InSight

overstepped some imaginary boundary. Then Luke spoke.
    “I’ve always enjoyed working crime scenes. I haven’t thought about redirecting my focus. But, yeah, I suppose it might work.”
    Abby didn’t know how Luke would react to her meddling in his life, but hearing his positive reaction made her glad she did.
    “Then you’ll think about it?”
    “I’ll talk to the captain, see what my options are. I know they want me out, but this is a way to keep me without agonizing over a discrimination lawsuit if they fire me. I’d hate to do that, but I would. I want to keep my job. I might even win in this disability-sensitive age.”
    He slipped his hand around the back of her neck. “Thanks for caring. I mean that.”
    A ripple of excitement flickered in a place that hadn’t been flickered in a long time. Lucy would be glad to know her daughter’s sex drive was still in working order. After an awkward moment, she raised her hands to stroke the side of his face. “You didn’t shave this morning.”
    “If I’d anticipated this, I would have.”
    She caressed his lips, tucking one finger inside.
    He sucked on it, grabbed her hand, and kissed it.
    “I’ve gotta tell you, this is really turning me on.”
    “Is it?”
    “Yes. I’ve never been excited by someone touching my face before, but I’ve got a hard on that’s about to rip my pants.”
    She laughed. He pulled her up and placed one of her hands on his bulge to prove his claim. He left it there, drawing her closer, his strong hands all over her back and neck and into her damp hair. His lips, soft in contrast to the bristle of his two-day growth, brushed her mouth, tongues exploring inside, dancing around each other. She stretched her hands across his tightly muscled back, clutching and stroking and kneading. He lifted her face, and they kissed.
    It had been so long since she’d kissed anyone, since she’d wanted to kiss anyone. His erection pressed against her thigh. So many emotions fluttered through her—excitement, joy, and fear. Her body tensed and she pulled back. Luke didn’t let go, but his hold relaxed.
    He spoke into her ear. “No matter how much I want you right this minute, and I do, I won’t rush you.”
    “It’s just that—”
    “I’m not watching your lips, so no need to explain. I’m a patient man where you’re concerned. I can wait.”
    She didn’t explain, because her body wanting to make love conflicted with the thoughts racing through her mind cautioning against it. Two different entities, each with separate needs, and she needed to be careful how she nourished each one.

Chapter Nine
    The Blind Leading the Deaf

    W hen Abby told Luke about her date at the track, he reacted like most people when they pictured a blind runner—with a mixture of skepticism and awe.
    “I thought you had a runner’s body, but…”
    “I know. The image of a person running blind is hard for most people to comprehend. I decided if I was going to be blind for the rest of my life, I’d be the best blind person I could be. I learned Braille—hard to master in midlife; it took me two years, and I’d always been a runner, so why not? There are quite a few of us, especially the kids. They have no fear. There’s a whole world out there, Luke. Just because we can’t see it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t participate.”
    “Well, I want to see this.”
    Abby changed into shorts and running shoes. The sun warmed her shoulders, but it wasn’t hot. Perfect temperature for running. She’d called Jackie to tell her she had a ride to the track, and when they arrived, she was waiting. Abby introduced her to Luke, and he took a seat in the bleachers.
    Each woman wrapped the ends of a long shoelace around their hands, leaving enough slack to run independently but close enough to synchronize their pace. Abby trusted Jackie completely.
    She remembered the first time they ran together and the fear that accompanied every step. What if she lost her balance? She did too—the second time out, twisting her ankle and taking Jackie down with her. It took all her nerve to get back up and try again, but with Jackie’s encouragement, she persisted.
    Abby stretched out in long, even strides, maintaining her lane. Jackie had convinced her that no one watching would know she was blind from the confidence of her style. They ran twenty laps, more than five miles. When they finished, neither woman took a winded breath.
    “She’s terrific, isn’t she?” Jackie asked