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Authors: Vanessa Devereaux

Seeing Forever (9 page)

BOOK: Seeing Forever
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“Have you been listening to the TV?” said
Katey
.

He shook his head. “They were talking about getting
me a descriptive service, but I don’t know if I want it. It sounds too depressing.
I mean, someone telling you what’s going on. I’ve been listening to music, and
also some audio books.”

“What sort of books do you like?”

“Mysteries.”

“Me too.
I
could read one to you…I mean, if you want?”

A few days ago he’d have said no way, hell, he might
have even been borderline pissed, but now the thought of sitting here relaxing
while listening to
Katey’s
voice thrilled him.

“Sure…there are some books over on the ledge there
that I didn’t get around to reading before the accident.”

He hadn’t counted on
Katey
sitting close by him when she’d picked a book, until he felt pressure on his
thigh and then warmth creeping through his jeans. He took a deep breath, almost
getting intoxicated by her perfume. Now all he wanted to do was lean in toward
her and rest his head on her shoulder.

“This one is called
Nowhere
to Run
,” said
Katey
.

If by coincidence that was the one he wanted to read
and guessed he never would unless he could find it on audio or it was available
in Braille…once he learned how to read it. He heard her turning some pages and
then she began reading.

“Jack
Bansworth
sensed he
was being followed the minute he’d turned the corner…”

He relaxed more on the couch, resting his head on
the back of it, getting dreamy about how she said the words. He’d never thought
about a woman’s voice before and what a turn-on it could be. At least
Katey’s
was, for him.

Each time she turned the page she sent up a little
breeze that made her perfume travel his way some more. He wanted to touch her
and feel her face so he could see if it was as pretty as everyone said.

He reached up and made contact with both her hand
and the book. She stopped reading and he hoped she didn’t run and think he was
a pervert who’d tricked her into staying in his guest room for the sole purpose
of seducing her. But she took his hand and tickled his palm with one of her fingers.
They linked hands, palm to palm, but didn’t say anything.

“Can I touch your face? Yes, I know that sounds
creepy, but I want to feel what it’s like.”

“Sure.”

He felt her move slightly and guessed she was now
facing him. He reached up and touched her collarbone and then raised his hand
higher, soon coming in contact with her lips.

They were full, soft, and he was guessing the prettiest
shade of pink. He slid his finger over her cheek, feeling the bone, and then up
to her eyes. He outlined them. Her eyelashes were long and curled just a
little.

“What color are your eyes?”

“Blue.”

He’d guessed as much.

And her nose.
He
ran his index finger along the bone and knew it, like the rest of her face,
felt attractive.

But then he pulled his hand away, almost as if he
was coming to his senses. This had been a dumb thing to do. Not because maybe
she thought him a little strange, but now that he’d touched her face, it broke
his heart that he’d never see it for himself.

Dumb
and stupid
.

Depression washed over him again. Hanging around him
like a dark shroud he could never be free of. He had to get away from her. He
stood.

“I’m feeling tired all of a sudden, so I hope you
don’t mind if I go up to bed?”

“No, not at all.
Is
it okay if I sit and watch TV until I’m sleepy?”

“Sure, treat this like your home.”

He almost forgot about Willow until the dog barked.
Luc reached for his harness and soon he was escorting him out of the living
room and up the stairs. He had to give the canine credit, because he learned
quickly. Luc felt around for his bed and sat on it as the dog knocked against
his leg.

“Is it true what they say that animals can pick up
on people’s emotions?” he asked him.

If that was true, the dog might sense he was at a
low point. Having
Katey
around was now actually
torturing him more than anything. He took off his t-shirt and then stood and
removed his jeans before sitting down on the bed again.

Tomorrow he’d tell her that he didn’t need her to
hang around training him or Willow. They would be just fine on their own. He
reached out until he found the dog’s head and patted it.

“You understand why she has to leave, right?”

 

 

 

 

Chapter
Nine

 

Katey
had
tried to watch the movie but she couldn’t concentrate so she’d given up and
gone to bed. For one crazy minute she’d even contemplated driving home. She
turned out the light but knew she wouldn’t get any sleep because her mind was
turning over so many thoughts.

The way Luc had touched her face, her lips, and his
gentle touch on her eyes. Her nipples had pulled and ached, tempting her to make
the first move and kiss him. How crazy would that have been? She’d so wanted
to. She wanted to make love with him, for Luc to be the man to take her
virginity.

Katey
turned on her side. She probably wasn’t the sort of woman he was used to. Ten
years his junior, totally inexperienced, and yes, in need of losing a few
pounds too. Okay, more than a few.

She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the
bed. She couldn’t stay. It was torture because she wanted him and she never
could have him. She would go home and tomorrow make some excuse about her
having found a full-time job at a local company.

Katey
stood and walked over to the dresser where she’d placed her bag and put her
extra clothing into it. She pulled on her jeans and t-shirt and slowly crept
out of the room and down the stairs. She’d call him first thing in the morning
and tell him the job opportunity had come up at the last minute.

Being as quiet as she could, she tiptoed out onto
the driveway and got into her car. She turned the ignition and … nothing.
 
