CHAPTER 4: Our little secret
3 more days had passed and it was now October 31rst. AJ sat in her newly repainted office as she impatiently waited for Punk's arrival. "Maybe…maybe if I'm rude to him, then…then he'll want to get another therapist to see" she thought. "Because…I just don't think I can deal with this." She hadn't seen him about 10 days since his parole hearing. Luckily she didn't have to wait that long as she soon received a knock at her door. She got up to answer it to see the 6'2 man standing before her.
"Hi doc, it's me" he said. "Hello Mr. Brooks" said AJ. She suddenly paused at his new appearance. He was newly shaven which immediately caught her off guard, so much so that she was frozen in shock. She mentally shook herself as she continued. "Long time…no see?" Punk chuckled at her expression. "Now come on doc, we just saw each other the other week. You know when you were at my parole hearing…remember?" He nodded suggestively.
"Of course how could I forget?" AJ said sarcastically. "Please come in." Punk nodded as he took a seat down at a chair in front of her. "Do I detect a little…sarcasm?" he asked. "No. I'm sorry Mr. Brooks…I'm just a little tired lately that's all" said AJ. "So shall we begin?" "Well for starters I asked you if you can call me Punk…but since you're obviously not going to do that I'm going to say you can call me Phil, given that I'm your patient now and everything."
"Sure. Phil it is" AJ said as she clicked her red and silver ballpoint pen. "So how have you been doing?" "Can I must say that this office is real nice?" said Punk. "I haven't seen such fancy furniture in my whole life." "Trust me Phil it's not that fancy" AJ said harshly. "Um…doc are you sure that you're alright because you seem kind of angry and bitter" said Punk. "Mr. Brooks are you in here to have a therapy session or not because according to my clock you are already 5 minutes late to your very first session with me and I'll be sure to make a note of that for Mr. Cabana" AJ said.
"Ma'am I'm sorry but what's your problem?" asked Punk. "I haven't done nothing to you. I haven't even been in here 10 minutes and you're already bitching at me?" AJ slammed her notepad down as she released an irritated sighed. "That'll be another mark for you in your profile, Mr. Brooks. Another one and-"
"You'll what? Send me back to prison!? Take me away from the one place where I finally have a decent roof over my head and bed to sleep in!?" Punk shouted. AJ sighed as she sat back and removed her glasses. Punk's facial expression changed as he noticed how pretty she looked without them. "Whoa…" he said. "Mr. Brooks if you'd like another therapist then you can simply contact your attorney Mr. Danielson to request another one" AJ said calmly.
"Why are you doing this to me?" Punk asked. "Why are you trying to sabotage me?" "I'm not trying to sabotage you Mr. Brooks" said AJ. "Yes you are" said Punk. "I mean you didn't seem to have a problem when I was hitting on you last week and now all of a sudden you have an issue with my very appearance? I mean what type of a quack shit sense does that even make?" "Oh…oh my God" AJ thought. "He is interested in me." "Mr. Brooks" she said. "I don't know the meaning of…"quack crap" is but can assure you that-"
"You're…you're no different than the other people who've ever come into my life" said Punk. "What…what do you mean?" asked AJ. "Oh don't you go trying to fucking care!" Punk hissed. "I wanna go. I can't deal with your hot and coldness." "Mr. Brooks you can't go" said AJ. "Not until the clock strikes 10." "Listen lady. I don't give a fuck about you or what the damn clock says!" Punk yelled. He got up and walked over to the door and placed his hand on the doorknob. "You're wrong Phil" AJ said. "I…I do care."
"No you don't" said Punk. "You don't." AJ stood up from her desk and walked over to him. She gently placed her hand over his. "Please stay" she said softly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." Punk turned to face her, causing their eyes to lock. That's where she had finally taken the time to realize, no appreciate how handsome he looked after cleaning up his face. She took careful notice of just how dreamy those green eyes were on him just as he took careful notice of how her brown eyes were on her.
