Chapter 44

In the morning Jon and I got up early to get breakfast. To our surprise Colby was up as well.

"Can I tag along?"

My husband and I shared a look but Jon shrugged eventually. "Just behave." he warned and Colby nodded enthusiastically.

We walked to the nearby supermarket to get some fresh cold cut and cheese and Colby bounced up and down the aisles, touching everything until we came to the cold cut counter.

"Oh can I choose what I want?" "Go ahead." to the lady behind it I said to pack 8 pieces of whatever he would choose and he wanted a lot.

"Why did we bring him?" Jon asked with a low voice.

"Because he is your friend." I whispered back.

"No, Seth is my friend, Colby is yours!" he argued.

"But he is in exited puppy mode, that means Seth." I countered.

Exited puppy mode was like Brie mode without beverage.

"I can hear you, you know." Colby said.

"That was the plan." Jon shrugged. "That's enough don't you think?"

Walking up to Colby I stopped him from picking yet another cold cut variety.

"And I love exited puppy mode." I whispered in his ear which made him smile and hug me what in turn made Jon growl.

"Going shopping with you early in the morning is pure joy. One of you is the easy going puppy, one is a grumpy bear." I told them both and went to collect some milk and coffee.

We made our way through the small supermarket much slower than I expected and both men stopped in the candy aisle.

Now they put their heads together and talked about what to buy and I was getting impatient.

"Shall I come back in an hour boys?"

Colby struck out his tongue and put three more items in his basket before walking up to me.

Jon still lingered and caught up with us at the check out.

I gave a plastic bag to Colby who looked at me bewildered.

"You have to put your stuff in yourself." I told him.

He thought I was making fun of him but Jon nodded.

"Just pack your stuff in yourself, it's self service here."

Once we had that settled we went to the small bakery where again both boys were in heaven. Jon was quietly enjoying the huge selection, Colby was hyped and wanted one of each bun they had to offer.

"Look man, there are little bread man with pipes!" he pointed out to Jon.

"What are they called?"

"Stutenkerl." Colby's eyes widened and he thought about repeating after me but choose not to. "Can we have some?" Jon grinned and I got them their Stutenkerle, one for each of them.

"Are we done now or do you want anything else?"

"Is there more?" "No moron. When you are done eating all that stuff you will have gained 10 pounds and your skinny jeans won't fit any more."

Jon and Colby bantering was always entertaining to watch.

We left the supermarket and walked across the parking lot where Colby spotted an old lady who wanted to put a box of glass water bottles into her car and obviously struggled.

"Here let me help." Colby offered and placed the box in the trunk. The old lady looked at his bi-colored hair which she didn't approve of it seemed but she couldn't resist Colby's easy smile.

"Danke junger Mann." she said finally patting his arm. (Thanks young man)

"Bitte sehr." Colby replied with the few words of German he had learned from me. (You're welcome.)

"She was scared of you hair." Jon pointed out. Then he took Colby in a side headlock and ruffled his hair. "But our little boy scout had to help her anyways."

"Don't touch the hair." Colb complained and had to put it together in a new ponytail.

"Stop, both of you." I got between them and we walked on like that.

"You're hometown is pretty cute Sam. Reminds me of my home. And we were not bothered so far. It is relaxing."

"I guess it is. And no one would expect a WWE superstar here so even when someone recognizes you they would not believe it is you."

We arrived home and found Joe waiting for us.

Colby told him everything about our shopping trip and gave him a Stutenkerl.

"How are they called again?" he asked.

Jon rolled his eyes. "Stutenkerl." he said. He really picked up more than I thought but he didn't want to advertise the fact that his German was actually good considering that we didn't practice it explicit.

"Good Morning Joe." I finally had the chance to give him a hug.

"I am sorry we didn't take you along." "No problem baby girl. I enjoyed the quiet."

"I envy you so much."

We had a nice breakfast and the guys enjoyed the different types of grain buns and the cold cuts.

"One could get used to this." Joe said and shoved away his plate.

"I fear my jeans will burst any moment." "Told you so." Jon mumbled between a bite.

"Sam, where can we go train today?" Joe asked.

"Oh yeah. I talked to Jon because I had an idea. Since the weather is so nice I thought we could do some kind of open air crossfit. We have a keep fit trail nearby in the woods it's like brand new and I thought that we could try that."

"That sounds like fun. The ninja can roll around in the leaves."

"And we will surely find a tree trunk for you to stumble over." Now it were Joe and Colby bantering.

I leaned into Jon watching the banter between the two of them.

"This is nice." I said, meaning being together with friends, having a good time and being able to lean on my husband. I really felt loved and appreciated at those moments and like I was right where I belonged.

Finally the two men were catching up on the quiet and gave us a look.

"Why are you two looking so smug?" Colby asked. "Just enjoying our weird little family." Jon explained.

Around noon we drove to the keep fit trail. Before you come into the woods there is a little petting zoo thing with goats, sheep and pigs and fallow deers.

