[Insider] The Therapist Ch. 06 (Patreon)

Hey friends! Hope you're all having a good week. This chapter is a bit of an oddball, while also being one of my favorites so far in the story. I had about four scenes planned for this, then before I knew it, scene one had become three scenes and the word count hit about 7k (classic, I know).

All that said, this chapter doesn't have a choice point. My plan is to shift gears for a minute to work on Window then as soon as that gets out, I'll work on the new chapter with all of the choices I had planned.

Can't wait to hear what you think. Enjoy!

Nathan stood in front of the bathroom mirror, tilting his head to examine the gray threading through his beard. He'd let it grow longer than usual over the past two weeks. The scruff had become part of his new persona. It made him look distinguished, more approachable. But the gray was a different story. It aged him in ways he wasn't ready to accept. He ran the trimmer along his jawline, cleaning up the edges without taking too much off, ensuring most of the silver was gone by the time he set it down.

His phone buzzed on the counter. Sierra.

They'd been chatting regularly for three days, ever since game night at Ethan's. She'd reached out on Facebook first, a message so direct he wasn't sure how to respond at first: Had a great time tonight. Perhaps we can do it again, just the two of us. Out of town away from distractions. Wanna grab a drink sometime?

Nathan had drafted a response shutting the entire thing down. She was married. She was Ethan's sister. Nothing good could come from it. He'd stared at that draft for ten minutes before deleting it character by character.

Because she was Ethan's sister. She was another angle into the Morrison family, another thread he could pull when trying to determine how to unlock Mei's potential. Sierra was close with Mei, and even closer to Ethan. She could volunteer information without realizing it. Help guide the couple into Nathan's web without him ever getting directly involved.

He drafted a new response. He loved getting to know her. He had no idea Ethan's sister could be so fun. He'd love to get a drink sometime.

Sometime was today. Nathan grabbed a tie from his closet as he opened the message.

Sierra: still on for tonight?

Nathan: Looking forward to it. Made us a reservation at Larkspur. 7pm?

He walked back to the mirror, knotting the tie.

Sierra: That's cute. But this isn't the 70s. There's a bar next door to the hotel. Pine Street Tap. I'll meet you there at 7.

Nathan stared at the screen, pulling his tie loose as he clicked his tongue in irritation. Did she have any idea the hassle he had to go through to make that reservation?

Nathan: Ok. See ya soon.

Pine Street Tap sat wedged between the hotel and a Seven Eleven. He almost walked right past. The sign was nothing more than a faded plaque above the green door. The windows were covered with so much dirt and pollen he couldn't see inside.

Nathan pulled the door open and the floor grabbed his dress shoes on the first step. His nose crinkled as each step emanated a suction-like noise that he could make out over the soft classic rock playing behind the bar. Three televisions hung above the bar. Two were showing the Mariners game, the other jeopardy.

He found her at the far end of the bar. Jeans, a white halter top that left her shoulders bare and dipped low enough between her breasts that he couldn't not look. She'd taken her leather jacket off and draped it over the stool beside her. Her hair was down, tucked behind one ear. She was already nursing a drink, eyes glued to the TV behind the bar.

He was overdressed. He scanned the room trying to gauge how many people were watching him, wondering if he got lost and wandered in off the streets. He was starting to think the same thing.

"There you are." Sierra had spun in her chair, looking at him. "I was starting to think you were going to stand me up."

Nathan gave up the thought of retreating back into the sunlight and let the door swing shut behind him. "It's two minutes past seven."

"So, you admit you're late." She stood and met him half way, wrapping her arms around his neck in a hug. Nathan's body went stiff as her chest pressed into his. "Not a good start for where you think this night is headed," she whispered, before releasing the hug and seeing his face red in embarrassment.

"Interesting wardrobe choice." She laughed over her shoulder as she went back to the bar.

"I may have gravely misunderstood the vibe."

"This will help." She slid a bottle of Bud Light his way. "But you need to catch up. I'm already on my second one."

