Limits. Part 7

But then his hand comes behind my neck and pulls me closer. His lips are hot and quick, and his tongue sweeps the outside of my lips, then teases inside and tangles slowly with mine. My mind skips and jumps, sending faulty signals to every part of my body. My heart flutters and I feel a damp, spreading heat between my legs. I lick back at him, press forward with urgency to feel the hot slide of his tongue and the gentle press of his mouth for another perfect second. When he pulls away, his eyes are hot and wild.

"Do you always get your way?" he asks, his words dragged out on ragged breaths.

"Always." I level a firm look across the table, and his smile is pure admiration.

Victory!

8 ADAM.

"Are you ready to go inside?"

I run my thumb along her knuckles as I hold her sweaty palm against mine. Genevieve looks up at me, her pupils so huge, her gray eyes look black. I realize for the first time that I've seen her sad and angry and frustrated, but I've never really seen her scared. The other night, at the observatory, was probably the closest we'd come before. But even then, she looked more furious and worried than anything else: her eyes were too busy trying to order me down off the ledge to register any true fear.

But now? Those eyes belong to someone who's afraid, and it surprises me how deep the look cuts at me. How much I want to be the one who takes that fear away.

"I'm ready," she says. Her voice is an insecure murmur so soft, I don't even see her lips move when the words come out.

"Because we can go, we can do this another time," I say it, but I don't really mean it. We're short on time as it is. I feel like a tool. Even if this was Genevieve's idea, it's my fault. And now she's in this crazy situation and about to have to go lay it all out to her family over Sunday dinner.

"Let's just get it over with," she says, taking a small step closer to the door.

"Genevieve?" I slide my hand up her forearm and pull her toward me. "We don't have to do this. Any of it. We can call off the entire thing right now. You just say the word."

She stares up at me, unblinking. A calmness takes over her features, they soften.

"Let's do this." She turns the bra.s.s k.n.o.b with a confidence I think she might be faking.

As soon as the front door opens, the booming noise of voices and laughter and the amazing smells of home-cooked food waft out. It should calm my nerves a little, but, instead, it has the opposite effect.

I'm about to bust into this happy family gathering and blow it all to h.e.l.l. Genevieve senses my hesitation as I linger in the doorway, and she links her fingers through mine.

"Hey, all!" she calls, as we enter the cramped living room. Every surface is covered in some tchotchke, every inch of wall s.p.a.ce has a photograph of a smiling kid or a wedding or someone in shiny graduation cap. It's a far cry from my home in Tel Aviv. Dad got rid of most of the excess when Mom died. There are a few pictures of me here and there, but they stop right around when I'm nine, because that was the last year someone cared enough to hang a picture of me up. So the apartment I've lived in my entire life is like a cross between a museum and a time capsule. Nothing like the Rodriguez house, which is lived-in in the best way possible. It feels like a home.

"Genevieve, we were waiting to eat-" The woman in the kitchen's voice falters when she sees me, holding Genevieve's hand. "You brought a guest!" A slow smile creeps across her face, and I feel knee-buckling relief wash over me.

"I did. This is Adam. Adam, my mom, Dinah," she says, pointing to the woman at the stove. "My sister Lydia."

Lydia is already seated at the table and the smug look on her face is exactly the way Genevieve described it. She looks one-hundred-percent unimpressed with me. "I didn't know we could bring dates, I would have brought someone."

The beach b.u.m jumps out of nowhere and gives Lydia a quick, hard noogie that tangles all her perfect hair on one side of her head. It almost makes me like him for a single second.

"Deo! a.s.s! I just got my hair blown out!" She screeches like a spoiled brat and runs her hands over her hair, trying without much success to get it lie flat again.

Deo blows on his knuckles. "Don't say knucklehead things, and you won't feel the wrath of these knuckles of pain. You know these shindigs are always open invite. That's why I've been showing up to get my grub-on for years."

