Highness (The Lonely Heart Series) by Latrivia S. Nelson Page A

breeze that met her, picking her hair up and carrying it over her shoulders. “Mmm.  That feels so good,” she said, extending her arms.  “I can smell the freshly cut grass and everything.  It’s like a dream.” 
    “First time out?” He shut the door behind her and locked the truck. 
    “Yep, you just sprang me from jail.”  Her face was covered in glee.  “I bet its beautiful today, isn’t it?”
    He couldn’t take his eyes off her.  “Very beautiful.” Michael meant it. She was absolutely breathtaking and as much a breath of fresh air as the breeze she enjoyed. 
    “I love the walking trail. You can just lose yourself in it, you know.  No worries. No drama.  Just you and the trail.  When I’d come here alone, I’d pop in my ear buds and blast my iPod for hours.  Straight powerwalking.”
    “Sounds like a Nike commercial,” Michael quipped.
    “Don’t laugh.  It would be a great one.  Now, let’s just do it .” She giggled.  
    Guiding her to the paved walking trail, they began their stroll.  Michael pulled down his baseball cap and slipped on his shades to ensure he was as discreet as possible, especially as they passed a few other runners. One young woman was especially nosy, however, making sure to make eye contact with him from nearly 20 feet away and until she passed him completely. 
    Talk about forward.   These southern women always pretended to be genteel, but since he had been here, he had found that they were some of the most forward and direct women on the planet.
    At a comfortable pace, they made their way down the narrow path lined with magnolia trees, yellow honeysuckle flowers and green wooden benches.  Birds chirped from the tree limbs above, and dogs barked in the distance.  The entire park was peaceful and beautiful.  And it felt as though they were there completely alone. 
    She clutched his hand tightly, like they were an old married couple, and relished in the blissful sounds of the afternoon. The plus for her was that more than ever, since she had been blinded, she really could see shadows in the daylight.  There was a quiet calm flourishing in her because of that fact, making the day even more of a dream.
    Michael shared her feelings, unbeknownst to him.  “It really is a perfect day,” he finally said before realizing that he was even speaking aloud.  
    “It is,” Hope answered in a soft whisper.  She turned towards him awash with pure gratitude. “Thank you for doing this.”  The only thing that would have made this more perfect for her would have been if she were able to see him, but she could feel him through his soothing voice and his graceful touch. 
    Without her knowing, Hope was eliciting some indescribable joy in him. It was amazing that such a small gesture pleased her so.  Such humility.  In his history with women, they normally wanted incredibly expensive gifts or exotic trips to seem so pleased, yet all he had to do for her was put on her shoes, which had been perversely erotic for him,  and take her for a walk.  No money involved.  No trips. No name dropping. No airs.  Just time and those priceless resources that people in his position often took for granted.  Quality time.  Precious words. Simple and non-assuming acts.
    A chuckle escaped him.  “I can’t pretend that my intentions were completely honorable.  I just wanted to get you alone,” he confessed.  “I wanted to know more about the girl behind the door.  Something about you has me besotted.”
    Hope found his word choice odd, but she appreciated the compliment all the same. “I’m glad your intentions were less than honorable then.”
    “Really?” He wanted so at that moment for her to expound upon her surprising statement. True, she had been open to his advances, but he wasn’t sure that she was as enamored with him as he was with her…until now.  
    The walk began brisk but it was slowing with each enlightening lap, not because either was tiring out,