Loving Mia

Chapter 9. Protecting Mia

Mia awakened to water running. She moved to sit up and sucked in a deep breath at the sharp pain in her knees. She had no idea she was hurt so badly until now. She pulled the covers back to look at them and noticed she was still in her clothes from yesterday. She felt dirty and grimy, whoever was running the water had anticipated she would want a bath. Aidan had done a great job of bandaging her knees. She wondered how much skin she'd lost after being dragged over the concrete sidewalk.

"Mia?"

She looked up at Aidan's voice and smiled at him as he stood in the bathroom doorway. He walked over to her. "How are you feeling?"

"I've had better days," Mia said. She pointed to the bandages. "Thank you, for this, for everything."

Aidan sat beside her and kissed her cheek. "You don't have to thank me for anything." He took her hand in his and gently traced over a purple bruise appearing on her palm.

Mia frowned when she saw the back of his hand. It was covered in scratches and cuts. She grabbed it so she could get a closer look. "That's odd..."

Aidan tried to pull it away, but she wouldn't let him.

"I don't remember seeing your hands cut up like this, yesterday." It almost looked as if he'd been in a fight. She looked at his face and saw a light bruise on his chin. "Aidan?"

"It's nothing Mia," Aidan said and scooped her up in his arms before she could stop him.

"I can walk, you know," Mia said as he carried her to the bathroom.

"I like carrying you; you're so light in my arms."

I bet I am, you muscle bound hunk of sunny delight, she thought as her golden boy sat her on the side of the tub.

"Do you need help undressing?"

She blushed at the question. "No, I have it."

"Mia, I've already seen you naked..." Aidan teased.

"Oh my god! No, you didn't!" Mia threw a towel at him when he quickly walked out the bathroom and closed the door. "You better run!"

She was still mortified about them catching her in such a position, after all, she had always thought she'd be wrapped in silken sheets in a king size bed the first time they saw her naked, not sprawled out indignantly at the bottom of their shower.

Kale burst into the bathroom, his eyes lit up in excitement, which dulled quickly when he saw Mia was still dressed. "Damn," he mumbled.

"I heard that," Mia said staring at him in irritation.

Kale grinned, "I must insist I help you, you're too weak to take off your clothes by yourself."

"Take one step towards me and die," Mia threatened him.

He sighed. "I tried..."

Mia's lips twitched. "Kale, what do you want?"

"I just wanted to see how you were doing this morning." He leaned against the doorway.

"I'm fine," Mia said.

"How are your knees?"

"Painful," Mia admitted.

"I'm sorry, baby."

Mia gave him a shy smiled and turned off the water. "Aren't you guys supposed to be at work?"

"We're heading in later. We just want to make sure you're clean and well fed before we take off. Aidan's in the kitchen cooking breakfast. He's such a nurturing housewife when it comes to you. Better be careful, he may just take over your role of motherhood if we have kids," Kale chuckled.