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missed the highway,” he said on a laugh.
    “Sorry.”
    “Don’t be, but it’s funny. That’s out by where my grandmother lives.”
    “The one with the boulder in the stream?”
    “Yeah, that one.”
    “We moved out there about ten years ago, I guess. Mom wanted a forever home, as she’d put it. She was done traveling with the Marines.”
    “So you’ve lived a lot of places.”
    “More than I can count,” she said on a sigh. “But this is home.”
    “It’s a nice area.”
    “Uh-huh.” There was no reason for her to say more.
     

Chapter Six
     
    Tyler followed Courtney’s directions toward the house and they were very precise.
    “Yep, you’re about two miles north of my grandmother’s place. I can’t believe you lived so close,” he said as he came to the road she’d directed him to turn on.
    “Where did you grow up?”
    “Not too far actually. About ten miles from here.”
    Courtney reached for his arm and traveled her hand down it until she found his hand. He let it relax as she took it in hers.
    “I believe in fate. Do you?”
    He swallowed hard. “I do.”
    “You and I were on that plane together. We both are going through things . We grew up in the same place.”
    “Fate.”
    “Fate.”
    Tyler pulled into the very generous drive of a beautiful house encircled by trees.
    “This is beautiful,” he said.
    “It doesn’t have a boulder and a stream.” She was smiling.
    “I’m guessing it has other charms.”
    “Pull up and park just on the south side of the garage. There is some space.”
    He drove up the drive. “Will I be in anyone’s way?”
    “No. But this way you can get out when you’re ready to leave.”
    He gave her hand a squeeze. “I’ll stay as long as you’d like me to.”
    “You might as well park in the garage then.” She chuckled, but the heat in his body spiked.
    Tyler parked where she’d suggested and turned off the engine. The world around them went silent for a moment.
    Courtney’s hand was still in his and it trembled. He watched as she moistened her lips and took a breath—as if hers wasn’t coming easy either.
    “Tyler,” she said breathy as she turned her head toward him. “I want to ask you something. When I’m done you’re free to go if you want to.”
    She swallowed hard and turned in her seat to fully face him.
    “Did you only come to the funeral because I asked you to? Because you felt sorry for me?”
    “No,” he answered his voice unsteady.
    She shifted their hands so that their fingers interlaced. She’d raised the bar to be more intimate.
    “Are you put off by my looks or the fact that I’m blind?”
    “No.” That answer was much quicker and sharp.
    A smile began to form on her lips. “You do believe in fate?”
    “I think I do.”
    “Would you be interested in kissing me?”
    Every part of him wanted that, but he forced himself to control any part of him that would make him rush what he was feeling.
    “Courtney, I’d be very interested.”
    She let out a long airy sigh and moved closer to him. “Will you kiss me then? Kiss me as if you’ve been dreaming about it for as long as you can remember.”
    Tyler lifted his free hand to her cheek. “That won’t be so hard.”
    He moved to her slowly as she closed her eyes. Her lips parted in anticipation of his. As his mouth pressed to hers, he felt the sigh resonate from her.
    The warmth of her mouth against his sent that brush fire into a full forest fire dwelling in his belly. Her lips parted further and their tongues met, exploding feelings in him he didn’t realize he could even feel.
    Thick air swirled around them as the kiss became more than just a friendly kiss. There was electricity in lips on lips, tongues searching, fingers clenching.
    Courtney pulled back breathlessly. “They’re coming,” she said before he could hear the faint sounds of cars turning on the dirt road which would lead to the drive.
    “I’ll open your door.” He moved to open his