Chapter 4 – Nothing Is What It Seems
Stu glanced down at his watch impatiently. His rookie had gotten to their hotel room some minutes after him, carrying both of their luggages with her. She was getting annoyed with his abuse of power, becoming his lackey was not part of the contract on NXT; everyone else was probably getting along great with their pros but she was turning into more of a slave to hers. They had fought over the bed in the room, only one king-sized bed was situated and there was also a small couch in front of it; Stu, of course, was adamant of taking the bed. Katie called into question his gentlemanly qualities that he so eloquently raved about, self-indulgently obviously.
It was early evening and everyone had planned to go to one of the local nightclubs. Stu was ready to go in his dark denim jeans and a faint blue buttoned down shirt; his rookie however was still sorting herself out. He groaned, patience wearing thin.
"Will you bloody hurry up?"
"Oh, calm your tits. I'm almost done." Katie replied, sauntering out of the bathroom fully dressed in her strapless violet twill dress by Juicy Couture, the length of it left her to seem rather promiscuous. Stu sucked in a breath as she bent over to grab her heels and put them on; he knew that he shouldn't have done so because it had suddenly got a lot hotter in the room. He clamped his eyes shut, attempting to think of anything else but the lace panties that were momentarily on display. It should have made him feel vulgar; however it just didn't register that way. He shook his head with the recollection of her voice.
"Right, how do I look?"
He raked his eyes over her, quickly, not wanting to give any of his surprising and unwanted thoughts away. "You look...fine."
"That's the best I'm going to get out of you, isn't it?" He screwed up his face, grabbing his wallet, keycard and phone. "Then I'll take it, I don't care."
"Come on then."
"Actually I'm meeting Chesca." Katie smirked, picking up her clutch bag. "Sorry to disappoint you, boss."
Now he was peeved; she had made him wait all that time just to tell him that they weren't even entering the club together. He refused to show off his anger, breathing deeply and turning once he reached the door. His low brogue sounded over his shoulder. "Suit yourself."
~#~
Stephen being a true gentleman kept his promise and then some. He carried Lou's suitcase up to her room before returning to his own; a shower and change of clothes were needed first. Lou sat down on her bed watching Chesca rake through her suitcase, her finger tapping on her nose deep in thought.
"Need help?" The New Yorker asked, bringing Chesca out of her daydream. She rooted through her suitcase a little longer before pulling out a black dress followed by a blue one. Lou's eyes immediately settled on the blue Hervé Léger dress, glowing with want. "Definitely the blue one, you'll be turning heads instead of knocking them off." She stuck her tongue out as Chesca held the dress against her body, still undecided.
"Are you sure?"
"Couldn't be surer!" Lou smiled, reassuring her friend.
"Thank you. Are you going to be okay? I mean, I know Stephen is coming but if you want me to stay with you I don't mind."
"God no, you have fun. Plus I want to make the poor man suffer." Lou wiggled her eyebrows at Chesca who grimaced in response, she felt sorry for the Irishman now. Chesca left the blonde and headed for the bathroom with towel and toiletries in hand, after a very refreshing shower she slipped into her dress.
A knock on the door surprised Lou; it couldn't have been Stephen, not this early. She was by no means ready for him to see her. She took a breath, letting in out upon hearing her English friend's voice on the other side of the wood.
"Girlies let me in!"
The door was opened to a very made up Katie. Her hair was down and slightly wavy, her face was flawless without any lines or blemishes; the make-up she wore was dramatic and eye-catching. Her black liquid eyeliner flicked outwards to form a sort of cat eye effect, perhaps a foreshadowing of the type of woman she felt like being tonight. She greeted her New Yorker friend with a friendly hug and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Ooh, cute shoes." Lou observed as Katie crossed her legs. She couldn't argue with that; her Miu Miu black suede peep-toe pumps were a certain fashion statement and they complimented her striking purple dress perfectly.
"Thanks, how long has Ches been in the bathroom for?"
"Just doing my make-up, guys." Her shouts were muffled through the closed door.
The two friends grinned at each other and spoke in unison. "Alright."
"So I heard you're not coming out with us tonight?"
Lou leaned back on the bed, clutching her knees to her chest to get more comfortable. "Nope, Stephen is staying back with me. He owes me one."
"Oh yeah, he owes you one alright."
"How can you make everything said sound really dirty?"
"It's just who I am, my friend."
