Chapter 3: Hands Down

John Cena was the happiest man at RAW. He found the girl of his dreams, and he and Maria won the mixed tag team match that determined who would get to choose the guest referee for the WWE Championship Title match between Edge and himself on next week's RAW.

He proudly and confidently sauntered backstage, his arm still around Maria. When they reached the girls' locker room, he asked, "Hey, we're staying at the same hotel, right? Want me to drive you over?"

Maria smiled, "I'd like that. I just have to change first. I don't want to check in wearing this." She laughed nervously and looked down at her barely-there wrestling attire.

"I don't think they'd mind much," Cena replied. "Kidding!" he quickly conceded after Maria slapped him on the arm. "Alright, I'll shower, change, and meet you here in, let's say, thirty minutes?"

"Sounds like a plan," Maria smiled. She turned away and her smile grew larger as Cena tapped her on the butt again.

Minutes later, John Cena stood in the stream of water pouring from the shower head in the locker room. He loved showers; they helped soothe his nerves and calm his thoughts. But this shower wasn't helping pacify his jumbled thoughts. He liked Maria. She was sweet, selfless, and sexy. But he didn't think that it would be wise to become involved with someone at this time in his career, especially with someone in the business.

He stepped out from under the shower and wrapped a towel around himself. He changed into black break-away pants and a Chain Gang shirt, and pulled on a hat and perfectly worn-in Nikes. He headed over to the women's locker room to meet Maria.

Cena knocked on the door and asked, "Maria, are you ready?" He waited outside the door for an answer.

"John, you're here already?" Maria inquired. "I'll be a few minutes. I still have to change." Cena was glad that he didn't come into the girls' locker room. Even though he would have loved to see Maria wearing very little, not that she was wearing much in the match, he had respect for the Diva with an infectiously bubbly personality.

Maria soon emerged wearing brown sweatpants and a pink WWE Divas t-shirt. Even with her hair up in a messy bun and her face free of makeup, Cena thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. "I'm ready now," she said and looked into Cena's eyes. She never noticed how blue they really were before. She snapped out of her trance when Cena carried her duffel bag and took her hand in his.

"Let's go then," he said, and they walked to the parking lot in comfortable silence.

He unlocked his car and, ever the gentleman, opened the passenger door for Maria. Cena walked around the car and settled himself in the driver's seat.

"I'm surprised," he stated. Maria looked at him questioningly.

"Why?" she inquired in a mixture of disbelief and confusion.

"It's just, you talked so much earlier, and now you're not talking at all," Cena answered.

She blushed, "Oh, I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind, I guess."

"It's okay. I just wanted to get to know you a little better. Like your days before WWE, and stuff. Or what you like to do when you're not on the road."

"Um," Maria began hesitantly, "I don't know where to start." John looked over at her with a reassuring smile.

"I'm sure you can think of something," Cena insisted.

"I'm a boring person!" Maria laughed. "I stay home and sleep, or eat, or read. I don't get out much except when we're on the road."

Cena laughed with her, "Any hobbies? Or hidden talents?"

"Hidden talents!" she snickered. "Yeah right. But as for hobbies, I really like to sing. But I only sing when I'm home alone. That way there's no one to criticize my lack of talent."

"I'm sure you're a wonderful singer."

"You're very kind," Maria appeased. "But you haven't heard me, so don't make any judgments."

"Alright, I'll have to hear you sing for myself then," Cena smiled at Maria before turning his attention back on the road. Silence overcame them once again until they reached the hotel both were staying at. "Well, here we are. Ready to head on up?"

"Let's go."

There was one man waiting at the reception desk. Night check-in was rare. When he saw the duo approach his desk, a beautiful woman and a toned man, both engaged in playful banter, he thought that they would be together. He was proven wrong when they checked in separately.

"Come on, I'll walk you to your room," Cena said. Maria's eyes twinkled in happiness. "Chivalry is not dead after all," she thought.

"Well, thank you so much, John, for walking with me. You've been a perfect gentleman," Maria said once they reached her door.

Cena smiled and nodded, "It was my pleasure. Well, good night and sweet dreams. I'll see you next week?"

She smiled back, "Of course. Goodnight, John."

Cena grinned and turned back to the elevators to head up to his room. Maria was conflicted. She wanted to get to know Cena better. The only way she could at the moment was to invite him in.

"John, wait!" she called. He turned around. "Um, I was wondering, um, if you wanted to, maybe, you know, come in? So you don't have to walk all the way up to your room. You have to be really tired after that match. And if you're hungry, we could order room service. Or we can order a movie and just talk and stuff. Uh, yeah."

Cena smiled at her rambling. "All right. Sounds good."

They entered the hotel room, exhausted from the night's match. "Make yourself at home. I just have to change into something more comfortable."

Cena flopped onto the bed, and Maria carried her duffel bag into the bathroom. He turned on the TV, catching up with the latest happenings around the globe. She pulled off her sweats and stepped into booty shorts. She exited the bathroom and lay down on her stomach on the bed next to Cena. "So, what's new in the world?" she asked.

Cena, on the other hand, was no longer engrossed by the late night news. Instead, his eyes were entranced by Maria's butt, hardly concealed by her barely-there shorts. "Uh…" he could not formulate a response with her dressed like that.

When Cena didn't respond, Maria turned around and questioned, "John? Are you alright?"

Cena still didn't reply. Instead, his gaze moved from her butt and slowly moved up her body, mentally caressing her breasts, and meeting her clear grey eyes. His intense gaze took her breath away. Before Maria could realize it, Cena had moved on top of her and attached his lips to hers.

Minutes later, they broke apart, gasping for breath. "Wow, um, John, we really shouldn't be—" Maria's train of thought was interrupted by Cena placing light kisses down her neck and across her collarbone. His hands moved from her hair to her waist, leaving a burning sensation wherever his fingers touched.

"Ohh," Maria moaned. She repositioned her hands to the hem of Cena's shirt. She slipped a hand up his shirt and traced the lines of his toned abs.

It was Cena's turn to groan. He growled in her ear, "Do you know what you do to me?" Maria didn't respond, only smiled coyly at him, and looked up through lidded eyes. Cena took the hem of her shirt in his hands and pulled, exposing her breasts confined by a lace bra. Soon, both were naked, their hands roaming the new territory of each other's body.

Cena soon gained consciousness and asked, "Maria, are you sure?" She nodded and pulled his head down to kiss him again.

"Relax," he said softly, winking at her before leaning closer to her. Maria closed her eyes and succumbed to the pleasure.