Chapter 8 – Towel Fight

The following Monday, Stephanie's plans for the match against Hunter backfired. She and Jericho ended up turning on each other. She tried pinning him, she tried pinning Hunter, but they both kicked out. Hunter pinned her after giving her a spine buster and the security team came out to escort her from the building. Stephanie fought them the whole way while Hunter encouraged the crowd to chant good-bye to her. He just waved, displaying a huge grin as security dragged her out. She screamed and thrashed as they carted her up the ramp and into the backstage area.

Evie had been watching the monitor in the common area. The sounds of pleading and denial echoed down into the area. She stepped into the hallway and watched as Stephanie was brought down the corridor. Evie unsuccessfully tried to hide her smile as Steph was escorted past her.

As she passed by, her eyes lit on Evie. "YOU! YOU BITCH! YOU HAVEN"T SEEN THE LAST OF ME! I'LL BE BACK!"

Evie just shook her head at the spectacle, then jumped as she heard a voice behind her.

"Well darlin', ya got what ya wanted."

She turned around to see Bradshaw standing behind her. "No. We all got what we wanted."

He smirked. "Can't argue with ya there."

She laughed as she waved at him, heading off to Hunter's dressing room. She reached the door just as it opened. Hunter stood there all dressed to leave.  "Well, that was quick," she commented.

"Yeah. I'll shower at the hotel." He hoisted his belts over his shoulder and picked up his bag in the other hand. "Get your stuff and let's go."

"Pushy pushy." Evie brushed past him and picked up her own bags, then followed him out to the car.

As they pulled out of the parking lot, she looked at him. He was smiling. He glanced at her as they pulled up at a stop light, and as soon as he caught her eye, they both burst out laughing.

"Did you see the look on her face?" he asked.

"Did I? How could I not?" Evie choked out.

"What a night. Two weeks in a row I got back at her." He chuckled.

"She is not a happy person, that's for sure."

They were still laughing over Stephanie's defeat as they stepped off the elevator and headed towards their rooms. She paused outside her door as she took her keycard out of her pocket.

"You turning in?" he asked.

She looked at her watch. "I might."

He looked at her.  She did look tired.  All the crap with Stephanie and Jericho seemed to have taken a toll on her.  "You look like you need some rest. What time do you want to leave?"

"As long as it's not 6:30 again," Evie teased.

He smirked. "Just for that, I should make it 6:30."

She rolled her eyes. "What time?"

"I'll wake you up at 7:30. Is that okay?"

"Fine." She swiped the key through the lock and opened her door. "Goodnight Hunter."

"Goodnight," he said as he went down the hall to his room.

Evie slung her bags onto the bed. She really wasn't tired. In fact, she was still a little keyed up. She wondered what time the pool was open until and called down to the front desk. They told her it was open for another hour. Quickly she put her suit on, grabbed a towel and her key and left the room.

The pool area was empty. After she had dropped her towel and key on a chair, she slid into the pool and swam a few laps back and forth. After her sixth lap, she floated on her back. Closing her eyes, she let herself drift in the warm water. A sudden splash alerted her to someone else getting in the water. She opened her eyes in time to see Hunter looming over her. With a gasp, she stood up.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," he said.

She pushed her wet hair back from her face. "What are you doing down here?"

"What does it look like? I didn't know you were down here. I thought you were going to get some rest."

"I never said that. You said I looked like I needed some rest," she replied.

Hunter rolled his eyes.  "I asked you if you were turning in."

"And I said maybe. I never said if I was or not."

A mischievous gleam showed in his eye. "Are you calling me a liar?"

"No." She noticed the look in his eye and wondered what he was up to.

He started moving closer. "Because if you are, I'm gonna have to dunk you."

"I didn't call you a liar," she said as she backed away. "And don't you dare dunk me." He kept advancing towards her. She held up a hand as if to ward him off. "I mean it Hunter."