They turned their attention from their giggles when their half-Italian friend emerged from the bathroom, all ready to go. She gave them a twirl as she checked herself in the large mirror adjacent to them. "Okay, what do you think?"
"You look gorgeous, Ches."
"Yeah, guys will be falling at your perfectly-pedicured feet."
"Awesome, let's get down there!"
"It's party time!" Katie shouted before Chesca grabbed her hand, pulling her up from the bed. They turned back to their New Yorker friend who was staring back at them with wide, glossy eyes. "Have fun getting it on with Stephen, you jammy little thing."
Lou bit her lip briefly ahead of sending them the goofiest smile she could muster. Nothing would stop any of them from having fun tonight.
~#~
Katie and Chesca sat at the bar after the NXT and Smackdown taping, sipping their cocktails and minding their own business when a man in a suit approached them. He seemed very out of place in a swanky club like this; he leant his forearm on the surface of the bar and smirked at the women having a deep conversation without acknowledgement. Katie sighed quietly, she knew that her dress was going to get her noticed; being sat on a barstool meant she was showing off a significant amount of leg. He cleared his throat to get their attention.
"Hey gorgeous, what do you say I buy you a drink?"
"Erm, no thanks, I'm good." Katie replied, holding up her Cosmopolitan before then taking another swig. She couldn't quite place his accent but from the looks of him it seemed he was some kind of corporate from the East Coast. Businessmen like that didn't impress her in the slightest; she was more the rough and tumble type.
He rubbed a hand on his clean-shaven jaw, refusing to give in. "Another drink after that then?"
She immediately interjected, not up for anyone's shit tonight. "I said no thanks."
"Say, you're pretty feisty." The sleaze wasn't letting up, every word more and more vulgar and suggestive than the last. "Wouldn't mind testing you out in my bed or up against a wall, you look pretty naughty. The British always are from what I've heard."
"Testing me out?" Katie scoffed, feeling very offended by his use of sexual terms. She turned to Chesca next to her as her finger traced the rim of her cocktail glass. Obviously her half-Italian friend had lost her tongue; there would be no back up from her any time soon. She shook her head, her eyes finding Stu's, who quickly averted his line of sight to stare at the host of alcoholic beverages on display at the bar. Taking a breath in the hope of calming herself down slightly, Katie looked back at the man sending her a nod complete with a cheesy grin. "Seriously, do you have a hearing problem? Leave us alone."
"Last time I checked it was a free country." She rolled her eyes, not quite understanding what he was insinuating. He really was stupid if he thought he would get anywhere with her; he had no idea of personal space either as he leant closer, stroking a finger down the exposed skin on her arm. Chesca stared between her English friend and Stu, who was watching the come-on from the other side of the bar. He looked angry and she wasn't sure why he seemingly cared so much. She presumed they were supposed to be hating on each other after the amount of tension between them.
"Look, you're laying the charm on a bit thick. I'm flattered but I'm just not interested so if you don't mind, we're going to go. Come on Ches." She jumped down from the barstool, dragging Chesca with her; the half-Italian's Hervé Léger navy-blue bandage dress slipping down her thighs as she was pulled away from the bar entirely without another word.
Stu took a long gulp of his beer, smirking at his rookie's actions. He shook his head, regarding how she had completely owned the man who now stood alone at the bar. He had to admit, he admired her front; but it was only a matter of time before she would show her vulnerability, he was sure of that. Maybe a few stern words from the 6 ft 5", 260 pound English wrestler would warn that sleaze off her for good. He sat for a moment, considering why he felt the need to defend her when they never even got along; if he was sensible he probably would have paid the man to keep bothering her throughout the night. Something about him didn't want to be so heartless, however. Picking up his bottle of beer, he walked around to where the girls had been thirty seconds ago.
"Looks like you got shot down there; what a shame."
The man turned his back to the bar, leaning his elbows on the counter, surveying the dance floor. He obnoxiously spoke as if the whole club was listening to him. "Whatever man, they always come back to me, especially the lively ones."
"Well she won't be coming back to you so don't even try, alright?"
"What's stopping me from going after that piece? Are you her boyfriend or something?"
"Not even close." Stu defended quickly, "But if you don't leave her alone, I won't be responsible for my actions."
"Are you threatening me?"
