Coming Clean by C. L. Parker Page B

therapist. Of sorts, maybe,” he concluded with a sideways bob of his head.
    “What does that mean?”
    With a professional smile in place, he eased into the explanation. “Nothing about what Katya does is
clinical
. She’s very hands-on, unorthodox in her methods, and extremely effective with her techniques.”
    “I’m still not following, Doc. What makes her better than you?”
    The chuckle that came from Jeremy when he pulled at his collar was downright mischievous. “Not better. We simply have a different field of study. Katya’s expertise, you see, is in
sex
. The kind of sex that, um,” he shifted in his seat, “let’s just say it’s an adventure you’ll want to embark upon time and time again.”
    Shaw perked up at that, his back and shoulders a little straighter. “Really?”
    My question, exactly.
Really, Shaw?
I crossed my arms over my chest and eyeballed him. He noticed and visibly swallowed, but I could tell my disapproval hadn’t done much to subdue his curiosity.
    “Indeed,” Jeremy said, reaching for his notepad and beginning to jot something down. “I must warn you that should you agree to see her, and she you, it will be an experience like none you’ve ever had before. To say Katya is unconventional would be an understatement. She’s a professional, of course, but she’s also the most…” He shook his head with a very deep breath and long exhalation. Were his glasses fogging up again? “Let’s just say you’ll thank me for this.”
    Ripping off a sheet of paper, Jeremy passed it over to us. He hadn’t been writing notes. He’d been scribbling Dr. Minkov’s contact information.
    “Is this really necessary?” I asked, not entirely sure how we’d gotten to this place. A sex therapist who isn’t really a therapist at all? I had some serious research to do on this Dr. Katya Minkov.
    Jeremy’s eyebrows lifted. “I can’t see how it could possibly hurt. Think of it as an adventure of sorts. After all, sex was the foundation of your relationship. You said so yourself. So let’s fix the cracks in that foundation before we look at the rest of your house.”
    Though I was apprehensive about making an even bigger deal out of our issues, I supposed he did have a point. Besides, I could use a little adventure. Peering over at Shaw, I knew we both could. Maybe he’d make more time for his family if we could find our passion for each other again.
    “Of course,” Jeremy added, “confidentiality runs both ways with Dr. Minkov. The agreement you signed with me safeguards the contact information I just gave you for Katya as well. Whether you choose to use her or not, you must not share it with anyone.”
    “Sounds secretive, very
Mission Impossible–
ish,” I told him, suspicious of the hush-hush behavior. “Is this Dr. Minkov even on the up-and-up? Because if we end up in the Nevada desert at a brothel…”
    “Cassidy, I assure you that I would not recommend you see her if she were not. Katya is simply
very
good at what she does. So good that her clients have to go through an intense application process and she handpicks each and every one. Referrals get to skip the application process, but she will take them on only if
she
chooses to.”
    “What do you think, Shaw?”
    Relaxed back into his seat with an elbow propped up on the armrest, his thumb cradling his jaw, and a finger lying across his full lips, Shaw gave a lackadaisical shrug. “You’re calling the shots here. I’m just along for the ride.”
    Great. He was pouting. No doubt because I’d bruised his delicate ego. Fine. If he wanted to behave like a child resorting to dropping into deadweight mode, I’d drag his butt to yet another therapist’s office and see how much he liked that.

CHAPTER 5
    Shaw
    I fake it
….Cassidy’s admission kept replaying through my mind on a loop, each syllable pounding my ego like the clapper of a ten-ton bell and the reverberation drowning out any other thought. She’d been faking it?