He just grinned and lunged for her. She quickly turned and dove underwater, swimming out of his grasp. When she came up for air, she looked for him. He was nowhere above the water, so she peered into the water, trying to spot him. He came up just in front of her and reached for her again. She splashed him and a water fight ensued. They splashed water at each other, trying to out do one another with the size of the wave.

Hunter finally managed to back her into a corner of the pool. "Now get ready for your punishment."

"If you dunk me, I'm going to have to de-pants you," she said as she grinned.

"Really?" he asked and she nodded. "You might enjoy that."

Evie laughed. "I think you would enjoy it more than me."

"I dunno. You might have a hard time getting them off."

She groaned in disgust. "I can't believe you just said that."

He laughed as he realized what he had said. "Get your mind out of the gutter woman," he joked.

"I like my mind right where it is, thank you very much." She glanced down. "Besides, they don't look any more difficult to take off than the ones you wrestle in."

He looked her over. "I wasn't expecting you to wear a bikini. More like a granny suit."

"Granny suit?"

"Yeah. One of those one-pieces with the skirt." He ducked as she splashed him again and he laughed. "That's it. Consider yourself dunked."

He reached for her, but she managed to elude him again. She made it to the other side of the pool and climb out. He watched as she stood there, in her bikini, dripping wet. As she pushed her wet hair away from her face, his eyes traveled over her.  Not bad. Not bad at all, he thought.

He spoke up. "You better get back in here and take your dunking like a woman."

"I would but the pool is closing." She pointed in the direction of the door to the pool area.

He turned to see one of the staff coming in. "I'll get you when you least expect it," he said as he climbed out and grabbed his towel.

Evie grabbed her own towel and dried off, then wrapped it around her waist like a sarong. "That's what you think."

He said nothing as they left the pool and walked to the elevator. They stood in silence as the elevator ascended to their floor. As the doors opened and Evie exited, she heard a rustling noise then a snap and felt a sting on her rear end.

"OUCH!" She turned around to find Hunter twisting up his towel to take another shot. "Oh no you don't!" She quickly unwrapped her towel from her waist and twisted it up.

They circled one another, trying to decide how to get a shot in. Suddenly, she snapped the towel at him and caught him on the side of his thigh. He jumped and then laughed as he moved closer to her. She stood there for two seconds, then turned tail and ran for her room.

She had to swipe the card through the lock twice and just as she got the door open, she felt another stinging slap on her backside and yelped. He was close behind her and followed her into her room. She turned around as she twisted her towel up again.

"Back off!" she warned.

He smirked. "No way. You're dealing with the locker room champ lady."

She flicked the towel at him and as he turned to avoid it, it caught him in the same spot on his thigh. He chuckled again and flicked his towel at her. She moved sideways, but not fast enough and it snapped her on the bottom again.

"OUCH! Dammit Hunter! Stop it!"

"Awww. Poor little Evie," he mocked. "What's the matter? Does it hurt?"

She inspected her backside. "It stings and it's red."

"Let me see," he said suddenly.

She looked at him. "What?"

"Let me see," he repeated.

"Let you see?" She smirked. "I dunno Hunter. Think you can handle it?"

"Yeah I can handle it. Let me see." He moved closer.

She turned her back to him and pushed aside the fabric a little. He could see a red spot there. And noticed again, what a nice ass she had.

"Not bad," he commented.

"Not bad? It stings Hunter."

"I wasn't talking about the red mark, but I can give you one on the other side to match it," he said playfully.

She turned to face him and noticed the mischievous look on his face. "Don't you dare!"

He advanced a little closer. "Why not?"

"Because it hurts. Especially in a wet swimsuit. And what did you mean by 'not bad'?"

Hunter raised an eyebrow.  "Like I said, I wasn't talking about the red mark."

"Well what were you talking about then?"

He smiled. "Your ass."

She clutched her towel in her hand, waiting to see what he was going to do.  "First my legs, now my butt. Anything else you want to comment on?"

"I'd rather do something else," he replied dryly.

"Really? And what exactly would that be?"