"It looks that way, doesn't it?" He laughed when the man started chuckling with him then stopped abruptly to silence him; the sudden urge to protect his rookie was overwhelming. Stu placed his beer down, leaning closer to the man to speak lowly in his ear. Threats needed to be done ruthlessly and this guy was looking at the master. "Consider this your warning. If I catch you anywhere near her you'll be eating food through a straw for the rest of your life. Do I make myself clear?"
The man laughed again, placing a couple of dollar bills on the countertop before picking up his bottle of beer. He turned to Stu, a good five or six inches smaller than the wrestler. He had to give it to him; he wasn't as intimidated as he should have been. "Crystal clear." He muttered, walking away from the bar to the other side of the dark club.
~#~
Lou glanced around the empty hotel room, she did want to go out but she needed to rest more than anything. The knock on the door sounded ten times louder than usual, she needed more tablets. She quickly padded over to the door taking a quick glance in through the peep hole before slowly pulling the door open. Stephen stood with his hands in his sweatpants pockets, a tight black t-shirt stretched over his hard muscles. He smiled sheepishly at her, still ashamed by his earlier actions.
"How're ya, love?" His eyes scanned over her frame; light wash skinny jeans covered her long legs, a worn New York Giants cropped top covered her chest. This was a side of her he hadn't yet seen.
"Hey." Lou stepped back to allow his large frame to brush past her and into the hotel room. She caught his spicy aftershave as he walked past, his red hair a shade darker; still damp from the shower.
"Are yeh feeling any better, lass?"
Lou subconsciously rubbed the back of her neck, her muscles ached and the pain wouldn't subside, "I've been better."
She saw a flash of regret pass through his eyes, "Ah'm sorry Lou. Ah should be setting a better example for yeh."
"I know you were angry, but I was just trying to stop you."
"Ah know that now, Ah was in a blind rage. Ah just hope yeh can forgive me and Ah can earn yeh trust again." He watched on as Lou returned to sit on the edge of the bed in front of him after shutting the hotel door, "We need trust to work together."
Lou nodded as Stephen ran a hand over his face, rubbing his facial hair; "I still trust you."
"Yeh do?" Surprise was evident in his tone. She nodded patting the empty space next to her. He hesitated slightly before sitting down, the bed dipping due to his weight.
"I know you're putting your spare time into helping me, and I appreciate that so much. Thank you." She didn't expect to be thanking him after what had transpired that evening.
"Yeh more than welcome, yeh've got a lot of talent and potential, lass. Ah'm lucky to be working wit' yeh." His large hand landed on her jean covered thigh, squeezing lightly. She glanced at his big hand, strong and manly; she wondered what things he could do with them, other than beating people up. She placed her small hand over his, emphasising just how big his hand was before pulling it away from her thigh.
"How about we order room service? I'm starving!"
"Ah guess this is my treat."
"I think it's only fair." She grinned at him as he stood up from the bed.
"Yeh make yerself comfortable then." He pointed to the plump pillows at the head of the bed, they looked very inviting. She was pretty sure that if she were to lie on the bed then she would fall asleep before the food got to the room.
~#~
As the night went on, Stu merely observed his surroundings but, for some reason, always came back to Katie. He wasn't sure why he was so drawn to her, something about her just called to him. He downed the last of his third beer and eyed the creep still mingling in the corner of the club, switching looks between Stu and Katie who was sat chatting with Chesca. She giggled as he approached their table and sipped on her vodka-based beverage; it must have been her fifth of the evening. A noticeable shadow covered the wooden booth when he reached it, causing the girls to glance up through the darkness.
Stu wasted no time in pushing himself next to his rookie, smirking at her. "Hey, we need to talk strategy for next week."
"What, right now?" Katie looked at Chesca, whose eyes were now darting about the room, trying to avert from the conversation. "No, it's okay. I'll stay here."
"Yes, right now. Come on." He gripped her arm with a bruising force; she stared at him, attempting to shrug him off.
"Do you bring work everywhere with you? Why don't you just relax? Loosen up Stewie." She pointed to the dance floor, full of people swaying to the music. "Go and have a dance or something."
"I don't dance. Now I'm serious, get up."
"No, for fuck's sake." She snapped, staring him down and struggling against his grip on her arm. "Honestly, just leave me alone."
"Believe me, lass, Ah knou' he can be delicate when he wants." Both the girls hadn't heard that unfamiliar brogue before. The figure that had just spoken had appeared from out of nowhere, towering over the table at which the two rookies and the cocky pro were sitting; it was a tall man, with long hair tightened in a low ponytail, wearing a white and light green dress shirt over a very simple pair of dark denim jeans, a bottle of Tennent's held between two of his long fingers.
