After Stu and Rhonda recovered, they took a quick shower to clean up and get the sticky off. They stripped the bottom sheet and he had to laugh at her "years of being in the hotel industry, Stu." She took the top sheet and folded it around the corners and they crawled into bed.
"Very nice love."
She snuggled into his chest and fell asleep listening to his heartbeat. He watched her sleep and thought about how things had been since he met her. He wanted tell her how he felt, but he wasn't sure how she would take it. He wanted to believe that she felt the same way as he did because she flew all the way out to see him. After everything that happened with Victoria, he couldn't help but feel a little insecure. And now that he was hurt, he was uncertain about his future. He knew he probably wouldn't sleep, and he lay awake with so many things running through his head. He was hoping that when he saw the WWE doctors tomorrow, it wouldn't be bad news.
When they finally woke up the next morning, Rhonda started packing her things. Stu asked her what she was doing, and she replied, "well, I have a plane to catch back to Ohio this morning."
"Oh. I didn't realize you were going home so soon" he told her with disappointment in his voice.
"Yeah, I need to get back and start looking for a new job."
"I am sorry about you losing your job. I didn't mean for that to happen."
"It's okay, Stu. I really didn't like my job to begin with, and I wouldn't change the fact that I got to meet you. And Stephen and Drew too. It was the best time of my life" she told him with a smile.
Stu wanted then to ask her to stay, but couldn't seem to make the words come out. She secretly hoped he would ask her to stay, but she knew that wasn't feasible. She thought to herself how different they were and how it wouldn't work with her living in Ohio, and him in Florida. Besides the fact he was on the road all the time. She was trying to hide the fact that she wanted to go with him. She hated seeing him hurt and wanted to take care of him.
"Do you at least have time for breakfast before you leave, love?"
"No, I'm sorry, I don't think I do. I didn't set my alarm, and have overslept. I don't want to miss my flight."
"I see. Well, thank you for coming to see me. I'm sorry that you had to see me get injured and that we didn't get to spend much time together. But last night was incredible. Thank you." She could tell he looked a little dejected, but decided he was going to have to make his intentions clear if he wanted her to stick around. She wasn't convinced that it wasn't just him not wanting to be alone.
"I had fun last night too. It would be nice if we could do it again sometime. Even though I don't know when that would be. I hope everything turns out okay with the doctors today. I hope you'll be able to go to WrestleMania. Will you give me a call later when you find out something?"
"Of course, love. You have a safe trip."
"You too. Here are my room keys. You can just turn them in when you are ready to leave." She had finished gathering her stuff up and Stu stood to tell her goodbye. He pulled her into his arms and embraced her tightly. "I really wish you didn't have to go. But I guess you have to, eh?"
"Yeah, unfortunately I do." He leaned down to kiss her and ran his fingers through her hair. He glided his tongue across her lips before it slipped into her mouth. He closed his eyes trying to commit everything about her to memory. He wanted to be able to remember her taste, her smell, her feel, and her touch. When she pulled away, she touched his cheek and pecked his lips softly.
"You really are quite handsome, Stu. Anyway, I guess I had better go. Bye."
"Bye." He watched as she grabbed her bags, and walked out of his life. He lay back on the bed, kicking himself for letting her leave. Part of him was telling him that she had to go. She had a life to get back to and so did he. But the other part of him was telling him, screaming at him, to not let her go. There was something special about her, and he wasn't sure he'd ever find it again. He was afraid to take a chance, but he knew that if he didn't at least try, even if she said no, he would regret it for the rest of his life.
Rhonda was walking down the hallway, trying not to break down. She knew she shouldn't have gotten attached him, but she couldn't seem to help herself. He was a very special man and she had never met anyone like him before. And she didn't know if she would ever find another man like him. She made it to the lobby and took a quick look back before getting in the shuttle to the airport.
Stu hurried up and got dressed and ran out of the hotel room, hoping to catch her. He stepped off the elevator to the lobby in time to see her get into the shuttle bus. "Damn it!" He went up to the desk clerk and asked her to call a cab for him. He turned in the keys and went and sat down, impatiently waiting for the taxi to get there.
When the cab arrived, he told the driver to go to the airport and get there as fast as he could. He tried to call Rhonda on her cell, but she wasn't answering. He wasn't even sure when he got there that he would be able to find her. He hoped he could figure out what terminal she was leaving from. When they finally pulled up at the airport, Stu quickly paid the man and ran inside. He tried to call her again to see where she was.' Where the bloody hell is she and why won't she pick up?'
He went to the information desk to ask if they could look up her flight. "Do you know what airline she is flying?"
"No, I'm not sure. She is flying to Cincinnati, does that narrow it down?"
"Let me see what flights are leaving for there this morning." She looked on the computer and saw there were only two flights going to Ohio. "Okay, there is one American Airlines leaving from terminal C and the other one is on Delta, departing from gate H."
"Thank you so much." The lady smiled at him and answered, "you're welcome, and good luck."
