But with each day that tried us, the simple pleasure of holding each other’s naked body at night, healed us, whether or not we made love.
And slowly we made friends, as a couple, meeting people who didn’t care about the man Dane had been, only the magnificent person they saw before them. And he was magnificent. He stood taller and moved with pride and humility, and his endless kindness was matched only by his endless thirst for learning. Oh, the teacher in me rejoiced at that.
But he taught me so much, too. And I thank the Lord for the day that took me into Nottoway Correctional Facility, a bleak and sunless place. A hopeless, heartless place, where I found the love of my life.
We saw Becky in the street. We’d just come from visiting Hudson at Beacon House and had spent an afternoon making plans for his future.
Becky glanced, then glanced again, her eyes widening with shock and surprise. Her gaze dropped to our linked hands, and I think I saw a small smile before she looked away. Although I may have imagined it.
Dane followed her with his eyes then turned to me, his fingers tightening on my hand, reassuring and certain.
And the warmth of his smile was worth every struggle we’d face, every setback, every sadness. Because we’d face them together. Student and teacher. Man and woman. Lover and loved.
Together.
THE END
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JANE HARVEY-BERRICK—that’s me!—is the author of Amazon bestseller DANGEROUS TO KNOW & LOVE, as well as stories of carnival life in THE TRAVELING SERIES.
But if you enjoyed this story, and I hope you did, then you might like to look at LIFERS, the story and suffering of Jordan Kane as he struggles with life on release from prison.
I also writes about soldiers, surfers and ordinary people in smart, thoughtful, emotional contemporary romances.
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An epic love story spanning the years, through war zones and more . . .
The Education of Sebastian (Education series #1)
The Education of Caroline (Education series #2)
The Education of Sebastian & Caroline (combined edition, books 1 & 2)
Semper Fi: The Education of Caroline (Education series #3)
All the fun of the fair . . . and two worlds collide
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The Traveling Woman (Traveling series #2)
Roustabout (Traveling series #3)
Carnival (Traveling series #4) coming soon
The Traveling Series (Boxed Set 1–3)
Blood, sweat, tears and dance
Slave to the Rhythm (Rhythm series #1)
Luka (Rhythm series #2)
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To Kirsten Olsen, editor, friend, guide, confidant, sharer of dreams.
To Trina Miciotta for her editing, friendship and support.
To Neda Amini for those clever fingers on the pulse.
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Thank you Stalking Angels. You know how much you mean to me and you never let me down. All the support, all the messages, being my eyes and ears out in the big wide book world while I hide in my writer’s cave.
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Behind The Wall: A Novella Page 9