A blind man carrying a chocolate cake with a bouquet of flowers. Must be a sight to see. Dax chuckled to himself. This would either turn out well or very badly. But taking risks was a part of who he was. And at least he would know he tried. Brooklyn had gotten in his blood, and he couldn’t let her go without a fight. He’d thought about visiting her yesterday, but decided it would be wise to give her a day to cool off. A few minutes later, he juggled the cake in one hand with the flowers resting on top of the plastic cover. He’d wound Tucker’s leash around his other arm and used that hand to ring Brooklyn’s doorbell.

The door opened, and Dax smiled broadly into the unknown as he grabbed the bouquet with his free hand and held it out, hoping it was indeed Brooklyn standing there. Otherwise, this was going to get sticky fast. “Hello.”

Silence.

His courage faltered as his smile slipped. “Brooklyn, is that you?” This was one of the most irritating aspects of his blindness, having to venture into the unknown, feel his way into situations, while being solely dependent on the kindness of others.

“Hey,” she finally said, taking the flowers from him, but her voice sounded thick like she’d been crying. “Thank you, these are beautiful.”

“You’re welcome. Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she said hesitantly, even though she obviously wasn’t.

He held up the cake. “I brought a peace offering.” A feeling of relief washed over him when he heard her chuckle softly.

“Yeah, I guess I left before we got the chance to eat the cake, huh?”

“No worries. We can eat it now. You won’t believe the self-control I had to muster to keep from digging into this baby.”

Brooklyn laughed. “I can only imagine. You’re better than me. I would’ve had half of it eaten by now, especially after the day I’ve had.”

The conversation stalled until Dax spoke. “Can I come in?”

“Sure.”

“Forward,” he said to Tucker who led him in.

“Let me put that in the kitchen,” Brooklyn took the cake from him.

He stood there, wondering if he should command Tucker to lead him to a seat. But he didn’t want to be presumptuous and make Brooklyn uncomfortable. A minute later when she returned, he was standing in the same spot.

She jumped to action. “Let me help you get seated,” she said linking her arm though his as she led him to the couch. Tucker sat down on the floor beside his feet. “Hey, boy,” Brooklyn said, then Dax realized she’d leaned over and was affectionately rubbing Tucker’s neck. Tucker let out a few pants of acknowledgement.

Dax was surprised, and pleased, when Brooklyn sat down beside him. Before he could talk himself out of it, he reached out and grasped her hand, lightly squeezing it.

“I’m sorry about the other night,” she began.

“Me too.” He angled himself toward her. “I hope I didn’t give you the wrong impression about Cassidy.”

“No, it was me,” she said quickly. “I overreacted.”

“Cassidy and I are through,” he said firmly. “Ancient history.”

“I know. And I appreciate you clearing the air.” She paused. “About the Valentine’s dance, it was stupid of me to mention it. I hope you don’t think I’m some sort of weirdo, who’s still hung up on high school.”

“That thought did cross my mind,” he teased.

“Hey,” she defended.

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “So, you had a crush on me?” He’d spent way too much time thinking about that over the past twenty-four hours.

“Don’t let it go to your head,” she pouted.

He let go of her hand and touched her face. Just as he suspected, her cheeks were damp. “What’s wrong?” He rested his hand on her slender shoulder.

She let out a dry chuckle. “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”

“Try me.” The air seemed to hold an electric charge, and all Dax could think about was Brooklyn sitting right beside him. He longed to run his fingers through her silky hair. Trace the outline of her lips.

She groaned. “If it weren’t so horridly ridiculous, it would be funny.”

He remained quiet, giving her space to get it out.

“My sister Madison married my former boyfriend.”

His eyes widened. “Wow. No wonder you’re sensitive where your sister’s concerned.”

“Yep, Madison stole Justin from me.”

“I see.” His jaw tensed. Was Brooklyn still hung up on Justin?

“Anyway, Madison and Justin are having problems with their marriage, so my mom asked me to look in on her. And I did.” The words dribbled out.

“And?” he prompted.

