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  For whatever reason, behind this countertop, I feel safe. I know I shouldn’t, but I do. Still, the things he’s saying unnerve me to the point that I begin to question if it’s too dangerous to have him around—question if I’m wrong about him. Everything he’s thought about, I’ve thought too. But it was different when it was a fantasy that had never been spoken aloud.

  He keeps talking, and it’s as if his smooth voice is touching me all over. The way I long for him to touch me with his hands and body.

  “What would you say if you knew the incident on the courtyard happened because the guy was talking shit about you? Talking about you even worse than Kurt had. Talking about what he wanted to do to you, all the while knowing you were mine to dream about? You still think you’d want to work with me here?”

  My eyes round and my mouth trembles and when I simply continue to stare at him, he grins, but there’s a dark undercurrent in the trace of his smile. “Yeah, I didn’t think so. So thanks, but I don’t need you putting in a good word for me.”

  Then he turns to leave, walks to the door, and pushes one firm hand against it.

  His actions jolt me out of my paralysis. My mind is pounded by thoughts and questions and fears and images of all he wants to do to me. By warnings to let him go. But the thing that stands out most is the knowledge that if he leaves now, I might not ever see him again.

  “Wait,” I yell and rip an application out from under the register. “You forgot your application.” I round the counter, chin tilted high, and hold it out to him.

  His eyes do acrobats, screaming Did you not listen to a word I just said?

  There’s a tense silence between us as I wait for him to grab the application, and after a few heart-splitting seconds, he does.

  “Challenge accepted,” he says with an amused smirk, and then he’s out the door.

  I take a long breath of relief as he rounds the corner. When he’s out of sight, I stumble back to the counter and lean against it for support.

  I’m shaking.

  I can still smell him.

  Still hear his voice as he quoted Dylan Thomas to me.

  What the fuck is wrong with me? I think.

  But then I return to the poetry section. I find another book with the poem.

  My tears are like the quiet drift of petals from some magic rose. And all my grief flows from the rift of unremembered skies and snows…

  It’s only after I’ve bought the book and head home to my daughter that I remember what he said.

  “You say you have great instincts, but you had an abuser for a boyfriend.”

  Had.

  Like he’d known I’d broken up with my abuser of a boyfriend since leaving the prison.

  But how in the world could he have known that?

  Get Hard Time

  Want more Hard Time? Get it here.

  Books by Virna

  His Royal Hotness (A Royally Hot Romance)

  HARD AS NAILS

  Book 1: Hard Time (Street)

  Book 2: Hard Case (Slate)

  Book 3: Hard Core (Axel)

  Book 4: Hard Place (Jericho)

  Book 5: Hard Act (Davis)

  BAD BOY DOCTORS

  Book 1: Bad Boy, MD (Ryan)

  KISS TALENT AGENCY

  Book 1: Lip Action (Simon)

  Book 2: Locking Lips (Caleb)

  Book 3: Lip Service (Hunter)

  THE BEDDING THE BACHELORS SERIES

  Book 1: Bedding The Wrong Brother (Rhys)

  Book 2: Bedding The Bad Boy (Max)

  Book 3: Bedding The Billionaire (Jamie)

  Book 4: Bedding The Best Friend (Ryan)

  Book 5: Bedding The Biker Next Door (Cole)

  Book 6: Bedding The Bodyguard (Luke)

  Book 7: Bedding The Best Man (Gabe)

  Book 8: Bedding The Boss (Eric)

  Book 9: Bedding The Baby Daddy (Dante)

  HOME TO GREEN VALLEY SERIES

  Book 1: What Love Can Do (Quinn)

  Book 2: The Way Love Goes (Conor)

  Book 3: I’m Gonna Love You (Brady)

  Book 4: Best Of My Love (Riley)

  GOING DEEP SERIES

  Book 1: Down Deep (Heath)

  Book 2: Royally Deep (Kyle)

  Book 3: Deep Inside (Alec)

  ROCK CANDY SERIES

  Book 1: Rock Sexy

  Book 2: Rock Strong

  Book 3: Rock Dirty

  Book 4: Rock Sweet

  Book 5: Rock Wild

  Book 6: Rock Free

  PARA-OPS PARANORMAL ROMANTIC SUSPENSE SERIES

  Book 1: Knox: Chosen by Blood

  Book 2: Wraith: Chosen by Fate

  Book 3: Dex: Chosen by Sin

  About the Author

  Virna DePaul is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of steamy, suspenseful fiction. Whether it’s vampires, a Para-Ops team, hot cops or swoon-worthy identical twin brothers, her stories center around complex individuals willing to overcome incredible odds for love. Bedding The Wrong Brother, which begins the Bedding The Bachelors Series, is a #1 Bestselling Contemporary Romance and a USA Today Bestseller.

  Virna loves to hear from readers at www.virnadepaul.com.

  CONTACT VIRNA HERE

  Website: www.virnadepaul.com

  Twitter: @virnadepaul

  Email: [email protected]

  Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/booksthatrock