That had never happened before. The battery
was less than six months old. She turned the key again.
Still
nothing.

She counted to ten and tried again.

Shit, it still wouldn’t start.

Katey
glanced at the front door and for one crazy minute, she could have sworn she
saw Sadie Sutton standing there shaking her head.

She had to get out of here because now she was
hallucinating.

She tried one more time. All the lights came on, but
not the engine. She looked at the gas gauge, but the pointer was on E. She
tapped it. Something had to be wrong. She’d filled the tank up before she’d
headed to Luc’s place earlier that day.

Finally giving up, she took the key out. She’d have
to go back inside and call her dad or someone to come and bring some gas first
thing in the morning.

He
needs you.

She jumped. A woman’s voice -- was it Sadie’s? --
had said those three words, but there was no one around.

Hurry,
he needs you.

Now totally spooked,
Katey
grabbed her bag and hurried toward the house but realized she’d locked it and
didn’t have a key.

She couldn’t ring the bell so she’d be spending the
night sleeping out in the car. She turned to walk away and then heard something
click behind her.

She turned to look just as the door flew open and a
wind coming from out of the blue pushed her toward it.

Maybe she was coming down with something. Maybe she
needed to sleep it off.

Katey
stepped
inside the hallway just as Luc cried out.

She dropped her bag and took the stairs two at a
time to get to him.

As she got to the top stair she heard him cry out
again.
Katey
ran to his room and pushed back the door
and stepped inside.

There was a nightlight on, and Willow was running
around the bed frantically moving from one side to the other. Luc was obviously
still asleep but dreaming as his head turned from side to side and sweat clung
to his face and neck.

Should she wake him?

He cried out again and it almost broke her heart
because he sounded like he was in physical pain.

Katey
couldn’t let him suffer any longer. She rushed to the bed and gently tugged on
his arm. He didn’t wake up so she nudged him harder and this time he gradually
opened his eyes.

He was out of breath. His chest moved up and down
like he was having trouble breathing.

“Where am I?” he asked.

“You’re at home. It’s okay.”

“I can’t see.”

Her stomach turned and she remembered the woman’s
voice.
He needs you
. She knew where
she’d heard it before. Yes, it had definitely been Sadie’s. How strange that
she should know that Luc was having a nightmare and that
Katey
was attempting to leave.

“You’re going to be all right,” she said.

The only thing she could do was slide onto the bed
to hug him.

“There was an explosion, and then everything went
black,” he said.

“I know, but you’re safe now.
Me
and Willow are here with you.”

“I’m not in the hospital?”

“Nope, you’re
back
home in
Boise in your house. I’m guessing you had a bad dream about the bomb exploding
and it’s disorientated you.”

He patted the bed, seeming almost on the verge of
having a panic attack. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

“I got so scared. I couldn’t see and I could smell
smoke.”

She rubbed the back of his hand. “It must have been
scary. Have you had nightmares before?”

“Yeah, a couple of times a week, but this one was
really bad. I was back there, living through the explosion. This time I even
heard the bomb ticking, but I couldn’t run away fast enough.”

A bead of sweat dripped off his face and onto the
quilt.

“Wait here and I’ll get a washcloth and some ice
cold water.”

She hurried to the bathroom and then down to the
kitchen and filled up a beaker with ice and water, before heading back upstairs.
She rested the washcloth on his forehead and then sat him up and made him take
small sips of the water.

He extended his hand, resting it on her thigh. She
glanced at his fingers. Surely he must know he’d made contact with her body but
he seemed in no hurry to move his hand.

Katey’s
heartbeat
picked up. She closed her eyes. All she wanted to do was crawl under the sheets
and snuggle next to him. Not only to comfort him but to satisfy her own craving
and fantasy. But that would be taking advantage of the situation.


Katey
,” he finally said.
She hadn’t realized what a deep sexy voice he had until now. She closed her
eyes again and it wasn’t until he said her name again that she realized she
hadn’t responded.

“Yes, how are you feeling?” she asked.

“Scared.”

Willow put his paw on the bed as if he knew Luc
wasn’t doing so well. She reached over and stroked his head to assure him he
did okay and none of this was his fault.

“Don’t leave me alone in the dark,” he said,
stroking her leg. She’d never felt quite like this before, her skin was suddenly
supersensitive, her nipples throbbed and her panties were without a doubt,
damp.

“How about I sleep in the chair by the bed? That way
Willow and I can keep an eye on you, and I’m here if you need to talk?”

“That won’t be very comfortable for you. You can
have the bed and I’ll take the chair.”

“I wouldn’t think of it.”

“Then lay on top of the bed beside me. There are
some extra blankets in the cupboard over there.”

She wanted to say no. Not that she was offended by
his suggestion but he was too tempting and she was scared she’d take advantage
of him, not vice versa.

“Sure. I’ll just go get them.”

She walked across to the other side of the room,
opened the cupboard and saw two crème blankets sitting on the top shelf. She
took them out, and then walked back to the bed where Luc had moved over to the
right side.

Katey
got
onto the bed and threw the blankets over her and eased her head down on the
pillow. Willow walked around and then lay on the floor beside Luc.

BOOK: Seeing Forever
3.19Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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