Another month has passed, my longing for Ashton was all but forgotten. I had another purpose to life, I had to make sure Oliver's final months were perfect. Ashton had tried to make contact with me, but all I did was pass him his belongings and collect my own. I had no intention of ever getting back with him, I had no trust and the hurt he caused me. I never wanted to be reminded of it.
Oliver and I spent every day together, talking about nothing and talking about everything. I loved it with him, I loved seeing him, I loved it when he made me laugh and I loved his smile. His smile so warm and inviting, the way he would run his hand through his brunette hair; his perfect brunette hair. He had helped me get through the hardest time after mine and Ashton's breakup, I found myself falling asleep at my office desk most nights to be woken up by Henry as he left when his shift had finished. I didn't want to be at home the first two weeks. Only stopped by every day for clothes and a shower. I was buying food from works canteen every day, sandwiches, crisps and a drink, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I just didn't want to go home, there were too many memories there.
Oliver helped me, just spending time with him took my mind off the fresh heartbreak. He wouldn't speak about Ashton; he wouldn't ask me if I felt like going home yet. He would just make sure I was okay and then we would just start talking about everything. He made jokes about the fact I would fall asleep at my office desk, silly remarks at how tired I looked.
As each day went passed I found myself laughing at him a little more, smiling a little more and the pain in my chest less and less every day. After two weeks I managed to go home, Ashton was there and bombarded me with apologies and everything to try and make things better.
But it was too late, I packed his stuff and away he went. Collecting my own from his house was the hardest part, once a place where I felt safe and loved was now plagued with the memory of what I found.
And here we are a month later, I was walking into the office as normal. Excited to see Oliver as usual, It was 7 am. In the time that I had recovering from Ashton, I had brought myself a laptop at home so I wasn't typing everything up when I got to work. I carried his file on a memory stick with me. Jerry was on the desk getting ready to close his shift, I waved at him as I passed.
"Morning" I smiled
Dad had finally come through the doors, he was on the phone and sounded cross. I decided it best not to bother him, I gave him a small wave and headed off into the death row unit and to my office. I almost skipped as I headed the right direction, pulling my keys out as I reached my door.
I opened it up and slung my bag on my chair before heading straight out to the canteen for my morning coffee. Oliver would be called out for breakfast soon and I would meet him in the dining hall if he asked, which he normally does.
I entered the staff canteen to find Henry sat there with Dad, they were sat in silence as I approached them "Morning guys"
Both looked at me and smile "Morning"
They were looking at a document on Dad's laptop, I didn't try and see what it was because I didn't really have any interest. They continued to talk quietly between themselves as I headed for the coffee machine, I put the money in and made my selection and waited for it to finish. I looked over at Dad and Henry, Dad was rubbing his temples and Henry was leant over looking at the screen intently.
"What's that?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me
"Just something the governors sent over" Dad sighed "They think it's time I stepped down from my position"
"What?" the machine beeped and I grabbed the hot cup of coffee and walked over to them, I sat down beside Henry and moved the laptop so I could see the screen.
I read through the email that had been sent, it was true they wanted Dad to step down and take his retirement. They had also suggested that Henry take over his position as chief constable, I whistled loud "Wow" was all I could manage to say.
Henry rubbed his jaw line as he scanned through the email again, he looked at Dad "Well, what do you make of it?"
Dad shrugged and sighed deep "If I don't accept retirement they'll just sack me and promote you... I don't have a choice in the matter"
"So?" I questioned "What does that mean now? I mean what happens now?"
"They've given a deadline" Dad pointed at the bottom of the email "January first... New year, New chief"
I nodded and took a long gulp of my coffee "I'm sure Henry will be the perfect choice to take over your position. I mean you've been working here over fifty years now, Dad"
Dad scoffed "Perfect choice"
Henry shot him a look and I stood up quickly "If you two are going to start at one another again, I'm leaving. I think it's best we all be on our way. Dad you have a job to do, Henry you need to get home and rest"
"Yeah" Henry said coolly, not taking his eyes of Dad as they gave each other an aggressive stare down "You have work to do, Dad"
Dad sniffed and slammed the laptop down, making the pair of us jump. I rubbed my eyes with my thumb and index finger. I was so fed up of the childish arguments between the pair of them. Dad bid us both a good morning before storming out the canteen, the door slamming shut behind him.
I looked at Henry, he was still sat there scowling at the door. I sighed and shook my head "You need to just try and keep a cool head, you're given Dad's job. Prove that you're just as good if not better"
He nodded and stood up "Trust me, when I get my hands on this place it will be run my way"
He patted my shoulder as he too left the canteen, I sighed and sat back down closing my eyes. I sat in silence and finished my coffee before one of the guards came in, he walked over to the coffee machine and looked at me "Mornin' Chloe, Oliver is in the dining hall"
I nodded and put my coffee cup in the bin on the way out, I was already exhausted after trying to diffuse an another potentially explosive argument between Henry and Dad. I walked out and down the corridor to the dining room, When I entered I found Oliver sat at his usual bench. I walked over and sat opposite him, He looked up and smiled at me. Small flutters jittering in the pit of my stomach. This had been going on the past week or so every time I saw him.
"Morning" I smiled back at him
He took the last spoonful of porridge he was eating before setting the bowl aside and leaning on the table top "No coffee for the caffeine addict?"
