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It's Enough
His divorce was amiable; he and his wife had simply fallen out of love with each other. 'Close friends' would be the term that best described them from then on. Her engagement was broken after she learned her fiancé had no idea what the word 'monogamy' meant. She was devastated. He surprised everyone by kicking her fiancé's ass in the ring the same night he learned about what had happened.
Fast forward six months. Both were still single, and enjoying life on the road with their friends. But when they looked at each other, both felt something more than friendship, but were scared to tell the other...scared of putting their heart on the line again and possibly getting it broken once more.
He finally made the first move when she congratulated him on winning his match one night at a house show. He smiled self-consciously like usual - causing her heart to skip a beat, for his smile was one of her greatest weaknesses - and right before she turned away, he said something she'd been wanting to hear for awhile now.
"How about dinner tonight?"
She gave him a pleased smile and nodded before disappearing into her locker room, leaving him standing in the hallway and smiling like a little kid on Christmas morning.
Their first date was simple, but at the same time everything she'd wanted. He forced himself to remain calm throughout the meal, scarcely able to believe such a beautiful young woman would want to be seen with someone nearly fifteen years older than her.
His nervousness faded after a few more dates, and they enjoyed having something that was just between them. Her friends wondered who it was that sent her text messages on her cell phone that made her smile no matter what kind of mood she was in. His friends wondered who it was that had brought him out of the self-imposed isolation he'd seemed to be in after his divorce and caused him to walk around with a goofy smile on his face.
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Then came Summerslam, and his place in the Battle Royal to determine the new World Heavyweight Champion. One by one, the others went over the top rope, until just he and Edge remained. At the crucial moment, the Ultimate Opportunist attempted a spear. Instead of connecting, he ran headlong into his opponent's finishing move, and was pitched over the top rope unconscious.
The arena roof was nearly lifted off as the new World Heavyweight Champion was announced. As much as he wanted her out there to celebrate with him, he knew they weren't ready to announce their relationship. Not to mention that Vince had a penchant for splitting up any couples that sprouted up between his employees.
When he got backstage, he was surrounded by his friends and besieged with congratulations. Hunter and Ric both hugged him tearfully, and even Mark shook his hand. But the one person he wanted to see the most was nowhere to be found. He entered his locker room slightly disappointed that she hadn't been there to see him after his match.
He was surprised to hear the shower running when he entered, and when he heard footsteps approaching from the shower, he glanced up to see who it was. He nearly dropped his new title on his foot when he saw her standing there in nothing but a short white towel, giving him a smile that said, I know you like what you see.
"The line for the shower in my locker room was too long...hope you don't mind I used yours."
He mentally cursed the fact that the ability to form words - let alone string together a coherent sentence - had somehow escaped him. He simply shook his head to let her know he didn't mind before heading for the shower himself and forcing out of his head thoughts of what that short white towel was hiding.
He was halfway through with his shower when he heard a faint noise behind him. When he turned to see what it was, she was standing in front of him...and her towel was draped over the shower door. What it had been hiding was more exquisite than he'd dared to imagine.
The smug gleam in her eyes betrayed the innocent expression she wore, and completely negated the excuse she gave him.
"I forgot to wash my hair."
Of course then she wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself against him in all the right places, and washing her hair became the last thing on either of their minds.
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Now, in the early light of a new day, he gazes at her as she sleeps with her head resting on his right shoulder, her golden-brown hair fanned out in a silken curtain across her shoulders. She stirs momentarily before looking up at him through sleepy brown eyes and smiling tenderly at him before lying back down and going back to sleep. He sighs contentedly, hugs her closer, and joins her in dreamland.
They have no idea what the future holds for them. Neither know that the previous night will bear results nine months down the road. All they know is they make each other happy.
Their friends will be told about them eventually, but right now they prefer it to be just the two of them...Shawn Michaels and Mickie James.
Their relationship isn't perfect; no relationship ever is. But for them, it's enough.
THE END
R&R!