Page 28 of Jackson

“I did?”

Looking around the trail, I didn’t see any footprints from my boots that told me I’d wandered off the path. We were still on the same trail and walking at the same casual pace we had been.

“Yeah…” Jackson turned to face me fully, his hand coming up to cup my jaw. Using his other hand, he tapped lightly on my forehead. “Up here. You went somewhere.”

My eyes widened.

Oh.

How the hell could he tell that?

I wasn’t saying anything out loud, nor was I distracted in my thoughts for that long. Either he’d been watching me the whole time, or I’d somehow made it obvious my mind had drifted away from our conversation.

“Oh. Sorry.”

“What were you thinking about?”

Being there in the middle of the woods alone with him was doing some fucked up things to me. I wanted to stay like this, with him touching me and keeping me close like I was something precious to him. But at the same time, I was petrified that we were going to get caught.

How would this look to anyone, especially a CO, passing by?

I’d be dragged back to SAC faster than I could blink and probably thrown in the hole until my parole hearing.

Hell, Jackson would definitely lose his job, too, if people thought he was fraternizing with the inmates.

“Nothing,” I said quickly. “Just about what you said this morning.”

His brows pulled together for a moment as he tried to recall our conversation. Whatever he remembered had his expression softening, though, and he reached out, moving his thumb over my cheek like it had this morning.

I wanted to lean into it so bad, nuzzle my face into his hand while he continued to touch me.

“It’s the truth, Ayen. You deserve to find yourself while you’re here, or whatever truth you’re searching for at least.”

My lips parted, though I had nothing to really say to that.

His belief in me to change, or rather, become a different person than the one who was caught and thrown into prison, was touching. Back home, I didn’t have anyone. Not a mom or dad or any siblings who were eagerly waiting for me to get released.

That was what had made me so susceptible to my ex’s attention. I basked in it, reveled in it, even, because it was the first time in my life that I truly felt wanted.

Hearing all of this was addictive.

Could I believe Jackson?

Did I want to?

I’d trusted my ex in much the same way and look where that had gotten me.

But this man was so much different than Alex. He was compassionate and dedicated with his work and with the inmates that were here, and he took the time to check in on me, even without me asking for it.

“I want to trust you,” I whispered.

His lip quirked up into a smile. “You can.”

My breath hitched as he leaned forward, his gaze darting down to focus on my lips.

CHAPTER 11

Jackson

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