Captivated by Love (Grangers Book 1) Page 3

Sheppard had met Eve a few times when she'd accompanied Jace to see him. He'd tried to keep an open mind where the young woman was concerned. She had also come from a well-to-do family and had seemed pretty taken with Jace. But Sheppard knew his father was privy to information Jace hadn't shared with him.

  Richard was already preparing for the worst and had taken steps to make sure that if and when Jace’s marriage ended, Eve wouldn’t leave with any more than she’d brought with her. Specifically, Richard Granger was making sure Eve didn’t get her hands on any portion of Jace’s trust fund.

  Sheppard regretted the time he’d lost with his sons. It was time that could never be recaptured. Although he’d left them in his father’s care and knew Richard had done the best he could with three teenagers, Sheppard had felt useless, knowing he couldn’t do anything to help Jace, Caden or Dalton had they needed him.

  However, the more he worked with the young men he mentored, the more he began to believe there was a reason he was here instead of sitting behind that huge desk at Granger Aeronautics. He wanted to believe that the man upstairs knew that he was needed for other young men who’d lost their way. Young men whose lives he could touch in a positive way. And he was probably about to find out about another one in a few minutes.

  “You can go right on in,” Ambrose said, cutting into his reverie when they reached Warden Smallwood office. “They are expecting you.”

  “They?” he asked. That was different. He looked at Ambrose in question. The man had worked at Delvers for twelve years, had started when it was a spanking new facility and Sheppard doubted very little happened that the man didn’t know about.

  “Yes. I figure he wants to introduce you Carson Boyett. Boyett’s the attorney who’s working closely with a few of the inmates to reopen their cases for recommendations for new trials and for consideration with the parole board for early releases.”

  “Oh, I see.” He nodded. It made sense, then, for the warden to want him to meet the man. Chances were they would be working close together. He knew a number of the young men here had sentences that in his book were too severe for what they’d done.

  Although Ambrose told him to just go on in, the professional in Sheppard, who’d once been the CEO of a multi-million dollar company, knocked anyway to let his presence be known.

  “Come in Sheppard, we’ve been expecting you.”

  Sheppard walked in. His gaze first went to Warden Smallwood before switching to the woman sitting in the chair by his desk. She stood for a minute, and his mind went blank, almost totally missing what Smallwood was saying. But he came to his senses in time to hear the warden say, “Sheppard, I want you to meet Attorney Carson Boyett.”

  Carson Boyett was a woman. And a beautiful woman, at that. He knew it wasn’t because his eyes were playing tricks on him, or the fact that being locked up behind bars didn’t afford him the opportunity to mingle with women, except, of course, for those working within the walls of the prison. But as his sons would probably say, this woman was hot. And more than likely pretty damn young, which meant he had no business checking her out the way he was doing. But there was something going on between them that he hadn’t counted on. Something he hadn’t felt in ten years. Sexual chemistry and intense attraction. He could feel the vibes between them. And the attraction seemed to be mutual.

  Carson Boyett was professionally dressed in a two-piece navy business suit and matching pumps. Her dark-brown hair was pinned up on her head in a neat and tidy looking knot. She possessed soft-looking mocha colored skin, a sensual pair of copper brown eyes, a cute pixie nose and a pair of full lips that curved in a smile.

  She had to look up at him, so he figured her height was somewhere around five-feet-ten, compared to his six-three stature. Her body was curvaceous, which was evident in the pencil skirt she was wearing and her full breasts were outlined beneath her blouse and jacket.

  Sheppard offered his hand while holding her gaze intently. “Nice meeting you, Attorney Boyett.”

  #

  Carson had felt the full impact of Sheppard Granger’s presence the moment he’d entered the room. A surge of total awareness had trickled through her body. She put his age at somewhere in his mid-forties. He was tall, probably a good six-foot-two or three inches, with dark brown eyes and black hair cut low on his head. She thought he had a masculine physique that could rival that of a much younger man, hands down.

  The man had stimulated her senses before uttering a single word. She’d heard about him. Both Warden Grady at Glenworth and Warden Smallwood had sung his praises for being a superb role model and leader.