Katie raised an eyebrow at the new guy, taking advantage of the fact Stu had been distracted to get away from his grip; Chesca looked at him with curiosity, her eyes screamed nothing but 'I know you, but I'm too mesmerized to remember your name right now'.
"Drew," The English wrestler said, immediately standing up and pulling the man in for a friendly hug. "You try and tell this lady I'm a true gentleman?" He nodded at the British woman, who rolled her eyes and brought a hand to her mouth.
"In your dreams." She faked a cough and turned her head to talk to the half-Italian girl, who chuckled and took a sip from the glass of Cuba Libre tightly held in her right hand. As Bennett and the man she had recognized as the Scottish wrestler Drew McIntyre exchanged a couple of words, Chesca tried to look at his features: the light and cured facial hair on his jaw line framed the tanned skin of his face, and in the darkness of the local his eyes were two black pits with a shiny sparkle in them; actually, she tried to resist his stare as he noticed her, giving her a soft smile that she replied to, doing her best not to blush.
Katie pushed her elbow in her side and smirked at her; she also internally smiled at the fact the girl from San Francisco just couldn't help not showing all of her feelings.
"Birds, this is my good friend Drew Galloway." Stu surrounded the Scotsman's shoulders with an arm, "This is my rookie Katie, and Trips' former rookie...?" Stu pointed to the half-Italian girl, who scoffed and brushed a hand through her wavy brown hair, looking directly in Drew's orbs without caring about the Nexus leader.
"Chesca." She stretched her arms to shake his hand, and he gently squeezed it; the umpteenth smile climbing on his lips sent her mind to the gutter as he came under the soft light above their table.
"You don't mind if Drew keeps you company whilst I talk to Katie, do you, Chester?" Stu watched the exchange between the half-Italian rookie and his own. Katie was pleading with her not to let him take her away, especially now he had insulted her name.
"It's Chesca."
Katie spoke up. "Yeah and also, I told you to leave me alone tonight."
"It's important."
"Sure it is." Her sarcasm was starting to piss him off; he ran a hand over his face ready to leave her be, feeling defeated. That was until Chesca interjected, smiling when Drew took a seat next to her in the booth.
"Go on, Kate. I don't mind if Drew sits here with me."
She groaned, giving in finally. "A quick word then you go elsewhere and mind your own bloody business." She shuffled out of the booth and followed him to a quieter part of the club near the cloakroom. Tapping her foot impatiently on the floor, her heels clicked in unison with her fingers drumming against her folded arms. "So, what is it?"
"You did well tonight in your match." Stu said, lowly. "But don't let it go to your head. There's still a lot of work to be done; hard work at that."
"I know that, what's your point?"
"It's a reminder. Don't let those 'friends' of yours distract you." He nodded over to where Chesca sat, laughing along with one of his best friends.
"This is the most pointless conversation I think I've ever had."
"I just fucking praised you! For Christ's sake, forget I said anything. And don't expect any praise from me in the future, either."
"Fine, whatever. I'm going to get some fresh air." She pushed her way past him and walked out of one of the fire exits to cool down.
~#~
Drew sighed and shook his head at his English best friend before coming back to look at the young woman on his left; she was holding the tall glass in her hand, staring down at the ice cubes. The rookie couldn't help but not find anything good in Katie's pro but still she decided to forget about him and just think about something else.
"He's not that bad," the Scot said, getting closer to her ear so she could hear him. "If ye let go all the times he behaves like a prick." Chesca chuckled and turned her head to look at the long haired wrestler next to her. He wiggled his eyebrows once and brought the bottle to his lips, taking a long sip out of it. Though she had been forced to stay with him, she couldn't deny to herself that it was pleasant only to have him there at her table; the former Intercontinental Champion also emanated an inebriating smell: an intense Chanel Allure, which tickled her senses and made her appreciate the fact he had chosen one of her favourite fragrances.
"If only Hunter would have been here," she then told him, looking in his baby blue orbs as a bitter smile crossed her features, "Things would have been different." Drew smiled at her, remembering what he had been hearing backstage after the last NXT episode: Triple H couldn't be the girl's pro anymore, the main reason being his torn bicep muscle, but also because he didn't want the wrestling business to think that she'd have been having an easy win on the other girls, being the chief's son-in-law's protégé.
