I woke up tired. I managed two cups of coffee but was too nervous to eat. I took my phone from the nightstand drawer and checked the log. The count now stood at forty-four. He was persistent. As I dressed, I thought about what Lucas said. The only reason I was exposing myself to possible ridicule was he’d vouched for his brother. Besides, I couldn’t imagine Lincoln being as cruel as Kami. That would break me. My only blessing would be he couldn’t see me cry.
I wore a Hawaiian-print dress with matching flip-flops. Because the dress was halter style, I went braless, slipping only white panties underneath. I surveyed my hat collection and chose a wide brimmed baby-blue one. I touched up my face with concealer and mascara. This was as good as it got.
The drive seemed longer. Halfway there, I had to talk myself out of making a U-turn. This had to be done. Any other time, I would ignore all of this, but Lincoln deserved a heart-to-heart. And it wasn’t only about him. I needed this, too.
I pulled into the drive and sat a while. My hands were shaking as I checked my face in the mirror. Why are you doing that? He couldn’t see me. What difference did it make? I could have covered myself with a burlap bag and he’d never know.
I took small steps to the front door, stalling every few seconds in hopes of changing my mind. I prayed silently that Kami wouldn’t be there. Her words had resurrected all the things the media had said years ago. I wasn’t ready to face those challenges again, yet here I was, ready to defend myself when I had no defense. With anyone else, I might have been able to skate past this, but I’d had no reason to hide from Lincoln.
I dangled the keys in my hand, standing at the front door.
Before I could knock, it flew open.
“Thank God,” Lincoln announced, pulling me in, not letting go.
The house was dark and dank, almost reminding me of our first meeting. “How did you know it was me?” I asked, cautiously perusing him. He hadn’t shaved. His appearance was disheveled.
“I’ll always know it’s you. If you wanted to be covert, you should have chosen another fragrance. Now come here. I don’t want to talk.” He pulled me closer. His eyes searched my face as though he had sight. He broke the embrace, his hands cupping my cheeks, fingers attentively tracing every scar. I observed his expression, witnessing anguish combined with apology. His thumb outlined my mouth as he responded to the deep imperfections. I shuddered from his touch, viewing it as a sudden intrusion. Not another living soul, except for physicians, had come in contact with that part of me. My body jerked in response as I bent my head.
“Please don’t turn away from me,” he said, tipping up my chin. “I told you before you’re beautiful, and I still mean it. Did you honestly believe any of this”—his finger lingered on a deeply indented scar—“would make a difference? You really don’t know me, do you? If you did, you’d know what I feel for you is real. It has to be because it comes from the depths of my heart, without sight. It developed because of the beauty you have beneath your skin, not because of your appearance.”
He moved closer as he crushed his lips to mine. Even prior to the accident, I now knew, I had never truly been kissed. My body stiffened as he took my mouth, his tongue hungrily slipping between my teeth. I was pressed tightly against him as I felt his mounting erection. He stroked the inside of my mouth, exploring from side to side. I swallowed a sigh as the kiss became aggressive, needier.
He stopped suddenly, pulling away, gasping with urgent breaths. His hand grabbed mine, and he placed it roughly on his stiff length.
“I’m having a difficult time deciding whether I need to kiss or fuck you. I’m so hard right now I feel like I’m dying. Are you wet? Did you miss me?” he asked, forcing my hand to squeeze him. “Let me fuck you here and now. Let me show you it doesn’t matter what you were before, just what you are to me right now.”
He inched up my dress as his fingers drifted beneath. My panties were twisted in desire as he pulled their crotch to one side. He let a digit dip inside as he began to pant. “Fuck, I want this. I want you.”
I watched as his drenched finger moistened his lips with my arousal. Lincoln’s tongue flicked outward to taste. I was mesmerized seeing his eyes roll back as he relished my flavor.