"That's Deo, Adam. He's a friend of the family," Genevieve says pointedly, shooting me a warning look. I smile because that's what she expects, but I kind of hate the way she's laughing at the way he clowns around with her family. It's not something I'm ever going to be good at. Not at all: I'm not a natural joker, and big, loving families make me feel like some orphan pressing his nose to a window he's not supposed to be looking through. "Where's Whit?" she asks, and I notice the way her shoulders tighten when she says Whit's name.

Why does the mention of Deo's wife still bother Genevieve so much?

Deo plops down in his chair and leans it way back. It's an impolite thing to do at a dining table, but who the h.e.l.l am I to judge anything? I'm the a.s.shole barging into this whole scene, about to marry this much-loved girl and possibly ruin her life in the process. That's a h.e.l.l of a lot worse than some rough manners.

"Had to work. Told her I'd bring home leftovers." Deo shrugs and rubs his stomach. "I did warn her that I can't promise there will be any leftovers if Mrs. R is making her wild mushroom mole enchiladas. But Whit knows the rules: you snooze, you lose."

I know there has to be something redeemable about this guy for Genevieve to have had her heart so crushed when he fell for someone else, but I really don't get it.

"My brothers, Cohen and Enzo, Cohen's fiance, Maren, my sister Cece, and my dad." Genevieve makes introductions around the room, and I look at every face, blind with a panic I can't stomp out.

Her voice sounds like it's in slow motion and under water, and every face is blurring against every other.

I wish my brain devoted less energy to recognizing minute patterns of cell morphology and sporulation, and gave a little neuron power to remembering important names. Like the names of the people who make up the family of the girl I'm going to marry.

I don't want to f.u.c.k this up. Please don't let me f.u.c.k this up.

"Sit down." Genevieve leans against my shoulder and her whisper tickles my earlobe.

I pull out her chair for her, because it's what I do anyway, but also because there's not a chance in h.e.l.l I would dare not to-not while six sets of Rodriguez eyes watch my every move.

Well they're watching my every move until Genevieve's sister, Lydia, makes a production clanking her silverware around and crossing her arms with a heavy sigh. She sucks all the attention and seems to love it that way.

"You aren't eating, Lydia?" Cece asks with a raised eyebrow, as her sister puts all her silverware into a neat pile on her plate.

"No. I'm a strict juice cleanse," Lydia announces and again tries to smooth the lump Deo left in her hair.

"Stupid," Enzo coughs the word into his hand and Cohen snorts from across the table.

"It's healthy. Not that you'd know anything about that," she says smugly. "Enjoy eating all the fried c.r.a.p you want while you're in your twenties. That diet is going to lead to a nice little pot belly the minute you hit thirty."

"You remember hitting thirty?" Enzo asks, pressing his eyebrows low like he's asking a serious question. "The details have to be getting fuzzy as the decades roll on, right, Lyd?"

"Not at the table," Mrs. Rodriguez says, her voice soft but firm. Everyone clams up and sits a little straighter.

I respect the h.e.l.l out of the woman already. This is her family, her element. She made all of this, and she obviously knows exactly how to control it all. What am I doing intruding on it? And, more than that, what the h.e.l.l is she going to do to me when the reason for my intrusion is revealed?

Food is pa.s.sed and small talk is made, but I can feel a table full of eyes on me the entire time. I'm cutting my food precisely, hoping I don't drop any, hoping I don't absently put my elbows on the table-an old habit my own mother never managed to break me of. I haven't been this nervous since I was about to board the plane to America, and even that felt like small time by comparison. I'm here with the baby of this tight family, and they are all judging me, wondering what the h.e.l.l my intentions are. I've got to say something.

"Thank you so much for having me. This is delicious." I attempt a charming smile. "These knishes, wow."

There's a snap of fingers from across the table.

"That's where I've seen you before!" Cohen points at me like he finally found the answer to a question that's been driving him crazy for weeks. "The party, right?" He nudges Maren, who nods in agreement. "You were working the engagement party!"

