Free Blind Attraction by A.C. Warneke Page A

plastic surgery,” Victoria finished wryly. Shaking her head, she looked up at Philip and grinned, “Even so, if they spent just five minutes with him, talking to him, they’d fall totally in love with the man, no matter the looks or the money.”
    Philip smiled at her inadvertent admission, “I’m sure there have been a few, but he never returned the sentiment; he never stayed interested in them long enough. Of course, I think he was looking in the wrong place to begin with.”
    Philips words buzzed in Victoria’s head, mocking her. Of course women fell in love with James, and of course he didn’t fall in love back. Why would she think she was special, just because he couldn’t see her? Almost as if sensing Victoria’s distress, Philip chuckled, adding, “I think, with you, things are different; Jimmy is… calmer somehow. I think you might be exactly what he needs.”
    “Thank you,” Victoria murmured, feeling the heat of her blush across her cheeks, her throat. “I think.”
    “He may even grow to love honey blond hair,” Philip teased, grabbing a strand of Victoria’s lustrous honey colored hair and giving it a playful tug. “Instead of baby blond.”
    With his playful comment, Philip inadvertently caused all of Victoria’s doubts and fears to explode to the surface. Looking over Philip’s shoulder towards James, she sighed; his blindness was only temporary. Eventually he was going to get his sight back and there was going to be nothing but disappointment when he finally saw her.

Chapter 5
     

     
     
    Victoria stared at her reflection in the ladies’ room mirror, wondering what she was doing there. Philip’s comments freaked her out; she wasn’t James’s usual type. Even though Philip seemed to think it was a good thing, Victoria was not convinced. Maybe being blind was screwing with his other senses and James wasn’t really responsible for his actions; sort of like getting a free pass for dating the girl next door until his vision returned and he could resume searching for his perfect debutant. His perfect baby blond, perfectly polished debutant.
    Taylor.
    Pressing dampened hands to her cheeks in the hope of cooling her feverish skin, she was hoping to find the courage to go back out there and face James once again, knowing she was just borrowing trouble by dwelling on her doubts. She was the one who was with him, whether he could see or not. She just had to keep reminding herself that they shared that zing and to take each day as it came, enjoying it fully. If he didn’t like what he saw when his vision returned, well, then she’d just have to deal with that later.
    Of course, if he valued the superficiality of looks o ver what they had come to share then he wouldn’t be worth the amount of time she was worrying about it. True, she wasn’t a baby blond, statuesque socialite but he was going to know her before seeing her. He was such an incredible, intelligent man; wouldn’t he take everything into account and see her with eyes of affection? Maybe Victoria stood a chance after all was said and done.
    Then again, maybe it would be best if she just left now and saved herself the heartache that was bound to happen should he see her and the disappointment was too much to hide. Forcing herself to study her reflection, she tried to imagine how James would see her: thick, honey blond hair that would come to the middle of her back; smooth, clear skin with just a smattering of freckles across the bridge of her slender nose; a decent mouth; and, of course, her large, violet eyes, accented by her long, dark lashes. Still, as a whole, she looked incredibly young and just plain wholesome. It had to be the freckles.
    Scrunching up her nose, she stuck her tongue out at her reflection, making her look about twelve. A little giggle escaped at the lunacy of her actions. Here she was trying not to look so young and every gesture she made, everything she did, screamed “immature.” Even wearing four-inch