Trading Heartbeats

Chapter 7 - A Beat And A Breath

The match had finally concluded with Punk picking up the win, just as many in the crowded expected him to. Khaila cheered as Sonelle stood there with her arms crossed watching Punk soak in his glory. Noticing Sonelle's posture, Khaila thought it better not to mention the match after that. As the night continued and RAW had come to a finish, Khaila and Sonelle quickly retreated up the steps of the arena and outside to the parking lot awaiting their superstars.

Neither Sonelle nor Khaila had spoken a word to each other. Suddenly, two men walking towards them greeted them with warm hellos. Kofi and Sonelle had hugged lightly before stepping into their car and driving away to her hotel. Punk had picked Khaila up in his arms and kissed her full on her lips. Although shocked and stunned, she kissed back all the same. With their lips moving against one another's in a passionate and fiery way, Khaila could feel chills work through her body.

Pulling away from the kiss, Punk had eagerly gotten behind the wheel of his car as Khaila seated herself in the passenger's seat. They sped off onto the road with Khaila looking curiously out the window. Punk seemed to be quite content with himself after picking up that victory, Khaila thought to herself. While continuing to stare out the window, she'd noticed they'd completely passed Castleberry Inn & Suites. Khaila looked toward Punk who seemed to bare a smile on his face as he continued driving past the hotel. "Um, Punk, you missed it," Khaila stated. A smirk played on his lips now.

"No, I didn't," Punk corrected her. Khaila's brow furrowed as she spoke once more.

"Yes, you really did." She looked back at the Castleberry Inn & Suites hotel that seemed to have grown tinier and tinier as they sped down the streets of Atlanta. Punk, with the smirk still apparent on his face, shook his head. Khaila raised one eyebrow and gave up. Apparently, Punk had plans of his own tonight.

She continued to look out the window for a clue as to where Punk may be taking her. They passed restaurants and bars and clubs but stopped at neither. So, if they hadn't been going to dine out or dance, where would they go? Punk finally stopped the car and got out opening Khaila's door for her. Khaila stepped out into a parking lot of some sorts. She looked around curiously. Without a word, Punk had taken Khaila's hand and lead her away inside the nearby building. As they walked in, Khaila recognized it to be a hotel - one much more developed than Castleberry's that was for sure.

"Come on," Punk whispered lowly in her ear as they walked briskly into the elevator. By now, Punk had slipped his hand over to her waist. Managing to quickly enter Punk's suite, 1568, Khaila stepped back and marvelled at the suite. It had everything. It was homey and cosy. This is comfort, she thought to herself. Suddenly two arms managed to wrap themselves around her from behind. As he lowered his face just between her jaw and shoulder, Khaila tensed up. She could feel his breath against her neck.

His lips gently moved against her neck kissing every inch of it. Her hands slid over his. Pulling one hand from under hers and using only his index finger, he'd managed to slide one of the sleeves of her shirt completely off her shoulder. He kissed her shoulder lovingly as Khaila's eyes fluttered closed. She spun around immediately. Punk had wrapped his arms around her waist as she had wrapped her arms around his neck. The two kissed passionately as Punk's tongue intruded her mouth. As he raised his arms, Khaila instinctively lifted his shirt off his body now revealing his chest piece tattoo.

Both Punk's hands had held onto both of hers as he walked backward into the living room of the suite. The lovely white sofa now seemed inviting to both of them. Punk and Khaila's lips had once more succumbed to each other's. With the intensity of the kiss increasing, both found themselves chest to chest mimicking each other's intake of breath. Punk's hands had found their way to the bottom corners of her shirt. Lifting it up slowly, he successfully pulled it off of her slender body. In a moment's time, pillows and clothes had been thrown onto the floor. As the exhausted couple lay on the sofa, Khaila's head rested itself on Punk's naked chest his breathing and the perfection of this moment lulling her to sleep.

Sonelle had been folding up her Monday night RAW attire and stuffing them into her suitcase. Dressed in her pyjamas, she looked across at a sore Kofi who managed to lift himself off the bed and wrap his arms around her. "How do you feel," Sonelle asked softly with a smile on her face as Kofi pecked her cheek once.

"Sore," he stated with a chuckle, "but that comes with the job." Sonelle smiled up at him as he smiled back. "I've got plans for us tomorrow," he whispered in her ear before giving her a peck on the lips once more. He released his arms from around her giving her the chance to face him. As he held both her hands, he quickly pecked her on the lips. Sonelle's breathing calmed as she seemed to be soothed by Kofi's kiss.

"What kind of plans," she asked looking up into his eyes. Kofi smirked.

"I can't tell you that," he answered as he held her closer. Sonelle smiled. As much as she hadn't liked surprises, she was excited for this one. As he planted one more kiss on her lips, he loosened his arms from around her. "I'll call you tonight," he told her in a whisper as he leaned his forehead against hers.

Sonelle gazing down at his lips gave a slight nod. She saw him smirk as the two lip locked for another second before pulling away. As the two held hands walking to the door, Sonelle opened it and Kofi stepped through. "Good night," Sonelle whispered to him as he embraced her lovingly in his arms. Kofi gave a slight smirk and kissed her forehead as he bed her good night. Kofi turned and limped a bit down the hall way. Watching him go, Sonelle could not help but obtain a smile on her face. There he went, she thought, the man I loved.

It had only been a couple of hours until Sonelle's cell phone had rung. The Metalingus song resounding through the quiet suite. She picked it up hastily. Before she could've even given a hello, the man on the other line had chimed in, "Hello, love." Sonelle then gave her hello and the two talked for hours about a variation of topics. It went from wrestling, to countries, to jobs to … themselves. "Sonelle," Kofi had spoken his voice getting groggier as the time progressed.

