EMT

They hadn't been inside for more than a few seconds when Noah said, "This has been the best day of whole, entire life!", paying no attention to his mangled leg.

Lisa again felt her eyes welling up with tears but didn't cry. She just glanced at Ryan then said to her son, "Maybe mine too, honey."

She had no idea what Ryan meant when he immediately asked, "Did you just call me 'honey' again...honey?"

The puzzled look vanished a few seconds later when she realized what she'd said. That made her laugh as she told Ryan, "Um, well...I guess I kinda did, huh?"

He leaned her way then said a little more quietly, "I mean, it's fine by me. I just wanted to make sure you said it. To me."

The way he looked at her when he said and the smile on his gorgeous face afterward made her knees go weak for a moment.

"You're pretty amazing," she told him, a similar look on her face.

"Can I help you with anything or should I go pick up your car?" he asked, ignoring her compliment.

"Oh. I just need to turn the couch into a bed so Noah doesn't have to go up and down the stairs, but I can handle that."

"You have free labor, so why not take advantage of it?" Ryan said in that same way that caused Lisa to break eye contact and look away.

"Um, well, if...if you don't mind helping...."

She stopped mid-sentence, laughed again, then looked at Ryan.

"Wait. I already know the answer to that, don't I?"

"Beautiful and smart. Just my kind of girl," he said even more quietly.

"Hah! Yeah, right," Lisa told him as her heart pitter-pattered.

"Scout's honor!" he said as he held up three fingers indicating the Boy Scout salute.

"Okay. Cmon. I'll show you where the linen closet is," Lisa said as though she were really being put out.

"Okay...honey," he whispered in her ear causing Lisa to look up at him as though she were deeply offended before she started laughing.

Five minutes later Noah had a very comfortable bed/living area set up where he could eat, sleep, and study.

"Or play video games!" he added after his mom told him those three things.

"Right. Or play video games," she repeated with a raised eyebrow that caused Noah to smile sheepishly.

"I love video games!" Ryan announced. "Which ones have you got?"

Noah started rattling off names, most of which the older man had heard, along with a few that were new to him.

"Maybe after I bring your mom's car back, we could play a little."

Noah's eyes lit up as he looked to his mom. Before he could even ask she was nodding and saying 'okay'.

"Awesome!" her son replied.

He turned back to Ryan then said to him, "Can you go now?"

"Honey!" his mom called out in a tone of voice that showed concern.

But when both 'boy's replied, "What?" in unison, she laughed so hard she had to cover her mouth.

She somehow managed to point at Ryan and say, "You are trouble, aren't you?"

"Me? Trouble?" he replied, looking all sweet and innocent. "I'm the Boy Scout, remember?"

"Uh-huh. I've got my eyes on you," Lisa told him as she found herself looking at him in a way she hadn't yet done as she did her best to look stern. And it was that new feeling that made another part of her body, a part that had been neglected for way too long, feel something it hadn't felt in what seemed like ages.

"That makes me very happy," Ryan told her.

He saw the flush in Lisa's cheeks before she turned away and asked rhetorically, "So...where did I put my car keys?" as though they might have jumped out of her purse and walked away.

She handed them over and Ryan thanked her and told her he'd be right back. He'd ended up having to call an Uber driver, and he was on his way. The only thing he didn't mention when he got back to Lisa's was stopping to fill up her nearly-empty gas tank on the return trip.

While he was gone Noah asked his mom three different times when Noah would be back. Each time she told him, "As soon as he can."

Even so, when Ryan knocked on the door Noah hollered, "Mom! It's Ryan!"

"Okay, honey!" she called back, not telling her son she shared his enthusiasm but for very different reasons.

"Thank you!" she said as he handed her the keys.

"Ryan! Lemme show you something!" Noah called out, causing both adults to smile as Ryan said he'd be right there.

"What you got, big man?" he asked as soon as he saw the boy.

"Check this out!"

"Okay. Lemme see."

Noah was watching a video about dinosaurs, a subject that fascinated the older man when he was about that age.

"Cool Stegosaurus," Ryan commented as he watched.

"I know. And next comes a Velociraptor. They can eat other dinosaurs," Noah informed him.

Lisa sat next to Ryan on the edge of the couch and quietly said, "He hasn't seen Jurassic Park, but he's dying to watch it."

"It's a little intense," Ryan said back to her just as quietly.

"He's probably old enough now," the boy's mom said.

