Hodophilia

 

 

 

Chapter 1

 

DEAN AMBROSE IS LEAVING THE WWE!!

 

CONTRACT UP, DEAN AMBROSE NOT RE-SIGNING WITH WWE!!

 

DEAN AMBROSE OUT OF WRESTLEMANIA!!

 

Green eyes widened with every article she came across on social media, her fingers clicking on one right after the other, reading them.  Was this true?  Was Jonathan Good finally leaving the WWE?  The man had lost nearly 9 months of his career due to a near-fatal torn triceps injury that resulted in MRSA.  His comeback should have been epic, it should have blown everybody away, but instead, he was just another stepping stone for his Shield brothers, his brethren. 

 

Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. 

 

She could not STAND those assholes, always believing Jon was the true star of the Shield.  Jon could do everything and anything in the ring, busted his backside, and she had been to every single one of his matches since his inception within the Indies.  CZW, for example.  She was there when he won the title against B-Boy at the 10^th Anniversary show of CZW.  She was there for every title victory and accolade this man ever achieved. 

 

Being a billionaire that ran a very successful real-estate company, with branches all over the country, and some overseas in Europe and Australia, had her well off at a rather early age.  All it took was a few years of college, a smart mind, and it did help that she was easy on the eyes with a banging body she took care of.  Workouts, eating right and only indulging ever so often, along with drinking wine of all the finest flavors. 

 

At the wrestling events, Carmen didn’t dress the way she would if she was in a meeting with her company.  It was wrestling t-shirts and jeans, sneakers, and she looked like the average person instead of a billionaire goddess.  She preferred it that way, staying in the shadows and watching her favorite wrestler in every match he was in, attending every show, no matter how much the tickets were.  And she was usually front row or as close to it as possible, though there were times she preferred the skybox like at the WrestleMania’s he was in.

 

And now…he was leaving the WWE and what would he do? 

 

Would he go back to the Indies? 

 

Would he go to the wrestling organization known as AEW? 

 

Would he pursue acting, maybe? 

 

Or would he simply retire since she knew he had plenty of money to live off of for the rest of his life and then some?  The man had bought his own mother her very own house!  Carmen knew everything there was to know about Jonathan Good, as much as he allowed the public to know anyway.  He had a sister named Jennifer, but his mother’s name was never divulged and neither was his father’s, who had left him at an early age, according to some interviews he’d done over the years when he was in the Indies.  Something was broken inside of Jon since his return from his injury and she could see it in his eyes, even when he turned heel against Seth Rollins. 

 

Whatever he decided to do, Carmen would support him like always being the lifelong Jon Moxley/Dean Ambrose/Jonathan David Good fan that she was.

 

Almost immediately, rumors came out about him heading to AEW.  AEW would be foolish not to snatch him up given his reputation and the fact when he was off the social media, political, glass bowl the WWE promoted, he was the best at what he did.  Of course, Jon already knew that, his arrogance had resurfaced when he realized he was about to be set free.  He wasn’t doing that ever again and the second he had walked out of that prison, knowing he was a free man, he could practically feel his creative juices flowing like crazy.  Once he said his goodbyes to Seth and Roman, his brothers in arms, hell they were his friends and after all this time, practically family, Jon was ready for the next step and leap in his journey through professional wrestling.  Naturally, conspiracy theories shot up everywhere.  Fueled on just a smidge.  Switchblade Conspiracy was one of them.  Jon could practically hear the mark’s heads exploding.

 

This was real.  This was the final night of Jon’s career in WWE and it was on the WWE Network in a special…all surrounding Dean Ambrose.  What the HELL was going on?  Carmen watched from the crowd on the big screen as the Shield was questioned by Michael Cole. 

 

“Eight years ago, I walked into this casino and now I’m cashing in my chips and I’m walking away.  I won the game.  And what I do with the rest of my life, from here on out, is MY business.  I answer to NO ONE.  And this time, the million dollar man didn’t get what he wanted.  ‘Cause I can’t be bought!”

 

That was so heartfelt, strong and powerful, it sent shivers throughout every portion of her body as she sat front row for the event, clapping along with everyone else.  She didn’t have a Shield shirt on either.  She had a Dean Ambrose shirt on, supporting ONLY him.  Every shirt she owned supported ONLY him.  Carmen had an entire walk-in closet FILLED with t-shirts this man had made over the years, buying every single one that signified and supported him.  That was all she ever wanted to do was support her favorite wrestler and the secret man of her dreams.

 

Jon stared out into the sea of fans, not focusing on any one particular face.  This would be the LAST time he set foot in a WWE ring and he didn’t give a damn how much Vince offered him.  Money wasn’t everything and he would never, EVER come back here.  This was not the life for anyone who valued their privacy, sanity, none of it.  This was the life for a puppet who didn’t mind showing the world their life, following ridiculous rules while still being an Independent contractor.  Might as well have called it what it was – slavery.  He raised a fist in the air, letting the microphone drop after giving a heartfelt speech to the fans in attendance and those around the world watching this spectacle. 

 

Jon Good was a free man.

 

Even though she was happy for him, Carmen cried because she had no idea when it would be the next time she saw him in a ring of any capacity.  Wiping her tears away with tissues from her purse, she made her way out of the building as soon as he disappeared out of sight, heading for the exit.  Another thing she didn’t do was drive extravagant cars or a limousine to the events.  Way too much attention would be drawn to fancy vehicles.  It was best to rent cars in the city she traveled to since she flew a lot from place to place, unless the events were within driving distance.  Walking to her car, Carmen pulled out her keys and lit a cigarette, her neatly manicured nails swiping along the screen of her cell phone.

 

Double or Nothing.  The AEW pay-per-view that would kickstart that wrestling organization officially would not be until May.  It was now February.  That meant she had 3 months to kill until she found out if Jon would be at that event or not.  Screw it, she was getting tickets anyway since it was a new wrestling promotion and something deep down inside told her Jon would be there…and he wouldn’t be Dean Ambrose either.

 

Jon hadn’t signed anything with anyone yet.  He hadn’t been able too since he was still official with the WWE up until…right now.  Igniting a cigarette right at the back entrance, not giving a flying fig, he stepped out into the parking lot, grinning as the cold air blasted him. “Boys, I’m free!”

 

Roman and Seth had come with, one finally goodbye for now as it were. “You sure this is what you want, man?” Roman asked quietly, not surprised at all when Jon just vigorously nodded his head.

 

Jon was a wild man, eccentric as hell, and he had buckled under the thumb that had been laid down on them all over the past few years. “I’m telling you, after nearly losing my career, I had a lot of thoughts and this place…this is NOT where I want to call it a day on wrestling.” It was no way to live the life he wanted and he wanted to make something of himself with the handful of years he had left, especially with his body beginning to break down the way it was.

 

“But this is the big leagues, man…” Seth had tried time and time again to find some way, SOMETHING, to say to Jon to make him want to stay, frowning at his friend.  No, they weren’t just friends, they were best friends and brothers. “The Shield, man, aren’t you gonna miss the six man tags and shit?”

 

Roman had recently recovered from having leukemia, which was one of the main reasons Jon was leaving.  Vince had wanted him to say some pretty awful things about Roman while the man was out of action, fighting for his very life, and Jon refused.  They were things that would’ve gotten sponsorships taken away from the company and everything too.  He knew Jon hated his character in WWE, the direction they had taken Dean Ambrose, but there was always room to change and improve.

 

Only there wasn’t because Vince was stubborn and set in his ways.  He never listened to anything Jon had to say.  Jon had COUNTLESS arguments and talks with the old man, trying to convince him why things he did out in the ring were foolish, idiotic, and made him look imprudent – a complete joke.  He was done.  It was time for Jon Moxley to resurface again, not that ANYONE, not even his brothers right here standing before him, knew.  NOBODY would find out until the stroke of midnight when his contract OFFICIALLY expired on April 30^th.

 

The video was already done, it was just a matter of playing the waiting game now.

 

The return of Jon Moxley would be EPIC and internet-breaking.

 

None of the three were aware that only a few short cars down was a woman who was rich enough to stalk him, who was becoming aware that they were out there.  Jon could have used the employee parking lot, but he didn’t plan on being here that long.  No after show meetings with the on-hand bosses, Vince’s yes men, no last minute goodbyes to anyone except his buddies, nothing.

 

“Well, you two,” He grinned crookedly around his cigarette, blue eyes lighting with amusement. “Should probably get back to your kennels.”

 

“Ruff.” Seth barked dryly, shaking his head.

 

Jon was Jon, there would never be another like him.

 

Maybe it was stalking a little, but Carmen preferred to stay in the shadows.  She never went to signing events or anything of the sort.  Meeting him was out of the question.  The man would think she was insane if he EVER discovered her.  All she wanted to do was attend the shows to watch him do what he did best in the ring.  She loved watching him wrestle, enamored with the way he moved and carried himself. 

 

With all the money in the world at her disposal, Carmen did what she wanted because life was too short.  She had lost both of her parents to cancer at the age of 17, one right after the other.  It was eerie the way it happened, and she was a lonely child on top of that.  She had inherited her father’s real-estate business and had graduated high school a year earlier due to her academics.  She had gone to school, received her degree, and began building the business into the successful franchise juggernaut it was today. 

 

Over half the country had her real-estate agencies and she made money from all of them, not a single one negative.  There were a few negatives that she had eliminated, which were mostly in deserted towns with no tourism that her father had profited from at one point.  Wrestling had been her escape while watching her parents fight for their lives with cancer and the moment she laid eyes on Jon Moxley, Carmen was entranced.  Even after all these years of following him and his career, that feeling for him never wavered, never changed, and she honestly did not care what anyone thought of her.  If she wanted to go to every single wrestling event to watch him wrestle, and she had the funds and means to do it, she would.

 

It was incredible how he was only a few cars down from her at that moment and she could’ve easily gone to him.  She could’ve been one of those crazed fangirls that demanded his attention and wanted an autograph, but all she did was stand there, hearing his faint voice along with Roman and Seth talking.  Finishing her smoke, Carmen dropped it to the ground and stubbed it out with her tennis shoe before slipping behind the wheel of her rental car, frowning when the engine wouldn’t start. 

 

What the hell?

 

She was a whole new breed of fangirl and potentially even worse than the crazies.  A rich girl who used her resources and free time to traipse around the country was crazy.  Of course, Jon had grown up poor, so he was a bit of a miser with his money.  He spent it on things that he would basically own for life, such as his house.  Finishing his cigarette, he hugged his friends goodbye so they could get back to their prison warden and shouldered his bag, flipped off the building and headed down for his car.  Frowning as he walked, hearing the telltale sounds of an engine not turning over, or starting to and then sputtering and dying, his curiosity was peaked.  Stopping in front of the dying or dead car, raising a brow, Jon took in the driver behind the wheel.

 

“Hey.” He tapped her hood, trying not to laugh when the woman visibly jumped. “Need some help?”

 

Jonathan Good was standing in front of her rental car with possibly the sexiest grin on his face and Carmen was frozen solid in her seat.  How was this happening?  How was this even possible? I have to breathe, I have to think, I have to…DON’T PASS OUT! She nodded mutely and tried like hell to keep her hand from shaking as she reached for the doorhandle of the car, stepping out of it with slightly wide eyes.  He was even more beautiful and handsome up close, and Carmen swore her heart was about to leap out of her chest and land on the ground at his feet. “It…won’t turn over…” Christ, her voice sounded like a damn meek mouse!  She was a damn billionaire, for crying out loud!  Lord, she was wearing a Dean Ambrose t-shirt too! “Are you sure you have…time…” The words died on her lips when he promptly popped the hood to the car to look at it. I guess he does.

 

She sounded mousey and looked like a nerd or something of that caliber, his eyes landing on her t-shirt.  That was his merchandise.  Motherfucker, please don’t be crazy or something! Because tonight was going great so far and the last thing Jon needed was a psycho fangirl on his hands.  It would not be the first time some crazy bitch had faked a car problem to attempt getting his attention.  He busied himself under the car, using his cell phone as a flashlight. “Your battery is probably dead, you’re gonna need a jump to see.” He knew basics, that was about it. “I got a rental so I don’t have the shit for a jump.  Do you?” Jon poked his head around the hood and she looked like she was praying for the ground to eat her whole.

 

“No, probably not.  It’s a rental.”

 

Of course, she wouldn’t fake a car problem to gain his attention!  Carmen had avoided him for YEARS, not that he knew that.  There was a reason she looked like a nerd since her black hair was swept back in a somewhat messy ponytail and she had glasses on because she didn’t feel like wearing contacts that night.  This called for a second cigarette as she pulled one out, lighting it up to help calm her nerves.  Jonathan Good was only mere feet away from her, the man that had helped her more than he’d ever know.

 

“D-Don’t worry about it, sir, I’ll just call a cab and call a tow truck company to come take the car back to Enterprise.  I’m sure you have better things to do right now anyway.” Did she congratulate him on the match tonight or on his departure from the company?  No, that wasn’t the best idea at the moment and Carmen decided to keep her mouth shut while pulling her cell phone out to dial for a cab service.

 

“Hey Deano, problems over here?”

 

Chapter 2

 

Jon looked over his shoulder at the security guard, vaguely remembering him from various times throughout here.  Each venue generally supplied their own security, so as long as there wasn’t a high turnover, wrestlers eventually began to recognize people whenever they returned or any kind of celebrity.  Being called ‘Deano’, however, kind of irritated him; Jon was about to leave that all behind tonight.

 

“Nope, she needs a jump though, man, got anything we can use?”

 

“Yeah, sure, give me a few minutes.”

 

Jon glanced back at the geeky chick, figuring another cigarette wasn’t a bad idea and he was glad it was a warm night.  She was still waiting to get through and he wished her well on that.  They’d be slammed right now and he strolled around to tap her shoulder, gaining her attention. “Hey, he’s bringing back cables, chill out, lady.”

 

Chill out lady?  Carmen raised a slow brow at him and pulled her phone away from her ear, pressing the end button.  He touched her.  Now was NOT the time or place to become a horrible fangirl! GET A GRIP, MORON! “Very well, sir.  The name is Carmen, thank you for your help.” Calling him Ambrose was not an option and she could tell being called ‘Deano’ really annoyed him.  That was a horrible nickname and she hated it too, feeling for him.  Dean Ambrose, in general, was a horrible name. “Don’t like being called that, eh?  Don’t blame you.” She took another long drag of her cigarette, flicking ash and blew the smoke away from him as well, taking her glasses off to rub her eyes.

 

Considering she looked mildly panicked by him coming up on her, it was a fair assessment and request of him for her to chill out.  It made absolutely zero sense to him since she was sporting his Dean Ambrose logo on her tits and all, which…looked like they may be impressive beneath that otherwise shapeless t-shirt. “I prefer Mox.” Most people outside of this company called him, or Jon if they were close enough to warrant the usage. “Deano is fucking stupid.” He was just waiting for her to ask for an autograph or something, gathering she wasn’t from the area since her car was a rental.  Leaning against the side of it, Jon inhaled his cigarette and was mindful of the still open hood.

 

“Agreed.” His deep, gritty voice sent warmth throughout her body and when he said ‘Mox’, something ignited inside of her.  Carmen could not keep the smile from crossing her face. “Definitely suits you better.  Still don’t get why they made you change your name.”

 

He'd be waiting until it was a cold day in hell before she asked for his autograph.  Even though he was her favorite wrestler, and she somewhat stalked him to every event he wrestled in, Carmen preferred to stay in the shadows and never, ever thought she’d meet him in person.  This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and she knew it, but all she could do was stand right where she was, smoking, and did everything in her power not to stare at him too intensely.

 

“You look happier, Mox.  Mind if I call you that?” Jon wasn’t an option, that was much too personal. “Almost like a weight’s been lifted from your shoulders.” She had on jean capris with tennis shoes and his t-shirt, a camisole beneath just in case she got too warm.  It was late April and the weather was starting to heat up with spring.

 

“I literally just told you I prefer being called Mox, so no, lady, I don’t mind.”

 

A lot of people, namely fans, did not realize a lot of the attitude he brought to the screen was just him, only with the volume turned up.  In the WWE, as time went on, it was a lot more watered down version of him.  However, the eccentric ways of speaking, his actions…hell, even his quirks, all Jon and Jon was a blunt man without a filter when the occasion called for it.  When she in return reminded him her name was Carmen, Jon grinned and exhaled his own smoke over her head.

 

“Fair enough, babe.”

 

Her cheeks were inflamed at that nickname and emerald eyes were locked on electric blues, her heart thundering in her ears.  Babe?  This man just called her babe and Carmen was going to need a cold shower when she got back to the hotel.  She pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming because there were a lot of dreams she’d had of Jon. 

 

No – Mox. “Good to know.  And I suppose babe is better than being called lady.”

 

Did that mean he was returning to being Jon Moxley and going to the Indies again?  If that was the case, Carmen was about to have a lot of travel expenses ahead of her and she didn’t care.  She could always plan things in advance since matches were announced ahead of time. 

 

This would be the last WWE event she ever attended because Jon wasn’t here anymore.

 

To be fair, Jon called every woman babe, providing she wasn’t an outright ugly bitch, and then he just stuck with lady or whatever term of endearment popped into his head. “Fair enough.” He grunted, eyes narrowing as he watched the security guard approaching with jumper cables. “Give me a second to pull my car up.” Tossing aside his cigarette, Jon went to get retrieve it, which wasn’t too far away from hers.  A few short minutes later, he had pulled up front to front, not giving a damn if he was blocking anyone who might try to get out, and taking the cables from the guard. “I got it from here, bub.  I’ll bring the cables back before I take off.”

 

“Yeah Deano, no problem, just drop them off at the guard station by the doors.”

 

Jon mock saluted, rolling his eyes when the man took off. “Fuckin’ Deano…ugh…” He muttered, bending down to get to work.

 

Carmen made a face as well, shaking her head as the security guard walked away, leaving them alone again.  She didn’t say a word while Jon attached the jumper cables to her rental, then got back into his own to accelerate the engine a few times.  Standing back far enough to miss exhaust flying at her, Jon then walked right up to her and plucked the keys out of her hand, winking, then slid behind the wheel of her rental to try to start it.

 

“No luck?” She asked when he stepped out of the rental, slamming the passenger door none too gently and he shook his head, making her frown. “Shit.  I was hoping the battery would be the problem.” Maybe she could try the cab company again. “Well, um, thank you, Mox, for trying to help me.  I’ll just try to get a cab and head back to my hotel.” Enterprise would be refunding her money too or she would sue the hell out of them for giving her a lemon rental.

 

“Good luck, babe.” Jon was contemplating another cigarette, carelessly wiping his somewhat grimy hands off on his jeans. “With everything going on in town tonight, you’ll be S.O.L for a while.”

 

It was a WWE pay-per-view and then some major concert at some theater, not his kind of music, but events were happening all over.  Wasn’t it sports season too?  Jon liked sports a lot, though he had a hard time keeping up these days, it seemed.  Well, that was all going to change now that he had some downtime to rest and relax until April 30^th.

 

“Where are you staying?  I can give you a lift.” Eyeballing her t-shirt again, he was a bit surprised she hadn’t asked for an autograph or anything yet.

 

“What?” Now Carmen was staring at him like he’d grown a second head, those eyes of hers wide in both wonder and disbelief.  Mox was actually offering her a ride to the hotel?  What the hell was the universe trying to tell her right now? “Y-You don’t mind helping me out?”

 

He wouldn’t have asked if he didn’t want to do it, right?  Or maybe he felt obligated since she was a woman at a wrestling event alone in Moline, Illinois.  Jon shook his head, gesturing to her car to grab her belongings out of it and she nodded, doing everything in her power to remain as calm, cool, and collected as possible, not showing an ounce of her nerves.

 

“Thank you.” Grabbing her bag of souvenirs out of the back, already having her backpack on her shoulders she used for a purse at events, Carmen rejoined him a minute later. “I’m staying at the Radisson on John Deere, so it’s not too far away.” Still too far away to walk, especially at night since Moline wasn’t the safest city in the world. “Do you want me to give you gas money for doing this, Mox?”

 

“Nope.” Jon didn’t offer to help carry anything or open a door for her; he just got into the car after unhooking everything and waited on her.  Once she was in, he pulled up to the gate, making sure to hand over the cables to the security guard when he came jogging over.

“Gonna miss seeing you around, Deano!”

 

“Makes one of us.” Jon snorted, shaking his head as he pulled out and reached for his smokes, shaking the pack until one slid between his lips. “I know where the Radisson is.” Preferring cheap places he could smoke at, which were becoming scarce, it was still legal to smoke in hotels in Illinois.  Only some motels and hotels offered it, however. “So, it feels weird that you’re wearing my logo on your chest and haven’t said boo or anything.  If anything, you seem nervous.”

 

“Do I?”

 

How could she NOT be nervous? 

 

She was in a car, in close contact, with Jonathan Good!

 

“Would you prefer if I said boo to you?” Carmen figured joking back with him was better than sitting there twiddling her thumbs and trying in vain to keep her nerves in check.  It was a miracle she hadn’t ran in the opposite direction the moment she looked up and saw him through her windshield, tapping on the hood of her broken down rental. “Here.” Taking her backpack off, Carmella unbuckled her seatbelt since they were at a red light and removed the shirt over her head, tucking it in her souvenir bag.  Now she was clad in a black camisole tank top with the black capris, feeling a little better not wearing Dean Ambrose merchandise in front of the man himself. “Now I’m not wearing Dean Ambrose’s logo on my chest.  Boo.” Buckling back up, traffic was insane tonight and they were currently stuck, only inching forward little by little.  Since he was smoking, Carmen figured another cigarette wouldn’t hurt anything and lit one up, rolling her window down partially so the inside didn’t fill with smoke. “So glad it’s a nice night out here instead of rainy like it’s been lately.”

 

“Mmm…” Debating on if the boo thing was funny, it was odd he concluded.  Jon couldn’t judge eccentricity when he was unusual himself. “You don’t like wearing my logo on your tits?” He was instantly rewarded with her choking on her cigarette, beginning to laugh huskily, though he kept his eyes on the traffic, shaking his head when the coughing finally tapered off. “Boo.” He echoed with a smirk.  Something told him this would become their ‘thing’ for the brief amount of time they would know each other anyway. “Calm down, Carmen, it was a joke.  Promise, I’m a good boy.” Deep down, somewhere.

 

Saying her name for the first time sent more of that warmth through her, the flush somewhat back in her cheeks.  Carmen was fighting it tooth and nail, knowing if she showed the slightest interest in this man, this specimen, this wrestling god…Stop, stop it right now! “Hmm, why am I finding a hard time believing that, Mox?  You a good boy?  Highly doubtful.” No, he was a bad boy…no, a bad man.  An extremely, delicious bad man and she’d love to know just how bad he could be. STOP. IT. NOW!  

 

Flat out refusing to answer his question about his shirt, knowing that would just set alarm bells off in his head and make her sound like a horrible fangirl.  Giving her mouth something to do, before she wrote checks her backside could not cash, Carmen took another deep drag of her cigarette, flicking more ash out the window.  Jon definitely had his fair share of crazies, especially in his earlier days when security wasn’t so good.  

 

Chicks would stalk him everywhere, which wasn’t hard to do at the time, and carve themselves up with some weird expectations that it would impress him.  It had been amusing and worrisome because Jon had learned a valuable lesson.  Fangirls were absolutely crazy and not in the fun way.  They were crazy in the kidnapping, marrying, stealing sperm sort of way and potentially killing everyone around the person they were obsessed with.  Well, not ALL of them, but he had more than his fair share of the ones that would.  Crazy attracted insanity, he supposed.

 

“Bad boys don’t give rides to damsels in distress.” Jon pointed out absentmindedly, passing around a very slow car that was probably driving ten miles under the speed limit, scowling.

 

“Touché, I’ll give you that one.” Carmen smiled at him while continuing to smoke and he did the same thing, even a scowl on his face was sexy. 

 

How was that possible?  Then again, he had scowled quite a bit since his return back in August for Summerslam.  Carmen had been there, watching him pace the outside of the ring and could not believe that was his triumphant return, the best the WWE could come up with.  It truly was demeaning for him, surely, and probably one of the many reasons Jon was leaving to go elsewhere.

 

“And I’m not a damsel in distress either, I could’ve easily waited for a cab back at the arena, you know.  But you were so kind to offer me a ride after trying to help me, I couldn’t refuse.” It’s not every day the man of your dreams tries to help you and offers you a ride back to your hotel. How this man was still single was beyond her!

 

Frankly, he didn’t want a relationship of any kind.  Jon was a very, VERY selfish person at his core.  He valued his freedom and seen way too many relationships where they were up each other’s backsides, agreeing on everything.  It was sickeningly perfect and even nauseating, personalities began to mesh and blend the longer the couple was together.  

 

Also, in the WWE, he wasn’t supposed to have countless flings because it made him look bad, which made the company look bad.  Jon was very much a ‘fling’ sort of guy; he was just picky about who he had sex with, even if for a night.  No fangirls.  Ever.  Jon had done that ONCE and regret it when he woke up to her carving his initials in her calf, blood on the sheets, and she had been humming his theme song.

 

“You’d still be waiting to get a cab, babe.”

 

Not that she blamed him, but not all fangirls wanted to carve into themselves or were crazy.  Some just enjoyed watching him perform in the ring like she did. “Probably, yeah.” Carmen could not argue that point with him and wasn’t much for relationships either. 

 

There was no way she could have one when she constantly traveled either for work or to attend the wrestling events.  Since 2009, when she first saw him perform, Carmen had actually lived in Philadelphia at the time, where CZW shows were every week.  She attended every event and then when they would travel, she found herself going as well, including over to Germany for the Barbed Wire match he’d had with Drake Younger.  That had been probably one of the most brutal matches she’d witnessed in her life and Jon wound up with a horizontal scar down his right shoulder blade as a result because barbed wire had sunk too deep into his skin during the match. 

 

They pulled up to the Radisson a few minutes later and Carmen felt a twinge of sadness, knowing her time with Jon had come to an end. “Thank you again, for what you did for me tonight, Mox.  And um, good luck with whatever you have coming up in the future.”

 

Chapter 3

 

“What I have coming up in the immediate future is a grimy fucking bar with smoking and drinking.” Jon chuckled, staring out at the hotel through the window and then shook his head.

 

WWE had a preference about where their Superstars stayed, acceptable hotels and some motels, usually for security reasons or to ensure that no one did anything stupid.  He was so glad to be rid of those suggestions, more like rules.  Carmen looked like she wasn’t sure if she should get out of the car or not, or maybe she was reluctant for some reason.  Sometimes, Jon made no sense, even to himself, because she had been wearing his logo, his merchandise, which made her an automatic no-go.  

 

However…she also didn’t act like a normal fan, or a crazy one either, so he was curious. “Wanna come have a beer?”

 

Holy hell, her heart was thundering in her ears again and she stared at him wide-eyed, wondering what was going through his mind.  Didn’t he know she was a fan of his?  Either he did and he didn’t care or…hell, Carmen didn’t even know anymore. “Only if you let me buy the first round.” She congratulated herself on keeping her voice steady and calm. 

 

Maybe this could be her way of thanking him properly for helping her out tonight.  He smirked and Carmen swore her insides turned to mush, her mouth going somewhat dry.  Yes, she really needed a drink and beer sounded wonderful at the moment, especially Jonathan Good.  Buckling back up, Jon sped away from the Radisson towards the nearest grimy bar that would fit all of his needs and more.

 

Jon had never invited a fan out for just a drink, not after the first few crazies anyway.  He had learned groupies, ring rats, and wrestling house mothers were a thing.  The house mothers wasn’t too bad, women who ‘rented’ out space to crash, food, that sort of thing.  Those situations were dying out though, quite rapidly, thanks to social media posing a threat to wrestlers if the wrong information got out.  Jon had JUST missed the golden era of wrestling, it seemed.  Knowing exactly where he wanted to go, it was just navigating traffic that was the problem because it slowed him down considerably.  

 

Eventually, he was parking across the street from a bonafied dive bar and he grinned, watching as she surveyed it. “Looks great, don’t it?”

 

“Looks fine to me.”

 

Carmen didn’t mind hanging out in a dive bar with this man and slid out of the car, looking down at herself.  Hmm…maybe it would be best if she covered up a little though.  Then again, it would probably be super-hot in the bar considering how many people were here currently.  She did not want to wear the Dean Ambrose t-shirt either or the Shield one she had bought earlier.  Screw it, the camisole would have to do; it wasn’t see-through and covered everything well enough.  Grabbing her mini backpack, Carmen waited for Jon to lock the car up before following him into the bar, staying somewhat close to him so they didn’t lose each other.  The music was on, but it wasn’t blaring; it was just loud because of all the talking going on.  It would be a little strange if they walked into the bar together with her wearing his logo on a t-shirt, so Jon was very glad she skipped it all together.  

 

Heading straight for the bar, aware she was sticking beside him like glue, Jon ordered a pitcher, two glasses, and then glanced at her. “Want something else to go with it, babe?” He let her relay her secondary drink, not bothering with a second of his own.  A pitcher by himself wasn’t enough to get him hammered, which probably was a bad thing.  He blamed it on his body size and metabolism…sounded better then admitting he was a heavy drinker.

 

Beer was fine, but since her nerves were on edge, a shot of Jack Daniels sounded right up her alley.  Just one, she wouldn’t do more than that, not wanting to get smashed with Jonathan Good.  Sounded like a great time, but…no, Carmen was smarter than that.  No matter how handsome and drop dead sexy he was, he was also a complete stranger as well.  Even though she had dreamt about him and traveled all over to watch him wrestle every match of his career thus far, he was still a stranger. 

 

That was all fantasy and fantasy was a lot different than reality. 

 

Downing that first shot of Jack, she chased it with a swig of her beer he poured for her, and pulled out a cigarette lighting it up.  The bill would be on her tonight since he wanted to get a pitcher instead of beers.  Carmen kept a respectful distance from Jon to give him space, not wanting to crowd him or make it seem like she would jump his bones.

 

“I’m surprised you invited me out with you considering I was wearing your logo on my tits, as you pointed out earlier.”

 

“I’m still trying to figure out what kind of fan you are.” Jon retorted bluntly, tossing his cell, lighter, and smokes on the table before picking up his glass to take a healthy pull from it.  She raised a brow at him and he just stared at her while he lit a cigarette of his own, his eyes really focused on her face. “See, you haven’t asked me for anything, not even an autograph, but you’re obviously a fan.  I’ve had some crazy girl fake car problems to get my attention, but you’re not trying to drug, jump me, or anything else.  You’re different.”

