A/N: Sam this one is for you baby ;) Phoenix, I'm glad you are enjoying and
thank you for recruiting other readers, you guys are awesome!!
Randy walked in quietly. No one seemed to notice him, but he noticed her. She stood there in those tight leggings that were hugging her shapely hips and her firm rear end; her tank top was short showing off that tattoo of hers. He watched painfully as she pulled that tank above her head, the sweat still glistening off her smooth skin. He walked up to her and snaked his arms around her beautiful waist.
"Congratulations."
Ray arched her head to see who had his arms around her. Randy's face was the last one she expected to see.
"Thank you." She had to admit, she didn't mind his hard body pressed against her. But she didn't like his attitude.
"So let's say me and you go out and celebrate tonight?"
Her eyes searched the room for someone that could save her. Her eyes met John's, she pleaded with him silently.
"No can do dude." John said loudly, "She's coming out with me."
"Oh," Randy nodded, "maybe some other time then."
"Yeah," She said bending over to stuff her newly won IC belt in her gym bag. He was still standing right behind her as she bent down so he could feel her body close to his. He couldn't wait until he had her where she belonged, underneath him screaming his name but he decided for now, let her have her fun with John.
She looked up and nodded her thank you to John, he was indeed a lifesaver.
"So where you want to go?" she asked him.
"Oh for real?" He asked, "I was just trying to save you from Orton."
"So where are we going?"
"There's a club nearby, you game?"
"Give me about fifteen minutes and we can go."
"Is this like a date?" he asked tentatively.
"Sure, I guess so." She replied.
"Oh, okay just checkin', see you in about fifteen minutes."
Ray went to hunt down Shane and Mark to let them know where she was going.
"With who young lady?" Mark asked.
"With John."
"Oh, as long as you're out with someone I don't have a problem."
"Me either." Shane said trying to conceal the hurt in his voice. He busied himself with pulling the black bands off his biceps. Damn it, she was his, and she didn't want her out with Cena. But what could he do?
"Thank you guys," She was so happy. She just wanted to be doing anything to take her mind off of the funeral. Though when she looked at Shane's face she could see something clouding those beautiful chestnut eyes. "Shane you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just tired, it's been a long few days."
"I know. And I want to thank you two again for everything."
"It's no problem at all darlin'," He hugged her. "Now go on have fun." Mark watched her as she ran down the hallway. "Now why didn't you say something son?"
"About what?"
"About her going out with Cena, I can tell it makes you uncomfortable."
"It doesn't matter how I feel," Shane explained, "As long as she's happy, I can't complain."
"I understand. But at the same time I know how you feel about her, we all do."
"All of you?" Shane's eyes widened.
"Well us elder ones. You know, the one's that consider her a daughter or a niece."
Shane smiled, "I'm content with just being her friend."
"Don't lie to be son," Mark chuckled. "I know you."
Shane smiled, in a lot of ways; Mark was like his father too.
"Yeah, so I don't want her going out with Cena, but what can I do?"
"You can tell her you love her."
Shane shook his head, "Mark I can't do that. She has enough turmoil in her life without me adding to it. I just want her to know she has a stable person she can come to when she needs something."
"Again, I understand perfectly, but that is what she has me, Glenn, Shawn, Vince and half the locker room for. What she needs from you is someone to take her out and make her feel like a woman."
"She doesn't want to feel like a woman and you know that Mark,"
"You ever ask her? She just wants to feel like she belongs to someone. And if you're not careful that someone will be someone like John Cena or Randy Orton, and as long they treat her well and as long as she's happy, I'm going to have to give them my blessing."
This hit Shane like a thunderbolt, he never thought of that. He never thought he would have to give his Ray up to another man. She was supposed to always be there when he was ready to tell her how he felt.
Shane swallowed hard, "So would I, I guess."
"Liar." Mark chuckled and walked off.
He was right, Shane was lying, but what was he going to do about it?
************************************************************************
Ray sat in the locker room pondering what to wear. She had no idea what she was doing and since she was almost sure that John was interested in her as more than just a friend. Maybe it was time she started dating, couldn't be a tomboy forever. And she liked John, and apparently daddy and Shane approved as well or else they wouldn't be letting her go. Well if all this was true, then why did she fell this stabbing pain in her heart, like this wasn't meant to be?