Nathan nodded and settled into the open chair next to her. He sipped the beer slowly, watching her from the corner of his eye. He wasn't used to being on his back foot. He needed to recalibrate. He was here for a reason. Sierra and Mei seemed close when he saw them together. She'd known Ethan his entire life. If he could get her talking about them he'd have a gold mine of information. He wanted to know what Ethan was like before he met Mei. How much of his identity he'd lost to his marriage that Nathan may be able to leverage. All he had to do was guide the conversation there without her noticing.

"So, game night. Is that something the three of you do a lot?"

Sierra turned to him, the bottle pressed to her lips. "Not as much as we used to. You know how it goes. Adulting gets in the way. And with..." she took another sip, "my home situation it's not always easy to find the time."

Nathan let his shoulders drop. "Yeah. I'm sure that's hard. Your husband—"

"Shot!" She flagged the bartender down. "My friend here will have a shot of Jack."

"I will?"

Sierra grinned. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. We're playing a game. Every time one of us brings up James they have to take a shot."

"That feels like something you should have mentioned."

"Oops."

Nathan noticed a small dimple on her right cheek when she smiled. Her focus stayed on the television, but her smile never faded. As the bartender returned with his shot, he studied her. A drinking game designed to not talk about her husband. He'd had patients do the same thing but with humor. She was already talking again before he finished the drink and he let the thought pass.

"So," Sierra said, turning to him. "Tell me a secret about yourself." Her knee brushed against his.

"A secret?"

"Yeah," her eyes got big like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You know, something not a lot of people know about you."

"I um..."

"I'll go first." She rolled her eyes. "When I watched your TED talk on 'The Secret to Desire' I was so blown away by it that I put you on my list." Her eyes locked with Nathan's, sparkling with mischief.

"Your list? I don't under—"

"You know, my hall pass list."

Nathan's face went red and Sierra nearly spit out her beer. "I'm sorry, what?"

"My celebrity hall pass list." She said it with the slightest hint of a laugh. "You know, the list of people you're technically allowed to sleep with because the odds of it happening are so astronomically low that it doesn't count." She took a sip of her beer. "Ryan Reynolds is number one but don't tell him that. Then the Trivago guy, then you."

"You put me behind the Trivago guy?"

"Are you kidding?" She finished the rest of her beer. "Have you seen his jawline?"

Nathan couldn't hold back his laugh. He shook his head in disbelief. Who was this woman and why did she have him so off his game?

"But don't take it too hard." She leaned into him, her chest pressing against his arm. "You're here and he's not. You've officially moved from fantasy to candidate."

"Well I'm honored to make the leap." He finished his beer and put his hand on her knee. He wasn't sure if he'd ever had this much fun on a first date before. If this even counted as a date. "But you know, just because you give yourself this fictitious pass. It doesn't eliminate the guilt."

Sierra studied him for a long moment, her smile cracking. Then she turned to the bartender and held up a finger.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting you another shot." The bartender was already pouring the Jack.

"I didn't even say James."

The smile returned to her lips.

"Oh come on. That doesn't count."

She shrugged. "You were heading that direction and you know it." She ordered a round for herself. "Look. I know what this is. I know what I'm doing. I'm not going to mope around feeling guilty. Lord knows James doesn't give a shit." She threw back her shot.

He picked up the shot and knocked it back. The whiskey burned a trail down his throat and he winced, setting the glass upside down on the bar.

"Happy?"

"Thrilled." She popped a peanut from the bowl between them into her mouth. "Okay, now you still owe me a secret. And don't give me something boring like you're afraid of heights. I want a real one."

Nathan considered her. The easy thing would be to fabricate something charming and forgettable. A story about getting lost in a foreign country or a childhood fear he'd outgrown. That's what he'd give a client.

"I can't cook." It was an honest answer. "Like, at all. I own two cookbooks and a set of pans that have never been used. I eat takeout almost every night. At first it was just because I worked long hours and didn't find the time. Then I realized, I just kind of suck at it."