"Ah'm sure ye won't have problems dealing with someone else, lassie." He tried his best to reassure her, looking in her deep brown irises. He found them filled with hope and determination, he still didn't know anything about her but he could definitely say those were the qualities needed to beat everyone else; even his best friends' rookies.
"Thanks for your faith, Drew." She replied to his sincere attempt to make her feel better, a wider smile as she brought the cocktail up and gently clashed it with his bottle that was still between his hands.
Observing as she savoured her drink, the sight of the girl's fleshy mouth leant gently onto the glass made him wonder about all the things she could've done with those lips. Then, biting on his lower lip, he sent that thought he wasn't allowed to have away from his mind.
"Is there any chance, yeh'd let me buy ye one?" He pointed a long finger to her Cuba Libre, and the half-Italian rookie shrugged her shoulders. She leant on her forearms and looked at him lifting her eyebrows up.
"Maybe," she said, darting her tongue out to lick her red lips, "When I finish this one." Chesca gently shook the half-full glass with two of her fingers, "But I'm planning to make it last until I'm going back to the hotel."
A strange light crossed the man's blue eyes, and a smirk adorned his thin lips. In the blink of an eye, he stretched a hand to take the young woman's tall glass in his hand, sliding it out her grip; he brought it up to his mouth and swallowed its content all at once, tilting his head back as he let every single drop of rum and coke travel down his throat. Unbelieving what she had just seen, her jaw fell at the Scottish man's cockiness, and looked at him in a total loss for words.
"Nou's finished." Winking at her, he took her empty glass in his hand and slid out of the booth, everything while the woman wrestler's eyes were fixed on him. "Be righ' back with yer second round, Ches." The cocky smile on his features made her swallow a lump in her throat: Drew McIntyre had been aware of her for a couple of minutes and had already taken hold of the situation. Suddenly, she thanked Stu Bennett for being such a pain in the arse to her English best friend.
~#~
"So, I finally get you alone." Katie froze to the spot, the sleaze she had turned down earlier in the evening seemed suitably inebriated as he meandered towards her out of the shadows. He grabbed her wrists, digging his thumbs into her skin causing the young woman to yelp. He smirked, pushing her hard against the wall.
"Get off me!" She shouted attempting to push the man off her by any means possible. It was all for nothing, however; he was unbelievably strong, settling all his weight on her hips. She hissed when the bricks scratched against her smooth shoulder blades, the feeling adding to her plight. His hands travelled up her sides and accumulated around her throat, choking her out as he pushed her further into the sturdy wall.
"Oi," The English drawl sounded into the cool night air as Stu sprinted forwards, grabbing the guy and pinning him against the brick wall by bundling his fists into his jacket. "I thought I told you to leave her alone?" Katie stared at Stu, confused as she clutched her neck. He had told this guy to stay away from her? She really didn't know what to think about that.
"You British never follow through with your threats."
He clasped a large hand around his neck, squeezing the air out of him as he spoke. "And you Americans don't hear all that well..."
The next thing Katie knew, Stu had thrown the man down to the ground with brute force. He turned back to her, breathing heavily, his eyes had glazed over from the rage building up inside him. "This may not be very pretty."
The Englishman shoved the guy into the next alleyway, punching him with all the power he could muster. He drove his knee into his mid-section, causing the man to double over in pain; that was a broken rib for sure. Katie timidly poked her head around the wall to watch as her pro beat up someone for her. The man's breath came out in rasps when he attempted to get away from the irate, possessed Stu but it was all to no avail; he grabbed his arm, swinging him into the wall. The sound of the back of his head bouncing off the wall caused a sickening smile to form on the Englishman's face. He slid down the wall into a sitting position, his face an unrecognisable bloody pulp. Stu crouched down in front of him, speaking calmly.
"You should've listened when you still had working limbs, mate."
He walked out of the alleyway and onto the street, acting as if nothing had transpired at all. Katie cautiously stepped in front of him, grabbing his hand and inspecting his bloody knuckles.
"You have got to teach me how to brawl like that."
"Those moves are not for in-ring combat." He said sternly. She looked up at him, admiring his features; she wasn't sure whether it was the alcohol or the fact that Stu had just saved her from an assault but he seemed like a completely different person. "Come on; let's go back to the hotel before we get in trouble."
"Wait, what about Chesca?"