 

“Oh.” There was no way Carmen could tell him she’d been to every single one of his wrestling matches live in person.  He’d really think she was out of her mind then. “Well…thank you, I guess?  Honestly, I never thought I’d meet you.  I’ve been a fan of yours for a long time…since 2009, actually.” She took a sip of her beer, trying to get her thoughts on track without saying too much. “I’m not one of those women that carves your name into my skin or anything of the sort.  That’s not a fan…that’s…something else entirely.” She made a face, recalling what he’d said about fans from his CZW days. “A fan, to me, is someone who admires and respects the wrestler both in and out of the ring.  Respects their privacy, and I don’t think it’s…prudent to ask for an autograph when you’re not doing a signing or a meet and greet, or some kind of event of that nature.  You’re a human being like everyone else, you deserve not to be bombarded when you’re simply trying to live your life.  I’m one of the quiet fans that just enjoys what you do in the ring.”

 

Positively, he would think she was out of her mind because that was a lot of mileage she was racking up, the expenses notwithstanding.  That was just an insane amount of money and time to be following one guy basically everywhere he went for work because she was a fan.  Jon would have deemed her a new breed of crazy, been a little flattered, and probably a little terrified if he were honest, IF he knew the truth, which he didn’t.

 

“Uh huh…” Eyeballing her skeptically before shrugging, Jon toasted her with his glass. “Either way, for being such a…non-crazy fan, I’ll still sign something for you.” He chuckled, figuring that would just cap off her night since she was getting to spend time with him, not paid for no less.  Hell, maybe after meeting him, Carmen wouldn’t be a fan anymore.

 

That was not possible.  She smiled back at him, clinking her glass against his and they both took a swig of their beverages. “You really don’t have to.  Just having a beer with you and being able to talk to you is more than enough for me, really.”

 

His autograph would be framed immediately if he was insistent on it, however.  Right in her bedroom too…even though Carmen was barely home.  Which home would she put it in was another matter she’d have to think about later.

 

“I keep pinching myself, thinking this is some kind of dream I’m in.  It’s one of those surreal moments you just can’t believe is happening, you know?  I mean, what woman gets to have a beer with her favorite wrestler, after being helped by him?” Carmen started laughing, shaking her head in disbelief and drained her beer before refilling her glass.

 

“I don’t know, it happens more often than you would think in this business.” Jon rumbled conversationally, contemplating her words.  

 

Who was it that had married a woman he had met in an autograph line?  Undertaker, he believed, he tried not to stay to up to date on the Phenom’s love life because that got messy.  Taker wasn’t the only one either and it actually made a lot of sense.  With how much they all traveled, a wrestler either dated a coworker or wound up meeting a fan and had a quick fling.  Unless they trolled bars for one nightstands, but that was frowned upon in the WWE because nothing was kept secret anymore.

 

Not since social media was created. 

 

Taker wound up divorcing that same woman, Sara, and wound up marrying a fellow coworker and former WWE Diva’s champion, Michelle McCool. “Really?  I mean, I’ve heard the term of ring rats and even seen some at the events I’ve gone to…” That was NOT her at all!  Sure, Carmen had a fling here and there every once in a while, but never wrestlers and they were always men that were just looking for one night of fun.  Sex was sex and she had needs just like every hot-blooded human on the planet. “Maybe you’re right, maybe it’s not as surreal as I’m making it out to be.  So, since this is probably the only time I’ll be able to do something like this with you, would you tell me something about you that not a lot of people know, Mox?  Don’t worry, I’m not a social media fanatic either.  I only use it for my business and that’s it.”

 

“Ring rats are a thing, but…not like it was in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s.” Jon tapped ash in the tray between them before reaching for his glass, mulling over her request. “We don’t know each other that well, babe, sorry.” He flashed her an amused grin, shaking his head. “Just because so far you’re okay doesn’t mean a thing.” Mostly joking, but at the same time, obviously she wouldn’t know overly much about him because Jon preferred it that way.  He tried keeping his private life sequestered as much as possible. “I have, had,” He corrected with an eyeroll. “A WWE media account and we were all supposed to post on them and shit, but I never did.” Maybe he had done a hello and then there down in developmental, but other than that, Jon stayed away from social media of any kind.

 

“Ahh yes, your battle with Mick Foley back in FCW that never happened.  You did, I think, three or four tweets, something about a spider from what I remember.” She chuckled at the memory, wondering if he was stoned, drunk, or both when he decided to tweet that nonsense. “And fair enough, can’t blame a fan for trying.” Carmen winked, taking a drag of her own cigarette and traced the rim of the glass with her finger, looking around the bar, so her eyes weren’t constantly fixated on Jon.  She didn’t dare pull her phone out, her attention completely on the man in front of her.  What would he do if she offered to spend the night with him? HAVE YOU LOST YOUR DAMN MIND?!  There’s no way he’ll fuck you, knowing you’re a fan of his!  He’ll think you’re a crazed fangirl just looking to get into his pants!! Just one night with him… NO! “Oooh good song they’re playing, I like Kansas.” Taking her hair out of the ponytail because it was making her head start to hurt, Carmen began moving her head to the beat while rubbing the back of her head gently, her black tresses hanging over her shoulder now.

 

She was right on the money Jon would have assumed she was a crazed fan looking to hop on his dick.  Jon wasn’t even remotely in the mood for sex tonight, not with a fan of his anyway.  That would begging for trouble.  Down for hanging out and having a few beers, Jon planned on taking her pert backside to the Radisson, not banging her.  Car trouble, his merchandise on her tits…he hadn’t been born yesterday, even though so far, she wasn’t coming across as a psycho fan or even a normal one.  Carmen was fascinating, but he was waiting on that shoe to drop and would admit only to himself he was very cynical.

 

“Of course, you do, babe.” Somehow not surprised she liked Kansas, Carmen gave off the nerd vibe earlier in the parking lot, but now…now she was actually kind of hot with her hair down and that shirt gone. “What other music you like?  AC/DC I’m betting?”

 

With her t-shirt gone, that camisole was hugging her well-endowed chest and sides nicely, showing off her curves that the t-shirt had hidden. “They’re cool, I like a few of their songs.  I like classic rock in general, but I also enjoy other genres of music too.  They’re not my favorite.  Honestly, I really like Bryan Adams.  I would have to say he’s my all-time favorite artist.  Every song he’s ever come out with has been pure gold.”

 

She knew AC/DC was one of Jon’s favorites, especially since his WWE move was called Dirty Deeds.  If that wasn’t an indication AC/DC wasn’t a favorite of his, then nothing was.  Jon finished off his first beer and she held up the pitcher, silently asking if he wanted a refill and he nodded, so she filled it up for him, setting it back down again.

 

Jon was playing a game with her.

 

He was asking her questions about likes and dislikes concerning things that HE liked and disliked, that was also public information one way or another.  Classic rock was safe enough, he supposed, a lot of people liked it. “I don’t know about Bryan Adams, he’s had a few good ones.” Not his favorite, a lot of his music had definitely been overplayed, thanks to a few specific movies.  However, differences of opinion was a good thing too. 

 

Jon found people agreeing with absolutely everything to be boring as hell and, if there was one thing Jon had a low tolerance for, it was boring.  He had moments where he liked to sit and chill, no doubt about it, but with people, if he found himself getting bored easily and pretty much called it a day.  It was strange because there was a fine line between exciting and then just outright stupid or in some fangirl’s cases, or sluts in that instance.

 

With Carmen, he was very intrigued for some reason and found himself wanting to know more about her.

 

Chapter 4

 

A few good ones? 

 

This man had no idea just how masterful Bryan Adams was with his music.  However, Carmen would not educate him on how wrong he was because everybody was entitled to their opinions and different genres of music. “What about you, handsome?” Wow, she had a nice buzz going on, not drunk yet, just a nice buzz that was loosening her tongue a little more, giving her more courage.  If he could call her babe, then she could call him handsome. “I know you like AC/DC and other classic rock, but what other genres of music are you into?  Was that whole Hank Williams JR promo you gave with Michael Cole a lie or do you actually like old school country?”

 

“No, I like Hank Williams JR, old country, not this newer shit…”

 

They had cleared half the pitcher and Jon wasn’t even fazed yet, eyeballing her intently.  She seemed more relaxed, cheerful, and he was guessing she was buzzed.  Jon was definitely getting her back to the hotel safely and, by safely, he meant he’d pass her off to the staff in the lobby because he wasn’t stupid enough to take a woman who had been drinking straight to her room.  That was BEGGING for a lawsuit.  Avoiding bad situations with women was Jon’s forte, only getting into trouble with them if he found it fun and exciting.

 

“Love King George, I think that’s a requirement, and...” His lips curved into an amused smile as he poured them each another round and lit up another cigarette, his ice blue eyes meeting hers. “I love Loretta Lynn.  There you go, babe, something most people don’t know about me.”

 

“Loretta Lynn, eh?  Ahh Miss Loretta, my Momma liked her music a lot.  My Dad loved King George too.  I grew up around the older country music, so I do enjoy that genre.” There were a few artists these days in country she enjoyed, but for the most part, it was the older stuff Carmen enjoyed, much like Jon in that respect. “Alternative rock is another favorite of mine.  Breaking Benjamin and Disturbed are outstanding in concert.  Staind too.  Godsmack is good, but those are my top as far as that genre goes.” Her hair had to go back up because having it down wasn’t an option, not with how heated she was from both being this close to Jon and the alcohol she consumed.  Piling it up on top of her head, Carmen fanned it out and sighed since it was off her neck now. “I’m gonna go to the bar and see if they’ve got some water, do you want some?”

 

“Nope.” Jon chuckled, toasting her with his beer. “Already met my 64-ounce quota today.  Go on, I’ll be here.” Unless she abandoned him, but then he realized she had set out what looked like her smokes and a keycard on the table. 

 

Realizing she would return, he turned in his chair to watch as Carmen made her way through the place.  She walked with confidence, but it was obvious that she was not…part of this scene.  Way too many lechers eyeballing her, women who were past their expiration date looking strung out and soiled with their cheap makeup.  Carmen was like a breath of fresh air let into a pit of slime in this bar.  Then some jackass reached out and grabbed a handful of that pert backside and he raised a brow, wondering what she’d do or if he’d need to go rescue the damsel once again.

 

Carmen froze in her tracks since she was standing in line at the bar, trying to take a few minutes to breathe and try to calm her racing heart down.  She didn’t want to make a scene with Jon here because then he’d think she was a psycho freak or something.  However, she refused to keep her mouth shut and turned to look at the drunk, narrowing her eyes.  She folded her arms in front of her chest, seeing him laughing about it until she stepped up to him, grabbing his junk none too gently.

 

“Keep your fucking hands to yourself, pal, or next time I’ll rip them off.  Got me?” He went to call her a bitch and Carmen squeezed harder, her face perfectly neutral and the man nodded, gasping for breath. “Good.” Releasing them, Carmen made a face and wiped her hand off on her capris, stepping up to the bar for that bottled water. 

 

Even though she was small, she was also a lot stronger than she looked, thanks to workouts.  It was a lot of work keeping up her body, especially since she was in her 30’s now.  Paying for the water with a few bucks she pulled out of her pocket, Carmen walked right past that drunk who was still wheezing and made her way back to Jon, slipping into the booth while taking several gulps of water.  Then, she promptly pulled some hand sanitizer out of her backpack and squirted it in her hands, shaking her head.

 

Fucking asshole!

 

Jon was DYING, laughing his ass off and he didn’t care who heard him.  His entire face was crimson red, tears were coming from his eyes and that moron who nearly lost his balls was scowling back at them. “Shit, it was like that scene in Deadpool where Vanessa grabs the guy’s junk and calls him fat Gandalf!” Carmen looked at him deadpan and he just dropped his head onto the table, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

 

“That your bitch?”

 

The laughter was gone as soon as ‘bitch’ came out and Jon was up, no signs of mirth or amusement anywhere.  The only sign he had been laughing was his face still being red, but now it was ice cold minus his blazing eyes.

 

“Your bitch,” Obviously that got the young man’s temperature up, that word. “Hurt my buddy.”

 

“And I’m about to hurt you.” Jon was rewarded with a snort right before he shoved the fat, older man flying backwards onto an empty pool table. “Stay down and let us enjoy our beer or I’ll shove those cue balls up your fat ass, fuckface.” Ah, the joys of not being on the WWE teat anymore.  Fat boy was fine, stunned a bit, maybe somewhat sore, but nevertheless fine. 

 

Jon calmly sat back down and reached for his cigarette as if nothing happened.  Now Carmen was the one laughing, trying in vain to hold it in, but her face was crimson and her shoulders were shaking while her hand covered her mouth.  Holy hell, that was both HOT and hilarious at the same time!  Did Jon Good just defend her?  Granted, she probably shouldn’t have grabbed the guy by the balls the way she did, but the drunk needed to learn a lesson.  Not every woman enjoyed his grimy hands on their ass.  Some women had class and dignity, even in dives like this. 

 

Laughing harder behind that hand when he shrugged his shoulders, Jon winked at her. “That was incredible.  You’re incredible…” Calling him Mox just didn’t feel right, not after the time they spent together, but Carmen figured he wouldn’t like her using his real name either. “Thank you, you didn’t have to do that.”

 

Jon would be the first to admit he was a rude cocksucker, he forgot his manners a LOT, and he was quick to toss verbal insults at people randomly.  However, he drew a line at laying hands on a woman.  The fact that she had stood up for herself and some fat, good old boy had taken offense…nope!  Jon was an equal opportunist, if it was good for the gander, it was good for the goose too.  In normal words: dumbass had grabbed her backside, she had crushed his balls, and it was all fair play.

 

“Well, to be fair, he did call you my bitch.” Jon snorted, glancing over his shoulder in case chubby decided to come back.  He wasn’t surprised when the idiot showed SOME common sense and vacated. “It wasn’t his fucking business and maybe next time, he’ll remember that when some ballsy broad stands up to his perve buddy.”

 

“So you don’t think of me as some psycho bitch after witnessing that spectacle?” Jon shook his head without hesitation and it made her heart swell even more for him. 

 

Damn it!  Why couldn’t she have met him under different circumstances?  A coffee shop or some random encounter on the street instead of at a wrestling event.  He was more wonderful than she dared hoped for and it would make walking away difficult.  Carmen would have to do it, knowing giving him her number wouldn’t amount to anything.  She was his fan and the lines were drawn there.

 

Back in the shadows you go, this will never happen again.  Accept it and just keep doing what you’ve been doing. Hawaii was calling her name and that was where she’d be headed on her private jet first thing in the morning.  Carmen had 5 houses, one in Maine, Florida, Washington, New York, which was more of a penthouse than an actual house, and Hawaii.

 

“Nah, I’ve seen plenty of women put a man in his place.  I think it should be more mainstream.”

 

Not situations like the emasculation of men as an entire gender, which some people insisted on, but…there had to be a balance, right?  Then again, jackasses like tonight were the reason for calls to solve problems.  Scumbags were giving them all a bad reputation.

 

“Well,” Jon topped off their glasses with the last bit of beer, knowing she was drinking water, but that buzz was still there. “Let’s have a toast, one last drink, and then I’ll take you back to your hotel, Carmen.” She had definitely amused him tonight.  He would very gladly sign something for her if she wanted. “I’m guessing you’re not from around here, if you’re staying in a hotel.”

 

Before long, just a little after 1 AM, Carmen and Jon parted ways. 

 

He did indeed sign something for her, her poster from the event, and she asked him not to sign it as Dean Ambrose, but as Jon Moxley.  He more than obliged and that included asking if she could give him a hug, his arms feeling amazing around her. “I meant what I said, good luck with whatever comes next, Mox.”

 

Carmen would be there to witness all of it, whatever he had up his sleeve, and lightly pecked his cheek before heading inside the hotel to go up to her room.  Not really a room, more like a luxury suite with all the trimmings, including a jacuzzi.  The entire elevator ride up, Carmen could not keep the dreamy smile off her face, her buzz still in full effect, and made it to her room unscathed, pressing her back against the door to close it. 

 

Did that all really happen tonight?

 

Jon was feeling pretty pleased with himself, especially once he made it back to his not so swanky motel room.  He tossed his belongings to the side once getting the door locked behind him and lit yet another cigarette before peeling his shirt off over his head expertly.  Terrible habit and he had smoked like a freight train tonight.  That tended to happen when drinking with other smokers, they went hand in hand.  Carmen was a different breed, mostly.  He would bet a lot of money he could have taken her to bed and it had been tempting.  Fortunately, Jon had a lot of experience with temptation and since he had been stuck in WWE’s paid version of hell, he had learned how to avoid it.

 

But damn…temptation nearly had a hold of him when it came to the ebony haired beauty.

 

~!~

 

Double or Nothing.

 

May 25, 2019

 

Technically, the second pay-per-view in AEW’s history, even though All-In was kind of a brain child that Cody Rhodes had cooked up, not knowing just how much hype it would get.  Now here they were, this was a legitimate second wrestling company backed by a billionaire and she was a few rows back from the ring with the biggest smile on her face.  The Jon Moxley video on Twitter dropped at midnight on April 30^th, going into May 1^st.  April 30^th was the official day that Jon’s WWE contract ended and she could not believe he had the balls to drop the fact he was returning to the Indies, to professional wrestling, breaking out of the prison known as WWE, as Jon fucking Moxley.  It was so exciting and Carmen busted out her Jon Moxley attire for Double or Nothing, staying at the MGM hotel. 

 

Throughout the night, she really enjoyed every match on the card and then it was time for Kenny Omega against Chris Jericho, who wound up winning the AEW championship that night.  Suddenly, out of NOWHERE, the camera panned to the crowd and everyone started screaming because it was none other than Jon Moxley stalking to the ring, through the crowd, making a statement by delivering a thunderous Dirty Deeds to Chris Jericho.  All Carmen could do was watch him in awe, clapping her hands and cheering with everyone else, her big green eyes wide as could be.  Tonight, Carmen had on a black leather skirt with a MOX shirt that was tied around her stomach, the sleeves cut off. 

 

It got even crazier when Jon actually attacked Kenny Omega and they spilled the fight up the rampway until they got to the stack of huge poker chips that were part of the set.  Somehow, they managed to go ON TOP of the stack of chips and Jon sent Kenny Omega SAILING over the edge, crashing THROUGH the set floor with the crowd going absolute apeshit.  And there stood Jon Moxley, in all his glory, the lights all on him with his arms stretched out and his eyes closed, relishing the entire moment in. 

 

It was possibly the most amazing experience and debut Carmen had ever witnessed in her life and of course, it was Jon.

 

Jon stood there, just inhaling the free air. 

 

He had a beautiful setup with AEW that was TRUE Independent contractor status.  Like WWE, he made a set amount of money, way more in AEW though, and he was responsible for his health, transportation, travel expenses, if he wanted an assistant, anything like that.  UNLIKE WWE, and this was the big one, he was also free to go wherever else he wanted to wrestle.  Jon didn’t have to mind his P’s and Q’s in regards to a strict set of rules.  That was an EMPLOYEE, not a contractor and how that cesspool company got away with mislabeling their contracts astounded him.  Finally, his eyes snapped open and he surveyed the fans, drinking in the sea of blurring faces before snapping his head to look back at Jericho and then down at Omega, flashing a wicked smirk.

 

Now THAT was an entrance.

 

Leaving the arena with everyone else, Carmen was on a high and currently on the phone with one of her managers, calling him back now that she was outside. “Two offers of the same price?  Really?  Okay, tell them both what’s going on and see which one blinks first.  And start with whoever gave the first offer to give them a chance.”

 

“Will do.” Kylie smiled, already pulling the email up to send it off to the first couple, and would wait for their response before doing anything else. “So, how was the show?”

 

“Exhilarating, fantastic, amazing…he was here, just as I predicted.” It was a gamble to come to this show because Carmen honestly didn’t know if Jon would come to AEW or not.  After seeing his return video on Twitter, which had broken the internet temporarily, she was determined to be here just in case he did debut. “I’m telling you, there’s nothing like being at these events live and in person, Ky.”

 

“You really are a strange one, Car.  But whatever makes you happy, I guess.” Kylie wasn’t into wrestling all that much and would never judge her boss.  The woman was LOADED and could do whatever she wanted in the world, and she did.

 

“Let me know how that deal goes, I’m gonna head back to the hotel after I stop to grab something to eat.”

 

“Will do, will you be up?”

 

“Yeah, my adrenaline is too high to sleep right now.  I’ll be in Vegas for a few days looking at properties, so be prepared to be bombarded with emails for potentials.” Carmen ended the call, slipping her phone back in her purse and headed to her rental, lighting up a cigarette.  Slipping into her car, she rolled the windows down and sat there for a minute, scrolling through the potential properties she wanted to check out before heading home to Hawaii.

 

Chapter 5

 

“Mox, that was fucking awesome!”

 

“You’re getting fat, old man.”

 

Jon definitely respected Chris Jericho, the GOAT thing was true.  The man was insanely talented and had to carve out his spot because of his size during his earlier days.  He had been one of the first to jump over and helped to bring AEW into the powerhouse it was turning out to be.  Also, the old man was just hilarious to be around.

 

“Hey, this is well earned…” Chris looked down and he wasn’t in tiptop shape like he used to be, but he wasn’t fat either.  

 

The next second, his 50 year old self had hopped right up onto Mox’s back.  Now Mox was giving Chris Jericho a piggyback ride through the parking lot.  Both men were laughing like they were little boys instead of grown men.

 

Chris was red faced from laughing so hard, every other word out of Mox’s mouth was ‘fucking fatty’ or ‘WHAT DO YOU EAT?’ “Beer, lots and lots of beer.”

 

“Holy fuck lunchbox!” For his age, his shape was better than most, for his job…well, if anyone deserved to let a bit of themselves go, it was Chris. “Okay, off old timer.”

 

Without thinking, Chris sat down on the hood of a car, watching as Moxley lit up a smoke. “Bright one, cart me around and then light up.”

 

“Eat me.”

 

That car Chris plopped his backside on was the rental of Carmen, who was staring through the windshield, again, wide-eyed, at Chris Jericho’s back and she could also see Jon laughing at the man.  The windows were tinted, she had specifically requested that, and it was dark, so naturally, they probably didn’t see she was in the car or care.  Did she make her presence known?  Would Jon remember her?  It had been a little over a month since the last time they saw each other back in Moline with the dive bar and beer. 

 

She really couldn’t leave until Chris Jericho moved, so Carmen felt she had no alternative and took a deep breath before opening the door, making both men’s heads snap to look back at her.  Her long black hair was tied at the end and hanging down her back this time around instead of up on top of her head or in a ponytail.  Her emerald eyes had contacts this time, clear, so the glasses were gone and she had put on a spot of makeup as well, nothing too caked on, just enough to hide slight blemishes.

 

“Hi, I don’t mean to interrupt whatever it is you’re talking about, but I can’t really leave with your ass on the hood of my car.”

 

“You’ll be fine, baby.” Chris didn’t even look back at the woman, ignoring Jon’s offer of a cigarette.  

 

Drinking like a fish, he didn’t smoke anymore.  In his younger years on and off, but Chris had given that habit up quickly, especially once Fozzy started taking off.  Smoking, singing, and wrestling were not conducive to each other.  One bad habit had to go and it was smoking.  However, Chris stood by whiskey and honey helping soothe his vocal cords, nicotine irritated them.

 

“Be nice, Jerichoke.”

 

“So, original Deano,” Chris grunted, a second later regretting it because he had gotten a full-blown stream of smoke right in his face and began hacking. “Cocksucker!”

 

“So, they tell me,” Jon stepped around to eyeball the chick, recognition flashing in his amused blue eyes.  

 

She looked familiar and it took him a few seconds to realize this was the nerd chick from Moline.  Only tonight she was sporting a leather skirt, looking more like a ring rat.  He approved of the look, not the rat part, and he knew she wasn’t because she hadn’t propositioned him back then.

 

“You are a long fucking way from Illinois, babe.” Twenty-four hours by driving, maybe 5 hours by flight. “Nice shirt.” He exhaled smoke out of his nose.

 

“Why thank you.  I figured I’d bust out one of the oldies.” She chuckled, raising a slow perfectly shaped brow at him. “What makes you think I’m from Illinois in the first place, handsome?” Now Chris was staring at them with intrigue as she shut the door to her car, leaning against it while pulling out cigarettes, the smell of nicotine in the air making her crave one. “Just because I was at the show doesn’t mean I live there.”

 

“Wait, what show are you talking about, baby?”

 

“The Shield’s Last Stand or whatever, it was on the WWE network.  Mox’s final match and goodbye, I was there live.  We met outside of the arena after the show and he helped me with my broken down rental.  It was at the TaxSlayer Center in Moline.” She took a drag of her cigarette, making sure not to blow smoke in Jericho’s way because it was obvious the man didn’t like it. 

 

Jon had done it on purpose since Jericho was being a jerk towards her.

 

“So, what brings you to Vegas?”

 

“I travel a lot for work, so I figured I’d treat myself to see what AEW was all about tonight.  I missed that All-In show they did last year, so I was intrigued.” She also had a big hunch Jon would debut here tonight since it was in Las Vegas, Nevada and he lived here.

 

“With a Mox shirt?”

 

She smirked, shrugging her shoulders. “After seeing that Twitter bomb he dropped on the internet as the return of Jon Moxley, and the subtle hints that were in it, I guessed he might be here tonight.  Great debut, by the way, Mox.” The official debut of AEW Dynamite wouldn’t be until October, so Carmen was waiting to find out where he’d be going to next, so she could make her travel arrangements and buy tickets for those shows.

 

Not from Vegas and she wasn’t from Illinois either.  She traveled a lot for ‘work’ and happened to be at another one of his shows.  If Jon would have known that she had been basically at every show he had done, he would have ran screaming for the hills.  As it was, he and Chris were exchanging suspicious looks.  Chris was nicer to people, he was charismatic, and a lot of people assumed it meant he was being friendly, when really, he was secretly gathering information.  Jon just did not have the patience for detective work, even though he knew it worked better than asking some people outright.  They were more likely to slip, thanks to Chris’ magnetism.  Not her though, Carmen hadn’t said where she was from when Chris asked her, she had skirted around it and he raised a brow.

 

“Where do you live, Carmen?” He wasn’t Chris, Jon went straight to the point where she either had to blatantly ignore it or just tell him it wasn’t his business.

 

“Hawaii, currently.” Carmen answered with a smile, folding her arms in front of her chest while continuing to smoke. “I also have houses in Florida, Maine, Washington, and New York.  Well, a penthouse in New York, but I still consider it a house.” Chris was staring at her with wide eyes and she pulled a card out of her purse, handing it to him. “I did tell you I travel for work.  Matter of fact, I have work here in Vegas.  I own a real-estate company, I believe I told Mox that when we hung out in Moline.” She handed the card over to Chris with a grin, taking another drag of her cigarette after stepping back. 

 

Diamond’s Real Estate was on the card with her face on it, looking a lot more glamorous than what she was at the moment.

 

Jon glanced at the card when Chris passed it over and then tossed it over his shoulder. “Nice glamour shot.”

 

A wealthy businesswoman who had business in Moline as well as Vegas, he summarized.  He raised an eyebrow down at her, not sure if she was trying to brag about all those houses or anything, but either which way, he wasn’t impressed.  That was a lot of housing for one person who traveled a lot.  What a waste!  Penthouse…but considered it a house.  So, Carmen was rich, talked about her ‘houses’ with ease, and was a fan of his.  Younger Jon would have pimped himself in a heartbeat.  Older Jon, not so much.

 

“Never heard of Diamond’s, sorry.”

 

“Mmm, not if she caters to the elite, of course you wouldn’t.” Chris laughed, knowing fully well Jon was a very simplistic, basic person.  The fact the man finally owned a couch was a running joke.  He stooped to pick up the card and stuffed it in a pocket. “You have piss poor taste in wrestlers,” He informed Carmen with a grin. “I’m much more likeable.”

 

Jon shrugged his shoulders with a grin of his own.

 

Brushing that off, Carmen wasn’t taken aback by what Jon did because at least he was honest and blunt. “Are you now?  You are a legend, no disrespect, but I prefer to be a fan of chaos and violence as opposed to someone who rips off The Crow.  The Painmaker, it’s cute.” That made Jon start howling with laughter while Chris just balked at her and she giggled while continuing to smoke, flicking ash away from her.

 

“You have quite the mouth on you, lady.  Calling my character cute.  It’s fucking badass is what it is!”

 

“Well, if it’s any consolation, you seem like a nice guy, you know, outside of the character and I do enjoy your music.  So, I am a fan of yours when it comes to the music.” Carmen was honest and felt a little more confident this time around since it wasn’t the first time she was meeting Jonathan Good.  After sharing beers with the man and having an actual conversation with him, it was hard not to be a little more at ease in his presence.

 

“You’re breaking my heart, baby, really.” Chris even playfully pressed his interlocked hands over his heart, batting his long, pale eyelashes at her and wasn’t surprised when she just shook her head. “Besides, it’s not ripping off The Crow, it’s honoring it.  You’re looking at it wrong.”

 

“Nah, she’s looking at a 50 year old man dressing up like he’s in a fucking kiddie play.  She has it right.” Jon had to drop the smoke when Chris came at him, laughing when he was put in a headlock. “Truth hurt, old timer?”

 

“Baby, avert your eyes, I’m going to have to put junior here in his place…”

 

Carmen was laughing so hard, she barely held onto her cigarette and had tears in her eyes, blinking them back.  Chris was currently chasing Jon around the parking lot, in front of her, both acting like complete children.  Was this how all wrestlers acted?  She supposed a few had sticks up their backsides that needed removed, but Jon and Chris seemed very down to earth and it was really amazing to see. 

 

After tonight, Carmen had to be careful because if Jon started spotting her at the wrestling events he was at, he would cotton onto what she was doing.  Perhaps parking away from the arenas from now on was a good idea, she could walk with others and blend in with them.  As far as getting front row seats to the events, that would have to stop for a while as well and she was fine with it as long as she could see the action. 

 

Discretion was truly the better part of valor, after all.

 

Unfortunately for her, Jon was already both equal parts suspicious and curious about this situation regarding Carmen Diamond.  She was wealthy, that was becoming blatantly obvious and anyone who casually mentioned so many houses, penthouse included, it made him gnash his teeth a little bit.  There was really no rhyme or reason to it, maybe it was because it was like a false modesty, flaunting wealth of that caliber.  Maybe also the poor city kid who had lived in a horrible, broken down apartment for most of his life in Piccadilly was envious.  Jealousy, maybe?  Jon had some prejudices he needed to get over, but they said part of solving the problem was recognizing a person had one, so points to him?  However, two shows that coincided with her business, months and miles apart?  

 

No…Jon wasn’t big on random chance. “Okay, now I gotta light a fresh one,” Jon did exactly that while Chris tried fixing his hair. “Bar?”

 

“Pub, Mox.”

 

“What’s the fucking difference?”