Ray slipped on a pair of baggy jeans that hung on her hips; she slipped a midriff tank top over her head and a red mesh shirt over it. The mesh shirt she actually let Jeff Hardy get a hold of and he had his way, so it was cut in more places than she could count. It was cute though.
"Now about my hair," she said aloud. The house show caused for her hair to be curly for tonight, so she just threw it all up in a messy ponytail. She ran rummaged through her back bag, she knew she had a pair of earrings for this, she decided on her earrings that looked like devil horns.
She looked at herself in the full-length mirror, not bad, she told herself.
"Ready to go?" John poked his head in the door.
"Yeah, let's do it." She threw on her leather jacket and headed out the door with him.
They climbed into his jeep, "You look good."
"Thanks, this jeep is phat. So my style,"
He looked over at her, "What you know about cars?"
She shrugged, "What's not to know?"
John nodded, "I like your style."
"Good." Ray said.
When they entered the club it was like a whole new world for Ray.
"Can I take your coat miss?"
It isn't as if she had never been to the club before, no that wasn't it at all. It's just that when she went back home everybody knew her and knew what she was about. Here, guys actually asked her to dance and flirted with her. It was like an alternate universe.
"What ya having beautiful?" the bartender asked.
When he called her that, he might as well have hit her in the face. Shane called her 'beautiful', and all the time. Why was she here with Cena when Shane waited for her back at the hotel? But on the same token, John has expressed a genuine interest in her, no need to turn that down because she isn't even sure if Shane likes her in the same way.
"Jack Daniel's Down Home Punch please." Ray told the bartender.
"Whoa, J.D.?" John asked her, "I'm scared of you."
Ray laughed; she'd by lying if she said she wasn't actually having a good time. She was tearing up the dance floor and she was with a gorgeous man. How could you not have fun?
************************************************************************
Shane called Ray's cell phone for what must've been the sixth time.
"Ray, this is Shane, when you get in call me." He said into the phone yet again.
It wasn't like Ray not to have her phone on and with her. But then again, it wasn't like Ray to be out until two in the morning either.
"She still out isn't she son?"
"Yeah, she's not answering her phone."
Mark clicked his tongue, "Well Shane you have a dilemma, you can sit up and wait for her, or you can just get some sleep and talk to her tomorrow when you are of sound mind. But that's up to you."
Shane nodded numbly. He didn't want to have to see her stumbling in all hours of the morning, hickies all over her neck and chest. This isn't his Ray.
"This isn't my Ray," he mumbled aloud.
"You're right, she isn't." Mark said on his way out the door.
"Then why do I feel like someone just stole my girl?" he asked the empty bedroom.
************************************************************************
Ray had the time of her life with John; he was so laid back and down to Earth. She looked down at the time it was nearly 5 a.m.
"Shit, no time to sleep, just work out and go." She said as she stumbled into the hotel room.
Shane was stretching in the middle of the floor. He barely looked up at her when she walked in.
"Morning." She was very cheerful for someone who hadn't had any sleep.
"You don't say. Did you have fun?"
"Sure did," she told him sporting a big red blotch on her neck.
Shane rolled his eyes. "Ready to go or am I going by myself today?"
"Give me thirty seconds," she told him ignoring his obvious attitude as she walked into the bathroom.
Now exactly where the hell has she been all night, Shane griped to himself. And when the hell did she get that?
Out with John, his mind answered for him. Didn't you hear her?
What does she see in him anyway?
He makes her feel like she belongs to someone Shane, his mind whispered, like she belongs to him.
Shane popped out of bed; Ray was lying in bed beside him, her braid lying across his chest. He looked at her slender neck, no hickies. And though he could smell the faint scent of alcohol on her breath, he let out a sigh of relief.
"Oh my God I have to tell her." Shane said aloud.
"Tell who what?" Ray asked him.
"Nothing honey," Shane stroked her braid, "Did you have fun tonight?"
Ray popped out of bed and started relaying the whole evening. Shane was sorry he had asked he didn't want to hear that she had a good time. But he smiled and nodded as she gushed about her night and how all the men were coming on to her. She was so excited, but he wanted it to be him she was excited over.
"I'm glad you had a good time." Shane said as he rolled over and closed his eyes.
"I did." She said as she reached for her cell phone. "Hello John?"
