“Shit, Olivia.I'm sorry.I didn't realize.”I scrubbed a hand over my face, trying to clear the lingering lust from my brain.“You don't have to explain yourself to me.It's none of my business.”
“But I don't want you to think—I mean, I would never do something like that at work.But I was hurting, and I needed...”She shrugged helplessly.
Fuck.The vulnerability in her eyes made my chest ache.She was in pain and instead of offering support, I was standing here mentally undressing her.“Hey,” I said, reaching out to squeeze her shoulder.“You don't owe me any explanations, okay?I'm just sorry you're hurting.Is there anything I can do?I could get you some ibuprofen or a heating pad?”
She shook her head.“No, it's okay.This helped the most, honestly.”A wry smile creased her mouth.“Nature's morphine, I guess.”
I swallowed.“Right.Well, uh, don't let me keep you from your...treatment.”
Oh, for fuck's sake, Cassidy.Real smooth.Olivia flushed an even deeper shade of red before gathering herself and pasting on that fake fucking smile I hated so much.“I should get back to work,” she chirped.“Those contracts won't review themselves!”
* * *
Back in my office,I sank heavily into my chair, trying to focus on project proposals.But my mind kept going back to Olivia—the flush on her cheeks, the breathy quality of her voice, the way she bit her lip.Jesus Christ, I need to get a grip.
She was my assistant.And more importantly, she was in pain.Real, debilitating pain.The fact that getting herself off in the bathroom was the only thing bringing her some measure of relief?It made me feel like an absolute ass for sexualizing it, for letting my imagination run wild with thoughts of her spread out on that bathroom counter, working herself over...
“Fuck,” I growled under my breath, giving my head a hard shake.This train of thought wasn't helping matters.At all.
I needed some answers.Fishing my phone out of my pocket, I pulled up Mel's number and fired off a text.
CARTER
Hey, Doc.Quick question.Did you seriously tell Olivia to masturbate as pain management?
I hit send before I could change my mind, leg bouncing as I awaited her reply.My phone pinged a few minutes later, and I snatched it up.
MEL
Well, hello to you too, sunshine.And in case you haven’t heard, there’s this thing called doctor-patient confidentiality.Why do you ask?
I huffed out a breath, trying to figure out how to respond without sounding like a complete tool.
CARTER
Because I caught her rubbing one out in my spare bathroom, and now I can't stop picturing it.
Backspace, backspace, backspace.Yeah, definitely couldn't say that.I settled on something a little less skeezy.
CARTER
She took your advice.Here.While I was in the house.Things got a little...awkward.
The dots signaling Mel's reply appeared immediately.
MEL
Ohhh boy.Okay.She's just following my medical advice.It's nothing to get weird about.
CARTER
You say that.But you didn't have to listen to her getting herself off ten feet from your desk.
I regretted the text as immediately.It revealed far too much about my current state of mind.But Mel was already responding.
MEL
Yikes.Yeah, I see how that would be...distracting.Look, I know it's an unusual situation.But try to remember it's about pain management for her, not sexual gratification.If it really makes you that uncomfortable, maybe set some boundaries about private time/space so you can both focus on work.