Sierra's expression softened. "Aww that's actually really sad. Some of the best meals I've had in life have been home cooked." Another round of beer appeared in front of them. "When we were kids, my mom used to make Chicken and Dumplings from scratch. Ethan would absolutely rave about them." She paused, reliving the memory. "Just before she passed, she taught me how to make them. The first time I tried making them for James..." Nathan's eyebrows lifted. "Shit."

She raised her hand for a shot. Nathan considered telling her not to worry about it. It was the first real thing she'd said to him all night and he wanted to dig into it. But he knew that would only make her dig her heels in more.

She took the shot unceremoniously. "Anyway, maybe I can cook for you one day."

Nathan didn't say anything. The offer hung in the air between them, casual enough to brush off but warm enough that he held his breath without realizing it. She'd just accidentally mentioned her husband's name on a date with another man and now she was offering to cook for him. Somewhere in the back of his mind he noted how easily she'd gone from her mother's recipe to Ethan's childhood to her own marriage. All of it threaded together, all of it offered up without a second thought.

He'd tried to get Ethan to talk about his mother once and noted how quickly he pivoted, like he was guarding a sacred memory. Sierra gave it away without thinking twice. There was a history there that could help him. For now, he'd let the moment pass, but he filed it away for later.

"Speaking of dinner, has Mei ever... Are you watching Jeopardy?" He looked up from his beer to find Sierra's attention had drifted to the third television above the bar. Not the Mariners game. Jeopardy. She was leaning forward on her stool, her eyes narrowed at the screen like a student during an exam, her beer momentarily forgotten on the bar in front of her.

"What is the Battle of Antietam." She said it under her breath, barely loud enough to hear over the music. The answer flipped on the screen. She was right.

"Sorry," she laughed, her cheeks coloring. "What about Mei?"

Nathan opened his mouth to speak, then looked back at the TV, the question he'd had completely lost. "Did you ask them to put Jeopardy on?"

"I may have made a suggestion when I got here." She shrugged one shoulder and took a sip, not the least bit apologetic. "The bartender was accommodating."

He studied her for a second. She'd gotten here before him, changed the channel, ordered beers for both of them, and picked the seats. The woman had staged the entire evening before he walked through the door. Part of him wanted to be annoyed by it, but the other part, the part that kept surprising him tonight, found it genuinely impressive.

The next clue appeared on screen. American Presidents. Nathan leaned forward, squinting at the blue text, and the answer came to him just fast enough. "Who is James K. Polk."

Sierra turned to him slowly, her bottle half raised to her lips. "Oh. Okay then." She set the bottle down and squared her shoulders toward the screen. "Game on."

They went at it for two full rounds, their voices climbing over each other as clues appeared and vanished. Sierra was fast. Crazy fast. She rattled off dates and names like she'd been studying them for years. Nathan held his own in science and geography, managing to pull ahead when a World Geography category appeared and he named the capital of Mongolia before the contestant on screen could buzz in. Sierra's jaw dropped and she punched his arm hard enough that he actually rubbed the spot afterward.

"Ulaanbaatar? How the hell do you know that?"

"Some of us still read books."

"You're such an asshole." But the grin on her face betrayed her.

A Famous Crimes category appeared and Sierra sat up on her stool completely locked in. She answered the first clue, something about an unsolved murder in the 1940s, before Nathan had even finished reading it. The second was about a killing spree in the Midwest in the fifties and she got that one too, rattling off the name of the killer with a confidence that made Nathan turn and stare at her.

"How do you know that?"

"How do you not? Weren't you like a teenager back then?" She clinked her bottle against his without breaking eye contact.

Nathan shook his head, laughing in spite of himself. The age jokes were relentless and he was starting to suspect she'd been workshopping them long before tonight. He didn't have a comeback. He didn't even have a guess on the next clue. Sierra answered it before the host finished. The Seahawks jersey two stools down actually clapped.

Sierra drained the last of her beer and set it on the bar. She waved the bartender over and made a small check-writing gesture in the air.

"Loser pays" She said it without looking at him.