  That was all well and good, but why was he having such an impact on her? Why did the husky timbre of his voice seem to thicken the air between them? She was so aware of him as a man. His nearness. His scent. The heat of the hand holding hers. There was no way she could ignore the male power and strength radiating off him, but not in a threatening sort of way.

  Standing up close before him, she noticed that his coloring was so smooth, it reminded her of the hot cocoa she’d had that morning. His high cheekbones, full lips, hawkish nose and chiseled jaw presented a stunningly handsome package. There was a brush of salt and pepper hair at his temples giving him an overall sexy and debonair look. He was wearing the typical inmate orange, but it didn’t detract from his looks in any way.

  She heard he’d been a CEO of a multi-million dollar company and it was obvious he was used to leading, not being led. Being in charge, being in control. Regardless of his clothes, this was a man who would stand out, and draw attention in a positive way. He was doing just that with his work with inmates. Even the governor hailed him as a strategic genius, which was why he was here at Delvers, implementing model programs to help inmates achieve their full potential. He was a man who could easily adapt to any given situation, and make the best of what he was dealt, while reaching out to others and making the best for them as well.

  There was something about those dark eyes staring at her, causing her to feel a flutter in the pit of her stomach. And if that wasn’t bad enough, she couldn’t ignore the heat radiating between them. After her disastrous marriage to Pence Denmark, the last thing she’d allowed herself to be was affected by a man. But she was definitely attracted to Sheppard Granger. Although she hadn’t lowered her guard, he’d managed to slip through a crack she hadn’t realized was there.

  And why did her hand feel so good in his? Besides the heat exuding from him, she felt something else. Something she preferred not putting a name to at the moment. “It’s nice meeting you as well, Mr. Granger,” she said, finally finding her voice. “I’ve heard a lot of wonderful things about you, from a number of people, including both Warden Grady and Warden Smallwood. And especially Craig Long. He’s forever singing your praises.” Craig Long was an eighteen-year-old that Sheppard mentored. More than likely, he was aware that Craig’s parents had hired her to push for a new trial.

  Sheppard Granger finally released her hand and the smile that touched his lips had her stomach churning. “Craig’s a good kid. He doesn’t belong in here.”

  She nodded. “I agree and I’m working hard to get his conviction overturned. It’s obvious he confessed under duress.”

  At that moment, Warden Smallwood cleared his throat as if to remind them of his presence. “Sheppard, Attorney Boyett is working on the Long case as well as that of several others you’re mentoring. I’d like for you to meet with her over the next few weeks to go over the list I gave you.”

  “Sure thing, Warden Smallwood,” Sheppard said smiling.

  “And I would also love to have her sit in with us when we draw up our plans,” the warden said, nodding in her direction. “In addition to representing several of the young men in here, she also volunteers her time teaching some of our classes. Chances are, you’ll be seeing a lot of her around here.”

  Sheppard glanced back at her and immediately she felt desire claw at her under the scrutiny of his intense dark brown eyes. “I’m looking forward to
meeting with you, Attorney Boyett.”

  A smile touched her lips. “Likewise, Mr. Granger.”

  2

  Carson walked into her friend Roddran Malloy’s hospital room. Roddran smiled the moment she saw her and asked excitedly, “Did you see her!”

  Carson couldn’t help but return her best friend’s smile. “Yes, Rod, she’s beautiful; a combination of both you and Myles.”

  Roddran’s blue eyes sparked and her smile widened even more. “Please tell that to Myles when you see him. He’s already claiming total ownership in the looks department. He says she looks nothing like me.”

  “I will make it my business to do that.”

  Carson had met Roddran when she first moved to Charlottesville years ago. They had arrived in town about the same time, both due to job offers. Carson had gone to work for the State Attorney’s office, while Roddran had accepted a job with the Public Defender’s office. More than once, they’d faced off in the court room, yet had somehow become good friends. Roddran’s husband, Myles, was also an attorney and worked for a law firm in town. Carson had been at Roddran’s wedding after Myles had finally convinced her that marrying him was the best thing that could ever happen to her. Carson had agreed and told Roddran so. That had been close to five years ago.

