Chapter 10
Randy waited eagerly for any sign of A.J. as he paced in front of the ramp set up for Saturday Night's Main Event. In one hand he clutched the sketchbook tightly, this other loosely holding a red rose. He was already in his ring attire, even though the show didn't start for another three hours, he figured he might as well be ready instead of late.
"Randy!" a female's voice echoed through the arena and he stopped pacing and looked up.
A.J. was making her way down to ringside, Jessie not far behind her, her curly locks bouncing as she hurried after her older sister.
"A.J.! I though for a moment you wouldn't show," he sighed with relief, meeting her at the barrier.
"One thing I refuse to do is stand someone up. It's most impolite," she shrugged, her turquoise gaze studying him in his trunks and kneepads. "Those boots are hideous, Rand, you might want a new design."
Randy laughed and leaned on the barrier, holding the rose out to her, "This is for you."
She smiled and took it shyly, raising it to her nose to smell and looking at him over the top of the petals, "Thanks, I think you have something else of mine as well."
Randy smirked and held up the sketchbook, "What, this? I couldn't help but notice a particular page when I found it. I thought you might want to take a look," he handed her the book and she blushed, he figured she knew what page he was talking about.
A.J. flipped open the sketchbook to the page with her sketch of Randy on it. Her eyes scanned the sketch before falling on the small passage she'd written. She reread the words and noticed an unfamiliar scrawl beneath it and she narrowed her eyes.
'There is no 'might' in love, but I can tell you that I feel it back, whatever this feeling is. –Randy'
A.J. read the note twice before looking up at Randy, whose blue eyes studied her closely. She handed the sketchbook to Jessie, who eagerly flipped to the page to read it, and flung her arms around Randy's neck, still clutching the rose. He laughed and hugged her back, pulling her over the barrier. She closed the space between them, kissing him long and passionately. There was an irritated sniff behind them and they broke apart to see Jessie with her hands on her hips.
"Can you two save the mushy stuff for later? I have an appointment with John, where is he?" she demanded and Randy chuckled.
"Here, come with me," he held out his hand to Jessie and she took it.
Randy lifted her over the barrier as well and he led her by the hand toward the curtain. A.J. watched them go until Randy stopped and turned to her, motioning for her to follow as well. She sighed and jogged up the ramp and the three moved behind the curtain to backstage.
"Hey-hey, little A.J.!" John smiled at the bottom of the stairs.
Jessie grinned and let go of Randy's hand, running to John and jumping into his arms. The two hugged before John rested Jessie on his hip like a young child.
"How's my favorite fan doing?" he asked, his blue eyes alight with mirth.
"Great! I missed you, I was so bored after you left Randy's," she pouted and John laughed.
"Is that so? Well, tonight I'll make sure you have fun, okay?" he smiled, tweaking Jessie's chin.
"You better win that title back from Edge!" she warned. "Or I'm gonna slap him up myself!"
The group laughed at this and John set Jessie back on her feet. Randy took A.J.'s hand and led her away from John and Jessie, who had immediately started discussing tactics for his match.
"Randy, where are we going?" A.J. asked curiously as Jessie and John disappeared from view.
"To my locker room, it's just over here," he nodded toward a door with his name on it and she opened it to let A.J. in. She shook her head and walked in seeing his stuff strewn about the room, a carry-on bag resting on a bench in the corner.
"Nice mess," she smiled, grabbing the black button up he'd worn to the arena.
Randy shrugged and she pulled the button up on over the lime green tank she was wearing. The shirt fell to mid thigh, over the black jeans she was wearing and Randy couldn't help but smile.
"This shirt smells amazing," she smiled, getting a whiff of the cologne on it as she pulled it on.
Randy laughed and pulled her into his arms. She looked up at him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he nuzzled her. A.J. smiled as he held her, the rose she was still clutching brushing over his bare back.
"Randy, did you really mean what you wrote?" she muttered, drawing away slightly to look up at him.
"Why wouldn't I? I don't lie about my feelings A.J." he replied, pecking her softly.
A.J. still looked slightly uneasy and he kissed her to prove his feelings. She felt her knees give out at the surprise and she leaned into him. He pulled her close, his hands moving under the button up and caressing her back. The two were startled from their kiss when a loud blast of music hit their ears. A.J. jumped away from Randy and he laughed.
"Relax, they're just checking the sound system before the show," he chuckled.
"Does it have to be so loud?" A.J. smiled sheepishly, her cheeks a soft pink.
"Yes, they make sure all the speakers are working, it's going to be loud no matter what," Randy explained, folding A.J. in his arms again.
She rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes feeling content. Randy snaked his hands under tank top. He smiled when her muscles tensed as he glided his hand over her bra strap.
"Randy, what are you doing?" she half whispered, her eyes snapping open.
"Nothing," he smiled, running his hand back down her back, feeling her muscles tense.
She caught his hand in hers as it slid over her lower back. He grinned at this and she pulled her shirt down over her back. "Don't play with me."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just what I said," she whispered, "Don't. Play. With. Me."
"As in, don't do this?" Randy asked and he spun her around and pulled her down onto the bench in the middle of the room. He kissed her hard and grabbed her thigh as she pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around him as she lay beneath him.
When they broke apart A.J. was smiling, a strange gleam in her turquoise eyes, "If you're going to start something, Randy. You better finish it."