Evidently it wasn't said quietly enough, and a very excited Noah sat up.

"Can we watch it tonight, Mom? Please? With Ryan?"

She looked at Ryan who mouthed, "I have the DVD at home."

"I don't want to make you go all the way home and back just to...."

"I wouldn't mind at all. Well, as long as I can watch it with you...and Noah."

Lisa saw the boyish smile she already loved and felt that same warm feeling again.

"I'd like that. I believe we'd both like that."

"Yeah? Then let me head home. I need to shower and change anyway, but it won't take me long."

"Have you eaten?" Lisa asked.

"No. Can I pick something up?"

Before she could answer Noah asked, "Can we have Subway? I love Subway sandwiches. Especially meatballs with Provolone cheese!"

"Is that okay?" Ryan asked.

"Um, sure. Let me get you some money, and...."

Ryan gently put a hand on her arm which caused an influx of emotions in and of itself.

"That's okay. Let me take care of that."

He smiled again then said, "Next time will be on you."

"Next time?" she replied with a warm smile of her own.

"Honestly? I'm hoping there'll be a next time," Ryan told her as he ran his fingers over the top of her hand before standing up.

"Great video, Noah. I'll watch the rest of it with you sometime soon, okay?"

"You promise?"

Ryan laughed, raised three fingers, then said almost solemnly, "I promise."

He helped Lisa up then said he'd call for a ride.

"You can take my car again."

"Yes, but I uh, I won't be able to go home after the movie," he reminded her, his head slightly tilted and one eyebrow raised.

"Oh, right," a slightly embarrassed Lisa said.

"Not that I'm in any hurry to go home...."

Lisa's heart was pounding as she said, "You can stay as long as you like."

"You might get tired of me."

Feeling her cheeks warm again, Lisa didn't look at him for a few seconds before saying, "You sound like me. Earlier. When I was saying how you probably wouldn't like...."

Ryan stopped her with a smile as he said, "I remember."

He saw her staring into his eyes, and for once, didn't know what to say.

"I'll uh, I'll make that call. Right now."

When he was done, Lisa waited for him to look at her again.

"I...I just wanted you to know I wasn't, you know, suggesting or hinting about you stay...."

He understood what was going and pretended to be very serious.

"Darn," he said with a quick little shake of the head.

"What? Are you upset?"

"No. Just disappointed."

"Disappointed? In...me?" a very confused Lisa asked.

"No. Never. I'm just a little sad that you weren't hinting. Or suggesting."

She was staring up into his eyes, that blank look still on her face, when the light came on.

When it did, she realized the implication was staying...all night...and the 'lights' in her cheeks came on, too.

"Oh, my gosh. I'm blushing, huh?" she said, not at all worried that she was.

"A little," Ryan told her as he put his hands behind her upper arms. "But you look even more beautiful when you blush."

He saw her eyes darting wildly with his as he said, "Then again, you're beautiful when you're not blushing."

She tried to think about saying something but nothing came to mind. And before it could Ryan moved a little closer then lowered his head slightly and softly kissed her.

The kiss was a hundred times more powerful than his earlier touch, and in spite of her better judgment--which had just flown the coop--she kissed him back. No tongues touched, but the soft, gentle kiss lasted several seconds; several very delicious seconds.

"I should go wait outside for my ride," he told her when he pulled away.

"Um...right. Yes. That's probably a good idea."

"Hey! Are you trying to get rid of me?" Ryan teased.

She laughed then put her arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Does that answer your question?" she asked as though he'd offended her.

"If I say 'no' will you try and answer it again?" Ryan asked back as he pulled her close.

"Yes," she told him as she rested her head in the crook of his neck.

Ryan's phone dinged, and the noise separated them.

He grabbed his phone out of his pocket, checked, then said, "That was fast. He's in the driveway."

"Oh my! I'm so sorry!" Lisa told him.

"Don't be. I'd be late anytime if kissing you is the reason."

Her cheeks didn't redden but her tummy warmed as he smiled before going outside. And she was now aware that yet another place on her body had warmed, too.

"What are you doing?" she asked herself as she put her back against the wall and tried to make her head stop spinning.

It took Ryan about 45 minutes to get back, and this time, Noah only asked when he'd be back two times. But when the knock came he was just as excited as before, and this time his mom was even more so.

There was an awkward moment when they said 'hello' as though neither one of them knew what to do. Both of them wanted to kiss the other person, but both of them also knew Noah wasn't ready to see that. What neither one knew was that each of them was thinking that based on how fast and how well things were going, maybe he was ready.