Stu decided he would try C first since it was leaving sooner, and hope she was there. He took off in that direction, practicing what he would say to her. He was hoping that she had feelings for him as well, but he didn't know if she would give him a chance to show her that he wanted more than just sex. ' What am I thinking, am I really asking her to give up her life and take a chance on me? I must be mental.'
He got to terminal C, he looked all over for her. He didn't see her sitting down or standing at the counter. He decided to ask if she had checked in, in case she was in the ladies' room. The clerk told him they had no one by that name check in. "Damn it. Thanks anyway."
Now he knew he had to rush to find her before she boarded. He started to pick up the pace and half walked, half ran through the airport to get to gate H. When he finally made it, he didn't see her right away.
She was sitting, staring out into space, lost in thought. She was thinking what she could've done differently to make him happy and make him fall for her too. 'Why did I let myself fall for him? I knew from the beginning we could never be anything, and I let myself fall for him anyway. Why am I so stupid? He could have any woman in the world, how could I ever let myself believe he would want me? I guess I'll just have to be happy with being his friend and his booty call when he comes to Cincinnati.'
When he saw her, he felt his heart clench and his throat tighten.' Well it's now or never, mate. Faint heart never won fair lady.' She was looking away and didn't see him coming. He called her name "Rhonda!"
She quickly turned to see him approaching and couldn't believe her eyes. She stood to meet him "Stu? What are you…?" He grabbed her and silenced her with a passionate kiss to her lips. "Please don't leave me, Rhonda."
"Stu…"
"No. I don't want you to leave. I know I'm asking a lot, but I don't want to give up on what I could have with you. I have never had a woman make me feel like this or take chances like I have with you. Please, just say yes. Give me a chance to make this work. Give me the chance to prove I can make you happy. Look, I know I should've said earlier, but I was afraid. That doesn't matter now, I just don't want to lose you. Don't go."
"I don't really know what to say."
"Just say yes. Tell me you want to be with me. Tell me you'll come home with me. Tell me you'll be my girl."
She couldn't believe that the man of her dreams was standing in front of her pouring his heart out, like she dreamed one day would happen. She had to laugh that it seemed very soap opera to her. But she couldn't deny how happy he had made her. "Yes, I want to be with you. I want to come home with you and be your girl."
"Thank God. There for a minute, I was thinking you were going to tell me to bugger off!" he said with a laugh.
She started to giggle "no, I wasn't going to say that, but it did take you long enough." She reached and cupped the back of his head, pulling him down for a kiss. She twirled her fingers in his black curls and sighed as he caressed her ass while his mouth left her breathless. When he finally pulled away from her, he felt overcome with emotion. He hugged her tightly and kissed her head. "You have no idea how happy you just made me."
"You have made me happy too. But I still have to go home and get some things."
"You don't have to go today, do you? You can fly back to Tampa with me and I promise I will go with you back home and help you pack your things."
"Okay. We are doing the right thing, aren't we?"
"I am positive we are. Oh, you do know I room with Ste and Drew, right?"
"Um, no, I didn't."
"That won't be awkward for you will it?"
"No, I was hoping it wouldn't be awkward for you."
"Of course not. They are my best mates and you are my girl. Sounds like a great place to live in" Stu said with a chuckle. "But I will make sure they know that you are off-limits now. You are mine, and I'm not sharing."
Rhonda had to laugh that he was now so possessive of her. She would admit that she liked the dominant side of him. "You're right. I'm all yours."
"That's what I like to hear. Let's get the hell out of here."
Rhonda took care of getting her ticket exchanged and Stu paid for the difference in costs. She didn't want him to, but he was adamant and she knew better than to argue with him because he is so stubborn. He insisted on taking her luggage, asserting that he was fine to take a rolling suitcase. They took a car and she headed back to his hotel with him.
When they entered his and Drew's room, Drew was packing his things. He looked up in shock at seeing Rhonda. "Oh aye, so that's why you didn't come back last night. When did you get in town, lassie?"
"I flew in yesterday to see the show last night. Then of course, Stu got hurt, so I went to see him at the hospital. Will you boys excuse me, I need to go to the um, loo."
She walked into the bathroom and left the guys alone to talk. "Wow mate, she flew all the way out here, just to see you? I hope you grew some balls and told her how you feel. I mean, she obviously cares about you, if she is willing to do that to be near you. If you haven't yet, you need to and quit being such a daft bugger. If you don't, maybe I should…"
"Hey there mate! Just rein that in. I told her this morning. I asked her to come back to Tampa with me. It was after I let her leave, but it doesn't matter, I still did it. She is all mine and she wants to be. I just wish I had gotten hurt right now. Otherwise I would be ecstatic."
"Yeah, what did the doc say?"
"It appears I have torn ligaments in my arm and it is dislocated. I am supposed to see the WWE doctor once we get home."
"That sucks. Well at least you have your bird to take care of you, in more ways than one. You are a lucky man, Stu. She is quite a find."
"She certainly is."