A/N: So this is the final chapter of Randy's journey. I just wanna say a quick thanks to everyone who has enjoyed this story. And a HUGE thanks to Shannygoat, deConstruction, and Cenasgrl for helping me write it. It was a little bit different, I know, but you guys caught the vision and you helped me to create a story so far beyond my wildest dreams. Thanks!

Fool for Love
Chapter 10 by Queen of Kaos

"Find one who's golden and never let go or you'll find yourself waiting alone."

God, she was beautiful. Deep red hair shone under the twinkling restaurant lights. Just enough touchably soft skin peeked out in just the right places. Full, succulent lips pouted as she perused the menu while she waited for him. Not over, or under, dressed. Perfection awaited him as he smiled at the hostess and eased passed her on the way to his date.

Between the fact that he was already running late, and the memories of past girlfriends running through his head for the duration of the drive over, he felt a little rattled. And Randy Orton didn't like feeling rattled. Especially not on a first date. Especially in the presence of a goddess who could, very possibly, be the one he'd been searching for all this time.

"Sorry I'm late," he apologized easily, dropping a soft kiss on the crown of her head before lowering himself into the seat across the table.

Flipping her hair over her shoulder, Maria shook her head and folded her hands over the menu. After a long moment of holding his gaze in hers, she smiled coyly. "I hope you're worth the wait," she winked.

Randy couldn't help the chuckle as he cleared his throat and reached for his water glass. "Gotta tell ya, Maria," he started, his tongue traveling slowly over his lip as he stared at her doe eyes, feeling lost somewhere within their depths. It was the same feeling he'd been getting every time he looked at her lately. "I've been lookin' forward to this all day."

If he was completely honest, he'd been looking forward to it for weeks now. It had been awhile since he'd dated anyone, decided that his heart, and his head, needed a bit of a break after Michelle. But there was something undeniably charming about Maria. And try as he might to hang back, he found himself flirting with her at every turn. She was known for hanging out with more of the guys than the girls, and when she started flirting back, he hadn't been all that surprised. When he finally decided it was time to get back on the dating horse, she'd been the first face in his mind.

She tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned forward slightly on her elbows. "Can I be honest with you?" she asked him. Randy simply nodded, still mesmerized by her eyes, by the twinkle in them. "I wasn't sure about this whole thing," she confessed. "I mean, you have quite the reputation in the diva locker room," she added. "Wasn't sure I wanted to be the next in your long line of broken hearts."

He shrugged. It wasn't like he didn't know. Most of the girls he dated told him that. Why should they get involved with him when he'd already been involved with most of their friends? Why should they believe they were any different? He really couldn't tell them why. All he knew was that his intentions were pure, and he could prove it over time. ""Well, I'm glad you reconsidered," he said, turning his attention to the menu. "And just so you know," he added with a wink of his own, "I don't actually intend to break your heart."

---

Three hours later, Randy found himself walking along the beach, watching the wind ripple the waves of Lake Michigan as Maria's hand rested easily in his own. Dinner had been fantastic, and the company was great. In a lot of ways, he felt like he was hanging out with one of the guys. Of course, none of them gave him the same stirring sensation when they laughed. And none of them looked at him with eyes that begged both to be taken advantage of and protected all at one time. It was true that he'd dated a lot of the women in his business in his search for love, but something about Maria felt different. Comfortable. Right.

"Can I ask you a question?" Maria finally asked after they had walked for about an hour.

Stopping as the waves lapped over their bare feet, Randy turn his body toward his date, drinking in the site of her in the glow of the moon as he took both of her hands and held them out to their sides. "You can ask me anything, Sweetheart," he assured her.

A brief giggle escaped her lips, but she cleared her throat as though she hadn't intended to let it out. "Well," she stared to the ground and then back, "you date a lot, right?" He shrugged. He was what some would call a serial monogamist. It wasn't that he dated around. But he'd had a lot of girlfriends. "I mean, you've been on a lot of first dates."

Something about the discomfort in her tone made him feel tense. Moving one hand to her cheek, he held her brown eyes in his own amused gaze. "Not by choice, but yeah," he admitted finally. "Why?"

"Because they're not supposed to feel like this," she whispered, hypnotized by the glint of the dim night sky on Randy's sparkling blue eyes. "Not this easy," she added, shaking her head and laughing in spite of herself. She was well-aware that she was acting like a love struck school girl. "Most of the ones I've been on are like job interviews or something. Like an awkward, meticulous dance around the shit you really wanna know."

He knew exactly what she meant. But even more than understanding, he found himself ecstatic that she felt the same peaceful, easy feeling he did. "Would you feel better if I grilled you?" he teased.