 

“Bar is for drinks, pub is food and drinks and this sexy beast is starving. You’re welcome to come of course, baby.” That was aimed at Carmen.

 

Jon held out his lighter when she went to light up as well. “You game, babe?”

 

“I’m sorry, what?” Carmen blinked at the invitation, looking back and forth between Jon and Chris, suddenly feeling a little apprehensive.  Was Jon okay with this?  Chris had invited her, not him, but did that really matter?  Why was she overthinking this? “Are you sure that’s okay?  I don’t want to intrude or anything…”

 

Chris promptly walked over and tossed an arm around her shoulders, grinning. “Not at all, baby.   And by the time the night is done, you WILL be a fan of mine.” He was determined, making her laugh at him.

 

“Keep dreaming, Crow wanna-be.” Carmen winked at him in return, shaking her head when Chris clutched his chest mockingly again and then looked at Jon.  Jesus, he looked stellar in what he had on, it was the same attire he performed in earlier.  Those cargo pants, that open shirt completely unbuttoned…GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE GUTTER! “All right, all right, lead the way.  Do you want me to follow in my car?”

 

“Meh, why don’t we just take mine and I’ll drop you off here after we’re done?” Chris suggested, already walking away with her and looked back at Jon, who had a curious expression on his face.   Very interesting indeed.

 

Carmen barely managed to lock the rental car with her keys before tossing them in her purse, walking with Chris easily enough in her black calf-high combat boots.  They went really well with the leather skirt and shirt she had on, which was black with the letters MOX spray-painted in orange on the front.

 

Yep, they were going to a pub for food apparently, AND drinks, and she was at least NOT wearing Dean Ambrose merchandise this time.  Though in her favor, and in the point of fairness, she had also had a tank top beneath the shirt, so…it had worked out. “Do we really?  You drive like an asshole.”

 

“It’s called defensive driving, Mox, and you should talk.  I was with you earlier today when you ran that redlight.”

 

“There was literally NO ONE around.” Jon fell into step alongside Carmen, draping his arm around her neck. “Nice skirt, special occasion or just for me?”

 

Chris snorted, unlocking his own rental and turned to give her a onceover.  Hopefully, she wasn’t some kind of groupie, even though she seemed okay enough.  Given her job, more like high-end escort, but still.  Nobody attracted them quite like Mox did and that was not always a good thing.

 

Being this close to him sent her heart racing all over again and Carmen knew better than to look up at him.  Carmen didn’t pull away from him either, her cheeks flushing slightly at that teasing question.  She would end up tripping and falling flat on her face because of those blue eyes of his.  The smell of him was intoxicating and she really hoped she could maintain her composure throughout the night until she was alone in her hotel suite later on. 

 

Since he was teasing her, would it be wrong to tease him back and maybe flirt a little? “I’ll leave that to your imagination, Mox.” Carmen teased, already knowing her skirt was long enough to where it wasn’t ring rat attire.

 

Chapter 6

 

“Let’s see, how coincidental is it that you would have two business engagements around the same time as my events, in cities thousands of miles apart?” Jon didn’t buy into chance and coincidence very often, and he just smirked down at her, his eyes a little on the guarded side. “Don’t answer that, babe.  Here, watch your head.” Guiding her inside of Chris’ rental in the backseat, Jon moved to take shotgun. “Buckle up, I wasn’t kidding about his driving capabilities or lack thereof.”

 

“I’ve been driving a lot longer than you have, junior.” Chris snorted, already pulling out of the parking lot.

 

Jon waited until they were on the road before glancing casually at Chris. “You allergic to your seatbelt, old man?  I know they didn’t have them when you first started to drive…” Jon blocked the backhand aimed for his face.

 

“Yeah, yeah, make me look bad in front of the lady.” Chris grumbled good-naturedly, though he did fasten himself in, shaking his head.

 

Carmen didn’t bother responding to his rhetorical question, though it did bother her that he didn’t think this was a coincidence.  Honestly, she did not expect to run into him again for a second time in the arena parking lot.  That was where the VIPs parked since she had paid the additional fee, just so she didn’t have to worry about the rental being vandalized in a regular parking garage.  Yes, she was rich and liked the finer things in life and enjoyed spending her money going to wrestling events.  Was that a crime?  She simply smiled at their antics while staring out the window, her stomach doing flips because of Jon’s words echoing in her mind.

 

If he ever finds out I’ve been to every single one of his matches live, he’ll think I’m insane and never want to talk to me again.  He’ll loop me in with those crazed fangirls that cut themselves up for him.  I really need to be more careful from now on when I go to these events and make sure he doesn’t spot me or we don’t run into each other. Unfortunately, this would be the last time Carmen had the opportunity to have dinner with Jon, so she would make the best of it and cherish the moment. This can never happen again after tonight.

 

The running into her part was a coincidence because Carmen never intended for that to happen.  She only came to SEE the shows and him, not actually meet with him or attempt meeting with him.  However, Jon didn’t really know that, he only knew what she said and he was not a trusting man.  People called him a cynical bastard and he was the first to admit he had some jaded issues.  Jon would definitely think she was crazy and he would not likely be able to wrap his head around being able to fly to EVERY match, spanning over a decade, because of how rich a person was.

 

“You look like you’re having a problem, babe.” Jon had shifted to look at her. “What’s up?” She was living the fangirl dream right now and should’ve been all smiles.

 

“Hmm?” Carmen looked back at him, wondering if he’d be able to read her thoughts through her eyes and shook her head. “I don’t have a problem.” Yes, yes she did. A BIG problem.  Travel arrangements would have to changed and everything else because running into him at another event was NOT an option.  Work wasn’t even on her mind at the moment, though she knew Kylie would be contacting her about that offer at some point. “It’s that surreal feeling again, like I described back at the bar in Moline.  Hard to believe this is happening, blah – blah – blah.” It sounded pathetic and she had her legs crossed, hands resting in her lap like a lady. “Just a little overwhelmed, that’s all.  I mean, you two are not just average guys I’m about to share a meal and drinks with.  You’re Jon Moxley and that’s Chris Jericho, both of you legends, both of you icons, in this business.  This is crazy…” She needed a nicotine fix in the worst way.

 

“Some of us more iconic than others.” Chris retorted, glancing in the rearview and saw her fidgeting. “You can smoke in here if you want.” He offered with a kind smile, blue eyes moving back to the road. “Mox is traveling with me tonight, so…I made sure to pay the cleaning fees early since he’s a chain smoker half the time.”

 

“And you’re a borderline alcoholic.”

 

“It’s how I cope with life on the road.” Chris didn’t miss a beat. “Here we go, I hope you’re hungry, baby.”

 

“He calls everyone baby.” Jon informed her, not sure why Chris did it.  Though, he knew he had gotten decked once for calling one of the WWE crew that before he was worth spit in the company, which was way before Jon’s time.  

 

He had heard the story and it still made him laugh.

 

Calling someone like the Undertaker ‘baby’ was a hell of a story too. 

 

Chris pulled into the parking spot available, the first one he spotted, and all three of them piled out with him being the perfect gentlemen, taking her hand to help her out. “Thank you.  We can smoke in here, I take it?” Chris nodded, having already scouted the place and he figured Jon would appreciate it with the smoking policy. 

 

They were seated a few minutes later and Carmen had quite the dilemma before her.  Chris on one side, Jon on the other and it was a booth.  She really wanted to sit next to Jon, but…her instincts were telling her he didn’t want to be crowded.  However, before she could move towards Chris, Jon’s hand reached out and took her hand, pulling her towards him until she had no choice except to sit down beside him.

 

God help me through this, help me to resist temptation. She silently prayed, pulling her cigarette out and lit it up, perusing the menu to see what she wanted.

 

“You better order an actual meal, baby.  I won’t have you skimp out and you look like a woman that can eat.”

 

“Thanks, I think?” Christ, did Jericho just call her fat to her face?! “Don’t worry, Jericho, I’ll order a meal.  Do you gentlemen mind if I buy the meal tonight?  It’s the least I can do to thank you for the invitation…”

 

In his own way, Chris had implied she was a nice, healthy woman with an equally nice, healthy appetite.  Some women mistook it for ‘fat’, that was usually their insecurities talking. “You gonna eat something, Mox, or just call it a day and drink?”

 

“I’ll eat.” Jon had pulled her into the seat with him for a reason. 

 

He was testing her, maybe playing with her a little bit.  Also, she was rape bait.  Carmen had her backside slapped in a pair of odd pants, the short kind, but they weren’t shorts either.  He could only imagine what would happen to her in this place given it was still a bar, it just didn’t have that grungy feeling.  Carmen would not fail the test either, no matter what.  Throwing herself at Jon, as tempted as she was, would not happen.  She wasn’t a ring rat and didn’t shoot him bedroom eyes or anything of the sort.

 

“Beer, please.” She requested once the waitress came over to take their drink orders, still scanning the menu. 

 

Honestly, wings sounded really good, but they were messy.  Ordering a salad wouldn’t be considered a meal to these beefy men, she already knew that.  The last thing Carmen wanted to do was annoy them, so she finally decided to get a steak.  It was better than a burger or something simplistic.

 

“Gotta take a piss, be right back, babes.” Chris winked on his way past the table, hightailing it to the bathroom.

 

That left her and Jon alone for the moment and the nerves finally settled in a bit for Carmen. “I think I’m going to get the ribeye steak dinner.  Did you decide what you’re getting yet, Mox?”

 

“Wings sound fucking scrumptious.” Jon didn’t care that they were messy, that was half the fun.  However, they had to be hot, the spiciest on the menu. “Chris will probably be a bit, he’s gonna wind up checking in with his old lady and kids.” He informed her, eyes on the menu.  Chris had ordered a whiskey neat and Jon had gone with beer as well, with a whiskey chaser and a clear soda on the side. “Fried pickles and mushrooms as a side.  Gotta watch this figure of mine.” Obviously, that was a joke, he was in pretty decent condition and knew his open vest was attracting attention, which didn’t bother him in the slightest. “So, sounds like you’re loaded, babe…and single.  Why is that?  Single part, not the loaded.”

 

“I could go with that whole cliché line of ‘I haven’t found the right person yet’, but…that would be a lie.  Truth is, I travel too much to even think about having any kind of a relationship.  Going from place to place all the time, it’s just not conducive for any kind of commitment.  I’m sure you understand that since you’re single as well and you’re constantly on the road too.” Carmen took a sip of her beer, refusing to chug it down like she had that night in the grimy bar with him.  She looked over at him, taking a pull from her cigarette and gave him her undivided attention.  If he only knew just how ‘loaded’ she was, Jon probably would’ve been sick about it due to where he grew up and how. “I’m also selfish and set in my ways too.”

 

“Seems legit and how do you know I’m single?  I could have a woman tucked away somewhere nobody knows about.” Given how he was about his personal life, that was a very real possibility and he watched her face intently as she pondered it before finally shrugging. “Cheating is not unheard of in this business, just about everyone does it.”

 

That was just a fact, especially when one person in the relationship was traveling all the time with temptation being thrown in every direction.  There was a reason the divorce rate was so high in the wrestling profession, either the wrestler was cheating or the stay at home spouse was.  People wanted love and affection, getting only a handful of days didn’t give much of either for married couples.

 

Carmen couldn’t dispute what he said and nodded, taking another pull from her cigarette. “You’re absolutely right, I shouldn’t assume anything about you.  And that’s not surprising either about the cheating bit.”

 

However, she would not be another notch on a wrestler’s bedpost, not even Jon’s.  Flirting with him and everything was fine and all, but nothing would or could come of it.  He didn’t trust her, she could see that skepticism in his eyes earlier when she gave her card to Chris.  That was fine, Jon could judge her all she wanted.  She didn’t admire the man, she admired the wrestler and what he could do in the ring. 

 

Before he came along, she had been a fan of the Undertaker, but the moment Carmen laid eyes on Jon Moxley, it was all over.  Her love for the Phenom had transferred to Jon…to the point where she had witnessed every single match in this man’s career thus far.  The amount of ticket stubs and merchandise she had from over the years with all the events, especially while he was in WWE…there was a reason she had 5 houses.

 

“At the end of the day, we’re all human with needs and it’s a primal urge to fulfill that need, regardless if you’re in a relationship or not.  If that person you’re with isn’t there to fulfill those needs, it’s natural to search for it elsewhere.  Monogamy doesn’t exist in today’s world, in my opinion.”

 

To be fair, Jon wasn’t trusting of many people and, if he knew the extent of her ‘admiration’ for the ‘wrestler’, he would have been equally parts amused, awed, and concerned. “Nah, sometimes it does,” He pointed to the old blonde coming their way, which was great timing since the waitress was coming back. “He’s been with the same broad for almost 20 years, with no cheating scandals or shit on either side.  There are exceptions to the rule.”

 

“That’s because my sweetie knows it don’t get any better than this.” Chris gestured to himself before sitting back down, eyeballing the pair. “Just what the fuck are we talking about anyway?”

 

“How’s Jess?”

 

“Fine, tired, twins are running her ragged, so I should probably consider taking my ass home tomorrow and giving her a break.”

 

Jericho had twins?  How old were they?  Carmen knew absolutely nothing about Chris Jericho, but she did admire the man for staying with the same woman for over 20 years.  That spoke volumes, considering the type of business he was in.

 

“Did you say 20 years?  That’s incredible.  She must be something really special.”

 

“Oh she is, we’ve known each other even longer than that.  I had to convince her to marry my ass.  She didn’t think I was serious when I first proposed.” Chris chuckled at the memory, taking a swig of his beverage of choice and leaned back into the booth, wondering what Jon and Carmen were talking about while he was gone. “Damn teens are gonna be the death of us, baby.”

 

Teenagers…that made a lot more sense in her head than babies.  She was thinking newborns from the way he spoke about giving his wife a break. “I don’t envy you.” Kids were not in her past, present, or future.  Carmen was too selfish for children and already knew having them would require changing her lifestyle, which wasn’t happening.

 

Almost 20, they hadn’t hit that mark yet, though Chris didn’t bother correcting Carmen just because 19 years was a pretty big deal too. “Nah, they’re not too bad.  The girls just got their momma’s wild streak.”

 

“Uh huh…I’ve met your wife…”

 

“And you know she’s just as bad as I am.”

 

“But she’s better looking.” Jon snorted into his beer in amusement. “He’s got a boy too.”

 

“He’s into sports.”

 

“Basically, Chris is about done with his prison time.” Prison time being raising kids, that was how Jon viewed children.  Kids were NOT in his future because he figured kids deserved a fulltime father and not a parttime and like Carmen had said about being selfish…he was too.

 

“I repeat what I just said: I don’t envy you, but props to you for surviving this long with them.” That made Chris chuckle as she raised her beer glass, clinking it with his and Jon joined in as well.

 

“What about you, baby?  Any kids in those 5 houses you have?”

 

“No, none.”

 

“Okay, I’m just gonna come right out and ask why the hell do you have 5 houses?” Chris demanded, his curiosity burning about this woman and he wasn’t sure why. 

 

He could tell Jon was slightly intrigued by her too.

 

Chapter 7

 

Carmen rubbed the back of her neck, feeling it heat up a little and stubbed her cigarette out after taking the last drag of it. “Well, each property has a beauty all in its own that I wanted for myself.  My Maine one is right on the ocean.  Same with my Florida one, only the weather is a lot warmer there, as I’m sure you know.” That was directed at Chris. “Even in the summer, Maine really doesn’t get all that scorching hot, but I do admit the winters suck ass.” She took a pull from her beer, clearing her throat. “Washington is…another world, entirely.  My house there is in the middle of the woods, away from everyone, very secluded, and I go there when I need to escape from everything, including my job.  It rains a lot and it’s very zen, you might say.  New York is where my corporate office resides, so I have a penthouse there for when I need to go to the office for a period of time.  And as far as Hawaii…it’s a tropical paradise.  Each of these properties have a certain charm to them that stood out to me.  I do occasionally rent out my Maine and Florida ones since I’m hardly in those states, but I keep the ones in Washington, New York, and Hawaii to myself.  Real-estate has always been a passion of mine, I probably get it from my father.”

 

That seemed…so boring.  Real-estate, as a passion.  Jon couldn’t wrap his head around it at all. “Like, what kind of real-estate?”

 

It was obvious she wasn’t just walking around showing off every day houses.  This kind of money did not come from low-end properties.  Not unless she basically owned a massive firm.  He had a feeling Chris had it right with the real-estate for the seriously wealthy or maybe even businesses.  He grinned when the waitress appeared with their food, glancing over at Chris.

 

“I ordered for you by the way.”

 

“Looks great, you know me so well.” He was famished and it looked delicious, way better than the wings and fried stuff Jon had before him. “So, baby, what kind of real-estate?” Different strokes for different folks, if that was her passion and all.  Hell, the Undertaker dabbled in it too.

 

“All kinds, and I’m not being vague when I say that.  There’s just…too many types to name off.  My company does reside in 25 states in the country, however.” Carmen poured some of the steak sauce over her ribeye, after cutting into it to make sure it was medium rare.  It was perfect, juicy and succulent, just the way she liked it.  Then she began with her baked potato. “I flip properties, foreclosures, but I also sell brand new ones too.  Cottages, mansions, penthouses, regular houses, two-stories, three-stories, trailers even…if the property is well-maintained and there are no problems with it, I can sell it for a profit.  We do businesses as well, so it’s not just residential, it’s also a lot of commercial too.”

 

Finishing fixing her potato, Carmen took the first bite out of her steak and nodded, sipping more of her beer.  Everybody had their passion in life and hers just happened to be real-estate that made her a billionaire and gave her a private jet and the life of luxury.  She also paid her employees exceptionally well, treating each of them with respect, and made sure they had benefits and the whole nine yards.

 

Okay, so real-estate was her thing.  Jon personally found it boring, but after Chris got her talking, he could see she really did have a passion for it.  He figured he was putting the label ‘boring’ on it because to him, it did sound mind-numbing.  However, Jon recognized the fact that he was also a professional wrestler, which came with an adrenaline rush, so he was very biased towards paper and pencil jobs.  He was enjoying his very spicy wings and a lovely cup of ranch, fried pickles and mushrooms, ignoring the look Chris gave him whenever he bit into one of those pickles.

 

Chris had a thing about pickles, period.

 

“So, a little bit of everything.  Well, you are definitely diversified in that field.”

 

She smiled back at Chris, taking another bite of her steak. “I guess you could say that, yeah.  But I would have to say my second love in life is wrestling.  Not actually doing it, but watching you guys perform.  The intensity and adrenaline from the crowd is intoxicating.  I definitely felt that tonight and I have a feeling AEW is about to take off like a bullet.”

 

“How long have you been a fan?”

 

“Since I was a kid.  I think I discovered it around the age of 5 or so.  My Dad was a huge fan too, so we’d sit and watch it together whenever it was on TV.” Carmen hadn’t thought about that in a while, continuing to eat and answering various questions Chris had for her.

 

“Did you ever want to be a wrestler?”

 

“No, I just love watching the performances.” One man in particular, especially, who was seated right beside her, chowing down on spicy wings at the moment.

 

“Been to a lot of events then?”

 

“Several, yeah, when I have the time.” That was an understatement, but there was no way she could tell Chris just how many she’d attended over the years.

 

No, no Carmen could not because even Chris, with his pretty wide-open mind, would have to do a doubletake and start second-guessing her as a ‘normal’ fan versus potentially crazy, stalker fan.  It was pretty hard to wrap one’s head around the idea that someone had enough money, enough free time, and the desire to travel all over the place to catch one man’s matches for years, it was just…mind-blowing.

 

“You got some, uh, sauce there, Mox.”

 

Rolling his eyes, Jon wiped at his face with his napkin, flashing a tooth baring grin at Chris. “Better, Dad?”

 

“Much.” Chris just shook his head with an amused smirk of his own. “Can’t take you anywhere…”

 

He must’ve really been hungry and she didn’t blame him after that explosive debut he just had.  Why was it adorable watching him eat wings? I need serious help. Carmen finished off her dinner shortly after Chris, with Jon finishing first and drinking his second beer.  Christ, she was going to explode or pass out from food comatose, sipping more of her wine she ordered with the dinner.  It tasted much better with the steak than beer did.

 

“Can I get you guys anything else?  Dessert, perhaps?”

 

“If I eat another bite, I’m going to explode.” Chris groaned out, shaking his head at the mere thought of dessert.

 

“Same here.” Carmen agreed, glancing at Jon, who was contemplating if he wanted some or not. “What about you, Mox?” She still didn’t feel comfortable calling him Jon and probably never would.

 

“Same order, to go, no dessert.” Jon grinned when Chris rolled his eyes. “I’m a simple man.  Food, booze, and broads.” He glanced down at Carmen, his blue eyes darting to the MOX scrawled across that shirt. “Not that I’m calling you a broad, babe.” Jon caught the balled up napkin Chris tossed at him across the table without even bothering to look, peripheral vision was a great thing. “There is no way we’re bailing…”

 

“Nah,” Chris raised his arms out of the way as the waitress began gathering their empty plates. “Another round of beer, please.”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

Carmen would just stick with her wine, trying to settle her stomach from that steak dinner, and settled in for however long they wanted to stay here.  They were her ride back to the arena where her rental was located.  That was why she couldn’t drink too much because she really didn’t want to drink and drive.  The steak would soak up most of the alcohol she consumed already, so she wouldn’t even be buzzed by the time they left.

 

“So, where are you from, Carmen?  Where did you grow up?”

 

“Maryland,” She hadn’t been back there in a while, trying to go at least a few times a year to pay her respects to them. “Annapolis.”

 

“You are nosy as fuck, old man.” Jon scolded, because if she let him, Chris would know all about her childhood, who she had slept with the past ten years, and her tax return information.

 

“Sure am.” Chris took a drink with absolutely no shame.

 

Shaking his head, Jon lit up an after-dinner cigarette.  Nevada was considered a ‘no smoking’ state, in public spaces, but Las Vegas had exceptions to those rules, including age enforced bars like this place. “You’re fine to smoke here, babe.” Jon assured, unsure if she was familiar with the strange laws here in Vegas.  Jon lived in Vegas, on the outskirts, because he had fallen in love equally with the City of Sin and the Red Rocks, the naturistic scenery outside of the city.

 

“I figured as much since you lit up.”

 

Then again, Jon seemed like the type to break the rules. 

 

Carmen took a sip of her wine, not in the mood for a cigarette at the moment.  She also felt bad for lighting up in front of Chris Jericho because it was obvious the man hated the habit.  The last thing she wanted to do was aggravate or irritate the legend.  Jon could smoke to his heart’s content since he didn’t care, but she didn’t know these men and didn’t want to upset either one of them in any way.  Also, in her opinion, it was rude to smoke with a non-smoker present, unless it was outdoors.

 

“And it’s fine, he can ask me anything he wants, but I’ll only answer questions I’m comfortable with.” There were lines, after all.

 

“Anything you want to ask us, being a fan and all, baby?”

 

Of course there was, but Carmen could also smell a trap a mile away and slowly shook her head. “Not at the moment, no.  Really don’t know what to ask you guys, honestly.  Actually, I do have one question: Do you do this often with other fans, invite them out for a drink and dinner, Jericho?” What else was she supposed to call him? “Or am I special case for some reason?” What would his wife say about him inviting a fan out like this with another coworker?

 

His wife wouldn’t say anything because she’d know Chris hadn’t invited her along out of a desire, to bed her, or any such thing.  Carmen was a beautiful woman, no doubt about it, but she wasn’t his type by a longshot and his type was very limited…to one woman.  However, it seemed Jon knew her somewhat and was suspicious of her, which got Chris’ curiosity up.  Jessica would find this all amusing when he told her the rest; he had already informed her about the dinner at a pub thing when he had gone to use the restroom.

 

“You’re a special case, baby,” Chris chuckled, nudging the ashtray closer to her and Jon since he didn’t smoke. “I will admit in my much earlier years, I went out with men and women fans, just to avoid paying for my meals and drinks.” He had no shame and back then, it was common enough amongst wrestlers.

 

“Why does that not surprise me?” Carmen chortled, noticing what he did with the ashtray. 

 

Was that his subtle way of letting her know he was fine with the smoking?  Pulling out a cigarette from her purse, she lit it up and blew the smoke away from Chris, being at least a little courteous.  What she wanted to ask was what made her so special, but that sounded a little condescending and maybe even a ‘come on’ question, so she kept it to herself.  Her phone suddenly vibrated in her purse and Carmen pulled it out, seeing a text message from Kylie.

 

They took it, should I send over the paperwork?

 

Carmen’s fingers flew over the keys on her phone before sending the message to her assistant. Yes, we close in a month, please relay that message to them.  Thank you, Ky. “My apologies, I’ve been waiting for that message from my assistant about a house.  There should be no further interruptions tonight.” She slid her phone back into her purse, making sure it was on silent this time, and sipped more of her wine.

 

That was oddly formal and Chris and Jon were both raising eyebrows her way, especially Jon since he had spent time in a bar with her.  Bizarrely professional and formal.  Chris had seen the curiosity boiling in her eyes when he had said she was a ‘special case’, knowing that was intriguing enough to make a person wonder.  However, Chris was a bit of a tease and liked leaving people with that curiosity to nibble with.

 

Chris was a bit of a dick, sometimes, though given Jon was a dick most of the time, he wasn’t saying anything.  He was just enjoying his cigarette, beer and relaxing, the adrenaline rush gone, but he was still feeling that buzz from a great debut. “I can catch a cab from here.”

 

“To your house?  That’ll cost you one of your nuts.”

 

The next set of words that flew out of her mouth even shocked Carmen. “If you need a ride, I can give you one.” Her eyes widened as soon as the offer came out of her mouth, trying in vain to remain cool, calm, and collected. “There’s really no reason for you to call a cab when you have either Jericho and me to give you a ride, Mox.” Holy hell, she congratulated herself on not stuttering and took a drag of her cigarette, flicking some ash in the tray.

 

“She’s got a point.” Chris smirked, folding his arms in front of his chest and could tell Jon was contemplating what she said.

 

Carmen excused herself to use the bathroom, really needing to empty her bladder after all the drinks and food she consumed…and to also berate herself for offering Jon Moxley a ride.  What the hell was she thinking?! Christ, he’s going to think I wanna fuck him now or something!  Why did I make that offer?  I’m such an idiot!!

 

Chapter 8

 

Jon took advantage of her being gone to rip Chris a new asshole. “Dude, she was at the last fucking show I did for WWE and the first one I do for AEW!  Don’t tell me she had legit business for BOTH those shows.”

 

“Oh, hell no, I don’t buy that for a second.” Chris agreed serenely, taking another drink from his beer with an amused smile. “I think she’s got a crush or something on you, wouldn’t be the first time you attracted someone a little on the iffy side.” Iffy, but rich and obviously had a lot of discretionary income to blow following Jon’s not-so-happy backside around.

 

“So WHY would you encourage that shit with my HOME?  I don’t need fans knowing where the fuck I live, dude.” Jon valued his privacy with good reason.

 

“Because it’s funny.”

 

The only thing that stopped Jon from lunging at Chris’ grinning self was the fact that Carmen was on her way back.  She looked just as flustered as he felt right now. “We’re going to a bar, babe, someplace less nice than this.” He informed her, tossing some bills onto the table. “You’re an asshole.” That was directed at Chris.

 

Chris was trying not to laugh. “You two have fun.”

 

“We’re…what now?” Blinking at Chris’ dancing backside going out the door, she looked back at Jon and then the table, seeing he’d paid the bill. 

 

Didn’t she offer to do it? 

 

Carmen could tell Jon was slightly annoyed and figured it was due to her offer of giving him a ride, not blaming him.  They would have to catch a cab now to go back to the arena to grab her car since Chris had left them high and dry here at the restaurant.  About ten minutes later, they were in an Uber headed back to the arena, sitting in the backseat of the car together.  The driver didn’t like people sitting up front with him unless absolutely necessary.  Carmen was silent on the ride back to her car, already knowing Jon would not accept her offer for a ride since he had this Uber to take him wherever he wanted.  Going to another bar with this man would just send up red flags to him and honestly, Carmen did not feel like drinking tonight, not after that hearty steak meal and wine.

 

“Thank you for tonight.” Carmen didn’t look at him, instead staring out the window with her hands holding her purse on her lap. “I think I’m just going to head back to my hotel and get some rest.  It’s been a long night, but you have fun at the bar and now that you have this Uber, you don’t need a ride from me.”

 

Jon wasn’t even upset with her, he was irritated with Chris.  He had said ‘we’ on the bar thing and eyeballed her. “No, I don’t need a ride from you.” He agreed, having zero intentions of bringing a strange woman home, one who was a fan no less. “Look, it’s nothing personal, but I don’t bring fans back to my house.  I like my privacy and I don’t know you.” Not well enough to be bringing her home anyway, even if she just parked in his driveway long enough to let him out of the car.  Not awkward at all, for him anyway, having this conversation while they were literally stuck in a car together. “Two shows, babe, two parking lots…” Raising an eyebrow at her, Carmen wasn’t even looking away from the window. “I’m naturally a cynical, suspicious person.” She had picked a hell of a wrestler to be a fan of; he was a dick in and out of the ring until he finally let someone know the real him.  Then he was just…less of a dick.

 

“Believe me, I did not think I would ever run into you again, much less share another meal and drinks.  I was just as shocked as you when Jericho planted his ass on the hood of my rental in the parking lot.  The reason I park there, usually, is because I pay the extra fee for the VIP parking.  That’s what they call it.” Carmen could tell he was very leery of her because of the coincidental nature of their encounters. “I will say this to you, Mox, I don’t blame you for being skeptical, given your past history with other fans.  BUT…not ALL of your fans are the same.  Not ALL of us want to jump on you and rip your clothes off and self-mutilate ourselves for worship.” She shuddered at the mere thought of women actually doing that, folding her arms in front of her chest. “I’m NOT one of those fans.  I don’t go to signings and meet and greets.  I just go to shows and I stay in the shadows, just admiring the craft.  That’s it.  You can take that for what it’s worth, which probably isn’t much and I’m perfectly fine with that.” Rolling the window down since it was stuffy in the car, Carmen let the warm breeze flow over her and looked at her phone, seeing what time it was.

 

She had a fair point.  If Carmen was stalking him, she was doing it in a brand-new way, low-key and non-invasively.  He had some fans that definitely pushed the boundaries of what was considered normal.  Jon actually felt like a dickhead for about three seconds and then it passed.

 

“Fine, you made your point, I still don’t want you knowing where I live, non-psycho fan.” That made her glance at him again and he just grinned. “I’d offer to buy you a drink to apologize, but you’re in need of rest.” Jon almost made a joke about jet hopping to stalk him was tiring, but…he had been enough of a dick tonight.