  “I can’t wait to leave here and take my baby home,” Roddran said, interrupting Carson’s thoughts.

  “Hey, you had a C-section, so take it easy. You’ll leave soon enough. Don’t rush things.”

  “I know. I know. I’m just so dang happy.”

  Carson could tell and she refused to let the regrets she’d had dampen her happiness for her friend. But still, she couldn’t push to the back of her mind the thought that had her baby lived, he or she would be celebrating their fourteenth birthday.

  “Carson?”

  She glanced over at Roddran. “Yes?”

  “You’re thinking about your own baby, aren’t you?”

  There was no way she could lie to Roddran. “Yes. Had my baby lived, he or she would be a teenager. Imagine that.”

  “You married young. At twenty.”

  Yes, she had married young, mainly because she hadn’t wanted to be alone after her aunt died. She had lost both her parents at fifteen when a man had robbed the bookstore they owned and decided not to leave any witnesses behind. She had been at school at the time and would never forget the day she’d been called to the principal’s office and told the news of her parents’ death by her mom’s sister, her aunt Michelle. Her aunt had become her guardian and then died of breast cancer less than five years later. She had met Pence a week after her aunt’s funeral at a coffee shop.

  “Yes, I married young and was pregnant at twenty-three. I thought my life was perfect but Pence showed me just how wrong I was.”

  “But at least you made changes afterward.”

  “Yes, I did.” After her divorce from Pence, she had been determined to make it on her own. And with the help of the scholarships she’d received, she had gone to college and law school, graduating at the top of her law class.

  “Let’s not talk about my ex,” she said, smiling over at Roddran.

  “Okay, how are things going at work?”

  “Great. I think I will be able to get Craig Long’s conviction overturned. Judge Witherspoon is reviewing the case now.” Then Carson proceeded to update her friend on all the other cases she was working on. She had left the State Attorney’s office four years ago and opened her own law practice. Things had been hard in the beginning. She’d lived in the red that first year but now she was seeing a healthy profit. That allowed her to do the pro bono work at the prison that she enjoyed so much.

  Her thoughts turned to Sheppard Granger. The man definitely had a lasting effect on her. Since meeting him last week, he’d been on her mind. Too much. There was no doubt that she’d been deeply attracted to him. How crazy was that? She was attracted to a convict.

  “You okay? You’re sitting over there with a funny look on her face.”

  She glanced over at Roddran. “Yes, I’m fine. I was just thinking about a guy I met last week.”

  “A handsome guy?”

  “Yes, definitely.”

  “Well, did he ask you out?”

  Carson chuckled. No need to tell Roddran there was no way he could do that because he was in jail. “No, it was a business meeting. But I could tell he was interested, too.” Not that it mattered, since nothing could ever come of the attraction. She hoped it settled down before they saw each other again. They were scheduled to meet again in a couple of weeks. She felt a stirring in her stomach just thinking about it.

  “Will you see him again?”

  She glanced over at Roddran. “Yes, we have another business meeting set up.”

  “Good. “I’m counting on you to make your move on him then.”

  She started to tell Roddran that it wouldn’t be that kind of meeting, but decided not to. At least, not today. One day, she would tell her best friend about her fantasies and the man starring in them. She would also tell Roddran why they were just that. Fantasies.

  “When have you known me to make a move on any man, Roddran?”

  A huge smile touched her best friend’s lips. “But there is a first time for everything. I’m not giving up on you Carson.”

  Yes, there was a first time for everything. But Carson doubted she would ever make such a move, especially on Sheppard Granger.

  #

  “Ready for your meeting with Attorney Boyett?”

  Sheppard glanced up from his book. Reading was his favorite pastime and whenever he could, he would go to the library and use the computer, determined to keep up with what was going on in the world. He might not be out there in it, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to be kept informed. His father had arranged for Sheppard’s favorite news and business magazines to be delivered to him at the prison and he appreciated that.

