"Come in!" I shouted at whoever was knocking on my door. Mari came in and threw her handbag onto my bed.
"So," she said. "What. Was. That?"
"What was what?" I was wrapping an ace bandage around my waist trying to completely ignore the fact that I'd just made out with Stephen on live TV.
"You! And Stephen! All over each other! In the ring!"
"I honestly have no clue what you're talking about." I replied feigning absentmindedness.
"Here let me show you!" She popped a disc into the DVD player. I watched as I stalked out of the ring victorious and everything that followed. I saw the kiss, watched the jaws drop on everyone in the building, including Jerry. Stephen and I were frantically moving like he'd just come back from war! What happened next was so funny that I fought back tears of laughter. First Matt hurried into the ring and started tapping me on the shoulder, then John C. tried to get Stephen's attention. Finally Stephanie and Paul ran from backstage, their eyes as big as golf balls. They jumped the ropes just as Mr. McMahon strode out to the ring.
"Ahem." Vince cleared his throat as Steph and Paul wrestled Stephen and I apart. The camera closed in on our beet red faces. Mari picked up the remote and clicked the TV off.
"That! Now, tell me you don't know what I'm talking about." she smirked deviantly.
"Okay! Okay!" I turned my face away from her, "So...it wasn't my fault! He kissed me first!"
"You were ranting about stuff that happens out of the ring!"
"I...I...it wasn't me!"
"Alright, that was weak."
"I know." I dropped my head.
"Well, what was it like? Did you get butterflies? Was there a spark? Spill the details!"
"Uh...I really don't remember anything other than, well, it was amazing! I felt like I was on fire!"
"That wasn't your first kiss was it?"
"No! But...it was the first one that ever made me feel like that! I was completely out of it! I forgot that there were people there, I forgot I was working, it was just...well, you know!"
"Awww!"
"Don't 'awww' me!"
"I so 'awww'ed you!" We shared a laugh and I finished getting dressed in the outfit that I'd bought earlier. I threw a zipper hoodie on over my clothes and then we headed out for the night.
As was to be expected, everyone was at the same club dancing, drinking and carrying on like monkeys. The Who's Who (by that I mean the men with the big paychecks) were gathered around a table, Stephen among them. He lifted his head and smiled at me as I walked through the door and I waved shyly at him, blushed and followed Mari to the dance floor giggling. She was just as giggly as I was. I swear if anyone that didn't know us saw us they would've thought we were two school girls sneaking in! It was just the way we were acting.
We found the other girls and Sonny pressed drinks into our hand. Some song with a techno feel started to play as we sipped our drinks and danced. There was no telling how long we were really on the floor, everything felt like it was going 90 miles a hour, but somehow or another some of the guys worked their ways over to us. As they dragged the other girls deeper into the jungle of human body parts I walked toward the bar.
"What'll ya have?" The burly bartender asked.
"Uh...just a Guinness." He pulled a cup from under the bar and filled it to the brim with frothy beer. Before he handed it to me he asked for the money owed and I patted my pockets.
"Shit!"
"Here, let me get that." Stephen stepped from behind me and handed the bartender some cash.
"Thanks." I smiled and took a sip of my beer.
"I thought you didn't drink."
" I do tonight."
"Hurry up and finish that. I want to show you something." I tried my hardest to chug it but as an inexperienced drinker I just choked. Stephen snatched the glass from me and downed the remainder before grabbing my hand and leading me out of the bar.
A park.
A large beautiful park.
Stephen pulled me through a series of paths and into a secluded little garden. There was a small fountain bubbling in the center and a few benches surrounding it. Deep red leaves fell from the trees lining the paths and sweet fall flowers sat snuggly in their beds. Stephen and I sat down on one of the wrought iron benches.
"So..." I said. "Why'd you bring me here?"
"To be alone."
"Oh." We sat there for a few more minutes in silence before he looked back at me. His eyes still sparkled despite the lack of light.
"You know, An, I think yer beautiful." I blushed crimson, but he continued. "I like talking to ya, I like being in the ring with ya, and well, I"
"I what?"
"I don't know...I just know that I like ya."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I wanted to talk to ya' about earlier, ya know. Did that" he waved his hand in the air, "in the ring mean anything to ya', An?"
