No Safeword: Matte - Happily Ever After (Safewords) by Candace Blevins Page A
Authors: Candace Blevins
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strenuous, but could you do a flat section of the Riverwalk and then maybe go for an ice cream?”
“Oh. You mean, outside? I hadn’t…” Sam paused, unsure why the thought hadn’t occurred to her.
Viv smiled. “Hadn’t considered the possibility? I think it’s about time you did. Ethan said you can handle a one hundred yard walk as long as none of it’s uphill. I figure we can walk to a bench, sit for a while, and then go back to the car.”
Sam narrowed her eyes. “Were you a nurse or something in a past life? You knew I’d be able to handle the containers with the sliding lock on the lid, too. What gives?”
“My dad had open-heart surgery a few years ago.” She shrugged. “We had to figure out how to give him as much autonomy as possible, so I searched all the container brands and types until I found some he could open without stressing his sternum, where they cut him open.”
“And you had to figure out how to get him out and about slowly.” Sam sighed. “I hate feeling like my friends are managing me, but the idea of walking outside in the fresh air and sunshine is…nice.”
“I’m not managing you; I’m just giving you a possibility. If you’d rather stay in and watch movies, I’m game for that, too.”
“God no. If I have to sit through another movie or TV show right now I think my brain might melt.”
It wasn’t until Sam was sitting in Viv’s car that she remembered she’d have to ask for help with the seatbelt. Luckily, Viv helped without having to be asked.
“Damn, I hate feeling so helpless,” Sam said.
“You’re far from helpless and this is temporary. Enjoy the day and don’t sweat the small stuff. Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
* * * *
Sam stayed busy with Tom the following week, as he was in his final days of training for his upcoming fights at the national level. He came to the house and they used the workout room as Sam talked him through routines and exercises. He made use of her punching bag, as well as the heavy bag and the wooden post dummy. She sat for a good part of the day, but also spent time walking around him so she could critique his form, urge him on, and give specific pointers for some of the men he might fight. They knew who he’d face in his first bout, and could make a decent presumption about his second fight, but beyond that was anyone’s guess. Still, she had a good idea of the top four fighters, and it was a good bet he’d fight at least two of them if he made it to the final rounds.
Ethan argued hard against her going to the fights, saying she’d get too tired, too excited, and might be jostled in the crowd. She insisted she could go, and received approval from her surgeon to sleep in the hotel bed as long as she took a large wedge to keep her lungs higher than her legs. The instant she got the okay from him, she called the rental company and instructed them to come get the hospital bed while she and Ethan were gone. “Just have your guys call me when they get to the house. I can unlock the door for them with my smartphone, watch them until they’re gone, and then lock it behind them.”
The first day of fights went as well as could be expected, and Tom won both bouts without getting too beat up. Sam stayed mostly in the background and let the guys come to her when they wanted input about strategy and tactics.
The group went out to eat afterwards, but Sam was exhausted and barely managed to stay awake towards the end. Ethan moved his chair closer to hers and encouraged her to lean into him, but the angle hurt more than it helped until she figured out how to turn sideways in her chair and lean back against him. As soon as the meal was finished, Ethan drove her to the hotel and ushered her straight to their room.
“Are you going to be okay tomorrow?” he asked as he closed the door behind them.
“I’ve been thinking about how best to work things,” she said as she released her sling and let it slide to the bed. Ethan stepped to her
“Oh. You mean, outside? I hadn’t…” Sam paused, unsure why the thought hadn’t occurred to her.
Viv smiled. “Hadn’t considered the possibility? I think it’s about time you did. Ethan said you can handle a one hundred yard walk as long as none of it’s uphill. I figure we can walk to a bench, sit for a while, and then go back to the car.”
Sam narrowed her eyes. “Were you a nurse or something in a past life? You knew I’d be able to handle the containers with the sliding lock on the lid, too. What gives?”
“My dad had open-heart surgery a few years ago.” She shrugged. “We had to figure out how to give him as much autonomy as possible, so I searched all the container brands and types until I found some he could open without stressing his sternum, where they cut him open.”
“And you had to figure out how to get him out and about slowly.” Sam sighed. “I hate feeling like my friends are managing me, but the idea of walking outside in the fresh air and sunshine is…nice.”
“I’m not managing you; I’m just giving you a possibility. If you’d rather stay in and watch movies, I’m game for that, too.”
“God no. If I have to sit through another movie or TV show right now I think my brain might melt.”
It wasn’t until Sam was sitting in Viv’s car that she remembered she’d have to ask for help with the seatbelt. Luckily, Viv helped without having to be asked.
“Damn, I hate feeling so helpless,” Sam said.
“You’re far from helpless and this is temporary. Enjoy the day and don’t sweat the small stuff. Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
* * * *
Sam stayed busy with Tom the following week, as he was in his final days of training for his upcoming fights at the national level. He came to the house and they used the workout room as Sam talked him through routines and exercises. He made use of her punching bag, as well as the heavy bag and the wooden post dummy. She sat for a good part of the day, but also spent time walking around him so she could critique his form, urge him on, and give specific pointers for some of the men he might fight. They knew who he’d face in his first bout, and could make a decent presumption about his second fight, but beyond that was anyone’s guess. Still, she had a good idea of the top four fighters, and it was a good bet he’d fight at least two of them if he made it to the final rounds.
Ethan argued hard against her going to the fights, saying she’d get too tired, too excited, and might be jostled in the crowd. She insisted she could go, and received approval from her surgeon to sleep in the hotel bed as long as she took a large wedge to keep her lungs higher than her legs. The instant she got the okay from him, she called the rental company and instructed them to come get the hospital bed while she and Ethan were gone. “Just have your guys call me when they get to the house. I can unlock the door for them with my smartphone, watch them until they’re gone, and then lock it behind them.”
The first day of fights went as well as could be expected, and Tom won both bouts without getting too beat up. Sam stayed mostly in the background and let the guys come to her when they wanted input about strategy and tactics.
The group went out to eat afterwards, but Sam was exhausted and barely managed to stay awake towards the end. Ethan moved his chair closer to hers and encouraged her to lean into him, but the angle hurt more than it helped until she figured out how to turn sideways in her chair and lean back against him. As soon as the meal was finished, Ethan drove her to the hotel and ushered her straight to their room.
“Are you going to be okay tomorrow?” he asked as he closed the door behind them.
“I’ve been thinking about how best to work things,” she said as she released her sling and let it slide to the bed. Ethan stepped to her
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