18

It was a long quiet drive to San Antonio.

Dallas had made breakfast, because she'd gotten up before Taker. But she barely picked at the food. He had no idea what to say or do to make things better either. He kept looking at her, expecting something. Even a 'fuck off' would have been welcome at that point.

It didn't help that she was wearing another one of her naughty secretary outfits. Taker knew it wasn't on purpose, she did have a meeting to go to. This one was a little bit more conservative - knee length black skirt and a deep blue silk blouse with a pair of low heels this time.

As enticing as the outfit was, Dallas was brooding. They got to the arena and she finally spoke, but only to tell him she had to get to her meeting, and that she'd go over his schedule when it was done. She didn't even give him time to respond to that.

He had some time to kill so he changed and grabbed a workout with Glen and a couple of other guys who were there early. Taker could have left. Technically speaking he didn't have anything to do until the next day. But he couldn't. He couldn't just leave things with Dallas hanging such as they were.

After an hour, he was done. He showered in an empty locker room and got dressed before wandering around aimlessly. Eventually he spotted Dallas, who was speaking to Jim Ross. He shook his head and turned to go to the ringside area. He wanted to sit and just try to get his mind off things.

Eventually Dallas wandered in. She had a folder with her, no surprise. She was also wearing a thoughtful, distracted frown.

"You're plane leaves tomorrow morning at ten. I guess they want you to do a taped promo before they do the show, and your match. Jackie from wardrobe wants to meet with you before the show as well, to get your stuff ready for the pay-per-view. And I went ahead and reserved your ring time for 3 tomorrow."

"Fine." Taker looked at her critically. She was being her usual efficient self, but that was it. He finally could not take it anymore. Sitting back and waiting was not his style. Or preference. "Are we ever gonna talk about this?" He finally asked, unable to not sound confrontational.

"About what? Your schedule?" Dallas glanced at him, but it was just a quick flick of her eyes.

"Yes. My schedule is obviously what has you so upset."

She raised an eyebrow at his sarcastic tone. "I told you…"

"Fuck what you told me. Listenin' to you is what got us here in the first place." Taker rose from his seat. "So we like each other. Big deal. It's not a crime. Who gives a shit if we get attached but us? I think we're both grown up enough to deal with it."

Dallas said nothing. She was now looking at him though, her expression one of surprise.

"What? I'm not afraid to admit that I feel somethin' for you. You don't wanna hear it though. You wanna pretend we can just be fuck buddies and nobody feels anything, then that's on you. Not me. You said you weren't gonna sleep with me because you were afraid to like me…fine. I'm done with you until you can admit you do." With that he turned and walked away, hands balled up into fists.

The first thing he did was track down Craig. He was in a meeting but Taker was beyond caring. He motioned for the other man to come into the hallway, and then grabbed him and ducked into the nearest empty room.

"I have a problem."

"Ok…well, uh…Dallas could take care of…" Craig was a bit intimidated. It didn't help that Taker not only stood about a foot taller than him. Taker was also pissed off. And Taker pissed off was not a happy place to be.

"Fuck that. She's the problem. And I don't want this shit getting' around. We're havin' some trouble at the moment."

"You're…oh. I didn't realize you two were together." Craig raised an eyebrow. He should have guessed, considering Taker had wanted Dallas as a PA instead of Will.

"We're not. Technically speakin'. I'm tryin' to prove a point." Taker shoved a hand through his hair. "Shift her over to somebody else. I don't give a fuck who."

"Um. Ok?"

"I don't need a PA this week either. I think I can handle my shit on my own, especially if I'm only working four days."

"Right." Craig tried to smile, cautiously. "I guess this sort of works out. Since Dallas is getting bumped up."

"She is?"

"Yeah. I'm leaving to go work for corporate. So with me going, and Will going, Dallas has to hire a couple of new PAs in to fill in the gaps. If she starts this week, it won't be so bad. Cena is only on for Raw, and if we don't have to shift people to cover him, a couple of us can deal with it."

Taker had completely forgotten Dallas's meeting earlier. Hell, a promotion was something to celebrate. And here he was, pretty much stomping on her parade.

The hell with that. She had started this shit.

"Good for her. I'll just take care of my shit myself. If I need help, I'll ask."