"I'm sure that Drew will take care of her. I need to get cleaned up and you need to sober up, so come on."
~#~
After eating more than they should have, Stephen and Lou were laid across the bed. He rolled his eyes as Lou turned over again, the hotel bed not as comfy as she once thought, "Lou, will yeh stop moving about?"
"I can't get comfy." He glanced down at the gap between them, laying his arm out across the bed. An open invitation if she wanted a cuddle. He smiled, hoping she would move closer to him.
"Ah can assure yeh Ah'm very comfy." A breathy laugh left her lips, she had to agree; he did look rather comfy. She didn't have to give it a second thought. She shuffled along the bed, a sigh escaping her lips as she ended up in Stephens big arms, resting her head on his hard pectoral. His warm embrace was more than comfy; it was perfect; too perfect. Snuggling up to him, his arms tightened around her.
Stephen glanced at the blonde, her hair splayed across his chest and arm. His hand ran up and down her arm; guilt racked his body. He could see through her tough exterior, she wasn't as strong as she appeared. Her eyes were shut; breathing lightly against him. His actions tonight were inexcusable; he would never set out to hurt a woman. Her eyes shot open, immediately searching for his for reassurance. He moved down the bed slightly, his body rubbing against hers. He held onto her tight, not wanting to disturb her though she continued to stare at him. He wished at that moment he was a mind reader, he hadn't a clue what to say though a million thoughts ran through his head.
He felt her faint breathing on his neck, "Lou, are yeh alright lass?" He was worried to say the least, not many superstars took well to being thrown into steel steps. Let alone a Diva.
She looked up at him as he said her name, nodding slightly; she looked sleepy, "What's wrong?" She waited for his response with apprehension.
Her glossy eyes stared back at him, drawing him closer to her. He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, grazing her soft skin lightly; her breath hitching in her throat as he became millimetres away from her. Her eyes drifted shut as his hand cupped her face tilting her head back slightly. Stephen couldn't explain his next actions, her lips looked delicious; waiting to be devoured and that's exactly what he intended to do. He pushed his lips against hers, lightly at first; teasing her reaction. He wanted to smile as she dragged her tongue across his bottom lip, instantly wanting more from him. He obliged, parting his lips. Her tongue delved into his mouth. The once sweet kiss turned hot in a split second. His hand left her cheek, moving to the back of her thigh, palming her soft flesh as his tongue duelled with hers.
Her hands travelled to the hair at the back of his head, playing with the fiery hair between her long fingers. He pulled away from her, his breathing shallow and harsh. The realisation of what they had just done settling in.
"Ah'm sorry, again. Ah can't seem to stop meself today." He started to move away from the blonde knowing too well he had taken things too far. Before he could get away Lou held onto him tighter.
"I've been wondering what your lips tasted like. They always look so sweet." He raised an eyebrow, shock and bewilderment taking over his expression; she kissed him once more, lingering slightly before pulling away, "Now I know for sure, I can't get enough." Lou ran her tongue over her bottom lip like she was sampling the sweetest nectar. Stephen swallowed hard, unsure of what his actions had just started. The hungry look in Lou's eyes mirrored his own.
Their night had gone incredibly smoothly; both the European wrestler and the rookie had been having a drink after the other, the quantity of empty glasses and bottles left on their table being considerable. Chesca didn't know the spell Drew had cast on her, but to be honest, she didn't mind it one bit; he had entertained her and made her laugh with the stories of him and his friends in the indies, she couldn't believe her ears as he told her how much the kids could like Lou's pro, Stephen, as a face.
"Remind me not go out with you again, Galloway." The girl said to the man walking next to her in the hallway leading to the room she shared with the New Yorker. She pointed a finger to him, gently pushing it into his pectoral through the plaid shirt.
"Wha' have Ah done?" A fake innocent expression appeared in Drew's blue eyes, his hands in front of his face in defence.
"You kept me busy with your talking," Chesca replied, leaning with a shoulder onto the wooden doorframe of what he supposed was her room, "And in the meanwhile, I drank like a cheap stripper."
The man chuckled, brushing a hand through his brown hair, looking down at the smaller wrestler. The blue dress against her curves and smoothly defined abs created a vision he couldn't take his eyes off, her bare thighs showing from under the material could have been a delicious dessert to sink his teeth in. Something deep inside his mind told him that he couldn't even consider doing anything to her, or to any other woman: but the numerous beers he had conceded to himself were blurring his senses, and the voice that usually helped him distinguish between right and wrong was definitely quiet.