"Hey mama, what's up?"
"I just wanted to say thank you for tonight. I had a lot of fun."
"I had fun too. Thank you for coming out with me."
"Hey, what time do you get up in the morning?"
"Around 7, why?"
"You want to have breakfast with me or something?" Ray asked shyly.
Shane's eyes shot open. Now she was having breakfast with him. John was going to have breakfast with his Ray. Damn it!
"Sure mama, I would love to. See you in the morning."
"See you." She said putting her cell phone back on the nightstand.
Ray went back to bed with a smile on her face. She liked John and John liked her. She glanced over her shoulder to look at Shane. He had his back to her. He wasn't holding her like he usually did. He wasn't even touching her. Had she made him angry?
Shane wasn't angry with Ray, he was just, well what the hell was he exactly, he was jealous he guessed he could say. He loved this girl lying next to him and now he might never get the chance to tell her.
Ray was busy on the treadmill; she looked down at her watch. It was almost time for her to have breakfast with John.
"Uncle Shawn, I have a breakfast date."
"Do tell," he said lifting his weight again.
"It's with Cena," She heard Paul say. "It's all he's been talking about since he got up this morning. I think someone has the hots for Ray."
Shane tried his hardest to tune out the conversation, so he concentrated on bench pressing his weights.
"Well he's in good company, half the locker room has the hots for Ray." Shawn said winking at Ray. Ray felt herself blush.
"Only half?" Paul asked.
"Yeah well the other half are married or have girlfriends." Ray said.
"Smart ass." Paul said.
Ray threw her towel over her shoulder, "Yeah but that's why you love me."
She left the gym to go have breakfast with John.
"You know I had a really good time last night." He told her after breakfast as it was off to the arena for some quick sparring.
"Would you believe that was my first date?"
"Stop it."
"No I'm serious, and I had a good time too."
"I wish I had known, I would've made it a little bit more," John stopped.
"A little bit more what John?"
"I don't know special." He said finally.
Ray shook her head and smiled. A smile that drove the men of the WWE locker room mad, John included.
"Now, it was great." She said as she pulled into the parking lot of the arena.
He leaned over and kissed her cheek as he got out of the car, "Now, it was great."
Randy walked in quietly. No one seemed to notice him, but he noticed her. She stood there in those tight leggings that were hugging her shapely hips and her firm rear end; her tank top was short showing off that tattoo of hers. He watched painfully as she pulled that tank above her head, the sweat still glistening off her smooth skin. He walked up to her and snaked his arms around her beautiful waist.
"Congratulations."
Ray arched her head to see who had his arms around her. Randy's face was the last one she expected to see.
"Thank you." She had to admit, she didn't mind his hard body pressed against her. But she didn't like his attitude.
"So let's say me and you go out and celebrate tonight?"
Her eyes searched the room for someone that could save her. Her eyes met John's, she pleaded with him silently.
"No can do dude." John said loudly, "She's coming out with me."
"Oh," Randy nodded, "maybe some other time then."
"Yeah," She said bending over to stuff her newly won IC belt in her gym bag. He was still standing right behind her as she bent down so he could feel her body close to his. He couldn't wait until he had her where she belonged, underneath him screaming his name but he decided for now, let her have her fun with John.
She looked up and nodded her thank you to John, he was indeed a lifesaver.
"So where you want to go?" she asked him.
"Oh for real?" He asked, "I was just trying to save you from Orton."
"So where are we going?"
"There's a club nearby, you game?"
"Give me about fifteen minutes and we can go."
"Is this like a date?" he asked tentatively.
"Sure, I guess so." She replied.
"Oh, okay just checkin', see you in about fifteen minutes."
Ray went to hunt down Shane and Mark to let them know where she was going.
"With who young lady?" Mark asked.
"With John."
"Oh, as long as you're out with someone I don't have a problem."
"Me either." Shane said trying to conceal the hurt in his voice. He busied himself with pulling the black bands off his biceps. Damn it, she was his, and she didn't want her out with Cena. But what could he do?
"Thank you guys," She was so happy. She just wanted to be doing anything to take her mind off of the funeral. Though when she looked at Shane's face she could see something clouding those beautiful chestnut eyes. "Shane you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just tired, it's been a long few days."