He chuckled and kissed her again. his hand moving farther up her thigh. She pulled him down on top of he, wrapping her leg around his waist as he pulled her to him.
"Where did this sudden aggression come from?" he breathed, his smirk in place.
"I told you, you start something, you better finish it. You tempt me, you feel my wrath," she smiled up at him.
"I'm scared now," Randy muttered, brushing his lips over the soft skin of her neck.
"You should be," she smiled, letting out a small gasp when he nipped her.
The two could not go further than that, though, for there was a sudden knock on the door and they jumped apart just as it opened. John and Jessie beamed at them as they walked in and Randy frowned.
"Glad to see you two getting along, the shows starting soon, Rand, these two have to get their seats," John motioned to A.J. and Jessie.
"Okay, c'mon Jess, let's go!" A.J. smiled and she took her sister's hand and moved to the door. "See you guys in a bit!" she waved and disappeared around the corner.
Randy sighed and slumped onto the bench in the room, his blue eyes glazed as he replayed what had just happened with A.J. in his mind. She had pushed him almost to the brink and he was somehow perplexed by her sudden desire. He then remembered John was in the room and looked up to find him watching him.
"You better, get ready, man. Brooke and Hulk are already making their way to the ring," John warned him before leaving himself.
"Right," he muttered distractedly and turned away to change into jeans and a black t-shirt.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOO
A.J. sat eagerly at ringside with an ecstatic Jessie bouncing by her side. The two had went back out to the parking lot to get Jessie's replica championship belt before getting their tickets checked and returning to ringside. She was excited to see Randy, who she'd out was starting the show, but she was not very thrilled about him openly flirting with Brooke Hogan.
"A.J. It's Hulk!" Jessie squealed beside her as the show started and a familiar song erupted around them.
Indeed it was Hulk Hogan who emerged from the curtain, along with his daughter, who looked, to A.J., like a whore in her skimpy black dress and fake hair extensions.
"I can't see what any guy would see in her except the fact that she's famous," A.J. grumbled as she waved at the screaming fans around her.
Jessie tugged at the button up she was still wearing and she looked down to see that Jessie was almost crying with excitement. She rolled her eyes as hulk began to rev up the crowd even more and leaned against the black barrier. She was relieved when Randy interrupted the two and strode out onto the ramp clutching a single longs-stem red rose.
"Oh he did not," A.J. growled, noting the rose and looking down at the one he'd given her before the show. "That bastard!"
"Come on A.J. it's just a storyline!" Jessie said as A.J. glared at Randy, who had just climbed into the ring and kissed Brooke's hand.
"I don't care what it is, he gave her the same red rose! I thought he was just doing that for me," A.J. looked stunned and hurt and she slumped into her seat.
As the broadcast went to commercial and they watched Hulk help Brooke from the ring. Randy doubled back and leaned on the barrier in front of a still upset A.J. He noticed the hurt in her eyes and he took her hand, which was resting on the barrier between them.
"hey, what's wrong?" he muttered and she drew her hand away.
"Glad to see I'm not the only girl who gets the roses. And I thought you were being unique," she growled and Randy sighed.
"I was being unique until one of the writers shoved one on me before I came out," he snapped and A.J. softened.
"So, you don't do that with every girl?" she asked innocently and Randy could not help but smile.
"No, I don't. I guess the writer saw me give you on earlier and he must've thought it was a good idea. If it makes you feel better, that rose was fake," he added and A.J/'s mood brightened considerable.
"Sorry I jumped to conclusions," she muttered and Randy nodded, seeing the lights coming back on.
He pecked the back of her hand quickly as they came on and waved, "I'll see you at the end, alright? I gotta go!"
A.J. nodded and waved as he hurried off. She was much happier for the rest of the show, enthusiastically cheering on John as he fought gallantly against Edge. By the time the show was over she was in good spirits as she waited for John to leave the ring. He made his way around the other side to greet the fans before stopping in front of A.J. and Jessie.
"You're the champ to me," Jessie muttered and he pulled her into a hug.
He then turned to A.J. and she hugged him quickly, not knowing what to say. When they separated he waved half heartedly and made his way to the back. Jessie wanted to go with him but A.J. held her fast and told her to wait for the rest of the crowd to leave.
Randy crept out behind the TitanTron as the stragglers left and A.J. climbed over the barrier. He smiled at her eagerness and kissed her before nodding at Jessie, who was looking for John.
"You want to swing by my hotel for a bit?" he asked quietly in A.J.'s ear.
"I can't leave Jessie, she'll feel left out," A.J. mumbled and Randy's face fell.
"I'll take her out to dinner, you two obviously need some time alone," John came up behind the two and pulled Jessie into his arms, resting her on his hip with ease.
"Thank you so much John," A.J. pecked him on the cheek in thanks and Randy took her hand. "I guess I'll just leave my rental in the lot?"
"Nah, we'll take it," Randy assured her and he pulled her away toward the back again.
"No scary movies, John!" A.J. called happily over her shoulder. "And she doesn't stay up after twelve!"
"Alright Mother!" John laughed, saluting as A.J. and Randy disappeared backstage. He turned to Jessie, who looked devious and smiled. "Let's say you and me go play some late night laser tag, huh?"
"Yes!" Jessie beamed, punching the air excitedly and John laughed, carrying the younger girl backstage as well to get his things.