"I'm not a junkie for coffee you know" I laughed "And I already just finished one"
He laughed "I rest my case"
I shook my head at him as I laughed with him, I reached over and took his hands. This was something that happened frequently now, I enjoyed feeling the warmth of his skin, it reminded me that he was still here, still so full of life. I looked down and sighed deep, it was the first of December now. In two weeks' time it would be the anniversary of my mother's death and it also meant I had little over five months left with him. This cause a pang of sadness to fill me, I never wanted our time to come to an end. I wished I could stop it from coming and we could just continue our cell meetings for the rest of our lives.
"What's going on up there?" Oliver lightly tapped the side of my head "What's got the motors going?"
"It's December" I looked at him
He nodded and squeezed my hand "Your mom?"
"Yeah" I nodded "Not only that, it means we only have another five months. I wish I could stop time, I wish I could just be frozen in a perfect reality where me and you were friends under different circumstances."
I watched as his brow creased in a frown "Everything happens for a reason" he repeated not looking up at me.
The guards came over then and we already knew it was time for Oliver to return to his cell. We walked together in silence and I fobbed us into his cell and closed it behind us, Oliver sat on the bed and patted next to him. I did as he asked and shuffled right next to him, resting my head on his shoulder "This is perfect" I whispered
I heard him chuckle slightly beside me "Sitting in the room with a convicted murderer is your idea of perfect? Damn, Chloe you need a life"
I slapped his shoulder playfully and put my head back on his shoulder "I think, if we were under different circumstances we could be the best of friends"
He shoved me off of him, I was lightly offended until I saw the smile on his face "What you gonna do? Plait my hair and paint my nails?"
I looked at his now unruly hair "Well you could do with a haircut" I looked at the long stubble on his face "And a shave"
He raised an eyebrow and rubbed his hand over his face "I thought the beard was working for you?"
Truthfully, I was finding him more insanely attractive every day. The more I got to know him and everything about him, every day I saw more and more of who he truly is and I was falling deeper and deeper into the trap. I will never admit this, and I knew this feeling needed to disappear just as quick as it became to overcome me.
"Well" I winked at him "Under different circumstances it would've" I laughed, trying to work out why I felt that was necessary.
He grabbed his chest dramatically "Now she admits she's wildly attracted to me"
I felt my eyes widen "What?!- No-I-That's not what I- "
My pitiful attempt at a sentence was cut off by something even more shocking then the fact that I was madly crushing on my convict, his lips had met mine. So warm, so soft... I felt myself melt into the kiss, my hands found the nape of his neck and tangled in the bottom of his hair. I felt him try and pull away but I just tightened my grip in his hair and pulled him back, kissing him back with such a hunger I surprised even myself.
We pulled away from one another, both of us seemingly shocked at what had just happened. Only a month ago my heart was breaking at the breakdown of my long term relationship, and here I am kissing the man I'm supposed to be helping. I looked at Oliver, a cocky smile firmly in place on his even more so gorgeous face.
"My, my, my" Oliver ran his thumb over my bottom lip "How the tables have turned"
"Oliver" I pushed his hand away from my face "I could lose my job over this... Not to mention just how complicated that just made things"
He laughed "You can't lose it if no one knows" He came close to me again, his eyes lingering on my lips "And what's complicated? Two people very clearly extremely attracted to the other"
I furrowed my brow "Not to mention I am your psychologist and you're an inmate... On death row"
He sat back as I said that and looked away from me as he sighed. He was quiet for a while as he processed what I had just said to him, I watched as a smile slowly formed on his face, he looked at me "Exactly" He said dangerously quiet
I was confused, he leant forward and pushed my back up against the wall. His hand on my chest, no doubt he could feel my heart hammering against his hand. He had felt this before, but last time it was due to fear, this time it was the pure attraction speaking, the electric spark I felt when he touched me, the butterflies that came alive in my stomach at his smile.
He smiled, looking at his hand on my chest, confirming what I had thought. He leant forward and put his nose against my neck, his breath felt hot as he spoke "You're supposed to help me these last few months"
He kissed the side of my neck, I felt my body tremble out of enjoyment at his touch. He spoke again "And I can feel just how you feel about me"
"Oliver" I whispered, powerless against him. My body completely betraying me and bringing my hands to the back of his head, my fingers once again tangling in his hair.
He laughed and pulled away, I found myself wanting more. I willed my body to comply with me and just let him pull back. Thankfully it did. I looked him in the eye, his piercing green eyes looked straight through my hazel ones, almost as though he really was seeing my soul "And I think I know exactly how you can help me"
My breath caught in my chest as he said this, I was hopelessly powerless against him. He continued to stare at me, the only sound I could hear was my heart hammering wildly against my chest. I couldn't focus on anything, I couldn't process anything, I had succumbed to the wicked glint in his eye, the mischievous smile as he watched the effect he had on me.
He laughed, low and deep as his hand slipped down to my knee, slowly running it up to the top of my thigh. His hand slipped under my top and I felt his hands touch the bare skin of my side. I gasped and watched as his grin grew wider as he brought his hand up to my ribs, his fingers traced small circles on my skin, it felt as though my skin was on fire as he touched me. I had only felt like this once before, the first time Ashton kissed me, how I felt every time Ashton touched me.
I knew then, I knew that my crush on the convict was set deep and it was going to be impossible to stop it. I grabbed Oliver's wrist, he looked at me as I did so. I pulled his hand out from under my top and smiled at him "This is so wrong"
"Then how can it feel so right?" He whispered, his nose touching mine.
I groaned and rolled out from under him "I don't know"