Carol Lynne

The minute Bel walked into her small, one-bedroom apartment, she kicked off her shoes. “God, I hate those,” she said aloud as she threw them onto her bedroom floor.

She undressed and put her uniform into the dirty clothes hamper. Turning on the shower, she unbraided her hair and climbed into the warming spray. As she washed her hair, Bel thought about the sixteen-hour shift she’d just finished. Overtime was good for her bank account, but lousy for her mood. Tonight all she wanted was a glass of wine and a full ten hours of sleep.

After drying off and wrapping her hair, Bel donned the red satin robe Holly had given her for Christmas the previous year.

Minutes later, she stood in her small kitchen, poured a glass of wine and made her way to her one indulgence. Her brown suede couch took up half of her tiny living room, but it was well worth it.

Holly was forever nagging Bel to find a bigger apartment now that she was making good money, but Bel saw no need for it. It wasn’t like she had a lot of guests. Although she’d dated occasionally throughout the four years she’d been in Colorado Springs, she had no use for a full-time boyfriend. Bel had learned the hard way to keep her heart to herself.

She picked up the television remote just as the security buzzer sounded. That had been her only requirement in a place to live. She rose from the couch and walked to the intercom. “Hello.”

“Bel, it’s Brody. Can I come up?”

Bel braced both hands on the wall. She closed her eyes, suddenly feeling dizzy. Why in the hell was Brody here? She didn’t even know how he’d found where she lived unless… “Is there something wrong with Joe?”

“No. Dad’s fine. I need to speak with you about something else. It’s important.”

Bel blew out a breath. “Let me talk to the security guard.” She told the night guard it was okay to send Brody up to her third-floor apartment, then pulled the towel off and ran her fingers through the drying mass of curls.

It wasn’t until the knock at her door that she realized she wore only a short satin robe. “Shit.”

She wrapped the slick material around her body and retied the sash, then opened the door to the only man she’d ever loved. Damn, he still looked good. Bel stepped back and allowed him into the living room.

“It’s good to see you again, Bel.”

Brody looked around the small living room. He gestured toward the couch. “Mind if I sit?”

Taking another deep breath, Bel affixed a bright smile onto her face. “Please do.”

She followed Brody over to the sofa and sat on the opposite end. “What can I do for you?” Bel asked.

Brody rubbed his jaw. Bel couldn’t help but to be mesmerized by the move. She’d always been a sucker for heavily veined hands and arms. His long perfectly shaped fingers had played a big part in her fantasies for years.

“I, um…I have some bad news. Gerald is being released from prison in three days. They called Joe’s house to inform you. I told Dad I’d come up and tell you in person.”

Bel jumped up from the sofa. “What do you mean he’ll be out in three days? He was sentenced to fifteen years. It’s only been nine and a half since he was convicted.”

Brody stood and took Bel’s hands. “Believe it or not, it seems Gerald’s been a model prisoner. He’s getting out early for good behavior. They said they notified you that there would be a hearing, but you didn’t show up.”

Her throat seized and Bel could say nothing more.