I heard the Velcro of shorts rip apart as I pulled him closer by the waistband. His heavy cock released angrily, tipping upward. His balls were distended and the veins were smooth from being so taut. He reached back under my dress and tore away my underwear, startling me. Lincoln seemed frantic to have me.
“Lie on the sofa and hike your dress up,” he requested.
I shuddered because he’d never sounded forceful or demanding. His tone made my pussy pulsate with willingness to comply. Leaving his side, I moved over to the sofa and did what he asked. Lying there, I watched with fervor as he pulled his shirt over his head and kicked off his shorts. My breathing restricted as my nipples tightened and my pussy became drenched with want. My entire body began to hum as I watched him slowly manipulating his steps toward me.
He grasped my ankle, lifting it to a kiss. His other hand scaled the interior of my leg to my thigh. I squirmed from his touch as his fingers spread my swollen cleft.
“I need to be inside you. I promise this is the last time we fuck.” I frowned upon that announcement. “I don’t want to fuck you anymore, Jensyn. You deserve better than that. You’re entitled to love, and I do love you.”
My entire body stiffened with his declaration. There had never been any man who uttered those three words to me, not even my husband. I supposed he assumed a marriage of convenience never warranted it, and the truth was neither of us felt that way about each other. But now Lincoln Bass had confessed he loved me. Were those words genuine, or was it merely an act of contrition?
I had kept my feelings carefully guarded, not even revealing them to myself. It would hurt too much if they were one-sided. I would have never expected him to reciprocate, not that I would have ever shared my feelings. Did he expect me to say it back? Could I, even if I wasn’t sure?
He pulled me up and onto his quivering cock. He rocked into me as I placed my arms around his neck. Our eyes connected as my inner walls gripped his member. He found my bottom lip and sucked, opening my mouth to find my tongue. Heat pulsed within my entire body as he continued to thrust. He pistoned twice more into me as I spiraled into orgasm. His hand massaged my back as I began to buck in response to his sudden jerks.
“Jesus. This… God…” He cried out, bending his head back as he pushed into me as deeply as possible and held still. My pussy pulsed around his cock as the hot seed filled me.
My leg began to cramp from the awkward position. “I need to stretch my leg,” I murmured.
In acknowledgement of my request, he moved, causing his dick to fall from me. I mourned the loss of its comfort.
His hands blindly reached for me as I allowed him access to my face. He seductively claimed my mouth and swept his tongue inside. The kiss was passionate and hot. We toyed with each other, exploring the newly found contact. We parted, his fingers lacing with mine.
“I’ll never get tired of kissing you. You kept me at bay for nothing. Touching your face and caressing your mouth is something I should have been doing all along. Don’t ever doubt me again.
“We need to talk about all of this, but I need to shower. I’m guessing you can tell I kind of let myself go the last few days. I need you to ground me, Jensyn.”
“Yes, maybe you should shower.” I sniffed the air, pinching my nose. “Um, I see you found the cologne I bought you. You do know it’s for use after a shower, not instead of?” I questioned. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I have your stink on me now. You could have at least worn deodorant.” I teased.
He tugged on my dress, trying to access how to remove it. I untied the halter. “Ooh, I love free-range titties.” I rolled my eyes as he palmed each breast. “Look, we need to get in the shower or, well…” His eyes darted down to his growing cock. “No rest for the wicked. If we stay put, I’ll take you again. I’m not saying the shower will curtail my thoughts, but I suppose that depends on the temperature.”
I pushed him back slightly, sitting up. “Put a lot of thought into this, have you? I guess you’re just horny, huh?”
He stopped, his outstretched hand cupping my chin. “I’ve missed you. Every single part of you. Your voice, your laugh, your scent. I told you before, one phone call, dozens of strippers, any pussy I want. But I want you, Jensyn, every single inch, from head to toe, from scar to perfection. This isn’t about sex. This is about us—if you’ll have me, if you want an us.”
I didn’t know what to say as my eyes relished the sight of him. “I… I need to digest this. No one has ever wanted me, not really—even before the accident.”
“But you did marry whatshisname.”
