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It swings open two seconds later, and Callum moves aside, waving for me to enter. "Madainn mhath, Kate."
"What?"
He chuckles. "I said good morning."
"Oh. Good morning, Callum."
Why do I feel like a criminal? Kissing a man is not a felony.
As I follow Callum into the living room, I try so hard not to notice he's wearing snug jeans and a snug T-shirt that show off his muscular physique. I wish he'd worn loose-fitting clothes. Not that it matters. I refuse to allow lust to override my willpower, so it makes no difference what he wears.
Maybe I shouldn't have worn a skirt. It's a casual, swishy one that hangs just past my knees, not a miniskirt. I felt like being feminine after five days of wearing sweats and T-shirts at work.
"Sit wherever you want," Callum says.
I shuffle over to the armchair positioned kitty-corner to the sofa and settle onto it, dropping my purse on the floor. Callum takes the sofa, sitting at the end closest to my chair.
"Where's Hugh?" I ask.
"Getting the messages. That means groceries."
"Yeah, I know that Scottishism."
I bite my upper lip, glancing around the fancy apartment with its floor-to-ceiling windows and open kitchen. The view out the windows overlooks the River Ness. The apartment has a clean, modern design with white walls and ceilings as well as gorgeous wood floors, and a dining table stands halfway into the kitchen. I don't see any artwork on the walls, but I do notice an array of picture frames on a table in the corner, and I bet those are family photos, though I can't see them well from over here.
A hallway to my left accesses two rooms that have their doors shut. To my right, another doorway hangs half-open. It looks like a bathroom that's discreetly tucked into a corner.
"Feel free to walk around and explore," Callum says. "I can wait while you satisfy your curiosity."
"No, that's okay. I've never seen a swanky apartment before. Didn't mean to be rubbernecking."
He shrugs. "Doesnae bother me. But I'm wondering why you're here."
"After what happened yesterday, I feel like we need to clear the air." I wriggle in my chair and set my hands on my thighs. "The way I behaved was highly inappropriate. I apologize. From now on, when we're at the clinic, we both need to stick to our roles as client and therapist."
"I agree."
"Good." I blow out a sigh, relieved beyond belief that he didn't argue. Had I hoped he would announce he wants me so badly that he can't agree to my terms? No, of course not. "I'd like us to get to know each other better so you'll feel more comfortable sharing your thoughts and feelings with me. I think part of the problem we've been having is that we're strangers. Away from the clinic, we can be friends."
"Sounds reasonable."
He looks and sounds reasonable, for sure. After his grumpy, growly behavior, I can't help feeling slightly unnerved by his calmness today. But this isn't the clinic, and I'm not acting as his therapist right now, so that's probably why his behavior has changed.
My gaze flicks to the coffee table. "Is that a bowl of condoms?"
"Aye." Callum winces. "It was, uh, Hugh's way of telling me I need to get laid. The cheeky sod."
"It's nice you have a friend who cares."
Callum scratches the back of his neck. "I should apologize. My mother taught me to treat women with respect, but I haven't done that with you. I'm sorry."
"Thank you, Callum. I appreciate that. But I know your behavior has very little to do with me and everything to do with all those things you haven't wanted to talk about yet." I raise a hand when he seems about to speak. "Let's not go into that today. I came here so we can get better acquainted. Ask me anything you want."
He lifts his brows. "Anything? That could be dangerous."
"The peril goes both ways. Assuming you let me ask you questions."
"Aye, ye can."
