Page 78 of The Yips

“What does one get the man who needs nothing for their birthday,” I wondered out loud.

“What’s his schedule like on his birthday?” Josie asked.

“It looks like we’ll be in Seattle.”

“Ooh! That’s perfect. He loved Seattle when he livedthere. I think the restaurant in the Space Needle reopened. You should see if Monica can book you two reservations for the night. But fair warning, Sam was well-loved when he pitched for Seattle. You are very likely to be interrupted wherever you go. And with him, he doesn’t need a grand gesture. Even small gestures would make him happy.”

“Are you coming to Houston tomorrow?”

“I am. I said nothing earlier, but Jake and I have been trying for a baby, and, well, we have a schedule to follow if we want to time everything just right. This is your first season, and while you get used to the cycle, there are non-negotiables. I hoped it would happen sooner; we wanted to time it with his off-season, but nothing yet. Sam mentioned that you struggled with anxiety, too; I may have questions for you later. It’s been controlled, but the meds and pregnancy scare me.”

“They scared me too. I’ve been seeing my therapist consistently, and some days, I need to tap into every single skill I learned to keep from having a panic attack. Sam is the first person who’s ever understood my anxiety. I don’t need to hide it or pretend I’m okay when I’m not.”

“Jake has also been great. But I worry that I might be pre-disposed for post-partum depression.”

“The best thing to do is have a support system around you. People who will check in on you, take care of you, and remind you to take care of yourself. And don’t skip your appointments, no matter how exhausted you are. I make it sound like it’s easy, it isn’t. I’m also not a therapist or a doctor, but I’m a good listener if you ever need one.”

Josie pulled me into a hug. “Thank you. Some days, I feel ready to be pregnant, but then others, I’m filled with doubts. I’m not going to lie. Spending time with Crew will push anyone into parenthood. He’sadorable.”

By the time we arrived back at Josie’s house, Sam and Crew were back, and we found them relaxing by the pool. Sam had found a spot in the shade, and Crew was well-covered and wore a sunhat.

“How does he know to do that?” I asked Josie.

“That’s just Sam. He’s been taking care of all of us for as long as I’ve been alive.”

CHAPTER 68

Sam

Kelsey had gone to bed earlier than me, and I had stayed up to have one more drink with Josie, which had turned into another hour-plus discussion of the past. When I crawled into bed, she rolled towards me.

“Sorry I woke you,” I whispered and kissed her forehead.

“Mhmm, good timing. I was getting to the good part of my dream,” she whispered. Her hands explored my chest greedily before sliding inside my boxers to fist my thickening cock.

“We’ve got to be quiet,” I reminded her as she slid first my boxers off, followed by her shorts. “I swear, you don’t even need to take those shorts off for me to get in there.”

Kelsey crawled on top, straddled my hips, and slid the head of my cock through her slick folds. She sunk down on top of me and captured my groan with a kiss as her hips began to move.

“Fuck, you feel so fucking good.”

My own reaction spurred on her movements, and it wasn’t long before I felt her begin toquicken around me, signaling the start of her orgasm. “Sam,” she cried out as she came around me. I followed right after her.

She collapsed on top of me, heavy and boneless. “You make me so incredibly happy, Sam.”

I squeezed her tight before rolling her so I could tuck her into my side. “I plan always to do that, Kelsey.”

“Grr,” she groaned, “I’m going to need to get up and use the bathroom, and I don’t ever want to move.”

“I can get you a towel,” I said, offering to take care of her.

“No, I need to go pee. Oh, I did end up talking to my mom about my IUD.”

“No, you didn’t,” I groaned with secondhand embarrassment.

“She’s a nurse, Sam. She works at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and has been delivering babies for over twenty-five years. She’s already attended one of my births, and I don’t think she wants to do that again real soon. But anyway, she’s certain that the string for the IUD is too long. I can make an appointment to have it shortened.”

“Kelsey, with all due respect, it didn’t feel like a string.”

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