She arrived early, with a notebook clutched under her arm, her cheeks flushed as if she had run a mile just to get there.

“I… I couldn’t wait,” she admitted, sliding into the chair across from Dr. Hale. “The assignment… it drove me crazy. I edged myself three times yesterday, and I almost couldn’t think straight.”

He adjusted his glasses, fighting the heat creeping up his chest. “You’re learning to control your urges,” he said carefully. “Structured practice is ...