One
"Will you two stop kissing in front of me? It's nauseating."
The brunette with shoulder length hair smirked as he pulled away from a blonde. "You're just jealous that you're the only single here."
Eighteen year old Dean Ambrose rolled his eyes at his cousin, Chad. "Owen is single."
"Owen's ten."
"Whatever. I'm starting to wish I called an escort service." He played with the ends of the pink table cloth. "This is so not my scene."
"It's Paige's wedding, Dean. She's our favorite cousin. Be happy for her."
"I am happy," Dean insisted. "I'd be happier if I brought someone."
"So why didn't you?" Summer Rae, Chad's girlfriend asked as she returned back to her seat.
Dean sighed. "All the good ones are taken."
"Not really. Dolph brought along a friend with him. Looks cute."
Cute didn't even begin to describe his cousin, Dolph's friend. The man was a Greek statue come to life. Dean had seen him walking in with Dolph and his date, AJ Lee. There was no way he was going to chat up this one.
He'd be turned down flat.
A pair of hands grabbed his. "Dean, dance with me, will you?" Aunt Vickie asked. A feisty one, his aunt. A medical administrative executive at a local hospital, she had no problems voicing her opinions.
"Oh that's no problem, Aunt Vickie," he politely declined. "I sprained my ankle running the other day…"
"I saw you hopping up and down just now."
"That's the emcee's fault! He asked me to!"
"And now I'm asking you to dance with me."
He almost stood up when a deep, smooth voice interjected. "Sorry but I believe this dance is mine. You promised me one, remember?"
Dean was frozen to the spot when Greek statue reached for his hand and led him to the sea of bodies dancing. "Thank you?" he said as they started to sway to the music. Upclose, he found Greek statue even more beautiful. Grey eyes, hair as black as a crow and lips that were probably guilty of giving sinful pleasures.
"You're welcome," the man said. "I saw how uncomfortable you were."
"Do you always go around rescuing people then?"
"Only the cute ones," Greek statue laughed.
The auburn haired man's hair pounded furiously. "I'm not cute."
"Sure you are ummm… what's your name again?"
"Dean."
"Roman."
How befitting for a man who looked like that. "Are you Greek?"
"Nah. I don't do fraternities. Also I'm half Samoan and half Italian. I have my own crew."
"Own crew? You rap?"
Roman laughed. "No. I major in Nursing."
"Why nursing?"
"Because I like taking care of people. You ask a lot of questions."
"That's down to my major," Dean revealed. "I'm going to be a journalist. Majoring in Mass Communication. Where do you go to school?"
"Amber University."
Dean raised an eyebrow at that. This fine specimen went to the same school as him. "How is it that I've never seen you on campus before?"
"I guess it's because I'm busy studying?"
"You're supposed to have fun."
"Aren't you planning to be a journalist?"
"Doesn't mean I can't have fun. Besides, I want to be a sports journalist. I want to cover wrestling."
"What a coincidence. My father used to be a wrestler."
"Stop the presses. What did you just said?"
"My father; he used to be a wrestler. Was part of this group called The Wild Samoans."
"Dude, which one's your dad?"
"Sika."
"Lucky son of a gun."
The grey eyed man threw his head back and laughed. "I'm not exactly sure you can call me that. I'm sort of the black sheep of the family."
"Because you're not wrestling?" Dean guessed.
"Yeah."
"Nothing wrong with wanting to care for people. I could always use a nurse."
"For what? The sponge baths."
"What else?"
"What is with people and that?"
"You've never given anyone a sponge bath before?"
"No," Roman chuckled.
Dean grinned devilishly. "Would you like to?"
"You're a smooth talker, aren't you?"
"You kind of have to be in my future profession."
Dean felt a small burst of happiness. This was surreal. Roman was the son of a wrestling loyalty, had a good sense of humor and seemed to be interested in him. Somebody needed to shake him from this dream.
"How do you know Dolph?" he asked.
"He's a good friend," Roman replied. "We used to go to the same high school."
"Then why have I not seen you at other family gatherings?"
Roman shrugged. "I wasn't invited for those."
"What's so special about this one?"
Grey eyes met blue ones. Time stood still for Dean when Roman replied, "You."
Arms slung over both of them interrupting the moment. "Enjoying yourselves?" Dolph asked, flashing a cocky grin. Show off. He was always a little too confident, too self assured.
"Yeah, we are," Roman replied.
"Dean, meet Roman," Dolph introduced.
Dean rolled his eyes. "Yeah, Dolph. I know his name."
"Oh?"
"Would you look at the time?" Roman suddenly announced. "I gotta go, bro. I have to finish my reading on Human Anatomy. Dean, it was nice meeting you. I'll see you around campus."
Dean reached out for Roman's hand, narrowly missing it as he watched the Samoan man go. He frowned at his cousin. "Thanks a lot, Dolph."
"Ummm you're welcome?"
"I never knew you had a friend like that. He's really something."
"You never asked."
"He said he came here for me."
Dolph's eyes twinkled. "So he finally admitted, did he?"
"What do you mean?" Dean puzzled.
"Roman's seen your pictures in family albums and heard a lot about you from me. I invited him a few times to join us for gatherings but he was always hesitant to do so. I guess he decided he was ready this time around."
"You've been hiding him from me?"
"Dude, haven't you been listening? He's been hiding from you."
"But why?"
"I don't know. You're probably intimidating."
"I am not!"
"Dean, you scared the guy away just now."
His jaw dropped. "That was actually you, Dolph. We were having a decent conversation until you showed up."
"Really?" his cousin queried. "Wow. My bad."
Dean growled. "Now I'll have to find him and ask him out."
"Isn't this exciting? It's like Cinderella."
"There's no glass slipper here, Hans Christian Andersen." He took out his cell phone. "Give me his number."
"Ummm no. I think I'll let you find him on your own."
"Are you kidding me?"
"Hey! You're the future journalist here. You go and find him."