I shrugged with indifference. “That was just a publicity prop for our management teams. Two pretty people forced to endure each other. Our loathing for each other was mutual. In private, Xavier was nothing but a manwhore with waxed eyebrows. He bailed the minute I was no longer perfect. You were too young to understand everything I’m sure,” I stated sadly.
I could see his jaw tick with anger. “My brother kept me apprised when I was a kid. He always knew how into you I was. It’s very much a coincidence you and I ended up here.”
My lips twitched with amusement. “Umm… yeah, I do believe carefully calculated by your brother.”
He nodded with a grin. “The best thing he ever did for me. I gather you’re a patient?” he asked.
“I don’t want to talk about that now.”
“Okay, fine. The shower it is,” he said, easing me off the sofa.
I stood, my dress pooling at my feet. I was now as naked as he was. I shivered as I guided both of us to his bathroom. I turned on a steady stream of hot water.
“God, this feels amazing,” he announced, standing under the spray. He pulled my body against his. “Actually, this is better than amazing. I feel inspired. I haven’t been able to write a word since you left.” His hands lingered on my hips and trailed upward, past my chest to my face. “Jensyn, you’re my muse. I suffer lack of creativity without you. Don’t run from me ever again,” he begged, spitting out water.
His hands left my face, searching for the shampoo. “This is shampoo, right?” he asked chuckling.
“Yes, I would tell you if you planned to clean your hair with body soap.”
He poured the shampoo into his hand, dividing it between our heads. He gingerly washed my hair, then his. His hands would occasionally skim my body, but there was nothing sexual in his examination. He always traveled back to my face as though he were trying to understand my anguish. I could feel his chest move in and out as his fingers studied every flaw. His hands trembled in response, as though he were reliving my pain. Sadness poured from him.
I gripped his wrist. “I appreciate you trying to understand, but your expression is destroying me. I don’t want you to be with me out of pity, as though you would be a bad person if you left. I really get it. You are a beautiful man, and you deserve someone by your side that reflects that. That isn’t me, Lincoln.”
He grabbed the buff puff, soaping it up. He began washing my chest, completely ignoring my previous words.
“You can’t pretend it won’t matter,” I said, stopping him as he bathed me.
He dropped the puff and stared. “I loved you before I knew who you really were. I told you before I don’t see you with my eyes, but with my heart. Maybe even my soul. Don’t drive a wedge between us or set us up for failure before you’ve even given us a chance. I don’t give up that easy. You of all people must know that. I’m an adventurer, a risk taker and adrenaline junkie. Stop making this about your face. I don’t care.”
But you will once you get your sight back. “I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about. You’ve earned the right to have mistrust. I can only imagine what you’ve endured, and if Kami’s outburst is an example, that alone destroys me. Now let’s rinse off and go to bed. You didn’t think once would satisfy me. Were you satiated?”
I shook my head as he pushed me forward out the door. I grabbed towels off the vanity, handing him one as I wrapped another around myself. I began combing out my hair, watching his face carefully. I undid my towel and leaned my body against his, cocooning us together.
“This really isn’t going to work. There’s no way I can detangle my wet hair when your dick is directing this show.” I peeked down to see his towel tenting.
I left him in the bathroom as I padded across the room to close the blinds. I no longer trusted the fact that some acrobatic gossipmonger wouldn’t take a picture.
Lincoln traced his steps carefully, making his way to the bed. He had dropped his towel along the way and was fully erect. I kneeled by the bed as he sat on the edge, covering his cock with my mouth.
An unexpected cry came from his lips. “So warm. Jesus, it feels good. Touch my sack.”
I licked my way down his marbled length, then curled my tongue around his sack. I moved upward to suckle the tip, laving the slit. His hands were now in my wet hair, tugging with a sense of urgency. Pre-cum dripped from the crown as I sucked him in, gliding along the roof of my mouth with his engorged flesh.
