Seeing Forever (8 page)

“
Katey
?” he asked.

She had to own up. Of course not to the fact that
she’d been standing there ogling him, but that she was now in the hallway.

“Yes. Do you need any help getting back downstairs…
jeez,
I know I shouldn’t be asking you that sort of thing.”

She closed her eyes. It was the first time since
she’d met him that she’d wished she could take back something she’d said.

“Sure, and you didn’t say anything wrong,” he said,
walking out of the room.

She made her way toward him and offered him her arm.

They made their way back downstairs where Willow ran
to greet Luc and nudged his thigh with his nose.

“You know what that means?” asked
Katey
.

“That he likes my change of pants?” asked Luc.

Katey
laughed. “Nope, when he does that he’s telling you that his bowl is empty. How
about some lunch and I can show you how to refill it and set the timer so he
gets it automatically?”

“That’d be great, because my sister couldn’t figure
it out.”

They walked into the kitchen.

“Okay let’s start by keeping Willow’s food in the
cupboard right here by the microwave, that way you can know exactly where it’s
at.”

“Makes sense.”

Luc leaned up against the edge of the counter and
crossed one leg over the other. The man was so gorgeous and for some reason
since they’d got back from the park she was feeling like flirting with him.
She,
Katey
.
Miss Shy and Inhibited.

“His feeding bowl has a timer here.”

She reached for his hand and put it on the knob at
the top of the bowl.

“Let’s set it for six in the morning, noon, and then
another one at six at night. And I think Jake worked out that you’ll need to
replenish it every other day.”

“I hope I can figure it out. I’d hate him to go
hungry.”

“I can stop by and check if you like. I mean, till
you know you’ve got the hang of it.”

Luc nodded.

“Okay, I’m putting this by the pantry door.”

“Perfect, because I can feel for the handle and I’ll
know
it’s
south of there.”

Willow rushed over to his bowl and began eating the
food that
Katey
had placed in it.

“You have wet dog odor,” she said, patting his head.

“So, what can I get you to eat?” asked Luc.

“Anything you’re having is fine with me.”

“I was thinking of nuking the calzones my sister
brought by yesterday. She put them in the freezer here.”

Luc made his way over to the other side of the room
slowly, but he got there. He pulled open the freezer door, stood, and then
slapped his hand around in there.

She didn’t know whether to help him or not. Finally
he rested his forehead against the top of the freezer and kicked the bottom of
it with the toe of his running shoe.

“I’m sorry. It’s just I’m having one of my moments,”
he said.

“No need to apologize. I have them too.”

Katey
still wasn’t sure if she should offer her assistance or just let him work it
out by himself.

“Lunch might be awhile so hope you’re not starving.”

He hadn’t moved from the exact spot and now he
wasn’t even trying to find the calzone but still resting his head on the rim of
the freezer and mumbling. Her heart went out to him.

“Why don’t we put something different on each
package.
” She walked toward him. He turned his head in her
direction.
“For example.
We could use buttons. One on
the calzone, two on fish sticks, three on steak, and if you ever forgot which
is what, you could record it on a machine and then play it back. I can do it
for you if you like?”

He didn’t say anything but stood looking at her. Did
he know where she was? Could he feel her breath on his cheek maybe?

“That would be great, but right now could you do me
another favor?”

“Sure. Anything you want.”

“Hold me.”

She hadn’t been expecting that.

Chapter
Seven

Luc had gone out on a limb with his request. He hadn’t
thought that she really would, but in the short time he’d known this young
woman he was learning that she had a generous soul and a kind heart.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and he put
his around her waist. She wasn’t small like he’d first thought, but in fact
curvy, yeah, and sexy too. Luc wanted to run his hands over her body and not
just in a sexual way. He wanted to feel what she looked like. His therapist had
told him many people without their sight did just that. But he couldn’t because
he was already getting aroused. His cock grew hard for the first time in what
seemed like forever. It had been so long that it was almost a foreign feeling
to him.

When he’d woken up in the hospital and been told
that he’d suffered injuries to his eyes, opened them and seen nothing, he’d
thought about how his life would be different. And yes, being a typical man,
he’d thought about how sex would be different. Not seeing the woman who you
were making love to.
Even if he’d have sex, ever again.
That had depressed him the most.
The thought of the loss of human
contact, kissing, touching, being touched, being inside a woman and bringing
her pleasure.
 

His dick twitched and grew harder as he smelled
Katey’s
perfume again. He pressed his nose into her neck
and left it there. Maybe taking sensory pleasure was about as good as it was
going to get for him now.

Shit, how sick was this.
His nose,
lingering on the skin of the woman who was training a service dog for him.
He was sure if he wasn’t disabled she’d probably slap him. And now his erection
was obviously pressing into her belly, twitching too.

“Do you think we should get those calzones in the
microwave?” she whispered.

She’d obviously found the situation uncomfortable and
used the food as the perfect excuse to feel herself from him. How could he have
been so stupid?

He stepped back. “I’m sorry.”

She touched his arm. “Nothing to be sorry about … it’s
just, I’m really hungry.”