"Oh look lots and lots of Ericks." Jon pointed to the goats. (meaning Erick Rowan of the Wyatts)

"Nah man, Erick has a llama mask I told you that!" Joe said.

Colby put his arm around my shoulder. "Will they ever learn?" he asked sighing.

"Nope." I grinned. I knew animals really well, Colby was not bad either but Jon and Joe...hopeless cases.

"Those are goats. Sheep are over there, Erick wears a sheep mask." I pointed out and we entered the little trail.

I had agreed to jog along. Jon always pushed me to get some training in but I was nowhere near as fit as these guys. So we started at a slow pace but soon Joe and I were far behind the other two.

We reached the first bars where Colby was already hanging doing pull-ups. He really was a little monkey. Jon was at the other bar doing pull ups as well and Joe joined him.

"The sign said 20 I did 40. Am I done?" Jon asked. Colby was hanging upside down doing crunches. His t-shirt fell down exposing his marvelous chest and belly.

I was staring I admit it and didn't answer Jon.

"You see a six pack every night Sam." he complained and shoved up his shirt as well. He was a little less sculpted than Colby but when he flexed his muscles it was a very nice view.

"Shhh. I am enjoying the view, step aside."

Colby was done as was Joe and we jogged to the next stop which was in Joe's favor. Pushing tree trunks. They were no challenge for any of the guys so Joe picked me up and put me on the trunk instructing me to hold on.

"You are crazy I weigh a ton." I complained and he easily lifted the trunk and me.

"Then you make me look really good right now baby girl."

"I want to do it as well." Colby shoved Joe aside and lifted me as well, not as easily as Joe but it was still no challenge.

"What about you?" Joe asked Jon and he shrugged.

"Hold on, tense your muscles baby." He picked just me up and held me up in a gorilla press and pushed me up three times.

"Don't throw me!" I warned and he put me down gently knowing full well that even throwing me in Joe's arms was much too risky. I was no trained athlete. I could work my way around a lock on a mat but everything that involved landing right or flexing muscles was not my thing.

"Round two goes to Jon." I grinned and we jogged on.

At one point we had to jog up a mean little hillock. It was steep and about 500 m just up.

I decided to walk up, Jon jogged but at a slow pace, Joe joined my walk and Colby was up and down and up again.

He cheered us like a cheerleader.

"Come on sissy's. You look sad. Sad little bugs climbing a hill. Fight bitches."

Well maybe not like a cheerleader but more like a drill sergeant.

"I spear him once I am up." Joe promised.

Colby was still shouting and Jon reached him, stretching his legs.

Two young women jogged past them on the trail above the hill and they enjoyed the eye candy.

"Hey ladies." Colby managed between pushing Joe and I and Jon winked at them stretching his arms, showing off his biceps.

"That ass..." I mumbled and pushed some more reaching the top wheezing like a locomotive but Jon caught me laughing when I tried to knock him over.

Colby was now calling Joe names and the Samoan proved to be a great actor. He slowed the last few feet so much that Colby came closer and suddenly he launched with so much speed no one would have guessed, he rushed Colby and put him through half a spear without putting him to the ground.

"Next time I follow through with the spear." he warned and Colby laughed and jumped on Joe's back doing a mock sleeper hold.

"Not if you go down first." the little monkey said.

"Get off of me monkey." Joe grabbed Colby's left arm and foot and pulled him around until the two toned ninja was hanging at Joe's chest.

„Guys this is really awkward." I pointed out because the two jogger women were on their return and eyed us now really funny.

Colby let go and grinned at them again. "Ladies, already back?"

Joe just smiled his usual smile and one woman really was so enthralled that she tripped.

Jon and I had to turn around otherwise we would have started laughing.

I looked at him and he was biting his lower lip. I just couldn't take it anymore but instead of laughing I kissed him which shut both of us up effectively.

"You guys coming?" Joe called after a little while and Jon didn't turn around but said:"I got a cramp in my leg."

"You can follow the path till you hit a street, go left there and run till you can't go further and then you turn left again and will come right back here." I told them without really looking at them.

"Cramp my ass..." Colby mumbled as they ran off.

Jon was back at kissing me instantly.

He pushed me against an old tree and forced my legs open with his knee.

"They will only be gone for 5." I told him breathlessly. "Just time enough to let your cramp die down."

"Or for a quickie..." "No way, not in public. Not under that much pressure. Nope."

I pushed him away from me, admiring the bulge in his jogging pants from afar.

He had to adjust himself and when he saw me licking my lips he growled: "You are not making this easier."

"Maybe I don't want to..."

Grinning I walked away a little further to a safe distance so he couldn't make a move on me.

"Do you really think I couldn't catch you with your 10 feet lead?"

"I think you stand no chance. You go the distance, but you can't sprint." I taunted him.

I danced from one foot to the other like a boxer.

And he put on Ambrose mode. He rolled his head, smiling sinister and flexed his fingers.

"You're challenging me, love?" "It's no challenge when you know you're winning. I am just sassing you." "And do you think it is wise to poke a lion with a stick?" "When you are a gazelle with a now 15 feet head start? Gimme a bigger stick to poke."

