Page 27 of Someone Like You

“Mr. Perez, you’re here early,” I said, glancing at my watch.

“I know. Can you still take me?” Casimir asked, never taking his eyes off me.

“Sure,” I replied, holding his glance as well.

I led the way to my office and never once turned to look at Imani. I knew I’d hear all about it later after Casimir left.

I closed the door firmly before turning to face him. Casimir had not taken his normal seat on the couch as he always did. Instead, he stood behind me with his arms crossed over his chest.

“So, what did you need to see me about?” I asked, removing my glasses from my face and nervously cleaning them on the hem of my lab coat.

“Saturday.”

Dropping my glasses on the floor, I kneeled to pick them up, only to brush hands with him, as he had the same intention I did.

“Thank you,” I replied, standing up and holding the edge of my desk to steady my movements.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his eyes darkening and a slight smile tilting those full, luscious lips.

“Yes, Casimir. Um, have a seat, please,” I said, gesturing to the couch and walking around the desk to my chair. I froze in place when I felt his hand on my lower waist.

“Don’t do this.”

Spinning around, I furrowed my eyebrows and stared up at him. “Do what, Casimir?”

“Act like nothing happened Saturday night.”

“Nothing did happen, Casimir.”

“That’s how we’re going to play this thing, huh?” he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

I knew I was wrong to have encouraged the attraction and flirtation we had. I should have never allowed it to go on for as long as it had but instead should have addressed it and cut it off. There had been plenty of opportunities to discuss it after he had shown up without Bethany.

“Casimir, for obvious reasons, we are both out of line here. Especially me. I have a moral obligation to steer my clients in the right direction, and the moment an attraction stemmed between us—”

He reached out and grabbed my hand, holding me in place. “So, you admit you’re attracted to me too?”

“That’s not the point of this discussion, Casimir.”

“But that’s why I came.”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t have,” I chided, then flinched when I saw the look of hurt in his eyes. “Look, I could lose my license over this, and I haven’t worked this hard, nor have I come this far to throw it away over some . . . fling!” I argued.

“Fling? We haven’t even done anything yet,” he argued back, frowning at me.

“Yet? That’s my point, Casimir. Nothing will happen because I won’t allow it. You’re my client.”

“Not anymore,” he replied in a low tone.

“But you were. The state of Georgia is not like the American Psychological Association, which suggests a waiting period before we can engage in romantic or intimate relationships with former clients. Georgia enforces an indefinite period after termination of services. Someone could file an ethics complaint against me, causing me to lose my license. Is that what you want?”

“No, but—”

“Then I suggest you drop all of this. It’s not in either of our best interests.” I pulled away and walked to my chair, pulling it out and dropping down in it.

Staring at my hands for a moment, I felt as if I were the one seeking therapy as he waited for me to speak.

“Casimir, we are . . . both in a vulnerable place. You just ended your marriage, and you’re seeking something that your wife couldn’t give to you. Then here I am helping you sort through all these feelings, and so it’s natural that you would turn that attraction my way.”

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