"Um…doc?" he asked. But she continued her gaze at him as so did he and it was at an instant where he had instinctively cupped her face and gave her a soft kiss. To his surprise, she didn't resist as she began kissing him back and it was at that moment it was like the sparks of their attraction flared. After a few moments, the two pulled apart. "Mr…?" AJ shakily said between their passionate kisses. "Please call me Phil" Punk said as they continued kissing. AJ slowly wrapped her arms around her neck as he placed his hands on her hips, guiding her back up against the Marsala colored wall. His lips slowly brushed over hers, teasing her as he knew that she clearly wanted more.
He pressed himself up against the navy colored skirt she was wearing as they could feel his erection beginning. "Phil…" AJ breathed. Punk began kissing and nipping over down her neck until he had reached her collarbone. She could feel herself becoming wet as his hands gently roamed up her sides until he had reached her breasts. "Phil…we…can't…" she said softly. "Why not?" Punk asked between their kissing. "Because…" AJ said. "We don't even know each other." "You've read my medical records" said Punk. "I'm clean." He went in for a deeper kiss. "Besides…I know you want me too. I've known from the very first day we met…especially in that damn courtroom…"
His hands gently began unbuttoning her shirt, revealing to him the laced pushup black bra she was wearing. He became even more aroused at the sight as he could feel himself becoming wetter as he saw how well her breasts fit into it. "Who knew she wore stuff like this?" he thought. "I know that you want me too and that you wanted so much more…" he breathed. "I can see it in your eyes." As he went to unhook her bra, AJ suddenly placed her hands over his. "It…doesn't matter how I feel or how much I want you back" she said. "I…I can't have a relationship with my client." "So tell Bryan to get me another therapist" Punk said as he rested his hands over hers. "It…it isn't that simple" said AJ. "I…I just helped you get parole. Any news of this, I could lose my license and you can get sent away…from me."
"But why?" asked Punk. "How does that effect anything?" "Because Phil" said AJ. "It'll be looked at as a conflict of interest, not to mention that it completely violates my code of ethics." "I don't care about that" said Punk. "I know you don't" said AJ. "But that's the way it has to be for now." "How long?" asked Punk. "I…I don't know" said AJ. Punk sighed as he painfully let go of her hands.
"Are…are you foolin' me?" he asked. "No Phil…I'm not" said AJ. "Don't take anything personal. It's like I said…I don't…I don't know anything about you." "Everything you need to know about me was in that file you and my lawyer have of me" said Phil. "No Phil, that's not what I meant" said AJ. "What I mean is…I don't know anything about you…besides you're criminal past and how it came to be." Punk shook his head in frustration. "Everything's happening too fast" AJ continued. "So what do you wanna do about it?" asked Punk. "Act like this never happen? Keep our feelings to ourselves?"
"I think that would be best" said AJ. "What I just did…was totally unethical." Punk scoffed. "Well I'm sorry doc but I just can't seem to find myself to do that." "Phil…you can't-"
"Or you'll what? Have me reassigned? That's only going to allow us to be closer together" said Punk. "Phil…you're acting like I'm not on your side" said AJ. "I am on your side and I'm trying to help you but I'm…I'm just confused ok?" "You weren't all that confused just a minute ago!?" Punk said as he rose his voice. "Please Phil, try not to raise your voice" said AJ. "I don't want someone to walk in on this." Punk rolled his eyes. "Look you and I both know that what just happened doesn't just die on its own" he said. "So I have a little suggestion-if you will?"
AJ slowly nodded. "Meet me halfway" said Punk. "How?" asked AJ. "By…by keeping this just between us" said Punk. "We…don't have to stop something that we know damn well that we can't stop." "What are you trying to say here Phil?" asked AJ. "That if it isn't broken…there's no need to fix it" said Punk. "Because Phil. It isn't right" said AJ. "I don't care if something's not right or wrong..." Punk paused to chuckle. "Because in case you haven't noticed, that's not exactly how I am…well were."
AJ shook her head as she began to walk back over towards her desk, buttoning her shirt up in the process. "I…I need to think about this" she said as she sat on top of it, crossing her legs as they dangled over the edge. "April, there's nothing to think about here" said Punk. "You're attracted to me and I'm attracted to you." "You just got out of a 15 year federal prison sentence in which you still have 8 years of probation along with it" AJ said with a tone. "To be quite frank, it doesn't matter if I like you or not…it just isn't moral." Punk sighed again as he walked over towards her.
