“Not at all,” Dr. Winters replied. “Many people find role dynamics arousing precisely because they're different from their everyday experiences. It can be liberating to temporarily set aside decision-making responsibility.”
That made a weird kind of sense. With Casey's care consuming all my mental bandwidth lately, maybe there was something freeing about someone else calling the shots for once.
We spent the rest of the hour kicking around coping mechanisms and boundaries. Dr. Winters explained that as a companion at The Ranch, I had the right to refuse any request that made me uncomfortable. Good to know, but I couldn’t see me ever doing that, not when I needed this job so bad.
By the time our session wrapped up, I felt a tiny bit better. Not great, but at least I had some clarity about what had happened with the duke. “Same time next week,” Dr. Winters said as I stood to leave. “But remember, my door is always open if you need to talk before then.”
“Thanks, Doc,” I said, meaning it. I paused at the door, turning back to him. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“How long have you been doing this? Counseling companions at The Ranch, I mean.”
Dr. Winters smiled. “Going on five years now. I was in private practice in Houston before Vincent and Ibrahim approached me.”
“And you don’t... judgeus? For what we do?”
His expression softened. “Theo, I'm here to support you, not judge you. Sex work is work. What you choose to do with your body is your decision, and my role is to help you navigate the psychological aspects of that choice in a healthy way.”
I nodded, oddly comforted by his no-nonsense response. “Thanks again.”
“Take care, Theo. I'll see you next week.”
Stepping out of Dr. Winters' peaceful office into the bright sunshine was blinding, the sounds of The Ranch reminding me where I was.
“There you are!” a familiar voice called out. I turned to see Kaiden waving from a bench beneath a mesquite tree, his flamboyant personality practically spilling over. He wore a loose pink tank top and tight white shorts that left little to the imagination.
Kaiden Ginsberg was a whole-ass presence at 6’2”, the kind of chubby that somehow made him look more powerful, not less. His dark hair was slicked up in this retro pompadour that should've looked ridiculous, but somehow worked on him. What really got you, though, were those deep brown eyes, warm as hell and totally genuine, paired with a smile that could talk the devil into going to church. The guy was like a human magnet, pulling everyone into his orbit without even trying.
Seriously, the charisma was unfair. “Hey,” I said, walking over. “You didn’t have to wait for me.”
“Of course I did, honey. That’s what roomies are for.” Kaiden stood up, engulfing me in a bear hug. “Besides, Carter's been texting me every five minutes, asking if you’re done yet.”
I smiled, touched by their concern. “You guys are acting like mother hens. I’m not that fragile.”
“Someone has to,” Kaiden replied, linking his arm through mine. “Now, how was your first therapy session with Dr. Dreamy?”
“Dr. Dreamy?” I laughed.
“Have you seen those forearms? The man could crush walnuts.” Kaiden fanned himself dramatically. “But seriously, was it helpful?”
“Yeah, I think so. He’s easy to talk to, at least. I didn’t really open up much, though. Guess I’m still working on that ‘vulnerability’ thing.”
“That’s okay. It takes time to build trust.” Kaiden squeezed my arm. “When you’re ready, don't hold back. I cried in his office for three hours straight after my first scene. Brought up all sorts of issues with my father.”
“I’m sorry that happened to you,” I said, unsure how else to respond.
Kaiden waved a dismissive hand. “Ancient history now. The point is, don’t be afraid to use those sessions.”
We walked in companionable silence for a moment, the sounds of the resort growing louder. In the distance, I could see guests lounging by the pool, drinks in hand, some getting into way too much PDA. It was such a bizarre mix of paradise and awkwardness here.
“Listen, Theo,” Kaiden said, his voice serious. “I want to apologize again for not going over the post-client checklist with you sooner. I didn’t expect them to assign you so quickly, you know? Usually, they give new companions at least two weeks of adjusting before putting them on the roster.”
“It’s okay, Kaiden. Really. Not that big a deal. I mean, who doesn’t love diving headfirst into a pool of emotional turmoil? All part of the fun, right?”
Something in his expression shifted, and he stopped to look me in the eye. “Something's bothering you, though. I can tell.” He squeezedmy arm. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, but I’m here if you need an ear.”
I hesitated, wondering how much to unload on Kaiden. Like, we'd only known each other a week. Was I really gonna trauma-dump on him in the middle of the garden?
