Page 9 of Someone Like You

Tilting his head at an angle, he replied, “Yes, we did. But they weren’t the ones you would expect. I guess what I’m saying is none of this has caught me by surprise. I just don’t want it anymore, Doc.”

There was a pleading look in his eyes, but I could not decipher what his silent question was. I was having difficulty discerning what my analytical mind was saying versus what my heart spoke.

“Have you had this discussion with Beth?”

“No. It’s not that simple to terminate a marriage like ours. A part of me hoped that she would come to an enlightened state of mind during these sessions, but I don’t see that happening. So, now I need to formulate a plan of how to bring this to an amicable end, not just between her and myself, but between our families. And that is the part that will be challenging, if not devastating. I guess that’s why I’m here today. Knowing that my wife would not be in attendance, I needed to have this private conversation with you.”

“Mr. Per . . . Casimir, may I remind you that I am a marriage counselor. It is my role to guide you in clarifying what the true issues are, how to implement resolutions in the marriage, and how to evaluate if your marriage is salvageable. I cannot assist in that without both of you here. There needs to be open and honest communication in the marriage between the two of you and a decisive attitude to move in one direction or the other.”

I stood and walked around my desk to sit in the chair beside the couch he occupied.

“Giselle.” I loved the way he said my name. It sounded so possessive and intimate, almost like the gentle caress of a lover’s hand. “The only thing my wife cares about is her image and that of her family. As I’m sure you’re aware, we’re in a political year. My father-in-law cannot afford to have a scandal attached to his name, no matter how distant. His seat in the senate is up, and everyone is rallying efforts around that cause to ensure that he does not lose his seat. As a matter of fact, they’re having a fundraising dinner tonight, where my father-in-law is the guest of honor, hence my wife’s absence by my side.”

Clasping my hands together, I leaned forward slightly. “And you did not think your presence would be important?”

“Oh, I’m certain that it’s important, but I could care less about politics. I’m fed up to here with politics,” he stated, raisinghis hand slightly above his head. “Politics in the family, in the workplace, in my marriage, hell, there’s politics in my bedroom.”

I held my poise, refusing to allow my discomfort at that comment to show. What was it about Casimir Perez that riled me up, challenging my normal, cool, calm, professional demeanor? Since when had intimate discussions about people’s sex lives ever caused me a moment of discomfort? I had heard some very raunchy and lascivious tales about couples’ sex lives, including some that ended in horror stories.

They had never bothered me in the past because I was a firm believer that everyone had their own choices to make. And if that included something kinky or on a new level, then more power to them. Who was I to judge what turned people on and allowed them to experience erotic pleasures? Yet, here was this man who made a mild comment about his sex life, and heat consumed my body.

“You have power over your relationship, too, Casimir. Everything is not exclusively under Bethany’s authority. You simply need to begin to wield a measure of that authority to invoke your rights in the marriage.”

“What are you suggesting, Giselle? That I take complete advantage of my wife against her will?” he asked, a mild smirk altering his features.

“Nothing of the sort, Casimir,” I countered, knowing he was trying to get me riled, but I wasn’t sure why. “You can implement certain restrictions and expectations in the marriage just as she has. Everything does not always have to go her way. Marriages, even arranged ones, are all about sacrifice and compromise. It seems that you’ve made several sacrifices; it would not be unfair to expect some compromise in return. Think about your initial attraction to Beth. What would it take to get you two back to that place, Casimir?”

Holding his head down for a moment, he seemed lost in the past, and I was content to allow him to remain there if he needed it. Finally, he looked up with a blaze burning brightly in his eyes.

“Nothing. We can never get back there.”

“Why not?”

“For the same reasons that I explained to you on a previous visit. I never had any desire to marry her in the beginning. In all honesty, she was someone I would have dated for a while, became sexually involved with, and eventually went on my way.”

“Using her essentially?”

“I wouldn’t put it that way.”

“What way would you put it?”

“I wanted her to satisfy my sexual needs, and she wanted someone to escort her to these dinners and social functions she was committed to. If anyone used anyone, Giselle, I’d have to say we used each other. We could have chosen anyone to satisfy our needs, but it happened to be that we preferred one another.”

“At what point did you decide you wanted to marry her?”

“I didn’t. She decided she wanted to marry me, and once her father found out . . . well, baby girl gets whatever baby girl wants.”

“Casimir, you had to be willing to go along with it. There was no gun held to your head, forcing you to marry her, I’m sure.”

“A lot of coercion, and in the end, promises about what my future would look like if I committed to the plan. Her father wanted things from mine, and vice versa. It benefited the two fathers if we were to become married, and it benefited Beth. I thought that, in time, she would come to love me the way I needed and wanted her to. What we have isn’t enough for me. I need . . . I want more. So much more, Giselle,” he stated, pinning me down with his piercing gaze.

I squirmed uncomfortably in my chair. “Like?” Why had I asked that question? Was I inviting trouble?

“I need a woman who is fully committed to being my woman. Someone who can love me and accept the love I give and who’s got my back the way I’ve got hers in every area. A woman who’s open to exploring her sexual appetite and allowing herself to be explored and who desires me the way I desire her. She’ll be all I need, Giselle.”

I released a slight sigh that his words had gotten to me. I squirmed in my seat under his scrutiny. Yet, the way I was throbbing between my legs, I had no choice but to quell the deep sensation I was experiencing.

Casimir

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