 

“I only made up that excuse because you looked annoyed after I offered to give you a ride.  Didn’t think you wanted to spend any more time with a fan of yours.” Carmen retorted, wondering why she was explaining herself to him. 

 

He looked thoroughly amused now and she rolled her eyes, deciding if he wanted the company, she’d oblige him…on one condition.  Pulling her keys out, she tossed them his way with a serene smile just as the Uber pulled into the parking lot in front of her car.  It was mostly empty since it was late, and the show was long over.

 

“You drive since you probably know Vegas better than I do.  Come on, I won’t turn down that apology drink.” Winking, Carmen slid out of the Uber and waited for him to do the same, paying the driver before he took off, leaving them there alone.

 

Damn right he knew Vegas and headed for a dive bar off of the Strip.  Nobody bothered him, he could smoke and play pool, and the music was always good. “I was annoyed you offered me a ride.  One, I’m a strange man and you have no business offering strangers rides,” That was just common sense, regardless of their two meetings and what Carmen thought she knew about him. “And I was mostly annoyed at Chris because he thinks he’s a fucking laugh and a half.”

 

She had no rebuttal to that, knowing he made a valid point about being a stranger. “Even though I don’t know you that well, I don’t sense any danger coming from you.  I don’t just go around offering strangers rides either.  You’re…a special case.”

 

Carmen smirked, remembering what she’d asked Jericho earlier at the restaurant and lit up a cigarette since there was quite a bit of traffic out, far more than there’d been in Moline.  Jon was taking backroads to try to avoid it, so it would take them longer to arrive.  It was clear across the city away from the MGM hotel where she was staying. 

 

Getting plastered was not an option tonight.

 

Jon took his own sweet time getting them to a relatively easy spot and eventually, Carmen began shifting and getting uncomfortable.  By the time they reached the place, she was out of the car pretty fast and he was smirking, getting out as well.  He walked around to join her, looking at the fairly inconspicuous bar and held out her car keys.

 

“Special case huh, babe?” She didn’t sense danger from him, which was a mistake, because if Jon got a wild hair up his backside, she’d wind up a target and that usually didn’t go over very well…for the target anyway.

 

The impish sparkle in his electric blues sent a silver down her back she barely managed to suppress. “Yeah, just like me.”

 

The reason she had been fidgeting so much in the car was nerves.  She was nervous around Jon, for good reason.  Even with the window down, full on fresh air was different than having it blasted it her face.  They headed inside the bar with Jon grabbing two beers for them, leading the way to a table, not a booth, and gestured her to sit down.  He had to go empty his bladder this time, ordering Carmen to watch his beer and she saluted him with a chuckle.  Carmen didn’t know it, but Jon was blatantly testing her to see if she’d do anything to his drink.

 

Naturally, Jon also knew the owner, who ran the bar and he sent the man a text, asking him to keep an eye on the broad he had come in with.  Before vacating the bathroom, he got the heads up she hadn’t tampered with his drink and he returned with an amused grin. “For the record, precious,” He chuckled, setting down and sprawling his long legs out. “You were Chris’ special case, not mine.  You’re my special stalker.”

 

He had to ego check her with jokes whenever she started teasing back, mostly because he wanted to see what happened, what she’d do.  Carmen gave a good-natured shrug and lit a cigarette, which had him raising an eyebrow.  Two events, hundreds of miles apart from each other in different states, for different companies, he was banking on another time.

 

“Next time I find you lurking in a parking lot after a show…You should bring me some home cooking.” He was both joking and serious, all at the same time. “Or do you have chefs for that?”

 

“There won’t be a next time.  You may actually think I am your stalker if you catch me in another parking lot again outside of an event you’ve done.” She took a drag of her smoke, not touching her beer for the moment while staring back at him. “I don’t have chefs.  When I’m home, I cook for myself, but for the most part, I’m on the road and I just either get room service from the hotel I’m staying at,” It was usually a five-star one, something luxurious because she enjoyed living in comfort. “Or I find a suitable restaurant and either eat there or get carry-out to take back to my room, depending how busy I am.”

 

“Don’t lie, there’ll be a next time.” Jon countered, blowing smoke up above their heads as he studied her intently. “Maybe I won’t see your ass at the next show, or the one after that, but I’ll bet money there’s a next time down the road.”

 

Room service…normal hotels didn’t have that very often anymore, it was reserved for the better places.  Once again he was reminded that this woman was loaded, probably beyond what he could comprehend and she came to wrestling shows for kicks.  It seemed so out of place…he knew there were ways to buy a VIP option, even if it was nonexistent, money talked.  However, Carmen was also in a dingy bar with him, in those high boots, leather skirt and her damn MOX shirt.

 

Carmen studied him for a minute, contemplating how to say what was on her mind and decided to go for it, after taking a swig of her beer. “Do you WANT there to be a next time, Jon?” This wasn’t Mox she was talking to, this was Jonathan Good, a man, not the wrestler. “Because it sounds like you want there to be.” Now he narrowed his eyes at her a little and it made her smirk, smoke filtering out of her nose and mouth.  There were different layers of Carmen – the straight businesswoman that owned a billion-dollar real-estate company – and then the simple woman that enjoyed the finer things in life and wrestling was a passion of hers. “That’s not a come-on either, though…I can’t deny I wouldn’t mind spending the night with you.  But I’m talking about meeting up OUTSIDE of a wrestling event, where you don’t think it’s too coincidental or a setup or something like that.  Completely up to you, though.  No skin off my back if you don’t want to, I’ll still enjoy watching you wrestle and cheer you on.”

“I don’t want to fuck you, lady.” Jon declared bluntly, not surprised when she went instantly poker faced.  Nobody wanted to hear that. “I don’t sleep with fans, that’s begging for trouble.” Especially rich ones who had the money to harass and stalk him.  Advances in technology had made a lot of things no longer feasible; sleeping with a fan was akin to posting a picture of a dick online because everyone on every social media platform would get to hear about it. “Not that I’m not flattered, but I told you before, I’m still trying to sort out what kind of fan you are.” He got propositioned a lot.  He imagined she did too since Carmen wasn’t exactly a plain Jane. “Let’s play pool.”

 

“Sure, I’m game.”

 

They finished their cigarette and Jon lead her over to the pool table, keeping respectful distances from each other.  He didn’t want to screw her.  It was a blow to Carmen, but she kept a smile on her face and played the game with him.  There was absolutely zero flirting on her end and they had a good time together.  A couple of women were eyeballing Jon like a piece of meat as the night progressed and once he went off to talk to one of them, Carmen decided to call it a night.  She didn’t bother with saying goodbye, just grabbed her purse and keys, heading out after paying the bill with the bartender.  Jon didn’t want to have sex with her because she was a fan of his…at least now she knew and it wasn’t like she’d ever see the man again in any kind of intimate setting like this.

 

Chapter 9

 

Japan was absolutely breathtaking.

 

Despite what happened with Jon at the bar in Vegas, that didn’t stop Carmen from attending his matches.  It wasn’t the first time she’d been to Japan since Jon had come over here with WWE for matches in the past.  It never ceased to amaze her either.  This time, Carmen was in the balcony of the arena and watched as Jon became the IWGP United States Heavyweight champion, her eyes filling with tears.  This was the first match he’d had since leaving WWE and he showcased exactly what he was capable of.  She was proud to be his fan and proud of him, clapping her hands while wiping tears of happiness away.  Finally, after all this time, after 8 years of being imprisoned by the WWE, Jon Moxley was finally free and he was a happy man.

 

Throughout most of the month of June, Jon wrestled for NJPW while holding onto that United States title with sheer talent and he was a force to be reckoned with.  AEW was gearing up to debut on national television in October, but they had an event known as Fyter Fest coming up on June 29^th in Daytona Beach, Florida.  Naturally, Carmen had already gotten tickets to the event to witness Jon Moxley beat the hell out of Joey Janella, who had been running his mouth about Jon in various promos.  The man couldn’t hold Jon’s jockstrap and Carmen couldn’t wait to experience the event live in person like always.  It never got old, the feeling of the crowd and experiencing the matches live.  It would be in Daytona Beach as well, so Carmen planned on visiting the beach for some Vitamin C.  She also had some properties to look at while she was there as well.

 

“Hey Carmen, you got a package on your desk from someone anonymous.” Kylie informed her as Carmen walked into her office building in New York City, setting down a latte for her amazing assistant.

 

“Thanks, Ky.  When did it arrive?”

 

“While you were in Japan.”

 

“Thanks, make sure you look these offers over and let me know the verdict on them.” She walked into her office, closing the glass door and saw the package…a rather large one at that. “What the hell?” There was no return address or name on it, but inside was a BUNCH of Jon Moxley merchandise, some from Japan, some from AEW, and at the very bottom was an envelope with a ticket to none other than the upcoming AEW event, Fyter Fest.

 

A front row ticket.

 

Jon would be the first to admit he was an asshole.  However, finding an American woman at an event in Japan had not been hard, especially since he had put a few bees in the bonnets of security.  Well, that was not an expression over there.  She had been way out of range and he knew that was probably not normal for her rich self.  A woman like that was springing the big bucks for some decent seats, she was just being stubborn to prove her point about ‘not again’.  That didn’t change the fact Carmen had flown to Japan to see him.  He was equal parts flattered and concerned for her mental state, somewhat.

 

See you soon. J was the signature on the card, nothing else and the card was at the bottom of the package.

 

J…Every part of Carmen tensed while reading and rereading the signature card.  See you soon?  What did that mean?  J…there was only one person with a J name that she was familiar with, and she dropped the card to the desk, the Jon Moxley merchandise strewn on her desk.  What the hell?  Why would…was this Jon’s doing?  Why would he send her a front row ticket to Fyter Fest?  He made it clear he wasn’t interested in her, so why?

 

No, it wasn’t him.  It couldn’t be.  He didn’t even stop me from leaving the bar in Vegas.  There’s no way this is all from him. 

 

Frowning, she picked up the newest AEW shirt he had made, that would sell like hotcakes, and smiled at the design.  Now THIS was a shirt!  Regardless, she had her balcony seat to sell since she now had a free front row ticket to the event, and she would not squander it.  Christ, if this wasn’t from Jon and he saw her there…he was going to think she was insane.

 

Since when do you care?  Go and have a good time! Easier said than done.

 

Carmen also had no idea Jon knew she’d been in Japan either.

 

Quite frankly, there was only one person with a J name who would also send her a fan basket of merchandise of her favorite wrestler, so…there was a bit of an obvious answer there.  Jon wasn’t planning on sexing her up just because she wanted a ‘night with him’.  If he wanted a fling, he’d do it with someone local who wasn’t rich and a bizarre stalker.  He was curious about her, wanted to get to know her outside of her wrestling issues and strange job that apparently she was passionate about.  Admittedly, he had Googled her and her business.  Jesus H. Christ the woman had her hands in a LOT of real-estate ventures, it was intimidating to say the least.  

 

Hell, if wrestling didn’t work out…he could have a sugar mama…

 

Everything she told him had been the truth.  Carmen wasn’t a liar, living her life as adventurous as possible, even if it meant spending a lot of money to see one man wrestle.  Honestly, if Jon wanted to get to know her outside of the wrestling industry, she had extended the olive branch to him at the bar.  He refused and she left it at that.  She didn’t want a fling with Jon, but if that was all he offered, she would take it.  Carmen never thought she’d meet him in person, let alone share two meals and drinks with him or play pool with him in a bar for that matter. 

 

Now he was reaching out to her and it was…overwhelming.  What was his deal at the bar then?  Jon proceeded to leave her high and dry while he talked to some bar skank after a few rounds of pool with her.  What game was he playing?  If this was even him.  Not a lot of people knew about her extracurricular activities, she kept it close to the chest and did things her way.  Whoever this ‘J’ was, she supposed she’d find out at Fyter Fest and immediately called to make the necessary arrangements to Daytona Beach, Florida.

 

And she would be wearing the new AEW shirt that was in the box gifted to her.

 

He had left it at that because Carmen had said she wouldn’t mind spending a night with him.  No one nightstands with fans and Jon wasn’t looking for a relationship either.  His current running joke was about how he had just gotten out of an 8 year long, hellhole of a marriage and he was sowing his wild oats now.  If she honestly didn’t realize that gift box, which contained some exclusive merchandise that was technically in production still, was from him…she was beautiful and dense.  Probably willfully ignorant because nobody became this rich or well-respected in a field without some smarts…or buying their way in.

 

Curiosity killed the cat, satisfaction brought him back.  Jon was just too curious about his super fan.

 

After thinking about it more and looking over everything, all the items sent, the only conclusion was this was from Jon.  He had sent her a fan gift package and there were even some items that were exclusively from Japan, only sold there.  She had spotted them while there, but hadn’t purchased and now she had them.  Carmen wished there was some way to contact him to at least thank him for the box of gifts, as well as the front row ticket.

 

It was the night before she was leaving for Daytona Beach, finishing packing her bags.  The last event she’d been too had been back on the 15^th in Jackson, New Jersey, where Jon had wrestled CaZXL.  Right after that event, the next day, she had come into her office in New York City and there was the gift package for Jon.  Did he know she was at that event too, or all the others?  There was no way, she stayed in the far back, just enough to be able to see the action and watch him claim victory on yet another match.  Currently, she was in her New York penthouse and had just zipped up her bag when her cell phone went off.

 

“Diamond’s Real Estate, this is Carmen, how may I help you this evening?” She said by way of greeting, thinking it was another client calling about work.

 

“So, babe, how was the trip to Japan?” Jon heard her soft gasp and smirked, exhaling smoke into the air.  

 

He was currently in Daytona, shacked up in a rather expensive hotel simply because he had wanted the ocean view and breeze.  Presently out on his balcony, feet up on the railing while he enjoyed his cigarette and his tequila since whiskey hadn’t sounded good.  Tequila seemed to suit the beach vibe thing he had going.  Looking for her at a stateside event was a pain in the backside and he hadn’t even bothered; it wasn’t like he was asking anyone to eyeball for a woman, that’d get people nosy.

 

“Was it an interesting trip?”

 

HOW THE HELL DID HE KNOW SHE WAS IN JAPAN?! How am I supposed to answer him?  How did he know I was there?! Again, what was this man’s game? “I love it when I go to Japan.  It’s beautiful there, I love the culture and vibrancy it has.  It was an amazing trip.”

 

Carmen had to sit down, wearing a silk robe since she’d just gotten out of the shower and started packing up her bags for her trip to Daytona Beach.  Christ, her hands were shaking and she congratulated herself on keeping her voice steady because she had not expected Jon to reach out to her.  Did she congratulate him on his title victory?

 

Probably not a good idea.  However… “I received your gift box, by the way.  Thank you for sending me that.” Why?  Why did he send it to her, of all people?

 

“Well, when you came to Japan for a match, I figured I owed my greatest fan a token of my appreciation for your continued support.” That was a very diplomatic, un-Jon like answer, and if she could have seen the shit eating grin on his face, she would have probably smacked him.  

 

Maybe.  Then again, Carmen didn’t seem like the hitting type.  She wasn’t a ball busting, always right, manhater either, which was probably why he hadn’t immediately dismissed her.  Women with a chip on their shoulder were not his bag.  This one…not necessarily his bag, but she was something…new.  Chris had told him he had a boredom problem and that’s why he was now stalking her in return.

 

“So, are you in Daytona now or what?”

 

Oh my god… “No, I’m leaving out early in the morning and should land roughly around noon.”

 

It was her private jet, so she could leave at any time as long as the weather permitted it.  Jon was quite the investigator and she idly wondered if he was having her followed now.  That…was a bit unsettling.  She couldn’t just come out and demand if he was having her followed either.

 

“And I suppose as your greatest fan, I should congratulate you on winning the US title.  Not that I had any doubt you would win.” Holy shit, what the hell am I saying and doing?! This was a game…a giant game…and something told Carmen if she kept playing it, she was going to lose. “I also should tell you that I love the grenade design for your new shirt for AEW.  Whoever designed it, chef’s kiss.”

 

One, Jon didn’t see any point in paying someone to follow a wealthy woman.  She left behind her own carbon footprint, including the private jet that was definitely horrible for the environment.  He studied his cigarette, which was also horrible for the environment AND his lungs.  Two, all he had to do was know his own schedule and he bet he’d find her.

 

“A friend of mine designed it for me, I’ll pass that onto him.” Sometimes, if Jon had a creative idea, he did his own stuff, but others…not so much.

 

“Well, whoever your friend is, they do exceptional work.  I’ll definitely be wearing it tomorrow night.” Something told her these shirts would be on sale for the public at the merchandise stands there too. “And I won’t mutilate this one since it’s from you.” Rolling up the sleeves and bobby pining them wouldn’t be hard to do, or tying the bottom up to make it a little cooler for her to wear.  Florida was hot and humid and they were smack in the middle of summer, currently. “You didn’t have to send me a ticket to the event, you know.  You don’t owe me anything for being your fan and you shouldn’t feel obligated either.  I do what I want, when I want, where I want, and how I want, J.” She smirked, recalling the card that was with the front row ticket. “Is that the only reason you sent me that gift box because I went to Japan and watched you wrestle?”

 

“Hey, I figure if I keep you happy, my beautiful little stalker, you won’t show up at my house or in a motel room, looming over me with a diamond encrusted knife or something.” Jon was laughing, hearing her sputtering for a moment before inhaling sharply.  He was an asshole and he knew it, but he was also teasing her.  That just came with the territory of knowing her. “Don’t get a swelled head, babe, I do it for all my good looking stalkers.”

 

“You’re not funny.”

 

“Oh, but I think I am.”

 

“Of course you do.” Great, he thought of her as a stalker now.  That was just wonderful. “Well, I don’t consider showing support for my favorite wrestler stalkerish.  And I definitely will never show up at your house or motel room with a knife.  I’m not crazy.  I don’t have a shrine with hearts surrounding your face in blood or any such nonsense like that.” Crazy about him, maybe, but those were feelings Carmen would keep stuffed down. “And for the record, you should be thrilled that a beautiful woman enjoys attending events to watch you perform.” How was that for a healthy dose of arrogance! 

 

He’d already swelled her ego a bit by calling her his ‘greatest’ fan.

 

Chapter 10

 

“I’ve been doing this a long time, Carmen, you are not the first beautiful woman and you won’t be the last.” There wasn’t a hint of teasing in his voice, or arrogance, it was just a plain fact.  

 

Jon didn’t think he was anything overly special in the looks department, but that did not stop these women, and some men, from finding him attractive.  There was nothing thrilling about the beautiful part, it was the lengths she went to when attending his matches.  One of his issues with meeting fans was they wanted the wrestler and it was why he avoided female fans, who wanted to take him to bed now that he was older. 

 

He wasn’t always Moxley.

 

“I’m sure I won’t be.” Carmen was throwing it back in face since that was how he referred her. 

 

His beautiful stalker. 

 

She wouldn’t mind getting to know the man behind the character, but that would be up to Jon if he wanted to open himself up to her.  Carmen didn’t see it happening, he was too standoffish and he wasn’t interested in her because she was his fan.  There was an old saying out there that said a person should never meet their heroes in real life because nine times out of ten, they would be disappointed.  No matter what, Carmen would not stop going to his matches or supporting him, even if he was somewhat of a jackass towards her.

 

“If it bothers you to have me at your events so much, it makes me wonder why you sent me a front row ticket to Fyter Fest in the first place.  Perhaps to keep an eye on me, so you know where I am in the crowd since you think I’m a stalker and all?”

 

That is very true, never meet your heroes! Either the person was really disappointed or one of those lucky few who won the jackpot and the hero was beyond awesome. “Ding-ding!” He chuckled, knowing she was going on the offensive because she probably felt insulted.  That was on her, he couldn’t control how she felt to what he said, but facts were facts. “You’re assuming it bothers me, how very presumptuous of you, Miss Diamond.” No, it was the every match part, even across the world, that had him moderately concerned.

 

“So it doesn’t?”

 

“I didn’t say that.”

 

“So it does?”

 

“Didn’t say that either.”

 

“I see.” It was time to get off the phone before Carmen became any more annoyed with this man, who thought she was his stalker. “Just so you know, Mr. Moxley,” She smirked at that one, walking over to stare out the window. “You’re not the only one I’m interested in seeing live at Fyter Fest.  Good luck tomorrow night.” She hung up with him abruptly, tossing the phone on the bed and went to pour herself a much needed glass of wine. 

 

He was probably laughing hysterically at her and she did not care, gritting her teeth.  Why?  Why did she have to meet him in those parking lots?!  Everything was perfectly fine, she was invisible and in the shadows…and now he was reaching out to her in the most obnoxious way possible!

 

“Stalker, my ass!  It’s not like I’m following him EVERYWHERE he goes, only to events he wrestles at!  For fuck’s sakes, I’m not a damn stalker…” Draining her glass of wine, Carmen had another and then decided to go to bed, setting her alarm clock to get up at 6 AM since she had to leave the airport by 7 AM.

 

~!~

 

Instead of wearing the Moxley grenade shirt he sent her, Carmen decided to switch things up a little.  She was feeling a little vindictive tonight after finding out the main reason why he had sent her that front row ticket.  There was a vendor outside of the arena selling tops, so she grabbed a tank top and quickly changed in the bathroom as soon as they were allowed inside the venue.  Taking the Moxley shirt off, Carmen stuffed it in her bag and slipped on a tank top for ‘Hangman’ Adam Page. 

 

This cowboy was very hot with smoldering blue eyes, curly blonde hair, a heart-stopping smile, and an ass a woman would love to bounce a fifty cent piece off of.  He still didn’t compare to Jon Moxley, but Carmen was bound and determined to prove she wasn’t there just for him.  Maybe it would make Jon back off a little and she could go back to the way things used to be before she met him.  With a pair of blue jean shorts, tennis shoes, the Hangman tank top and her hair in low tails on either side of her head, hanging over her shoulders, Carmen made her way down to her seat to wait for the event to start.

 

Jon was watching from the rafters, chilling up there with Chris and like overgrown boys, they had binoculars. “That’s just fucking rude wearing that damn shirt.” He passed the binoculars to Chris.

 

“Well, it sounds like you offended her, annnndddd baby, she has other wrestlers she likes to see.”

 

“Not one’s she stalks around everywhere for their work.” See, if she was stalking him outside of work events, he’d of filed a restraining order or something.  As it was, he had already told her before why he engaged with her: she was NEW and made him curious.  She seemed to keep forgetting that. “She only said it to irritate me.”

 

“Poor woman, you probably laughed like the braying jackass you are…” Chris raised a brow when Jon began texting someone on his cell. “What are you doing?”

 

“Helping her out.”

 

Within five minutes, an attendant from the back had approached Carmen from the ‘work’ side of the barricade, holding out a packaged t-shirt in her size. “Um, I have a message for you…it’s,” He cleared his throat because this was just odd. “Don’t be difficult, put my merch back on.”

 

“Um what?” Carmen took the t-shirt from the attendant with wide eyes and saw it was indeed the Moxley shirt…the same exact one that Jon had sent her.  This attendant looked mortified with red cheeks and all and she smiled at him, patting his shoulder to let him know it was all right. “Would you relay a message back to him for me?”

 

The attendant cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck and nodded. “S-Sure, what do you want me to say?”

 

She had no idea if the attendant would do this or not, but Carmen was thoroughly amused now and decided to keep playing this game. “Please relay the message that I enjoy being difficult and it’s too damn hot for this t-shirt.  I’m comfortable.”

 

“Will do, ma’am, sorry to bother you.”

 

“Not at all, sweetie.” Carmen winked at him and turned to her right, seeing a little boy about five or six years old with a grin on his face.  She promptly tapped the father on the shoulder, spoke in his ear, and handed over the t-shirt with a grin, taking another swig of her beer. 

 

Too bad no smoking was allowed, but that was fine, she had several before coming inside.

 

That message never made it back to him and Jon had to put it all out of mind as the show kicked off and he returned to the locker rooms.  Either she’d wear it or she wouldn’t, either way, it had sent a message that he had his eye on her.  Maybe it was twisted of him playing this game with her, but at the same time, she had kind of started it by being at his events.  The Japan one, that had actually startled the hell out of him, made a man nervous, a woman hopping a flight to another country to see him wrestle.  That’d make any man think twice about messing with her.  The other things he was doing…well, nobody said he was the brightest crayon in the box.

 

The event was incredible and Carmen was having the time of her life, cheering for those she favorited and booing those she didn’t.  The atmosphere was intoxicating and she loved live events, but even more so, she loved watching Jon in the ring.  The fatal four-way match with Adam Page, MJF, Jimmy Havoc – that had shocked the hell out of her, remembering his matches with Moxley back in the Indies – and Jungle Boy was absolutely stellar.  She cheered for Adam Page the entire time, laughing when he came around to high-five the fans at ringside, including her, after winning the match.  Jon’s match against Joey Janella, an unsanctioned street fight, was not only the main event, but also one for the ages and those pants he wore really hugged his muscular thighs and backside. 

 

Even though she was slightly annoyed with him, that didn’t stop Carmen from cheering her favorite on, chanting ‘holy shit!’ whenever a big move was done.  Barbed wire, ladders, chairs…they brought everything out in this match besides the kitchen sink!  However, when it was all said and done, Jon was declared the winner by pinning Janella after a hard fought victory.  Even Carmen had to admit, Joey Janella was one tough hombre and brought the fight to Moxley in the best of ways.  Picking up her bag, she nodded to the father who was carrying his now sleeping boy up the stairs and let them go first, along with others, making sure she grabbed everything from her spot.

 

A second later, a stretch of unbarbed wire was wrapped around her shoulders from behind and she was gently pulled back. “Come on, this way will be quicker, babe.” Jon was beat, but also riding a very peculiar adrenaline rush, sweating like a whore in church and breathing heavily.  He grinned when some kids eyed him wide eyed and pulled the wire off of Carmen, tossing it to them before tugging her back over the security railing, carefully lifting her. “We both know your ass ain’t leaving anytime soon, come on.” He eyed her shirt and scoffed, pulling her backstage. “You’re an ass, babe, a real ass.”

 

WHAT THE HELL?!  Carmen really thought he had wrapped barbed wire around her and it had scared her, so she was trying to get her heart to stop thundering in her ears.  Then Jon had lifted her over that barricade and it was a damn good thing she kept hold of her bag, her purse being her backpack that was securely on her back. “Oh, I’M the ass?  No, I think you have that backwards, J.”

 

He was pulling her along by the hand backstage and her eyes widened, trying to focus on staring straight ahead.  This was…a lot to take in being a wrestling fan and all.  Where was he taking her and why was Carmen allowing him to do this?  And why did she felt a jolt of warmth run up and down her arm the moment he grabbed her hand?

 

She hadn’t parked in the VIP section.  Apparently, she was trying to change up her MO so he couldn’t either find her or call her a stalker anymore.  Carmen wasn’t getting out of this place anytime soon, traffic would be horrific. “No, you’re not wearing ANYTHING I gave you, that’s rude, but you sure as shit used the ticket.” Jon was laughing, letting go of her hand once the hallways thinned out a little. “So, Miss ‘I Like Other Wrestlers’, you wanna meet any of them?  Besides him.” He facepalmed Chris’ laughing self as they passed by him.

 

“No!” Carmen did not mean to raise her voice with that single answer, but her adrenaline was at an all-time high and the moment and she shook her head for emphasis. “I-I mean no thank you.  I’m good.”

 

Why did he drag her backstage in the first place?  Her rental was parked a few blocks away from the venue since the VIP parking lot was bad luck.  Carmen deemed it so since she had met Jon there twice, or rather the second time he had found her.

 

“And is there something wrong with me liking other wrestlers besides you, royal high ass?” Oh that made his electric blues flare and she folded her arms in front of her chest. “Oops, meant to say highNESS.” NOT!

 

“You know, considering I brought you backstage, gifted you some really nice shit, you’d think you’d be less of an ass or do rich people not know what grateful means?  Yo Page, come say hi to Carmen!” He said that all in one breath, halting finally and caught the bottle of water he was tossed, passing it to her before taking another. “Carmen, this is Adam.  Adam, this is Carmen, she’s a friend.” Jon wasn’t about to tell the guy the truth or else Page would think she was a weirdo too.  Sure, he was a dick, but not THAT kind of dick, and he wasn’t trying to publicly embarrass her. “She thought she was cute by not wearing my shirt tonight, some friend, huh?” He teased, smiling down at her.

 

WHAT A JACKASS!! She was going to strangle Jon for this and had to plaster on a smile for ‘Hangman’ Adam Page, her cheeks reddening by the second. “Hi.”

 

“Well hello there, darlin’, I saw ya out there tonight in my tank.” Adam drawled with a grin, not noticing the tension between the two and extended his hand to her, waiting for her to take it before he kissed the back gently. “Hey Mox, maybe she just thought it looked better.  And I have to agree.”

 

Was it completely rude of her to admit she didn’t have a clue who ‘Hangman’ Adam Page was until tonight? Probably best to keep that to yourself. “If they had Mox’s shirt design in a tank top, I would’ve worn his.  I saw yours and it looked a lot cooler.” Not to mention hugged her curves nicely whereas the t-shirt would’ve hid them. “Great match out there tonight.” Taking her hand out of Adam’s, Carmen took the opportunity to take a swig of her water, trying to get her nerves to settle down.

 

In Jon’s offense, he legitimately did not know she WASN’T a fan of Page’s.  She had tossed it in his face that she liked ‘other wrestlers’ and wore a Page shirt into the event.  He was TRYING to be nice. “You wish, Page, we all know that’s a perm.”

 

“You can kiss my ass, Mox.” Adam laughed, clapping the other man on the shoulder before raking his eyes over Carmen again. “Can’t say I think much of your choice in friends, darlin’, but it was nice to meet ya.” He took her hand again, dropping another kiss on it before stepping back into his dressing room, already peeling off his shirt.

 

“Let’s get a smoke.” Before he went to find ice packs.

 

“Okay.”

 

Jon took her hand again, guiding her down the hallway of the backstage area and nodded to various wrestlers he passed, both men and women.  Finally, they arrived in the back and she breathed in the night air, which was humid, but better than nothing.  She pulled her smokes out of her bag, setting it on the ground at her feet and locked eyes with Jon before he held his lighter up, offering her a light.  She smiled at him softly and accepted, the tip lighting up before he stepped back and she did the same thing.

 

“That was a stellar match tonight.  I don’t even know how you’re standing right now after some of the moves you did.” He had to be sore as hell. “You startled me with that barbed wire earlier.  Didn’t expect you to lift me over the barricade either or bring me backstage.” Taking a drag of her cigarette, Carmen leaned back against the building and let the nicotine work its way through her system. “Wanna know a secret?  I didn’t know who ‘Hangman’ Adam Page was until the match he had tonight.  And I gave the shirt you had the guard give me to a little boy I was seated next to with his Dad.  Hope you don’t mind since I already have it.”