All of my accomplishments, and this is what my soon-to-be in-laws will know me for. The guy who pa.s.sed the knishes.

"I was." I nod, swallowing the food that suddenly feels like it's lodged in my throat. I should have kept my d.a.m.n mouth shut.

Genevieve leans over and curls her fingers around my wrist, her thumb tapping in time to my racing heartbeat. "Adam was filling in for a friend. His real job is in the lab at my school. He's a scientist." Her voice vibrates with pride, and I try not to squirm like a kid caught in the middle of a huge whopper.

I should correct her. I should tell them all that I'm barely qualified and about to be deported, but I watch the way her eyes sparkle when she talks about me and all I've accomplished, and then I watch how her parents nod at her like she's stumbled upon the Holy Grail, and I don't have the heart to say a word.

"That's quite impressive, Adam," Gen's mom says, dabbing at her mouth with her napkin. Genevieve looks like her mother. They both have delicate features, the same almond shaped eyes that shine with sincerity, and, when they speak, you can't help but stare at their mouths. "What area of science are you involved in?"

"I study yeast." I want to keep it simple, because most scientists I know have a way of getting boring and rambly about what they do.

"Yeast?" Mr. Rodriguez curls his lip up. "Like a baker?"

"Yes!" I agree, until I see his eyes narrow. His daughter with a scientist? Good. His daughter with a baker? Not so good.

Okay, maybe I overshot the simplicity.

"It's complicated, Dad," Genevieve cuts in. "He studies it. He has petri dishes all over the lab and charts, and he's working on this enormous paper that will probably end up in a journal."

"About yeast?" her dad asks, smoothing down his moustache and frowning. "What's a bright guy doing wasting his time on yeast? We know what it does. Why not study something useful? Cancer or nuclear power. Something like that."

I work hard to keep my expression completely blank. If Genevieve's family expects me to cure cancer, I'm screwed before I ever started.

"Well, yeast is actually pretty complicated," I say, and expect someone to yawn or groan. But every single person stares at me, waiting for my brilliant explanation. A single bead of sweat rolls down my spine. "Right. Well, yeast is a fascinating eukaryotic cell." I see multiple sets of eyes glaze. "Um, which just means that it has a membrane bound nucleus." More glazing. "And I study how its genomes respond to certain environmental changes. Because, basically, if we can master our understanding of the eukaryotic cell, we'll have an easier time understanding more complex cells."

Genevieve bounces in her chair, her eyes shiny and her expression giddy. "See! He's brilliant. One day he'll be Dr. Adam Abramowitz, and he'll be in the major journals for science and-"

"Wait, Adam Abramowitz? Isn't that--are you her tutor?" Lydia asks, pulling her eyebrows together in a look that would typically spell confusion: but her sneaky grin says she's anything but confused by this.

"I am." I nod slowly. I open my mouth to say what an excellent student Genevieve is, but snap it shut when I think of the innuendo they could spin from that.

I pray her parents don't start to see me as some perverted TA taking advantage of their little girl. There's nothing technically-or legally or morally-wrong with what we're doing. Other than the semi-sham marriage we're rushing into to secure my visa.

f.u.c.k.

"He's your teacher?" Cohen growls, his hands gripping the edge of the table. He's looking at me like he's about to drag me out back and beat the c.r.a.p out of me.

"Not exactly." Genevieve trips over her words trying to explain. "He's a friend, helping me out with a cla.s.s. Don't even try to make it sound all shady, Cohen. And you, Lydia, aren't you, like, dating your boss?"

Lydia's head jerks back and the smug smile falls from her face, replaced by a defensive frown. "He's not my boss. Why would you say that? I actually have more years of experience in law than he has. He's my partner. In law! I mean, we're work partners, so I have no idea why you'd a.s.sume he's my boss."

Genevieve snickers, eyes lit with glee. I haven't seen her fired up like this before. "Oh, I don't know, because he hired yo-"

"Enough," Mr. Rodriguez says. "Cada comida no tiene que convertirse en una lucha! Actua como adultos!"