  He was very much aware the country was in a war, and knew who were the Super Bowl and NBA Champs.. He kept up with all the political news, arts and entertainment, business and technology. He’d always been an avid reader and refused to let that go now.

  Sheppard had doubled the number of articles he’d read over the past three weeks, mainly to keep one particular person from intruding into his thoughts. The very person he was to meet with today. “Yes, I’m ready.” The moment he said the words, he knew they were not true. He doubted he was ready to see Attorney Carson Boyett again…even after three weeks.

  Sheppard began walking beside Ambrose to the media room where the meeting would take place. He hated leaving the library, which was one of the few areas with windows. The bars were a constant reminder of where he was.

  He’d gotten emails today from some of the guys he’d mentored while at Glenworth. Most had served their time and had gotten released right before he’d left. He always enjoyed hearing from Lamar “Striker” Jennings, Quasar Patterson and Stonewall Courson, not to mention the others: Andrew Logan, Ryker Valentine, Locke Dangerfield, Shogun Duke and Macayle Wasilla. They were men who’d served their time and were now making something of their lives.

  “How are things going with that Fontane kid?” Ambrose asked him.

  Sheppard drew in a deep, troubling breath. He’d been at Delvers for only two weeks when Matthew Fontane had arrived, furious, full of anger and mad at the world. At eighteen, Fontane had been caught in a carjacking ring. The driver had suddenly had a heart attack and would have died if Fontane hadn’t stayed behind to give the man CPR. For that, he’d received a lighter sentence than the others. However, Fontane felt he should have been able to walk free. The warden had assigned him to Shep’s team, and they had butted heads from day one. They were still butting heads.

  “Rather slowly, Ambrose. But I’ve dealt with worse,” he said, thinking mainly about some of the other kids he’d mentored while at Glenworth. Fontane only had five years. That was nothing, compared to some of the guys he’d seen at Glenworth. Some of them were
looking at a forty-year or more stretch. Sheppard had twenty more to go himself.

  “But you won’t give up on him?”

  Sheppard glanced over at Ambrose. “I can’t. Deep down, Fontane’s a good kid. Otherwise he wouldn’t have risked getting arrested just to stay back and keep that man alive. Once I get him to realize that, regardless of his good deed, a crime was committed, he’ll be alright.”

  “I hope so. He’s been nothing but trouble since he arrived here.”

  Sheppard knew all about the trouble Fontane was causing. The young man seemed to thrive on getting into fights and spewing profanity at the prison guards. Getting through to Fontane wouldn’t be easy, but he was determined to turn the kid around.

  The moment he and Ambrose rounded the corner to where the media room was located, Sheppard could smell Attorney Boyett. It was the same perfume she’d been wearing that day. A scent that could boggle a man’s mind, although it didn’t seem to bother Ambrose. “Can you smell perfume?”

  Ambrose lifted a brow. “No. What I smell is all that tar they’re using to repair the roof.”

  Sheppard said nothing as they continued walking. The scent of tar was not what was getting absorbed into his nostrils. Evidently, Attorney Boyett’s scent was meant just for him. He shook his head, wondering why he would think such a thing.

  If he were truthful with himself, he would have to admit he’d been thinking of a lot of weird things when it came to Carson Boyett. He went to sleep thinking about her each night, remembering her smile, the way she would look at him when she wasn’t aware that he knew she was doing so.

  Their first meeting hadn’t lasted more than an hour. Yet, it had been long enough for him to conclude that any man would appreciate having her as a lifelong partner. He had checked out her hand and hadn’t seen a ring, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t seriously involved with anyone.

  And why did such a thing matter to him? It wasn’t like he was available. Even though he was not guilty of the crime he’d been accused of, he was still behind bars. A man without freedom. The only positive thing right now was that his father had hired this top-notch investigator by the name of Marshall Imerson to see about clearing his name. The last time Imerson had visited him, he seemed excited about some things he’d uncovered and was digging deeper. Just the thought that his wife’s real killer could be exposed gave Shep hope. He still held on to the possibility that one day, his sentence would get overturned and he would walk out of there a free man.