 

“There was no barbs on that piece of wire, you were fine.” Not to mention he had given it to some kids, he wasn’t handing barbed wire to children.  Jon wasn’t that big of a tool. “Wait, wait, you bought that tank for no reason at all?  Didn’t know who he was or nothing?” He exhaled smoke through his nose, shaking his head. “So, introducing you to him was pointless.” Laughing, Jon realized she had been in an awkward social situation because he had assumed Page was one of those ‘other wrestlers’ she was interested in.  He supposed that served him right for assuming and her right for being a tool.  He slumped against the building, laughter turning into a groan. “Ow…”

 

Chapter 11

 

Frowning, Carmen moved to him and could see he was holding his side, seeing the bruise seeping through the skin. “Jon, are you all right?” The mirth in her eyes was gone and replaced with instant concern for him. “You’re hurt a lot worse than you’re letting on, aren’t you?”

 

Had he landed wrong or something in the match?  Granted, the man had done a lot of ridiculous, dangerous moves tonight and it seemed as though he was now paying the price.  Carmen hadn’t realized she was touching his shoulder until she pulled her hand away, feeling the grime and dried sweat on her palm.

 

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

 

“No, I’ll be fine.  I’ll wrap up after a shower and all that.”

 

This was fairly standard for him, well…not all the time.  Jon saved the really painful stunts for pay-per-views and whatnot.  He had learned the hard way to not be putting himself through the wringer every night, his body was only going to take so much before it said, ‘when I retire, I’m going to hate life’.  He watched as she wiped her hand off on the side of her thigh, smiling faintly.

 

“Yeah, I’m not the cleanest right now.” Jon smelled delicious, if one liked sweat and body odor.

 

He looked delicious and the smell of him intoxicated her being this close to him. “It’s okay.  I’m just wondering why you stopped me from leaving when you’re clearly in pain and you need a shower after that hellacious match you had…” Carmen was planning on simply going back to the hotel she was staying at and hadn’t expected to be dragged backstage by Jon.  He simply smirked at her, shrugging, and she shook her head with a smile of her own, finishing off her cigarette around the same time as him. “Not that I mind it because I don’t.  Just didn’t expect you to want to spend time with your stalker and all.” That was a joke, and the mirth was back in her emerald eyes, recalling their conversation from last night.

 

Beautiful woman, not the brightest about life or intentions, he supposed.  He had told her that getting out would be absolutely awful right now and also she had said she liked other wrestlers, so he was being nice and introducing her to some. “Okay, I won’t try being nice anymore, stalker lady.” He laughed, looking past the fence and extended his non-cigarette holding hand. “Look at that traffic,” There were police out directing it to make sure things went smoothly. “Fuck that noise.” After major events in major cities, he had a habit of lurking after hours until he could leave in peace.  

 

Getting stuck in a line after a wrestling event, especially as a wrestler, was just begging for trouble.

 

This wasn’t her first rodeo.  She had dealt with horrible traffic in the past after events, especially pay-per-view events.  It appeared it was worse on those particular nights for some reason. “Would you stop calling me that, please?  Just stick with my name.  Or you can call me Car like my friends do.”

 

What little friends she did have such as Kylie.  It was hard maintaining friends with how successful she was.  Carmen didn’t trust a lot of people, which was why she attended these events by herself instead of bringing someone with her.  Kylie didn’t like wrestling, so there was no point in asking her to tag along.

 

“After what you went through in WWE, I…I wanted to see you in your first match outside of it.  And the fact you won a title was just icing on the cake.  It was worth flying to Japan to see you in your first singles match outside of that horrible company.  And for the record, you are nice, and you’ve been kind to me by sending me that gift box and the front row ticket.  I’m just not used to people doing things for me, I usually do everything for myself…”

 

Basically, Jon had INVITED her to this event, he had gotten her a very nice ticket, a very nice seat, and she was here, unspoken as it were, as his guest. “Well yeah, duh, you’re fucking loaded, babe!  What the shit is anyone supposed to do for you or get you that you can’t do or get for yourself and call it chump change?” He was being completely serious too. “It’s intimidating to people.  How the fuck does a guy even impress someone like you?” Buying flowers and doing dinner and a movie for a ‘normal’ guy was probably not going to be all the impressive.

 

That was the problem with being a successful, powerful woman, it was very lonely at the top.  Not a lot of men enjoyed being with a woman that made more than them, that had more power than them.  They wanted to be the bread winner, not the other way around.  Carmen sighed heavily, shrugging her shoulders because she didn’t have the answer for him.  Did he want to impress her?

 

“I’m not a materialistic woman, contrary to my success and how ‘loaded’ I am.” She did the finger quotations. “Little things do matter to me and make a big difference as far as impressing me goes.  That gift box you sent me, for example…that was amazing.  I really loved everything you put in it and I was surprised by the ticket too.  Thank you, I really mean it.”

 

It had nothing to do with whether HE wanted to impress her, it was an observation.  Jon knew the traditional archetypes for men and women roles, he was one of many men who didn’t buy into them.  Her wealth didn’t faze him outside of her using it to come see him in places around the country and across the world.  That alone was…intimidating.

 

“Minus the shirt.” He snorted, knowing some of that merchandise hadn’t hit the stands yet, so she was definitely spoiled by that.  However, it was hard to impress a woman who likely had everything and anything she wanted.  It made a man think twice because doubt was ugly.

 

“I told you I love the shirt, so the shirt is included.”

 

“But you didn’t wear it like you said you would.”

 

“I did it to prove a point.”

 

“And that is?”

 

“You called me a stalker.  Figured you didn’t want your stalker wearing your merch.” Carmen raised a brow at him, wondering if he’d contradict her and groaned at the look he shot her way. “Fine, you want me to wear it?” She promptly peeled the tank top off and tossed it at him before pulling the t-shirt out he put in that gift box, pulling it over her head and smoothed it down her sides, pulling her hair out to hang over her shoulders. “There, I’m wearing you now.  Happy, Mox?”

 

“Nope, anyway, how’d that proving the point thing work out for you?  You wound up meeting a guy you don’t follow and know nothing about.  On a scale of one to fricking uncomfortable, how awkward was that?” Because while it had irritated him a bit, it hadn’t overall affected him after Jon got over it in about a minute or three.  

 

Probably good since Carmen was once again hanging out with him.  He bet the reality did not match the expectation for her.  In all honesty, Jon was as big of an asshole out of the ring as he could be in it.  Sometimes, it was true that wrestlers were just themselves with the volume cranked to max.

 

“Hey, I told you no when you asked me if I wanted to meet him.  And you did it anyway.” Like a jackass! “Not my fault you jumped the gun and assumed things.” Carmen shot back, not amused with him at the moment and refused to let this wrestler, favorite or not, belittle her. “And since you kept mentioning the damn shirt, I figured you were butthurt over the fact I didn’t wear it tonight, so I wanted to make you happy by putting it on.  You want me to take it off and put the tank top back on?” She giggled when he shot a glare her way, her emerald orbs twinkling mischievously.

 

“I said any of them, since you had several others you like.  I figured Page might be the exception since you were wearing him.  How was I supposed to know you were just being difficult?” Apparently, rich or not, all women found playing those games to be cute.  Good to know it wasn’t a class issue. “I don’t give a fuck if you wear it or not; it was just rude, babe, to not show off the gift I gave you.  Either one of them.” All the same, the fact that she had given away the top to another fan was a good deal, especially a kid.  She was getting annoyed with him and he merely smirked at her. “Not many people talk to and treat you this way, do they?”

 

“No, not really.” Carmen couldn’t help smiling despite his jackassery and rolled her eyes at him. “That’s what you get for calling me a stalker.  I’m a very difficult woman, if you haven’t noticed.  Do you treat all of your fans like this?”

 

Jon shook his head and she wasn’t surprised by that, wondering if he ever conversed with them or sent them gift packages the way he had with her.  She was going to safely assume probably not.  If Jon knew he was the only wrestler she admired and wanted to see live, that might’ve been a bit too much for him to handle.

 

“Well, I’m wearing it now while hanging out with you, so doesn’t that count for something?”

 

“I suppose.” Jon conceded, staring at what was left of his cigarette, which wasn’t much. “My usual fans I talk with when they catch me, do signings and shit, there’s some photos sometimes.  Anyone who I think may be crazy or a stalker, I usually avoid and if they become a problem, I let whoever needs to know about them, warn them,” It wasn’t worth playing those games, not when they could turn deadly. “You’re not like normal fans because normal fans don’t go flying around the world for an event, but you’re also not a batshit crazy stalker either.” Again, something new to him which spiked his curiosity, a true conundrum. “About the only thing normal about you is you’re willing to fuck me.” That was a bad thing too since she didn’t know much about him.

 

“Yeah well, you closed that door at the bar back in Vegas.  I don’t play games either, Jon.” He’d made it perfectly clear he would not screw a fan and Carmen accepted it, especially since he had left her high and dry in that bar to talk to another woman. “That’s why when I got your gift package, I was surprised because I didn’t think I’d ever see or talk to you again.  You’ve already made it clear you don’t fuck fans, so it doesn’t matter if I’m willing to or not.  And I go to events because I enjoy them, especially the ones that you wrestle in.  Maybe it is crazy, maybe I am crazy for doing it, but I don’t care.  I told you I do what I want, when I want, how I want and where I want, remember?”

 

“You sure did,” Flicking away what was left of his cigarette, amusement laced his tone. “It’s just weird, is all, Carmen.  No need to get those panties in a twist, unless you freeball it?”

 

Truthfully, Jon had money too after all those years wasting in WWE.  About the only best thing about that gig towards the end was the massive paychecks and he had banked those.  He couldn’t imagine following a celebrity he admired around the world; it made him feel odd and creepy just thinking about it, frowning slightly.  Carmen didn’t go out of her way to see him or anything like that and if not for the car trouble, they never would have crossed paths.

 

“Okay, I need ice.” He pushed himself off the building, wrapping his arm around him midsection.

 

She did not bother responding to his panty comment and frowned at the way he was holding his side, the concern right back in those emerald orbs. “Yes you do…”

 

Did he want her to go with him?  That question was immediately answered as Jon wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her against his side, the painful grin on his face breaking her heart.  He needed her support right now and was too stubborn to ask for it, or he didn’t want her leaving.  Either way, Carmen wasn’t going anywhere and walked with him back inside the arena to get that ice.

 

“You didn’t crack a rib or something tonight, did you?”

 

Or maybe he was taking her back inside so she could use the proper exit to the parking lot without having to hop a fence or be detained by a guard, who would give her grief about being on the employee side.  Especially since the ring and set would be torn down soon and those semis loaded up.  Nobody wanted a fan underfoot for that, it was a liability and it would be on Jon since he had invited her.  Admittedly, having her as a bit of a brace was helpful right now, though he minded his weight, trying not to crush her or send her off balance.  Carmen also felt warm against his aching side, which was nice, and she smelled good, a lot better than he currently did.  It occurred to him that he should probably feel bad for making her stink since his body odor was probably rank from his match.

 

“It’s possible, it happens.  Or pushed it out of place, which sucks worse when they pop it back in.”

 

It really showed her just what these men and women put their bodies through, how much hell they endured, all to entertain fans like her.  It was exciting to witness the matches, but the aftermath was a little unsettling for sure.  Still, Carmen would not leave Jon’s side when he needed her help and they managed to make it to his locker room, which was coincidentally right by the exit of the arena.  He pushed open the door and she walked with him inside, feeling his arm tighten around her just a fraction until he made it to a nearby metal folding chair.  Jon requested her to grab his bag that was in the corner and Carmen retrieved it instantly, handing it to him.

 

“Shouldn’t you be going to the trainer or something?” He shook his head and proceeded to take the tape, wrapping it around his torso where his sore ribs was located.

 

“Nah, if it’s still bothering me in a few days, I’ll go see my general back home.” Jon was near expert level by now and it showed as he wrapped himself. “And to be fair, they’re not going to know for sure if it’s fractured without x-rays and even if they are, this is the same shit they’d do.” Now if a rib was out of place, he would know that in a few days too because moving in a certain way that stretched would hurt.  Basically, he was going to rest for a few days, do nothing strenuous, and see where he stood after the fact. “You could probably leave now if you want.” Easing himself down onto a metal chair, Jon stretched his legs out before him with a sigh. “Show’s over, babe, I don’t get naked at arenas unless I’m really, REALLY gross.” That was a joke.

 

“I’m sure.” He was dismissing her and Carmen would not fight him on it since he looked to be in a great deal of pain. “Well, thanks for showing me around and stuff…and good luck in the G1 Climax tournament you have coming up.  Hopefully, you’ll be all better for it.”

 

Of course, she already had her tickets bought for each and every show he’d participate in and was excited to see the G1 Climax in person for the first time.  It would definitely be something to remember for years to come.  He just stared at her after nodding his head once and she grabbed her bag with some other items she bought, heading out of his locker room.  The exit was just to her right and she headed in that direction, making her way out of the arena before making the trek to the parking garage where she had parked her rental.  It was clear across the other side, but that was fine, at least it was a nice night out for a walk.

 

Bye Jon. He wouldn’t see her again at the shows and Carmen doubted he’d reach out to her after their smarmy back and forth banter to each other.

 

Already banking she’d be at that event, she probably knew everything he had scheduled so far this year and already had tickets for them.  Jon hoped, when he had upgraded whatever she had for tonight to the VIPs, she had given her tickets away.  She had given away that extra shirt, he imagined she had done the same with the ticket she had for Fyter Fest.  It was kind of important to him, given how much money she had, to see what she did with things like that.  Donate to someone else or sell it…it said a lot about a person.  Why he was thinking about that was beyond him, probably because it kept his mind off the pain.  Deciding to give her a few days reprieve, Jon would reach out and heckle her some more since he now knew she checked in at that office regularly.

 

Carmen may have thought he didn’t like her, but honestly, he was amused for sure by her and his intrigue grew tenfold with every interaction they had.

 

Chapter 12

 

Instead, Carmen opted to stay in her Florida home since she was already here.  There was no point in going back to New York to the office since she could handle any matters wherever she went.  It was three days after Fyter Fest and she was currently outside, laying on the beach with her house behind her, soaking up some Vitamin D in a green stringed bikini.  It had little gold specks on it and showed off her curves, her skin lathered up with sunscreen already.  The Florida sun was nothing to snooze at or mess with and luckily today, it was partly sunny, so there were bouts of shade that came and went with the clouds in the sky.  A book in hand, she lounged there while reading and trying to get her mind off everything else, including Jon.  There were some phone calls from Kylie regarding work, but other than that, it had been relatively quiet, which was one of the reasons she loved this house and area so much.

 

A shadow blocked her sunshine. “Hey baby, what’re you doing in my neck of the woods?” Well, sort of his neck of the woods, Chris had his family make the drive this way since they were Florida residents and they were spending their week at the beach.  He needed some downtime, Fozzy was about to go touring on top of wrestling and Jessica was on him about taking a family vacation.  He had rented out a house on this beach down a ways and now he was out with his eldest, his son, while the girls were napping back on the deck, currently.  Ash was…around here somewhere, he spotted his teen coming up the beach, eyeballing something on the sand.  Then it hit him, she owned properties…everywhere.

 

“Never mind, this is your Florida pad, right?”

 

Carmen had to get over her initial shock of seeing Chris Jericho standing over her and pushed her shades up on top of her head, smiling while standing up from her lounge chair. “Yeah, this house here,” She threw a thumb over her shoulder at the beautiful two-story building that had a gated backyard, looking back at the veteran wrestler. “This is my Florida residence.  I figured since I was out here for Fyter Fest, might as well see how it was holding up.” She had spent the better part of three days cleaning the hell out of it, dusting and scrubbing, because it really needed some TLC. “I didn’t realize this was your neck of the woods, you live around here I take it?”

 

“Whoa, who’s the babe?” Ash grinned, walking up to his Dad and groaned when he was promptly popped upside the head. “Oww Dad, not cool!  Not in front of a hot chick!”

 

Carmen laughed at the obvious horny teenage boy. “You guys want something to drink?  I’ve got a cooler right here full of water and Snapple, if you want?”

 

“Yes, ma’am!” Ash was already on that, flexing his muscles as he approached the cooler.  He was still a minor, played high school football and wrestling, and she was gorgeous.

 

Chris, trying not to embarrass his son because he wasn’t the dick kind of parent, shook his head behind Ash’s back and mouthed ‘sorry’ to her. “You know, we’re about a mile that way,” He pointed down the beach. “I live in Tampa with my family, we’re here on a vacation before I hit the road with Fozzy.” Vacationing in the state they lived in, but it was beautiful here and he usually did a lot of major vacations with them throughout the year, not including his cruise.

 

“Ah okay, that makes sense.” 

 

Tampa was very different from Daytona Beach, so she didn’t blame Chris for bringing his family here to vacation.  Many did, even if they did live in the same state they vacationed in.  That was just how Florida was.  There was so much to do, including Orlando, which was the home of Disney World.  Definitely a tourist attraction for sure, especially for families.

 

“Dad, she should come over for dinner tonight!  Dad’s grilling out and he makes a KILLER burger.” Ash wouldn’t mind having the ebony beauty join them.

 

Carmen’s eyes widened, along with Chris’s, both of them clearing her throats. “I don’t want to intrude on your family vacation, but thank you for the offer, kid.”

 

This was Chris Jericho and she did not think he’d want a wrestling fan sharing a meal with his family.  This was his personal life, just like Jon didn’t want her anywhere near his.  The stigma of being a wrestling fan would probably follow her forever, but it was a stigma Carmen would gladly live with.

 

“The water is actually really nice, have you guys tried it out yet?”

 

“Yeah, we were in it earlier.”

 

Eyeballing Ash, he figured he needed to have a chat with his son.  Ash had his share of ‘girlfriends’ at school, he was a good-looking kid, popular, and the son of a high profile professional wrestler…he had his pick.  Chris already had the sex talk, the safe sex talk, all of that with his children, so they were aware of the consequences should they have intercourse.  Now apparently, he needed to have the ‘older woman’ talk with his boy.

 

“If you want to come join us for dinner, you’re more than welcome too.  Jessica wouldn’t mind.  I did tell her a bit about you.” He grinned broadly, some mischievousness sparkling in his eyes. “You’re not MY fan, baby.”

 

“You’re never gonna let me live that down, are you?” Carmen chuckled softly, shaking her head when Chris actually mock-pouted at her. “Maybe I’ll warm up to the thought of being your fan once AEW debuts in October.” That was the most she could offer him, jokingly of course. “And I appreciate the thought and offer, but I’ll have to pass.  Thank you though.”

 

No way, there was no way she could share another meal with an icon like Jericho.  Not to mention, he was close friends with Jon and Jon would probably think she was stalking him through his friends or something.  That thought actually saddened her for some reason and Carmen immediately stuffed it down, keeping the smile on her face while pushing her shades back down over her eyes.  The sun had come back out and it was brutal since it was directly above them, just a little after one o’clock in the afternoon.

 

For all her wealth, Carmen didn’t look like a very happy, fulfilled person right now.  Money didn’t buy friends.  She probably had the same issue Jon did.  Jon was leery of people who knew about his job, who knew him as Moxley or Ambrose, because they wanted to get to know the guy they saw on the screen and he wasn’t a performing monkey off-camera.  She probably had to worry about people wanting to be her friend because she had a lot of money to blow.  Same problem, different ways of it manifesting for them.

 

“You sure?  Jessica is grilling, steak and fish, not together, but…you know.” His wife could grill and Chris was awesome at homemade desserts, not that anyone except his family knew that.

 

Why was he pushing this? 

 

Wasn’t he leery of wrestling fans too? 

 

Chris had been in this game a very long time, over 30 years, so maybe he wasn’t AS leery as most.  Or maybe it was the fact they had shared a meal and some drinks together that he trusted her enough to be around his family.  Truthfully, Carmen was a loner and did things on her own, but sometimes the loneliness was palpable and nearly swallowed her up.  She had been burned previously by so-called friends that she thought she could trust, but all they wanted was her money.  They wanted to use her for her riches and didn’t give a damn about her, in general.  Trust issues for sure and she kept everyone at arm’s length, so she didn’t get burned again.

 

“Okay, but only if I can contribute and bring something.” There was plenty of time to whip something up. “Would a dessert be all right?”

 

Or maybe it was because Chris wasn’t Jon and he wasn’t lonely at all, but could tell when others were.  Chris wasn’t looking for companionship and he knew she wasn’t interested in him in a romantic or sexual way, which made him inclined to be friendly.  If Carmen had been, he would have been flattered, but…that would have been the end of it, not for the reasons Jon had either.  Simply because Chris was lucky to still be married to the love of his life.  Luckily for Carmen, he wasn’t interested in her money.  Chris had plenty of his own and they lived fairly modestly, a nice house with space to entertain, but no mansion and his wife shopped at Target like normal people.

 

“Sure, saves me the chore of having to make one.  I’ll make the drinks!” Chris laughed, glancing at Ash who looked way too happy about this. “I’ll even make sure everyone is on their BEST behavior, Carmen.” He winked at her, mostly referring to his son. “I’ll send the twins down in a few hours to show you the way, sound good?”

 

“I’ll walk down with them too.”

 

“Nope, you’re gonna help Mom in the kitchen, buddy boy.”

 

“Aww man!  Sierra and Chey get all the fun!”

 

So that was their names, Sierra and Chey. “Sounds good, nobody is allergic to any kind of fruit, right?”

 

Chris thought about it for a few seconds, shaking his head. “No, not that I can recall.” Jessica would know that answer better than him. “Here, give me your number and I’ll ask Jess when we get back, just to be on the safe side.”

 

“Do you still have my business card I gave you?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“My number is on that card.” She picked up her cell phone and waved it with a grin. “Only one I use besides the one at the office, which is also on there.”

 

“Awesome, I’ll do that, see you in a few hours and don’t bail on the Irvines, baby.”

 

“I won’t, scouts honor.” Carmen saluted him with a laugh and watched them walk off down the beach, feeling lighter than she had in a while.  Chris Jericho…no, Chris Irvine had invited her to join him and his family for dinner.  What would Jon think about this if he found out? It doesn’t matter what he thinks, I’m not going because of him.  I’m going because I was invited by a kind man and his family. Picking up her belongings, Carmen headed inside her house to get a quick shower in before starting dessert. 

 

By the time she was out of the shower and dressed, Chris had texted her the answer. No allergies for food, baby, see you in a bit!

 

Grinning, Carmen responded with a thumbs up emoji and finished towel-drying her hair before brushing it back into a messy bun on top of her head.  Then she headed downstairs in her robe to start the dessert, deciding to make a no-bake éclair cake topped with some strawberries that would be done and ready by the time they cut into it.  Her freezer would be perfect for it to cool quickly and then the walk down there would let it unthaw enough to where it wouldn’t be frozen by the time they ate it after dinner.  Getting to work, she turned on the radio and began the task, not remembering the last time she’d been invited for dinner to anyone’s house that wasn’t work-related.

 

Chris wasn’t planning on telling Jon because none of this related to him.  It wasn’t Jon’s business.  However, he knew Jon was very curious about the woman and, to be fair, Chris was too.  However, she did look lonely and that was just sad.  Money did not buy friends, it bought sycophants and scumbags as a general rule.  Letting his wife know what was going on, Chris explained who the woman was, and then let Jessica have her belly laugh because she found it hilarious.  

 

His woman was one of a kind. “We’ll just not talk about Mox.”

 

“Why would we anyway?” Jessica retorted reasonably, shaking her head when Chris shrugged. “There is literally no reason to talk about him.”

 

“Exactly.”

 

The twins were adorable when they came to retrieve Carmen, knocking on the front door since her backyard was gated in.  They had walked down the beach and between the houses to get to the front door, both smiling from ear to ear.  She had on black shorts that were modest and a racerback light blue top with black sandals, her dessert in a dish that wouldn’t crack or break easily.  On the way back, the girls asked her a variety of questions such as what she did for a living, how did she know their father, and things of that nature. 

 

Carmen decided it was best not to mention anything regarding wrestling and just told them she was a friend of their father’s, hoping Chris would be all right with that.  The girls seemed to buy what she said, and they started jabbering about anything that came to mind.  Arriving at the house, Carmen was led inside by the twins and was instantly greeting by a beautiful blonde bombshell.  The twins looked just like her with a hint of Chris mixed in.

 

The twins were 13 and already knew how Carmen and their father knew each other.  They were just curious what she had to say, though they were very polite and kept that to themselves.  They had all learned early on to weed people out who just wanted to get close to their Dad because of his fame.  That meant the friends they had were very good ones and Chris was just another parent to them, one who was pretty cool.  They had come down barefoot and in shorts over their swim suits, easily trekking the mile in the sand back to their vacation house.

 

“Oh, you can hear it.” Music was coming from just over the small sandy hill they were approaching, along with the scent of food being grilled.

 

Chris and Jessica were currently dancing together outside on the patio, with the grill going, and she could hear Fozzy playing, making the twins start dancing themselves.  She laughed softly, approaching the backyard and the twins opened the gate to reveal a beautiful bombshell blonde in the arms of Chris, both of them with big smiles on their faces.  They were being goofy together and it was heartwarming to see as Carmen waved to them with one hand, holding the dish in the other. 

 

Jessica broke away from him instantly and came to greet her, welcoming her with open arms to their home while taking the dish to go put it in the fridge inside. “Wow, this is a really beautiful place.”

 

“Of course it is, baby, take a seat and relax a little.  Wanna beer?”

 

“Absolutely.”

 

“It’s not ours, that’s why it’s beautiful.” Jessica teased, laughing when Chris scowled at her playfully. “Our house looks lived in.”

 

Ash kept all his sports gear near the front door and the twins were just as bad.  There was always something going on, especially if Chris was home, and it was pretty standard to find glasses and plates strewn throughout the downstairs until she either picked them up or she rallied the troops.  Jessica wouldn’t have it any other way, either, she was not one for the Martha Stewart magazine perfect lifestyle.

 

Chapter 13

 

Chris passed over a beer, having had a bit of a talk with Ash prior to Carmen back over.  He didn’t need his son embarrassing himself or making her feel awkward.

 

“I’m sure it’s even more beautiful than this place.  Lived in places feel more homey than vacation homes or places that look like something out of Home and Gardens.”

 

“I know, right?!  I don’t understand how people could live in a house that looks absolutely perfect all the time.  Having kids it’s just not realistic.” Jessica had a beer of her own, sitting down next to Carmen and extended her hand. “We haven’t been properly introduced yet.”

 

“Oh yeah, of course, I’m Carmen.  Carmen Diamond.”

 

“Diamond…” Jessica’s eyes widened suddenly, slowly pulling her hand out of Carmen’s. “You mean with Diamond’s Real Estate?”

 

“Yeah…” Now Carmen was staring at her bewildered, not expecting Chris’ wife to know of her company.  Then again, this area was loaded with properties she had sold over the years. “Have you heard of us?”

 

“Sort of…” Jessica smiled widely, taking a swig of her beer. “You sold my parents a house about a year ago in Tampa.  They were extremely happy with the service and said they would recommend your company to anyone.  I do believe a friend of mine bought a house from you too.”

 

“Oh wow, I had no idea.” The company was so big, it was hard to keep track of it all these days, even though Carmen was bound and determined to look at each and every property before it was put on the market. “I’m so happy they were satisfied with the house and everything.”

 

“Yeah, it turned out good.  I won’t lie, when they first mentioned the name, I thought it was uh, a strip club or exotic thing.” Because Diamond was not a surname one automatically associated with real-estate, unless of course they were familiar with Carmen or in that industry.  Jessica was smiling good-naturedly though at the time, she had been a bit embarrassed when her parents had corrected her. “Living with Chris nearly 20 years has given me a dirty mind.”

 

“Nuh uh baby, that was all yours to begin with, even I didn’t think that shit.” He was chuckling, enjoying that his wife could admit to being a nerd sometimes. “It’s a pretty unique last name.”

 

“It is, can’t deny that.  And you’re right, it does sound like a strip or exotic dance club.  That’s not the first time someone’s told me that either.”

 

“Oh god, really?”

 

Carmen chuckled softly with a nod, sipping her beer. “You’d be surprised at how many people that contact us automatically ask that question.  Kylie, my assistant, cracks up every time it happens.  She even told me one time I should invest in strip clubs and exotic clubs just to expand our horizons and I just laughed at her.” Although Diamond’s DID sell real-estate in the commercial businesses as well, so maybe they were in that avenue of business, and she just didn’t realize it. 

 

Perhaps they did sell property to a strip or exotic club owner.

 

Selling a building to a club owner did not make them strip club venturers by association.  They merely sold the building, anything after that was no longer their business.  Kylie had to deflect that question from potential buyers about buildings at least…twice, so it was bound to happen in a real-estate firm as large and influential as Carmen’s.  She kept note of some especially interesting idiotic questions and stories to relay Carmen with when the boss seemed down.

 

“So, you get calls asking if you’re an…wow, that’s insane.  I feel so bad for your poor secretary for fielding those.”

 

“That’s hilarious.” Chris was dying, he was a man and hadn’t even assumed that one, but his wife did. “Sorry, Jess has a mind in the gutter problem.”

 

“Not all the time.”

 

Carmen laughed when Jessica promptly flipped him the bird and Chris pretended to ‘catch’ it as if she’d blown him a kiss, pressing it over his heart.  They really were perfect for each other and the way they interacted was adorable. “How long have you guys been together, if you don’t mind me asking?”

 

“Too long.”

 

“Right back at you, sweetheart.”

 

Jessica winked at Carmen, giggling softly. “Hmm, I’d say about 20 years or so, somewhere around there.  Hard to remember thinking back that long.”

 

“About 20, yeah somewhere around there.” Chris was perfectly happy and content with his life too, being both a professional wrestler and a rock star.

 

“That’s amazing.”

 

Considering what Chris did for a living, not many wrestlers could say they had happy, long-lived marriages, especially rockstars.  Those were two industries that had A LOT of temptation while on the road.  Chris just earned a lot of brownie points with Carmen, a lot more respect because he was a true family man, who was loyal and loving.  That was a rare breed of man to find these days.  Hell, Carmen was lucky if she could find a man to sleep with just to get that itch scratched occasionally!  Marriage and having a family weren’t in the cards for her, not with how successful and powerful she was.

 

“Congratulations, I mean that.  That’s incredible to hear.”

 

“Well, we’ll be married 20 years next year.” Chris amended, his brow crinkling slightly at the thought. “We’ve been together over 20.  I met her when I was in WCW, if you remember what that is, was,” Had been a jacked up company ran into the dirt.  He had not shed a tear when Vince bought them out and put them out of their misery. “I saw her with a friend of mine and I just…” Chris glanced down at her, smiling tenderly. “I had to be introduced.”