"We tied." He was already reaching for his wallet.

"We absolutely did not tie." She held up her fingers and started counting. "Antietam, Missouri Compromise, Black Dahlia, Starkweather—"

"The Antietam one doesn't count. I wasn't even playing yet."

"It does." The bartender set the check between them and Sierra slid it across the bar toward Nathan with one finger. "Don't be a sore loser, Doc."

Nathan looked at the check. Looked at Sierra. Her chin was tilted up, her arms crossed, every inch of her daring him to keep arguing.

He pulled out his card and paid.

The lobby of the hotel was empty save for a kid behind the front desk who didn't look up from his phone. Sierra already had the room key out. She crossed to the elevator and hit the button, kicking her shoes off before the doors even opened. She dangled them from two fingers and turned to Nathan with a look that dared him to comment.

He didn't. He was too busy trying to figure out when he'd lost control of this evening. Not at the bar. He'd never had it there. Maybe when he deleted the draft turning her down. Maybe when he pulled the tie loose in the mirror. He'd walked into Pine Street Tap with a plan. Drinks, conversation, strategic rapport building. Get close to Sierra, mine her for information about Ethan and Mei. Now, all he could think about was how good her ass looked in those jeans. How he'd been half hard since she hugged him, and most of all what was going to be waiting for him when they got to the room.

"You're quiet She leaned against the back wall, studying him.

"Just thinking."

"About?"

He smirked.

"Don't make me walk back to the bar and order you another shot."

The elevator doors opened before he could retort and he followed her down the hall, her shoes still swinging from her fingers. She stopped at the room, slid the keycard, and bumped the door open with her hip.

The room was exactly what he'd expected when she'd told him she had gotten a room at a Holiday Inn. The walls were a weird off white color, the window looked out across the parking lot, and the only picture on the wall was of a lighthouse that looked like it could have been purchased at any home decor store.

Sierra tossed her shoes onto the floor, and her jacket onto the desk. She spun around to look at Nathan and cocked her hip.

"Well," she said, taking a hesitant step toward him, her first hesitation of the night. "Are you going to make a move, or do I need to do everything myself?"

Nathan took a step forward, his hand sliding across her hip as he tried to gain control of the situation. "Are you sure—"

She kissed him, hard. Her hand slid from his shirt to the back of his neck, pulling him down to her. He groaned into the kiss, his tongue wrestling hers as his hand slid to her ass.

"Okay then," he said, his eyes flashing dark. He kissed her harder. His teeth caught her lower lip and she responded by grinding her hips forward into him. His cock was straining against his pants. He pushed into her, and felt her roll her hips in response. His hand slid up her back and under her shirt as all pretenses faded.

He'd gone into the night telling himself to take it slow. Build the rapport. Feel her out before making any kind of move. But Sierra had blown past every speed limit he'd set since the night started. She was a woman on a mission, and he was more than happy to oblige. If her goal was to feel something, he could certainly accommodate that.

Nathan broke the kiss and spun her around at a dizzying speed. His lips were on her neck, his hands reaching around to unclasp the button of her jeans as he took control. He sucked in a breath as her pants slid down her thighs, her heart-shaped ass framed by a black thong. His teeth brushed her neck, causing her to sigh as he pushed gently between her shoulder blades, making her bend over the bed.

But Sierra wasn't going to let go of her control that easily. She caught herself on the bed, then shifted her weight, spinning away from his grip and causing him to stumble forward. She used his momentum against him, pushing him the rest of the way onto the bed with a laugh.

"Let's get you more comfortable, doc." She climbed on top of him, straddling his legs as she lifted the halter top over her head. The pressure made him suck air through his teeth.

Her chest sprang free, larger than the top had let on. Her black lace bra barely contained her chest and Nathan pulsed against his slacks at the thought of what was under the lace. Her skin was flawless, flushed slightly from her arousal. Tan lines peeked out from the cup of her bra, the rest of her body perfectly sun-kissed.