Only half-awake, Sonelle responded, "Yes?"

"I love you," he said. An electric current seemed to have run through her as she smiled at the words that had just come out of his mouth.

Laying herself back onto her pillow and closing her eyes, she whispered, "I love you too."

After an evening of dinner, both Brittany and Justin had been in their suite cuddled up on the sofa watching shows from Monday night RAW to How I Met Your Mother. With Justin's arm around her, Brittany had instinctively leaned her head on his shoulder. "I'll take you to South Africa one day," Justin announced quietly to her as the T.V. continued to be the only light in the room. Brittany looked up at Justin and smiled. A smile also formed on his face as he asked, "Would you like that?"

"I'd love that," Brittany responded. Justin kissed her forehead sweetly inducing her eyes to close for a second. As she reopened them, she stared into brown eyes only a shade lighter than hers. She smiled a great smile as did Justin. With their fingers intertwined, Brittany suddenly realized something, "You'll leave tomorrow." Her face fell as she looked up to Justin.

A small smile appeared on his face, "Not necessarily; we've got shows all week here in Georgia, so I won't be leaving until the Saturday." A smile slowly spread across Brittany's face as she hugged him tightly. Justin chuckled lowly and hugged her back. "I'm taking you somewhere special tomorrow, though," he whispered in her ear. Brittany let out a sigh of comfort. As far as she was concerned, anywhere as long as Justin was there was special to her.

As Justin finally took note of the time, he rose up off of the couch with Brittany's hand in his. "Yeah, it's late," Brittany noted as they'd both walked to the door. As Justin opened it and let himself out, Brittany smiled just mesmerized by the magnificence of this man. All that he'd meant to her as a fan could not match with what he meant to her now. Justin took both of Brittany's hands in his as he stood in front of her. Her eyes wandered up his torso and finally locked themselves onto his eyes.

"I want to ask you something before I leave for the night," he stated. Brittany could feel her heart stop for a millisecond as she replayed the words he'd just spoken in her mind.

"What is it," she asked unconsciously holding her breath preparing herself for whatever Justin was about to ask.

"Well," he said as he looked into her eyes stepping closer so that their torsos had nearly touched, "I've only met you, and I don't want to seem too forward with this, but … well, I know that I'm going to have to leave at one point or the other. It won't be for forever, but it'll feel like it … and, well, I was thinking. I want you to be my girlfriend." A grin spread far and wide across Brittany's face as she nodded vigorously and embraced him tightly just as he'd hugged back. Pulling away, Justin had descended down the hall way and Brittany had cuddled herself in her bed. Justin's girlfriend, she thought, that has a very nice ring to it.

"Would you show me how to do that," Amelia asked as they discussed RAW. Cody chuckled.

"Do what," he asked trying to clarify what she'd been asking for.

"The GTS," she relayed. Cody looked at her confusedly and then chuckled.

"I can't exactly do that, but I can show you how to maybe knock someone off their feet," he, in turn, answered back. Amelia smiled and rose to her feet. Pushing the coffee table that'd been directly in front of the couch out of the way, she stood in front of Cody.

"Teach me," she requested. Cody smiled.

"Right now," he asked as Amelia nodded surely. "Are you sure," he asked once more as he leaned forward almost out of his seat. Amelia gave a playful glare and took his hand tugging at it in order to pull him up. Cody had finally risen off of his seat on the couch and stood in front of her. He placed his hands on her shoulders keeping her arms length apart. "Okay, so … we'll circle," he instructed, and both Amelia and him began to walk. They moved in a circular direction. "So, you look at my right leg … when you see an opening for it, you -" he stopped mid-sentence as he'd been taken down in almost an instant.

With him flat on his back and Amelia propping herself up on her hands and knees above him, he gave a slight chuckle, "Good." Amelia smiled as she lay down next to Cody on the floor. Extending his arm around her, she rested her head on his chest and one of her legs over his. He positioned his lips on her forehead, kissing it from time to time. Both took the time to become absorbed in the silence and in each other's presence. Amelia could hear his steady heartbeat as Cody could feel her breathing against his ribs.

"Tomorrow, you will pack," Cody relayed. Amelia looked up at him curiously. "I'll take you somewhere, and you can stay there. Trust me, it's comfier than this place could ever be," he noted. Amelia's brow furrowed as she continued to look at him confusedly. Propping herself up on one elbow, she stared into eyes looking for some sort of answer.

"I assume you won't be telling me where we're going," she added with a smile. Cody chuckled and let his lip slide out from under his teeth before shaking his head. Amelia smiled and shuddered suddenly - finally taking in how cold the suite had actually gotten. A smirk played on Cody's lips. Getting up, he proceeded into the bedroom and minutes later came back out with the sheet that was supposed to cover the bed, in his hands. Amelia giggled. "Cody, what - we could've just lowered the A.C," she stated as Cody had gotten to his knees once more and thrown the sheet over both Amelia and himself sliding underneath. He shrugged.

"There's something about lying down on the floor," he responded with a slight wink. Amelia couldn't help but smirk at his wittiness then assumed the position they'd previous been in. With her head on his chest and his arm around her, neither had said a word to one another. Perhaps tiredness and sleepiness had begun to settle in, or perhaps they'd just been mystified in each other's presence that words hadn't been necessary.

Amelia thought back to what Cody had said … tomorrow, packing, away. Her mind buzzed with possible answers and even more questions until finally, the sound of Cody's heartbeat had penetrated her thinking. His heartbeat was her lullaby as her breathing was his, and after a moment, the sleeping couple on the floor had been lulled to sleep just by the simplicity of a beat and a breath.