"I can't even slide the card in the right way, see?" The half-Italian girl laughed after unsuccessfully trying to open the door. She turned herself to it once again as Drew still remained a few inches away from her, chuckling at her clumsiness.
"Let me help yeh." He got closer, his right arm helping her to stand on her heels by gently sneaking around her waist; his other hand, instead, took hold of hers, that almost disappeared in his bigger palm.
Chesca felt the breath of the man behind her brushing on her cheek; it was so hot on her skin, and it made her spine shiver. She didn't even know what came onto her mind as she suddenly turned her head to say something to that kind wrestler: not realising how terribly close his face was, she ended up touching his thin lips, an instant in which she tasted his slightly bitter flavour due to the beer he had drunk, a new sensation that even if for a second caused her to turn red and made her drown in embarrassment. But the Scotsman, instead of pulling away, sent her a sweet smile and made her turn on her heels so she was facing him. His hand cupped her face and he stared down at her, hypnotising those brown mirrors with his blue pupils; without even thinking, he kissed Chesca's lips, hesitating on them for a few seconds before ravishing her mouth with a passion growing by the minute.
It was useless to push him away with her hands on his chest. The sensation his sculpted muscles gave her only made her knees become jelly and increase her want for that mysterious man. Finally opening the room's door, the rookie walked backwards inside, as Drew deepened his exploration of her mouth, his tongue in a desperate search and need for hers, while one of his hands was on her back to keep her body glued to his, the other gently gripped onto her hair. Both of them, definitely too busy to notice that the light was turned on and that they weren't alone.
The metal handle of the hotel door clicking open alerted the pair to the door. Lou's head shot up trying to untangle herself from Stephen who had made no attempt what so ever. She breathed a sigh of relief as Chesca appeared, stumbling slightly before throwing her shoes onto the plush carpet.
"Lou! Sorry, I forgot you were here." Chesca's words were slurred; a giggle left her lips as an arm slipped around her waist. Drew Galloway appeared behind her, seemingly as drunk, kissing Chesca's cheek and holding her from behind.
"Good on ya Ste, Ah told ye she'd come around eventually." Lou looked to Stephen as Drew winked at him, his cheeks becoming flushed. "C'mon Chesca, Ah have a room all to myself." Chesca waved giddily whilst Drew practically dragged her out of the room.
"What was that about?" Lou asked, curious to Drew's comment.
"Ah, nothing lass."
"Did you know Drew was here? I know you guys are like best friends."
"Yeah we were gonna go out, but then I hurt yeh." Lou instantly felt bad; she knew he didn't get to see Drew that often.
"I'm sorry Stephen. I didn't realise, if I had known I wouldn't have asked you to stay with me."
"Ah bet yeh wouldn't believe me if ah told yeah I would rather be here wit yeh than getting drunk with me Scottish mate, would yeh?" Lou shook her head, she certainly didn't believe that. He grinned as he pulled her into his warm embrace again, pushing his lips against hers. She moaned as he pulled her on top of him, crushing her slim frame to his hard body. Her mind spun as he took control of her; never would she have predicted this was how things would turn out with her pro.
~#~
"That was mental what you did tonight." Stu didn't say a word, glancing down at his stinging knuckles as he opened the hotel room door. Katie sighed and stumbled towards the large bed in the middle of the room; she perched on the edge of the comforter and took off her stubborn heels. Her vision still blurred, the need to blink hard a couple of times did relieve her of her restricted view. Stu stood against the wall, trying to comprehend why he had brought her back so early when he knew full-well that she could have stayed with her friends back at the club. It was a long while before either of them spoke; the Londoner quietly broke the tension, sitting back on the bed. "Why did you do it?"
He rubbed a hand over his jaw, trying to think up the right words for this moment; not necessarily speaking the entire truth. "Katie, you're my rookie. I'm responsible for everything you do and if something were to happen then it would be all my fault. I can't risk losing my job over some jumped-up waste of skin who thinks he's God's gift to earth and beyond."
"Well that description sounds familiar..." She muttered under her breath, referring to the man stood in front of her. He advanced towards where she sat on the bed, taking a seat beside her.
"I only stepped in when you needed me. You completely rinsed that guy at the bar."