"I'll get dinner ready," Lisa said, "if you can get the movie going."

"Cmon, Ryan! I'll show you how to use the DVD player!" Noah called out from the couch.

"I'll be right there, buddy!" he said as Lisa took the two plastic bags but only after making sure she slowly touched his hand with all of her fingers first.

By the time Lisa brought their food the DVD was still showing highlights of movies popular when Jurassic Park was out.

"Meatballs with Provolone?" she asked as though she were waiting tables.

"Me!" Noah called out.

His mom noticed that the couch had been turned so that Ryan could sit next to Noah with the only room remaining was next to the very handsome younger man she couldn't believe was in her home. She not only didn't mention it, she was more than happy to sit beside him.

"Thank you," Ryan said as she handed him a plate with his sandwich and a couple of napkins on it.

"You're welcome, but I should be thanking you," she told him as she set her own plate on her lap.

The previews were finishing, and just before the opening scene of the movie, Lisa leaned over and said, "I should warn you this movie scares the bejeezus out of me."

She turned to see him smile as he looked at her.

"Feel free to grab my arm at any time."

"Be careful what you wish for," the pretty, older woman said, a smile on her own lips, as well.

Ryan barely finished his sandwich when the first yelp came from the only woman in the room.

"Mom! That isn't even scary!" Noah informed her.

"That's easy for you to say!" she called back as she realized her arm was inside of Ryan's.

"Sorry," she said as she went to pull it out.

He let her do it, but as soon as her hand was free he laid his on his knee with the palm up.

Lisa looked at it then at him. After seeing that killer smile again, she put hers in his then scooched over and rested her head on shoulder and never moved it, even when her neck was screaming at her to do so.

"That was awesome!" Noah said as the credits rolled.

Ryan asked him if he'd seen all of the sequels yet before realizing he hadn't even seen the original movie.

"No, but I really wanna see Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom," Noah told him.

"That's it?"

"I wanna see them all, but we don't have any m...."

Noah looked around Ryan at his mom and stopped before saying 'money.'

Ryan noticed the look of hurt in Lisa's eyes then said as cheerfully as he could, "No worries, mate! I've got all of them!"

"Can we watch them, Mom? Can we?"

Ryan looked at Lisa again, ran his fingers along her arm which was now in her lap, then said, "Yeah, Mom. Can we?"

She looked up at Ryan then said, "Does this mean I have two children to deal with?" before remembering the huge age difference.

Ryan either didn't notice or didn't care. He just laughed and told her that might be true.

He then leaned over a little and whispered, "I'll be whatever you need me to be if it means spending more time with you and Noah."

Her heart skipped a beat as she quietly replied, "I think that can be arranged."

"I think that's a 'yes', buddy," Ryan said as he turned the other way.

"Yes!" Noah said as Ryan offered him a high-five flap which the boy took with gusto.

"I'll talk to your mom about when we can watch the next one, but for now, I should probably be going."

"Ahh! Do you have to?" Noah whined.

"Honey? Did you hear what Ryan said?" his mom asked even as she whispered, "I'm not trying to get rid of you."

She slid her arm through his again, but Ryan pulled it back in favor of putting an arm around both of them and pulling them close.

"Mom. Look. We're a family!" Noah announced as he reveled in the attention and the affection.

She looked at Ryan who winked at her then said, "I'm not sure about that, buddy, but it is very nice to have Ryan come over."

Her son immediately agreed just before Ryan said he really should get going. Lisa let him stand up then helped him slide the couch back into its original place.

"Mom? I need to p...use the bathroom," Noah said as soon as the couch stop moving.

"Oh. I uh...."

She went to get the wheelchair when Ryan said something that made her stop.

"No problem."

When she looked back, he was scooping Noah up.

Lisa couldn't believe the way that made her feel, and she nearly teared up when she heard Ryan ask, "Can you get the cow out of the barn by yourself?"

The question was cute, but it was the way Noah laughed that did it. It was the laugh she loved but didn't hear often enough, and most of that was due to the way his late father had treated his son. But here he was so soon after his father's passing laughing and being a happy boy again, and that moved his mom deeply.

Ryan waited outside until Noah told him he was done. When he carried Noah back out, he said something else, but this time it made his mom laugh.

"Am I gonna have to pee sitting down every time?"