"Uh..."
"Oh." He turned away from me once more and again we fell into silence. I steeled my courage and touched his shoulder.
"Stephen, I like you, too. And what happened earlier made my heart beat a mile a minute!"
He turned back to me, "It did?"
"Yeah."
"What would happen if I kissed ya right now?"
"I...I...I.. don't know." He leaned down towards me. I felt like I was in one of those hazy eyed dreams. When our lips touched I suddenly became very aware of every aspect of him: The way he smelled; The softness of his lips; The strength of his arms as they wrapped around me. I placed my arms around his neck and leaned into him as he pulled me in closer. His heat seeped into my bones warming me to the core. I pushed boldly to deepen the kiss. His lips parted and I found his tongue running the seam of my lips. I opened to him with a sigh. We searched each others' mouth, exploring the differing tastes and learning each other's style. We fought for supremacy over the kiss. He won out and started to lay me down on the bench. His hands moved to rest on my hips as he positioned himself over me. He unzipped my hoodie and moved his hands up my waist learning my curves. I moaned a little encouraging him even more.
"I want someone provocative and talkative
but it's so hard when you're shallow as a shower
From what I've heard with skin you'll win."
"Shit!" I pushed Stephen off me.
"What?"
"My phone's ringing!" I rushed to pull the Blackberry out of my pocket and pressed TALK without looking at the ID, officially killing the musical ringtone.
"Where are you?" Mike screamed over the music in the background.
"Uh...getting some fresh air."
"We just sent Nattie out to look, and you aren't out there!"
"Good deduction Captain Obvious! I'm at a park."
"What park?"
"I dunno, Kermie, does it look like I know anything about this town?"
"Then how'd you get there?"
"I wandered in."
"Should we get Stephen to go find you?"
"No. I can get back on my own. Bye Frog." I hung up the phone with a laugh and looked up at Steve.
"What was that about, An?"
"Mike wanted to know where I was and if he needed to send you to find me."
"He knows yer gone but no one's managed to notice I'm gone?"
"Uh-" His phone started ringing.
He peeked at the caller ID and hit ignore. "I think we need to get back."
"Yeah..." We stood up and Steve walked to one of the flower beds. He squatted down and plucked a tiny purple flower from it's delicate stem.
"Here." He pushed the flower into my open palm.
"Oh! I love Crocuses!"
"Really now? What other flowers do ya' like?"
"All of them. I have a giant garden back home...I hope mom remembered to trim my irises back."
"Irises?"
"Yeah." We started to leave and as we strolled through the front gate he grabbed my hand. I blushed a little but found that I felt really comfortable with my tiny hand in his. Once again he lead me through the streets until we stood in front of our hotel. Unfortunately there were several fans standing out front and their first instinct was to snap pictures. I sighed heavily and Stephen and I set out to signing autographs and posing with the fans for pictures. We eventually made our way into the lobby. Stephen started for the elevator.
"Hold on." I said pulling my phone out one more time. I started a new text to Mike.
SpAz: Hey I'm at the hotel. Fans are out full force. You've been warned.
Kermit: How did u get back?
SpAz: I have my ways.
Kermit: Is Stephen w/ u?
SpAz: None ya'
Kermit: He is! Busted!
SpAz: Fuck You!
I shoved the phone into my back pocket. "C'mon," I grabbed Stephen's hand and headed for the elevators.
The doors opened on a deserted hallway. We stepped out and Stephen walked me down the hall to my room. We stopped in front of the door and smiled at each other.
"So, An, would you go out with me tomorrow?"
I looked down at my feet and smiled. "Yeah...I'd like that."
"Okay...I'll see ya' tomorrow night, then." He lifted my face to meet his gaze. He kissed me and walked in the opposite direction. I turned five different shades of red and slid my key card on the door lock. I shoved the big door out of the way and tripped over the threshold on my way in. I laughed when I hit the floor, stumbled to my feet and slammed the door. I went and took a shower and changed into my PJs. I flopped down on the bed with a dreamy sigh and a huge smile plastered on my face just as Lay walked through the door.
"Did you have a good night?" She asked.
"The best!"
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