“Well, first we’ll think about what’s the basic level of communication we need to be happy and feel safe. That might be looking at budgets or that might be seeing that all bills are paidon time. It could be a variety of things but it’s whatever makes us happy and what we can agree on.” He was nodding but I could see him finding new worries. “What do you think I will tell you about my limits?”
That seemed to startle him enough that I thought it brought the worry train to a halt. “Oh.”
He thought for a few moments but it was the way he leaned back in the chair again and started playing with his breadstick that made me think he was on a better track. “I think you’re going to tell me that you’ll do whatever makes me happy.”
Oh, that glare.
“But that’s not how we do this. You need limits too.”
He was so cute when he was going to protect me from myself.
Hmm…what kind of outfit went with overprotective and kind of growly?
Chapter 25
Cece
“I know I’m technically supposed to have a job because people ask about that all the time, but my skill set is…interesting.” I wasn’t sure how to explain it but Master laughed.
Shaking his head, he set down his fork and looked like he thought I was adorable. “You got into Bible college, didn’t you?”
He really could read my mind.
“Yes.” Grandma had thought being a preacher might be a good path for me, but I couldn’t explain why it wouldn’t work well enough to talk her out of it. “Um, taking the Bible class at the co-op too many times backfired.”
She’d meant well.
“Do you have some kind of religious degree, pretty boy?” It was a good question, but thankfully one I could shake my head at. “Okay, tell me the story.”
Since we were both almost done with dinner, story time made sense.
“I didn’t do anything ridiculous. Grandma just started getting sick about that time, so she decided I should stay home to help around the house.” I was pretty sure she’d been looking for a reason to make me stay home, but I didn’t fight it very hard. “I talked her into letting me do some of the classes online.”
Thankfully that hadn’t seemed too dangerous to her and I hadn’t gone to Bible college in person.
“I focused on the basic classes like English, and it took me a while, but I’ve almost got my associate’s. She died before I could finish the last couple of classes and then there was just so many other things to do, it got shoved to the bottom of the list.” And I was at the point where everyone had started asking me what I wanted to focus on for my bachelor’s and I hadn’t known enough about the real world to pick.
“Okay, my first questions are going to be asking if you want a job and if you want to finish your associate’s degree?” Master didn’t look like he had an opinion but he had a very good blank face.
“What do you think?” He’d been an adult longer than I had…in age and in experience…so it seemed like a good starting point.
Oh.
He raised his eyebrow and just studied me.
“Um, do you think about your dessert…um…yes…that’s the end of my question.” With more practice I was going to stop doing that.
Well, he laughed, so maybe it’d been a good distraction?
“Conversational detour for just a moment.” He was trying not to smile but it wasn’t easy. He thought I was cute even when I thought I just wasn’t that good at being a real person. “Let’s try a few options. You can call me Leo. I discourage that with work and other friends, but I wouldn’t mind it coming from you. We could also do something like sweetheart or baby. I think that could be funny.”
“Are you a Leo or are you just being a Leo for me?” I wasn’t even going to entertain the baby idea. That would just be weird and I’d end up looking even more awkward than I did already. “I don’t want to make you wince or react negatively every time I talk to you in public. That would give people the wrong impression.”
I’d rather look weird than have it seem like he didn’t want me around.
No.
“I don’t know how to answer that question.” He looked like he was trying to, though, so I was patient. He poked at the last remaining bites of cheesecake on his plate for a few moments before he shrugged. “I don’t feel like a Leo when it comes to shortening my name like it’s trendy. But it’s not offensive.”
