The next morning Hunter sat in the living room waiting for Sam. Wearing a black tank and Adidas track pants. Sam walked in trying to not look at him. Her head hung low he could tell she was upset. "I made breakfast if you're hungry." He looked up from tying up his shoe.
"I'm not hungry."
"Everything ok?"
"I don't want to talk about it. Let's just go." She grabbed her bag and sling it over her shoulder.
At the training gym, Hunter was running the ropes and Sam sat in a folding chair with her arms wrapped around her legs just watching. He hoodie pull over her legs and hood up. Not saying anything. He stopped and leaned his arms over the ropes closest to her. "So are you going to continue to give me the silent treatment? Or are you going to get in the ring with me?"
She just looked up with sad eyes and wrapped her arms tighter laying her head on her knees. He saw the look of sadness he had never seen before. She was usually so perky and playful or giving him attitude. Hunter jumped down from the ring and kneeled down in front of her pulling her legs down from the chair so he could see her eyes. Her little lip quivering and big tears in her eyes. "Samantha, did I do something to upset you?" She shook her head no. Knowing that wasn't all true. She wanted to tell him how hard it was being near him. How she really was attracted to him and it was growing more each day she was near him. That the no dating rule bothered her. But, it was much more. She was scared that her ex was going to get involved. Maybe even set out to hurt her.
"This have anything to do with that text?" He rubbed her legs trying to console her.
She shook her head yes.
"You still love him?" Hunter hoped she didn't.
"No. I never really did. I was lonely. He was there. He called last night. Begging to see me. I can't...I just can't." She felt a tear fall from her eyes.
Hunter reached up and wiped her tear away. He said nothing and stood pulling her up and held her in his arms. Once her head fell on his chest she fell apart. Wrapping her arms around him. "You don't have to see him. I'm sorry he hurt you. Don't judge every man because of one bad person. You deserve to be happy Samantha." He rubbed his hand over her hair kissing the top of her head. "Listen, why don't we go grab some food and come back later. It's nice out. Take advantage of this abnormally warm weather. We can go have a picnic in the park and just relax for a bit."
She shook her head yes and wiped her eyes.
After grabbing some healthy food at the local market they headed to the park and ate. They just talked about the party and general interest. Favorite bands, movies, etc. They took a walk and chatted. Hunter didn't even realize he had been holding her hand as they walked. Sam kept looking down at his hand trying to listen as he talked about one of his road stories. She wanted to say something about it but, was enjoying his touch. Hunter was so easy to talk to. They had so many things in common. Hunter felt Sam slow down and realized he was holding her hand. When he looked over to her he saw she was looking at her hand in his. Stopping he gripped her hand tighter.
"Sorry, I didn't realize I was doing that." He pulled his hand away.
"I didn't mind. It...was nice." She looked away. Hunter just stood looking at her beautiful auburn hair glistening in the sunlight. She looked into his eyes. "Why couldn't he have been like you?" She walked away. "We should get back to the gym."
He followed wanting to pull her back into his arms.
At the gym, Sam made her way into the ring. She shook off the pain she had been feeling all day. "Let's do this." Hunter had called for one of the WWE trainers to work him in the ring. She had Hunter do a few of his signature moves. She was surprised by how limber he was in the ring. When he finished working the ropes he offered to work with Sam and dismissed the WWE trainer. He had her take bumps, grapple, and run the ropes. She showed him some of her signature moves and, she was able to get him in some submission spots. She jumped on his back and, tried to give him a sleeper hold. "Sleepytime, big man!"
"Sam, you are not going to get me down," He laughed. "You can barely get your short legs around me to hold on."
"Go down!"
"I can go down but, I don't think that would be appropriate here. Maybe in my bed later," He joked.
She smacked him on top of the head. "PERVERT! You will submit!" She joked, "I am the queen of everything and you will bow to your queen. Bahaha! To your knees!"
Hunter walked over to the rope getting out of the ring with Sam on his back still trying to get him to go to the floor. He walked over and grabbed a WWE magazine off the rack in the room and sat on a chair. Sam still in tow. "SUBMIT Triple Face!"
