him even sexier. Not like Grey’s. It was like walking through dark and gloomy woods and suddenly stepping into a golden meadow glittering with magic and promise. Dear God, he wasn’t thinking clearly when it came to this man.
But it wasn’t just the way Grey looked or how he smiled. It was that Cort instantly felt comfortable around him. He wasn’t censoring himself, fearful that he might be pushing a client too hard. He’d lightly tease some and their feathers were instantly ruffled. Most preferred to be coddled and constantly cheered. And that was fine. They were going through a lot of rough stuff.
Not Grey. It was clear from the start that Grey didn’t want to be treated with kid gloves. He wanted his normal life back, and a key part of that was likely that he wanted to be treated normally. Spending just five minutes with Grey’s family proved that their definition of normal was playful ribbing and teasing.
“You spoke to them yesterday, after you left me…I mean, after you left the apartment,” Grey said, a slight blush painting his cheeks. Cort had known what he meant, but it was a cute misstep. He let it go.
“Yes. They wanted to know how to help you without screwing up all my hard work.”
Grey snorted and took a tentative step forward. He hesitated and took a deep breath before moving cautiously. Cort grinned as his client carefully but confidently walked over to the sofa and sat down. Stubborn could definitely work in Grey’s favor at times.
“That would explain why I was dragged out of my apartment and forced to eat in the house last night. And why I had Clay banging on my door at seven a.m. for coffee and waffles this morning,” he grumbled.
Cort sat on the couch beside Grey. Just close enough that Grey could easily feel the couch move and feel his presence, but not so close that the man would feel as if Cort was encroaching on his personal space.
“How did it go?”
Any remnants of Grey’s smile vanished. He frowned, his gaze seemingly directed downward as he sorted through memories and emotions. “Not bad, I guess. Dinner was a baked ziti, so no worrying about me using a knife.”
“Who’s doing the worrying? You or them?”
Grey huffed a laugh. “Okay, so maybe that’s more me than them. I think.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve got some tricks for you. You’ll be managing that next steak like a pro. What else?”
“It’s…it’s disorienting being around all of them. They like to all talk at once and talk over each other. It’s noisy and while I know all their voices, it gets overwhelming trying to follow everything while guessing at the nonverbal gestures. Then if someone gets up…”
“You’re trying to figure out who it is and where they’re going while at the same time eating and following the conversation,” Cort filled in.
“Yeah. And then if it gets too quiet, I wonder if they’re watching me.” Grey shook his head and groaned. “It’s good to be around them, but I’m so tense the entire time. A simple meal has never been so exhausting.”
“I know it doesn’t feel like it, but it will get easier, I swear. You will relax. You’ll get better at filling in the blanks, and you’ll stop worrying about things.”
“Cort…” Grey paused and licked his lips. “Are…are you blind too? You just…you seem to understand this even when I can’t explain it.”
“Well…since you asked…” Cort paused a long time, watching Grey’s face pale and eyes widen. He couldn’t help wondering if Grey was always so expressive, or if this was a result of him losing his sight. “No, I’m not.”
“Oh, my God! You fucking asshole!” Grey slid his hand along the back couch cushion until he felt Cort’s shoulder. He dug his fingers in and gave him a hard shove. “I can’t believe you did that!”
“What? Played a trick on a blind man?” Cort teased.
“Asshole. Fucking blind leading the blind,” Grey muttered.
Cort stopped laughing and admired the grin he’d put on Grey’s lips again before turning serious. “In all honesty, most people who work with the blind are vision impaired as well. Who else can understand what you’re going through? When I was in training, I spent a hell of a lot of time in masks that made me completely blind. No light. No shadows. Nothing. I had to be able to do all the things I’m teaching you blind. I know firsthand how scary this can be.”
“But you could always take