Nodding, she dropped to the sand in her little black dress and motioned for him to sit facing her. Maria gathered all of her hair in her hands and let it fall down her back before straightening her posture. "Okay, Mr. Orton," she started, putting on her serious face.

If she hadn't been the cutest thing he'd ever seen, he might have been able to keep a straight face. But she was adorable. Trying so hard to be professional. And for a moment, he forgot where he was. When she tapped his knee, he shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Sorry. Got a little lost in," he started and then stopped when she smiled and rubbed his knee before returning her hands to her own lap. "Okay. So, Maria, tell me. Would you consider yourself clingy in a relationship?"

Her eyes turned upward, she seemed to think about her answer carefully. "Not especially so. No."

Randy couldn't help being slightly relieved at that answer. "Do you have a problem flirting with guys for drinks?"

"Depends," she stated, watching him cringe slightly. "Are you with me?" Randy nodded, reaching his arms behind him in the sand. "Then I better not need anybody else buyin' me a drink," she spoke, as though she were the one doing the warning.

He allowed his eyes to sweep over her plunging neckline as he asked his next question. "Are you gay?"

"Are you?" she fired back, her eyebrow raised in challenge.

The laugh that Randy released as he shook his head drew Maria's legs out from under her body. She rested her feet in his lap and he ran his thumbs over her arches nimbly, as though they struck this position all of the time. "Are you trusting in a relationship?"

She nodded without hesitation. "Until you give me a reason not to be." Resting her hands in the sand at her sides, she watched Randy carefully, knowing full well what he was doing with her.

Falling into an easy rhythm, Randy felt the questions rolling over his lips with ease, though he was barely paying attention to the words coming out of his mouth. Not when Maria groaned as he massaged her feet. "You got any hidden heritage I should know about? Any glaring genetic or cultural differences?"

It took a brief moment for her to catch on to that one, but Maria shook her head. "Just the obvious one." And it was Randy's turn to seem confused. "Well, ya see, Randy, I'm a girl and you're a boy," she started, but stopped when he leaned forward to dig his finger into her side. "You're so cute," she muttered without thinking, blushing when she realized what she had said.

It was so easy to forget his train of thought with her, especially when she was smiling or giggling. Especially when her little nose scrunched up and she dragged her toe over his thigh. "I don't have a college degree," he admitted, less of a question and more of a confession.

"Wow," Maria's eyes grew wider as she blew out a deep breath. "This really is like a job interview," she added, withdrawing her feet from his lap as she rose to her knees. "Your mental prowess is not that important to me, Randy. As long as you can feed yourself, tie your own shoes, and wipe your own ass, we'll be golden." Reaching out a hand to her, she smiled brilliantly. "Any more questions, Mr. Orton?"

Randy raised one knee and rested his foot in the sand, his forearm lazily slung over his leg as he smirked up at her. "Just one," he held up a finger. "How do you feel about horror movies?"

Maria couldn't stop the crinkle of her nose as she breathed an 'ew' and helped him to his feet. "Look, Randy," she smiled as he wrapped his arm around her waist and rested his hand against her hip. "I'm not all those other girls you've dated," she assured him. "And I know you're not the guys that I've dated before," she added with a whispered 'Thank God.'

When he felt her hand slide into his back pocket, he couldn't stop the jump in his chest. Her touch was electrifying, though he would keep that information to himself for a little while longer. No need to bring more ridicule from the locker room, or his father for that matter. At least not yet.

After the beach, Randy took Maria back to the restaurant to pick up her car. "So we've got a pretty insane schedule coming up," he started when he had parked in the empty lot. "I don't know if I'm gonna have a lot of time."

She nodded easily and leaned across the center console, taking his chin in between her finger and her thumb. "Trust me," she grinned madly, her wide eyes twinkling at him with more excitement and happiness than he had ever experienced with any woman, ever. "We'll find some time."

As he closed the gap between them and covered her lips with his, Randy couldn't help smiling into the kiss. Maybe it wasn't different. Maybe this one would end, too. Maybe she wouldn't be the mother of his children, sitting on a rocking chair with him on the front porch in fifty years. Maybe she would turn out like all of the others.

Pulling back from the kiss, Maria looked at her hands and then back into his eyes. "Do you," she started, "Um, do you wanna come back to my place?"

Randy nodded as she reached for the door handle. "I'll follow you."

Maybe all of the other women he'd dated to that point were trial runs. Maybe they had prepared him for tonight. For her. Maybe Maria was as different as she seemed. As he followed her tail lights into the darkening night, he couldn't help hoping.