Read Online Now & Forever 3 - Blind love by Jean C. Joachim - Free Book Online Page B

me. But he’s going to marry
Fran.”
    “He can dump the bitch,” Peter said with heat.
    “Doubt it.” Lara laughed.
    “How about if I seduce her and then tell him?” Peter inched closer
to her on the blanket and reached out to touch her hair, but pulled back before
making contact.
    Lara laughed harder.
    “She’s not very pretty. I don’t think I could pull it off.”
    “She’s not?” Lara shifted position, pulling her knees up to
her chest.
    “You’re much prettier than she is.” Peter finished his coffee
and put the cup down.
    “With these bruises? I must be colorful—flesh, black, blue,
red, purple…multi-colored, like one of the Muppets.”
    Peter laughed. “Bruises fade, your beauty is here to stay.”
Peter colored at his own boldness. He picked at a dandelion growing at the edge
of the blanket.
    Lara smiled.
    “Did you have a boyfriend in New York?”
    “I don’t remember. After the attack I lost most of my
short-term memory along with my sight,” she said, her face clouding over.
    “Forget it,” Peter said, taking her hand.
    Lara whipped her hand out of his and put it behind her back.
“I don’t like to be touched…surprised.”
    “But before…”
    “I know…that was strange.” She licked her bottom lip. “Got a
girlfriend?”
    “Not at the moment.” Peter picked a daisy and took off the
petals one by one.
    “What are you doing in Willow Falls?”
    “I’m teaching a Survey of Western Art course for a year.”
    “So you play piano and teach art?”
    “Actually, I teach art first and play piano second.”
    “You’re good on the piano. How are you at art?”
    “Brilliant, of course!” He chuckled.
    She laughed. “I never got to college…too busy dancing.”
    “It’s never too late. Maybe my dad could get you some of the
college required reading books on tape?”
    “What a great idea! Will you ask him for me? I hate to ask
anything more of him.” She trained her sightless gaze on the ground.
    “Sure.”
    “Your dad is so wonderful. You are lucky.”
    “He likes you. If he was younger, I’d be suspicious something
was going on,” he teased.
    Lara laughed again.
    “You’re funny. I like your voice. Why no girlfriend?”
    “I’m taking a vacation from women.” Peter tossed the
petal-less daisy aside.
    “How come?” She raised her arms over her head and stretched.
    “Need to sweep out some old cobwebs.” Peter’s gaze rested on
her chest.
    “You haven’t met anyone attractive?” Lara teased, smiling.
    “I guess not,” Peter stared at her breasts, pushed out when
her arms were raised.
    “I’m sure you will at the university,” Lara said, folding her
arm with the cast across her chest, breaking his view.
    “I stay away from students. It’s a real no-no for professors
to date students.”
    “You mean, sleep with students, don’t you?”
    “I guess…” Peter blushed.
    “You’re embarrassed. I’m sorry.” She sat up straight.
    “How did you know?” His eyes searched her face.
    “I can hear it in your voice. It’s amazing how many signals
and cues I get to people’s behavior through other senses.” Lara finished the
last of her Danish.
    “I better be careful when you’re around,” Peter said,
recalling how she picked up on him staring at her chest.
    “Can you tell me what some of the birds look like?”
    When Sam returned to the blanket an hour later, he found Lara
laughing at Peter’s funny descriptions of the birds and their personalities. Upon
Sam’s return, Peter and Lara gathered up the garbage, leftover food and
blanket. Peter took Lara’s hand to guide her to the car. Sam got behind the
wheel as Peter opened the trunk. Lara turned toward him with the blanket and
fell against him, twisting her ankle. She let out a brief cry of pain and
shifted her weight to lean against him. He steadied her with an arm around her
waist.
    Lara looked up at him with her sightless eyes and he couldn’t
help himself. He brought his mouth down on