Sorry for the delay I've been lazy. I'm honestly, truly going to try and have a new chapter up every weekend. Like I said when I first posted this the entire story is done it's got 40 chapters but I don't wanna post it all at one time. So please enjoy and thanks so much to everyone that has reviewed and a special thanks to those that have been hounding me to death to hurry this along lol! Enjoy the next chapter!

Chapter 9

Lynn flipped through the radio stations trying to find something, anything to listen to. Jeff had fallen asleep but the music didn't seem to bother him. The only station she could get in was an old country station. That was okay she grew up on country music. She smiled as a familiar tune came on and started to sing along...

"I go out walkin...after midnight...out in the moonlight...just like we used to do I'm always walkin...after midnight searchin for you..." The song brought back memories. "...I walk for miles...along the highway...well that's just my way...of saying I love you...I'm always walkin...after midnight...searchin for you...I stop to see a weepin willow...cryin on his pillow...maybe he's cryin for me...and as the skies turn gloomy...night winds whisper to me...I'm lonesome as I can be...I go out walkin...after midnight...out in the starlight...just hopin you may be somewhere a walkin...after midnight searchin for me..." She could remember when her mother used to stand on stage at the local bar and sing to this song every night. It was her lullaby in a way.

"...I stop to see a weepin willow...cryin on his pillow...maybe he's cryin for me...and as the skies turn gloomy...night winds whisper to me...I'm lonesome as I can be...I go out walking...after midnight...out in the starlight...just hopin you may be somewhere a walkin...after midnight searchin for me..." she trailed off quietly as the song ended and glanced to make sure she hadn't disturbed Jeff with her quiet singing. Still sound asleep she smiled and turned her attention back to the road.

They passed a sign that said DEACON 1 MILE and she sighed. Even though it was only three o'clock in the afternoon she felt like a whole day had already passed. Getting chased and stalked could be physically and mentally exhausting. Not only that, Lucas had been killed and even though she only knew him a short while she felt bad. The past two days were starting to catch up with her.

She got off the exit and drove to the nearest hotel. She pulled into the parking lot and parked turning off the truck. She ran her hands through her hair and looked at the man sitting next to her. Just to look at him without knowing him she would've never guessed he couldn't see. In his sleep he looked like any normal person. But he was far from normal. The things he could do without his sight constantly amazed her. She wondered what he would do now that Lucas was gone.

"Hey," she nudged him softly not knowing how he would react to her touching him in his sleep.

He grumbled, "...five more minutes..."

She smiled gently and was glad he couldn't see her, but he had a knack for knowing what she was doing anyway so she quickly wiped it away. "We're stopped," she said hoping it would get through to him. He stirred and sat up and placed some of his hair behind his ears.

He cleared his throat, "Where are we?"

"Sign said Deacon, this seems to be the only hotel they've got," she filled him in. "You want me to get a couple of rooms and come back for you?" she asked carefully. She still wasn't sure what his policy on help was. I'm gonna tread very lightly she told herself.

"See if you can get one room with two beds," he suggested as he pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. "Lucas kept the money in his satchel," he told me quietly.

She nodded, "Okay." She stepped out of the truck and reached into the back for Lucas's satchel. She opened a few pockets and found the money bag. She unzipped it and took some of the money. "I'll be right back," she said as she passed the truck. He nodded and stepped out of the truck to get some fresh air. She walked into the quaint little hotel and walked to the desk. There was a little Indian woman behind the desk and she was reading a romance novel. "Excuse me," she said.

The woman looked up from her book and smiled, "Hello, can I help you?"

Lynn smiled, "Yeah, do you have a room with two beds available?"

The woman told her to hold on and she began to flip through her books. "I've got one with two double beds," she offered.

Lynn breathed, "Oh thank God..." She took some cash from her pocket. "How much?"

"How many?" she asked.

"Two."

"Sixty-five ninety-eight," she rang up the charges.

She paid her and the woman handed her two keys. "Go out the door and it's the fifth door down on your left. If you're still here this time tomorrow you'll have to pay again," she informed her.

She nodded, "Thank you." She walked out the door and to the truck.

Jeff was leaning against the truck with his head tilted the way he did when he listened for something.

"Everything alright?" she asked as she approached.

He just nodded, "What did we get?"

She placed one of the keys in his hand. "One room with two double beds," she replied. "They're over here," she started to walk to the room trying to make enough noise for him to follow. "I'll get the stuff, the door's open," she walked past him and to the truck.

He walked into the room and slowly made his way around trying to learn where everything was. If there was one thing he was good at it was memorizing and pinpointing. He found a table and sat in one of the chairs. He heard Lynn walk in and close the door putting the bags next to the door. Good girl, she's a thinker he thought. She sat across from him quit loudly and lazily.

"What?" he asked taking off his sunglasses for the first time since she met him.

She stared in amazement. It looked like he just had his eyes closed.

"Synthetic eyelids," he replied.

"They look so real," she said surprised. "Looks like you could open your eyes at any second and see me," she whispered.

"What do you look like?" he asked.

She laughed nervously, "I can't tell you what I look like."

"Why not? What color is your hair? What color are your eyes?" he asked genuinely curious. "But there is only one way I can truly see you."

"How?" she asked interested.

He stood from his chair and held out his hand for her. She took it and he led her to one of the beds and pulled her down next to him. He released her hands and slowly raised them to her face. "I'm not gonna hurt you," he whispered as he let his finger tips trace every feature of her face. She closed her eyes as he memorized her by his touch. She didn't know how to describe what she was feeling. He was eliciting the strangest emotions from her. Emotions she hadn't felt in so long, so long she was afraid of them.

"This is how you see someone...by touching them...feeling them?" she breathed as he traced her face over and over again.

"It's as close as I'll ever come ever again," he whispered feeling her breath against his fingers and hands. He could tell she had defined cheekbones and jaw line. He could tell she was a beautiful woman. He let his hands fall from her face but stayed facing her. "Thank you." he said.

"Thank you," she countered.

They sat in silence for a moment.

"I'm getting kind of hungry, you?" she asked getting up from the bed.

"Famished," he said.

"There's a restaurant across the street how about I go get us something and bring it back?" she offered.

He nodded, "Yeah, get me a cheeseburger plate all fries with the biggest Pepsi they've got."

"Okay, I'll be right back," she said as she headed for the door.

"Hey," he stopped her.

"Yeah?"

"Be careful," he said caringly.

"I will," she opened and walked out the door.

I've been lazy and not posting when I should. I've got the entire story done I'm just not getting posting as often as I should. I don't wanna post it all at one time I won't get honest reviews like that LOL! I promise I'll try to have the next chapter up soon, like in a couple of days.

Donna Lynn