“Please…” he begged, tilting my head, pushing himself deeper into my mouth. My fingers circled his width as I stroked him, feeding his shaft through my lips. I heard an animalistic cry of release as the grip on my hair became strained. He struggled to gain composure as his dick drove in deeper. I pulled back slightly to keep from gagging as he erupted. I swallowed continuously, his rhythm slowing.
My sex was slick with arousal as I broke his hold on my hair, standing on shaky legs. I wiped my mouth immediately with the back of my hand. It was almost a reflex from previous times.
“I’d say you’re stellar at that. I’ve never had any woman affect me like you do. Your mouth is an amazing asset.”
“Yeah, it’s too bad it’s attached to such a hideous face,” I stated.
He stood immediately, nostrils flaring, teeth gritted, and eyes narrowed. “I can’t have you talking that way about yourself, especially to me. I’m in love with you, and that declaration means all of you. Don’t make it so hard for me to care about you. Give us a chance before you push away. And it will have to be you, because I won’t be the one to give up. If we don’t work, it’s because you walked. And right now, I feel as though you’ve already given up. Don’t do that. Allow yourself some happiness.”
I sat down with my head in my hands. My hair was still damp, hanging in my face as I began to sob.
His hand reached out to me. “Please don’t cry. I can’t bear to think those tears are because of me.”
I wiped my eyes. “Lucas was right. You are a nice guy. I don’t want you to be that man because you think it’s the right thing to do. I was prepared to be broken. I only came back to explain. I wasn’t expecting you—”
He cut me off. “What? You weren’t expecting me to love you. I told you before I had feelings for you. Finding out who you were didn’t change that; it only cleared up a few things. I finally knew why you wouldn’t let me kiss you or touch your face. Why you were so secretive about your past. Finding out you were the Jensyn, my dream woman since I was in sixth grade—”
My turn to cut him off. “Stop. Oh God, you were fucking eleven. Good grief, I’m a child corrupter.”
He laughed. “Not eleven anymore. Nope, not in sixth grade. Know how I know? Never had this big of a cock,” he uttered, placing my hand on his crotch.
I sighed, snapping my hand back. “This is serious, Lincoln.”
“I tried being decisive, and that didn’t appear to work. So many people have hurt you in the past that you’ve confused me with one of them. So I guess what I need to know is do you love me? I get it if you don’t, but I’ve professed it for over two hours, so maybe our feelings aren't the same. I can wait, you know. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll give you all the time you need until you know. And if my words aren’t enough, then I’ll just have to propose.”
“Are you insane?” I blurted out, scarcely aware of my own voice. I could hardly believe what he’d just said.
“If marrying you will prove I mean everything I say, then so be it.”
“Are you listening to yourself? We hardly know each other. You just found out who I am. I would truly be a ball and chain, weighing you down, destroying your career.”
“Are you hearing me, Jensyn? Because what you’re saying is irrational. I am clearly of sound mind. But maybe this comes down to one question, the one you haven’t answered yet. If you tell me you don’t love me, then that’s it. I won’t pursue a relationship. I’ll just wait until you come around. I want to make you happy, and that can only happen if you truly trust me. Now tell me how you feel.”
All I could manage was a hoarse whisper. “After Kami, when I left… I ached. I’ve been alone for years, but when I thought I lost you, it felt like my demise. In that moment, my world was spinning as it had in my accident. It took a lifetime to find you and less than a month to develop feelings for you. But only one moment to lose you.”
He kneeled on the carpet beside the bed, placing his hands on my bare thighs. “You never lost me and you never will. I’m all in if you’ll have me.”
“But what about your editor?”
“I didn’t even know she was here. She parked up the hill and insidiously made her way into the house. I was asleep. I didn’t know jack shit until she woke me up and unloaded her commentary after you’d gone. She told me about the photo and the article but said you were a ‘mystery’ woman. But somehow she found out who you were, and she couldn’t wait to tell me my childhood dream girl was none other than you. That I’d been played, that you were… You know what? It doesn’t matter because I want another editor. I’ve already started by having my management solicit other publishing houses. You do realize I am highly requested. All the big houses want a piece of Bass. Lucky you got the first bite.” He chuckled, pulling himself up, lying beside me.
