surge to his feet to pace when the door opened. Cam lurched to his feet anyway.
His doctor had an oriental face with a trace of the Bronx in his accent. “How’s it going, Banks?”
Awful. Crappy. Miserable. He so wanted out of this joint.
“Fine,” Cam answered on a tense smile. “Just fine.”
“Well, congrats, bud.” Dr. Chin strode around his desk as he studied an opened file. Once he seated himself, he set it down and lifted his face. “This is our last scheduled session together. You feel ready to break free or what?”
Cam almost snorted. Was he ready? The perfunctory nod he gave totally under-stressed his answer in so many ways.
Away from this room, he felt completely better, completely healed. Life was perfect in every way, and it felt unnatural to even need a therapist. Only when he returned for his weekly session was he reminded there’d ever been a problem.
Finally seating himself again, he murmured, “No offence, but it wouldn’t break my heart if I never laid eyes on you again, Doc.”
Dr. Chin chuckled and gave a nod of understanding. “Oh, yeah, I gotcha. But, seriously, Cam,” he asked his most common, weekly question, “you have any more urges to pound a couple down?”
Cameron shook his head without even a pause. Nope. Not even. At first, that realization actually shocked him. After getting out of the hospital all those months ago, he’d gone into rehab for thirty days, but he hadn’t craved a drink even then. He’d spent most of the time impatiently waiting and pacing to get out and back to Olivia. He’d even gotten through the anniversary of Sienna’s death without sipping a drop. And truth be told, he’d forgotten the date until a month after it had passed.
“No,” he answered, staring his doctor dead in the eye.
Looking pleased by his answer, the doctor nodded. “So, now that you’re a free man, what’re you looking forward the most once you get home today?”
Well, that was an easy one. “Sex with my wife.”
“Cameron!” Olivia gasped and slugged him in the arm.
He glanced to his right with a devilish grin. But when he saw her sitting beside him, much as she’d done every week for the past fifty-two, love slammed hard against his ribcage. It still amazed him she’d stayed and bothered to stick by him through his recovery. But here she sat, as beautiful and sexy as ever. And all his.
“Well, it is,” he argued. “I can’t lie to my doctor, Livy.” Dropping his voice, he leaned confidentially closer and whispered, “He’ll know if I don’t tell the truth.”
From his chair, Dr. Chin chuckled. “I take it the marriage is still a go then.”
Cam glowered at him, not amused by the dry crack. “Yes, the marriage is still a go.”
Steepling his fingers and looking way too amused, the doctor asked, “So you’ve finally told her how you feel about her then?” Cam shifted uncomfortably, not sure what he meant; he felt Olivia edge closer, felt her eyes on him, anxious for his response.
“How’d this get flipped around to our marriage?” he mumbled, turning defensive. “Aren’t we supposed to talk about drinking and depression?”
“We’re supposed to talk about your well-being,” Dr. Chin corrected. “And since drinking and depression no longer seems to be an issue for you, that just leaves…” He glanced meaningfully toward Olivia.
Cameron took instant offence. “Hey, now,” he growled, snagging her hand and tugging her close. She huddled against him as if she feared Dr. Chin would physically rip her away. “Don’t attack my wife. Livy didn’t do anything wrong. She—”
“Whoa, whoa,” Dr. Chin held up both hands, laughing the entire time. “That’s not what I mean, Banks. I was just trying to get you to tell her you love her. Have you ever told her that?”
“Uhh…” Feeling blank, Cam glanced into Olivia’s wide, blue eyes.
Had he told her loved her? What the hell kind of question was that? And when had Dr. Chin turned into Dr. Phil?
“Maybe now would be a good time to do that,” Chin murmured encouragingly.
Arching a curious eyebrow at the doctor, Cam asked, “In front of you?”
His doctor shrugged. “Sure, why not?”
Yeah, why not?
Well, for starters, when he told the sexpot next to him how much he loved her, there was bound to be hugging afterward. Hugging led to kissing, which would no doubt evolve into licking and touching, and the next thing he’d know, Livy would be all naked and sweaty, straddling his lap and riding him like there was no tomorrow.
But, hey, if the Bronx doc was into voyeurism, Cam could deal.
He turned to his wife. Her eyes held amusement. She’d probably heard his declaration of love at least ten times a day. So, she knew this was only for the doctor’s benefit.
Still. He decided to put his all into it.
“Livy,” he said in a low, husky voice, letting his eyes go limpid. “You know I love you, right?”
“Umm…” She bit her lip; her expressive face showed how strongly his words affected her. Hell, yes, he knew how to tug on her strings. He could almost smell her go wet.
“Well, I do,” he insisted, putting some feeling into his cause. He drew closer to her because, well, he’d never been able to stay away. Her lips parted. “I love you, Olivia Banks. You’re my entire world. And if that doctor over there tries to tell me I’m crazy for loving you, then I’ll gladly come back to this office every week for the rest of my life. I don’t care. The only thing that makes any sense in my world is you. You’re my entire existence. My foundation.”
Olivia sucked in a breath. “Oh,” she breathed out the word. And, yes, score! She swayed toward him, her lips already pursing for his kiss. “Well, I-I love you too.”
He grinned. “Nice rejoinder.”
Her eyes gleamed. “Thanks.”
Simultaneously, they reached for each other. Lips seeking, Cameron slanted his mouth over hers; she whimpered and scooted across her seat toward him.
“I love you, I love you, I love you,” she chanted against his mouth.
And, oh yeah, he knew that chant. It always led to the shedding of clothes.
“Oh, Cameron. You’re my world too. My foundation. My life.”
Let the bras and panties fly.
She started to crawl over the armrest separating them and into his lap.
The doctor cleared his throat. “Well, uh, okay then. I’ll…I’m just gonna take a five minute break.” He lurched to his feet, turning a bright, tomato red.
“Make it fifteen,” Cameron rasped against his wife’s mouth.
“Twenty,” Olivia revised.
Cameron laughed and slid his hands up her thigh as he heard Dr. Chin charge from the room. And, finally, he had his woman all to himself.
About Linda
Linda Kage is a contemporary romance writer from Midwestern USA, where she lives with her husband, daughter, and nine cuckoo clocks. The eighth and final child of dairy farmers, she was forced into having a vivid imagination if she ever wanted to do something one of her siblings hadn’t already tried.
Visit our website for our growing catalogue of quality books.
www.champagnebooks.com
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