“Justin made a pass at me. Forced a kiss.”

Anger coursed through Dax, and he had the urge to punch the guy’s lights out.

Brooklyn let out a shaky laugh. “And as luck would have it, Madison came in at the exact same time. I’m sure she thinks I initiated the whole thing.” Her voice broke. “My mother has called a hundred times in the past half hour. I’m sure Madison told her what happened, or at least her version of the story,” she finished, defeated.

“I’m so sorry.” He slid a hand around her neck, linking his fingers through her hair. It was as silky and soft as he imagined.

“And you wanna know the crazy part? Until today, the tiniest part of me worried that I might have lingering feelings for Justin, because of what he’d meant to me in the past.” She half-chuckled. “But in that critical moment when he made a pass at me, everything suddenly became clear. And, I knew, I am free of him.”

“Good to know,” he murmured. He caressed her jaw with his other hand. Ever so softly, he traced the outline of her lips. Her breath caught as she trembled slightly under his touch. “Brooklyn, this may sound crazy, but you’re all I can think about.”

“I’ve been thinking about you too,” she whispered, “which is partly how I knew I was over Justin.” She flinched, giving him a nervous laugh. “Oops, did I really say that out loud? Good thing you can’t see my face right now.”

“I don’t have to see you to feel you.” He leaned in so close he could feel her warm breath on his face. And then his lips connected with hers, sending a burst of exhilaration racing through him. He gave her a long, tender kiss, marveling at how amazing it felt to be so close to her. He was about to pull away, when she let out a groan and put her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. She threaded her fingers through his hair. Fire leapt up between them as they met each other measure for measure. Suddenly, Tucker let out an irritated yelp, interrupting them.

Dax pulled away in surprise, and then laughed. “I think Tucker’s a little jealous. He’s not used to sharing me with anybody.”

“Oh, yeah,” Brooklyn countered, “better get used to it, boy.”

Dax leaned his forehead against hers. “I like the sound of that,” he uttered, the sound rumbling from deep within his chest.

“You’re pretty good at kissing, Dax Preston,” Brooklyn drawled.

“Takes two to tango,” he quipped. “It’s a good thing I don’t need my eyes for that.”

She laughed. “Yeah, a good thing. You seem to be good at a lot of things.”

“Hmm … such as?”

“That was some dang good spaghetti.”

“Yeah … what else?” He pulled back, lightly trailing a finger over the curve of her jaw. His finger moved down her slender neck and across her collar bone. He wished he could see Brooklyn’s face, commit her features to memory. But then again, maybe he didn’t need to, the essence of her was imprinted on his senses. Even though they were just starting their relationship, he felt like he knew her, really knew her.

“Well, you have the good sense to recognize that a chocolate cake is a great way to get back in my good graces.”

“Hmm … I’ll have to remember that.” He paused. “So, I have a question for you.”

“Oh, yeah?” she hummed. “And what is that?”

“A very important question.” He couldn’t contain the grin that stretched over his lips. “Would you like your cake before or after we go kayaking?”

A pleased laugh rumbled in her throat. “Kayaking? I hate to burst your bubble, but it’s too late. The boat dock is closed.”

“Not when you have your own kayak.”

“Really?”

“Yep, really. And even though I can’t see them, I’ve heard the sunsets on the lake are spectacular.”

“Now you’re just showing off,” she teased.

He laughed, feeling happier in this moment than he’d felt in a very long time. “I’m just trying to impress you. Is it working?”

“Hmm … I’m not sure. I’ll have to think on that. What kind of paddles you got with that kayak?”

“What?” He began tickling her.

“Stop,” she begged as they scuffled back and forth. A minute later, they were kissing again. And Dax got the feeling Brooklyn was the type of girl a guy could never get enough of. He could spend a lifetime learning her complexities, a long, delicious lifetime of discovery.