I flick my gaze to Genevieve who shakes her head quickly, as if to say she'll translate later.

"Who's your team, Adam?" Enzo asks, sitting back and waiting with an expectant expression, like my answer will reveal my true character. I'm thankful he's decided to change the subject, but sports? It's like this family is trying to torpedo any chance I have to not look like a complete a.s.sclown.

"I..uh...I actually don't follow a whole lot of sports," I confess.

Enzo's face contorts in utter disgust, and he looks at Cohen as if to say, Can you believe this total douchebag our sister brought home?

"It's cool man, me neither. Cohen's always trying to drag me to a baseball game, but I'd rather be out on my board. You surf?" Deo asks, and I catch Genevieve's eyes flutter in his direction. I clutch the handle of my knife until it bites into my palm.

f.u.c.k. This conversation just keeps making me look like a bigger idiot.

I look Deo right in the eye, and he seems surprised. Probably because every ounce of animosity and uncomfortable anger I feel is focused at him and his innocent questions about waves.

"No, not really. Looks fun, but I've never tried. I love the ocean, though." I force myself to let go of the knife, steady my voice. Chill the h.e.l.l out.

"Never surfed?" Cohen asks. His voice comes out a little choked as he shakes his head, this time rolling his eyes at Deo before he and Enzo share a look that clearly communicates, Where the h.e.l.l did Genevieve pick this loser up?

f.u.c.k. f.u.c.k. f.u.c.k. My plan was to win them all over. We should have just eloped like Genevieve wanted.

"Ignore them," Genevieve says, shooting her brothers and Deo disapproving looks. "Cohen acts like he was born on a board, but he only started surfing a few years ago. And while Deo and Enzo were becoming pro beach b.u.ms, you were on your way to becoming an amazing scientist. But if you want to learn, I'd love to teach you someday, baby," Genevieve purrs next to me. "Trust me, if you go out with me for one day, I'll teach you everything you need to know. Promise."

I have to do a double take when I hear her voice, tinged with tease. She rubs her hand up and down my arm, and I can't help but wish it was more than an act for her family-that it was a reflection of how she feels about me, instead of a detail in a ruse to trick them into believing we're insanely in love and committed to each other.

When I look up from her eyes, it's obvious the tone caught more than my attention. There are several sets of eyebrows raised, and all attention is now zeroed in on Genevieve and me.

"So, how long has all of this been going on?" Lydia asks, motioning between Genevieve and me with her unused b.u.t.ter knife.

"Adam and I have been seeing each other for a while now. We just kept it quiet until it got...serious," Genevieve says. She tips her chin up with a bit of defiance.

"How serious?" Cohen meets my eyes with a steely, predatory glare that's probably punched into your genetic coding when you're an older brother. He's looking right at me, directly challenging my place by Genevieve's side. I have to be the one to answer.

"Serious enough that we've decided to take things a step further," I announce. Genevieve's hand flounders under the table, finding mine and squeezing so hard, she cracks my knuckles.

I realize then that her fingers are bare. She has no engagement ring.

I should have stopped at the p.a.w.n shop. I have a microscope that I could have traded for a couple hundred dollars at least. d.a.m.n it.

"Holy b.a.l.l.s!" Genevieve's quieter sister finally joins the conversation. Her grin is disarmingly similar to Lydia's, but Cece seems to smile because she's genuinely happy. Funny how much prettier a real smile is. "Are you guys moving in together?"

"Cece!" Genevieve's mom cries, clearly horrified. The smile droops slightly, then morphs into more of a s.h.i.t-eating grin. I definitely like Cece.

"Not exactly," Gen says, smoothing her napkin on her lap. "So, Adam and I are...we're crazy about each other. I mean, we spend every second together-"

"You do?" Cohen asks, drawing the words out and leaning back like he's running an interrogation. "When?"