Chapter Nineteen

"Rough night?"

Dean's reply was an string of garbled words muttered around the rim of his coffee as he followed Roman into the building. Even though they weren't supposed to be there until later, his friend had insisted they get an early start. Too early a start for Dean's taste, but there was no changing the man's mind once it was set. Hardheaded bastard. Thankfully he was saved from having to answer again by security making them check in. He mentally crossed his fingers that Roman would forget by the time they reached the elevator.

Seth, gaze on his phone, pressed the button for their destination. "Ha!" he burst, followed by a series of chuckles. "Check this out."

Dean glanced to the screen, offering what he hoped was a convincing chuckle after what seemed an appropriate amount of time. Roman leaned to look, too, giving him a reprieve. He continued nursing his coffee, hoping it would jolt his system from its fog. Too late, he realized he should have pulled out his own phone. Surely there was a text he should respond to. Or an email he should read. Despite what he said in interviews, he wasn't that technologically challenged. But just when he reached into his pocket, he felt eyes on him and groaned.

"What's with you today? You've been grumpy as hell since I called you."

Probably because when Roman had called him, Elizabeth had been sprawled over him. He'd had to move her to get to his phone. And she'd done that adorable little whine, the one that made him want to tell the world to fuck off so he could hold her all day long.

Next to him, Seth chuckled. "You dragged his ass away from Lizzie, man. I'd be grumpy as hell, too."

He slammed a fist into Seth's shoulder, then turned his scowl on Roman. "I'm not grumpy."

"Telling me to go eat a bag of dicks when I greeted you in the hotel wasn't exactly chipper. C'mon, asshole, what's up?"

"I didn't get enough sleep, alright? Forgive me for not bowing down and kissing your hairy toes when I first saw you."

Seth snorted, then grinned. "She keep you up all night?"

She had, but not in the way Seth was suggesting. It would be so easy, so fucking easy, to just grin and let them assume that his lack of sleep was due to an abundance of sex. But they were his friends. His brothers, both onscreen and off. And he couldn't lie.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he groaned. "Not really…"

"Did something go wrong at the dinner? Man, tell me Trips didn't rake your ass over the coals for being with her—"

"No, it wasn't that. Dinner was pretty good, really. It's just…" He groaned again and glanced to the display in hopes they were close to their floor. No such luck. And, to make sure they didn't get there before he spilled his guts, Roman punched the 'stop' button. Dean muttered a curse beneath his breath.

Seth pushed his phone into his pocket and nudged his cap back. "Dude?"

"I fucked up," Dean sighed.

"What'd you do?!"

The question came from both of them. In unison. Practically barked. Frowning, Dean took a small step back. "I—"

"You didn't break it off, did you?" Seth asked.

"No, I—"

"Did you pull that old bullshit about needing space?" Roman was starting to scowl.

"No! I just—" He cut off, to give them a chance to interrupt with more questions, but they merely looked at him. Well, glared. They were glaring at him. Like he was some asshole that had defiled their virginal sister. He wondered what Elizabeth's reaction would be if he told her they'd grown protective of her in past weeks. Clearing his throat, he looked down at his cup of coffee. "I said something I probably shouldn't have."

"Oh man," Seth sighed, clapping a hand on his shoulder in sympathy. "I've been there."

"You have?"

"Yeah. It's rough. And you never know how a woman's going to react when you say that." Seth squeezed his shoulder. "But I learned it's best to let it out and go for it. They might hesitate at first, but they go wild once it gets going."

Dean blinked. "Um… I don't think we're talking about the same thing."

His friend grunted. "You didn't ask her for anal?"

"Oh Jesus Christ," Dean muttered, shoving the man away. But he laughed. "They're actually more open to doing it if you start priming them while you eat—"

"Dean."

He groaned. Of course Roman wasn't going to let this go. The man was stubborn. "Right… So, uh… I might have said that I love her."

Dead silence. His friends stared at him in disbelief. He could hear the whine of the elevator cables seconds before the car began to move upward again.

"Fuck you guys," he grumbled when they remained silent. "It's not that shocking. I am capable of loving another person. Shit, I love you two morons. But, fuck. I don't know. I said it during sex and I don't even know if she heard me. And I panicked because I thought she'd heard me so shit got awkward. Then she kept tossing and turning all night like she was worried about someth—What?"