"You're right" he said. "We don't know each other. Maybe this is all just one big mistake and we…we should stop it before anything gets too serious." He looked away in sadness. "I'm glad that you agree with me Phil" said AJ. "After all it is for the best. It'll be way too risky and dangerous to pursue each other right now." Punk turned to face her again. "I don't want to have to be patient for you" he said. "Sometimes a little patience pays off" said AJ. Punk nodded as he stepped away from her.
"You see. That's-that's where you're contradicting yourself" he said. "How am I contradicting myself?" asked AJ. "Because first you're all like we can't be together ever and now you're telling me that if I'm patient then in time we can. Which one is it?" "Phil I…" "Yeah April, I know" said Punk. "You're "confused" or whatever the hell that means." "You're acting like I wanted this to happen" said AJ. "You're acting like I wanted things to be this way…you're blaming me for something I don't have any control over."
"Well that's where you're wrong at doctor" said Punk. "You can either choose to be with me secretly until it's safe or…I can walk out right now and when I do…you can pick up that phone right there and give my lawyer a call and tell him to go find someone else to deal with me because…I'm not sure if I gonna be able to deal with you anymore but you and I know both know that the second option is no longer possible for us."
AJ sighed as she looked away. Of course she wanted him but she very well knew that she couldn't place her entire career in jeopardy for a newly freed federal prisoner, regardless of how much she felt for him. So she silently began weighing her options. Of course it would be completely possible for her to quietly get to know him without anyone ever knowing but who knows how that could last.
"A little over 2 years?" AJ quietly spoke. "And we have to stop our therapy immediately." "No" Punk said firmly. "I'm not waiting 2 years to be with you or anyone else. I'm not getting shipped off to someplace." "How do I know that you're not acting in transference?" asked AJ. "What?" asked Punk. "How do I know that you're not just getting attached to me just because…I'm your therapist, that I'm one of the only few people that is willing to listen to you?"
"Because I'm not" said Punk. "I…really do have feelings for you. Ever since that day that I first met you. I couldn't stop thinking about you after you left and I know that you felt the same way too. I know doc I know. I've been around a lot longer than you to know these things." "Phil, you just have what's called a little crush on me and I really think that It'll be best if we-"
"If we what, broke things off?" asked Punk. "I mean because if that's what you're saying to me then you're again contradicting yourself because I'm feeling the same about you as you are for me and what just happened isn't because we're having a "little crush." It's the real deal here and I don't wanna throw that-this away."
"You're not being reasonable here Mr. Brooks" AJ said. "And neither are you doc" said Punk. "Look I know that I'm asking from you even though I just met you I wouldn't if I didn't think that there was something here between us." She looked up the cheap oil painting that hung on her wall. It was of a sun shining over the City of New York. She had brought it for $10 off of an artist in Central Park months earlier. She took a deep breath as she turned back to face him.
"If we do this then no one could ever know about it" she said. "Not one soul, not even your best friend….not even Bryan. No one and when I mean no one, I mean just that. No one." "I don't have any best friends" said Punk. "Phil…." AJ trailed off in annoyance. "I get it" said Punk. "No one." AJ took her focus off of him as she looked away. He slowly approached her. "Hey" he said softly. "I promise to keep this secret with me until the day I die."
"I know" AJ said quietly as she continued looking away. Punk cupped her chin and gently turned her back to facing him. "You don't seem so happy about this" he said. "Because I hope I'm not making the stupidest decision in my life" AJ said softly. "You're not" said Punk. "It'll be the best mistake you'll ever make in your life even if it doesn't work out." "Yeah well…I sincerely hope that you're right about that" AJ said. "At least…about the best part." "I am" said Punk as he leaned into kiss her again. As their lips parted, they could feel the electricity forming between them again.
"I…think that your session is up" AJ said while in a confused dazed. "I know it is…April" said Punk. "Same time tomorrow?" "Same time tomorrow" AJ said. With that, he left as she remained sitting on her desk as she placed her index finger between her teeth as she continued to bask glow in the aftermath of what just happened to them. After all, she couldn't help how good he made her body feel...
A/N: Hmm…I wonder how long will they be able to keep this a secret? Thank you again for all of your reviews :-)