Page 36 of Learn Your Limits

Chapter thirty-four

Emiliano

The weeks between my vacation with Reid and Thanksgiving have felt like a blur. One full of longing, stolen moments, and a lasting itch under my skin from being unable to spend quality time with him.

A silver lining from our return to normal is how Reid has improved his attention in my class.

The incident from the first day back had me concerned this secrecy might be too much for him.

In all honesty, it is too much for me, but I’ve had years of experience schooling my emotions and developing a mask of professionalism to not raise suspicion.

We need confidentiality, yet there's nothing I love more than seeing the blush bloom on his face whenever we make eye contact in class.

It rivals the blush that runs along his body whenever I take his cock down my throat during office hours or the color that is left on his hips after quickly fucking him into my desk.

As thrilling as our sneaky sessions have been, I dread every time we have to separate, wishing what we experienced back at the cabin was our life every day.

Coming upon our next break, it was my hope to spend the holiday with Reid, but his family demanded his presence at a gathering.

He’ll be attending with Avalon, so I am comforted knowing he’ll at least have a friend there.

My secret boyfriend and his fake girlfriend get along fairly well, cut from the same cloth of a demanding upperclass family.

Avalon is aware of our situation. Reid trusted her enough to reveal our relationship, and I trust Reid’s judgement.

It’s my judgement that’s been called into question after a morning call with my family.

Thanksgiving isn’t a holiday we celebrate in its traditional American custom.

It’s more of an excuse to come together in our family cabin located in northern Arizona.

Dinner is whatever my father hunts instead of a turkey.

And whatever we might be eating, my mother is an expert at bringing a Guatemalan flair to the meal.

The rest of the night is spent around the fire drinking atolillo and catching each other up after months of being apart.

My younger siblings, Javier and Sophia, were already with my parents when I called my mother. I figured I might as well ease the family into the news of my relationship instead of dropping the information on them and potentially ruining a nice dinner.

I knew they would take no issue with me being in a relationship with another man. The issue arose when I explained who that man was to me.

The battle of my conscience has not ceased since Reid and I started our secret relationship, only quieted, but with telling my family of the misconduct, it feels like the doubts—and guilt—have been given a megaphone.

I’m dating a current student in secret, and if the university were to find out, I’d lose my job.

My family was distressed at the situation I’d decided to pursue, and rightfully so.

The risk is great, even when I’ve reassured them the relationship with Reid is not what it initially seems. More than anything, I try to reassure myself that I’m not using my position of power over Reid, but I know the mere fact that the imbalance is present is an issue of ethics.

Yet none of that quells the inexplicable pull I feel for him. He’s become everything to me over this semester. With each day that passes, the thought of losing him exponentially outweighs losing my career.

My family’s overlapping lines of questioning stopped only when I let them know I had every intention of inviting Reid to spend Thanksgiving with us.

I’ve never brought a partner to a family gathering before, so the moment I mentioned wishing he could come, they understood the gravity of my affection.

And thankfully, our phone call was left on a more positive note than I could have asked for.

At least now, I won’t be worrying myself over telling them as I drive.

All packed, I pace around the kitchen with anxious energy before finally picking up my phone and calling Reid. His family’s gathering isn’t until later in the afternoon, so he might have a chance to talk now.

Thankfully, it doesn’t take him long to pick up the phone. In my current mental state, I don’t know if I could have handled today without speaking to him. Not with the weight of the conversation with my family hanging over me.

“I told my family about you,” I blurt as I rub at my temple with my free hand.

Inside, I’m chastising myself for not even greeting with a simple hello.

For all we’ve been through, I’ve tried to be the composed voice of reason I should be with my age and experience, but right now, I feel like I’m unraveling.

Reid and I have enough going against us as is, and my parents’ reaction isn’t a weight I need added to my shoulders.

“How did that go?” he asks, his voice quiet and unsteady through the phone.

“About as well as it could have,” I sigh, rubbing my hand through my stubble as I eye my coffee maker, considering whether or not a third cup would be a sound idea. “They had reservations, but not because of you,” I add in an attempt to comfort him, realizing how concerning this must sound to Reid.

“Okay...” He drags the word out before he falls silent for a moment. “Then reservations about what?”

“They are worried I may be manipulating you, purposely or inadvertently,” I confess, peeling myself away from the kitchen to stand in the foyer instead.

Reid scoffs through the speaker, and I can almost picture him rolling his eyes at the suggestion.

“It’s a concern that has always been in the back of my mind too, Muneco. ”

“You're not manipulating me, Milo. I want to be with you. I would much rather be with you right now instead of stressing out about tonight.”

I breathe a sigh of relief upon hearing the decisive tone in his voice.

“I wish it was that simple, baby,” I rant, my steps echoing against the walls as I walk back and forth. “I wish we were driving to see my family. They were excited at the thought of me bringing you around, even with their doubts.”

The phone is silent for a few moments before I hear Reid speak. “Well, maybe by next Thanksgiving they won't have any more doubts about us.”

A wave of calm pulses through my body at Reid’s words, and my pacing stops. He’s thinking about our future as much as I am. He wants this despite the hardships we’ve encountered.

“Certainly next Thanksgiving,” I answer. I’d make it so.

“You sound so sure,” he says, his voice light as though he's smiling.

“This will all be worth it,” I state definitely.

I’ve given this distress enough of my time. In the end, I am doing all of this for Reid, the man who has crawled under my skin with sweet smiles and promises of a future I’m desperate for.

“In a few weeks, we won’t be student and professor to each other. You’re sure you’ll still want me then?” The worry in my tone is still there, even when I try to ask the question jokingly.

“I’ll always want you, Emiliano.”

“And I’ll always want you, Reid.”