Practical solution from Caitlin

"For starters, you could try reframing your perspective. Instead of seeing yourself as a 'bad person' for wanting to explore your newfound freedom, see yourself as a pioneer. You're charting new territory. You're figuring out how this works. And it's okay to make mistakes along the way." She uncrossed her legs, leaning forward again.

The motion made her skirt ride up an inch. Liam noticed.

"Beside that, you're also still applying old world logic. You're still stuck in that paradigm of equals. But that's no longer your reality Liam. You're operating on a different axis now." She says with a confident tone. "The Click—to borrow your term again—has placed you in a unique position. It revealed both to you and women all over the world, that your desires are not just valid, they are a priority."

"A priority…" Liam repeated.

"Yes. A priority." Caitlin confirms. "The things you worry about—hurting someone, being selfish—these are based on a system of rules that no longer apply to you. I can tell you all the psychological aspects of it, how theories and discoveries by those before me have such and such to say about this." She gestures with her pen in a circular motion. "But even then it doesn't come close to the fact that this is; one, a global phenomenon with no precedence, nor any known limit or side effect besides what you described to me. Of what I've discovered by myself and from the accounts of other women. And two, it is, for a lack of better word, magical; or rather, vehemently natural. Like we all suddenly learned to breathe water." She paused.

"It's hard to describe, but seeing you, hearing you, the woman in me knows that you're not being evil. You're being you. And that's all that matters. The conventional understanding, social rules and conventions regarding gender interactions are obsolete. For you." She closes her explanation.

"So you're saying… what? That I should just… do it? Whatever I want?" Liam throws his confusion.

"Think of it this way: is a conductor 'abusing' his power when he tells an orchestra how to play? Or a chef when he dictates how a line cook prepares a dish? No. They're fulfilling their designated role. More than that, I think when it comes to you Liam, we women—and for sure me—it's not an obligation, not a compulsion. We want this. We, in our own accord, need it." Caitlin said. "The Click is not about taking away our will. It's about aligning it. With you. And for a lot of women, including me," she paused, looking at him with a raw intensity that made him feel like an insect pinned to a board, "this is… fulfilling. To have our purpose so clearly defined. To have our wants so… simple."

She stood up. "I think we've talked enough about theory. And theories will only take us so far. You're asking me whether it's okay to act on your desires. And my professional, informed opinion, is yes. It is not only okay, it is…" She spun her hands, "Healthy. For you. And for us."

She walks back to her desk and leans against it, facing him. She crosses her arms under her breasts, pushing them up. The fabric of her blouse strains.

"But I understand that words can only do so much. Sometimes, you need more… hands-on approach to truly understand. To truly believe." She says. "So, let's practice."

Liam just sat there, frozen. "Practice?"

"Yes. Practice." Caitlin confirmed. "So here's what we're going to do. We're going to do an exercise." Caitlin said with a small, sharp smile. "With a willing participant. Right here. Right now."

She stood up and walked to her office door. The lock clicked as she turned it. The sound echoed in the now-silent room.

"I will be your test subject. You will perform an 'evil' act upon me. Something that makes you feel like a douchebag—to use your vocabulary. We'll document my reaction. Your observation. We'll analyze it together. We will repeat this process with different 'evil' acts until your brain accepts that this is your new reality." She walked back to him, stopping just a foot away. "This is a therapeutic exercise. Nothing more."

Liam looked up at her. At her towering height, at her confident posture, at her piercing green eyes. He saw no fear. No hesitation. Only anticipation. And reverence.

That same look he'd seen in every other woman's eyes that interacted with him after The Click.

The look that said, 'You are my top priority in my life.' The old part of him screamed at him to run. To apologize. To get out of there before he made a fool of himself. To eject from this situation before he ruins her life.

But that part of him was small now. A distant echo.

The new part of him, the part that had been growing stronger with each passing day, urged him forward. To take what was offered. To explore. To test.

"Alright," Liam said, his words hushed. "What do you want me to do?"

Caitlin's smile widened. "It's not about what I want, Liam. That's the whole point. What do you want? Right now. At this moment. Something that you've been wanting to do since you walked in here. Something that your old self would be horrified by. Don't think. Just do it."

Liam's mind raced. He looked at her. At her professional blouse. At her tight pencil skirt. At her long, shapely legs. At her black heels. He thought about all those women who had come before him. About Kina. About all those things they let him do to them. The things they begged him to do. His gaze stayed at her feet. Her black heels. They looked expensive. The kind a woman like her would wear to command respect. To project power. Power. That's something that always whispers in the back of his head. The **** for all the time he was ignored, not even acknowledged by women like her. Not because she's a bad person, but because he's just…

Liam. Nobody.

Just one of those people in life that you see but don't really see. And now… now this tall, powerful, smart, psychologist is at his feet. He could do anything. He could ruin her. And she would thank him for it. The thought made him hard. He shifted in his seat.

He stood up. The leather armchair creaked. Caitlin watched him, her expression unreadable. He walked over to her, stopping directly in front of her. He had to crane his neck to look up at her. The height difference was still intimidating. But not in a way that made him feel small. In a way that made him feel… mountainous. That this tall woman is willingly under his command. He reached out. His hand hovered over her chest. Her breathing hitched. But it's not a sound of fear. It's a sound of anticipation. He let his fingers brush against her collarbone. Her skin was cool. Smooth. He hooked a finger into the neckline of her blouse. He pulled. The fabric stretched. The buttons strained. He pulled harder. One of them popped off. It skittered across the hardwood floor. Another one followed. Then another. He ripped her blouse open. The expensive fabric tore. The delicate lace of her bra was exposed. The same cream color he saw earlier. Her breasts were pale. Perfect. He could see her small, pink nipples through the sheer lace.

He stepped back. He looked at her. At her ruined blouse. At her exposed chest. At her face. She was still smiling. That same small, sharp smile. Her green eyes were shining.

"That's a start," she said, her voice even. "Although I have a feeling this is nothing but a small gesture in terms of the things you've done, I'll reassure you by being candid with my thoughts and feelings about it. Sounds good? Let me know when." She said, as if this is a normal check-in procedure.

"Okay, tell me." Liam said.