"Ohhh. Someone's excited." She ground her hips into him, letting him know she felt his arousal. She leaned forward, her fingers finding the buttons of his shirt. "Now, are you done asking me if I'm okay." She undid another button. "If I'm okay." Her lips went to his chest. "If I want to talk about it." Another button undone, her kisses getting lower. "Or do you need more proof that this is what I want?"

Nathan stared at the ceiling as her mouth moved past his navel. He'd had women undress him before. Plenty of them. But it was never like this. His hips lifted as Sierra's breath ghosted through the fabric of his pants. He had completely lost control of the situation, but his body certainly wasn't complaining.

The sound of his belt sliding through the loops filled his ears and Nathan's hands when to Sierra's hair. He half expected her to swat them away, but she purred in satisfaction as she popped the button of his pants free.

"Mmm. Now that's more like it." She wrapped her hand around his base, her free hand already tugging his pants the rest of the way down as she took a kneeling position at the foot of the bed. Her gaze held his as her tongue flicked from her mouth and with agonizing slowness she ran it along the base of his shaft.

Her smile grew as she opened her mouth and, in what felt like slow motion, closed her lips around the tip of him.

"Ahhh." Nathan's breath caught. She held there for a moment, her tongue circling slowly, her eyes still locked on his. Then she took him deeper and his hand tightened in her hair.

"Fuck." He said it quietly, almost to himself. Her mouth was warm and wet as she took him deeper. Her hand continued to work the base of his cock, twisting her hand gently while her lips worked the rest. She was enjoying herself, and he could tell by the soft hum that vibrated through him every time she took him to the back of her throat.

His head sank deeper into the mattress. The tension he'd been carrying all night, the constant recalibrating, the mental chess match of trying to stay one step ahead of a woman who refused to be predicted, all of it was bleeding out of him with every pass of her tongue. His fingers loosened in her hair, no longer gripping but resting as he stopped trying to fight for control.

Sierra pulled back until just the tip rested on her lower lip. She kissed it once, almost playfully, then took him deep again in one smooth motion that made his hips jerk off the mattress.

"Mmm." The sound came from somewhere in her chest. She pulled back slowly, a string of saliva connecting her lips to him, and wrapped her hand around his shaft. She stroked him while she caught her breath, her thumb dragging across the sensitive underside, her cheek resting against his inner thigh.

"You taste good. Do you like how my mouth feels?" Her nails moved to his sack, rolling it in her hand. "Am I doing it right?"

He wasn't sure if she was being playful or self-conscious, but before he could answer, her mouth returned to his shaft, causing him to groan.

Her pace quickened. Her grip tighter, the sounds getting wetter and more urgent. Nathan's thighs tensed. His stomach muscles contracted and the heat building at the base of his spine was coiling to a point. His hand tightened in her hair and his hips started moving on their own, shallow thrusts pushing him deeper into her mouth. She let him. Her hands went to his thighs, steadying herself, and a muffled moan escaped around him.

"Jesus, Sierra." He thrust again, deeper, and she took it, her nails digging into his legs.

She pulled off him.

The sudden absence of her mouth made his whole body clench. His cock twitched against his stomach, slick and throbbing, and he nearly reached for her before catching himself. Sierra was already on her feet at the foot of the bed.

"That was only the appetizer." Her voice had a seductive edge to it as she shoved her jeans the rest of the way down her legs and stepped out of them. "I'm going to fuck you now." She hooked her thumb into the thong and pulled it down in one motion, flicking it off her ankle.

The weight of the bed shifted before Nathan's brain caught up with what she was saying. Her lips brushed across his stomach, then his throat. Her bare skin dragged against his and he could feel the heat coming off her in waves. She kissed him, slower this time, her tongue sliding against his as she settled her weight over his hips.

Then she rose up on her knees to position him and Nathan's gaze dropped between her legs.

She was completely smooth. Like she shaved specifically for this occasion. Nathan's cock pulsed at the thought of it. She was glistening, her arousal visible in the low light. Her lips were swollen and flushed, slick with want, and when she reached between them to wrap her hand around his cock the movement spread her open enough that he could see exactly how wet she was.