Katie shot her head up, tilting it when he smiled at her without his usual malice. He eyed the dark purple bruise that had begun to form on her slim neck and he suddenly felt a wash of anger; those stubby finger imprints on her skin made him feel livid for not getting to her sooner. "You saw that?"
"Yeah, I did. It was actually thoroughly entertaining."
"What, to see me getting bugged?"
"Somewhat." He chuckled, unbuttoning the top few buttons on his dress shirt and lying back on the bed.
"Whether you're aware of it or not," She turned to look at him, his arms behind his head, jade eyes staring back at her. "I saw a different side to you tonight."
"I'm not always the bad guy, Katie." He was speaking honestly with her, mainly because he knew she wouldn't remember it in the morning. "Believe it or not, sometimes I can be a protector."
"You were quite bad though. I mean, I don't think that creep will be eating solid food for a while." The Englishwoman lay back next to him on the bed, staring at the ceiling before poking him in his side. She whispered in the dimness of the room to him. "You didn't have to do it though."
"I definitely had to. Do you know how much it would have killed me to see you get attacked when all you had done was tried to defend yourself at the bar?" He was quick to correct himself. "I mean, not stopping that dick attacking you when I could have, that would have gotten me into a whole lot of trouble."
"Yeah, yeah," She waved her hands in the air, "Do you want to know what I think?"
"No but go on."
"I think you like me."
"And I think you've drunk too much." Katie shook her head, dismissing his opinion, leaning over him slightly. She breathed a 'no', the alcohol she had consumed hazing into Stu's nostrils; the woman was definitely drunk. He subconsciously darted his tongue out to swipe over his dry lips as she edged closer to him. She dragged her delicate fingers across his broad chest, the exposed part of his shirt allowed for some tanned skin to show. Her drunken smile eluded a sense of warmth; he was finding it difficult to resist her, her touch sent shivers down his spine. All of this confusion was reciprocated; he would only let this happen because she probably wouldn't think anything of it by tomorrow.
As he lay back in his resumed position, Stu's eyes drifted shut in a moment of anticipation. Katie looked at the man next to her; never in her life had someone protected her like he had this evening, he needed to be rewarded somehow. A simple thank you wouldn't possibly suffice. Her fingers traced his jaw line, covered in light stubble, and travelled upwards to cup his cheek. With a feather-like feel she barely touched her lips against his, watching out for his reaction. He puckered his lips and cupped her face, pulling her on top of him as she allowed him a taste. The alcohol mingled with his breath, their tongues duelling for dominance. Never had so much tension turned into such incredible passion.
Stu pulled away before the kiss got too heated; he didn't want this to be engraved in her deepest memories. She sighed, crawling off his body and climbing under the covers, still fully-clothed.
"...Are we not going to talk about what just happened?"
The response he got was an irritated moan and light rasps of breathing. Katie had fallen asleep at an alarming rate following her excessive alcohol consumption and Stu did nothing to wake her. He stripped down to his boxer briefs and got into the other side of the bed, turning off the bedside lamp and falling into a deep sleep.
~#~
"This is the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to me." Chesca said to the Scotsman as he carried her through the hotel's hallway holding her hand; he grinned to himself while he searched his back pocket for his cardkey.
"Ste is a friend," he told her as they stepped inside his room. "M'ah best friend, actually. So there's no problem at all." The young rookie wasn't paying attention at all to what he was saying, slowly walking with her bare feet on the soft carpet towards the bedroom. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into him again, ending up pushing her back against the closed door.
"Ches." He whispered, his long fingers taking her chin, gently forcing her to look up at him: a shiver crossed the girl's body the moment he spoke softly and hypnotized her with the intense blue of his eyes.
"Yeah?"
"Ah want ye not worry abou' anything. Everythin's fine." He got closer to press a quick kiss on her fleshy lips, "Nou': where were we?" The sound of her chuckle made him understand she had forgotten about the minute they had broken into an already occupied room.
Their aim, that night, would have been to forget the world around them: the morning after though, would've been forcing them to remember at least a few important things, like the golden ring safely resting in the Scottish wrestler's pocket.
A/N – Thank you VIXXY VAMPIRE, LA Williams, xFindTheEnigmaWithinx, kimcooperx, alyssaanne, AyaxDeidei-Sama, wades wife, hOtlilmofo, Asukasammy and Noellia for the lovely reviews. Sorry for the delay, we're still adjusting layout and switching between scenes and stuff but hope it's alright :P! Love Katie, Chesca and Lou x