 

“We talked for hours,” Jessica chuckled, shaking her head. “And then before I even got home that night, he had left a message for me on the answering machine.  He was…persistent.”

 

“And it all paid off, sweetie.  Oh shit, Jess-”

 

“My food!” Jessica took off for the back porch.

 

“I can’t grill for shit,” Chris explained as he and Carmen followed at a slower pace. “But I make a mean potato salad.”

 

“Usually, it’s the other way around where the man can ONLY grill and the woman does everything else right in the kitchen.  That’s what my Dad always used to say to me.” Carmen explained with a soft chuckle, really hoping Jessica’s food didn’t burn because she’d been conversing. “Do you need any help in here, Jessica?  I know my way around a kitchen, so if you need an extra set of hands, I’d be happy to assist.”

 

“Oh perfect, thank you!  Can you grab the fruit and start chopping it up that’s in the bowl in the fridge?”

 

“Sure, no problem.” Carmen grabbed and set it on the counter, washing the fruit first before beginning to chop it up.

 

“So, how long have you lived in Florida?  Chris said you have 5 houses scattered throughout the country.” That was insane to upkeep that many, but now that Jessica knew this was the OWNER of Diamond’s Real Estate company…she could believe it.

 

Carmen nodded, beginning to cut up the fruit to place it in the bowl. “Well, I’ve had the house here for about…10 years now, I think?  It was the first house I bought, actually.  I’m originally from Annapolis, Maryland and there’s not much there, so after my parents passed away and the company was passed down to me, I decided to build it up the best I could.”

 

“Wow, now THAT’S incredible.”

 

“My Dad had a passion for it and I inherited that, apparently.” She started laughing while continuing to cut. “My Mom used to say I would pretend I was a real-estate agent when I was younger.  Had the whole skirt suit and cardigan.  My Dad would take me with him sometimes on the road and he taught me most of what I know today.” A nostalgic tone came to her voice. “I miss them.”

 

Jessica’s heart hurt because she couldn’t imagine losing her parents, not yet anyway. “Do you mind me asking what happened?”

 

“Cancer.  That damn disease took them both.” Carmen cleared her throat, not remembering the last time she opened up about her parents to anyone like this. “My Mom had breast cancer and my Dad had colon.  They both went within three months of each other, Dad first.  He told me that he’d wait on her in heaven, no matter how long it took, but he was going before her.”

 

“How long were they married?”

 

“Over 30 years.  They had me kind of late in life, Mom was in her late 30’s and Dad in his 40’s.  They got married right out of high school and never looked back.  High school sweethearts and all.  You just don’t see that anymore these days, not in the world we live in.”

 

“Sounds like my parents, they were also high school sweethearts, married right out the gate, and they’ve been married over 30 years now, just like yours was.”

 

“God bless them.”

 

Chris was moving between the patio doors right off the kitchen that Jessica was conversing through and the kitchen, handing off platters to his wife while also setting up what was essentially a buffet on the long counter. “Just wait until she calls dinner, you ever heard three teenagers running?  It sounds like buffalo.” All three of his kids could pack it away, which he could too, and that was why it looked like there was more than enough food to feed the entire county. “I hope you’re hungry, baby.” Thanks to her conversation with Jessica, he now knew more about her, which made the stalker thing seem less concerned.  She was lonely and liked wrestling, that was basically it.  Well…she liked Moxley too, quite a bit.

 

There was so much food, it was incredible and she was tempted to snap a picture just because she couldn’t believe how full the table was.  They were eating outside, but the food was left indoors to keep as fresh as possible, so everyone made their plates before heading outside to enjoy the warmth of the sunset and evening breeze.  It was humid, but it was a comfortable breeze nevertheless and Chris and his family packed it away, along with her. 

 

They laughed and talked in between bites of food, Chris had to stop Ash from heckling his twin sisters by popping him upside the head again.  Honestly, it was the most fun Carmen had in a very long time, even being at wrestling events.  After dinner, the dessert she made was shared and the kids absolutely loved it, thanking her for making it.  Chris and Jessica were far too full, promising to eat their portions later on. 

 

Then they moved back into the house and cleaned up before everyone sat down to play charades.  Pictures were snapped as well with Chris and Jessica taking selfies with Carmen and Carmen taking pictures with the kids.  By the time she left, it was after midnight and Chris was passed out on the couch, the kids all up in their rooms playing video games or sleeping.  She assured Jessica she’d be fine on the walk home, hugging her again and thanked her for an amazing night, promising they’d get together soon to have coffee or something.  Taking her sandals off, Carmen enjoyed the feeling of the now cool sand squishing between her toes while she headed back home, not able to wipe the smile from her face.

 

Being the gentleman he was, Chris had promised not to go posting her face all over his social media accounts, namely Instagram, because then people would start asking questions or heckling her.  Maybe even recognize her at future events, that sort of thing.  He imagined in real-estate circles, Carmen was very well known, but to the everyday person, not so much, which was a blessing, he supposed.  Jessica, on the other hand, had a private Instagram account and posted those pictures, making a remark about being blessed to meet new and awesome people, along with various posts of the food and the kids.

 

Naturally, Jon seen them, raising a brow as he scrolled.  He had a very inactive account that nobody would have ever expect to be his.  Only close friends knew it was him given his anti-social media policy.

 

Her Instagram account was private as well, just like Jessica’s, and Carmen had gotten their permission before posting the photographs on there.  She had a separate Instagram account that was for her business and then her personal private one that Jon was not part of.  Carmen locked up her house before heading upstairs to her bedroom, still looking at the pictures from tonight.  Tossing her sandals to the side, she set her phone down and proceeded to change into a simple spaghetti strapped nightgown, opening the bay windows to let the ocean breeze in. 

 

Taking her hair down, she brushed it out and turned her ceiling fan on, along with another revolving one, then turned down her bed before slipping into it.  Her brow raised when she received a message from Instagram, seeing it was a request from someone and smiled at the picture.  It was Jessica and she immediately approved, glad she had finally found a friend for a change. 

 

Even if it was Chris Jericho’s wife.

 

Jon wasn’t even following her business social media account, he didn’t care.  Social media wasn’t a good indicator of a person’s life unless they were one of those people who posted about absolutely everything in their life, their minute-to-minute daily life.  It didn’t take long to realize that Carmen and Jessica had hit it off, Carmen was now showing in his following suggestions and he rolled his eyes with a smile.

 

So, how was dinner?

 

Chris was not surprised in the slightest, out by a beach fire in a lounger with a cold beer and his wife beside him, scrolling her own content feed while the kids tossed around a glow-in-the-dark frisbee. No idea what you’re talking about.

 

Uh huh.

 

I can vouch that dessert was delicious.

 

Jessica started chuckling when Chris showed her the text messages from Jon, shaking her head while snuggling against him. “Wow, it’s obvious he likes her a lot more than he’s letting on.”

 

“You think?” Chris snorted, kissing the top of her head. 

 

Why else would Jon have sent a huge gift box to Diamond’s Real Estate headquarters with a front row ticket for the woman he claimed was stalking him?  Maybe Jon did like women that chased him instead of the other way around.  That was a possibility the more Chris thought about it considering what kind of man Jon was.

 

Don’t worry your pretty little head, Mox, we didn’t even mention you once.  In fact, no wrestling was discussed at all, not even my career or anything.  Her and Jess are friends now though.

 

It’s weird as shit that you’re buddying up with my stalker.

 

Well your stalker makes a delicious éclair cake, baby.

 

Jon rolled his eyes with a snort, in his massive recliner with a beer, a game on the television and Blue’s big butt laying sprawled across his upper thighs.  No fractured ribs, just really sore and now back in their place.  That had sucked, getting it popped back in. Best hope she doesn’t decide to stalk your family.

 

She can take the kids.  Ash has a crush on her.

 

Somehow, Jon wasn’t surprised. And how’d that go over?

 

I had to explain to him that he’s jailbait.

 

“Wow, she’s not a stalker, he’s such an asshole.” Jessica took a swig of her beer, rolling her eyes. “If she was a stalker, she’d know everything about him, including where he lives and shit.”

 

Chris chuckled at his wife’s protective nature, one of the many things he loved about her. “He thinks she’s a stalker because she attends a lot of wrestling events that he’s part of.”

 

“Is his ego really THAT big?  What if she just likes going to the events because she loves wrestling?”

 

“Well…” Chris explained to Jessica the first two parking lot meetings, one Jon told him about and the other he’d been present for. “She is a fan of his and she even said as much.  He’s being cautious and he has every right to be, especially after the horrible crazy fans he’s dealt with in the past, baby.”

 

“Okay, but has she tried to contact him once since Fyter Fest?”

 

That was a good question and Chris didn’t have the answer, deciding to find out. You been chatting with her since Fyter Fest at all? The answer was a definitive no as a response.

 

“See?  Don’t you think if she was a stalker she’d be in Vegas trying to locate his ass?  That man has serious issues and I’ve told you that from day one when I first met him, sweetheart.” She pecked Chris on the lips and went to go play frisbee with their kids.

 

Carmen had absolutely no intention of contacting Jon either, making sure he wouldn’t spot her at any of the upcoming G1 Climax events either, which she already had tickets for.

 

My wife thinks you’re a moron.

 

Jon waited patiently for the rest of the message, not surprised when he got it and rolled his eyes.  Of course she did because women were kind of cunts that way.  They made a friend and they were besties forever suddenly.  Jessica stayed out of the wrestling business, out of the limelight, and had never had to deal with the insanity some of them had.  He liked Jessica, most of the time.

 

I think your wife is a wonderful friend to people she just literally met.

 

Ouch baby, words hurt. Chris also didn’t fault Jon either.

 

Chapter 14

 

Over the next week, Carmen busied herself with looking at new property to sell through her company, finding quite a few businesses that would net some serious profit.  Lots of sunbathing, coffee dates with Jessica, and she had even gone to dinner with the Irvines a few more times too.  Chris had finally pulled her aside and asked her why she attended so many wrestling events, his curiosity burning about it.  She told him it was due to her parents’ death, it was an escape for her after losing them at such a young age. 

 

Once again, Jon was not mentioned at all and Chris had a better understanding of why she went to so many events, wanting to experience it live.  He couldn’t deny it was too coincidental that she only attended the events where Jon was performing and he was tempted to ask her about it, but decided not to.  At least he knew the reasoning behind why she attended so many wrestling events.

 

Back to Japan she went two days before the second night of the G1 Climax.  Jon was scheduled for Day 2 against a Japanese wrestler named Taichi.  There were other Americans within the audience and she didn’t bother trying not to stand out or anything, just wore her usual attire with her hair down.  It was good to see him again, even if it was only watching him wrestle.  Day 4 had her traveling from Tokyo to Sapporo for the event, then back to Tokyo again for Days 5, 6 and 7.  Day 8 was at the Hiroshima Sun Plaza in Hiroshima, then it was off for Day 9 and 10 at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium in Nagoya, Aichi. 

 

Day 11 found Carmen at the Takamatsu City Gymnasium in Takamatsu, Kanagawa.  Day 12 was at the Fukuoka Kyudenkinen Gymnasium in Fukuoka and Day 13 and 14 she traveled to Osaka at the Edion Arena #2.  If she wasn’t so used to traveling, this would’ve exhausted just about anyone, but Carmen was having a great time, eating different foods and witnessing some amazing professional wrestling. 

 

It wasn’t just about Jon for the G1 Climax, she was a fan of New Japan Pro Wrestling all together.  So far, she had evaded Jon and the G1 Climax wasn’t over yet, there was still a bit to go.  If Jon knew Carmen was here for the entire tour, he hadn’t made his presence felt or she simply wasn’t a focal point for him anymore.  He wasn’t for her either, she just enjoyed the different wrestling she was experiencing and having the time of her life.

 

Of course, he knew she was there.  It was not hard to play ‘find the white woman’ overseas, especially one traveling by herself.  Given Carmen had a truck load of wealth, he figured she’d at least hire a single security guard to travel with her, but she didn’t. “So, what are you doing now?” He asked curiously, it was early day, and he didn’t have anything to do for a while so he had ventured out for some food, somehow not surprised to find her browsing street vendors.  Normal woman, liked events, nothing wrong with her, he was a moron.  At this point, it had been drilled in his head by Jessica. “Wanna get some lunch?”

 

Carmen didn’t turn to face him and continued looking at the beautiful trinkets that were handmade by these vendors, having bought a couple already.  She had her own private jet, so she could buy as much as she wanted.  One of her rooms in Florida was a little scarce of décor, so she decided that would have a Japanese theme.  Japan really was incredible, so vibrant with color and life…if she wasn’t so attached to America, Carmen would probably think about living here.

 

“How did you find me?” Finally, she looked back at him with hesitant emerald eyes, adjusting the mini backpack on her back.  Carmen had on a Death Rider t-shirt, which was Jon’s moniker over here in Japan, and blue jeans.  They called him Death Rider as well as his finishing maneuver, it was strange, but worked.

 

“I’ve known you were here the entire time.  You stand out, you know that, right?” Jon was amused and it showed in his face and tone, though he was starting to follow his nose. “Hell, you’re even staying in the same hotel a lot of us American wrestlers are.” His gaze moved further down the very narrow, busy street, seeing steam coming from food stalls.  Some stalls, some foods, needed to be wary of or else a person would wind up on a toilet for the rest of the day.  Others, the best food he’d ever eaten. “So, lunch, yes or no?”

 

It was August 9^th and Day 17 would commence tomorrow for the G1 Climax, so this was a day off for Jon and the other wrestlers to rest their bodies and souls before continuing on the grueling tournament. “Sure, that sounds fine to me.”

 

Why did she stand out exactly?  She wasn’t the only American here, there were others; it wasn’t strictly Japanese that were interested in the G1 Climax.  Unless Jon had been specifically looking for her…and Carmen didn’t know how to feel about that.  They were currently back in Tokyo, so she knew this place fairly well and began walking down the narrow street with Jon.

 

“Do you have a specific place in mind here?”

 

“Yeah, about 5 different vendors.”

 

Jon didn’t eat in many restaurants here unless he wanted to have to observe local customs, and potentially die from overeating or too much sake, once he was recognized.  He loved Japan, he loved the culture, but Christ these people were TOO gracious sometimes.  Most polite people in the world, prone to giving gifts or insisting on buying meals, desserts, and drinks and it was considered rude not to take them up on their offers.

 

“Anything in particular you like?” He asked, clasping his hands behind his back as he studied the different stalls.

 

“I’m willing to try just about anything as long as it doesn’t have eyeballs, it’s not raw, and it’s not spicy.  They have amazing teriyaki here in Tokyo.”

 

Sushi was not her forte, so if Jon wanted to eat some, she’d simply find something else that was EDIBLE and COOKED.  Sushi was about the disgusting food a person could eat, in her opinion.  Carmen was also careful about what she ate in Japan as well or whenever she went overseas in general.  It was a smart thing to do in any kind of foreign land with different foods she wasn’t used to consuming in America.

 

“What about you?  What’s your favorite Japanese dish?”

 

“Not teriyaki.” It was a sauce found on a lot of things: pork, chicken, fish and was pretty big back in the states, so when he came to Japan, he avoided the tourist trap sauce and went with other things. “Imagawayaki, though that should probably be for dessert since it’s a dessert.  And, depending on the vendor, ikayaki.” That was an acquired taste as it was a whole squid…grilled, coated in soy sauce and lemon juice. “Ohhh, wok fried noodles sound good too.” Perfect meal.  Vegetables and his favorite kind of carbs: Pasta, the protein, and then dessert.  Jon had never gotten into sushi, liking fish such as seafood in general, only cooked.

 

“You couldn’t pay me to eat ikayaki.  Tried it once, never again.  Made me gag.” Indeed, it was an acquired taste. “Wok fried noodles sounds good, wanna find some of those?” Jon nodded, both of them having the same idea about it being a full meal. 

 

She enjoyed seafood as well and the only seafood she’d ever eat cold was shrimp.  Other than that, it had to be cooked, dripping in butter.  They found a vendor with the wok fried noodles and the vegetables looked very fresh, pouring on their favorite kind of sauce.  Sitting down in front of each other at a nearby table, Carmen found it surreal yet again she was sharing another meal with Jon.

 

Why was he looking for me here? She couldn’t get it out of her head, no matter how hard she tried while they ate in companionable silence, each engrossed in their food and starving.

 

Simply put, she was here and he was bored.  She was alleviating his boredom.  Anyone else would have been concerned about how she was suddenly ‘in’ with his friends because of a chance encounter.  Now HIS friends were telling him he was an idiot because they now ‘knew’ her.  However, since his friends kept informing him he was a moron, Jon decided maybe he’d get to know her as well to see if he was right or wrong with his gut feeling.

 

“Two seconds,” Jon was up again, this time crossing the narrow street to get ikayaki, two of them for himself since she had expressed her repulsion. “Sorry babe, wok noodles are not gonna fill my ass up.” Those were more like an appetizer and he was still planning on getting dessert because Imagawayaki sounded delicious.

 

Did it really matter if she was ‘in’ with his friends?  It had nothing to do with him.  Her friendship with Jessica had nothing to do with Jon.  None of this surrounded him at all.  Chris had run into her on the beach with his son, outside of her home, and invited her to their family barbeque.  Again, nothing to do with Jon.  It wasn’t her fault Jessica had said something to Chris regarding her and Chris relayed it to Jon.  Honestly, Carmen didn’t think she’d ever meet up with Jon again and yet, here they were, having lunch together in Tokyo, Japan, of all places.

 

“Eat what you want, I don’t care.” Carmen smiled at him as she continued eating, keeping her eyes focused on anywhere except him and those damn blue eyes of his. “How is it?”

 

Yes, it did matter.  

 

It was an indication of what kind of friends he had by the way they either did or did not have his back.  If someone could decide something based off of one meeting that his opinion was no longer valid, even knowing him for years, then that was not a very good friend at all.  Jon had a habit of nixing people out.  When he made friends, he heckled them, but always had their backs.  Not to mention, he had seen some pretty crazy things in his day and he would not put it past anyone to get close to an obsession’s inner circle as a way of getting to said obsession.  Out here, with her, Jon wanted to see if he could get the same feeling from her his friends had.

 

“I don’t care if you care,” He laughed, a little curious why that had even come up. “As long as you don’t have a life-threatening allergy anyway.” Because then he would care.

 

Chris did have Jon’s back and always would.  He warned his wife to be careful with Carmen, tread lightly, and if anything came up that made her uncomfortable to let him know.  He didn’t trust Carmen nearly as much as Jon thought.  His wife had a heart of gold and sometimes was too naïve for her own good, so he had to watch out for her at times.  So far, Carmen didn’t pose a threat, but he knew that could easily change at the drop of a hat, no matter the circumstances.

 

“Nope, I’m good.  No food allergies here.”

 

Carmen could feel the tension between them and knew what it stemmed from.  Did she mention her time with the Irvines at all?  No, probably not a good idea and again, it had nothing to do with him.  With the Irvines, it was so easy to talk to them and open up, even talking about her deceased parents she hadn’t brought up in years to anyone.  With Jon, it was the total opposite.  It was because he thought she was a stalker, and she was bound and determined to prove him wrong.  Wrestling was a no-go as well, unless he brought up the subject.  It was just best to keep her mouth shut and eat her meal, let him bring up whatever he wanted to talk with her about.

 

It was hard to not think that.  He understood what Jessica had said about the wrestling events and her parents, but the fact of the matter was, she couldn’t or wouldn’t say other wrestlers she was interested in.  Just that she was and, so far, these events all had one thing in common: Him.  Blondes were a stereotype for a reason and it wasn’t their stellar detective skills or logical reasonings.

 

“So, what other wrestlers are you interested in?” He asked, genuinely curious because she had thrown it at him, but…never backed it up.

 

There we go. “I used to be a huge fan of the Undertaker.  Still am, but he’s not around a whole lot anymore.  I really like Drew McIntyre and really hope he leaves WWE soon because they’re not utilizing him correctly.  Your matches with him were amazing on your way out of the company.  But I’ve also watched his work in the Indies and he’s really incredible.” Carmen took a bite of her food, thinking about some of the wrestlers she liked that would be in AEW. “If you’re asking me about the wrestlers that are going to be in AEW, the only ones I’m familiar with are Jericho, you, Sting, used to be a huge fan of his back in the WCW days until they screwed him over.  It’s nice to see him coming into a new company, didn’t really like his venture in the WWE.  I thought they really fucked up by not giving him the match he wanted, which was against Taker.  That’s just my personal opinion, though.  Oh and that ‘Hangman’ Adam Page guy that I bought the tank top of…he’s a star in the making and I really enjoyed the match he had at Fyter Fest.”

 

See, those were all fair answers and if she had divulged that instead of trying to be coy with ‘other wrestlers’ right out the gate, Jon might have been less inclined to deem her a total stalker.  Still a stalker just less creepy. “Nah, Taker has kids and a lot of problems, he should’ve hung it up a long ass time ago.”

 

Big man who flew too much, the joints had not been able to take that abuse and Calaway had more surgeries than Jon could remember.  He hoped he knew when to call it a day and walk away from the business.  Though, Taker also banked some pretty big paydays for his sporadic appearances and his real-estate company too.

 

“He dabbles in real-estate, did you know that?”

 

“Yeah, never worked with his company though or come across it.  Just heard of it, especially in Texas.”

 

No offense to Undertaker, but Carmen’s company was much bigger than his.  Maybe it would explode once he fully retired.  Then again, maybe not.  Carmen took a sip of her soda, which was some kind of Japanese concoction that was extremely good and had a smooth taste, non-alcoholic.  Drinking in Japan while out with this man wasn’t an option, especially since she had no idea what would come of this.

 

“As great as all of those wrestlers are that I’ve mentioned, there’s one that has stood out to me since I saw him wrestle for the first time in 2009.  The 2300 Arena, the old ECW Arena, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  CZW drew me in back then, it was just so violent and destructive and the roster was jam-packed with amazing wrestlers.  I loved it, I couldn’t get enough of the action and sheer brutality.  You faced Jon Dahmer, Brain Damage, that night and you two just beat the living shit out of each other.  The crowd hated it because there wasn’t a lot of violence going on, it was a lot of wrestling, but I could not help loving the match.  It was amazing.  This Jon Moxley guy was amazing and you just got better and better.”

 

“I started going to every CZW show, even the Tournament of Death.  I found out you were wrestling other places, for different promotions, and just started going because I loved the way you wrestled.  I loved the stories you told in the ring.  I loved the violence, but also the technique you had.  And you brought that all the way to the WWE, where they squandered it.  I’ve been a fan of yours since 2009…and I don’t know if I’ll get another opportunity to tell you any of this, so I figured now is the best time.”

 

“I want to thank you, Jon.” Carmen meant that with everything inside of her, the words completely heartfelt and she didn’t look away from him. “Because of you, because of professional wrestling, I got through my parents’ death.  It was hard for me…extremely hard and you saved me from giving up when I thought I had nothing.  No matter how much guilt, pain, anguish, god…heartache, grief I was going through, I had wrestling to escape it all.  I had you to help me get through it, even if you didn’t know it.  And I guess once I started going to your events, I just never wanted to stop.  Seeing you live in person, doing what you do in that ring…there’s nothing else like it in the world.  You are, hands down, the best wrestler in the world and nobody will convince me otherwise.”

 

Chapter 15

 

Once again, they were back into weird territory, both eerie and flattering.  Jon wasn’t sure what to think and was glad he had a mouthful of very chewy, delicious squid because it meant he couldn’t just blurt something out, not without spraying her full of food.  He wasn’t quite that rude.  Also, awkward because of her parents’ death and he wasn’t sure what to say.  Jon understood it, people looked up or admired others, or found solace in music, books, or movies, just weird stuff to get them through the day.  Crediting AC/DC with keeping him sane through some low points in his life, Jon had been able to blast the band and just start powering through it.

 

“You’re welcome.” He replied finally, sincerely no less.

 

At least she got to tell him once, so Carmen wouldn’t have that regret looming over her for the rest of her life.  She smiled at him with a nod and looked down at her phone, seeing what time it was.  Still too early to head back to the hotel, she just wanted to venture around and see what all this place had to offer.  Lunch with Jon was great, but after hearing all of that, he probably wanted to get as far away from her as possible.  Still, she wouldn’t be rude and just leave him here alone to finish eating, so Carmen sat there, once again looking around, not directly at him, and even took a few more bites of her food, even though she was pretty full.

 

She was less creepy now, but it was still a little awkward for him because that was a lot to take in.  While he got the idea, he didn’t know how to respond to it.  Jon was glad she liked wrestling and his character; he bet she was pretty disappointed to learn that the man behind the character was several decibels lower than what she saw at these events.  Although, her just hanging out for the hell of it, when she wanted to leave, was also awkward mostly for her.  Carmen was bouncing a knee and he wondered if she was even aware of it.

 

“Sure you don’t want a bite?” He offered, literally a bite left of his second squid stick, holding it up to show her.  Chuckling when her nose wrinkled, she shook her head no vehemently. “More for me…mmmm…” He slid that last piece off the stick and into his waiting mouth, giving his fingertips a good lick.

 

There was no disappointment in the man behind the character, only that he thought of her as nothing more than a stalker.  That was what Carmen was disappointed about.  Truthfully, if she didn’t know who he was and they had met the same way, perhaps things would’ve been different. “You really are strange, in a good way.” Why was that hot watching him lick his fingertips? Get a damn grip, Carmen! Her knee bouncing was her anxiety kicking up a notch because she had regret about telling him just how long she’d been a fan of his.  Why did she do that? “So, when you have downtime over here, what do you like to do for fun or a way to blow off steam?”

 

Perhaps not a stalker, but she was a wealthy, lonely woman with a lot of downtime and money that she used to follow him to events across the globe.  Sure, nothing stalkerish about that at all.  Granted, Carmen wasn’t following him home or anything, though she had admitted to wanting to spend at least a night with him.  Jon shelved that train of thought instantly because she wanted Moxley, like a lot of women did, and he knew not to be indulging those fantasies.  Once upon a time, sure, but nowadays he was older, wiser, and she had a private jet and wealth beyond even his wildest dreams.  And they got very wild.  He refused to get into a stupid situation with someone who could crush him like a bug with all of that power.

 

“I explore a lot, I love Japan.  The people are friendly, sometimes a little too much.” He snickered, leaning back in his chair with a full belly. “I’m about to walk off this meal.”

 

Assumption was horrible. 

 

It was on both of their ends too. 

 

Even though she was a fan of his in the ring, that did not mean that was the ONLY part of him Carmen wanted.  This was his way of dismissing her and she nodded, not sure what she planned on doing, but she’d figure it out like always. “Thank you for lunch.  Sure you don’t want me to pay for mine?” He waved her off dismissively, the bill already paid and Carmen decided to leave it at that. “Enjoy your walk and exploring.” Heading off, Carmen looked down at her phone to start searching for a museum or something to go get lost in, not looking back.

 

There she went, ASSUMING he was dismissing her, and all Jon could do was watch as she began disappearing into the crowded street.  She seemed to be getting on well enough and, after a while, he began trailing her, just to see what a rich, single woman did in Japan during her spare time.  It really was insane she didn’t invest in a security guard of some kind.  While Japan was relatively safe, during the day, she was still getting jostled around and merchants were shouting at her, trying to get her to come view their wares.  He grinned crookedly when one actually looped what was probably a faux jade necklace around her, watching as she immediately began removing it.  It was way too easy to wind up broke and conned by some of these people.

 

Carmen was slightly annoyed by this merchant and stepped away, took the necklace off and dropped it right in the man’s hand, shaking her head.  She could speak some Japanese and told him she wasn’t interested as politely as she could.  The man was not taking no for an answer and began yelling at her in Japanese, some of them straight insults.  Carmen may have been rich and powerful, but she didn’t LOOK it.  She didn’t deck herself out in diamonds and expensive jewelry the way others did.  If anything, she looked like a regular, every day, tourist and preferred that.  It helped her blend in a little more. 

 

When the man actually grabbed her upper arm to yank her roughly against him, Carmen tried to get away from him instantly, ordering him to let her go in Japanese.  A struggling woman in the merchant’s market wasn’t out of the ordinary and just as she went to slap the taste out of this man’s mouth, to hopefully stun him enough to release her, a hand came out to wrap around the man’s wrist, torquing it until she was freed of the vise grip.  She was immediately pushed to stand behind the huge body in front of her and Carmen held her arm while staring wide-eyed, not believing who just saved her from this aggressive merchant. 

 

It was Jon.

 

Damn right it WAS him and this was out of the ordinary.  Japan was one of the safest tourist countries and this kind of behavior was NOT the normal, at all.  Of course, there were always outliers who proved the everyday citizens wrong, like this jackass.  He began speaking in slightly better Japanese than hers, letting the jackass know exactly where to go.  They were attracting a crowd, a lot of people were shocked.  Most foreigners were treated like honored guests as a general rule; it was why he tried not accepting gifts of food or drink because then he’d wind up overindulging or plastered.

 

“Are you okay?” He asked in a tight voice, turning around to look down at her.

 

“Y-Yeah…” They needed to get out of here before any more attention was drawn to them, so she took his hand to pull him away from the enraged merchant, not wanting him to get in trouble. “Come with me, please.” Jon nodded, looking back over his shoulder to make sure nobody was coming after them, like the police. 

 

Luckily, news didn’t travel nearly as fast overseas as it did in the states, so hopefully, that incident wouldn’t be reported.  Carmen didn’t release his hand, trying to get her trembling under control because that had scared her.  It was the first time she experienced something happening like that in another country and it shook her a little.

 

If it was reported, it wouldn’t be a very big deal for her.  She was American and this guy was a royal jackass. “You need to slow down, babe, and breathe.” Even if she wasn’t American, Carmen had the money to buy herself out of any potential trouble. “Stop, Carmen, just stop.  Look,” Jon pointed back the way they had come, the man was already being detained and nobody was even looking for them.  Now China was a whole new ballgame, but this wasn’t that bad. “They’re not going to bother you,” He could hear what the Japanese referred to him wrestler wise. “You good?” He rubbed her shoulders, aware she was having issues. “Breathe, darlin’.”

 

The shock of what happened slowly left her and her eyes filled with tears while looking up at him, feeling guilty for his involvement in this. “I-I’m sorry…I-I just didn’t want the necklace and…” Hopefully, this wouldn’t cause too much turmoil for Jon with NJPW, a few tears slipping down her cheeks.  He wiped them away with the pads of his thumbs and Carmen breathed in and out very slowly.  In through the nose and out the mouth, which did help cease her trembling and shaky voice. “Thank you, Jon.  You saved me back there and I really appreciate it.” Please don’t let him think I set something like that up!  I didn’t even know he was following me or going in the same direction as me! “Are you okay?”