Nathan exhaled hard. His hands went to her thighs, his thumbs pressing into the soft skin of her inner legs. She grinned, teasing him. She held herself above him, the head of his cock pressing against her entrance, her wetness coating the tip as she watched his face.

His hips rose, but she moved with them, always just a breath away. "Are you experiencing impulse control, doc?" She laughed at the role reversal, allowing his cock to glide across her lips before holding it at her entrance.

His grip tightened on her thighs. "Fuck."

She held there one more second. "With pleasure." Then she dropped her hips and took all of him at once.

They both exhaled at the same time. A sound that nearly made Nathan cum immediately. Sierra's eyes squeezed shut, her mouth falling open as she adjusted to the full length of him. He could feel her squeezing him, accepting his length. Her nails dug into his chest.

She was tight. Impossibly tight. The wet heat of her wrapped around every inch of him and for a few seconds neither of them moved. Just the sound of their breathing and the air conditioner rattling near the window.

Sierra moved first. She lifted her hips slowly, testing the angle, finding what she wanted. She braced her palms on his chest and raised until just the tip remained inside her, then sank back down in a long stroke that made them both groan. She did it again. And again. Each time a little faster, each time pulling a different sound out of him as she built her rhythm.

"God, you feel good." She said it with her eyes still closed, her head tilting back. Her bottom lip was in her mouth, her hips rotating as her nails dug into Nathan's chest.

Nathan watched her move above him, getting lost in it. Her stomach flexed with each roll, the muscles in her thighs tightening as she lifted and dropped. Her bra was still on and her breasts strained against the lace with every motion, threatening to spill free. He reached up and slid his fingers under the strap on her left shoulder, dragging it down her arm. She opened her eyes long enough to look at him, as if for a moment she forgot he was even there, then pulled her arm free.

He sat up against the headboard beneath her. The shift in angle made her gasp, driving him deeper, and her arms wrapped around his neck to steady herself. He reached behind her back and unclasped the bra with one hand. It fell between them and he tossed it aside without looking.

Her breasts were perfect. Full and warm, her nipples hard as diamonds as she rode him. He took one in his hand, his thumb rolling across the stiff peak, and Sierra hissed through her teeth.

"Mmm, yes." Her hips stuttered for the first time. She leaned into his touch, her pace slowing but never stopping. He leaned up, sucking her nipple between his lips.

"Fuck, Nathan." Her voice had dropped an octave. She was grinding against him now instead of riding, her clit pressed against his pelvis, desperate for friction. He could feel her wetness coating him where their bodies met.

His free hand slid down her back and gripped her ass, pulling her forward and down onto him with each stroke.

"Mmm." She leaned forward, her forehead dropping to his shoulder. "Is that how you like it?" She slammed back into him, her ass rippling.

"No." He grabbed her ass and rolled her off him. "This is."

Sierra hit the mattress on her back with a gasp. Before she could react he was over her, one hand pinning her hip to the bed, the other hooking under her knee and pushing it toward her chest. He drove into her in one stroke.

"Ohhhh fuck." Her eyes went wide, her hands flying to his shoulders. Nathan felt her clench around him, his thrust fast and hard as her body tried to keep up.

He didn't ease into it. She'd taken control from him all night and he poured his frustration into it. The bed bounced off the wall with each powerful stroke, drowning out the 'ah, ah, ah' from Sierra. Her legs wrapped around his body, her ankles locking.

"You've been running your mouth all night." He said it low, against her ear, his hips never slowing. "Still want to call me an old man?"

Sierra let out a breathless laugh that broke into a moan. "And you loved every—ahh—every second of it."

He thrust harder, determined to wipe the smirk off her face. His hand slid from her ass to the back of her thigh, pushing her leg higher, opening her wider.

"Jesus. Right there." She was panting now. "Ohhh fuck, don't stop."

