Getting to know each other (Mia and Hunter) (3)

Hunter is not sure what possessed him to kiss Mia.

The whole day is… confusing. He did so many things which are uncharacteristic for him.

Something bubbled inside him and it was stronger with each passing minute and when they both fell on the floor and he saw that she closed her eyes and smiled, he was unable to control himself. The pull was too strong, he leaned over and… kissed her.

Hunter was not sure if she will respond to his kiss or punch him in the face, but then her palms moved up his neck, and her fingers laced into his hair and… Oh. My. God! Mia's kiss is out of this world! Where did she learn…? Hunter's mind went blank and the only thing he wanted is to get closer to the girl who is lying on the floor next to him. He had no intention to stop kissing her because he can feel the fireworks inside his head, blowing away his reasoning capability and reducing him to a desire to get closer to the girl in his arms.

"Get a room, you two!", AJ grumbled unhappily from the side of the fighting ring.

Based on AJ's look, he recuperated from the beating Mia gave him, but he was reluctant to get too close.

Hunter opened his eyes and his face hovered an inch away from Mia's. They both breathed heavily, but this time, not because of the sparring match.

His deep blue eyes locked onto Mia's light blue ones and neither of them blinked while their hot breaths mixed.

"We should shower…", Hunter whispered in her lips.

"Yeah…", Mia whispered back.

Mia saw that Hunter is not moving and based on his expression, she can tell that he wants to kiss her again. Well, she wants to kiss him more as well, but she is aware that they are in the gym, on the floor of the fighting ring, and AJ and few other people are staring at them.

It seems that Hunter does not care about their location or the audience.

Mia smiled. "You need to move first…"

"Oh…", Hunter realized that he is almost on top of Mia and she can't get up because he is holding her. He released her from his hug, scrambled up and offered her a hand to get up, which she took.

Both Hunter and Mia walked clumsily to their respective dressing rooms while the same question was on repeat in their minds: "What was that?"

…

In the parking lot of Liz's (and Max's) apartment building, Hunter is walking with Mia toward the elevator…

"Thank you, I had fun.", Mia said.

Hunter understood that this is the goodnight part. She obviously does not want him to come up. Hunter sighed, why did he want to come up? Did he actually think that something is going to happen? Did he become shameless like Max? This is so not like him. But, will he get another kiss? The kiss in the gym was… unforgettable, and he really-really wants (at least) one more.

"Yeah, me to. Can I call you?", Hunter asked.

Mia glanced at Hunter and forced a smile. He is handsome and sweet, and he did all the right things, including feeding her and taking her to the gym. Mia enjoyed their sparring match and the kiss after that, and she would really want to meet with him again and see where this might lead… but she does not believe that long-distance relationships work.

'Out of sight, out of mind.', that is what she firmly believes in.

With Hunter in Seattle and Mia in New York, how often can they see each other? He mentioned his busy schedule, so he probably can't come, and that means it will be up to her to come and visit him in order to maintain the relationship. And no matter how faithful he is, she will always doubt what he is doing, with whom he is doing it… because that is how it works.

Mia was burned once when she returned a day earlier than planned from her weeklong trip and caught her then-boyfriend of four years sleeping with another woman. Since then, she does not believe that a man can be faithful when his girlfriend is away.

Mia is not willing to go into a long-distance relationship which will end up mentally and emotionally torturing her whenever they are apart, no matter how handsome and sweet he is.

She decided to make her stance clear. "Call me if you are in New York. And I will let you know when I come back to Seattle. If it works for both of us, we can do something together."

Hunter understood the meaning behind her words: Mia had a good time and is not against seeing him again, but she is not interested committing to a long-distance relationship. That means how if in few weeks he goes to New York, she might be with someone else. He does NOT like that idea.

Hunter remembered that next weekend is his birthday, and that he will go with family and few friends to Hawaii. Can he invite Mia? Will she consider joining him, or will she just think that he is a clingy creep? They met today, and he is already inviting her for a weekend with his family? Hunter sighed. He does not see that ending well no matter how he forms the question.

They almost reached the elevator when Mia noticed: "Why are you limping?"

Hunter shrugged indicating that he is not sure. "Don't worry about it. When I get home, I will check." Realization that there is no path in his future which includes Mia, dampened his mood and his tone reflected it.

"Don't be ridiculous!", Mia scolded him. "You probably got hurt in the gym during our spar, and now that it cooled off, it's manifesting. Come up, let me check. What if it's something serious? Liz has icepacks and a first aid kit…"

Mia held Hunter's hand and pulled his arm around her shoulders. "Lean on me.", she demanded.

Hunter saw Mia's enthusiasm and chuckled. "You are too short to be my support."

Mia's face darkened. She can see that he is more than 6' high, and compared to that, her 5'3" is short but she is not the one who will admit that. "There is nothing wrong with my height. You are too tall."

"Whatever you say…", Hunter stifled a laugh.

Mia glared at him for a second, but then adjusted her mood because she does not want to argue with him, not now when he is hurt.

…

In Liz's apartment…

"Where does it hurt?", Mia asked.

"Left knee."

Mia's face dropped. She remembered the first kick she launched at Hunter, the one that caught him by surprise. It was her right leg at the back of his left knee. It is her fault.

Mia is not a doctor, but with her many years of training martial arts and an active lifestyle, she had her share of injuries and of course, she learned first aid.

She hopes that it's nothing serious and that an icepack with some rest will do the trick.

Mia reached down and tried rolling his jeans pants up. Mia was halfway up his calf when she realized that the pants are too tight to be rolled all the way above his knee. It seems that Hunter does not skip the leg day in the gym because his calves are firm and… perfect.

Mia stood up and rubbed her chin while observing the lower half of his body intently.

"Remove your pants.", Mia instructed.

Hunter's eyebrows shoot up.

"That is direct…", he said with a playful smirk.

Mia rolled her eyes. "How else am I going to check your knee?"

Hunter placed his hands on the waist of his pants, ready to unbutton them and hesitated.

"What if someone comes?", he asked while looking at the front door.

Mia realized how that might be a problem. Hunter in his underwear in the living room with Mia, just the two of them… it will definitely be a problem if Bri or Liz show up. But, how else is she going to check his knee?

Mia got an idea: "Come to my room."

"Really? You are not afraid that I will do something to you?", Hunter teased Mia.

Mia shrugged. "You can try, and I will mess up your other knee as well."

She paused her steps and turned to look at him with a grin: "Or are you afraid that I will do something to you?"

Hunter could not believe his ears. Just what is this little woman thinking?

"Is that a threat or a promise?", he asked while making his way inside bedroom.

Mia burst into laugh and closed the door behind them.

---

If you are not reading this at 'W e b n o v e l . c o m', then the content you're reading is stolen! Please support the author by reading this novel from the original source.