Page 13 of Love Limits

The house itself was gorgeous, with red brick and fanciful triangular gables. It seemed like the type of home someone would move into to raise children or flaunt their wealth. Neither of those matched what they knew of Dustin from the two times they’d met him at the munches. His clothing looked like it came from Target and most computer programmers didn’t make that much money. Maybe his family was loaded.

That kind of money always made Ash feel uncomfortable. For too many years, they’d been the brat who got in the way while their mother cleaned houses like this.

They’d observed a lot, though. Much later, they’d learned how to blend in with rich people, but it always felt like a performance. They really hoped they weren’t going to need that sort of performance tonight.

Ash looked at the six-pack of fancy fruit sodas they’d brought. If they’d settled on a two-liter bottle of Pepsi, they would have just left it in the car. But this was just nice enough that maybe they could bring it as a gift. They didn’t drink, so it was nice to have as an option.

As they walked up the long mulch-lined sidewalk to the covered porch, they felt their nerves starting to build. They took a look around. There were two chairs, a wooden swing, and a small patio table, so at least it looked like Dustin used the porch and it wasn’t just for show.

The covers on the chairs were a bit faded, and one was even torn at the corner. That rip made Ash feel immeasurably better. If Dustin wasn’t too stuck-up about it, it looked like it would be a nice place to sit and watch the world go by in the summer. Hopefully, this would be a good group to hang out with and they’d get invited back a time or two.

Plus, they always liked spending time with Landon.

They let themself imagine Landon for a moment, or Lena maybe, wondering who it would be tonight. Ash could never decide which gender made Landon more attractive, but the transition between them was definitely a huge part of it. The way that someone so rugged and casual could turn into someone so elegant and poised was just alluring. And both came with that silky blond hair that Ash would love to run their fingers through and those gorgeous hands.

It was one of those I don’t know if I want to date you or be you crushes, where Ash always felt a little bit breathless, even though they knew they hid it well. The air always seemed to sizzle around Landon, and Ash loved soaking up that energy.

Typically Landon and Ash flirted when they saw each other, playing and being silly without meaning anything by it. That only fed into Ash’s little crush of course, but they would never say anything and weren’t expecting anything to happen. In the world of crushes, it was a harmless little thing.

But still… Landon asking them to game night, even at his new possibly-boyfriend’s house, was exciting.

They rang the bell and then waited, not sure if it worked. They’d left their hearing aids in the car since they expected all of the conversation to be in ASL. But even if they hadn’t, doorbells were a source of endless guesswork. They wondered if Dustin’s house had flashing lights like their apartment did. They knew that Dustin had Auditory Processing Disorder, but weren’t sure how much it interfered with non-speech sounds.

While Ash was waiting, they turned to check out the porch again and jumped back when a man appeared right behind them.

Correction: a really sexy man. He was a little taller than Ash, with defined Asian features, and black stubble along his square jaw. His dark hair was thick and carelessly messy in a way that invited touch.

Ash was really getting carried away this evening. This was game night. Not a hook-up spot. Still, it didn’t hurt to look.

Sorry, they both signed, fists circling chests.

Are you OK? The appealing stranger looked Ash over, as though checking for injuries. I didn’t mean to scare you.

Ash felt a flicker of hope. It could be game night and hot Daddy night, too, right?

It wouldn't have usually occurred to them, but he was Dustin's friend, and their mother’s call had them thinking about possibilities. With those cheekbones and those dark, concerned eyes, if this man was a Daddy, Ash would be all over him.

Yeah, I’m fine. Just startled.

The man’s worry melted into an easy smile. Good. You must be Ash, right? He identified them by their name sign, the letter A tapped at the wrist. The sign was a combination of their first initial and their profession as a nurse, which made it easy for people to remember.

It was a nice feeling that Landon or Dustin had mentioned them. Even nicer that the sexy stranger had remembered their name before they even met.

That’s right. And who are you? Ash added a flirty smile.

Zhong Zhou, he fingerspelled, then gave his name sign as his first two fingers moving together in a Z shape.

Oh, like pizza? The double-Z sign with an A at the end was the shortened loan-sign from the fingerspelled word for the food.

Zhong sighed. I thought I was much cooler when my friends came up with it in kindergarten.

Pizza’s always cool. Who doesn’t like pizza?

Zhong’s eyes crinkled when he smiled.

He didn’t look away and Ash felt themself getting caught in his gaze. He looked curious. Maybe hopeful. Excited to meet them?

God, his eyes were gorgeous. There was a genuine warmth, too. Something less sexual and more caring, but still very focused on Ash.