“What I do for fun isn’t important, Dalton. We were discussing ways you could remove yourself from high-pressure situations and—”
“I’m sitting right here, Doc. I know what we were talking about, but I’ve heard enough of that shit for today.” He’d cocked his eyebrow and smirked. “So, you can either tell me what you like to do for fun, or I can tell you about the dream I had last night.”
“Okay, why don’t you tell me about this dream of yours?”
“Oh, it was a good one.” A mischievous look crossed his face as he said, “I was on my bike, heading towards the clubhouse when I felt someone’s arms wrap around my waist. I looked back over my shoulder, and holy shit, this black-haired, hazel-eyed beauty was staring back at me.”
I should’ve stopped him right there. I knew he was talking about me, but I never said a word. Instead, I simply sat there and listened as he continued, “And when her hand drifted down to my thigh, I had no doubt that she was wantin’ more than just a ride on my bike, and I was more than okay with that. Hell, I was biting at the bit to bury my cock inside this chick—”
Hearing the crude tone in his voice turned me on in a way I hadn’t expected. I clamped my thighs together as I held up my hand and said, “Okay, I think we’ve heard enough about this dream of yours.”
“You sure about that?”
“Positive.”
“Okay, but only if you tell me what you like to do for fun.”
“Fine.” I huffed. “I like to read ... and travel when I can. I don’t have a lot of free time, so I haven’t been able to travel much over the past few years.”
Yet again, he had gotten me to share another small piece of myself that I had no business sharing. I would like to say that was the last time I’d shared personal information with him, but it wasn’t—far from it. I couldn’t explain it. There was just something about the handsome inmate that I couldn’t seem to resist, but I never once neglected that I had a job to do.
No matter how hard he pushed or how much he flirted, I knew why I was there and did everything I could to make certain that Dalton had a handle on his anger. It wasn’t exactly a difficult task. He was a well-rounded man who showed no indication that he had any real issue controlling his emotions—which was why I wrote a letter to the Parole Board giving my recommendation for his release.
While it felt great to help a man who truly deserved it, I didn’t like the thought of never seeing him again. I’d almost suggested that he come by my office for further therapy, but we both knew he didn’t need it. Like it or not, I had to let him go. I thought when he was released, I’d never see him again, but I was wrong.
I was home vegging out in front of the TV when I heard someone knocking at my door. I quickly wiped the popcorn crumbs from my chin, then stood and rushed over to the kitchen. When I finally opened the door, I was surprised to find a man standing on my front steps, and not just any man.
It was Dalton-freaking-Hughes.
I couldn’t believe my eyes.
He was no longer wearing that stupid orange jumpsuit. Instead, he wore a black leather jacket with tattered jeans and biker boots, and he looked smoking hot. On the other hand, I was still in my pajamas and looked like I’d just rolled out of bed. A playful smile swept across his face as his eyes drifted over me. “Hey there, Doc.”
“Dalton!” I gasped. “What are you doing here?”
“Came to see you.”
“But you can’t.”
“Apparently, I can.”
“But how did you know where I live?”
“I have my ways.” He winked at me. “You should know that better than anyone.”
THREE
JAGGER
It’s the people who get us through the darkest times that end up meaning the most. That was certainly the case with Sophie. I didn’t take it easy on her, giving her a rough time at every turn, but she never lost faith in me. She kept coming back time after time.
Not because she had to—because she wanted to. Sophie could see the good in me right through my rough exterior when I couldn’t see it myself. She believed I was worth fighting for, and that meant something to me. It was one of the many reasons I showed up at her doorstep. Sophie looked completely stunned when she opened the door.
I’d come prepared for her to throw a hissy-fit when I told her I’d come to take her for a ride and that’s exactly what she did. She gave me ten shades of hell about showing up at her place. “What are you doing here?”