****

It had been embarrassing but not for the reason he’d
probably assumed.
 
When she’d felt his
erection start to strain against her belly it had turned her on like never
before. And then she’d panicked. Truth was she’d had boyfriends, kissed,
touched body parts, but she was still a virgin. She took another bite of the
calzone and watched Luc. She should tell him, but what would he think about a
twenty-four year old, almost twenty-five, never having sex before? She guessed
he’d had loads of women in his bed. And why would she think he was thinking
along those lines anyway? Why did she think he had sex on his mind? He just
needed some support and she’d given it to him, and as it happened, he’d gotten
aroused.
Typical man, right?
Happened
all the time to guys.

Katey
was
so deep in thought that she jumped when the doorbell rang. Willow immediately
walked over to Luc and nudged his leg.

“He knows the routine already,” said
Katey
. “So let’s see how the two of you do this time.”

Luc grabbed his harness and stood, letting Willow
lead him out to the hallway.

“Thought I’d stop by to see if
you needed anything.”

It was a woman’s voice and
Katey
wondered if Luc had a girlfriend. Maybe someone he was seeing before he went on
active duty. Her heart sank and she realized how stupid she was acting.
Typical of her to set herself up for disappointment like that.

She stood and was about to take the dishes to the
sink when she saw a woman standing in the doorway with Luc. The resemblance to
him was uncanny. She had his same shape nose, and there was no mistaking they
were somehow related.

“
Katey
,
my sister Josie.
Josie,
Katey
.”

“I’m pleased to meet you,” said
Katey
,
shaking her hand.

“Likewise, and I’m glad to hear you’re taking good
care of my brother.”

“I’m guessing you were just passing by the house,”
said Luc.

“Yep, been to the store and I thought I’d pick up
some steaks for your dinner. I remembered
Katey
was staying
over so maybe she wouldn’t mind cooking them for the both of you.”

“Sis, you should have asked.
Katey’s
a service dog trainer, not my personal chef.”

“It’s okay, really it is. It’ll be nice to cook
again. My step-mother seems to think she rules the kitchen at home.”

“The dreaded step-mom.
I’m
glad we never had one of those. Is your real mom still around?” asked Josie.

Katey
heard Luc draw in his breath and his sister glanced at him.

“No, she had breast cancer and died when I was
twelve,” said
Katey
.

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Any siblings?”

“Hey, that’s enough with the questioning,” said Luc.

“An older brother,” said
Katey
,
secretly finding the whole thing amusing.

“Well, I should leave before my brother shuts me in
the pantry. You want to walk me out, Luc?”

She grabbed his arm and they made their way down the
hallway.
Katey
could hear her whispering to Luc and
then she kissed him, and was gone.

Luc made his way back.

“Sorry about that. I think she could easily get the
nosiest person in Boise award, and I’ve always had to make excuses for it. And
if you don’t want to cook steaks tonight, that’s fine with me.”

“No, really.
It’s
no hassle at all.”

****

Luc heard the steaks sizzling on the grill. He smiled,
remembering his sister walking him to the door and telling him just how cute
Katey
was.

“You want to sit at the table?” asked
Katey
.

“I guess I should. I warn you, I drop more food down
me than goes into my mouth.”

She touched his arm and it felt like an electrical
current. He fingered the edge of the chair and sat.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve cut the steak up
for you.”

He heard a plate being placed on the table in front
of him.

He would have minded had it been anyone else
patronizing him like that, but not
Katey
. He knew she
meant well and that was all.

“Any steak sauce?” he asked.

“Sure. And there’s a baked potato, too. Oh, and I
found a bag of salad mix in your fridge. Hope you didn’t mind me washing it and
dressing it with my homemade vinaigrette.”

He laughed.
“Not at all.
You sound like quite a catch for some guy.”

He felt for the bottle of steak sauce and unscrewed
the top. He carefully put his finger on the side of his plate and poured some.

“Guess I haven’t found one I’d like to catch,” she
said.

He speared the first piece of steak and lifted it to
his mouth. The meat melted on his tongue. She’d cooked it to perfection. Well,
maybe not perfection, but the way he liked his T-bones.

“Are you telling me you don’t have a boyfriend?”

He wanted to know if Jake had been right. Maybe
sometimes woman didn’t reveal that they were seeing someone. Not that he
thought there was any chance for him, but he was just cautious.

Yeah,
that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

“No, no boyfriend at the moment.”

He put his hand out and fingered the edge of the
bowl with the salad. Now he wanted to taste her homemade salad dressing. Not
that he was a vinaigrette type of guy. Blue cheese was his dressing of choice.
He pushed the fork through the bowl and brought it up to his lips, feeling oil
slide over them. He licked it. It was heaven. He munched on the lettuce,
getting a hit of olive oil, vinegar, and if he wasn’t mistaken, mustard. Some
guy was going to get lucky having
Katey
as a
girlfriend and lover. He squeezed his eyes shut.

Shit,
how I wish it could be me.

Chapter
Eight

They sat in the armchairs in the living room.