Page 18
Story: The Fall Before Flight
“Close your mouth,” Callum whispers, his arms coming around me from behind.
I’m so numb that his presumption doesn’t bother me like it normally would. Turning in his arms to make them fall, I whisper back, “I wasn’t prepared to see him. He kicked me out of his office today.”
Callum’s lips twitch. “Kinsey told Nix, who told everyone else after you left group today.” He laughs at my disgusted expression. “By the way, what the bloody fuck are you wearing?”
I growl at him. “Not a word, Rivers.”
His tawny brows rise. “Not even to tell you how hot you?—”
I smack his chest and dance back when he reaches for me, only to collide with a body behind me.
“Sorry, I—” My mouth snaps closed.
Dr. Chastain nods. “Amelia.” He glances past me. “Callum.” Blue eyes flicker back to me, landing and flying away like a butterfly kiss. “Enjoy the festivities.”
As he strides toward the door, Nix calls, “Dr. C, you’re leaving?”
His suited frame pauses and turns, and on his face is an expression I’ve never seen him wear. Pride. Happiness. A grin that transforms him into a man with the gravitational pull of a damn sun.
“Congratulations again, Jason,” he says warmly. “I hope to hear from you soon.”
Kinsey squeals and Nix hoots, picking her up by the waist and swinging her around the room. When I look back at the doorway, Chastain is gone.
I’m a stupid, stupid woman. Only someone stupid, or crazy, would sneak out of a party at their rehab to stalk their therapist.
Not that my decision is surprising. Not to me, anyway. And as I approach the closed office door, wreathed with light from within, I realize it probably won’t surprise him, either.
My brain screams at me to turn around, but my hand lifts and knocks on the wood.
“Come in.”
Stop, you idiot. Run.
I walk inside, then close the door and sink against its support. I’m out of breath, like I just sprinted a mile.
Holy shit, I’m a mess.
On the other side of the room, Chastain leans against his desk, slim hips squared. His suit jacked is tossed across one of the leather chairs. My chair. His tie is loosened, the top buttons of his shirt undone. Stubble shadows his jaw, drawing dangerous attention to his full lips.
My mouth goes dry.
I want to destroy him.
“Amelia,” he says wearily, “what do you need?”
A dangerous question. But I’m not so far gone that I’ll tell him the truth.
“I don’t know. I never do. I just… act.”
His brows lift over the slim, dark frames of his glasses. “Were you hoping to catch me dozing? Maybe so you could shave my head?”
Smart doctor. When I don’t say anything, he answers my silent question. “You stare at my hair quite frequently. The way I comb it irritates you, doesn’t it?”
I snort, then slap a hand over my mouth to stifle a giggle. Giggling is inexcusable. Little girls and women like Kinsey giggle. I do not.
Dr. Chastain’s lips curve a tiny bit, his eyes challenging.
I fucking giggle.
I’m so numb that his presumption doesn’t bother me like it normally would. Turning in his arms to make them fall, I whisper back, “I wasn’t prepared to see him. He kicked me out of his office today.”
Callum’s lips twitch. “Kinsey told Nix, who told everyone else after you left group today.” He laughs at my disgusted expression. “By the way, what the bloody fuck are you wearing?”
I growl at him. “Not a word, Rivers.”
His tawny brows rise. “Not even to tell you how hot you?—”
I smack his chest and dance back when he reaches for me, only to collide with a body behind me.
“Sorry, I—” My mouth snaps closed.
Dr. Chastain nods. “Amelia.” He glances past me. “Callum.” Blue eyes flicker back to me, landing and flying away like a butterfly kiss. “Enjoy the festivities.”
As he strides toward the door, Nix calls, “Dr. C, you’re leaving?”
His suited frame pauses and turns, and on his face is an expression I’ve never seen him wear. Pride. Happiness. A grin that transforms him into a man with the gravitational pull of a damn sun.
“Congratulations again, Jason,” he says warmly. “I hope to hear from you soon.”
Kinsey squeals and Nix hoots, picking her up by the waist and swinging her around the room. When I look back at the doorway, Chastain is gone.
I’m a stupid, stupid woman. Only someone stupid, or crazy, would sneak out of a party at their rehab to stalk their therapist.
Not that my decision is surprising. Not to me, anyway. And as I approach the closed office door, wreathed with light from within, I realize it probably won’t surprise him, either.
My brain screams at me to turn around, but my hand lifts and knocks on the wood.
“Come in.”
Stop, you idiot. Run.
I walk inside, then close the door and sink against its support. I’m out of breath, like I just sprinted a mile.
Holy shit, I’m a mess.
On the other side of the room, Chastain leans against his desk, slim hips squared. His suit jacked is tossed across one of the leather chairs. My chair. His tie is loosened, the top buttons of his shirt undone. Stubble shadows his jaw, drawing dangerous attention to his full lips.
My mouth goes dry.
I want to destroy him.
“Amelia,” he says wearily, “what do you need?”
A dangerous question. But I’m not so far gone that I’ll tell him the truth.
“I don’t know. I never do. I just… act.”
His brows lift over the slim, dark frames of his glasses. “Were you hoping to catch me dozing? Maybe so you could shave my head?”
Smart doctor. When I don’t say anything, he answers my silent question. “You stare at my hair quite frequently. The way I comb it irritates you, doesn’t it?”
I snort, then slap a hand over my mouth to stifle a giggle. Giggling is inexcusable. Little girls and women like Kinsey giggle. I do not.
Dr. Chastain’s lips curve a tiny bit, his eyes challenging.
I fucking giggle.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104