 

“I doubted he would have gotten much further.  There were others coming to step in.” Jon responded reassuringly, hoping to calm her by conveying she hadn’t been in too much danger. “I don’t know what his damage was, that shit doesn’t generally happen over here.” He was more comfortable walking down a street in Japan at night then back home in major cities.  There were certain streets to avoid, but it was mostly safer. “Come on, I’ll take you back to the hotel.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, guiding her back the way they had come originally.

 

“No.” Carmen didn’t pull away from him, but she didn’t move to walk either, looking up into his beautiful electric blues. “I was on my way to a museum before that guy decided to grab me.  Going back to the hotel to be alone is the last thing I want to do.” Chewing her bottom lip thoughtfully, Carmen shut her eyes, deciding she didn’t want to be alone right now after that. “Will you come with me?  I-I don’t know if you’ll like it or what, but…I haven’t been to it before in the times I’ve visited here.” I want to spend time with him, get to know him better, if he’ll let me.

 

“Which one?” He asked, knowing there were several in the area.  

 

This part of Tokyo was Chiyoda.  He kind of imagined it like Detroit or New York; there were all these other named areas that made up the actual city itself: like Redford and Dearborn or Manhattan and the Bronx.  They were literally about 10 minutes away, walking time, from two museums.  One was a science museum and the other was a modern art museum and he watched her intently, not pulling his arm away from her while she mulled over which one she wanted to visit.

 

“Could do both, I have visitor passes to both of them.” Part of the welcome kit he had gotten when he came over for the G1. “But you have to promise not to laugh when anyone uh, talks to me…” Japanese used honorifics and in his case, his wrestling name here.  So, he got called Death Rider-san a LOT.

 

“Why would I laugh at you?” Jon told her the reason and Carmen understood completely, not laughing just keeping a smile on her face. “If you have time, we can do both since they’re within walking distance from each other.”

 

Maybe they could grab another bite to eat and not have so much awkwardness between them too afterwards.  She nodded when he said the science museum was closer, so they both headed in that direction, her arm gently slipping from his, so it didn’t feel as though Carmen was latching onto him.  They made small talk on the way there, the weather absolutely beautiful, not too hot or cold, and everything that happened with that merchant slowly faded away in the back of her mind.  Once they arrived, Carmen bought herself a pass while Jon flashed his, following her inside to embark on their journey.

 

“No, no!” Her money was brought right back to her, along with a lot of bowing from the gentleman. “You’re here with Death Rider-san, you’re an honored guest.”

 

Here we go, Jon thought, appreciating the gestures and the honorifics, but it also was a little…he didn’t want to say embarrassing, but at the same time, it made him squirm a little.  Maybe it was a false modesty too.  He just shrugged when she looked up at him, clearing his throat. “Come on, babe, before we wind up with an escort.” He urged quietly as the man retreated back behind his desk.

 

“S-Sure…”

 

Death Rider-san...Jon was not lying when he said that was what they called him.  It was adorable how modest he was when he should’ve embraced the love and devotion poured on him.  Then again, Carmen wasn’t surprised since this man was extremely humble and always had been throughout his career, even in the Indies.  Maybe not so much when he was younger and trying to make it to the big leagues, but she noticed how much humbler Jon was while he was in WWE and now AEW along with all of these other promotions.  They headed inside the museum with his hand on the small of her back and Carmen had kept her promise to him, she did not laugh.

 

Jon could be arrogant, cocky, and egotistical when he wanted to be, but not in situations like this.  It would probably always be humbling and maybe a little awkward if someone he was potentially trying to get to know, like Carmen, heard it.  Also, awe inspiring, it made him stop and wonder how the hell he had gotten so lucky.  They had come to the museum of modern art first and Jon had no idea about anything here, other than some of it looked awesome.  And some of it made no sense.  He would be the first to admit he was not an artsy kind of guy, but he could appreciate some of the work.  Also, he appreciated the fact that she seemed to be enjoying herself with him for real this time.

 

There were so many masterpieces in this place. 

 

Paintings, statues, mosaics, sculptures, drawings, photographs…there was a lot of history here for sure.  Rich symbolism and the colors were so vibrant too.  Carmen could tell this was not Jon’s cup of tea at all, so once they walked through it, the science museum was up next.  This seemed to be more up his alley, though her not so much.  Still, Carmen pretended to care about the different things they were seeing, answering questions Jon had for her about certain exhibits they came across.

 

“Oh wow…” They had arrived in the astronomy part of the science museum, finally out of the dinosaurs and other things she wasn’t interested in. 

 

Stars and the universe, on the other hand…it truly was breathtaking, even more so than the modern art museum.  They were standing in what looked to be a constellation room, which was darkened besides the stars that were moving on the ceiling and walls.  This was worth making the trek here all on its own.

 

Chapter 16

 

This was definitely more his speed; things he could properly appreciate AND understand.  Jon had enjoyed the art gallery and all, but he knew he wasn’t very cultured.  Now she knew as well.  He was a wrestler, he supposed Carmen wasn’t interested in him for his stunning intellect. “Yeah, wow…” He echoed, turning slowly in place so he could really see everything.  He’d be the first one to brag that where he lived in Nevada was gorgeous and the night sky there was clear, vast, and gorgeous.  This was more in depth, showing representations of the universe in close-up. “Damn.”

 

Outside of Vegas was, but in the City of Sin, there were simply too many lights and congestion to appreciate the sky there.  Same went with any major city.  Japan did have some congestion, but for the most part, the night sky here was absolutely breathtaking.  This exhibit was a close second and she’d seen some beautiful skies in Hawaii, Florida, Maine…this was very close to those and Carmen left his side to just slowly walk around, admiring every inch of it. 

 

Eventually, they had to move on from here and walked into another exhibit about the solar system itself, the 3D images once again absolutely stunning.  The art gallery was amazing, but this was on another level entirely.  A few hours later, they finally left the museum, with Jon being praised once again as Death Rider-san and nighttime had arrived, the sun gone.

 

“Wow, we were in there a lot longer than I thought…”

 

“Uh, yeah we were.” Both museums had taken quite some time to get through and they had met earlier today around lunchtime. “I could eat, how about you?” It was peculiar yet nice, spending the day with her.  There had been no heckling from either of them, her about other wrestlers and him not harassing her for being a stalker. “A proper place to sit inside of this time, you ever had sake?” It was an alcoholic drink made from fermented rice, it was an odd little drink…somewhat sweet, but also with an almost astringent like bite.

 

“Actually, I have and I think Korean barbeque sounds absolutely delicious right now.” The look on his face made her raise a brow, amusement glittering in her emerald eyes. “I take it you’re okay with that suggestion?  Korean barbeque with some sake and maybe dessert if we don’t get too full, sound good?” Jon nodded and she beamed at him, enjoying her time with him as much as she could.  The way Carmen figured it, he wouldn’t have come with her to two museums, or lunch, and now dinner if he thought she was a danger to him, if he thought she really was a stalker. “I’m treating you tonight, Death Rider.” She could not resist messing with him a little, giggling when Jon growled down at her.  Damn, that sent a shiver right down her spine because he’d sent it right into her ear. Evil man.

 

No, he still thought she was a stalker.  Well, not like THAT, but it was ingrained into his mind and now Jon was mentally calling her his little, sexy stalker, though he doubted those words were coming out of his mouth anytime soon. “You know, they call it yakiniku here, Korean barbecue.” It was his absolute favorite, nothing beat Korean barbeque to him.  Small chunks of beer and vegetables in that sauce, his stomach was growling already.  

 

In retrospect, he was mused as they walked towards the lit up streets, night life in Japan was awesome and he wasn’t the brightest about things like art and whatnot, but Jon wasn’t too shabby on Japanese culture.  That had to count for something, right?  Was Jon really out to impress this woman?

 

“Oh yeah?  I had no idea they called it that.  I just always referred it as Korean barbeque.  They seem to understand when I say it that way whenever I order.” That was all that really mattered to her, though Carmen already planned on learning a lot more Japanese since she’d be coming here a lot in the future.  Jon was part of the NJPW roster now and once AEW debuted in October, he’d be splitting his time between that company and NJPW. “You said yakiniku, right?” Carmen wanted to make sure she pronounced it correctly and Jon nodded. “All right, let’s get some yakiniku then with sake and whatever that dessert was you mentioned earlier.”

 

“Imagawayaki?” He had totally skipped that earlier, which was a shame because it was delicious.  

 

Saying it slower for her, Jon nodded when she said it a few times before becoming comfortable with the familiar word.  He was learning fast that she wasn’t one of those people who didn’t like or care to learn new things and Carmen picked things up very quickly that were taught to her.  Pointing down the street, several different restaurants were available and he’d leave it up to her to pick which one she wanted to visit.

 

“It’s a sweet cake, made with honey.” Along with a red bean paste, but that part tended to deter tourists because Americans could be odd about their food.

 

“That does sound really good.  I can’t believe I’ve never had one before.” No time like the present! “I don’t know where you usually go for yakiniku…” She said it slowly, making sure to say it right. “But the place I’ve found that has the best Korean barbeque is this place.” She held her phone up to him, showing him it was smack dab in the middle of the several different restaurants, all cooking something different. 

 

Some had performers that made the food for consumers while others were just regular restaurants.  This one was a regular restaurant, but the smell alone made both of their mouths water and their stomachs rumble with life.  They were seated momentarily at a small table, facing each other, just like at lunch, only this time the awkwardness was gone.

 

“I’m sorry if I was a bitch to you earlier, Jon…and the last time we saw each other at Fyter Fest.  You have every right to question my motives and anything you want about me.  I really would like a fresh start from here on out between us.  I know plenty about the wrestler you are, but that’s not what I’m interested in.  I want to get to know YOU, Jon Good, the man, not the wrestler.  And I understand that trust comes with time.  That night at the bar when I offered to sleep with you…I figured I’d take a shot because I never thought I’d see you again.  But I realize now how that must’ve looked and seemed to you, so…I’m sorry for that too.  Not sorry I tried, but…the timing of it.” It had been very bad timing on her part. “Sorry, sometimes I let my mouth run away with me…”

 

“Yeah, your timing was horrible and I stopped doing one night stands with fans after the last one cut herself up.” Jon was smiling good-naturedly, appreciating her words and wanted to be truthful with her.  Sometimes, he went to those ramen shops here as opposed to the boxed stuff one could nuke back in the states.  He wasn’t sure how she’d feel about going to a literal ramen café, where there was no interaction with the staff, just delicious, authentic ramen. “Basically, you’re lonely and have too much free time,” Jon was mostly teasing, but that was also true.  Jessica had said that while calling him a moron.  He also knew about her parents’ death and everything else, so that was understandable. “And I was a dick.”

 

Ramen was life, she absolutely loved that stuff and had already had it several times during her G1 Climax journey. “I don’t think you were.  I just have a hard time getting close to people…” Sadness flashed on her face for a moment or two before it was gone. “I’ve been used and screwed over by people I thought I could trust, that were my friends.  I’ve learned a hard lesson that the more success and power you have, you really find out who your true friends are.” Unfortunately for her, Carmen didn’t have many. “You’re right, I am lonely and I do have a lot of free time on my hands.” Obviously. “I work while I’m traveling, and any work that is out of the office Kylie takes care of it.” Her eyes met his and Carmen couldn’t believe what she was about to say, but…she felt it was necessary. “If you really want me to stop attending the events you wrestle at, I’ll do it.  It’ll suck, but if it makes you uncomfortable having me in the audience, all you have to do is say the word.  I mean that, okay?”

 

“No, you’re fine, and I WAS a dick because if you were really stalking me, you’d know my home address.  You’d have been in parking lots trying to scope my ass out, and I catch that shit pretty quick.” The ONLY reason they had met twice like that was because of her car trouble the first night and then Chris’ gaudy backside sitting on the hood of her rental car. “Well, you MIGHT know where I live…you are rich…” Jon teased her again, halting the conversation when their server appeared, really hoping she knew tipping was not encouraged over here.  It was actually considered insulting.  She probably did.  He waited while Carmen placed her order, basically doubling it when it came to himself, and flashed her another smile, inhaling deeply. “Damn, it smells too good in here.”

 

“It really does.” 

 

The only thing Carmen knew about Jon’s living arrangements was he lived in Vegas somewhere.  That was it.  She did not know his address or anything too personal about him.  Whatever he shared with the fans and media, that was about it.  Well…besides what he’d divulged to her during their meetings and sharing meals together.  She also knew about the tipping and some of the cultural do nots that associated with Japan, such as leaving some food left on your plate was considered to be a compliment.  Whereas in the states, it didn’t really matter. 

 

Jon poured them each some sake since he ordered them a bottle of it and she held her glass up with him. “To new beginnings and you kicking this tournament’s ass.”

 

About the only thing regarding plates Jon ever remembered was it was preferable to eat everything because of some old custom about wasting.  Modern day wasn’t a big deal if you couldn’t finish everything.  Minus rice.  A person every scrap of the rice, which he was cool with since he liked it, especially in the delicious sauce they were about to get with their Korean barbecue.

 

“Amen darlin’, I’ll drink to that.” Ordering water with ice to go with their sake and food, he wasn’t about to wind up drunk on the streets with her in Japan.  Jon would wind up with a rice hangover and biff it in the ring. “Speaking of that, you got good seats or nosebleeds?”

 

“Um well…they’re not exactly nosebleeds, but they’re pretty far back.” Definitely not ringside like she’d been for Fyter Fest. “It’s fine though, I can still see all the action, which is the most important thing.” Carmen had sipped her sake, knowing better than to down it in one shot.  Sake was extremely potent and powerful, even though it was a rice liquor.  She also had water and ice with hers, not wanting to make a fool out of herself the way she did at the bar in Moline. “I have to admit, even with all the traveling, every match has been amazing, yours especially of course.” She winked at him, teasing him a bit back, even though she meant those words as well. “I thought for sure your head was going to get knocked off a few times though, not gonna lie.”

 

“Makes two of us, want better seats?” Jon wasn’t sure if she hung back like she did to avoid being seen…and he immediately knew that was why she did, answering his own inner question. 

 

She probably had known if he kept spotting her at shows that he would realize something was up.  Well, they were officially past that point because he had busted her and, at places like this, in foreign cities, it was easier to have her located.  He wouldn’t try that during shows in the states simply because Carmen would wind up on social media or one of those outlets like TMZ, or just finding her period would be hell.  Unless, of course, she took tickets from him like she had for Fyter Fest.

 

“You can see this gorgeous body of mine get sweaty and knocked around up close.”

 

Her eyes glittered back at him because there was nothing like being front row and watching this man work his magic in the squared circle. “I have to admit, that’s a very tempting offer…” They were friends and it was a clean slate, so would it be all right to take the better seats from a friend? “And you do have a gorgeous body I wouldn’t mind seeing up close…” She popped one of the appetizers they had on the table in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. “All right, you sold me on the idea, Death Rider.  But now I need to figure out what to do with the tickets I have…do you know a way I can give them away to someone around here somehow?  I really don’t want them to go to waste and I don’t want any money for them either.”

 

They were friendly.  Jon didn’t know if he’d call her a friend just yet.  He had extended a chance, an olive branch, to get to know her because Jessica had called him a few variations of moron.  However, he also informed Chris that his wife was a trusting idiot who shouldn’t make besties with random people.  So, there was a goading factor from Jess in this, or had been.  He didn’t see Carmen as a potential bestie; he figured if they kept running into each other and doing this, then their relationship would just go from there.

 

“Donate them.  Leave them here if you got them or pass them to someone on the street.” Jon was glad she didn’t want money for them.  Every little bit he was learning about her outside of fan status he was starting to like. Don’t do it, MORON.

 

Carmen saluted him with another sip of her sake, laughing at his eye roll, but he did the same thing right back to her moments later. “How insane were those museums?  I mean the other one could be depicted as an art gallery more than a museum, but it was still pretty amazing.  I loved the science one better though, if I had to choose between them.” She could tell the art one wasn’t Jon’s cup of tea and the fact he’d gone with her anyway made her heart flutter in her chest. No!  You’re friends and that’s it.  He doesn’t see or want you that way, so don’t be a whore and keep things casual. “Wanna do something else after this?  This time, you choose what we do, whatever you want I’m game.”

 

In his dirty 30’s, way past his whoring stage, especially given he was a bit more famous and known these days.  Any potential flings had to be done carefully because Jon had seen the power of the internet and social media, not to mention stalkerazzi, which wasn’t a major thing over here thankfully.  He wasn’t necessarily looking to get in a relationship either; Jon was just at that crossroads where personal wise, he had no idea what he was looking for and just knew what he WASN’T looking for, figuring out all the rest on the fly.

 

“I can appreciate a nice painting, but some of it made absolutely no sense to me, babe.” Jon admitted, knowing she already figured that out earlier. “And shit to do…there’s some clubs, but not like back home…Karaoke is a big thing here, can you sing?”

 

“Umm…well, I was in choir in school, but I haven’t sung in years.  And I’ve never been to karaoke before, but I know what it is…” Jon was staring at her wide-eyed and she smiled sheepishly in return, knowing that probably sounded out of the ordinary for someone like her.  Honestly, clubbing really didn’t sound appeasing to her, not even when she was younger.  However, karaoke with Jon sounded like a great, fun time and she found herself intrigued by it. “Like I said, I’m game if that’s what you wanna do after this.  Or if you just wanna head back to the hotel for some rest, I understand that too.” He had a huge match tomorrow night and this tournament had been very grueling. 

 

It had to be taking a toll on his body for sure.

 

“Oh no, babe, we’ll hit up a karaoke bar before heading back.” Then he’d be crashing hard for tomorrow night, planning on being very well rested for tomorrow’s big night.  He inhaled deeply when their food was finally placed before them, instantly grabbing his chopsticks so he could start blowing on the bite. “Karaoke here isn’t anything like in the states.” It was taken almost seriously here though also fun.

 

Jon was prone to finding a spot to chill and just watch because of how hilarious it could be.

 

Chapter 17

 

Dinner between them was made in amicable silence because the food was too delicious to not be consumed.  Combined with sake and ice water, it was pure heaven in her mouth.  There was no awkwardness or tension between her and Jon either, and halfway through, they started having a great conversation.  Jon made her laugh so hard and he had a great sense of humor, even if it was crude at times.  Finishing their meal, Carmen insisted on paying for it since he had covered lunch for them.  Since this place didn’t have the particular dessert Jon wanted, they started walking the streets of Tokyo again, finding a vendor that was selling them.

 

“You’re gonna make me blow up like a balloon eating this…”

 

“Yeah, I doubt it, babe.” She looked like she kept herself in great shape and he was an athlete, so Jon knew some cheats were a good thing. “Besides, if you walk like this everywhere, you’re keeping yourself tight and trim,” Stopping just so he could blatantly look her over, he nodded once he was done with his perusal and grinned at her flushed face. “Exactly.  You’re gorgeous.” Money, looks, brains…he was betting the catch was the stalker issue, but even that was beginning to be less of an issue for him. MORON.

 

“That makes two of us then, handsome.” Carmen got her own dessert, each paying for their own and sat down to devour it.  That had to be the most delicious dessert she’d ever had in her life and the fact it was made with bean paste was incredible.

 

Karaoke was out of this world and hilarious.  Jon had been right and Carmen never had so much fun in her life.  They didn’t get back to the hotel, both staying at the same one coincidentally, until after 3 AM.  Jon had walked her to her room and they had already exchanged numbers, so she could contact him about meeting up with him at the arena for the front row ticket.  Carmen didn’t make a move on him and simply thanked him for an unforgettable evening, extending her hand in a purely platonic way.  Friends was all they’d ever be and she was perfectly fine with that.

 

Jon ended up losing the G1 Climax tournament to Juice Robinson, of all people.  The same man he had won the IGPW United States championship from in his debut NJPW match.  Juice had gotten his revenge by taking Jon out of the tournament.  Jon was ecstatic he made it as far as he did in the tournament and he went out celebrating with Carmen that night with more Korean barbeque, sake, and karaoke.  When it was time to leave Japan, Carmen had made a decision that from now on, she would not go to every single event that Jon performed at.  There were other things to do and she wanted to expand her company even more, having some ideas on how to do it.  She would only attend the pay-per-view events that Jon did, which included the Indies, but once AEW debuted in October, she would not attend every single AEW Dynamite.

 

Before long, October rolled around and the debut of AEW Dynamite was fast approaching.  Carmen was in Washington, enjoying the gentle rain falling outside on her patio and she was out there, completely shielded in, so she didn’t get soaked.  Her eyes moved to her phone when it buzzed with a new text message and she lifted it up to see who texted her.  Ever since Japan, she hadn’t heard from Jon and she didn’t bother him because she knew he was gearing up for his debut with AEW.  The last thing she wanted to do was bug him and besides, she was busy with her own projects and work.  It felt weird not going to wrestling events all the time, but she also didn’t mind it and realized just how crazy she’d been to do what she did.  There was more to life than wrestling and she was slowly discovering just how much she’d missed out on.

 

There was a whole wide world out there she had been avoiding.  Jon learned that about her very quickly.  So had Chris.  For someone as rich and smart as she was with cultural knowledge, in a way, Carmen seemed almost sheltered, by choice no less.  Jon worked out, a lot, and he went out too, not just sticking to one hobby.  Sometimes he ventured into bars, occasionally he’d allow his buddies to drag him into other establishments, and he also spent a lot of time mountain biking around wherever he was, often renting them to ride out in areas touted as mountain biking experiences.  Tonight, however, it was all work and he was JACKED for it.

 

You get nosebleeds or something decent?

 

“What does he mean?” Carmen was confused by what he was asking her and looked at the date on her phone, realizing tonight was the debut of AEW Dynamite. “Oh, he probably thinks I’d go to the first ever AEW show, huh?” Nope, she was in Washington, in the middle of the woods, away from all civilization for the moment and loved every second of it.  It was her special getaway when she needed to decompress and relax, but didn’t want to deal with humidity or heat. You mean for Dynamite?  Sorry to disappoint, Mox, but I’m not there tonight.  I’ll be watching on television, though, cheering you on all the way from the state of Washington.

 

Jon actually had to blink and then reread it, frowning slightly.  This woman had basically gone to every event of his that she could, to the best of his knowledge, and now she wasn’t.  He hadn’t seen her at any of his shows since Japan, but to be fair, some of the places had been pretty packed and he hadn’t looked too hard once he got busy.  Nor was he asking security to eyeball for her, not after the fiasco that happened at Fyter Fest.  He imagined there were pictures of him lifting her over the guardrail or something floating around out there in social media hell.

 

WTF?

 

Carmen hadn’t really told Jon what she planned on doing and stood up from her reclining chair on the patio, heading back inside to get a refill of wine. I realized how crazy I was being going to every one of your shows and decided I’ll only be attending the PPVs and any of the PPV Indie shows you do from now on.  I had sort of an epiphany in Japan, thanks to you, and I’ve been working on expanding my company, so I have some projects in the works. This man hadn’t contacted her once since they parted ways in Japan, so he had to know she wasn’t at any of the other events he’d done since, right?  Then again, maybe Jon hadn’t looked for her.  She filled her wine glass while waiting for a response, taking a long pull from it.

 

Wait, she had an epiphany in Japan?  Jon frowned at that because the immediate implications were she had NOT found his company all that great.  On one hand, he had warned her that she might not like him once she got to know him outside of his wrestling persona, but given she had spent a fair few nights…He figured she didn’t mind his obnoxious, blunt self.  Well, now he knew. So…You’re not going to stalk me anymore, that’s what I’m getting.  I’m hurt, babe, truly. He tossed his cell aside and reached for his bag, cracking his neck from side to side.

 

Don’t worry at the next PPV event, I’ll be there with my stalker bells on, ogling you front and center in my front row seat.  Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you.  I don’t think I could even if I tried, Jon, not after the amazing time we had together in Japan.  Just decided to do things a bit differently.  Don’t be hurt, I’ll make it up to you. She sent a wink emoji for good measure and shook her head, wondering if Jon really was hurt that she wasn’t there to cheer him on. 

 

No, there was no way.  He was just screwing with her and Carmen decided to tease him back.  Closing her screen door, Carmen headed into the living room to turn her huge flat screen television on, wondering what Jon planned on doing for his debut on Dynamite that night.  When he didn’t respond to her, she simply kept drinking her wine and waited for the show to start, turning the volume up when it did.

 

“Let’s see what you have to offer, AEW.  Gotta be better than that shit show WWE has these days.”

 

It was nothing personal, he just put all that out of mind because he was at work and, while his job was definitely fun, if his head wasn’t totally in the game, Jon would wind up hurting himself or his opponent.  NOBODY wanted to be the guy who ended another man’s career because they screwed up and dropped the ball.  He warmed up, watched, and waited.  Jon didn’t have a match per se, but he did have an appointment with Mr. Omega.  Whistling, Jon began his walk down the hallway, knowing his debut was going to be…fun.  Hell, everything was going to be fun because it wasn’t the horrible show the WWE was these days at all.

 

“OH MY GOD!!” Carmen shouted at the television and nearly spit out her wine at the ending segment of the program. 

 

The matches were very good, she really enjoyed the energy of the crowd and felt that itch to be there in person.  No – NO!  She made a promise to herself not to do it except at the pay-per-views and she was sticking to her guns, no matter what.  Watching Jon Paradigm Shift – That was the name of his finisher now instead of Dirty Deeds – Kenny Omega onto a GLASS coffee table, which was in the VIP lounge of the arena…was hot.  Seriously scorching hot.  She was also concerned about Jon, really hoping he was all right after that stunt.

 

“Hardcore death match god until the end, aren’t you, handsome?” Standing, Carmen went to get another refill of wine, really needing it after watching that.  Jon was right, it was fun – very fun and exciting. “Damn it, I should be there…”

 

Yes.  And no.  She needed to find something that revved her motor, something besides wrestling.  Having a passion for something was good, but Carmen needed other outlets for mental health reasons and stability.

 

Jon wasn’t seriously hurt, neither was Omega. “Hold on,” Currently, he was picking out glass from the man’s back with a long pair of safety tweezers, or whatever the hell they were called.  A trainer was working on Omega’s arms, while Jon was getting his own few cuts dealt with by another, while helping to remove the small shards. “It’s not as bad as I thought…”

 

“Good.” Because that stunt took some serious trust and there was no lie, Kenny had been worried Mox would botch it. “Didn’t feel as bad as I thought it would.”

 

“That would be the adrenaline.” The trainer deadpanned.

 

There was another passion of hers that Carmen had put on the backburner after her parents died, focusing primarily on making Diamond’s expand and explode.  Her project was interior designing and Carmen already had a degree in it, so it was just a matter of building up clientele and producing advertisements for it.  All in the 25 states Diamond’s Real Estate was located, of course.  She was hoping to expand past the 25 states eventually, but right now, Carmen was focused on starting up this interior designing project, which would be called Diamond’s Interior Design.  Kylie was ecstatic about this and was doing everything she could, along with the rest of the team, to make this happen for Carmen.  She really had the best team on the planet and started looking at more designs for the logo while sipping her wine, pushing Jon in the back of her mind for the time being.

 

So, Miss Non-Stalker, what’d you think? Jon had made it back to the motel to shower and assess the damage to himself, along with a six pack of beer.  

 

He was celebrating, quietly, tonight.  In his humble opinion, AEW’s television debut had been on fire and he honestly could see it competing with the WWE eventually, especially with the willingness of the bosses in this company to actually listen to the wrestlers they employed.  It wasn’t like WCW where big names had ruled and ruined either, it was a proper collaboration that was just very unique.

 

It was incredible!  I actually screamed at my TV when you drove Omega through that glass table, no joke! Carmen was currently in her luxurious garden tub and had a tray with her phone on it, enjoying a relaxing bath after spending the day, and most of the night, working.  She had cut back on the wine, drinking some lemon iced tea now, but it was still in a wine glass.  Her hair was pinned up on top of her head since she’d already taken a shower that day and she had the jets on to massage her body from head to toe. Are you okay after that?  You didn’t get hurt or cut up too badly, did you?

 

Naturally, flying glass was a problem and he had gotten a little bit of it while studying his forearm, not bothered by the little cuts and bruises.  The goal hadn’t been to hurt himself, but to make it look like he hurt Omega.  He snapped a picture of his forearm, showing off the relatively few, not bad areas he had gotten from that little debacle of his, sending it to her. I’m peachy, NS.  His new nickname for her and he even changed her contact information, which did name her from Stalker, to NS, smirking as he did so. Were you afraid for me? He popped the tab on his beer can and flopped down in his bed, wondering if he was in the mood for sports or porn tonight.

 

“NS…he’s such a smartass.  Like calling me non-stalker is any better than stalker…” Carmen snorted, rolling her eyes, but she had a smile on her face because at least she had a nickname from him.  He wouldn’t call anyone else that.  Somehow, that made her feel special in a very odd way. Ouch.  Maybe a little.  It was a glass coffee table, you can’t learn to fall on something like that, let alone do a damn Paradigm Shift on someone through it completely unscathed. “I care about you, idiot.” She murmured, longing to hear his voice besides what she could on television while he was talking trash to Kenny Omega during the segment.

 

No, you can.  We practiced with a precut wooden first. He had no problem in breaking the magic because people weren’t stupid.  

 

Gossip rags and wrestling reporters spilled the beans on things like that.  Wooden tables were precut to give easier half the time.  Bleeding, or color, used to come from purposefully slicing a bit with razor blades hidden in wrist tape or somewhere on the wrestler’s body.  Also, some fans had the common sense to realize that some of the stunts performed in a real life situation was beyond dangerous, but in a controlled -relatively – environment like professional wrestling, it wasn’t nearly as unsafe.

 

Not that you can learn how to deal with the aftermath, shit hurts.  For him anyway.

 

Chapter 18

 

It doesn’t matter how much you practice, you still hurt from doing stunts like that and you can’t deny it. That made sense that they would practice it with wood, but wood was not the same as metal and glass. 

 

It still hurt, regardless of how much practice went into the stunt.  Just like falling on a ladder…Carmen knew damn well, for as long as she’d been a wrestling fan, that falling on a ladder HURT.  It was metal, it hurt no matter what.  Getting hit with steel chairs and going through tables HURT.  That was the nature of the beast known as professional wrestling.

 

It was an amazing debut for you, though, even I can’t deny that.  It was explosive and I loved it.

 

Why was she repeating nearly exactly what he told her?  He would never deny that the stunts hurt.  Just because he was being cocky about Omega really being the one to feel it didn’t negate the prior effects.  Jon had done a lot of dumb stunts over the years and had the scars to prove that this job was painful.  Honestly, Jon got off on it and it turned him on to be in pain.  He figured it took some degree of mental instability to enjoy, even love, this line of work.