Jon...or Dean...showed his teeth and rolled his shoulders.

"You know what lions do? They hunt in packs. One lion stalks the prey chasing it to his waiting pack members. And when the little gazelle thinks she is free, the big bad lion jumps it from the side and brings it down."

He was slowly walking towards me and I stepped back up the path where Joe and Colby would show up any minute. I looked over my shoulder and they were already on the path.

Shit.

"The little gazelle should fear for its life now. Run Sam. Run." he said, to the boys he called out: "Catch her." and I turned and ran towards them anyway. I was a half decent sprinter for about 50 feet and I knew Jon was holding back.

His two brothers played along widening their stances and waiting for me.

Whom to take down? Joe? No, an ex football player was a dumb idea. He was made for this.

So it was Colby. But thinking about it let Jon catch up as well and I really had no chance so I stopped and hold up my hands in surrender.

"Please, I surrender." Jon stopped and licked his lips grinning.

"What kind of role play do you play?" Colby asked when Jon came step by step closer and I backed up to the guys step by step as well.

"She is the gazelle, we are the lions. Hunting our prey."

"You guys are really sick, you know that?" Joe said and I thought that was my chance. He wasn't in on the game so I ran at him, trying to run past him when he grabbed me around my waist turning me 360 and then he pushed me gently to Colby who grabbed me by the shoulders and the legs until he was carrying me across his body, ready for anything. I laughed the whole time and Jon had reached us now.

"Now little gazelle. Do you give up?" "Never." I wiggled in Colby's arms but he was stronger than he looked.

"Do a side backbreaker on her." Jon said and I turned my head to look at him. "Are you crazy?"

"I am the lunatic fringe, of course I am crazy."

Colby hesitated. "Did you know he tricked you into sleeping on the couch?" I asked suddenly.

"I know, he is a really bad manipulator." Shit, okay, what now? "Joeeeeee." I whined and he just laughed.

"Jon...come on." I pleaded. "Nope." Just what I had told him 5 minutes ago about sex in the woods.

"Deeeeeeeean." I tried again and I noticed that Colby weakened a bit. He finally put me down and pushed me to Jon.

"Your hunt, your prey, deal with her."

I landed in his arms and my eyes were shining, this was fun and he had grin on his lips.

"Got ya little gazelle." He pulled me into him and kissed me again then he stepped back and grinned even more. "That was fun." he announced and Colby and Joe just shook their heads.

"Let's end this run, okay? You're slacking Ambrose."

"Turn right at the hillock and follow the path, you will end up at the big ass tower you saw when we arrived. Wait there for me, because I can't run anymore."

"You're sure? We can go slow." It was Joe who was actually concerned.

"No, I am fine. Go, and burn some calories and energy. I'll catch up. Don't scare anymore women on your way. You three kinda look like crazy thugs and not everyone knows that you are actually all really nice."

"Hurry." Jon told me and followed his friends.

When I arrived at the parking lot, there was just Joe, drinking water from one of the bottles we brought with us.

"Where are the other two?"

"Up there." He pointed to the tower. An old defensive tower, about 76 feet high and you could walk up in it and enjoy the view once you are at the top.

"SAHAAAM. Come up here." It was Colby.

"Coooolbyyyy I am afraid of heights."

"Noooo, come up here. Bring the big guy. I want to make a photo. Pleeeease."

"You're coming?" I asked Joe and he shrugged. "They would never let me hear the end of it if I don't come. After you baby girl."

We climbed the stair and got up on the platform where Jon and Colby enjoyed the view already.

"That's pretty cool. You can see everything from up here." Jon was amazed and Colby was hyped. Joe and I stood back a little from the balustrade.

"Can you make a photo of all of us Sam?" Colby asked and put his phone in my hand.

The old Shield got together, stuck their fists out, I had the amazing view in the background and took a couple of pictures.

Next Jon pulled me in front of them, Joe took the phone and we took a selfie.

"Take some of us, would you?" Jon asked Colby and he pulled me in front of him, pushing me against the balustrade. "I won't let you fall." he whispered in my ear and held me tight.

Colby took a picture of our backs, from the side and finally one where we kissed each other.

"Post one of those or all Sam. I want these out there." Jon told me. He was making a statement with these to Mark and how much he could kiss his ass.

I took some more pictures of Joe and Colby for their loved ones back home and then we got back down. Joe was interested in the pictures in the tower which told the history of my hometown and I tried to translate it for him.

Jon and Colby waited by the car for us.

"We really lucked out with the weather. It is so sunny and warm." I said as we got in the car.

"I hope you enjoyed the little workout. I will make sure I will find you guys a real gym next time we are here."

"We had fun Sam, don't worry. We can slack a day or two, it doesn't hurt it is really good to rest every now and then." Joe told me and he was normally the one beside Colby who took working out the most serious. Jon worked out a lot as well, but he wasn't as edgy when he had to skip a workout like he had been when we first met. I guess the fact that I kept him busy most nights calmed him down some.