A/N: Hey guys, thanks for the awesome reviews for the last chapter. Sorry that my updates are few and far between, I'm just so busy with college just now. But I promise I won't neglect my writing as well haha. Enjoy this next chapter, the tension is beginning to build and perhaps that secret that Randy is keeping from Preston will come out and Preston's got some of her own to hide. Keep reading and enjoy XxX
Disclaimer: I own Preston and possibly Robert McMahon. I do not own anything affiliated with the WWE and I do not maintain to have the knowledge of any of the Wrestler's personal lives. Anything used in this story is for a fictional purpose and is by no means meant to offend anyone. Thanks!
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
As I touched down at the airport in Greenwich, Connecticut, my nerves were fried and I was physically exhausted. I'd spent the whole week worrying about what could happen at this get-together and why on earth my Uncle had invited my Father and The Orton's to this thing. Uncle Vince has always been a step ahead of the competition and it worries me to think he is a step ahead of my own game. Randy and Sam are a huge part of my life, but Randy and I have a past and to think that my Uncle possibly knows more than he is letting on, is scaring the complete shit out of me.
Mike laced his fingers with mine, bringing me back to reality and I turned to give him a smile. He lead me off of the airplane and out through customs so we could pick up our hire car.
Once we'd settled the paperwork and made our way to the rental car, Mike stuck our small hand-luggage sized cases into the back-seat before getting in the driver's seat. I sat curled up on the passenger seat before leaning over to give him a kiss as he got inside the car.
"What was that for?" he smirked at me and I sighed blissfully.
"Can't a girl just show her boyfriend what he means to her?" I asked playfully and then turned to put the directions into the sat-nav. Mike followed them to a tee and we pulled up at my Aunt and Uncle's home about an hour and a half later.
Mike buzzed us in the gate and then drove up the large driveway and parked the car on the sand coloured gravel driveway next to all the others that were already there. I spotted a black hummer and knew instantly that Randy and Sam had arrived already.
I got out of the car and carefully maneuvered my way around the car in my black high heeled boots, and tried to take my case from Mike but he pulled it out of my reach and easily took the both of them and pushed me gently in the direction of the house.
"You're such a gentleman" I smiled lovingly at him before ringing the doorbell and then opening the door to let myself in. The vast hall of the house was empty and I called out a 'hello' but received no answer. Bringing Mike inside, we put our cases down near the foot of the stairs and I took his hand as we began to wonder aimlessly around. Mike wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed teasing kisses to my neck as he walked behind me into the kitchen.
Giggling, I tried to push him off but he held onto me tightly.
"Hello? Stephanie? Paul? Aunt Linda? Uncle Vince?" I called out but as we stepped into the kitchen it was empty too. That was until I heard screams of laughter followed by a couple of huge splashes coming from outside. Pulling out of Mike's embrace, I took his hand and lead him to the porch doors, sliding one open and stepping out into the garden. Shutting the door behind us, we made our way around towards the sounds and the splashes and found ourselves faced with Stephanie, Paul, Vince, Linda, Shane, Marissa, Randy and Sam all having fun in or around the pool.
Mike and I began to make our way over and Stephanie was the first to spot us, jumping up out of the pool and wrapping herself in a towel before coming over to us. She hugged both Mike and I separately before escorting us over to the decking area where Vince, Linda, Shane and Randy were all sitting. Paul was swimming in the pool while Marissa and a rather pregnant Sam were floating gently.
Taking a seat on one of the deckchairs, I greeted everyone that was there, hugging Linda, Shane and Randy and receiving a curt 'hello' from my Uncle Vince. Mike received a hug from Aunt Linda and handshakes from Shane, Vince and Randy.
Mike took a seat next to me and wrapped his arm around me tightly to which I gave him a sweet smile in return and laced my fingers with his as they rested on my waist.
Conversation flowed easily between us all as we talked about our flight and I was asked if everything went smoothly at work. Stephanie told me she'd be back soon and then we moved on to talk about mundane everyday things but we still managed to make a joke and laugh.
After about an hour, Linda said she would show Mike and I to the guest house where we would be staying. Spouting off about how she didn't mind us sharing the same room, she lead us away towards the side of the house and to a small cottage like building with sliding glass doors and glass windows covered with white netting curtains. Showing us inside, she told us there was a large bedroom, sitting room, bathroom and a kitchen but that breakfast was served in the house the majority of the time.