"I know. And I want to thank you two again for everything."
"It's no problem at all darlin'," He hugged her. "Now go on have fun." Mark watched her as she ran down the hallway. "Now why didn't you say something son?"
"About what?"
"About her going out with Cena, I can tell it makes you uncomfortable."
"It doesn't matter how I feel," Shane explained, "As long as she's happy, I can't complain."
"I understand. But at the same time I know how you feel about her, we all do."
"All of you?" Shane's eyes widened.
"Well us elder ones. You know, the one's that consider her a daughter or a niece."
Shane smiled, "I'm content with just being her friend."
"Don't lie to be son," Mark chuckled. "I know you."
Shane smiled, in a lot of ways; Mark was like his father too.
"Yeah, so I don't want her going out with Cena, but what can I do?"
"You can tell her you love her."
Shane shook his head, "Mark I can't do that. She has enough turmoil in her life without me adding to it. I just want her to know she has a stable person she can come to when she needs something."
"Again, I understand perfectly, but that is what she has me, Glenn, Shawn, Vince and half the locker room for. What she needs from you is someone to take her out and make her feel like a woman."
"She doesn't want to feel like a woman and you know that Mark,"
"You ever ask her? She just wants to feel like she belongs to someone. And if you're not careful that someone will be someone like John Cena or Randy Orton, and as long they treat her well and as long as she's happy, I'm going to have to give them my blessing."
This hit Shane like a thunderbolt, he never thought of that. He never thought he would have to give his Ray up to another man. She was supposed to always be there when he was ready to tell her how he felt.
Shane swallowed hard, "So would I, I guess."
"Liar." Mark chuckled and walked off.
He was right, Shane was lying, but what was he going to do about it?
************************************************************************
Ray sat in the locker room pondering what to wear. She had no idea what she was doing and since she was almost sure that John was interested in her as more than just a friend. Maybe it was time she started dating, couldn't be a tomboy forever. And she liked John, and apparently daddy and Shane approved as well or else they wouldn't be letting her go. Well if all this was true, then why did she fell this stabbing pain in her heart, like this wasn't meant to be?
Ray slipped on a pair of baggy jeans that hung on her hips; she slipped a midriff tank top over her head and a red mesh shirt over it. The mesh shirt she actually let Jeff Hardy get a hold of and he had his way, so it was cut in more places than she could count. It was cute though.
"Now about my hair," she said aloud. The house show caused for her hair to be curly for tonight, so she just threw it all up in a messy ponytail. She ran rummaged through her back bag, she knew she had a pair of earrings for this, she decided on her earrings that looked like devil horns.
She looked at herself in the full-length mirror, not bad, she told herself.
"Ready to go?" John poked his head in the door.
"Yeah, let's do it." She threw on her leather jacket and headed out the door with him.
They climbed into his jeep, "You look good."
"Thanks, this jeep is phat. So my style,"
He looked over at her, "What you know about cars?"
She shrugged, "What's not to know?"
John nodded, "I like your style."
"Good." Ray said.
When they entered the club it was like a whole new world for Ray.
"Can I take your coat miss?"
It isn't as if she had never been to the club before, no that wasn't it at all. It's just that when she went back home everybody knew her and knew what she was about. Here, guys actually asked her to dance and flirted with her. It was like an alternate universe.
"What ya having beautiful?" the bartender asked.
When he called her that, he might as well have hit her in the face. Shane called her 'beautiful', and all the time. Why was she here with Cena when Shane waited for her back at the hotel? But on the same token, John has expressed a genuine interest in her, no need to turn that down because she isn't even sure if Shane likes her in the same way.
"Jack Daniel's Down Home Punch please." Ray told the bartender.
"Whoa, J.D.?" John asked her, "I'm scared of you."
Ray laughed; she'd by lying if she said she wasn't actually having a good time. She was tearing up the dance floor and she was with a gorgeous man. How could you not have fun?
************************************************************************
Shane called Ray's cell phone for what must've been the sixth time.
"Ray, this is Shane, when you get in call me." He said into the phone yet again.
It wasn't like Ray not to have her phone on and with her. But then again, it wasn't like Ray to be out until two in the morning either.
"She still out isn't she son?"
"Yeah, she's not answering her phone."
