Landing On Love - Pete Mitchell (1986)

How We Met

Just a friendly reminder that this story contains adult themes...right from the very first chapter. I hope you enjoy<3

The last thing I expected to see during my first day at Top Gun was a familiar face other than my own RIO. It was also the last thing I wanted. Top Gun was a new beginning, a fresh start, a way to put the past behind me. I was going to to be the second woman ever to attend Top Gun, an incredible honor, and incredible shoes to fill. The last thing I needed was a distraction.

But here I was, sitting waiting for our first class to begin, watching Pete "Maverick" Mitchell walk towards me. My face flushed as I remembered the way I knew him in the first place.
***
The first time I saw him I was sitting at the bar with my RIO. Noah "Dice" Johnson. We were starting with a new squadron the next morning, so we saw a celebration was needed. Dice had just excused himself to go to the restroom when I saw Maverick approaching. I sat up a little, and instinctively ran a hand over my hair. He was attractive, and he was quickly making his way towards me.

                   He smiled, his teeth perfectly white, "Please tell me that wasn't your boyfriend that just walked away."

                   I shook my head, "No that's my RIO," I answered out of habit, before realizing that if he was a civilian he wouldn't understand.

                 He cut my train of thought short, "You're a pilot?"

                I nodded, "Yeah."

               "Lieutenant Pete Mitchell, or Maverick," he somehow smiled wider, and outstretched his hand.
I should have known he was a pilot. Practically everyone in the bar was, we were so close to the Naval base.

                I opted to leave out the lieutenant when I introduced myself, finding it too formal, "Scarlett Anderson, Raven."

               He took Dice's seat beside me, and I got a whiff of his cologne, it smelled expensive, and it wasn't helping how I felt about him, "Raven? How'd you end up with a callsign like that?"

               "Being the only woman in a squadron brings with it certain behaviors out in the men. If they weren't trying to get me into bed they were doubting my ability as a pilot. I had time for neither, hence the nickname. Ravens are known to be independent," I explained.

                He nodded, serious for only moment before that smile returned to his lips, "You haven't turned me away yet."

               "I'm not at work," I returned, his smile seemingly infectious as I felt one find its way onto my lips as well.

I quickly did him a once, well maybe more of a twice over. He wore a roughed up pair of blue jeans, white t-shirt and aviators jacket.  It was simple but god did he look good.

           "My eyes are up here you know," he mused.

I brought my eyes to his. They were a striking green, and they stared back at me with an intensity that almost made my breath falter. His cologne, god I couldn't get enough of his cologne. He smelled heavenly, and it took every ounce of strength I had not to kiss him.

                  "I see someone has stolen my seat," Dice said, his arms crossed in front of him. Probably worried that Maverick was giving me trouble.