Page 54 of Cinnamon Cider Whiskey
Shit. He was going to hear hell for being off the sofa. Georgia Moon had come over to feed him lunch and Annette had been by two hours ago to make sure he hadn’t needed anything else. Outside of that, he wasn’t supposed to do anything.
Two more weeks and he’d be able to put weight on his leg.
But it would still be at least another month before he could return to work.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Cinnamon tossed her backpack on the chair by the fireplace and raced to his side.
He eased onto the stool. “I was thirsty.” He lifted his big water bottle. “And hungry.” He pointed to the bag of popcorn he’d pulled from the cupboard.
“And how did you plan to return that to the sofa?”
“I was going to sit right here,” he said like a defiant child.
“You’re going to make the healing process longer.” She grabbed his drink and the bag. “Do you want help back to the couch?”
“I know how to use these.” He waved at the crutches. “They do have me doing things in physical therapy, you know.”
She laughed. “I hear you’re a big baby.”
He rolled his eyes. “How was your day?”
“Amazing. Wonderful. I can’t wait to go back tomorrow.” She helped him onto the sofa, lifting his bad leg and resting his feet on her lap. “But I feel so old.”
“You’re far from it.”
“Tell that to the eighteen-year-olds who thought I was either the professor or the PA.”
He laughed. “I thought you would have been home an hour or so ago. Did you get hit on by all the young studs?”
“That’s gross.” She shook her head. “I had a doctor’s appointment.”
He arched a brow. “Therapy? You didn’t tell me you had that today. You know I’m always happy to go.”
“No. I went to the gynecologist.”
He pounded his chest and coughed. “I guess I didn’t need to go to that one.”
“Not this time you didn’t.” She squeezed his foot, rubbing gently. They’d slid into an easy time of living together and he more than enjoyed it. He thrived in their relationship.
Whenever she felt he was too far away emotionally, she told him so and he did his best to adjust. He wanted to please her more than anything, giving her whatever she needed. His biggest concern was never making her feel like he was the one in the driver’s seat, which was the dance that had become difficult.
She was used to being in a controlling and manipulative marriage. Pete had stripped her of her ability to make her own decisions. Austin would never be that man, but she often told him that she felt as though he tiptoed around the harder conversations and begged him to stop.
Something that he’d been working on.
“I can’t imagine there’s any time I’d need to go with you to see that doctor.”
“Then you don’t understand women or their bodies as much as I thought you did.” She poked his good leg.
“Excuse me?”
“I have an appointment for an ultrasound in a couple of weeks and you will want to be there for that.”
“An ultra what? And why? Is something wrong?”
“Are you really that stupid?” She shifted, setting his feet back on the sofa. Straddling his hips, she leaned over and kissed his lips. “Am I hurting you?”
“You asked me that last night when we were in this position and what did I tell you?” He smacked her ass.