He obliged. He grabbed her wrist and pinned it above her head, driving deeper. Sierra's mouth fell open. Her back arched off the bed. A triumphant smirk landed on Nathan's face. Her hands threaded through his hair, her brow pinching together as he drove deeper and her gasps filled the air.

Then her eyes opened. Even pinned beneath him, even breathless, she looked up at him with the same cockiness she'd displayed all night.

His smirk faltered.

Sierra's hand slid from his hair to the side of his face. Her thumb traced his jaw. "You're cute."

It was said with such tenderness that Nathan slowed. He leaned down pressing his lips to hers.

Her hips bucked. Not hard, but enough. Her free wrist twisted out of his grip and her legs unlocked from behind his back. She used the space to shift her weight beneath him and Nathan, didn't react fast enough. She hooked her leg around his and rolled them.

She settled on top of him, palms flat on his chest, breathing hard. Her hair hung around her face. She didn't move. Just sat there with him buried inside her, watching him with that same look.

"I'm not so easy to control." She rolled her hips once, slow, and Nathan gasped. "Now, stop being a sore loser."

She sat up straight, her hands sliding from his chest to her own body as she rode him. Her fingers traced up her stomach, between her breasts, and into her hair, lifting it off her neck as she rolled her hips in a slow motion. Her eyes were half-closed, her lips parted, and Nathan couldn't look away. Not just her body, but the way she moved, her confidence.

He watched her as his cock pulsed inside her. The muscles in her stomach flexed with each roll, bringing out a soft moan as she clenched around him. She was the most confident woman he'd ever been inside of, and the thought made his fingers dig into her thighs. He couldn't read her. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he was with someone he couldn't read, and his body responded before his brain caught up.

He grabbed her hips and shifted, causing her eyes to go wide as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he stood.

"What are you—"

Sierra's back slammed into the wall hard enough to rattle the lighthouse painting. The air left her lungs in a half grunt, half moan, her shoulder blades pressing into the drywall, her fingers digging into his shoulders to anchor herself.

"Fuck—" The word came out broken. Her ankles locked behind his back, her thighs squeezing his ribs. He thrust again, harder, and her nails raked down his arms leaving hot lines in their wake.

The angle was different here. Deeper. Every stroke pinned her between his body and the wall with nowhere to retreat, and the sounds she made changed. The laughter was gone, replaced by raw grunts and moans as Nathan fucked her with as much force as he could muster. Her hand found the back of his head and pulled his mouth to her neck. He bit down and she hissed through her teeth, her hips rolling forward to meet him.

"God, you feel—" She couldn't finish the sentence. He didn't let her. His hand slid from her hip to the underside of her thigh, hiking her higher, changing the angle just enough that her whole body jerked.

"Ugggnh." Her breathing had changed, urgent now, like she couldn't get enough air.. "Don't stop. Ohhh fuck. I'm gonna—"

He didn't. The wall shook with each thrust. Her fingers twisted in his hair. Nathan could feel her tightening around him, her thighs trembling against his sides. She was close and fighting it. He could tell by the way she kept trying to slow her breathing and failing. She didn't want to give it to him this easily.

He pressed his forehead to hers. Her eyes were barely open, dark and glassy. "That's it." He lifted onto her toes driving deeper. "Cum for me." He pressed his lips to hers and gave one more powerful push.

Her head turned, breaking the kiss. "Ohhhh. Ffffffuck. Yes. Yesssss." Her body locked. Her legs clamped around him so hard his knees almost buckled. Her mouth found his shoulder and she bit down, muffling the sounds pouring out of her as the orgasm ripped through her. He held her there, her body pulsing around him, her weight trembling in his arms.

For a long moment neither of them moved. Just the sound of her breathing against his neck and the air conditioner rattling near the window.

Sierra's legs slowly unlocked. She lowered her feet to the floor, unsteady, one hand on the wall to catch herself. Her chest was heaving, her cheeks flushed all the way down to her collarbones.

"Fuck," she whispered, then looked up at Nathan through her lashes. "Now, your turn." She pressed her hands against his chest and pushed.

