Chapter 4

Another town, another hotel and I barely got to see my beauty, but when I managed to catch her for a moment, I asked if she wanted to go out again today. She appeared to struggle with it for a moment before she agreed on the condition that it was after she tended to Stephen. I expected no less and told her I'd be by their room in 2 hours if that was okay with her. She nodded and kissed me on my cheek before she hustled to catch up to Stephen after he picked up their suite key. I stood there with what had to be the goofiest look ever on my face, just rubbing my tingling cheek. Damn, I had it bad…

Knocking on the door, I can't tell you if I was pleasantly surprised or incredibly disappointed when none other than Jeff Hardy opened it. He definitely wasn't who I was expecting, but the man is an icon in the business, and I nodded my head in greeting before I moved into the room. And talk about a scrutinizing gaze! Holy shit, I could feel his stare burn through my back as I went to ask Stephen how he was feeling today.

The big man was face down on the couch while she applied antibiotic to every mark on his skin. I knew he was hurting, but he played it off as a slight discomfort for her sake. He was good at protecting his girl, but she was better and saw straight through his smoke screen. Checking with him that he was okay with her leaving, she got up, kissed "Jeffro" on the cheek, grabbed her key and took my extended hand. We stayed at the deli I took her to, just enjoying each others' company right up to the minute where we had to go back to hit the arena in time.

As I got ready for the show, I thought on the answers she gave me when I asked about her infamous friendship with Jeff. I could tell by the way he looked at me that he considered her marked territory and I was a trespasser. They were close, closer than any two people could be…once upon a time. Oh they still loved each other like mad, but anyone with eyes could see that time and distance stripped some of that away and it was passed on to Stephen. She traded him in for a best friend that was around.

When the show was finally over, I ran into her backstage on her way back to the big man and Jeff. She placed a delicate hand on my forearm and asked me if I wanted to come up to her room later. There it was – the actual invitation that I managed to bypass when I thought I was going to lose my chance with her. I graciously accepted while trying not to come off as a complete tool, took her fingertips in mine before I leaned down to kiss her forehead. She said she looked forward to seeing me and went to walk away. I was this close to stopping her with a question that was hanging on my tongue when she suddenly turned around and told me to bring my friends. The guys were going to flip their shit!

I showed up after it was already in full swing, and she immediately sought me out this time. Stephen took up one couch for himself. Others from the roster were jammed into the remaining couch and ones they dragged in from other rooms. She placed me front and center in a chair that was clearly reserved just for her. I had the perfect seat to sit, watch and listen to her and Jeff sing one song after another. Several of those songs, she ignored her partner and looked right into my eyes as if I was the only one in the room. Oh look! I'm back on my favorite cloud – that's right, number 9!

As if on cue between songs, there was a lull in the surrounding conversation, and I turned to see the others were staring at Colby and Jon when they stood inside the open door. They looked like they were ready to bolt. I turned back to glance at Lex and saw her studying eyes not staring at my friends but hers. With an irritated shake of her head, she cleared her throat and threw her hands out. "What are you waiting for? BP! Take someone with you and drag another couch in here! Glad you could make it, guys." She smiled at my friends while Big Paul (Big Show) and Stu (Wade) instantly went to retrieve another couch and gave me a wink before she waited for the next song that Jeff had picked.

From experience I know these parties lasted hours, but she eventually drifted over to my chair and sat on the armrest. It felt good to have her sitting that close to my side, and with a glance around the room, I could see the others took it as a statement. What the full extent of that statement was, I wasn't entirely sure but I could only hope. We talked for a while, just whispering among ourselves to stay in our own little space while surrounded by a mass of bodies. I learned that she not only took photos for the company's website but also took stills for two television shows and a few rock bands. After a bit, she bit her lip and told me that she'd be leaving for Nova Scotia in the morning. Filming was starting on the other television series that she worked for, and she'd be gone for a few days before returning to Stephen's home in Tampa.

In a moment of complete weakness, I asked if I could go with her, not wanting to be in separate countries for even such a short period of time. She went quiet for a long while. I could tell she was thinking it over before she sighed, looked up at me and said "not this time, I have some things to take care of before you come up. I'll take you with me the following week, I promise. Is that okay?" What else could I do but agree? Plus I had her word that I could go the following week. Like a big kid, I retreated into myself a bit as I took her hand in mine and played with her fingers. She ended up leaning up against me on the armrest, leaving her hand in my grasp. I wanted nothing more than to pull her on to my lap, but making those kind of moves this soon wasn't something to be done in this crowd.

My first infamous room party was winding down, and I could feel the trepidation enter me when I knew walking out that door was going to signal almost a week without her. It isn't like that was anything new to me since there were plenty of weeks like that before, but the difference was now I finally had my beauty instead of just imagining her every night. I held off until the bitter end before Colby and Jon walked up and thanked her for a nice night then glanced at me while she told them they were welcome anytime. Gritting my teeth, I told her I guess I should let her turn in so she could make her flight. She stood beside me, letting me up and allowed me to wrap my arms around her, holding her flush to my chest before I kissed the top of her head and said good night.