"Fine. Uh…sorry that you guys are having trouble?" Craig made it a question. "Is it because we swapped her schedule around? Because I know Dallas has issues with people screwing with her job. That's why I'm kinda surprised you and her…ya know. Because she says she doesn't wanna be accused of ever riding on some guy's star, and you know how rumors around here get. As soon as people find out a wrestler has a new girlfriend or wife, they either get swamped with crazy fan shit, or get universally hated and picked apart and accused of…uh…fucking their way to the top."

Taker pressed the heels of his hands against his temples for a moment. He was starting to get a headache. "You guys pretty close?"

"Well…no. The only one she's really close to is Rachel. But she's way more open with us normals than you guys."

"So will you take care of shifting her for me?" Taker asked, feeling tired suddenly.

"Sure. Show can use a PA this week. He's got a couple things coming up this week he might need a hand with." Craig said after thinking it over. Show – wrestler Big Show, real name Paul – had just come back after getting surgery. So much like Taker a few weeks before, he'd spend a couple of weeks getting back into the job.

"Great. Thanks. I'll grab my schedule from you tomorrow, if you get it from her. I'm gonna get outta here." Taker sighed and gave Craig a pat on the shoulder, sorry he'd scared the guy.

Taker had to admit though, his feelings were hurt. He and Dallas could have something, but they would never know because she was convinced she'd suffer in the long run. He felt like he was being punished for being successful. A part of him was grateful, that she was proving it was not his money or his fame that held her to him. If she would just admit she gave a damn about him, and she was willing to give it a go, not just fucking around but actually being together. As a couple.

He didn't give a damn what other people thought. Yes, when he was younger he got a reputation as a party guy. And then he'd married and each of those had proven to be mistakes. Hell, he took that shit in stride. He was famous. He was rich. People recognized him on the street. Was he supposed to change that because of some woman?

Taker grabbed his bag and took it outside, throwing it in the back of his truck. He was going to go home and spend the rest of the day feeling sorry for himself. And try to figure out exactly what he was going to do about Dallas.

It was funny how well Dallas took Craig's stumbling news that she was going to PA for Show and do her training for the manager job. She didn't seem surprised or upset. He traded her Taker's folder for Show's and that was pretty much it. They would start going over her paperwork for the promotion later in the week.

Dallas was sort of glad she'd developed a pretty solid poker face, because even though she acted unsurprised, and in fact happy that the shift in wrestlers happened, inside she was a mess. She felt sick to her stomach, and knew it was because she was screwing up. And she absolutely hated this shit. There was a reason she avoided relations with the wrestlers, and this was why. She was reduced to being one of a million women who fancied themselves in something other than plain old animal lust with Taker.

She wandered around until she found Show's locker room. He was sharing with a couple of other guys, and was in the middle of what sounded like the world's longest joke when Dallas came in.

So she just found a seat in the corner and started to go over Show's week, ignoring the laughter and barely acknowledging them when they said hello to her. It took a few minutes to notice the room had cleared. Dallas looked up to find Show looking at her, a half-smirk on his face.

"What's wrong with you? You look like you lost your best friend."

Dallas winced at that. Not that Taker had been her best friend. She wasn't sure exactly what he was. "I've had a rough couple of weeks." She conceded.

"Ah. Poor kid." Show gave her shoulder a pat. She was lucky he didn't knock her out of the chair. "You look upset."

"I'm depressed." Dallas admitted with a sigh. She handed him his schedule to look over.

"Well we can't have that. Let's go eat."

"What does one thing have to do with the other?" Dallas asked, taking the paper back. He'd barely glanced at it.

"When I'm depressed I eat. Hell when I'm happy, I eat." He patted his belly. He wasn't nearly as big as he used to be, but he was still the biggest guy on the roster.

"I'm not hungry." Dallas said morosely. She straightened the papers up and noticed he hadn't moved. In fact, Show was still looking at her with that odd smirk on his features. "What?"

"You. I don't think I've ever seen you down. Must be a guy."

Dallas wished it wasn't so damned obvious. "It's not open for discussion. At least not yet." She added, thinking that once she got over the shock of the day she'd be plenty mad and ready to vent.

Then again. She couldn't even get mad about it. Not really. Not like she would if she actually did not give a damn about the guy in question. She hated feeling this way. And for what? Some guy who had managed to break down her defenses in about twelve seconds flat?

Annoyed she stood up. "I changed my mind. I'm hungry." Dallas waited for Show to follow her toward catering. She was even going to risk the normally horrible food served there. She suddenly wanted to drown out her thoughts in a rush of sugar. Preferably in the form of chocolate.