* * *

Brooklyn couldn’t believe how quickly her life had changed. For so long, things had been ho-hum. She’d gone to work and come home, and about all she had to look forward to was rollerblading around the lake. Even though she was grateful her business was thriving and she loved living in a such a beautiful neighborhood, she longed for more spice in her life. Well, now she had it. In a single day, her relationships became polar opposites. She was reminded of the adage, Be careful what you wish for. On the one hand things were so good with Dax that she had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming the whole thing. It had only been three days since she and Dax went kayaking, even though it seemed like they’d been together longer.

When Brooklyn wasn’t working, she was with Dax. When she was working, she was thinking about him. On the other hand, things were awful with Brooklyn’s family. Her mother freaked out about the Justin thing, just as Brooklyn knew she would.

“I just can’t believe you were kissing your sister’s husband,” she kept saying.

Even though she repeatedly told mother that Justin forced the kiss on her, her mother’s disbelief and accusation persisted. It was disheartening to know her mother thought so little of her. Brooklyn was really dreading her coming into town. She was picking her up at the airport tomorrow. She sighed. It would be a long week. Brooklyn didn’t really know where she’d gone so wrong with her family—why Madison was the golden child. Brooklyn was the one who’d graduated college with honors and started her own business. That counted for something, didn’t it?

Had Brooklyn not been so mesmerized by Dax, she probably would’ve been more upset about her family. But, she knew she hadn’t done anything wrong. Justin was a scumbag, and eventually Madison and her mother would have to come to terms with that. It was just easier to make Brooklyn the scapegoat.

Her thoughts drifted back to Dax. After they went kayaking Monday evening, they went back to her place where they ate cake and talked until late in the night. It was fascinating to hear Dax’s racing history. He started out racing go-karts in his teenage years, then worked his way up the ranks, participating myriad races, until he made it to Nascar. Brooklyn could tell Dax missed his life racing cars, and she felt for him. It would be hard to lose such an intrinsic part of your identity. After the accident, Dax was left with no alternative but to reinvent himself. She sensed the loss of his independence was the hardest part of his blindness. Tucker had been a game-changer for Dax. It was commendable how much independence he’d reclaimed. She was impressed that he was learning to play the piano and asked if he’d play for her. He promised he would as soon as he got better at playing the piece he was working on.

“You’ve got that look again,” Nicole said, giving Brooklyn a coy smile as she reached for a container and pressed a block of foam into it before adding greenery. “I can’t imagine who you’re thinking about,” she joked. “Things are going well, I take it?”

Brooklyn giggled. “Yes, great.” She just couldn’t stop smiling.

Nicole gave her a tentative look. “How are you handling his visual impairment?”

“I don’t really think about it.”

“Really?” Nicole looked skeptical. “I find that hard to believe.”

“I mean, it’s not like I’m not aware of it. We talk about it a lot. Dax has learned to deflect a lot of the hardship through humor.”

“I can see that. He’s a fighter.” Admiration coated her voice.

“Yes, he is. He’s the most exciting man I’ve ever met.”

Nicole’s eyes grew wide, then she laughed. “I wish you could see your face right now. You’re practically glowing.”

“Dax really gets me, you know?” Brooklyn added a few yellow rose buds to add pops of color to the otherwise white bridal bouquet. She perched her hands on her hips, studying it. “What do you think? Do you like the yellow, or is it too much?”

“I like it. It’s different.”

“Different’s good, yeah?”

Nicole gave her a knowing smile. “Are we talking about the arrangement or Dax?”

“The arrangement, of course.” But Brooklyn couldn’t help but giggle.

“Yep, it doesn’t get much more different than a washed-up, blind, racecar driver.”

Brooklyn’s forehead creased. “That’s harsh.” Nicole was prone to speaking her mind, but this was a little over the top.

“I’m sorry, I’m not trying to be mean. It’s just that from the way you go on about him, I get the impression you like the fact that he’s blind.”

For a split second, Brooklyn didn’t think she’d heard her correctly. Her jaw tightened. “W-what kind of a statement is that?”

She held up her hands. “I’m just calling it like I see it.”

“Why do you always have to be so negative about things?”

“I’m not being negative.” She looked Brooklyn in the eye. “Do you like him being blind?”

