over her back and neck and into her damp hair. His lips, soft in contrast to the bristle of his two-day growth, brushed her mouth, tongues exploring inside, dancing around each other. She stretched her hands across his tightly muscled back, clutching and stroking and kneading. He lifted her face, and they kissed.
It had been so long since she’d kissed anyone, since she’d wanted to kiss anyone. His erection pressed against her thigh. So many emotions fluttered through her—excitement, joy, and fear. Her body tensed and she pulled back. Luke didn’t let go, but his hold relaxed.
He spoke into her ear. “No matter how much I want you right this minute, and I do, I won’t rush you.”
“It’s just that—”
“I’m not watching your lips, so no need to explain. I’m a patient man where you’re concerned. I can wait.”
She didn’t explain, because her body wanting to make love conflicted with the thoughts racing through her mind cautioning against it. Two different entities, each with separate needs, and she needed to be careful how she nourished each one.
Chapter Nine
The Blind Leading the Deaf
W hen Abby told Luke about her date at the track, he reacted like most people when they pictured a blind runner—with a mixture of skepticism and awe.
“I thought you had a runner’s body, but…”
“I know. The image of a person running blind is hard for most people to comprehend. I decided if I was going to be blind for the rest of my life, I’d be the best blind person I could be. I learned Braille—hard to master in midlife; it took me two years, and I’d always been a runner, so why not? There are quite a few of us, especially the kids. They have no fear. There’s a whole world out there, Luke. Just because we can’t see it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t participate.”
“Well, I want to see this.”
Abby changed into shorts and running shoes. The sun warmed her shoulders, but it wasn’t hot. Perfect temperature for running. She’d called Jackie to tell her she had a ride to the track, and when they arrived, she was waiting. Abby introduced her to Luke, and he took a seat in the bleachers.
Each woman wrapped the ends of a long shoelace around their hands, leaving enough slack to run independently but close enough to synchronize their pace. Abby trusted Jackie completely.
She remembered the first time they ran together and the fear that accompanied every step. What if she lost her balance? She did too—the second time out, twisting her ankle and taking Jackie down with her. It took all her nerve to get back up and try again, but with Jackie’s encouragement, she persisted.
Abby stretched out in long, even strides, maintaining her lane. Jackie had convinced her that no one watching would know she was blind from the confidence of her style. They ran twenty laps, more than five miles. When they finished, neither woman took a winded breath.
“She’s terrific, isn’t she?” Jackie asked Luke.
“Amazing.” He toweled off Abby’s forehead and wrapped her sweat jacket around her shoulders. “Maybe next week I’ll run with her, if you don’t mind.”
“Well I do,” Jackie said. “I’d hate to miss running with the only woman who can keep up with me.”
“You know you slow down for me, Jackie.”
“Hell I do. If you could see, you’d leave me in the dust.”
Jackie was pumping her up in front of Luke, and she appreciated it. They all laughed anyway. Abby felt like a new person, energized and fit. Next week, Jackie said, she wanted to see how the man did.
“How about one lap now?” Luke asked. “I’m wearing shorts and tennis shoes. Let’s see if I can keep up. You game?”
“Sure,” Abby said.
“Hey, not fair. She’s just run five miles.”
“I’m good for one more lap.”
Jackie gave Luke explicit instructions on technique, making sure he understood not to take the lead and pull. When she felt comfortable that he understood, she gave her consent.
“Grab
It had been so long since she’d kissed anyone, since she’d wanted to kiss anyone. His erection pressed against her thigh. So many emotions fluttered through her—excitement, joy, and fear. Her body tensed and she pulled back. Luke didn’t let go, but his hold relaxed.
He spoke into her ear. “No matter how much I want you right this minute, and I do, I won’t rush you.”
“It’s just that—”
“I’m not watching your lips, so no need to explain. I’m a patient man where you’re concerned. I can wait.”
She didn’t explain, because her body wanting to make love conflicted with the thoughts racing through her mind cautioning against it. Two different entities, each with separate needs, and she needed to be careful how she nourished each one.
Chapter Nine
The Blind Leading the Deaf
W hen Abby told Luke about her date at the track, he reacted like most people when they pictured a blind runner—with a mixture of skepticism and awe.
“I thought you had a runner’s body, but…”
“I know. The image of a person running blind is hard for most people to comprehend. I decided if I was going to be blind for the rest of my life, I’d be the best blind person I could be. I learned Braille—hard to master in midlife; it took me two years, and I’d always been a runner, so why not? There are quite a few of us, especially the kids. They have no fear. There’s a whole world out there, Luke. Just because we can’t see it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t participate.”
“Well, I want to see this.”
Abby changed into shorts and running shoes. The sun warmed her shoulders, but it wasn’t hot. Perfect temperature for running. She’d called Jackie to tell her she had a ride to the track, and when they arrived, she was waiting. Abby introduced her to Luke, and he took a seat in the bleachers.
Each woman wrapped the ends of a long shoelace around their hands, leaving enough slack to run independently but close enough to synchronize their pace. Abby trusted Jackie completely.
She remembered the first time they ran together and the fear that accompanied every step. What if she lost her balance? She did too—the second time out, twisting her ankle and taking Jackie down with her. It took all her nerve to get back up and try again, but with Jackie’s encouragement, she persisted.
Abby stretched out in long, even strides, maintaining her lane. Jackie had convinced her that no one watching would know she was blind from the confidence of her style. They ran twenty laps, more than five miles. When they finished, neither woman took a winded breath.
“She’s terrific, isn’t she?” Jackie asked Luke.
“Amazing.” He toweled off Abby’s forehead and wrapped her sweat jacket around her shoulders. “Maybe next week I’ll run with her, if you don’t mind.”
“Well I do,” Jackie said. “I’d hate to miss running with the only woman who can keep up with me.”
“You know you slow down for me, Jackie.”
“Hell I do. If you could see, you’d leave me in the dust.”
Jackie was pumping her up in front of Luke, and she appreciated it. They all laughed anyway. Abby felt like a new person, energized and fit. Next week, Jackie said, she wanted to see how the man did.
“How about one lap now?” Luke asked. “I’m wearing shorts and tennis shoes. Let’s see if I can keep up. You game?”
“Sure,” Abby said.
“Hey, not fair. She’s just run five miles.”
“I’m good for one more lap.”
Jackie gave Luke explicit instructions on technique, making sure he understood not to take the lead and pull. When she felt comfortable that he understood, she gave her consent.
“Grab
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