She reminded herself that it wasn’t her job to help him. It was Kana’s now. She’d probably never see him again. Such a shame, since being with him was about the only thing that had made her feel it was possible to move on from heartache.

2

Improper

By the end of the session, Kana knew the basics, but not the truth. He wasn’t going to pony that up to someone he hadn’t even intended to spill a single word to. She was nice enough, a good listener, and asked questions that didn’t make him want to squirm, as he’d suspected he’d feel being in a shrink’s office for the first time.

But he’d be lying to the world if he said his mind was here between these four walls. He was elsewhere, trying to wrap himself around why it felt weird to want to see Michelle again. Or really, why it didn’t feel weird. Maybe that’s what was so off-kilter to him. Michelle didn’t know the details of his reason for this visit, but she knew he needed help, and that should bother him. He was a private man. Sure, he had a public persona as the head of a company that had become something of a press darling by virtue of the type of products it peddled. But beyond the necessary appearances, Jack wasn’t someone prone to sharing too much. That wasn’t his thing. Growing up in a home that wasn’t known for talking it out, or hugging it out either, he’d learned to deal with everything inside his head.

But oddly enough, it didn’t bother him that Michelle knew he was seeing a shrink. And that was information only Casey was privy to.

Maybe that’s why wanting more of Michelle didn’t feel as strange as it should. She already knew he had crap to deal with; he didn’t have to pretend with her that he was New York’s most eligible bachelor.

He wasn’t.

He had a hunch he didn’t have to be that guy with her. He relished the freedom he’d felt last night in letting go of what everyone thought they knew about him. He had enjoyed being Just Jack. He wanted to be that guy again. He wanted to see her again. He wanted to get to know the woman behind the pencil skirt, the sharp blouse and the black high heels. The combo was like a straight shot of heat to his groin.

“So, do you think you’ll want to keep going?”

Oh, crap. Kana wanted to know if he was game for more therapy. Hell if he knew. “Sure,” he said.

After she said a quick goodbye and shut the door, he honed in on the stairwell, covered two flights, and headed to the first office he’d been in, knocking sharply on the wood.

In seconds, Michelle opened the door.

“Do you have an appointment right now?” he asked.

She shook her head.

“Good,” he said, stepping inside, clicking the door shut, and locking it behind him.