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They went to each side of his head and laid their palms on his shoulders with a small shove. His eyes fluttered open, and a smile crossed his lips. “Well, hi, BeLew,” Sam yawned.
The boys gave a surprised look to one another.
“He knows us,” Beau said, and Lewis covered his mouth and snickered.
Sam lifted himself gingerly and reached his hand out to them. “I want to shake the hands of my saviors. I owe you boys my life, you and your aunt.”
They each gave him a shake, practically hopping as their hands moved up and down. They lit up around him.
“Okay, BeLew,” I said, standing from the table. “Pick one more snack, and I’ll move the wall here so you can play on your own. Sam and I have some grown-up stuff to do. It’s very boring.”
The boys grunted, grabbed more food, and then climbed into the top bunk. I closed the separator and sat back down at the desk. Sam had shifted upright and was sitting on the side of the bed with his legs on the floor.
“I’d like to stand or at least try to. I’ll need some help.”
“Okay,” I said and rose to stand in front of him. “Do you want me to help pull you up, or… er?” I worried this attempt would be disastrous but so could deflating a man’s ego on day one, so I complied.
He reached for my arm and drew me towards him until I was standing just between his legs. He placed both hands on the edge of the bed and gradually lifted with his right leg bearing the weight. He groaned and his face warped in pain. Once standing, he placed both his hands on my shoulders and I held my arms out to his sides, fearful he would sway over.
“How can something feel so good and so terrible at the same time?” he asked.
“I don’t know, but I’m terrified you’re going to fall.”
“Well, I won’t go far. This room is only three feet wide.”
I held his sides as he bent back down, feeling his muscles tighten with the effort. His grip on my shoulders was firm, but he could partially hold himself if he had something to help support his weight. “It’s not quite that bad,” I murmured.
Sam rolled his eyes and let out a huff. “It’s a shoebox, but it’s perfect. Just trying to ease your nerves.”
I pulled back to sit at the table, but Sam’s grip on my shoulders remained. “I’m just going to get these papers we need to fill out. Are you steady now?”
“Yes, but come sit next to me.”
I took the papers from the table and moved to his side. He looked me over, moving his eyes down my body as I shuffled the papers to find the sections we needed to review. His stare made me uncomfortable.
“I’m dirty, I know,” I admitted. I had barely washed with the one washcloth we had. I had given BeLew a sink bath in between papers, but I hadn’t attended to myself since we got here. My fingernails were black. My hair was in a ponytail, slick from oil. If I had a mirror, I would keel over from mortification.
“You are stunning.” His statement came out so even and clear that I inhaled sharply from the words. Red heat filled my cheeks. I continued to stare at the papers like they held the meaning of life.
“Do you also have a head injury?” I deadpanned.
His hand moved to my thigh, and I moved my gaze to his face.
“I’m clear-headed,” he said. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, but I don’t know… near death experiences and all. I want to say what I think more. You are a beautiful woman, inside and out. Everything you have done, what you have been through. I’m in awe of you.”
He must have hit his head… hard.
“We should do this paperwork. They will be here any minute,” I said, monotone. I failed to acknowledge his hand on my thigh, nor did I ask him to move it away. My heart thudded in my chest as I started asking the questions.
“I can enter a middle name for you here. Maybe we should use your actual name, just in case. What is it?”
“My name is Sam Lawson. You can use whatever middle name you like.”
“Okay,” I exhaled. He had been awake for less than an hour total, and I refused to start this relationship with a fight. I left that section blank, and we could use his correct name later when he came to his senses. “What was your profession on land? What are your skill sets?”
“I have training in engineering. At home, I repaired mechanical equipment. I can also fix up cars, anything with an engine. What did you do?”
I lit up. The more useful we were, the safer our positions. “That’s good. I helped run the farm for the past few years. What’s your date of birth?”
