Page 34 of Learn Your Limits
“It’s important to expand your palate,” I reply, standing to begin clearing the dishes from the small dining table. Turning to walk toward the sink, I catch a glimpse of the bedroom, devoid of the previous mess. I wasn’t sure if he would clean his clothing after my little lecture. Remembering the way he immediately rose from the bed after I barely crossed the threshold brings a tender smile to my lips.
He cares.
As I’m rolling up the sleeves of my shirt, Reid approaches and stands at my side, mirroring my motions as he prepares to help me clean. He pours soap onto a sponge while I scrape the bits of leftover food into the compost and then hand him the plates. Silently, we repeat the process for the pans as well, tension building in the air.
We need to have an important conversation. There are so many factors in our relationship that may cause issues for both of us, and we need to address them. In the back of my mind, I also know I need to reflect on my actions leading up to all of this. As much as I am enraptured with Reid, I am very aware of my position of authority over him and my lead in age.
Dishes now dry, I make my way over to the living area, choosing to sit at the end of a large leather sofa. Sitting down on the luxurious cushion provides some instant relief as I sink into it.
“Reid,” I call, turning slightly to see him finish wiping down the counter. “Sit with me, please.” A firm pat on the space beside me echoes in the room.
He takes a moment to hang the kitchen towel over the handle of the oven door and glance over the counters, ensuring everything is cleaned up and put away before he crosses the room to me. His eyes scan over the couch before he meets my gaze, slowly sinking onto the opposite end. “Is something wrong?” he asks, nerves lacing his voice.
“Nothing is wrong,” I reassure him. Curling my fingers, I invite him to move closer. “You’re too far away for my liking, though.”
The corner of his lips twitch into a slight smile as he shifts his body. He positions himself with his head in my lap, planting one foot on the floor for balance while his other leg is stretched out and draping over the arm of the couch. “This better?”
Tilting my upper body to get a better view of him, I brush away stray strands of auburn from his forehead before resting my hand on his chest. “What do you want from this, Reid?” I ask, too anxious to sugarcoat any questions. My eyes scan his face for an expression while also trying to relax him with a soft smile of my own. I’d like to think we are both working toward the same goal here, but nothing is sure until it’s spoken and shared.
His brows furrow at my question. “From this?” His hand covers mine on his chest. “Do you mean... with us? Or from this trip?”
“I want to know all your thoughts,” I reply, twisting my hand so that my palm faces his, and I interlock our fingers. “But let’s start with the big picture. Do you envision a lasting relationship with me?”
His hand tightens around mine as he lies there quietly, his gaze on our intertwined fingers. “The future scares me,” he murmurs. “But when I close my eyes and let myself dream... I see you in it.” His head tilts back in my lap, amber eyes meeting mine.
The heavy feeling in my stomach settles a little at his confession, my smile spreading until my cheeks strain from the stretch as I look down at this gorgeous man. “Good.” The word almost comes out as a purr. “We are on the same page. I can picture the rest of my life with you in it.”
He’s quiet for a moment, his warm bronze gaze drifting to where our fingers remain laced together. “And what do you want the rest of your life to look like?” His voice is soft and filled with sincerity as his thumb strokes over the back of my hand.
“I enjoy adventure and new experiences,” I confess, lightly running my thumb over his knuckles as I think out loud. “A partner who values exploration is something that is highly important to me, but I also am a bit of a homebody. I’d like my home to be my sanctuary, and I crave having someone tocome home to at the end of a long day.” Truly, these thoughts haven’t been at the forefront of my mind until meeting a certain redheaded man. “And you, Reid?”
“I didn’t put much thought into what my future might look like until I met you. I’d love to travel and explore the world. And I like the idea of having a family, but I don’t like the idea of having kids and subjecting them to the same kind of bullshit that I had to deal with growing up.” He falls silent again, but I get the sense that there’s more weighing on his chest. “That’s part of why I want to become a school counselor. I want kids to have a safe place, even if it’s just at school. I wanna be able to guide them through tough situations when they feel like no one else is in their corner.”
Bringing our hands up to my lips, I press a soft kiss to his wrist, hoping the act conveys my gratitude for him opening up to me. “You have a kind soul, and anyone you choose to share it with is fortunate.”
Myself included.
“How do you see the rest of this semester going,Muñeco?” I ask.
His cheeks turn a pretty shade of red. “I love it when you call me that,” he murmurs. Then, with a sigh, he says, “Pretending you're nothing more than my professor is gonna be hard after this. It's already been a challenge, and now it's gonna feel fuckin’ impossible.”
“Unfortunately, there aren’t many viable choices. It’s unethical enough, being involved with you while you earn a grade in my class,” I comment, gently combing through his hair with my free hand. “Luckily, you’re a fairly decent student.” My smirk betrays the serious tone of my voice.
He shrugs. “It's easy to pay attention in your class. I just wanna be able to see you more. I can't imagine going back to only talking over the app. I understand why we can't evenexchange phone numbers yet”—he waves a hand in the air as if to gesture to the boundaries we need to keep in place—“but Emiliano, I need to be able to see you outside of class.”
“It’ll be easy enough to share a lunch or breakfast on campus without causing suspicion, but I’m also afraid we may not get much quality time like this.” I think out loud, letting Reid into my stream of consciousness. “Perhaps we can manage weekends together? Would your roommates find it odd if you were to leave every weekend?”
“They'll probably both be too busy with football practice and games to notice. Or they'll just assume I'm doing whatever I have to in order to keep my dad off my ass,” he scoffs, shaking his head.
A small sigh of relief escapes me at the mention of his father. I wasn’t sure if it would be polite to be the one to broach the subject. “And your parents? Will they wonder where you are?” I ask, my fingers stilling in his hair as I wait for the answer. Though I think I already know what he’ll say.
“They don't pay that much attention to what I'm doing, as long as what I do doesn't reflect poorly on them. But,” he sighs, “at some point, my dad will realize I'm not actually dating the girl he made me take out.”
My assumptions are true, then. He has been neglected by his father. Possibly his mother as well, but I’ve not heard much about her, specifically. The professionally trained part of my brain isn’t so easy to shut off, even when I don’t want to deep dive into analyzing Reid’s behavior.
Clearing my throat, I secretly thank him for breaching yet another topic I didn’t know how to bring up. “The girl,” I begin, soothing myself by running my fingers through his hair once again. “Is she expecting you to date her?”
“Not at all,” he laughs and then moves to sit up beside me, his hand grasping my thigh as he looks at me. “She knows I'minvolved with someone else. I honestly don't think she wants anything from me. She seemed just as forced into that situation as I was.”