“Lincoln, I don’t want to disrupt your livelihood. You can’t just get a new publisher because Kami’s a mean girl. I dealt with her kind even before my accident. I’m used to it.”
“Well, I’m not. I’m a commodity; the other houses will bid just to get me. I’m not worried. And I certainly will not be in business with such a cunt. After I heard what she said to you, let’s just say she’s one lucky bitch I’m passive and blind,” he seethed. “I want you to be comfortable. To feel safe. I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen. I don’t want you to be afraid anymore, not with me. Now tell me everything. I want all the details. No holding back. Be honest.”
“It is what it is. I can’t change it. I will never be the ‘Perfect 10’ again. You would’ve thought, after all these years, I could live with that fact. But acceptance has never come easy. I came to Hawaii to have anonymity. After losing my job, my friends, and almost my life, I chose to live in seclusion. I used to fantasize about normal, but I never thought I’d achieve it or even get close enough to touch it. Then I met you, and for the first time, I could live an average life, or at least pretend to. Not having to be concerned I’d be judged was a dream come true.
“But when we started having sex, everything changed. I was developing feelings for you. And I knew that couldn’t happen.” I bowed my head in guilt. “I’m not who you think I am. I’m not as sympathetic as I portray. My wishes became all about you staying blind.” Lincoln blanched at my confession. “I knew the only reason we were sleeping together was because you couldn’t see my face. Amid my own horrible thoughts, the possibility of your sight returning scared the hell out of me because I knew I’d lose you. Then when I saw Kami, she said everything I anticipated you would say. You say you love me, but I’m not sure that will be enough if you ever truly see me.”
He struggled to find my hand. “Okay, I’ll admit you threw me for a loop with the revelation that you preferred me blind. I’m not sure I’d feel any different if I were in your shoes. I saw your face through my touch. And Kami made sure to give me a full description.
“I can choose to tell you over and over again I don’t care, but until you believe it, it won’t matter. All I can tell you is beauty is so much more than skin, and considering I plan to spend the rest of my life with you, it would have eventually faded anyway, for both of us. Would you love me less when I’m sixty? We can have a good life. You can have that normalcy you’ve always thirsted for, regardless of whether my sight returns or not. I can’t help but think my freak accident is the reason we’re together. And I’ll gladly give up my sight if it means keeping you.”
I recoiled in shock. “You don’t mean that.”
“I do. I always wanted what Maxwell and Suzanne had. Well, minus the guns, death, and mayhem.” He chuckled. “I just assumed I was young and eventually I’d find someone. Well, that happened, and I’m not throwing away this opportunity. We can make this work. Now, will you lie back so I can make kinky monkey love to you?”
“Monkey love?” I asked.
“A phrase for the last chapter I’ve been working on, or maybe the next book,” he whispered, palming my mound. “God, I love your pussy, always so ready and willing to accept my cock.”
I giggled. “So romantic.”
“I can be romantic. Spread your legs and I’ll show you.”
My pussy was drumming as he inserted two fingers, crooking one to rub my tender clit. “Put your knees up.”
“So demanding, Mr. Bass.”
“Hmm… I like that better than God or master,” he teased, sliding along my body, then possessively kissing my mouth. His fingers stayed inside me as he peppered kisses on my neck and breasts. “You taste so good. I may have to eat you later, but right now, I need to bury myself inside that pretty cunt of yours.”
Removing his fingers, he guided himself inside me. His body swiveled as he began thrusting, balancing his hands on my knees. I pushed upward, meeting his strokes, whimpering as he ground into me, licking his chest. My skin tingled. I heard groans as I writhed beneath him. His pupils dilated. His swollen flesh was soaked in my arousal. I could hear the wet sounds of him pulling back, then aggressively pushing into me. His body became slick with perspiration, both of us straining to keep back our orgasm. My pussy convulsed around his dick as a feeling of fullness overcame me. His dick throbbed and tightened, signaling my body to release. I locked onto his biceps as he rocked into me with fury. As my climax met his, I went boneless, my knees relaxing as he lay with his full weight on top.