Nathan's calves hit the edge of the bed and he sat down hard. Before he could recover she was already climbing over him. But she didn't face him. This time, she turned, swinging one leg over his hips, planting both feet on the mattress on either side of his thighs. She reached between her legs, found him, and sank down in one slow stroke.

Nathan's head dropped back. "Jesus."

The angle was devastating. She had her feet under her, knees bent, and she used every bit of that leverage.

The view was even better. Nathan gasped as he watched her take him. Her pussy stretching around him, the grip tightening as she rose up before slamming back down. He could see the muscles in her back flexing, the dimples just above her ass, the sheen of sweat along her spine.

"Sierra—" His thighs tensed as his hand went to her ass, gripping it as she moved. His stomach contracted. The heat that had been building at the base of his spine was coiling past the point of return.

"Mmhmm. Fuck you feel so good." She didn't slow down. If anything, she bore down harder, tightening around him with each stroke. Her hand reached back and found his thigh, her nails pressing into the muscle. "Cum for me, Nathan." Her voice was softer now. "I want to feel it."

Something about the way she said it, mixed with the way her walls continued to pulse around him, sent him over the edge. His hips started moving on their own, thrusting up to meet her. She matched him, their rhythm syncing.

"Ahhh Fuck— I'm—" His cock pulsed inside.

"Mmmm," she moaned as pulse after pulse emptied inside her.

They stayed like that until the trembling stopped. Both of them fighting to catch their breath.

Sierra was the first to move. She rolled off the bed and walked to the bathroom, pausing at the door. "Anyone tell you that you have control issues?" She smirked, shutting the bathroom door before he could retaliate.

She came back already stepping into her jeans. She found her bra in the sheets, hooked it, pulled the halter top over her head. Nathan watched her get dressed with a smile on his face. He didn't have enough time to take in her body initially, but watching her now, she was even more stunning than he first thought.

"That was fun." She said, bouncing into her jeans and breaking his train of thought.

"It was." He sat up from the bed, not bothering to cover up.

She checked her phone. Whatever she saw tightened her jaw for half a second before she pocketed it without responding. Probably her husband.

"You know," Nathan said, walking toward her, "this was probably the most fun I've had in a long time."

She smiled, leaning up to kiss his cheek. "Probably because you don't spend enough time watching jeopardy."

"It was a tie," he said with a laugh.

"I guess I can give you a chance in the future to redeem yourself." She shrugged her jacket onto her shoulders. "I need to get home. Goodnight, Nathan." Then she was gone.

Nathan sat there for another minute listening to the air conditioner rattle. He could smell her on the pillow next to him. The sweat, the slight floral scent he couldn't quite place. Maybe dew or melon. He looked at the clock. It was just after eight.

He considered staying. Driving home in the morning, sleeping in a bed that still smelled like her. The thought was appealing in a way that made him uneasy. There was no advantage to staying. He'd gotten what he came for and then some. Staying would just be... staying.

He got up, walked to the bathroom, and turned sideways in the mirror. Four red lines ran across his back. The deepest one was still raised. He traced it with his finger and smiled, shaking his head. She was not what he expected.

He thought about how the night transformed. Her picking the bar, the way she took control of every aspect of it. He logged it as her being someone who needed to control every aspect of the night. He recognized it easily enough since he had the same tendencies. But then there were other parts. Her asking if she was doing it right, wanting to know she made him feel good. That screamed validation-seeking.

He splashed water on his face. He was overanalyzing it. They'd had fun. She was sharp, competitive, and incredible in bed. He didn't need to crack her open. He had more than enough on his plate to try to diagnose someone who wasn't his patient.

He looked at his reflection. Water dripped from his jaw into the sink.

Mei's session was tomorrow evening. He still needed to rewatch the footage from her last session before then. He'd seen her at game night, the way she interacted with Sierra. She held contact with Nathan when they talked. The conditioning still seemed to be holding. He could build on that tomorrow. His cock began to swell as he thought about what that meant.

He walked out of the bathroom and grabbed his pants. He needed to drive home tonight and put together a plan.