Chapter 8
Mark walked into the living room from the bedroom...he's taken a shower and had pulled on some work out pants and a t-shirt...He walked into the kitchen and stuffed a big Ziploc bag full of ice...after setting the cool ice on the back of his neck for a few minutes and sat on the couch staring at the blank TV screen...he leaned over and grabbed the remote turning the TV on...just to watch it while he relaxed a little.
After sitting there and watching half a movie he took the ice off his neck and carefully lifted the waist band of his pants and slid the offendingly cold bag of ice down his pants and set it against the pit of his boxer/brief covered crotch...letting out a small sigh of relief as the coolness calmed the ache he had been feeling since the low blow from Rob.
Mark remembered back as he knocked out Rob...he looked over at Riley and she was hugging Kurt and Luther and jumped up and down with everyone else...she looked so beautiful and her smile couldn't have been any bigger then what it was. Mark ran a hand through his short hair and stared at the TV...he'd been staring at it now for almost an hour...Not even paying attention to the movie...Only thinking about her...Riley.
After a few more minutes there was a knock on his door...He looked at the clock and it was after mid-night so he couldn't imagine who it was. He carefully removed the bag of ice from his pants and set it on his glass coffee table as he stood up and walked over to the door...He didn't even look through the peephole...he just swung the door open...fully surprised to see Riley looking back at him.
Riley looked up from the floor as the door swung open and she smiled softly and said, "Hi Mark." Mark was almost at a loss for words, but then got enough vocals up to say hi back and invited her in.
Riley walked in and Mark walked around and faced her...Riley pulled her hair behind her ears and Mark said, "What are you doing here Riley?" Riley could see a bruise forming above his left eye brow...and she carefully touched it with her fingertips and said, "I wanted to check on you...you left the arena before anyone had a chance to say anything to you."
Mark had his hands on his hips and said, "How'd you get my New York address?" Riley smirked and said, "Kurt." Mark crossed his arms over his chest and said, "I think I'm gonna have to have a talk with Kurt." Riley touched Mark's forearm and said, "Don't be mad at Kurt...I asked him for it. I wanted to check on you and I wanted to thank you."
Mark shrugged and said, "For what? I'm an adult...I can take care of myself." Riley sighed and said, "Fine...It was a mistake coming here...I was just concerned about you...I can see you don't want me here and that's alright...I just wanted to say thank you for defending me...and have a nice life I guess."
Mark said, "It wasn't a mistake for you to come here...You're a sweet girl, but damn it Riley...can't you tell we just don't belong together." Riley said, "Why?" Mark said, "Because we don't." Riley said, "That's not an answer it's a lame come back." Mark said, "You're a doctor Riley...I'm a fucking wrestler...you should be dating other doctors, dentists...hell even lawyers...not just anyone."
Riley looked at the floor and said, "I don't want them." Mark said, "Fine...then what the hell do you want?" Riley looked Mark in the eyes and said, "You."
Silence.
Mark just stood there and Riley rolled her eyes and walked over and opened the door...When a hand came out and pushed the door closed again.