“Christ, that felt good. I love you,” he said, rolling off to one side, his hand resting on my breasts.
“I may need another shower. We’re sweaty now.”
He snorted. “Yeah, maybe later, but right now I’m starving. Aren’t you hungry?” His hand patted my belly.
“So what you really want is me to make us food, right?”
He placed a hand on each side of my head. “Honestly. Yes. I should replenish my sperm count. Three times in two hours, I’m sure it’s depleted.”
“You’re twenty-five. I’m sure you’re fine. A walking, talking man bursting with virility. But I do agree on the food. I’m rather hungry, too. A blowjob doesn’t make a meal. Maybe a snack,” I taunted.
He sat up. “Okay, you just wrecked my masculinity. This is not a snack,” he declared, fisting his cock. “Well, unless we’re talking those super-sized ones. I can live with that.”
“All right, behemoth dick, let me get dressed and make some grilled cheese.”
“I like that. Behemoth. And don’t get dressed on my account.”
“Yeah, I’ll just run around sans clothing, and if Kami should pop by, that’ll be fun times.”
“You needn’t worry. She’s not coming back anytime soon. In six years, she’s rarely seen me lose my shit—until I heard her gloating about what she said to you. And I’m positive she was floored when I revealed I loved you. It’s the first time I can remember her going mute about anything. I only wish I’d been able to see her fucking face.”
“What about the press? I couldn’t bear for them to find out about me.”
“Fine, then you’ll be the mystery woman. That alone should keep them occupied, but you have to know we can’t suppress the information forever. I think eventually, both you and I will have to face the music. For reasons I can’t seem to fathom, I’m not so preoccupied with that, maybe because this is no longer about me, but now us. I’m much more accepting of the consequences because I have you. I do have you, right?”
I sat up, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Yes, you have me. Now let me throw my dress back on and make us food. You know I’m mad at you. You tore my new panties. Those were expensive, forty dollars.”
He looked appalled. “For underwear? That settles it. You need to go without. Forty dollars, that’s insane.”
I laughed, crawling over him and strutting into the living room to find my dress. I shrugged into it and headed for the kitchen. Lincoln strolled in wearing only gray briefs. Damn, but he was a sight. Lean and muscular. He padded to the sounds I was making in the refrigerator, grabbing me by the waist.
He suddenly let go, staggering backward. “Fuck,” he cried, falling to his knees. Panic erupted inside me as I watched his face twist in pain.
“What is it? Should I call 9-1-1?” I asked in alarm.
He shook his head. “No, just wait. This will pass,” he uttered quietly, closing his eyes.
“Is it those flashes? Do I need to call your ophthalmologist?” I asked, squatting beside him. I wanted to touch him, but I didn’t know if I should.
He brushed his hair away from his face, blinking rapidly, his breathing erratic as he leaned against me. “That was a bad one. Thank God it didn’t last long. Would it make sense if I said the light was blinding? It’s so bright it hurts in my head.”
“You need to make an appointment with the doctor. At least get something for the pain,” I stated, helping him up. Were his eyes getting worse? Was this a precursor to some other thing?
“I see him next week, and he did give me pills, but I can’t function. They make me tired, sometimes too tired to even sleep. I don’t want to spend our time crashed out in a coma… again.”
“Ha-ha, very funny,” I remarked as he grinned. I hadn’t even known him then, but the thought scared me. “Why don’t you sit on the sofa and I’ll bring you lunch when it’s ready?” I led him to the sofa and fluffed pillows before he sat.
