White: Queen’s Bishop d2>f4

Zofia slightly smiled as she saw that Ingrid was able to withstand the social pressure Charles was applying without immediately surrendering herself to his whims. She may yet make that decision, but it will be of her own choice and not just because of her guilt complex. As she didn’t want bumping into Ingrid to interfere with her progress as a patient, she discretely walked past, sure to not draw any added attention to herself. Zofia had an important patient that was going to be at her office soon enough.

Although most of Zofia’s patients fit a particular mold, she was offered a substantial amount of money to do something outside her wheelhouse, act as a relationship councilor to a famous black Santolinan heavyweight boxer named Lucas Adonis, or at least that’s what he calls himself in the ring. The whole deal was negotiated with Lucas’ agent, who seemed oddly more interested in asking if she was single than in evaluating her credentials, which lacked any experience in relationship counseling. As Zofia understands it, Lucas’ wife, Irina, is a lot like her usual kind of patient, so she wasn’t too worried that taking on Adonis would be out of her depth.

Zofia waited in her office until the door swung wide open and in stepped the largest man she had ever seen. He had grizzled features and a flattened nose. There is no doubt in her mind that this man has taken physical **** like she’s never even imagined. He came dressed in his finest suit, as though he were going to an awards show or church, although Zofia felt he’d be much more at home at the former than the latter. He looked distraught, his eyes sunken low to the floor.

“Take a seat,” Zofia offered a place on the therapy couch and Lucas complied, lying down on it. An awkward silence permeated the room and just as Zofia was about to speak up, Lucas spoke again.

“Irina’s not coming. She… she left me. Served me the divorce papers today.”

“Goodness! Why would she do something like that?” Zofia asked, not used to comforting men, but wanting to show her empathy. Lucas hung his head, feeling ashamed, so Zofia said, “if you tell me, I might be able to help you get this figured out.”

Lucas lifted his face and looked past the lenses and directly into Zofia’s deep blue eyes, then started, “I’ve never been loved. Women have wanted me for my body, for my money, for my fame, but none of them ever bothered to understand me. Irina, I think she was about all three, but you post too many Ls and that interest dries up. I’ve got, what, a big dick? So do lots of other brothers. And that’s where she went – to be with one of them that doesn’t feel anything but horny, that doesn’t want anything but sex. And don’t get me wrong, I got plenty of that, but I just want more.”

As Lucas was going on, Zofia scooched her chair to be closer to him, so that he can feel more comfortable with what he was saying. She patted him on the middle of his thigh, and her eyes widened in shock as she felt something hard and cylindrical that was far lower than what she expected based on what she had heard from most of her patients about how big guys are.

“Sorry about that.” Lucas said. “I feel like the whole world looks at me like I’ve got two modes – fight or fuck. I don’t get to meet women like you. Women who are brainy, who feel things for other people. I’ve only just met you, but I feel like I can trust you. I know it’s early, but I’d like to fly you out to my homeland, Santolina, so that you can see where I come from. I think, if I’m to heal, I’ll need someone who cares and who understands me. I think I’ll need you. I’ll provide you with all the best accommodations,” Lucas insisted.

“Need me…” Zofia repeated wisfully, paying no heed to the fact that she’s begun to massage the area of Lucas’ inner thigh where his erection is. Normally, she’d be able to opt out by citing her schedule, but many of her patients would be, by sheer coincidence, taking off for the summer to the very same island. She put on a gentle smile and said, “in that case, I’ll go with you, Mr. Adonis.”

(Link to board: https://lichess.org/editor/rnb1kbnr/pp1p2pp/q1p1p3/5p2/P1PP1B2/5N2/1P2PPPP/RN1QKB1R_bKQkq-_0_1?color=white))