He smirked and then he noticed she was shivering slightly. "You cold?"

She nodded. "I forgot to turn the air off before I left."

He draped his towel across her shoulders and rubbed them with his hands to warm her up a bit. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his hands

"Take your suit off," he said unexpectedly.

Her eyes flew open. "What?"

"Do I have to repeat everything tonight? Take your suit off."

"Hunter if you're trying to..." she started, but was cut off by his sigh of exasperation.

He turned her around so she was facing the bathroom. "Go take your suit off and put some dry clothes on. What did you think I meant?"

"I thought you meant take it off right here." She was only a couple inches away from him, but could feel the warmth of his body through the thin towel.

His stomach twisted slightly in anticipation. He hadn't expected her to say that, but now that she had…  "I wouldn't be complaining," he murmured. "Or I can take it off for you."

She heard the change in his voice and felt the towel being pushed from the back of her neck. His fingers moved her hair aside and then tugged on the string that held her top up. She shivered at the touch of his fingers on her bare skin as he undid the straps and pushed them away, his fingers lightly caressing her flesh. He felt her tremble and knew it wasn't from the cold air in the room.

She swallowed hard and tried to speak, but nothing came out. The feel of his hands on her skin had startled her. The only other time he had touched her in anything but a playful manner was the night he left Stephanie. She didn't want him to stop. It had been a long time since anyone had touched her like this. She never realized how much she had missed it.

Hunter leaned forward so that his breath warmed her skin. A couple more centimeters and his mouth would be touching the back of her neck. He pulled the towel away from her body and let it fall to the floor. His fingers found the strap at her back and slowly untied it. He trailed his fingers up her back and rested his hands just below her shoulders.

Inwardly he sighed. I shouldn't be doing this. Still, he couldn't help himself. There was something about her that he found irresistible. It was difficult to back away, but he made up his mind and his hands fell away from her.

"Evie?" he whispered in her ear.

She turned her head to his voice, his lips brushing against her earlobe. "What?" she rasped as she clutched her top to her chest.

"If you don't go into that bathroom right now, you won't be wearing anything at all." His breath was hot against the flesh of her ear.

"But..."

"No buts." He pushed her towards the bathroom.

Reluctantly, she walked forward. Her mind was in a whirl and as she reached the bathroom door, she stopped.  "Hunter... "

"Evie, I mean it. Go in there and shut the door," he said in a tight voice.

She turned her head to look at him. He stood a few feet away from her, his hands clenched at his sides, his eyes focused intently on her.

"Dammit woman! I said go in there and shut the door!" He took a breath and blew it out. He was having a difficult time controlling himself.

Slowly, she walked into the bathroom and closed the door. He heaved a sigh of relief and left the room quickly. Once he was in his own room, he stripped off his swimwear and jumped in the shower, turning the cold water on full blast. He stood there, facing the spray and let it wash over him. He placed his hands on the wall in front of him and leaned into the water.

He shook his head, splashing water all over the stall. He wondered what Evie thought of him now. She hadn't moved away from him very fast and she never told him to stop either. Even so, who's to say she would want me anyway? He shut the water off after a few more minutes and took a towel from the rack to dry off.

Once he was done, he walked into the other room and lay down on the bed. He flung an arm across his eyes. As he lay there, thoughts of a more graphic nature paraded through his mind. He stifled a groan and rolled over on his stomach. Better quit thinking those things. You'll just get yourself into more trouble.

Evie waited until she heard him leave, then came out of the bathroom. As she removed the rest of her swimsuit, her mind lingered on what had happened. Absent-mindedly, she threw both pieces into the bathtub. As she got ready for bed, she continued thinking about the way Hunter had touched her.

She shivered in anticipation of what would have happened if he hadn't stopped. That train of thought continued as she turned the lights out and climbed into the bed. Rolling over, she pulled her pillow closer to her and screwed her eyes shut.

Doesn't do any good to keep torturing myself. And doesn't do any good to get my hopes up either, she thought as she forced the scenes out of her mind.

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