Mark clicked his tongue, "Well Shane you have a dilemma, you can sit up and wait for her, or you can just get some sleep and talk to her tomorrow when you are of sound mind. But that's up to you."
Shane nodded numbly. He didn't want to have to see her stumbling in all hours of the morning, hickies all over her neck and chest. This isn't his Ray.
"This isn't my Ray," he mumbled aloud.
"You're right, she isn't." Mark said on his way out the door.
"Then why do I feel like someone just stole my girl?" he asked the empty bedroom.
************************************************************************
Ray had the time of her life with John; he was so laid back and down to Earth. She looked down at the time it was nearly 5 a.m.
"Shit, no time to sleep, just work out and go." She said as she stumbled into the hotel room.
Shane was stretching in the middle of the floor. He barely looked up at her when she walked in.
"Morning." She was very cheerful for someone who hadn't had any sleep.
"You don't say. Did you have fun?"
"Sure did," she told him sporting a big red blotch on her neck.
Shane rolled his eyes. "Ready to go or am I going by myself today?"
"Give me thirty seconds," she told him ignoring his obvious attitude as she walked into the bathroom.
Now exactly where the hell has she been all night, Shane griped to himself. And when the hell did she get that?
Out with John, his mind answered for him. Didn't you hear her?
What does she see in him anyway?
He makes her feel like she belongs to someone Shane, his mind whispered, like she belongs to him.
Shane popped out of bed; Ray was lying in bed beside him, her braid lying across his chest. He looked at her slender neck, no hickies. And though he could smell the faint scent of alcohol on her breath, he let out a sigh of relief.
"Oh my God I have to tell her." Shane said aloud.
"Tell who what?" Ray asked him.
"Nothing honey," Shane stroked her braid, "Did you have fun tonight?"
Ray popped out of bed and started relaying the whole evening. Shane was sorry he had asked he didn't want to hear that she had a good time. But he smiled and nodded as she gushed about her night and how all the men were coming on to her. She was so excited, but he wanted it to be him she was excited over.
"I'm glad you had a good time." Shane said as he rolled over and closed his eyes.
"I did." She said as she reached for her cell phone. "Hello John?"
"Hey mama, what's up?"
"I just wanted to say thank you for tonight. I had a lot of fun."
"I had fun too. Thank you for coming out with me."
"Hey, what time do you get up in the morning?"
"Around 7, why?"
"You want to have breakfast with me or something?" Ray asked shyly.
Shane's eyes shot open. Now she was having breakfast with him. John was going to have breakfast with his Ray. Damn it!
"Sure mama, I would love to. See you in the morning."
"See you." She said putting her cell phone back on the nightstand.
Ray went back to bed with a smile on her face. She liked John and John liked her. She glanced over her shoulder to look at Shane. He had his back to her. He wasn't holding her like he usually did. He wasn't even touching her. Had she made him angry?
Shane wasn't angry with Ray, he was just, well what the hell was he exactly, he was jealous he guessed he could say. He loved this girl lying next to him and now he might never get the chance to tell her.
Ray was busy on the treadmill; she looked down at her watch. It was almost time for her to have breakfast with John.
"Uncle Shawn, I have a breakfast date."
"Do tell," he said lifting his weight again.
"It's with Cena," She heard Paul say. "It's all he's been talking about since he got up this morning. I think someone has the hots for Ray."
Shane tried his hardest to tune out the conversation, so he concentrated on bench pressing his weights.
"Well he's in good company, half the locker room has the hots for Ray." Shawn said winking at Ray. Ray felt herself blush.
"Only half?" Paul asked.
"Yeah well the other half are married or have girlfriends." Ray said.
"Smart ass." Paul said.
Ray threw her towel over her shoulder, "Yeah but that's why you love me."
She left the gym to go have breakfast with John.
"You know I had a really good time last night." He told her after breakfast as it was off to the arena for some quick sparring.
"Would you believe that was my first date?"
"Stop it."
"No I'm serious, and I had a good time too."
"I wish I had known, I would've made it a little bit more," John stopped.
"A little bit more what John?"
"I don't know special." He said finally.
Ray shook her head and smiled. A smile that drove the men of the WWE locker room mad, John included.
"Now, it was great." She said as she pulled into the parking lot of the arena.
He leaned over and kissed her cheek as he got out of the car, "Now, it was great."