When his mom laughed he told her it wasn't funny.

"No. No, it isn't," she said as she stifled the laugh. "But until you can stand on that leg, yes, you'll have to...do that...sitting down."

"I can't believe the hospital didn't give you any crutches," Ryan mused. "I'll bring a pair over next time I come."

He looked at Lisa who thought he was asking for an answer to 'when'.

"Um...tomorrow would be fine."

"Cool!" Noah said, the boy's eyes never leaving Ryan for even a moment.

"Okay. Then I shall return tomorrow with The Lost World: Jurassic Park which was released in 1997, four years after the original movie."

"Can we have Subway again?" Noah asked before again remembering to look at his mom.

Her head was already tilted to the side before she said, "No. We're not going to ask Ryan to bring us food again."

She looked at the younger man, smiled then said, "If you're brave enough, I'll make dinner for all of us."

Ryan swiveled his head then asked Noah, "Should I be worried?"

He giggled, something Lisa hadn't heard since he was maybe five, and found herself on the verge of tearing up again.

"Uh-uh. My mom is a really good cook!"

Ryan then quickly spun his head toward Lisa, and that made Noah laugh again.

"Is he right?"

Lisa finally laughed then said, "I haven't sent anyone to the hospital. Yet."

Ryan narrowed his eyes then tilted his head.

"Hmmm. I think I'm willing to take the risk."

He was clearly kidding, but Lisa's heart was fluttering again as she fought off the urge to put her arms around him. Noah hadn't seen any affection between them, but she was almost ready to cast caution to the wind.

"I'd like that," she said very sweetly instead.

Ryan put his hand between two buttons on his shirt, jutted his jaw, then declared, "All right. I shall return!" in a French accent.

Lisa laughed then said, "I don't think it was Napoleon who said that."

"Right you are. It was Douglas MacArthur. But I enjoy mixing met...I have no idea what that was."

"It was...corny," Lisa informed him as he moved a little closer to her. "Sweet but corny."

Ryan went over and not only said good night to Noah but gave him a hug which the young boy ate up, throwing both arms around his new hero's neck.

"See you tomorrow, okay, champ?"

"Okay, Ryan! See you tomorrow!"

Lisa walked him to the door and stopped, but Ryan opened it and gestured for her to go out onto the porch.

"Did you need to tell me something?" she asked after he closed the door and turned toward her.

"Only that I had an amazing time."

"Me, too."

"And I knew if we stayed inside, I wouldn't be able to do this."

Lisa had no idea how many times she'd been kissed in her life, but not even her first-ever kiss compared with this one.

"Then I'm glad you asked me out."

"I plan to," Ryan told her.

"What?"

"Ask you out. I plan to do that. Often."

"Duh!" a laughing woman replied.

She put her arms around his neck then told him that sounded wonderful before kissing him and telling him good night.

******

Ryan came back the next night and the next. He took two days off due to working when Lisa and Noah were home then invited them to watch the last of the Jurassic movies at his place.

It was just a two-room bachelor pad with no frills and very little furniture, but Lisa didn't care about any of that. What mattered was being with someone who enjoyed being with her and her son, and seeing her son return to normal--or maybe some kind of new normal--in such a short amount of time.

She had no idea how many women her age fell in love with much-younger men, and while she probably should have given it serious thought, she never did. Age just didn't matter. In fact, there was never a moment when she questioned whether or not it was right or proper or even socially acceptable. She didn't care because after that first week she knew. She didn't mention it to Ryan, but she knew she loved him. She was aware he could break her heart if he didn't feel the same way, but she was as certain as she could be that he would never do that to her.

She asked to him to "sleep over" a week after that, and from then on, they slept over at each other's places as often as work allowed, and Noah loved going back and forth.

Ryan asked her to marry him just six months later, and another four months passed before they tied the knot and bought a place of their own.

Noah's leg healed as well as any leg injured that badly could. Like the man he considered his father even though he was 'just' his dad, Noah Ellis became a Boy Scout and made Eagle Scout in his senior year of high school.

Two years after they got married, they had a child their own, another boy they named Noah--at Lisa's insistence but whom they called 'Junior'--who was almost eight when Noah made Eagle.

In all that time Lisa never once wondered whether or not her handsome, younger husband loved her. She didn't have to wonder because all those years later he still left her little love notes several days a week, and he still made time to take her out on dates. And in spite of her fears of getting older and him not loving her, he still made love to her in a way that put those fears aside.