“Okay, listen. I’m blind, not an invalid. I’ll be fine. I just need a minute to adjust. I think those fuckers are happening more often. I can deal with the dark, but not those goddamn flashes of light. It feels like my skull is exploding… How about that grilled cheese?”
I squeezed his thigh, then walked back to the kitchen. Those bizarre occurrences weren’t accompanied by headaches, not really. The discomfort quit when the episode ended. He was going to see the doctor next week, even if I had to drag him myself. Going out with him in public wasn’t anything I’d considered, but I would put up with the stares. I was worried, and I couldn’t lose him.
I made three sandwiches and broke the seal on the container of potato salad I’d gotten when I purchased groceries. “Food’s ready,” I announced, setting the plate in his lap.
“Smells good. I am famished,” he remarked, taking a huge bite.
As we ate, our conversation turned. “I need to get my mind back into the book. We need to wrap up these revisions. I’ve had too many distractions, the main one being my fucking disability.”
“Well, I turned out to be more of a hindrance than a help. I had no idea the paparazzi would be so persistent, and I really should have. They hounded me for over a year after my accident. They made my life a living hell. I couldn’t leave the house. Not that I wanted to. I stayed just long enough to endure the many surgeries that barely helped. That was the main reason I moved here, so I could live in seclusion and fade to black.”
He laughed around a mouthful of salad. “Well, you came to the right place. My life is currently nothing but black. You’ll never have to hide again. I won’t let you. Let them print whatever they want. You’re rich, right? I’m only asking because who knows if I’ll have a job after it comes out I’m as blind as a bat? I wonder who came up with that. You know they aren’t actually blind. Strange factoid.”
I sat closer to him, leaning my head against his chest. “Yeah, I am wealthy. Rich as hell. You do know we don’t have to stay in Hawaii. We can go somewhere else. I mean, if you wanted to. Maybe not right now, but down the line.”
He put his sandwich down and wiped his mouth with the napkin. “That’s a possibility, but there would have to be a compromise. I would only relocate if you married me.”
I sprang up from his chest. He’s loony; the man has completely gone mad. “You’re not serious. That’s ludicrous. Talk about being with someone sight unseen.”
“Oh, ha-ha, you made a blind joke. I wasn’t kidding. I love you, check. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, check. If I want those two things, I’d want to marry you. Okay, I know you’re all concerned about the age gap. Jesus, Jensyn, you’re what, a few years older? Big deal.” He joked.
“Okay, comedian author boy, you already know it’s thirteen years, and you know that isn’t the reason.”
He turned toward the sound of my voice with amusement. “Holy crap. You’re old. Damn, that’s on the cusp of forty. You are so right. How would it look, a blind man next to a grandma?”
“Shut up.” I smacked him on the leg.
“Hey, that was entirely too close to my nut sack,” he said, pushing my hand away playfully. “You know I don’t care about the age difference, and neither will anyone else. I know why you drag those gorgeous feet. Because you’re afraid I’ll wake up one day, regain my sight, freak, and bail. Never going to happen, baby.”
I wished I could feel his sense of certainty. There was no way he could know for sure, and I would always live with that underlying fear. I’d already known betrayal, many times over. I knew it was unfair to hold him accountable for what others did, but it was never far from my mind. I was having a hard time coming to terms with the fact he loved me. How did that happen? I’d never made room in my dismal life for a bright spot, one of happiness. But here he was. A perfect 10. Kind, rich, and talented. And he wanted me. It didn’t make sense. I wouldn’t allow my negativity to ruin this. But you will.
“How about we do some work? I have no idea if the book will be released on time, and I hate disappointing my readers. I’ll stay with Kami and her publishing house until this is published, but afterward, I’m gone, regardless if I’ve found someone else. I want all of this behind us. I want you exempt from all this bullshit.”
“Let’s go work. I’m tired of going back and forth about everything. It’s all out in the open now anyway. I think it’ll be good to concentrate on Maxwell and Suzanne instead of Lincoln and Jensyn.”
A wide smile etched across his face. “I love the sound of the latter.”