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 door.

“Tyler, that was very nice.”

“Yeah it was.”

She laughed at his near moan. “Can we do it again soon?”

“You can guarantee it.” He gave her hand a pat and climbed out of the SUV.

Courtney took the moment before he opened her door to collect herself. Boys had been nice to her in the past and then ran like hell. Oh, she was no prude. She’d kissed plenty of boys—men. No one in the world kissed like Tyler Benson. The thought crossed her mind. He must have had a lot of women to know how to kiss like that. She didn’t want to think she’d just be another—but honestly she didn’t care at that moment. But she would in time.

She had to remember that she was in mourning and he was helping her though that. She’d asked him to kiss her and he had. But, he’d wanted to, right?

The door opened to her side and Tyler touched her hand. Courtney turned in her seat, placed her hand on the door, and stepped out of the vehicle.

“I assume that’s my parents coming up the drive.”

Tyler chuckled as he shut the door behind her. “You’re hearing is better than my sight. I can’t see the car through the trees. But there are a lot of cars headed this way.”

Instead of taking his elbow, she laced her arm through his. “Let’s go in through the back. I don’t feel like being right here when they get out of the car.”

“Lead the way.”

Courtney closed her eyes blocking the brightness of the sun and swallowed the feelings she was having. There was one thing she knew about Tyler Benson. He’d run away when things got too hard for him to deal with. Sure, he’d come home to mend that—but he’d run.

As she led him around the house, she thought about what she was feeling. It wasn’t unfamiliar to her. She’d felt these pains before. Very quickly she was growing attached to him—more than attached if she let herself be totally honest. This was something that could very well become—dare she think it—love.

But she couldn’t let it take that form. Not yet. Fate or not, Tyler Benson might run. He knew nothing of her or her family. He’d yet to have to deal with her father beyond the pleasantries of condolences. He’d yet to have her mother break down in front of him. Heck, she hadn’t even done that yet and she would. It was inevitable. No matter how strong she was, she was fragile too.

At some point her lack of sight would get in their way. Courtney couldn’t just jump in a car and head to him when he needed her. Fine, she’d admit it. She had a disability that stopped her from the things sighted people could do—such as hopping in a car and driving away. Perhaps she admired Tyler for getting to do that.

“Are you okay?” he asked as her hand had begun to shake.

“I have a lot on my mind.”

“That’s understandable.” He took the step to the back door and she followed. “Just through this sliding door?”

“Yes. Maria will be right inside fussing over food.”

“And Maria is?”

“My parents’ cook. She’s been with us for as long as we’ve lived here.”

“I need to get me one of those,” he joked and she smiled. She’d heard that a million times, but when Tyler said it, it didn’t bother her as much.

Tyler opened the door and the scent of sauces and flowers filled Courtney’s nose. Maria had been busy.

“Oh, Miss Courtney.”

She stepped inside the kitchen and could hear Maria shuffling her feet toward her.

“Why did you come in the back? You will have guests.”

“Maria, I have a guest. This is Tyler.”

Maria didn’t speak right away and Courtney knew she was sizing him up. She felt him move.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs…”