Roman had winced, and Seth looked as though he'd smelled something foul.

"During sex?" Seth began to shake his head. "Dude, never say it then."

"It just came out." He looked to Roman, hoping for something that resembled sense.

"Do you?"

Important words, asked gently.

"I do," he answered without hesitation. Once the words were out he felt some of the weight slip from his shoulders.

"Then that's all that matters, right?" Seth asked. "Sure it's crazy and the situation is fucked up, but you're willing to work for it."

"Yeah," Dean agreed, nodding.

"And she obviously has feelings for you." Seth shrugged when Dean shot him a look. "It's the way she looks at you."

"You look at her the same way," Roman added. Laughing, he slung an arm around Dean's shoulders and gave him a squeeze as they stumbled off the elevator. "It'll work out, bro."

He laughed too, even though he wasn't as sure as Roman and Seth seemed to be.

Stretching in her seat as those around her began to stand and get their carryon, Elizabeth caught the strap of her purse with one foot and pulled it closer. Once it was in her lap she retrieved her phone, powering it on so she could check twitter and Instagram while waiting for the crowd lining up to exit the plane to disperse.

"You coming?" Dean asked, patting her denim-clad thigh.

"Yeah, in a minute." She sighed at the loss of his jacket when he slipped it off her lap. The faintest hint of his cologne stayed behind, though, and that comforted her.

Strange, how a day spent apart and a flight spent napping had erased the awkwardness of the night before. When they'd met up at the airport in Connecticut, he'd greeted her in his usual manner, even bringing her coffee. She'd been a bit surprised, considering he'd avoided public displays before, but hadn't said a word. They had chatted about their day while eating a quick sub in the airport, and he'd looped his arm around her while they waited to board. And kissed her forehead.

Strange, indeed.

But she wasn't going to complain or question. She loved having his arm around her. And the sweet way he kissed her forehead.

I love you.

"This is yours, right?"

Pulled from her thoughts, she took the ash gray sweatshirt bearing her alma mater's name across the front. She slipped it on and stood as he set her carryon in his empty seat. "We're getting a rental tonight, aren't we?"

"Roman's in charge of it. We'll catch up with him and Seth inside." Hands braced on the overhead bin, he leaned in. "What are you doing in the morning?"

"I was planning on hitting the gym then doing a little shopping before going in. Why?" she asked, stuffing her phone into the kangaroo pocket of her sweatshirt.

"What kind of shopping?"

"Christmas. Tis the season and all." She smiled despite her sudden worry over her holiday plans. Usually she would be starting to coordinate a huge Thanksgiving dinner for the Cena and Richards families. She wasn't sure when it had happened, but it had gone from separate meals with each family to one giant to-do that she and John hosted. She had always hated being hostess, because there was so much stress involved. And it seemed like each year more work was put on her while others sat around watching TV. She wouldn't miss it, despite having no idea what she would be doing for the holiday. "Why do you ask?"

"I was wondering if you'd want to go out. Maybe grab breakfast out at one of those little café places since we're someplace kind of warm. What do you say?"

Elizabeth was pretty sure she felt her heart flutter in her chest. He looked hopeful. And, judging by things he'd said during their many conversations, she had a feeling he rarely asked a woman out. At least, not for something so innocent as breakfast and shopping. She felt a brief sting of anxiety about venturing into public. With shows happening in the area all weekend, keen-eyed fans would be everywhere. What would either of them say if approached by a nosy fan? But, she thought of enjoying time with him, which always did. Lips curving into a smile, she nodded while reaching for her carryon. "I'd love to."

"Good." He grabbed her bag and slung it over his shoulder, which already had his backpack hanging from it. His hand slid over hers and held on. For a moment he just stood there looking at her then, with a small smile, guided her into the aisle.

With nothing to worry about except her purse, she clutched his hand, aware of her phone buzzing in her pocket as Dean stepped aside so she could walk in front of him. There was still a line of slow-moving passengers but she didn't mind. There was no one trying to jostle her to the side. Probably due to him. His hand gave a squeeze then released, moving to rest at her waist.

I love you.

"Is someone calling you? Your phone's going crazy," he chuckled.

"It's just stuff coming through after being turned off so long. I'll check them once we get in the car."

