Free Stare Me Down (Stare Down) by Riley Murphy

door was stable.
    “What are you doing?”
    “The show part before the tell.” He grabbed the hook and pulled.
    “Wait, I‌—‌oh, no you don’t. I’m not going to be hung like some Christmas wreath.”
    “Stop fighting. You’re going to hurt yourself.” He brought her arms up and gave her an encouraging push toward the door with his hip. “I’m not going to hang you. I’m placing you. See?” He set the hook over the top of the door so she was effectively captured and then stepped back. “You’re still touching the ground.”
    “Barely,” she spoke against the wood. Her warm breath fogged the high polished grain, while she teetered on tiptoes. “You completed the sessions. You don’t have to do this. Really. I get the point. You can stop now.”
    He wished he could. In fact, he really wished he hadn’t started this at all, but it was too late to turn back. Between him fantasizing about her and their conversation today, he was the one who was hooked. That brought him up short as he wondered what kind of psychoanalysis field day she’d have with that one. Just get her out of your system. And in the process he’d scare her enough that she’ll be forced to push back and they’d both be free of this odd attraction. It was as simple as that.
    Simple?
    It was this kind of spur-of-the-moment shit that got him into the numerous problems he currently faced. He should have participated in group sessions. He should have made shit up to satisfy her until the six sessions were up. That was what he should have done. One look at her squirming ass, and he was reminded why that wasn’t possible. From day one he wanted her all to himself.
    Fuck.
     
    Jaxx tried to stay focused on the moment, but remembering how he’d felt against her kept distracting her. She’d burned from the inside out. She’d never experienced anything like that before. Brief though it was, it had been an electric embrace that sent currents of lust through flesh, blood, down deep to bone. It had a power all its own that had wrapped around her. All consuming. She wouldn’t have believed the simple action could turn so complicated in the blink of an eye, but it had.
    He might not be her patient anymore, so that was one huge stress over with, but now she faced another‌—‌her modesty being challenged at a time when she could least afford to be tested. And yet for all of that, her only thought was of how great he smelled and how good the hard parts of him felt when he pressed into her. Parts of him as hard as the door, only much warmer. Much more inviting.
    “Stay still.”
    She heard the screech of tape being pulled and automatically stiffened. “Now what are you going to do with the tape?”
    “You’ll see. Lean forward.”
    Forward? If she went any more forward, the computer clips and clothes pegs would make perfect impressions into her skin, despite the material between them. “I can’t‌—‌hey!”
    His hand splayed flat on her ass and he pushed while he stretched a length of tape from the edge of the door across the empty width to her right, over her ass, to the width of door on her left until he reached the other edge.
    “You can’t tape me to the door.”
    “I think I can.”
    “But‌—‌ow.” She’d tried to turn her head to see if he was getting another length of tape and banged her chin so hard her eyes watered. Then she heard the tear of tape being unwound and forgot about her pain. “I’ll scream.”
    “No, you won’t.” He spoke low from right behind her. She felt him stick this second length of tape right over the first one. “You’re going to be good.” That soft statement made her shiver. “Besides, your neighbor, Dr. Dragon Lady might hear. I’m no expert, but it could be awkward for you both.”
    She frowned. “What about you?”
    “I’m pretty much shameless, so no need to worry about me. Scream away. You wouldn’t be the first female in my company to make noise.”
    Closing her eyes, she