I let out a sigh when I sit down at the metal bench and table. She shouldn’t be here. I glance around the room at all the prisoners waiting to see their loved ones and I clench my fists. She shouldn’t have to be among these men, and I know they’ll see her and be thinking about her later. Just like I will.
I drop my head into my hands and I don’t know if I can do this. Maybe I should just tell the guard I don’t want to see her and go back to my cell. I’m so goddamn selfish that I agreed to let her do this, but I’m having regrets. I can’t let this touch her.
“Rocco?”
The soft sound of my name has me jerking my head up and the sight that greets me is enough to knock the wind out of me. I can’t speak as I slowly rise from the seat and tower over her small frame. I’d forgotten how small she is compared to me, but I didn’t forget how beautiful she is. Her dark blue eyes are more powerful than the picture, because not only do they look into my soul but they see through every part of me. I’m raw in front of her and there’s no place for me to hide.
“Lizzy,” I say, and it’s like I haven’t used my voice in a decade. I can’t even remember the last time I spoke. Maybe I’ve been saving it this whole time for her.
Before I know what’s happening her arms are around my waist. I close my eyes as my arms wrap around her back and I press my nose to the top of her head. She smells like summer and lemons and she’s so clean and pure. The feel of her soft body against my big one is so drastic but perfect at the same time. I don’t ever want to let her go, but I hear the guard’s footsteps getting close.
Reluctantly I release her and we each take a side of the table. My arms are useless without her and I’m suddenly angry that she’s here. Doesn’t she know how much this is going to make me suffer? Before I didn’t know what it was like to touch her and now that I do, I’ll never be satisfied until I can do it all the time.
“Are you mad at me?” she asks as she looks up at me with big watery eyes.
“No,” I say, clenching my jaw. I can’t do anything right. I take a deep breath and shake my head as I look out the window and then back to her. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“I knew you were going to say that.”
Her hair is down and in soft waves and I long to sink my hands in it. I want to get her in the shower and wash it for her and then brush it when we go to bed. I have to close my eyes so that I don’t rip the table from the floor just to get closer to her.
“You’re so clean,” I say as I stare down at my hands on the table.
She laughs and I jerk my head up. “I took a shower.” She shrugs like I’m making a joke.
“I don’t want to get this place on you. You deserve better.”
“You deserve better too,” she says, and this time I meet her eyes. “It’s my fault you’re here.”
“Lizzy,” I say again, and I want to whisper her name into her ear while I’m top of her. “I’m here because I didn’t get a fair trial. I pleaded guilty because I knew they are all dirty and it would only drag everything out. They might even have put you on the stand. I didn’t want that. But I don’t regret for a single moment doing what I did. If I’m stuck in here for life, then it was worth it to protect you.”
Her cheeks redden as she tucks her chin and looks down at her lap.
“I just meant that there’s something about this place that you get on you and you can’t wash it off. I don’t want that to follow you around.” I finally let my eyes travel below her neck and to her body. “You are so fucking beautiful.”
She looks at her outfit as if seeing it for the first time before she looks up at me. “Thank you.”
“Did you wear that for me?”
She nods and bites her lip and I know we’re both thinking the same thing.
“And underneath?”
She nods again and I lick my lips. I bet her pussy is wet right now and it’s touching pale pink lace. Would it be damp when I touched my lips to it? Would she smell like sunshine there, too?
“It’s all for you.” Her gaze meets mine and I have to force myself to breathe.
“Why?” I ask the question I can’t stop from spilling out.
“Why would I do this for you?” Her eyebrows pull together in confusion.
“Why would you write letters to a man in prison that almost killed someone? Why would you call Congress and Supreme Court judges daily to get him out? Why would you come in here dressed like an angel with a pussy so sweet and juicy I can smell it from here? Why would you look at me like you want me to crawl over this table and fuck you on the floor?”
Her lips part as she gasps and for a second I think I’ve done it. I’ve scared her so completely that she’ll run out of here screaming and never look back. But to my utter shock she leans forward and looks directly into my eyes.
“Because I want you out of here so you can do those things to me.”
A warm pulse of desire slides down my back and all the way to my cock. It’s thick and pulsing with need and when she leans back and sits up straight I have to sit there like she hasn’t just rocked my whole fucking world. I can hardly breathe as her words sink in and I nod.
“You better be careful what you ask for.”
“I think I can decide for myself what I can handle.”
As crazy as it sounds I haven’t been really thinking about getting out. I was planning on doing my time and figuring out life after I was paroled. There are things waiting on me outside these walls, but what did I really have to live for before her? Now I’m sitting here staring at everything I’ve ever wanted and I’m ready to do what it takes to get out of this place.
“I’ve been contacted by my lawyer telling me we’ve got a case,” I say, and her eyes widen in surprise. “I don’t know how you’ve done it, but they’re reviewing all the notes from the trial and I’m waiting to hear what happens next.”
“Does this mean you could get out sooner?” There’s too much hope in her voice and I don’t want to break it.
“I don’t know.” I answer honestly because it could go either way. If they find fault in the documents, then I could get a mistrial and go free really fucking soon. But if they don’t it’s at least another year before I’m up for parole. There wasn’t the urgency before that there is now, and I’ve got her to thank for that.
“I’ll keep calling, I’ll keep emailing. Whatever it takes to get you free.”
“You’ve already done the hard part. That was getting someone to listen.” She looks shy when I praise her and part of me loves it.
“I can be persistent.”
“I’ve noticed,” I say, and I feel myself smiling for the first time in a long time.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she says, and she sounds breathy as she stares at my mouth.
“Like what?”
“With that smile. It’s going to make it impossible for me to leave you here.” She glances around and already we’re closing in on our time.
“I need to tell you something but I don’t want to hurt you,” I say, and her eyes come back to mine.