Free Shades of Desire by Virna Depaul

hadn’t had any in a good long time. It was the reason she’d reacted so strongly to Agent McKenzie. The only reason she continued to react to his memory.
    Right now, she had bigger problems. Like trying to decide whether to go inside and order her coffee, or simply head home with her tail between her legs. In the end, her pride would allow only one answer.
    You’ve come this far, Natalie. Don’t chicken out now.
    Bracing herself, she straightened and stepped toward the front door, then through it. She tried to block out the stimuli that suddenly overloaded her senses, but it was impossible. They rained down on her with the strength of a tsunami. The noise. The press of bodies bumping into her, then the awkward, heavy silence as those same people stepped away. The prickling of her skin as they stared at her. The fear that she was going to fall or crash into a wall. Or worse, that someone would recognize her from the press about her photos. Connect the blind woman with the strong, vibrant person she used to be.
    The process of ordering and waiting for her drink was tortuous, and by the time she held the warm cup of coffee, she was struggling for breath. The walk home was only slightly better, and by the time she’d calmed down, she’d lost her desire for the caffeinated beverage altogether. She left it on her kitchen counter and practiced some meditative and breathing exercises until she was sufficiently calm. In control.
    It was only minutes later that Melissa arrived. And although she initially answered the door with more dread than excitement, that eventually passed, too. She began to enjoy her friend’s company. And she was especially proud of her composed demeanor while she told Melissa what had happened the day before.
    “So they just left?”
    Natalie shrugged, trying to keep her expression cool even as she “pictured” the “they” to whom Melissa referred. Tall. Broad. Tough. “I’d already told them everything I knew. There wasn’t much more they could get from me, at least not without a warrant.”
    “How do you know so much about the law?”
    “I did a stint as a crime beat reporter right after college.”
    Her friend laughed. “What haven’t you done?”
    The air crackled with awkward silence as they both thought of all the things she’d never do again.
    “I haven’t replaced a door,” Natalie volunteered. “At least they sent someone over to do that.” After they had left, Natalie had sat stunned for approximately twenty minutes, running over everything that had happened. She hadn’t even thought about the door or the fact that someone—anyone—could walk right into her home, until a vehicle had pulled up and someone called out that “Mac” had sent him to repair it. She’d murmured, “Fine,” walked to her bedroom and locked herself in until the man called out that he was done. She hadn’t come out until she’d heard the truck driving away.
    Melissa cleared her throat. “So it took him that long to figure out you were blind? Some detective.”
    “Make that Detective Special Agent. He probably knew the whole time and was baiting me, seeing if I’d crack and give something up about this Lindsay Monroe.” Or maybe he’d been just as thrown by the attraction she’d felt. Before he’d learned of her affliction, of course.
    “The poor girl,” Melissa breathed. “Murdered and dumped by some psychopath.” At Natalie’s automatic wince, Melissa said, “Shit. Sorry. How are you feeling?”
    “A little sore, but okay, thanks.” Carefully, she palmed her favorite camera. “Are you sure you don’t mind me taking a few shots of you, Melissa? You’ve already set up the background and light for me. I know you have better things to do… .”
    Her friend laughed. “Who else are you going to photograph? I can’t exactly see Coach Bonnie standing still long enough to pose for you, so you might as well get a few shots while I’m here.”
    At the image of short, stout, “all