To my ultimate surprise, she called me two days later from Barrington and asked me for a favor. Now how could I refuse doing her a favor? She said she was returning to Tampa in the morning but had a ton of errands to run, she knew the weather was bad and one of her monsters had "storm issues" so she wasn't comfortable dragging him along to her doctor's appointment or to the title company. The latter was none of my business, but of course, I was concerned about her health so I asked if she was alright.

"I'm never alright, babe, but it isn't that kind of doctor. Shrink appointment." I didn't ask and she didn't offer. In the next breath, she said with Stephen in a bad way, she didn't want him driving in the rain and dealing with the dogs and asked if I could meet her at her doctor's office, pick up the dogs and take them back to Stephen's, that she knew we lived in different cities but if I helped her out, I was more than welcome to bring my luggage and stay until we had to leave for the next show. I was perfectly fine to just do her the favor but the added bonus of staying over had me asking for the addresses in a flurry of words while I scrambled for a pen and paper. "Don't forget to pack enough for the extra two days up here," she told me before she hung up. Yes! I love a woman that keeps her word.

I was already in the parking lot when she arrived and got out to open her door before she could reach for the handle. There was that smile that made me swallow a desert along with my tongue. I offered to take her luggage to the house so that she wouldn't have to worry about it later in the rain, and her smile just grew more dazzling. Taking her bags, I put them in my trunk while she loaded the dogs into the backseat of my rental. Everyone in the locker room knew their names – the mascots of the company, Nemo and Jasper – but I got my introduction and leaned down to pat them both.

She said she needed to head inside, and when I felt her hand on my nape, I turned into a gentle press of her lips against mine. My hand instinctively moved to the small of her back, holding her to me as I felt that rush run straight to every nerve-ending in my body. I stood at my full height, my breath slightly labored while we both kept our hold on each other and just stared into the others' eyes. Yeah, that wasn't going to hold me over.

I cupped the side of her neck with my free hand and pulled her lips back to mine, this time taking complete occupation of her mouth with my searching tongue. I wanted it to go on forever but knew she needed to get inside so I reluctantly released her lips with one last sipping kiss. When I pulled slightly back and opened my eyes, I noticed hers were still closed and her tongue darted out to taste me on her lips. I couldn't stop the smile from forming when she opened her eyes and met my gaze.

I saw the shift in her almost immediately. I wasn't the hunted anymore. I was the hunter, and she knew it. She swallowed almost convulsively while she handed me the key to Stephen's and told me she would see me at home. I nodded my head and released her to go in, leaning against the car waiting for it…and there it was. She glanced over her shoulder at me, lingering at the door for a moment before she smiled and went in.

I can only guess that the opening days of filming on a TV show must be hectic because Stephen just about jumped out of his skin when he came out of his room to find me reclining on his couch instead of her. I had to laugh! It was damn comical! "She didn't get the chance to call you, did she?"

"Nope!" he said with the crazy eyes but told me to make myself at home as he moved into the kitchen to brew what I'm told is her favorite Stephen Coffee. He told me she can't live without it just so, so I better pay attention and learn fast or mornings would be bad for me. "She's gotta have a minimum of two cups before she becomes human. Don't forget," he said as we sat on the couches, both of us with a mug of Stephen Coffee in our hands.

I heard the car and went straight to the kitchen so that when she came in and flopped down at his feet, I had her mug ready and waiting to place in her pleading hands. Stephen snuck a quick wink at me while she closed her eyes and savored her first sip then pretended he had been listening to her title company tale.

She came home a nervous wreck after getting bad news from her valued shrink; she was closing her practice and moving so all her clients had to find a new "prescribing" shrink. Apparently that is a big thing for "freaks like her" (her words, not mine), to shop for a new doctor.

I learned that she suffers panic attacks while listening to her conversation with Stephen and apparently her now-former doctor thinks she's an Angry Irritated Lack of Patience Depressive (AILoPD for short) not a Boohoo Depressive but she still refused to see a "sit down and talk about my feelings" doctor. I cannot say that surprises me. She only shares her thoughts and feelings with people she loves and trusts.

I also discovered that she was closing on a house practically across the street from here next week when she asked if I would be willing to go furniture shopping with her over the weekend. I was all for it, of course. Two days out and about with her in public (we were so far over that line in the sand I don't think I could find it with a map), helping handpick the things she would decorate her home with…not to mention the king-sized bed for the master bedroom. As if there was a chance I wouldn't think about it. Come on!

She stuck close to Stephen on the long couch while they (get this) watched Smackdown that night! I could barely restrain my laughter when they did running commentary or became marks that accepted the kayfabe. It was hysterical! She had her laptop set up on a TV tray in front of her and picked random moments to furiously type something before she'd laugh and continue watching the show. Her nickname for Randy was thigh meat! I will never look at his legs again, not that I did before but especially after her calling them succulent! Hahaha!

