Page 83 of Yard Sale

“I can. But I mean…I mean skate blind. I’ve never been a huge fan of hockey, but I feel like maybe if I can do that, I can do other things too.”

“I know your uncle can be a stoic, unreadable man some days, but he will love that. Truly. And I think he’d love skating with you, even if you and he didn’t share your eye thing.”

Oliver frowned. “Why?”

I didn’t know how to explain the way Tiago felt—the need he had to be accepted by these terrible people. Though I didn’t think Oliver would have been terrible, even if he hadn’t gotten his diagnosis.

But this wasn’t my place to explain that.

“You should ask him one day,” I said. Pushing to my feet, I brushed the sand off, then offered Oliver a hand up. “Your parents are probably here by now.”

He grunted as he reached down to grab his phone and a couple of shells that he slipped into his pocket. When we started talking, he nudged me with his elbow.

“Did you think it was weird when you first saw Uncle Tiago walking with his white cane?”

Oh boy. I was not about to explain what an epic shithead I was to this kid’s now favorite uncle. “I think it took me a minute to get used to being surrounded by a bunch of blind guys, but I barely remember what that was like anymore. Just because people might do things differently doesn’t mean they’re not like everyone else.”

“Yeah,” Oliver breathed out. We walked in silence for a while, but just before we reached the deck, he touched my shoulder. “Um. Thank you.”

We climbed up the last bit of hill, and on the other side of the pool, I could see his parents waiting. They both looked concerned and nervous, and Thierry seemed seconds away from jumping out of his own skin.

“You’re going to be okay,” I reminded Oliver when he froze. “And never, ever forget that if things get bad, you have a place to go.”

Oliver nodded, then suddenly yanked me into a hug. I squeezed back and let him hold on for as long as he needed. I didn’t care that his parents were watching. I didn’t care that they were the ones expecting that reception from him.

He pulled back and passed a hand down his face. “See you soon.”

“I hope so,” I called after him.

His mom’s gaze met mine across the pool, and though I might have imagined it, I was pretty sure her lips formed the word ‘Thanks.’

“Can I show you something?”

Tiago was on the couch with his feet up on the coffee table. It was a rare moment that we were alone. Ankita and Soma had gone to the aquarium, and Manisha and her husband and son were getting the house ready for Ferris and Quinn, which meant we had a precious few moments alone together.

Tiago opened his arms, and I slid into them, curling my body against his. “What’s up?”

Pulling out my phone, I opened up the tab with the rental and held it out for him. “This.”

Tiago’s brow furrowed, and then he swallowed. “I, ah…I can’t see that right now. What is it?”

“Oh.” I glanced up at him for a second. “It’s a little house right down the beach from here. It’s cute—all blue and white, big New England vibes. It’s really small, but it’s available.”

Tiago’s brows furrowed, and then his eyes went wide. “Oh. You mean…”

“Yeah. So I can fuck you silly,” I murmured, then grabbed his chin and kissed him. He groaned and knocked the phone out of my hand as he yanked me onto his lap. I kissed him harder, deeper, though I didn’t let myself go the way I wanted to. God only knew when someone was going to come through the front door. “I have some really gorgeous lingerie I want you to get your hands all over,” I whispered. “And I don’t want to have to keep gagging you for necessity.”

He let out a trembling breath. “We don’t have that much time left out here.”

“I’d do it for twenty-four hours if it meant you could ride my dick all night.”

Shuddering, Tiago kissed me, hiding his moan against my tongue. “Call them. Use my credit card.”

“I’ve got this one, my sweet boy,” I murmured before biting his jaw. “Just say yes.”

He pulled back and grinned at me. “Fuck yes.”

We had just enough time to make out and then pull apart before Ankita and Soma came home, arms loaded with groceries. I didn’t bother asking what they were for in spite of the fact that the kitchen and cabinets were all full of supplies, because on their heels came Manisha and the tall, librarian-looking man who must have been her husband, and then her son, who might have turned my head if it weren’t for Tiago.