Chapter 1

Three Months Later

"Paul!"

Stephanie beamed with excitement as she ran towards her best friend. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she hugged him fiercely and breathed in the smell of his cologne. God, she had missed him so much the past few months. She had been so disappointed when he hadn't made it home for Thanksgiving break. She had made so many plans for things they could do together, plans that were crushed when he had broken the news over a phone call. But Paul was here now and he was home for Christmas. They had the next two whole weeks to spend together.

Breaking their embrace, Stephanie stepped back to look at him. She saw the familiar twinkle in his deep brown eyes and had to acknowledge that Paul looked really good. The leather jacket and jeans suited him perfectly. His face was tanned and healthy and she noticed his blonde hair was longer and sat just below his collar. She instinctively reached up and brushed a loose strand away with her fingertips. He smiled at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"I take it you're pleased to see me?"

"Of course I am although I don't think you deserve to hear such things right now." she pouted playfully as her fingers played with the collar of his coat.

Paul chuckled and shook his head. "Don't tell me you're still pissed off about Thanksgiving? I told you weeks beforehand that I wasn't going to make it."

"That may be but I still had to spend the holiday all on my own. I had to endure my parents and my annoying ass of a brother for a whole week. The least you could do is pretend to feel sorry for me."

He playfully pinched her cheek, his nose wrinkling with his amusement. "Aw, poor Steph. All on her little lonesome." His mouth curled into a smirk. "You know if you hadn't called half the class fucking stuck-up bitches at the graduation party, you might have had another friend or two to play with while I was gone."

Stephanie's response was to stick her tongue out at him and Paul let out a chuckle.

"I have to admit though, that was funny. Stephanie McMahon totally wasted on keg beer spouting off obscenities at Millie and all her moronic buddies."

"I have to admit it wasn't one of my finest moments." Stephanie replied as a slow smile crossed her face at Paul's laughter. "But I sure got a great amount of satisfaction telling those bitches exactly what I thought of them."

"You are one feisty mistress, McMahon." Paul said, grinning. "I've certainly missed the wrath of your scathing tongue."

"So, you've missed me, huh?" she asked, her tongue poking cheekily between her teeth.

He lifted his shoulder in a casual shrug as he shuffled his feet underneath him. "I dunno. Maybe." he teased.

Stephanie frowned slapping his arm.

"Ow!" Paul replied rubbing his bicep with his big hand. "What was that for?"

She flicked her hair back as she rested her hand on her hip. "You know what that was for."

"Yeah? Well I certainly didn't miss your violent tendencies towards me that's for sure."

"Please!" Stephanie snorted. "I hardly touched you."

She smirked at him remembering their run-in up the apple tree over twelve years ago. "Hey Levesque, you gonna cry?"

Paul pretended to scowl at her, his nose wrinkling up at her. "Taunting me will get you nowhere. It won't get me to admit I missed you and it sure as hell won't get you invited to a party tonight."

Stephanie's eyes widened. Her lips upturned into an eager, excited smile. "Did you say party?"

Her big blue eyes stared back at him widely and he chuckled to himself. Stephanie looked just like a little kid in a candy store and God, how he had missed that smile. It was every bit as beautiful as he remembered. "That word may have escaped my lips, yeah."

"What party?"

Paul shrugged as he wandered across to the refrigerator and opened the door. He peered in looking for something to drink. Over the years, Stephanie's house had practically become his second home and he was in the habit of helping himself.

"Paul, I asked you a question. What party?"

He lifted his head out of the refrigerator holding the carton of orange juice in his hand as he closed the door behind him. "You got a glass?"

Stephanie sighed as she brushed past him. She ignored his smirk as she reached into the cupboard in front of her and retrieved the glass. She turned round and handed it to him. "You should know where they are by now."

"But the juice tastes so much better when you fetch it for me."

"You're an ass!"

"And I love you too."

Stephanie watched impatiently as Paul poured his drink. He placed the carton down on the counter and picked up the glass.

"So?"

Paul raised his eyebrows. "So what?"

He took a mouthful of the juice and watched Stephanie's scowl with an amused look on his face. She never was the most patient person in the world. In fact, she was one of the most impatient people he had ever met. Case in point, the night she had called him at one o'clock in the morning to see how his date with Cassie Lander had gone during his junior year. Fortunately his parents had been out of town and she hadn't woken up the entire household in the process.

"Paul, just tell me! Who is it that's having a party?"

Paul placed down the glass on the counter, licking his lips. "Say please."

Stephanie rolled her eyes groaning loudly and dramatically. "Now you're milking this. It's not even funny."

"It's only manners, Stephanie. Say please and I'll tell you."

"You're a pain in the ass." she muttered under her breath.

"Sorry?"

She stood in front of the counter, her arms folded across her chest smiling sweetly. "I said, please tell me."

"Much better." Paul leant on the counter resting his elbows on the black marble. "Connor Jackson's parents are out of town. He thought he would take advantage and have a little get together."

Stephanie scrunched her nose. "I don't know. I never really liked Mr Varsity and all those bimbo fan girls that chased after him."

"Well you never know McMahon. You might actually have fun."

"Yeah and maybe hell might freeze over." she replied flippantly.

"Don't be so cynical. We'll just go for a couple of hours. I promise. There will be alcohol and you can even crash at mine afterwards. Mom and Dad have gone to visit Aunt Gwen until tomorrow."

Stephanie contemplated that invitation as she chewed on her lip thoughtfully. "Alright." she told him reluctantly. "I'll probably regret it but count me in."

"Cool." Paul sniffed as he pushed himself off the counter. "You've got an hour to get changed and be ready to go."

She scowled as she looked down at her red sweater and denim skirt. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

Paul grinned. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing McMahon. I mean I'll happily admire those legs of yours all night."

He flipped her a wink and chuckled at the look of disgust she threw his way.

"You're a pig."

Paul ruffled her hair as he walked past her. "I'll be back to pick you up in one hour, Steph. You'd better be ready." He stopped to turn round in the doorway smirking at her wildly. "Feel free to leave that little skirt of yours on, by the way. I swear on my grandmother's grave I won't even glance at your legs."

"Your grandmother is still alive and lives in Vermont."

"That's right. She does." he replied, winking at her once more before leaving the house clicking the door shut behind him.

Stephanie couldn't stop the slow smile that crossed her face as she watched him disappear down the path and bit down on her lip shyly. If she wasn't mistaken Paul was flirting with her just now and she found that she actually kind of liked it. In fact, she liked it quite a lot, maybe a little more than she should have. After all it was just a little harmless fun between friends. But if it was so harmless why was the thought of spending tonight with Paul suddenly giving her goose bumps?