He hummed in reply, and she felt the pressure of his lips at the top of her head.

Her phone stopped its buzzing as they exited the plane, and she was aware of his hand remaining at the small of her back when they went towards the baggage claim. Seth was already there, leaning against his large suitcase and yawning into his shoulder. When he saw them he smiled, and she remembered that she hadn't seen him before their flight had left Connecticut. She and Dean had driven separately and she'd gone to the restroom before takeoff. When she'd come out it had been time to board. In the resulting chaos she had only caught a glimpse of him when boarding the plane.

"I'm so glad we're not driving tonight," he announced, slipping his phone from the pocket of his jeans. "Ro's getting the rental straight. I'm on the lookout for his shit."

"Do you draw straws to see who drives?" Elizabeth asked, glancing beyond him to the conveyor to see if her baggage had come through yet.

"Rock paper scissors," Dean answered with a chuckle, slipping he carryon from his shoulder and handing it over. "Keep an eye out for my stuff, man, I've got to piss."

"Yeah, yeah." Seth waved him off, eyes on his phone.

"I'll look for it," Elizabeth assured. Having shared a room with his suitcase for almost a week, she was well-acquainted with it. Especially since she'd tripped over it at least once a day. "Go."

"Thanks." He smiled, dimple appearing, and adjusted his cap before heading off.

"Oh yeah, I've got a bone to pick with you." Seth raised his head and she saw his furrowed brow.

Her heart thudded in her chest. "Me?"

"Yeah." He gestured to her with his phone, and from a brief glimpse she was able to see that he was on Instagram. "How come you don't follow me?"

"Oh," she breathed with relief, punctuating it with a laugh as she reached into her pocket for her phone. "I thought I'd done something really terrible."

"You have," Seth insisted, plucking her phone from her hand as soon as she had unlocked it. "I'll do it for you. Just to make sure you—Whoa."

"What?"

"You've got a shit-ton of notifications on Twitter," he chuckled. "Did you forget to turn them off?"

"Oh, that. I turn them on before a flight or show so later I'll remember to check them. We must maintain a social media presence," she intoned, somehow refraining from rolling her eyes at the oft-repeated statement made by the higher ups. "I'm surprised I've got so many tonight, though. I haven't done anything since Monday."

"A lot on Instagram, too," he noted, tilting the screen so she could see the orange tag at the bottom of the screen. "You're popular this week."

"It's probably more clips of my scream from Monday." Shrugging, she glanced to the conveyor and stepped around Seth to retrieve her suitcase. She strapped her carryon to the top, extending the handle so she could hang her purse from it while waiting for Dean and Roman. "Do I follow you now?"

"Yep. And you've liked my last five posts." Seth handed over her phone, which buzzed with another notification as soon as it was in her palm.

"Great," she muttered, locking the phone and stuffing it into her pocket once more. Making a mental note to turn off notifications from Twitter and Instagram permanently, she nodded towards the conveyor. "There's Dean's suitcase, by the way."

Roman joined them, and Elizabeth enjoyed the easy camaraderie between the two men as they joked about giving Dean's suitcase away. Seth acted as though he was going to walk away, finally grabbing the suitcase with a laugh. By the time Dean returned they were ready to go.

She appreciated the warmer weather as soon as they stepped outside. While it was far from balmy, the difference from the deep freeze she'd left behind in Hartford was heavenly to her. She had checked the forecast and was looking forward to a few days of not having to worry about snow.

Pulled from her mental enjoyment of the weather when Dean's hand slipped over hers, she glanced to him. His gaze met hers briefly in the yellowed glow of the outdoor lights and she felt a small smile pull at her lips.

I love you.

She thought the words and gave his hand a squeeze, hooking her thumb over his. She thought of him saying the words, low and deep, possibly because he had been caught up in the passion. She thought of how awkward things had been the night before, at least until they'd finally fallen asleep. She'd awakened to find his arm over her, his breath in her hair, her leg draped across his hip. It seemed once exhaustion had taken over her body had found its way to his.

Roman took her luggage to stow it in the back of the SUV that had been rented and she made sure to thank him before moving to climb into the back seat. She was vaguely aware of the men chattering as she retrieved her phone, which buzzed with yet another notification. Were people still talking about her segment? She was surprised. Opening Twitter, she stretched her legs out while waiting for the notifications tab to load.

