You made walking easy

My Apartment

MAYA POV

We finally made it back to my apartment. I made a deal with Carina that if I felt tired or achy that I should tell Carina so she could help me. I guess the idea that showing physical weakness is still such a foreign idea to me, I wouldn't let that happen. Luckily driving the way back helped me rest my legs slightly, since this date has been the first time I've walked so much almost continuously.

"Make yourself at home, do you want wine? " I say while directing Carina into my flat, closing and locking my door straight away. Without hearing an answer, I made my way into the kitchen picking up two glasses and my favourite white wine to share. I returned to the living room to find Carina sprawled across half the sofa with a grin on her mouth while staring in one direction. Sitting down next to her, I followed her eyes to a charity calendar my team had done to raise money for our old fallen captain. I'd completely forgotten I had it on the wall, I never used it but it was such a keepsake I had to put it somewhere. Carina slowly moved off of the sofa, picking up the calendar and slowly flicking through quietly giggling at each picture.

"Wow, how have I never seen this? Red is definitely your colour but why is there a unicorn behind you? " she started to ramble which caused me to quickly catch up to her and try and take the calendar away from her, swapping it out for her wine glass.

"That's enough of that, I forgot I had it. Now I feel really awkward" I laughed in Carina's direction.

"Why be awkward, you looked insanely hot in your turn outs" she quickly replied before grabbing my waist, kissing me and making me instantly forget where we were. Within a few seconds our wine glasses were on the coffee table as she straddled my lap, our lips never parting throughout.

Her arms snaked around my neck pulling me further into an already deepening kiss while my hands found my way to her thighs before snaking further around to softly push her in a way which made her slowly grind. The only sounds filling the flat were soft moans escaping both of our mouths, the rustling of clothes we both instantly wanted pulled off of us.

Once air was needed I thought 'Damn, time to high five myself. I think this date went better than I thought it could ", looking up and seeing a smirk and slight blush on Carina's face I instantly realised that I had said that out loud.. well shit!

Smashing our lips together once more, our arms and hands simultaneously finding their places once again. This felt so normal, I've never had this before. We started to undress, pulling her clothes off until we were both almost naked.

CARINA POV

This girl can kiss, I mean I knew she could but I've never been instantly lost in a kiss before, this was different. I couldn't get enough of her, of this, so when we started to undress I couldn't have welcomed it sooner. Almost naked I could see Maya pull away from the kiss with a look of panic.

"Sorry, I-uh I-uh could we uh not do this.. I-uh want to do this but my legs.. I-uh don't know how to explain. I want you- I promise. I-uh how do I say this, I.. my legs..." I could see Maya work herself up.

"Maya breathe, come on bambina, you're okay. We don't have to do this now, we can wait." I said in the calmest way possible while seeing Maya's shoulders instantly drop and relax as she started to concentrate on taking bigger breathes.

"Let's cuddle, you're okay, we're okay. Before you think tonight has been ruined it really hasn't. Tonight, has been perfect. How are your legs? Are you feeling any pain? " I said after a few moments of silence, just receiving a nod back.

"I-uh.. I'm sorry. I really want to but you said if my legs are tired or achy I should tell you. And I hate that I feel like I can tell you and show that my stupid legs are such a big weakness. I mean my dad would be getting me to run until I'd collapse I mean that is how I got my medal right.. ha ha ha..." Maya exclaimed. All I could do again was take in what she'd said and just be thankful she'd told me.

"Thank you for telling me Maya, I'm proud of you for that. I'm not your dad, you can share your 'weaknesses' "I say in quotation marks before carrying on "I won't make you do anything you don't want to do. Do you want me to get your wheelchair or your crutches? I promise if we move from here, that I will try my hardest to not walk into you but with this wine I can't expect I wouldn't do it" I say trying to lighten the mood which seems to work.

"My crutches are in the car downstairs so I guess you could put the wheelchair next to the sofa.. if that's okay "

"Maya, I wouldn't offer if I didn't want to do it." I replied with a peck before making my way towards the wheelchair which was just behind us.

-

MAYA POV

She instantly made me feel almost proud that I made a boundary. I so wish that these stupid legs wouldn't have tired out so much, why did I have to have such an extreme date and not just a simple wine and dine for her? Why did I have to go all out.. I question that but let's face it. She deserves it, I've never wanted to put so much effort into a person I could see being either sexually or romantically attracted to. Sure, I could pull up a plethora of women and men that had been very sexually attractive but I don't think I could name more than 2 people that have hit both of those areas.

We'd been talking for what felt like 5 minutes but after subconsciously gazing towards my clock I realised it was now 2am. I didn't want this to end.

"Woah it's 2am. Are you working tomorrow? I should head home. I've really enjoyed tonight Maya-" Carina says when she quickly checks her phone.

"What if you stay? I don't have work so if you don't ,you're more welcome to stay. Come on, I've got spare clothes and toiletries" I reply hopeful that she will stay. With some thinking, Carina's face slowly turns into an almost hidden grin.

I knew that I didn't want to push myself physically, at least not in front of Carina. So, I used my wheelchair, something I had been avoiding. We made our way to my room where I went to my walk-in closet and pulled out some shorts and one of my station jumpers and handed them over.

Like teenagers we quickly moved to other sides of the room facing away from each other while changing, not wanting the other to see our bodies just yet despite earlier.. although that was when we were in the mood which is different, right? Anyway, we completed our night routine which yet again seemed so normal. The routine ending in bed where I moved to my side and faced away from her. I was tired and out of habit I try to face away from anyone sharing my bed just out of bad experiences.

While I was dozing I felt weight on the bed slightly move closer with a hand snaking over my stomach pulling me closer. "It's just me. I-uh can't fall asleep without cuddling something and well.. tonight, you're stuck with that " Carina jokes. I feel comfortable.