Leaving us there to settle in, she asked where our luggage was and one we'd told her, she said she'd send it over later.
She closed the doors behind us and I walked over and sunk down into the sofa with a sigh, my forehead marring in confusion.
"What's with the frown baby?" Mike asked coming over and sitting down beside me. Pulling me into his embrace, I relaxed and revelled in the feel of his touch as I laid my head to rest on his shirt covered pectoral muscle. Playing with the edges of the grey waistcoat he was wearing over the top of his shirt, I mulled over my thoughts and hummed gently when he pressed a kiss to the top of my head, nudging me slightly and encouraging me to tell him.
"I'm just worried. Worried that Vince has something up his sleeve" I confessed, my fingers squeezing the fabric of his clothes tightly.
"What would he have up his sleeve?" Mike asked me and I could hear a hint of amusement to his tone as if he was trying to tell me that I was being foolish and there was nothing to worry about.
"I don't know. But what I do know is that nothing ever comes for free when it concerns my Uncle Vince. Like Ted Dibiase used to say 'Everybody has a price', well with Vince, everything has a price. You don't get it unless you pay for it. And I just don't understand what this get together is all about. This 'nice' act he has going on both scares and confuses the hell out of me. He's up to something and I don't know what it is".
"I'm sure everything will be okay. And regardless, I'll be here. You can rely on me Pres" he murmured against my hair. I nodded gently and then pushed myself up.
"Wanna take a shower with me?" I asked, a cheeky glint in my eye as I held my hand out for him to take. He smirked and jumped up, pressing his front against my back. I rocked my hips back against his, receiving a low groan for my effort before he pushed me towards the bathroom and slammed the door behind us.
Mike and I spent the rest of the afternoon lazing about between the bedroom and the sitting room before Stephanie called us to say dinner was ready. We both took showers, separately this time, before getting dressed and heading over to the main house. I'd chosen a pair of indigo blue jeggings with a side zip and button fastening, a fine-knit grey jumper with a large scoop neckline, cut-out hemline to the back and a draping effect with a pair of grey suede effect 3 inch round toe high heels.
Mike has paired his dark wash jeans with a deep blue shirt; the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, an off-white tie which was tied in a loose knot around his neck and a pair of smart dress shoes.
Dinner went smoothly. Everyone was chatting and enjoying themselves and we all tried to keep the topic off of work. I mentioned the fact that my father hadn't showed up yet but it was vaguely passed over that he would be there soon but hadn't quite appeared.
I joined Stephanie, Marissa and Sam for a chat and we talked about the new baby Orton that was due to arrive in a few months, about Marissa and Shane's kids and about Stephanie and Paul's two. And somehow, I felt myself feeling broody and a bit left out but I knew I wasn't ready to make such a big step; neither physically, mentally or emotionally, I didn't know if Mike wanted kids or if we were even thinking about going that far.
I could personally see myself being with him and having kids with him but the result would lie with him and whether he wanted to have kids with me, if at all.
Stephanie eventually steered the conversation in my direction and I talked a little bit about Mike and I but preferring to keep the majority of my private life to myself, considering it was the only luxury I got these days due to living and working with so many people over such a long period of time.
Mike, Randy, Shane, Paul and Vince had all gone to the study for a boys chat and most likely a few rounds of poker while Linda had retired upstairs to her office to do some paper work for her 'Candidacy for Senate'.
Feeling tired from the travelling, I left the girls and began to head back to the cottage when Mike caught up to me. Grasping my hand in his, he lead me out of the main house and out towards our guest house. I smiled at him and squeezed his hand in mine.
"You didn't have to leave" I told him.
"I know that. But I wasn't having that great of a time. They were talking about business. I thought this was wind-down time, not another oppurtunity to fry my brain with work talk".
I smiled at him "Thanks for being here. I don't know if I'd have gotten through this unscathed if you hadn't been here". He turned towards me just at we reached the cottage and cupped my chin, tilting it up towards him in the moonlight. Bending is head, his mouth fused against mine in a sweet, loving kiss that said everything it needed to.
Despite my tiredness, I still found myself awake more than 3 hours later as Mike slept peacefully beside me. Rolling over, I quietly kicked the sheets around me and sighed lowly, looking toward the linen curtain covered patio doors and out towards the lights of the pool. Maybe a swim will help rest my mind.