“It’s not something I’ve thought about. He simply is blind. I’m not happy he crashed and suffered so much.” Nicole just stood there, probing her with those perceptive eyes. Did she like the fact that he was blind? It hadn’t occurred to her to consider that. Admittedly, it was refreshing to know that Dax was interested in her for who she really was, not the outside package. She’d been jealous of Cassidy Cline because she was so beautiful. But physical beauty was no longer a factor for Dax. In a strange way, that was comforting, especially considering she’d always been compared to Madison, who was prettier and outgoing. Brooklyn shrugged. “Is it such a bad thing that I appreciate the man Dax has become because of his disability?”

“Well, no.”

She rushed on. “I mean, I don’t wish Dax any ill will. And I don’t like that he lost his sight. But let’s face it, if Dax hadn’t had his accident, he never would’ve moved back to Utah. And we never would’ve reconnected. I guess what I’m saying is that despite what happened to him, I’m glad he’s part of my life now.”

Nicole tilted her head thoughtfully. “You make a good point.”

“Why’re you making such a big deal about it anyway?” Brooklyn challenged. “No one can help that Dax is blind. The two of us are doing great. Other than Justin the sleaze and my crazy family, I’ve never been happier.”

“Okay, I get it.” Nicole offered a sheepish grin. “You’re crazy about Dax.”

Her eyes narrowed. “But you knew that already. Why the third degree?”

“I just want to make sure you’re not with him because you feel sorry for him. I know what a sucker you are for sob stories. You feel the need to save the world.”

A laugh issued from Brooklyn’s throat. “Sorry for him? Really? This is Dax Preston we’re talking about here. He doesn’t need or want anyone’s pity. Besides, I’ve had a thing for him since the eleventh grade.”

“Exactly. I wanna make sure your high school crush isn’t clouding your judgment.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Well, make up your mind because a second ago you were worried that I felt sorry for him. Which one is it?”

“Both, I suppose.”

This whole conversation was ridiculous. She didn’t understand why Nicole was hounding her. She shook her head. “Can’t you just be happy for me? I’m with a great guy, and I’m happy. Really happy. Do I know what’s gonna happen six months or a year from now? No. But I’ll take it a step at a time and work my way through. Just like I would with any relationship.”

Nicole gave her an appraising look. “Good, that’s all I wanted to know. You convinced me.”

She pulled a face. “Okay then. I’m glad my feelings for Dax passed your ‘little test’.” She made air quotes.

“I’m just looking out for you, that’s what friends do.”

“Yeah, so you say. Geez. If that’s what you do to your friends, I’d hate to see what you do to your enemies.” She blew out a breath. “And you accuse me of overthinking things.”

A contrite grin slid over Nicole’s lips. “Sorry, Steve’s always telling me I analyze things to death.”

“Oh, I could’ve told you that,” she fired back. Steve was Nicole’s husband. The two of them met through an online dating service and married four months later. Because things had worked out peachy for Nicole, she assumed she was a relationship expert.

“This is changing the subject, but what’s the latest with the Justin and Madison saga?”

Brooklyn cringed. “Nothing’s changed. Madison hates my guts, and my mom can’t believe I had the audacity to throw myself at my sister’s husband. And lucky me, I get to spend an entire week with my mom. I’m sure she’ll harp on me the entire time.” She let out a humorless laugh. “I guarantee you the concerns you’ve raised about Dax are nothing compared to what my mother will come up with.”

Nicole shook her head. “The good news is that once she sees you with Dax, she’ll realize you’re crazy about him and not remotely interested in Justin.”

“Yeah, you’d think. But my mother’s perception is skewed.”

“Your mother’s a piece of work. I don’t understand why she’s always on your case. You don’t deserve it.”

“Thanks,” she said glumly.

“Your mother should know there’s no way on earth you’d make a play for your sister’s husband, even if he was your boyfriend once.” Nicole grimaced when she realized what she was saying. “You know, you’ve got a sticky life.”

“Tell me about it,” Brooklyn said dryly.