Free First Degree Innocence by Ginger Simpson

She blew out a long, exasperated breath, wishing she was anywhere else.
“Hey, you.”
Her gaze snapped around at the familiar voice. Those same haunting eyes stared through the fence at her.
“Hi…hello… ah…” Her cheeks warmed at her inability to respond to a simple greeting, while her heart pounded out a new rhythm.
    “I wondered if you’d be here.” The timbre of his voice shivered through her. “I’ve checked a few times before, but you didn’t come back. I didn’t get your name when we last spoke.”
    “Carrie. My name is Carrie Lang.” She grimaced. Her answer sounded like a response to roll call.
    “Nice to meet you, Carrie Lang. I’m Seth Martin. You didn’t get into trouble last time, did you? For being late, I mean?” He hunkered down, leaning forward on one knee.
    Despite wearing a uniform reminiscent of her unpleasant encounters, his smile seemed genuine. She allowed herself to relax. “No. Thanks to you, I got back just in time. What made you want to save me?”
    “I wondered the same thing afterwards. You just looked like a lost little girl that needed some help.”
    That was it? She reminded him of a child who’d lost its mother? Her body stiffened. “Well thank you very much, but in the future, you can save your pity for someone else.” She turned, deciding which way to flee.
    “Wait. I didn’t mean to insult you. I was just trying to say it was uncharacteristic of me to even speak to a female inmate. I can get into just as much trouble as you for fraternization.”
    “Is that what this is?” She faced him, unable to get past his previous demeaning remark.
    He rolled his eyes. “Oh, now I’ve made you mad or hurt your feelings. I didn’t mean to. Would I have stolen back out here to see you again if…”
    “If what?”
    One lid over an azure eye dropped into a lingering wink. “If I didn’t like you.” He swiped at his forehead, pushing back a lock of dark hair. “Oh, brother, that sounds stupid. I don’t even know you.”
    “It didn’t sound stupid. I think I understand exactly how you feel. I’ve been thinking…” She heard voices from somewhere.
    “I probably need to have my head examined for being here.” He lowered his voice and glanced nervously over his shoulder. “I can’t stay. I have to get back to my duties, but I’ll try to see you again. I’m off tomorrow, but maybe the day after.”
    “I’ll be here.” Carrie swallowed her excitement and tried to sound casual.
    He walked away, leaving her to admire how his navy blue pants clung to a shapely backside. His well-muscled legs crossed the men’s rec yard in long strides. He turned for a brief moment and waved before going inside.
    Her heart fluttered and she finally exhaled. What had come over her? She’d never lusted after a man before.
    “Carrie, what’re you doing over there?” Susanna’s voice sounded from behind and made Carrie’s heart leap into her throat.
    She swallowed hard and patted her pounding heart, then turned. “Just getting a breath of fresh air and enjoying the scenery.” If only her cellmate knew how much she had enjoyed the view she’d just seen.
    “Wanna come in and play a few hands of bridge?”
    “Sure.” A smile spread across Carrie’s face that had nothing to do with cards. “If I didn’t like you,” she repeated beneath her breath, as she crossed the compound. Hope blossomed inside her.
    Once inside, her thoughts filled with the day after tomorrow as she shivered under a blast of air conditioning against her heated skin. She imagined Seth’s arms holding her until she warmed, knowing it was nothing more than a ridiculous dream. At least no one could confiscate it from her.
She pulled out a chair across from Susanna and sat. Taking the cards already dealt, she fanned them out in her hand.
Susanna eyed her with a questioning tilt to her head. “What happened to you? You have a certain glow going on.”
Carrie concentrated on her cards. “Just the sun, I