"What the fuck?" she blurted loudly as her eyes scanned the screen.

Tweet after tweet scrolled by as she swiped at the screen, eyes widening with each new one she saw. All of them called her either a slut or a whore. Heart starting to pound anxiously, she opened one that contained a link, gasping sharply at the photo that loaded.

"Shit," she groaned.

It was her. And Dean. There was no denying that it was them. She easily recognized her own clothes, because she currently had them on. She recognized Dean's as well. She stared at his lips on her forehead. His arm around her shoulder. The photo was just a tad bit grainy, obviously taken with a cell phone, but it was definitely them. From just a few hours ago.

"What's wrong?"

She grunted in reply to Dean's question, continuing to stare at the photo. As though doing so would make it disappear. A hand lightly nudged her shoulder, causing her thumb to bump against the screen. The photo reduced to a thumbnail, and she saw the conversation about it just beneath.

Is that Ambrose?

Yeah. Just saw them.

Where?

Airport. I guess they're heading to Texas lol

Man, Cena's gonna be pissed!

Looks like she doesn't care. What a whore.

And on and on. She cringed upon seeing the number of times the photo had been retweeted. Heart still pounding, she turned off notifications for the app and then brought up the photo again.

"Fuck," she moaned, sinking down in the seat.

"Th'fuck is going on?" Dean asked. He pulled the phone from her grasp and in the split second before he saw the photo she became aware that the SUV was moving.

"I'm sor—"

"Shit," Dean muttered.

"I didn't know anybody saw us," she whispered, heartbeat now a dull thud. "I'm sor—"

"You didn't do it," he interrupted. Swiping at the screen to close the photo, he then closed the app. "It's okay, Lizzie."

"But—"

"We were bound to get caught at some point." He had opened Instagram and was scrolling through the comments that had mentioned her. His brow furrowed, then he muttered several curses. "How do you turn off the—"

"I've got it," she whispered, taking the phone with shaking hands. She wondered if John had seen it. Or Stephanie. Once she'd turned off Instagram alerts she opened her messages, heart dropping to her stomach at the sight of a new message from Stephanie. "Stephanie's seen it."

"What's she say?" He had his own phone out, but wasn't looking at it.

Elizabeth chewed on her bottom lip while reading over the words from her boss. I'm sure you've seen it already, but stay off social media for the night. We'll talk in the morning. She relayed the message to Dean, who nodded and plucked the phone away once again. Looking on as he powered down first her phone then his, then stuffed both into his backpack, she tried to draw in a clear breath.

"It's gonna be okay," he whispered.

"I know, I just…" Sighing, she looked up in surprise when he draped his arm around her. "I'm sorry, Dean."

"Why? I'm the one kissing you in the picture."

"Yes, but—"

"Hey," he murmured, squeezing her shoulder.

Instinctively she reached and grasped his hand with hers, holding on as though he could save her from being lambasted on every social media platform and dirt sheet that existed. His lips pressed to her forehead briefly. His fingers spread out with hers then slid between them. She heard his whisper but didn't catch the words. Turning towards him, grateful for his warmth and craving more, she released a shuddering breath as he pulled her closer.

"Remember the motel?"

Confused at the sudden question, she nodded. Tiny scenes from the time spent snowed in began to flash through her mind and, despite everything, she smiled. "Yes."

"I promised you something, right?"

He had? Shifting so she could catch his gaze, she anxiously wet her lips. "Um…"

"That I'd catch you when you fell."

"Oh," she whispered. She did remember. She nodded, faintly aware of Seth and Roman talking softly up front. "I remember that."

"Well—"

"I've fallen," she announced. Breaking away so she could meet his eyes straight on, she managed to maintain a grip on his hand.

"You have?" His eyes were wide. And she was sure she felt his hand shake slightly. Then, one corner of his mouth tilted upward.

"I have," she assured. She longed to kiss him but enjoyed the play of emotions on his face too much to move. So she stayed where she was, gaze locked with his, holding her breath.

"Well," he began, slipping his hand from hers and hooking his thumb in the collar of her sweatshirt. Tugging until she leaned forward, he softly kissed the corner of her mouth. Just before his lips covered hers in a heartfelt kiss he muttered, "It's about fuckin' time, Lizzie Belle."