7. Mia
Mia
I ’m mortified.
That’s the only word that best describes how I’ve felt since the house hunting expedition three days ago. Every time I replay that afternoon, I want the ground to crack open and swallow me whole.
What the hell was I thinking, blurting out comments like we were house shopping together? Acting like I had any say in where Kavin Irontree chooses to live, like I was his girlfriend or future wife instead of just his neighbor who was helping him out.
And yes, maybe I did show him the house I’d found for sale online that I thought would be perfect for us. Ugh.
I’ve never even been on an actual date with Kavin. Never shared a kiss. That moment when we held hands under the table at Grinder’s Coffee feels like it happened in another lifetime, to other people. Maybe I imagined the whole thing.
And yet there I was, touring a mansion and property worth millions, critiquing his choices like I had any right to an opinion. The poor real estate agent probably thought we were the most dysfunctional people she’d ever worked with.
Maybe I was simply thrown off my game by the stunning revelation that my firefighting neighbor, who lives in the same type of simple apartment I do (well, he does have the two bedroom floor plan) is rich .
Since when is Kavin Irontree…rich? I thought we were both in this together, two first responders trying to gain seniority and a higher pay grade.
Not that Kavin being wealthy is a terrible thing, it just makes me question if we have as much in common as I thought.
But then I remember his comment about how orcs aren’t into purchasing as much as humans and it all makes sense.
He probably views his money as a tool that keeps a roof over his head, buys a car, clothes and food and that’s probably it, the rest sits in a safe. Makes sense.
Since that house hunting trip, our interactions have been stilted and awkward.
We’ve stopped sending our nightly texts and have only run into each other twice in the parking lot with polite nods, and brief “how was your day?” exchanges that feel forced.
He’s been avoiding eye contact, and I’ve been doing the same because I’m too embarrassed to look him in the face.
But I’m also frustrated as hell.
Since when am I too embarrassed to look someone in the eye?
What am I doing? This dance we’ve been performing for weeks now where it feels like we’re on the verge of something real, followed by him pulling back and me pretending I don’t care, is silly.
I’m done pretending. Mia Martin doesn’t pretend or avoid.
I react fast and strong, with overwhelming force.
Today is Thursday, and I’m off work while he’s on shift.
I taught a class at the gym in the morning, then went home, took a shower and did a complete hair and skin routine.
My long brown hair is shiny and straight after a blowout and that glossing hair mask I used earlier.
I mechanically exfoliated the skin on my face and entire body and applied my favorite moisturizer.
Now I wear my new grey matching loungewear set that snatches my waist.
I look and smell good but not like I tried too hard. Perfect.
Kavin pulls into the parking lot. I check the time.
Four-thirty. Early for him to be getting home.
Through my window, I watch as my huge orc unfolds from his extra-large truck, still in his firefighter uniform.
He looks edgy, with that luscious green skin and the tall black horns.
How would it feel kissing a man with tusks?
Would they get in the way, or just make everything better?
I suspect better.
This is it. I exhale, clench and unclench my hands. I’m done with the awkwardness and avoidance. No more taking things slow.
I head downstairs and time my arrival at the mailboxes to coincide with his. It’s a pathetic move that I’ve done too many times already to count, but I’m beyond caring about dignity at this point. “Hey,” I say casually, flipping my hair over my shoulder as he approaches.
“Mia.” His voice is carefully neutral. “How was your day off?”
“Fine. How was your shift?”
“Busy.” He opens his mailbox, pulling out a stack of bills and advertisements. “Three-car accident on the interstate. Took most of the afternoon.”
“Was everyone okay?”
“Two near fatalities.” His jaw clenches. “Drunk driver hit a family, but everyone was able to walk away.”
“I’m sorry. That’s awful.”
He nods curtly and starts to leave, clearly done with this conversation.
“Kavin, wait.”
He stops but doesn’t turn around.
“Are we going to keep pretending like that didn’t happen?”
Now he turns, his dark eyes focusing on me with an intensity that makes my breath catch. “What didn’t happen?”
I wave a hand. “The house hunting. Me acting like…like we were together. Like I had any say in where you live or what kind of house you buy.” The words tumble out in a rush.
