I give her a nod. “Typically, yes. I’ve been here for years, and it’s only grown. The good thing is that once you find your groove, the days start to fly by. You’ll see.”
Beth holds her bag a little closer to her chest. I don’t think I’m helping her settle.
“So you said that you were seeking experience. How so?”
“Oh, I know what I’m doing. It’s not like that,” she says, shocked.
“No, no, no,” I say as I turn toward her. “That’s not what I meant. I was just leading into a question about what you’re hoping to learn.”
“I’m not quite sure,” Beth says as we near the administrative building. “I’m fresh out of college, so at this point, anything would be valuable experience.”
With that, my heart stops. Fresh out of college? I could tell she was on the young side, but that’s really young. Nice job, Alex, you creep. You’ve spent the last ten minutes chatting up someone that’s fifteen years younger than you.
“That seems as good a reason as I’ve ever heard. Did you always know you wanted to work in psychology?”
“For the most part.” Beth shifts her bag to her other arm.
Oh my God, Alex. I reach out for her bag. “I can carry that for you.”
“I’ve got it, but thanks.” She very clearly does not have it, but I can’t make her give it to me.
“Are you sure? It’s no trouble. I’m not trying to be one of those jerks who assumes a lady can’t do things on her own, but I just know where your office is and it’s easier for me to carry it there than it is for you to lug it around all day while you talk to management.”
She smiles and I’m not sure if she’s seeing right through my ruse. She’s not going to be in there for longer than five minutes, but if I don’t help her carry that bag, I’m going to feel like an idiot for not thinking about it sooner.
“Okay… I guess,” she says as she hands me the bag. “I can trust you, Alex, right?”
“Always.” I point to the administrator’s building, and she turns and walks to the door. As I watch her perfectly round ass enter the building, I wonder if age really is just a number.
Chapter Four
Beth
Signing my paperwork and getting my schedule took no time and within minutes I’m back outside searching for my office. I’m kind of hoping that I catch Alex before he leaves. Right now, I’m feeling like a fish out of water and having him around felt… comforting. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that he’s at least six foot three and has the body of a man who’s worked hard his whole life. I can appreciate it when a man earns his muscles out in the world and not in the gym.
As I turn the corner, I see him coming out of my office and I’m ecstatic. “Alex, hi again.”
He smiles and gives me a nod. “Well, that was fast. Are you sure you’ve never been here before?”
“I guess I’m a quick learner.” I hurry up to Alex to make sure he doesn’t leave. “Are you too busy to show me the office space?”
“Not at all. I’d love to.” Alex pushes the door back open and when he does, I can see the muscles in his arm flex terrifically as his strong hand grasps the doorhandle with a roughness that makes me start to moisten.
God. I need help.
As I step into the room, I can see it has endless possibilities. Endless possibilities, as in it’s nothing but a desk and a few chairs. I knew this was a camp, but I guess I was expecting… something.
“So, what do you think?” Alex says with a smile. “I bet when you graduated you dreamed of a desk just like this one.” He taps it repeatedly with force, showing off those strong muscles again.
I wonder if I packed my vibrator?
“I’m sure this will do,” I say as I sit in my first chair as a professional psychologist. I know it isn’t what I expected, but sitting here is calming, like no matter the job… I made it.
“You look good behind there,” Alex says as he strokes his beard. “I think you’ll fit in just fine around here.”
He starts to turn as though he’s going to leave, and I blurt, “Want to be my first patient?”
“Umm… not really.” He laughs a slight chuckle. “I’ve made it this long without therapy, so whatever I’m doing must be working.”