Chapter 17

Lily awoke, unsure of her surroundings as her eyes focused on the room around her. The sudden memory of the previous night dawn on her and she grinned looking to her right to see a still sleeping John. She stretched, her blue eyes falling on the alarm clock next to the bed and a pang of fear hit her. It read ten o'clock; her father would be coming to fetch her in an hour so they could head to the airport for the next show.

"John, wake up," she whispered, shaking him nervously.

He groaned, not even attempting to open hid eyes, "What is it, Lil?"

"You must wake up!" she insisted, shaking him harder.

He grabbed her hands and sat up, his eyes tired an unfocused as he fully awoke from his peaceful sleep. Lily smiled at this and kissed him, wrapping his arms around her, and pulling him close.

"What's the rush, hun?" he asked softly, his voice low from sleep.

"You have to go, my dad's coming in an hour to take me to the airport for the next show. If he finds you here, who knows what he'll do," she muttered, resting her head in the crook of his neck.

"Relax, it's alright, I'll be gone before he gets here," John soothed, running his fingers through her silky hair.

"I'm sorry he's being so protective of me," she whispered. "He must have told you about my last boyfriend."

"I know, Lil. I know about it, and I know why he doesn't want me to be with you. He just doesn't want your heart broken; he doesn't what you scared anymore."

"He doesn't understand," Lily said, her voice stronger with a sudden burst of emotion. "He doesn't realize that I'm not scared anymore. I feel safe with you, John. I feel different with you, like I can be myself and not worry about the looming dread that you'll hurt me. He just refuses to accept that."

"He told me," John assured her, his free hand caressing the gentle skin of her stomach. "Glen sees how your acting, and he knows why you are the way you are. He just doesn't want me to make a mistake. He told me you are sensitive. He wants us to break up, Lil."

"I can't do that," she sat up, looking him square in the eyes. "I refuse."

"I know," he smiled. "I didn't tell him that, but I think he knows too. That is why I called you before I came. That's why I came to you early, spent all day with you. I'm still recuperating from last night; I might not be able to do that again for a good three days, I got no juices left."

Lily grinned, licking her lips, "I did my job then."

"You did it well," he laughed.

Lily grinned and glanced at the clock, it was nearing ten-thirty. Her heart skipped at beat and she closed her eyes to calm down. John wrapped his arms around her from behind, kissing her bare shoulder, the strap of her tank top falling down her arm.

"You better get dressed, times running short," she grumbled, not wanting John to leave.

He nodded and let her go, climbing out of bed, "You're right, I should get moving. I'll be out in ten minutes."

Lily nodded, glancing over her shoulder as he moved into the bathroom to take a quick shower and get dressed. She fell back into the pillows on the bed, pulling the blankets over her shoulders and sighing.

"This is so retarded, why is he suddenly acting like such a jerk?" she mumbled to herself. "Must be the fact that I'm officially a Diva and I have to stay with Raw until I leave in three months, or his movie that's coming out soon."

Lily's thoughts were interrupted by the bathroom door opening and John stepping out, his chest still glistening with water. She sat up curiously, as he moved toward her his eyes glimmering in the morning sun streaming through the window next to the bed.

"John, what are you doing?" Lily asked as he knelt down in front of her.

He grinned and she bent down, kissing him passionately. He wrapped his arms around her, the water from his chest leaving marks on her pajamas.

"I don't want you to leave," Lily muttered, joining im on the floor.

He nuzzled the crook of her neck lovingly and she hugged him closer, "I love you."

Lily froze, her pulse quickening at his words. She had never them from anyone but her mother and father. She looked into his entrancing blue eyes and knew he meant what he said.

"You don't have to say it back," John whispered. "You're not ready."

Lily kissed him, and nodded, "I've never been told that before. Only by my parents," she admitted with sheepish smile.

John laughed, picking her up into his arms and dropping her on the bed gently. She pulled him down next to her and he leaned on his hand, running him fingers through her hair.

"You should go," she whispered.

"I know," he nodded. "I'll see you when we get to the airport, okay?"

"Yeah," Lily muttered, brushing her lips over his. He pulled her to him, kissing her harder and rolling her onto her back.

Lily smiled but placed her hand over his mouth when he went to kiss her again, "John, go. I don't want my dad—"

"I know," he sat up and grabbed his shirt, pulling it over his head and grabbing his shoes.

Lily followed him out into the front room and watched him shove his cell phone into his pocket and tie his sneakers. She leaned against the counter in the small kitchen and crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes following every move John made. He finally looked up from his rushing and strode over to her, wrapping an arm around her.

"I'll see ya," he muttered, kissing her quickly before making his way to the door.

"Bye," Lily whispered, and he disappeared from the room leaving it in chilling silence.

Lily sighed, scrubbing her face and moving to the dining table and plopping onto one of the chairs, "He loves me," she muttered incredulously. "But do I love him?"

Her mind reeled as she relived the events of the night before, his strong embrace and gentle kisses. She grinned; knowing her father would kill them both if he found out what she'd done with John the previous night, the sense of defiance fueling her actions. But do I love him? I've never experienced love before, how do I know? She thought. I must, I've never felt this way about anyone before. It's difficult to tell. How do I know?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the lock on the hotel room door clicking. She looked up and watched the door swing open to reveal her father, his eyes scanning the room. She knew he was looking for John and a smile tugged at her lips at the knowledge that he would find nothing.

"Are you ready to leave? The flight leaves in an hour," Glen asked when he finished scanning the room.

"I just have to get dressed," Lily shrugged, standing up.

"Hurry up then," he grumbled, taking a seat on the couch in front of the TV.

Lily rolled her eyes and moved into the bedroom, closing the door with a snap behind her and going through her drawers, quickly throwing her clothes into her suitcase and laying out an outfit. She rushed into the bathroom and brushed her teeth quickly before pulling her tangled hair back into a ponytail and gathering her things together as quick as she could.

"Come on, Lil, we have to go!" he father called impatiently.

"Coming!" she called back. "Shit," she mumbled under her breath, completeing her hurried packing and zipping her suitcase and carry-on. She then pulled on the outfit she'd set aside, a white tank top and blue jeans along with her black Converse. She quickly put on a small amount of makeup and hurried from the room, glancing at herself from I the mirror as she left the room.

"I'm ready," she said breathlessly.

"Get your stuff, the limo's waiting out front," Glen ordered and stood up.

"Wait, Dad, I want to talk to you," she stopped him, her hands on her hips.

"What, Lil."

"Why do you hate me being with John so much?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Because he's too old for you and I don't trust him. Did you know he was engaged to his high school sweetheart and broke it off?"

"Yes, I did know that, Dad. But that leaves you no room to mistrust him. What has he done to you?" she demanded.

"It's complicated," he growled. "And I don't have the time to explain, let's go."

Lily glared at him, determined to find out why her father hated John so much. She went back into the bedroom and grabbed her things, dragging them out of the room, the glare of her father following her from the room. She ignored everyone in the lobby and trudged to the designated limo, throwing her stuff in the trunk and climbing in, refusing to speak to anyone as she waited for her father.