every time he witnessed Grant caressing or kissing Sophie, Hunter’s attraction dissipated slightly. Grant was undoubtedly heterosexual, which comforted him.
“So we’re doing okay, then?” Sophie asked, turning her gaze to Hunter.
“I’d say your relationship is doing more than okay,” he said, “especially given all of the traumas you’ve gone through.”
Grant felt a rush of relief course through him. He didn’t know why the psychologist’s opinion mattered so much—Grant was still a bit suspicious of this therapy thing—but his relationship with Sophie meant the world to him, and it was quite reassuring to receive the shrink’s stamp of approval.
Nodding toward Sophie’s left arm, Hunter gave her a warm smile. “It’s great to see the sling gone.” He glanced at Grant, who also seemed happy the reminder of the gunshot wound had vanished. “So, how’s it been going?” Hunter inquired. “Have you two been practicing an interdependent relationship?”
A pink color spread on Grant’s olive skin and Sophie emitted a tiny giggle.
“I think you might’ve made a better case for an enmeshed relationship,” said Sophie with a laugh. “At least by Grant’s definition of enmeshed—the partners lying one on top of the other.”
“Sophie!” Grant looked mortified, his cheeks now crimson.
She laughed again. “It’s okay, Grant. It’s okay to talk about sex in therapy.” She looked to Hunter for confirmation. “Right, Hunter?”
“Absolutely.” He nodded, trying to ignore the stirring below his belt as Grant blushed adorably like a schoolboy. He was so damn cute! “Sex is an important part of any relationship.”
Hearing those words out loud, his thoughts drifted to Bradley and the steamy session they’d enjoyed last evening. Suddenly Hunter felt better about his arousal. “Sex inevitably comes up in couples counseling.”
“We have to talk about sex in here? ” Grant asked, horrified. “With you?”
“Surely you’ve talked about sex with other guys before,” Hunter reasoned. “You were in the Navy, for heaven’s sake.”
“Well…um, yeah,” Grant stuttered unconvincingly. “But they weren’t…” He squirmed in his seat. “No offense, sir, but they weren’t gay.”
Hunter was taken aback. He desperately hoped Grant hadn’t picked up on his attraction. Flustered, his gaze darted about the room before landing on Sophie.
“I’m sorry, Hunter,” she said in a tight voice. When both men looked at her with puzzled expressions, she continued. “I’m sorry for Grant’s homophobic comment.”
“I’m not homophobic!” Grant insisted. “I just don’t want to discuss my sex life with my damn shrink, okay?”
Hunter was reeling. There were about one hundred potential directions to take this conversation, and he hoped the one he started with would be therapeutic. Still muddled by the very personal nature of his feelings toward Grant, he decided to address Sophie first.
“Hold on, Sophie. You’re apologizing to me for Grant’s comment?”
“Yes, I thought it was very disrespectful. ” Her last word was directed at her boyfriend, who now appeared rather nervous about her obvious disappointment in him.
“I see. So you’re responsible for the words coming out of his mouth, then?” Hunter asked.
“But—I—he—” She halted, looking flummoxed, then let out her breath in a loud sigh. “Shit. I’m caretaking again, aren’t I?”
Hunter’s grin eased the tension in the room. Grant glanced back and forth between them, trying to keep up. Eventually he spoke. “I apologize if I’ve insulted you, sir.”
“No offense taken, Grant,” Hunter assured him. “You’ve never known a gay man before?”
Grant looked at the floor. “I don’t think so, sir.”
“How’s that possible?” Sophie interjected. Gay men were everywhere.
“It seems Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is a rather effective policy,” Hunter responded. “Plus, many kids get the message
“So we’re doing okay, then?” Sophie asked, turning her gaze to Hunter.
“I’d say your relationship is doing more than okay,” he said, “especially given all of the traumas you’ve gone through.”
Grant felt a rush of relief course through him. He didn’t know why the psychologist’s opinion mattered so much—Grant was still a bit suspicious of this therapy thing—but his relationship with Sophie meant the world to him, and it was quite reassuring to receive the shrink’s stamp of approval.
Nodding toward Sophie’s left arm, Hunter gave her a warm smile. “It’s great to see the sling gone.” He glanced at Grant, who also seemed happy the reminder of the gunshot wound had vanished. “So, how’s it been going?” Hunter inquired. “Have you two been practicing an interdependent relationship?”
A pink color spread on Grant’s olive skin and Sophie emitted a tiny giggle.
“I think you might’ve made a better case for an enmeshed relationship,” said Sophie with a laugh. “At least by Grant’s definition of enmeshed—the partners lying one on top of the other.”
“Sophie!” Grant looked mortified, his cheeks now crimson.
She laughed again. “It’s okay, Grant. It’s okay to talk about sex in therapy.” She looked to Hunter for confirmation. “Right, Hunter?”
“Absolutely.” He nodded, trying to ignore the stirring below his belt as Grant blushed adorably like a schoolboy. He was so damn cute! “Sex is an important part of any relationship.”
Hearing those words out loud, his thoughts drifted to Bradley and the steamy session they’d enjoyed last evening. Suddenly Hunter felt better about his arousal. “Sex inevitably comes up in couples counseling.”
“We have to talk about sex in here? ” Grant asked, horrified. “With you?”
“Surely you’ve talked about sex with other guys before,” Hunter reasoned. “You were in the Navy, for heaven’s sake.”
“Well…um, yeah,” Grant stuttered unconvincingly. “But they weren’t…” He squirmed in his seat. “No offense, sir, but they weren’t gay.”
Hunter was taken aback. He desperately hoped Grant hadn’t picked up on his attraction. Flustered, his gaze darted about the room before landing on Sophie.
“I’m sorry, Hunter,” she said in a tight voice. When both men looked at her with puzzled expressions, she continued. “I’m sorry for Grant’s homophobic comment.”
“I’m not homophobic!” Grant insisted. “I just don’t want to discuss my sex life with my damn shrink, okay?”
Hunter was reeling. There were about one hundred potential directions to take this conversation, and he hoped the one he started with would be therapeutic. Still muddled by the very personal nature of his feelings toward Grant, he decided to address Sophie first.
“Hold on, Sophie. You’re apologizing to me for Grant’s comment?”
“Yes, I thought it was very disrespectful. ” Her last word was directed at her boyfriend, who now appeared rather nervous about her obvious disappointment in him.
“I see. So you’re responsible for the words coming out of his mouth, then?” Hunter asked.
“But—I—he—” She halted, looking flummoxed, then let out her breath in a loud sigh. “Shit. I’m caretaking again, aren’t I?”
Hunter’s grin eased the tension in the room. Grant glanced back and forth between them, trying to keep up. Eventually he spoke. “I apologize if I’ve insulted you, sir.”
“No offense taken, Grant,” Hunter assured him. “You’ve never known a gay man before?”
Grant looked at the floor. “I don’t think so, sir.”
“How’s that possible?” Sophie interjected. Gay men were everywhere.
“It seems Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is a rather effective policy,” Hunter responded. “Plus, many kids get the message
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