“I made a complete fool of myself, and now I feel like I’ve ruined things between us and we can’t even have a normal conversation anymore. ”
He steps closer. “You didn’t make a fool of yourself.”
“I acted like your girlfriend or…wife…when I’m not even…we’re not even…” I gesture helplessly between us. “I don’t know what we are.”
“Neither do I,” he admits quietly.
I bite my lip. “Then maybe we should figure it out.”
He’s close enough now that I have to lift my chin to look at him. His expressive eyes search my face. He inhales, and a deep growl rumbles in his chest. “Mia,” he rasps.
“Maybe we should stop pretending and start something real,” I whisper.
That’s all it takes.
Kavin’s control snaps completely. My powerful orc drops everything he’s holding. One moment we’re three feet apart having a polite conversation, and the next he’s backing me against the wall of mailboxes, his large hands framing my face. “I can’t stop thinking about you,” he growls.
Oh my. This is what I’ve been waiting for since the moment we met.
Then his mouth crashes down on mine.
The kiss is nothing like what I expected.
There’s nothing gentle or tentative about it.
His lips are firm and demanding, and when his tongue sweeps into my mouth I moan against his lips, my hands fisting the fabric of his uniform.
He’s so much bigger than me and has to bend down to reach me.
I love the way he crowds me against the metal wall.
His tusks should make this awkward, but somehow, we fit together perfectly.
The slight scrape against my lips sends heat shooting straight to my core.
This is the best kiss of my life.
One of his hands tangles in my hair while the other grips my hip, pulling me closer until there’s no space between us.
My arms go around his neck and I kiss him back like it’s my last meal.
The hard length of his enormous erection presses against my stomach, and the knowledge that I affect him this much makes me lightheaded.
When we finally break apart, we’re both breathing hard. His eyes are wild, and I can see the tips of his tusks extend past his lower lip.
“Fuck,” he breathes, resting his forehead against mine.
“Yeah,” I agree, because I can’t form any more coherent thoughts.
He straightens abruptly, his hands dropping from my body. “We need to talk.”
Before I can respond, he picks up what he dropped, grabs my hand and pulls me toward the building. We make it to his apartment in record time, and he kicks the door open, practically dragging me inside before slamming it shut behind us.
The sudden quiet feels deafening after the charged intensity outside.
He walks past me and drops everything he was holding onto the kitchen table. “I should apologize,” he says, running his hands through his hair. “I shouldn’t have grabbed you like that. Anyone could have seen us.”
A grin spreads across my face. “I don’t care who saw us. I want everyone to know you’re mine.”
He stares at me like I’ve spoken a foreign language. “You should care. Your reputation…”
“Oh please,” I snort. “My reputation in Spokane is already shot, Kavin. Trust me, being seen kissing the town’s respectable orc firefighter is probably the best thing that could happen to me.”
He paces his small living room like a caged animal. “There are things you need to know about me before this goes any further.”
“Really?” I settle onto his couch, trying to project calm even though my lips are still swollen from that kiss. “Then tell me.”
He stops and looks down at me, really looks at me, like he’s trying to memorize my face. “I’ve never told a human or any orcs beyond my own tribe this story.”
I cross my arms. “I’m listening.”
He’s quiet for a long moment, gathering himself.
When he finally speaks, his voice is carefully controlled.
“My mother left when I was two months old. She was human, obviously. My father met her when he was working on a construction project amongst humans in Maine. He was completely smitten, but she was just…orc curious, wondering what it would be like to be with an orc.”
Kavin sits heavily in the chair across from me, his hands clasped between his knees.
“She got pregnant immediately, which is the way it works with our species. My father was madly in love with her and considered her his mate for life. He thought she understood what their joining meant, that they were mated for life, that she was his bride. But she was just experimenting. Having an adventure.”
“Kavin…”
“She moved in with him and stayed long enough in our commune to give birth and recover. Then one morning, my father woke up and she was gone. No note, no explanation. Just…gone.” His voice cracks slightly on the last word.
“She went back to her real life like we never existed. I doubt she ever told anyone that she had an orc son. I was simply an embarrassment to her, a mistake.”
I can picture it so clearly, a tiny green baby and his heartbroken father, abandoned by the woman they both needed.