Getting up from the bed as quietly as I could, I placed the sheets down without any rustle, watching Mike for signs of him being awake. He was motionless in the bed, breathing heavily as he dreamed deeply.
10 minutes later, I found myself sitting by the side of the pool, my feet swaying gently through the cool water as it lapped at my ankles. The garden was dark, the moonlight shining down through the trees before it was washed away by the lights from inside the pool. I sat quietly and listened to the sounds of the night, owls in the trees and grasshoppers buzzing in the greens of the garden.
Sighing blissfully as the cool water soothed my worries, I stiffened when I heard a crunch behind me and footsteps coming over the grass.
"Can't sleep" Randy's voice washed over me. I shook my head, not turning around to face him "What's on your mind Kid?" Randy asked as he sat down beside me and dipped his feet into the water alongside mine. I turned to look at him as he stared down into the water, a thoughtful expression on his face. The moonlight grazed over his skin, lighting up his features and giving an ethereal look to his normally bronzed skin. He smirked when he realised I was watching him and he turned to look at me.
"Nothing. And everything" I confessed
"That's an awful lot to have going on up in there Preston" he told me and shivered as his voice washed over me. I turned to look back at the water, tucking my hands under my bare legs as I kicked my legs in the pool.
"Yeah but you know me. I've always taken everything on my shoulders Randy".
"Yeah, and you gotta stop doing that. What's bothering you so much you won't share it. If its bad I'll help you".
"Randy..." I said softly and shook my head. Doesn't get it? The problem is him. And me. Us.
"Preston, please, just tell me what's wrong?" he took pulled my hand out from underneath my leg and clasped it in his own tightly, rubbing his thumb up and down my index finger.
"You can't do that anymore Randy".
"What? I can't touch you anymore?" I could hear the confusion mixed with hurt in his voice.
"Randy...please...I..."
"Stop saying my name like that!"
"Like what?"
"Like...like...fuck I don't know, just stop it" he stammered comicly "It's just the way it sounds, it..."
"Come, swim with me" I turned to him and squeezed his hand a little, urging him to drop the subject and swim. Randy stood up first and pulled me up from the ground, holding me close to him. It was then that I noticed he was shirtless, the shimmer of the water playing over his bare chest. He nodded and I moved away from him, stripping my shorts and wife-beater off, to reveal the white and black tankini I had put on before coming out. Stepping up the water's edge, I dived in, not waiting for Randy.
The water washing over me felt blissful and for moment it gave me freedom from my thoughts. Then I heard the splash as Randy came in after me. Swimming away from him, I kicked out as he grabbed my ankle and pulled me back towards him. We surfaced, laughing, but being careful about how loud we were being. I pushed my wet hair back as I held onto his neck and we floated together along the top of the water. Randy's fingers dug into my lower back and my legs framed his sides gently. He pushed the two of us through the water as I clutched onto him, breathing in the deep night air as I stared into his eyes.
Pulling away, I dived down under the water, pulling Randy's hand as I went, tugging him down after me. He followed me and we swam underneath the water side by side, smiling and laughing, making shapes with our hands in the water and dipping down to touch the bottom of the pool.
Finally we resurfaced and I swam towards the steps of the pool, not needing to check that Randy was behind me. Walking up them, the water ran off me in rivulets, soaking the side of the pool. I walked over to the lounger where I had dropped my towel and picked it up, drying myself gently and then drying the drips from my hair before passing the towel to Randy and letting him dry himself too.
I watched him intently before taking the towel from his outstretched hand when he was done towelling himself.
"Are you worried about what he's gonna think about us?" Randy asked out of the blue, startling me with the off-hand question.
"There is no us Randy. There never was" I answered his question before picking up my clothes and then turning to head back to the cottage.
"Preston?" Randy said, his voice low and cracking, his hand grasping my wrist.
"Randy...please...just leave me alone" I pulled my hand away and walked away from him.
Crawling back into bed beside Mike made me feel like the worst person on the planet. I felt guilty for something I'd done in my past and something that was nothing to do with Mike. I felt like I was betraying him but this was just something that I wanted to forget. Something that was best forgotten. Best for everyone.
END OF CHAPTER
A/N2: That's another chapter. I don't want to reveal things to soon but I think that you probably all have an idea as to what is going on with Preston. Please keep reading and I hope you enjoy it XxX