Hold Me (Fool's Gold #16)(58)

“Not at all. I’m simply trying to discover the kind of man you are. From what I can see so far, you’re a good one. So here’s my advice. Talk to her. Find out why you. Why that night. As for the orgasm she didn’t have, fix it. I assume you know how. If you don’t, I have some brochures.”

He held up both hands. “I know how. No brochures. Please.”

Dr. Galloway smiled. “It will be fine. Although I do recommend that next time you learn a little more about your partner before having sex with her. Did you—”

Her phone buzzed, capturing her attention. “Excuse me. I have to take this.”

“Sure. No problem. Thanks for your time.”

He ducked out while he could and got out of the office without lingering. Once back on the sidewalk, he wished it was a whole lot later in the day because he needed a drink. As that wasn’t possible, he walked the few blocks to Destiny’s office.

She was at her computer, typing intently. For a second, he allowed himself the pleasure of looking at her. Long, wavy dark red hair tumbled over her shoulders. She had on a T-shirt and jeans, with hiking boots. Not sexy, not glamorous, but just looking at her was enough to get him thinking.

Not that they were going to do that anytime soon, he reminded himself. There were a few things that needed to be cleared up first.

She glanced up and saw him.

“Hi.”

“Hi, yourself. How are you feeling?” he asked.

She frowned, as if confused. “Fine. Why? Do I look like I’m getting sick?”

“No. I wasn’t talking about that. The other night—”

She leaned back in her chair and groaned. “Not that again. Kipling, we talked about it. You have to let it go.”

He sat in the visitor’s chair and leaned toward her. “I don’t, and I won’t. Destiny, losing your virginity is a big deal. I don’t know why you chose that moment or me, but that part is done. What I’m concerned about now is making it right.”

Emotions flashed through her green eyes. “It can’t be undone, and I wouldn’t want to undo it. I like that I’m not a virgin anymore.”

“Right. It’s less complicated when you meet your calm Mr. Uptight.”

“You don’t have to say it like that,” she grumbled. “Like you think I’m an idiot.”

“I think you’re underestimating the power of an intimate, sexual connection.”

She rolled her eyes. “Right. It’s powerful and exciting and makes life worth living.” The words were at odds with her bored tone. “I’ve heard it all before, and I don’t care.”

“That’s because you didn’t have an orgasm.”

“I’m not interested. It was fine, Kipling. Really. Let it go.”

Something that wasn’t going to happen, he thought firmly. “I wasn’t prepared, and I messed up,” he told her. “I owe you. If, after that happens, you still believe that sex is dangerous and bad, I won’t mention it again. I swear.”

She sighed heavily. “Why is this so important to you? I don’t need fixing.”

“No, you need teaching.” He thought for a second, then decided to try reaching her from a different angle. “You were amazing on stage that night. Your singing, the vocals. You have real passion when you perform.”

Instead of reacting with pride, she slumped lower in her seat. “I know. It was horrible.”

“No, it was brilliant and powerful. How come you don’t want to do that every day?”

“It’s exhausting and requires me to be vulnerable. There’s rawness in singing like that.”

And no way to protect herself, he thought. Based on the little he knew about her past, he understood that she’d grown up feeling unsafe. As if her world could shift or crumble at any moment.

“You’re not that kid anymore,” he said gently. “You would be able to control what was happening around you.”

“Not enough. Better to avoid the risk.”

“Life without living is boring. It’s beige. What’s the point? You have a gift, Destiny. A chance at the dream.”

More emotion flashed in her eyes. This time he had no trouble reading the annoyance.

“Don’t talk to me about my dreams. You don’t know anything about them. This is my choice. I don’t want to be like them. You have no idea what it was like. No idea about what happened. It was different with Grandma Nell. Life made sense there. It was quiet. We lived by the rhythm of the seasons. With nature. That’s what I want.”

“Nature isn’t quiet,” he told her. “It’s violent and beautiful. Most of all, it’s uncontrollable. You’re denying who you are on so many levels. You have a passionate nature. If you ignore that, you ignore who you are. You still have a chance.”

“Kipling, I...” She stared at him. “Are we still talking about me?”

“Of course. I’m the expert here. Living the dream—there’s nothing better. I know what I’m talking about. You still can.”

“And you can’t.”

Blunt but true, he thought, ignoring the stab of longing for what had been. For who he had been. “I had a good run, and I mean that in all senses of the word.”