Hunter just kept reading the mag. Vince and Shane McMahon came in and saw Sam hanging on with everything she had why Hunter sat flipping through the mag. "What's up Trip?" Shane asked looking confused.
"Oh hey. Submission move. Sleeper hold." Hunter pointed to her.
"He is almost out!" Sam wrapped her arms tighter with her tongue sticking out concentrating hard. "Go out or submit."
Vince chuckled, "Saw you two in the ring."
"Yep, don't tell her I said so. But, she's good in the ring. I don't think she has a grasp on the sleeper hold though." Sam smacked him on top of the head again.
"Dang it. Now I have to start over." Sam tried again.
Steph and Chris walked in confused and just looked at the two entwined. Sam smiled at Steph.
"Hey Sam, umm….dad said you were here. Wanna go shopping with me?" Steph looked confused.
"NO TIME! Must make The Game submit. He has never met the fury of the tiny ninja! To your knees assassin!" Hunter laughed seeing Sam was back to her playful self. He grabbed her and flipped her upside down dangling her over his shoulder. "I will climb you like a spider monkey, Levesque! I will not submit to your evil ways!"
Everyone started laughing and Steph went over and tickled Hunter trying to get him to let Sam go. He put his hand on the top of Stephs head holding her back and she swung her arms around trying to reach him. "Little help here guys. Can someone get these two tiny little vermin off me?"
"NEVER!" Sam flipped around and managed to swing around back to a headlock hanging from his back.
"What the hell?! You are like a freaking monkey." Hunter laughed and, pulled her from the grip moving her to stand on the floor. He pulled her arms behind her back in a submission hold. "Give up Sammy?"
"Never villain!" She giggled. He tightened his grip. "OUCH! Ok! Ok!"
"Say, uncle," He joked.
"What are we five?" She laughed.
"What?" He laughed at her remark since she was always being a little immature herself. "Say it!" He tightened again.
"OK! Uncle! Damn it." He dropped his grip. "I live to fight another day old foe. You will submit to the queen of awesome!"
Vince laughed, "Hunter looks like you got your hands full."
"So...shopping?" Steph smiled at Hunter noticing he was warming up to Sam. "We can have some girl time and chat."
"Sure, let me go shower and change." Sam grabbed her bag and headed to the showers.
Vince watched as she left the room. "You two seem to be getting along well."
Hunter smiled watching her leave. "Yep. She's a lot of fun. Works hard too though. I've never seen someone work out as hard as her. So you saw her in the ring. What did you think?"
Shane raised his brows, "I think she's hot and can hold her own in the ring. Saw her do a few moves on you. We were amazed as tiny as she is how she could handle you around the ring."
"Yeh. She pretended to be a low-level wrestler but, I think she is better than she lets on. She seems pretty humble." Hunter sat down in the folding chair and Vince joined him. Stephanie, Shane, and Chris headed out to get Steph a drink from the machine.
"Be honest, Hunter. Now Steph is out of the room. What do you really think of her? Samantha's a pretty girl." Vince nudged Hunters' shoulder.
"Vince not you too. Honestly, she is not into me. We laid down rules about that on the first day. It's just business. We have been hanging out a little as friends but, she doesn't know anyone here."
"So you saying there is no chance of you two?" Vince always worried for Hunter like a father.
"Vince, she is great. I would be all over her any other time. But, I have to focus on getting back to work." Hunter leaned over resting his forearms on his legs.
"Can I give you some advice? It's ok to have a life outside that ring. You have put in a lot of work to get where you are. You're The Game. Nothing will change that. But, we all need more than work. The woman you date are not ones that will make you happy. I speak from experience. Sex is fun for a while but, in the end, it's nice to go home to a woman who loves you." Vince got up and looked down at Hunter. "Sometimes I blame myself for pushing you too hard."
"Vince, I know you mean well, but Sam and I are just business. That's all." Hunter got up and walked away.