When my appearance came on, I shifted my eyes to her and caught her staring at me over her monitor. I couldn't help but notice that was the way I saw her at ringside – just from the eyes up over the apron. I could hear her fingers typing away on the keyboard while we held our staring contest. The little minx was trying to make me squirm in my seat with that smoldering look. Well two can play that game, baby. A slight tilt of my head and looking through my eyelashes at her, I parted my lips just slightly and ran my tongue over them.

Her mouth fell open as she drew in a short gasp of air, and I swear I could see those black eyes dilate from the other side of the den. My girl didn't want to play that particular game with me. I have skills that would have her panting over there without a spoken word or a single touch.

When the show was over, they switched the channel over to one of the playoff games. Stephen wasn't kidding. The two of them were like an old married couple content to sit inside, play with their pitbulls and watch TV before it was time to turn in. Except half of this couple was mine, and she really had some choice words to toss at the teams on the screen.

By the time it was over, Stephen was up on his feet and bidding us good night as he wandered down the hall to his room. I waited until she shut down her laptop then cocked my head at her. She was still sitting across the room from me and quietly contemplating something. "Do you want to grab your bags?" she asked as she took her feet. I nodded my head and went to grab them from the entryway before following her to the opposite end of the hall from Stephen. "I'll show you where we are," she opened the door, and I paused at the threshold of her room.

"We?" She said that this was his only guestroom. The others in the house were converted to suit other needs like a gym and office. "What about the couch?" I wanted to slap the shit out of myself for making suggestions that kept me out of her room. She said I was her guest, and she'd take the couch before she allowed me to. Well I couldn't have that. She tilted her head and asked if I had a problem sharing a bed with her. "What? No!" I walked the rest of the way in and kicked the door shut behind me.

She told me she was going to change in the bathroom while I changed out here, and I watched her carry nothing but a long tank in with her before the door closed. I stripped off my clothes and draped them over a chair at her desk, all the while thinking of her undressing behind that door. I pulled on a pair of black shorts, and all I could think about was how was I going to hide the now very prominent tent in the material when the image of her in nothing but that tank hung out in my head?

I pulled back the comforter, blanket and sheet climbed in and hoped I wasn't on her side before I pulled the sheet to my waist. Not like that did a lot to disguise my current situation. In fact, it made it worse since the linens were white. At least I had some camouflage with the black shorts in the semi-dark room.

"You ready?" she whispered from behind the bathroom door.

"Definitely," I replied in a strained voice. When she emerged, the soft lighting in the bathroom backlit her curves through the white tank and I could feel myself harden even more. Then I thought maybe my girl is a lot more versed in that game than I thought when she crossed to the bed and slipped in beside me. It took some maneuvering on her part to get all of her hair out from under her back and splayed across her pillow but when she was settled, she rolled towards me and traced her hand over my arm sleeve. My animal chanted 'mine' in my head, but the only word I managed to say was "beautiful".

Even in the faint light, I could see a blush rise in her cheeks and realized I said that out loud. She kept tracing her fingers over my inked flesh while she told me she wasn't quite sure what she was ready for yet but asked if I'd be willing to kiss her again. I didn't even answer her before I rolled on to my side, gripped the back of her head and brought her mouth to mine once again.

She moved further into my chest, I could feel her full breasts heaving against me as she took her breath from my lungs. I had just enough sense left to try to keep some space between our pelvises, but she scooted just close enough to brush against me. God, I hope she didn't feel that but damn, that felt good! And how is this thing getting harder? I guess it's true what I've thought all along. She really does bring out the animal in me.

Our tongues dueled for dominance of the kiss for what felt like forever but in reality would never be long enough, before lack of oxygen forced us to separate. "Damn, you taste good." I pulled her closer into my chest, her head lying on my right arm and her hands resting on my bare skin. I kept one hand buried in her hair and the other on the small of her back. I no longer cared if she could feel my erection pressed into her abdomen. In fact, I wanted her to so that she'd know what was hers when she was ready to claim it.

The rush of the moment had sapped the last of her energy. I could feel her heart return to its normal rhythm as she tucked her head under my chin, placed her right hand on my side and settled in to sleep nestled deep into my body. "Good night, baby," I whispered to her, placing a kiss on her head before my eyes danced over the room. I don't know why but the thought that I just made it through two more of her doors crossed my mind.

I had two blissful days of shopping for furniture, hanging out with my girl and friend and just watching TV before I fell asleep with her tangled up with me. All major items needed for furnishing the new place were bought and ready to be moved when she closed on it while on the road with us. When we returned to Tampa next week, it would be to a new home where we could be alone. I already knew I was coming with her because she had asked if I would help her arrange anything that was incorrectly placed by the movers. It's obvious by now that I could never tell her no.