 

Thank you.  You should’ve been here, it was historic. Jon had NO doubt of that.

 

Did she tell him the truth about her decision or let it go? I wanted to be there, you have no idea how hard it was not to be.

 

So what stopped you?

 

I thought that’s what you wanted.  I thought you’d be happy with me not going to every single one of your events anymore.  And I do have some projects going on with my company as well, but the main reason I stopped is because I thought it would put me in a more favorable light with you.  That you wouldn’t think of me as a stalker anymore. Carmen set her phone down on the tray before pushing herself to stand, grabbing her towel to wrap around herself since she’d been in the tub for a while.  Grabbing her phone, she also slipped on her robe before wrapping her hair in another towel, setting the phone down on the bathroom counter to brush her teeth.

 

Now Jon wasn’t sure what to think because he didn’t want to encourage her having thoughts he wasn’t reciprocating.  Much.  She was unbelievably beautiful and any other circumstance, he’d of tried getting into her rich, little panties.  Not going to lie, it was weird that you did go to every single event.  I get you got the moolah to do so but weird.  Equally weird that you’re not going to do it anymore.  How do you want me to think of you?

 

Carmen knew they could be good together.  Both traveled, both had jobs they loved to do, and their shared passion was professional wrestling.  Him doing it and her watching it.  Japan had cemented it for her, but Jon made it clear he didn’t have sex with fans.  He would forever see her as his fan, so all of these feelings she had for him would have to be stuffed down and pushed into a lockbox in the back of her mind and in her heart.

 

I really don’t know how to answer that.  I’m not going to tell you how or what to think of me.  You need to figure that out on your own, handsome. Heading into her room, after turning the bathroom light off, Carmen walked over to stare out the window at the still drizzling rain and lit a cigarette, seeing nightfall had arrived. “I want you to think of me as yours, but I know that’ll never happen.”

 

Jon would have thought of her as desperate if he was privy to her mind, or insane.  Maybe.  She was a wealthy, gorgeous woman who was fantasizing over a wrestler and had followed him around for his events.  That was all crazy, overwhelming, and flattering at the same time.  Really flattering.  Jon had no idea what to think, this woman was in a league all her own.

 

Where you going to be this week? He was playing with fire, but…Jon wasn’t known for being the sanest guy in the room and he knew this woman, for all the peculiarity, intrigued him.

 

Insane about him, for sure.  Desperate, not so much.  Carmen wasn’t desperate or otherwise she would’ve been an actual stalker, trying to do everything in her power to seduce him into her bed.  And it wasn’t the wrestler she fantasized about…it was the man.  She wanted the man, Jonathan Good.  Jon Moxley would be a bonus, but who Carmen craved to be with was Jon himself.  And he was the ONLY man she wanted in every way possible.

 

“Why does he want to know that?” Carmen hated how fast her heart began to pound at that question and chewed her bottom lip, taking another drag of her cigarette. Considering this week is almost halfway over already, I’m staying in Washington for the time being.  What about you? She knew he was in Washington, DC at the moment since that was where Dynamite debuted. 

 

The nation’s capital, of all places. 

 

Very interesting spot, to say the least.

 

Haven’t decided yet. He had a day or two off, trying to figure out what to do with them.  He had a house he could go home too, he just didn’t feel like it right now. Probably going to stay in bed watching a lot of porn. A smirk curved his lips as he hit the send button, knowing his little fangirl had the hots for him, which made no sense because she barely knew him, but…whatever rocked her boat, he supposed.  Reaching for his smokes and lighting one, Jon sat the ashtray on his bare stomach, making himself comfortable in bed, his beer leaning against his ribs, so it didn’t spill and in easy reach.  

 

Simple man, simple pleasures.

 

Carmen chuckled at that second response, contemplating how best to respond to him.  Would inviting him out to her house be too much, too forward? “Fuck, I’m second guessing myself.  The worst he can say is no, right?” Well, if you want, there is a woodsy paradise with a lot of biking and hiking trails here.  If you need a place to really zen out, you should come to Washington and check it out.  There’s a room with your name on it, just say the word.

 

Her house had four bedrooms, two upstairs and two downstairs, where a private gym and game room were.  There was a little bit of everything in every house she owned.  Although, she would not mind at all if Jon parked himself in her room, in her bed, where she’d put every porn movie he watched to shame.

 

“There’s no way he’ll take me up my offer…” The man thought of her as a stalker, why would he pay her a visit in the first place?

 

So sweet of you. Was his eventual response because he was now flipping through porn on his cell, avoiding sites he knew were prone to ad spamming or just unsafe.  He, like any other hot-blooded, avoiding females, man out there, had his go-to sites and go-to girls.  Got a basement full of unsuspecting boy toys?  I’m a collectible, I get it. Sent with a wink emoji, Jon was teasing, flattered that she was noticeably wanting his dick, even though for all she knew, it could be a micro-penis.  He raised his head, eyeballing his half-mast cock with a tilt of his head. Not fucking likely.

 

Hey, you made your intentions very clear at the bar.  You don’t want me sexually and I’m fine with that. How many times did she have to say that to him?  There was no way Carmen could get up the courage to make another move on him.  Rejection was a painful thing and the bar put everything into perspective for her. “Just like I thought…” He would never see her as anything besides a crazy fangirl, who had stalked his events since 2009. Anyway, enjoy your time off and I’ll look forward to the next Dynamite.  Take care of yourself, Jon, and don’t work too hard.

 

Shutting her phone off for the night, Carmen shed her clothes, turned off the lights, and grabbed her favorite toy that would surely get her off, turning the television on for background noise.  It was a vibrator that also had a thrust and heated up with the push of a button.  It never failed her and Carmen realized she did not need any man, not even Jon Good, to have a good time in bed.

 

~!~

 

Keeping himself entertained by working out and hanging out with friends, a LOT of bicycling, Jon thought a bit about Carmen.  He had contemplated going home, but…he would be on the east coast for AEW anyway, so…he saw no reason at the moment to cross the country.  Not to mention, recovery time and enjoying his freedom was nice, clearing his head, that sort of thing.  He eventually made his way to Boston a few days before the show, wondering idly if his NS would be sticking to what she had said about attending only pay-per-views.

 

Still in Washington? He never said he didn’t want her sexually, he said he didn’t sex up fans.

 

Actually, Carmen was back in New York City for several meetings regarding the interior design project.  They were on a break having lunch and she was in her office, eating a salad when her phone went off.  Jon hadn’t contacted her in a few days and she knew he had to be on his way to Boston for Dynamite. Nope, headquarters currently in New York City.  Had some meetings that had to be done in person. Of course she was sticking to her guns about not attending every single event anymore.  This interior design project took up a lot more of her time than she originally thought it would, so it would only be pay-per-view events and any Indie events, providing she didn’t have something going on those days. How’s the arm feeling?

 

Sounds boring, BL. New nickname, she was now the Boss Lady, he had a hard time remembering she was a CEO sometimes. No scars.  It’s disappointing.  I heard a rumor chicks dig scars.  Any truth to that? He was about three to five hours away from her, depending on traffic.  New York City had some horrendous traffic.  NY has got some great hot dog stands, how busy are you tomorrow? Carmen invited him across the country to crash at her place, so he was inviting her to a hot dog stand.  Jon was grinning, wondering what she would say.  They were two very different people. Answer the scar thing first.

 

A hot dog stand?  Really?  She was laughing at how ridiculous all of this was, but somehow, it worked for them. Awfully demanding, aren’t you, handsome?  Scars can be very sexy, just depends on what location of the body.

 

Her brain instantly went to that one scar that she knew he had on his right shoulder blade.  It was a somewhat jagged line running all the way down and there was another attached to it, but it was possibly the sexiest scar on a man she’d ever seen in her life.  That was from a picture online too and she’d also seen it in person while he wrestled.

 

No man is a real man without a scar or two, that’s my opinion.  Now about your other question, I’m free tomorrow besides one meeting in the morning.  Shouldn’t take no more than an hour or two and the rest of my day is clear. “Breathe, just breathe…” Boston was so close to here, once again her restraint was busting at the seams, but Carmen had to stay strong and stick to her word.  No more events besides pay-per-views and special shows.  DAMN IT!! “I really want to see him…mother fuck me…”

 

Wow, you just blasted all those pretty, smooth boys.  Gives me a bit of a chub. Jon was in one of his moods today, apparently.  

 

He was also in a bar sitting on the outside patio, enjoying a tall boy and his smokes, ignoring the bustle of the streets behind him.  Favoring this bar because of the three stone walls around the patio, it also had a fenced-in gate for those who wanted to people watch.  Jon usually parked it in the corner of the patio area, back to the gate, and enjoyed his solo time.

 

I’m coming to NYC, hot dogs, babe.  And beer.  Dress down and join me. It would be just for a day since he had to work the day after that, but…that was acceptable.  They were getting to know each other and it had been quite some time since Japan.

 

See you then.  Meet me at headquarters. Carmen texted him the address and felt her cheeks flush with color, not believing Jon had invited her out for hot dogs and beer. I’m not reading too much into it, just gonna go and have a great time. It had been almost two months since Japan and that was two months too long, in her opinion.

 

Later that night, in her penthouse, Carmen watched Jon have his first match on Dynamite against Shawn Spears, once again wearing those barbed wire wrestling tights.  The same ones he wore over in Japan.  They were extremely hot on him, but…they didn’t quite fit his character.  There was something about this man in cargo pants or jeans that set her blood on fire far more than these tights he had on.  It was weird because they were spandex and she could see exactly what he was packing, not to mention they sculpted his backside beautifully too.  Still, they didn’t fit him and she hoped in the future, he would change his wrestling attire to something more…him. 

 

Nevertheless, she enjoyed watching him while eating popcorn and sipped wine, even sending him a message congratulating him on his first Dynamite victory in the company. Great match, loved it, and I can’t wait to see you beat the hell out of Omega live in person at the next pay-per-view.  See you tomorrow, handsome, looking forward to it.

 

These tights were comfortable and had a lot of mileage on them, Jon loved them.  For now.  He was finding that now that he was free of his ball and chain, he enjoyed switching things up, figuring out just what he wanted to do and where he wanted to go.  Or maybe never figuring it out at all and just rolling with the punches.  It was like getting out of a long, stale relationship, he just inhaled the fresh air and enjoyed the freedom and eventually find what really worked for him and settle down again. 

 

I’ll be outside, will text you the ETA. Maybe if he got there early enough and was curious, he’d venture inside, just maybe.  He had already sent a package to one of her places, was it the New York one?

 

Indeed it was, Diamond’s Real Estate headquarters right in the middle of New York City.

 

Chapter 19

 

Kylie, a beautiful redhead bombshell herself, sat just outside of Carmen’s office at her pristine desk, typing away on the computer.  The meeting had gone a little longer than they planned, so Carmen was in the process of getting ready for her hangout with a friend of hers.  Carmen didn’t go into much detail about it, only that she was running late and really hoped he waited for her.  A shadow fell over Kylie’s desk as she turned in her chair and looked up, her blue eyes widening slightly at the sight of a tall, bearded man with a white short-sleeved shirt, bomber leather jacket, and blue jeans that looked painted on.

 

“Good afternoon, sir, welcome to Diamond’s Real Estate, how may I help you?” Even though she was engaged, Kylie could still appreciate a good looking man.

 

“I’m here to see Carmen.” Maybe Carmen was bi-sexual or something because her receptionist was gorgeous eye candy.  Beautiful people attracted beautiful people, apparently.  He spotted the engagement ring on her finger and his mind automatically did a sharp swerve off the sex train because he wasn’t a 20-something homewrecking asshole anymore. “She done with her meeting yet?” Jon had been waiting outside for a while and smoked two cigarettes already; downtime was bad for his lungs, that was a fact.

 

“Oh!  You’re Jon, right?” Kylie watched his brow slowly rise and she kept the friendly smile on her face, standing from her chair. “Our meeting just ended about 20 minutes ago and she’s getting ready to leave right now.  I’ll go check on her, if you want to have a seat?” He nodded and she walked into Carmen’s office, seeing her boss/friend was still in the bathroom. “Hey Carm, are you almost ready?  He’s here…”

 

SHIT! “Yeah, I’m coming!” Carmen had brought clothes to change into, which consisted of dark blue jeans with a dark maroon colored long sleeved tunic that had a black belt cinched around the waist.  She had on black knee-high boots to complete the ensemble, her hair braided over her shoulder and makeup done to perfection.  Warm, red tones with foundation, concealer, bronze, blush and highlighter, her lips a nice maroon gloss to match her top.

 

“Wow, you look incredible!”

 

“Yeah?  It’s not too dressy, right?”

 

Kylie could tell Carmen was nervous about this and shook her head. “No, you look perfect.  And he’s HOT, for the record.  Where did you meet him?”

 

“That’s…a long story and I don’t have time for it right now, but I’ll tell you about it later.  Thanks Ky, leave me messages because my phone will be off for the rest of the day and night.”

 

“You got it.” Kylie watched Carmen walk out of her office and grabbed the next set of papers to go through that was stacked on her desk.  She really was the ultimate assistant and made Carmen’s life a lot easier with her work ethic.

 

Holy Christ, the man was wearing white and he’d taken off his leather bomber jacket, so the definition of his arms were incredible. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Jon, the meeting ran a little later than I expected.” He turned to look at her and she smiled, having a coat draped over her arm with her purse over her shoulder. “Ready to go get that hot dog and some beer?”

 

“The fuck…” Jon was totally staring at her face, obviously trying to sort out how he felt about it.  She was wearing the full nine yards on her face, he knew because he had seen her ‘dressed down’.  Scowling, he looked down at himself, then back at her, one brow raised. “You’re fucking kidding me, right, babe?”

 

Kylie blinked, pretty sure she had NEVER heard someone talk to Carmen that way before.  She glanced at Carmen, who didn’t seem fazed at all, so apparently this was the usual.

 

When Carmen just smiled and nodded, Jon groaned. “Fuck all, woman, okay, let’s go.  Beauty and the Beast today.” He draped his arm around her neck, gently pulling her into him.

 

Carmen rolled her eyes, laughing softly and winked back at Kylie to let her know everything was fine. “This is about as ‘dressed down’ as it gets for me today, handsome.  I had to dress up today for the meeting and bring clothes to change into.” She was the boss and had to look her best in front of her employees, especially being a billionaire. “And you are not a beast, stop it.  You look incredible.” Feeling his arm around her neck felt wonderful too as she leaned into his side, wrapping an arm around his waist.  They walked out of the building exactly like that with Jon telling her a dirty joke about Beauty and the Beast, shaking her head. “I will never watch that movie and think of it the same way again now, thank you.” If there was one thing that attracted her about a man, it was his sense of humor. 

 

A man that could make her laugh was a plus in Carmen’s book.

 

“Yeah well, I’m feeling pretty fucking scruffy next to you right now.”

 

Jon wasn’t sure about the full face of makeup either.  She was gorgeous with it, no doubt, but it was also a reminder that this woman ran her own, very successful business, and that was almost uncomfortable.  In theory, he admired a woman like her, what person didn’t?  In reality, there seemed to be an imbalance and he knew it was all on his end.  Frankly, there was no reason for her to be interested in him, he was a professional wrestler, she was a business owner, a SUCCESSFUL one at that.  He was comfortable financially, she was loaded.  He was also curious to see her down a couple of these dogs, they were the big, loaded ones.

 

“Are you kidding me?  You are edible in white.  That bomber jacket smells of leather and those jeans you have on look like they were painted on.  You look amazing, Jon, and I’m humbled to be able to have hot dogs and beer with you today.  And I don’t call you handsome for the hell of it.  You are very handsome, not at all a beast.” Only in the ring and I love him being a beast then.

 

Carmen was very down to earth and wholesome, never taking her success for granted.  Each day was a blessing and she knew that better than anyone, especially after her parents’ death.  Carmen lived each day to the fullest, though there were times, like in Washington, where she just needed time to decompress and relax.  She never let success go to her head and always treated others with respect and decency, even if they were complete tools in return.  It honestly took a lot to piss Carmen off.  If Jon was uncomfortable hanging out with her, then why would he ask her out for hot dogs and beer?  The man was very contradictory, not that Carmen had any inclination to his thought process because she didn’t. 

 

She was in the complete dark.

 

They had assuming issues when it came to each other.  He wasn’t uncomfortable with her in these kinds of settings; it was usually uncomfortable when he realized she was playing her rich, mysterious stalker role.  Or had been and it was also sort of hot, which forced him to keep reminding himself of his rule.  Jon admittedly sucked with rules and was prone to changing his mind on a whim, just not this one.  He had held it for years after some very bad experiences, this one he was steadfast.  No woman was going to change that, right?

 

“You shouldn’t be slumming with someone like me, babe,” He halted at the stand he wanted and glanced down at her. “Loaded or no?”

 

Carmen looked up at him, into those hesitant electric blues and reached up to touch his bearded face with her hand, the soft smile remaining on her face. “Loaded, of course, and I don’t see it as slumming when it comes to you.  I wish you could see yourself through my eyes, then you’d realize how incredibly happy I am to have the opportunity to hang out with you.” They each took their loaded dogs and headed to a nearby table, sitting down beside each other instead of across. “I wouldn’t hang out with you if I didn’t want to, Jon.  Remember that.  I’m here because I WANT to be here with you.” Taking a bite out of the hot dog, Carmen groaned at how delicious it was and knew she’d be eating two of these since she’d skipped lunch specifically for this reason.

 

They were very lucky to get a spot at this table and Jon was not surprised at all when another person sat at the far end.  That was New York City, one had to be comfortable with personal space being invaded on some level. “I get it, I get it, but still…” He rolled his bright blues at her, digging into the first of his own loaded dogs, his beer right within immediate reach.  Jon watched her, raising a brow at the very quick, polished bites she was taking, just waiting for something to drip all over her top or something, but it never happened.  In fact, she wound up washing it all down with a very long swallow of that beer, not even smearing her makeup. “You’re hired.” He informed her with a lewd smirk; that was a blowjob implied joke, something the guys tended to shoot around at each other just to be dicks after someone swallowed something.  He wasn’t trying to be a dick, so much as tease her.

 

It was a good thing Jon waited until AFTER she swallowed her beer before saying that because Carmen had choked on her tongue.  She knew exactly what he meant by that and dabbed her mouth with the napkin, the roses in her cheeks blooming.  It just made the blush she already had on more intense.  And that smirk he flashed her…she was going to need a fresh pair of panties if he kept that up.

 

“Just say when and where.” Winking, she stood up from the table, knowing Jon would save her spot while she went to get a second loaded hot dog, this time with different toppings compared to the first.

 

Jon just shook his head, propping his foot on her spot so nobody would take it, unless they wanted his big boot up their backside.  He had ordered himself two, knowing he could definitely eat them, and a big beer.  He had nothing going on today, so long as he returned on time for the show, all would be fine. “So, you dress like a lady, eat like a man…” Polite enough to cover his mouth with his hand since he was talking with it full of food once she returned. “And you also have a pornstar mind so far.” So, she either really sucked in bed or she was a woman who knew what she was doing.

 

“Hey, in my defense, I skipped lunch because I knew we would be doing this.  This is actually the first thing I’ve had all day besides coffee, so I’m hungry.  And you’re the one who offered, I was just agreeing with it, Jonny boy.” She had already sat back down beside him and took her time to eat the second dog, sipping her beer in between bites. 

 

It was so good, Carmen loved the loaded hot dogs in New York.  There was nothing like them anywhere else in the world and she had traveled extensively.  This time, there was a bit of ketchup on the side of her mouth and Carmen had missed it with her napkin. 

 

“You missed a spot, babe.” Jon reached out to swipe that bit of ketchup with the pad of his thumb, gently and slowly, before popping the digit in his mouth to lick it away.

 

“Thank you.” I need to breathe. Even though it was only in the 50’s today, Carmen felt as though she was burning from the inside out.  Pulling her gaze from his, she took a long swig of her beer and hoped it cooled her down a little.

 

Jon was assuming that she was STD free; she was too rich to have anything like that, or for very long.  Though, given she had freely offered herself to him after not knowing him very long, he did wonder if she slept around frequently.  Well, he was clean anyway. “Sorry darlin’, no napkins.” Jon cracked an amused grin, because their napkins were wrapped around the hot dogs. “And you were doing so well too,” On eating so cleanly and neatly.  She began chuckling at him, at herself too he assumed, and he finished his second dog, licking his fingers clean before reaching for his beer. “So, how’d the meeting go?”

 

“Really good, actually.  This project is coming along a lot faster than I thought it would.  I really am sorry that it ran over the time.  I hope you weren’t waiting outside for me too long.” Jon waved her off dismissively, then asked her about the project, showing he was interested in what she was working on. Damn it, could he be any more perfect?  Ugh! “I’m adding interior designing to my real-estate company, or rather it’s going to be a new section of the company.  Diamond’s Interior Design.  I was working on the logo in Washington and collaborating with my team, so that was what some of the meeting was about this morning.” Jon raised a very slow brow at her and Carmen chewed her bottom, still glossy lip. “I’ve always had a passion for interior design, but…after my parents died and I took over the real-estate business, it was put on the backburner.  I have a degree in it though and I’ve finally decided to put it to use.”

 

“Interior design…”

 

Jon knew what that was because he had done it for his bachelor pad, his dream house.  He had picked out every last bit because he figured it was going to be his one and only house ever.  He saw no reason for anything smaller or anything larger; if he decided one day he wanted the wife and family, – Highly doubtful because that was a lot of work and commitment – he already had the space.  The house he had worked very HARD to get where he was, from poverty to comfort.  He wasn’t giving that up for nothing and nobody.  So of course he understood following a passion and he nodded, showing he understood what she was saying.

 

“Well, given your success, I don’t see you failing, babe.” He crumpled his trash in his fist, aiming and tossed it in a nearby bin before draining his beer. “No rush.  I’m going to get another drink, want one?”

 

“Yeah sure, I told you my schedule was free after the meeting.” Carmen set her purse beside her on the bench, just so nobody else would take it while he grabbed them another beer.  A few minutes later, Jon headed back and set their beers down on the table with her moving the purse to her other side, keeping it draped around her because purse snatchers were a problem in New York City. “So, tell me what you did prior to doing Dynamite last night on your couple days off.  Besides lying in bed watching a lot of porn.”

 

Carmen listened to him intently as he explained what he enjoyed doing on his off time, which was hiking, mountain biking, working out, catching a flick or going for a drive in his truck when he was home.  Since Jon wasn’t home, he just worked out a lot, visited some bars, and she kept the smile on her face, but on the inside, Carmen had a feeling he had a bar fly or two in his bed on his off days.  It wasn’t her business and she recalled how he’d left her high and dry in that bar in Moline for a bar fly there.  Maybe that was what Jon was into instead of a successful woman that had an actual mind and could hold a conversation.  Maybe he enjoyed floozies in his bed. 

 

As an unsettling thought as that was, Carmen wouldn’t let it get her down and drank her beer while they sat there conversing, enjoying herself for what this was.

 

Chapter 20

 

If she would have shared those thoughts, Jon would have laughed his ass off.  That bar fly was a broad he knew because he frequented that bar and he had absolutely zero interest in the woman. “Come on, let’s go walk.  You got a place here, right?” He remembered her 5 houses, one being a penthouse. Christ, a penthouse in this city has to cost an arm, leg, and a kidney.

 

“Yeah, a penthouse that’s just a few blocks away from headquarters.” Did he want to go back to her place?  Wait, what?  No, Jon didn’t have sex with fans and she was still a fan of his, last Carmen checked. “And a walk sounds fabulous after mowing those dogs and beers.” He nodded in agreement, extending his hand to her and she took it, the spark rushing up her arm and all the way through her body, right down to her toes. “We got lucky to plan this when it’s such a beautiful, fall day here.  There’s a park not far from here that has a great view.” The leaves changing colors and blowing all over made New York City magical at this time of year.

 

Jon was asking because, eventually, if they were out late enough, he’d walk her home.  Or to the door of the high rise she lived in.  He knew just how pricey real-estate was here in New York City, having scouted it out when he was figuring out where to move to when he left Tampa, Florida.  Once he had contemplated renting a slum hole here and even that had been way too much for his wallet to handle, even though he’d been the world champion in four different promotions at the same time during his Independent run.  He could only imagine how much this place ran, or had cost her.

 

“Central Park or something else?” He asked, letting her take lead while she guided the way while he kept her close.  She was a stunning woman and screamed wealth; he probably looked like a thug next to her.

 

“Central Park is on the other side, but this park is better, in my opinion.  Come on, I’ll show you.”

 

For the next two hours, they walked around the park and admired all the different colors on the trees, talking about whatever popped into their heads.  It was surprising that Jon didn’t bring wrestling up once, steering clear of that subject and she did the same thing.  It was their passion, especially his, so why they weren’t talking about it was a little weird to Carmen. 

 

Nevertheless, it reminded her of their time in Japan and she didn’t want their time to end, not knowing the next time she’d be able to hang out with Jon.  It was really nice to simply hang out with a man without any expectations from him and vice versa, just two people getting to know each other and building a friendship.  Even with the flirting, Carmen knew it was all in good fun and didn’t take any of it seriously.

 

That was the base of what their budding friendship was being built on.

 

Jon had females he was friendly with and then he had friends that were females.  Nothing had ever come from any of the flirting; it was usually harmless and he figured that’s how it would be between him and Carmen.  She was definitely someone he wanted as a friend, but he wasn’t expecting it to lead to love.  Right?  Lust, sure, but not love.  That didn’t mean anything had to be acted on.

 

It was all so simple in his head, hanging out with her, getting to know her, flirting with her…it was all easy.  Jon would learn the hard way, thanks to his own stubbornness, that feelings came creeping up when least expected.

 

~!~

 

Jon was in rehabilitation.

 

Carmen couldn’t believe what she was reading online on her phone, sitting in her office in New York City, where she had spent a vast majority of her time lately.  Had it really been over two years since she met Jon?  Over the course of those two years, they had developed a great friendship that never turned into anything more. 

 

After the first year, Carmen pushed everything she felt for him in a box that was romantic and locked it up tight.  They were friends, great friends, and nothing would ever change that.  Just as she promised, every pay-per-view event she was front row and center watching him perform.  So many amazing matches had happened in the span of two years and as much as she enjoyed every single one of them, Carmen was worried for Jon. 

 

He’d been running himself ragged on the road and he had demons he was battling that he refused to talk about.  She never bothered asking him about his mental health and felt like such a horrible person for not paying closer attention.  There, in her office, Carmen openly wept for him and wanted to call him, to hear his voice and make sure he was all right. 

 

What had finally been the straw that broke the camel’s back for him?  What had finally made Jon see the light and get professional help?  She had noticed his alcohol intake increase every time they saw each other, which wasn’t as often as Carmen liked, but it was better than nothing.  The man was busy working for several different promotions, including NJPW and AEW.  He was also the current GCW World Heavyweight champion as well.

 

“God, please let him be okay.  Please help him through this.” Even though she had stuffed those feelings for him far away, Jon still had a tight hold of her heart that would probably never be relinquished. “You’re strong and you will get through this, Jon.  I believe in you, handsome, and I always will.” Did she dare text him those words?  Would it matter to him? I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now, but I want you to know that you WILL get through this and you’re strong.  I believe in you, Jon, I always have and I always will.  I’m here for you, please don’t forget that. Before she could stop herself, Carmen hit the send button and grabbed her coat since it was the beginning of November and snow had already fallen in New York.

 

Naturally, Jon didn’t have access to his cell phone or anything that connected him to the outside world, not when he first went in.  It was part of the program, not being able to be influenced by outside sources that may be detrimental to his recovery and rehabilitation.  Sources being his drinking buddies, people who might tell him he didn’t need to do this, things of that nature.  Jon had announced this quietly to one person, Tony Khan, and Khan had made that announcement public per his request, AFTER he had checked himself in.  Once he hit two weeks, if he was doing well, he’d be allowed his phone back, for periods of time anyway.

 

He could only imagine how blown up it must be, even though the program only lasted 30 days.

 

There really was nothing Carmen could do except wait and see what happened.  Waiting sucked.  The tickets she’d already purchased were given away to charity because if Jon wasn’t on the card, she simply wasn’t interested.  As much as she liked the other wrestlers like Darby Allin, Hangman Adam Page, Chris…no, there was NOBODY on the planet as great in the ring as Jon.  Every morning she got up, hoping she’d receive something, any kind of news from Jon, but nothing ever came. 

 

Eventually, she stopped checking her phone all together and threw herself into work, keeping herself parked in New York City.  Even though it was cold, snowy, and horrible weather, Carmen needed the distraction from what was going on with Jon.  Christmas and New Year’s came and went with absolutely no word from Jon, so Carmen put his presents she bought him in the back of her closet and life went on.

 

~!~

 

JON MOXLEY RETURNING TO AEW AFTER REHABILITATION ON JANUARY 19, 2022 TO AEW DYNAMITE!!

 

That had caught Carmen’s eye while she was on social media, her eyes widened.  That was in Washington, DC.  He was returning in the same arena, the same city, where Dynamite first debuted.  Without thinking twice about it, Carmen immediately looked for tickets to the event, surprised there were still front row tickets left.  The prices were gouged for sure, but she didn’t care and immediately bought it, then called the airline to book herself a flight. 

 

This would be the very first AEW Dynamite show she ever attended and it would be worth it to see Jon back after being in rehabilitation since the beginning of November.  His last match had been against Jimmy Jacobs in a street fight for the promotion Wrestling Revolver.  He would either welcome her with open arms or he’d ignore her, but either way, Carmen wanted to be there to support his triumphant return live in person.

 

Jon had a backlog on his cell phone several miles long when he was released.  Did he spend over 90 days in that place?  Hell no, he had done a little over 30 days.  Jon didn’t do well being caged, especially once he had gotten past the desire to drink and began acknowledging what triggered him and how to avoid it.  

 

Some of his friends were definitely triggering and he already knew there’d be some people who heckled him, viewed him as weak, and those idiots were out.  He felt cleaner, stronger, sharper…Jon hadn’t realized until the very end how bad his alcoholism had gotten.  Jon went through his cell phone contacts, taking the ones he needed or cared about and just tossed the contraption.  Fresh start all the way around.

 

I’m out, babe! Carmen probably thought he had been ignoring her since getting out and in a way, he had, somewhat.  Honestly, he had been readjusting and thinking about what he wanted and where he wanted to go with his life from here on out.

 

It was a couple hours before she received the text message due to being on a plane, flying to Washington DC for Dynamite.  She walked through the airport, grabbed her luggage and rental before heading straight to the hotel, wondering if Jon was here yet.  It wasn’t until she got to her hotel and checked in her room that she finally pulled her phone out to look at it, seeing she had a missing text.

 

“Jon…” Just hearing from him after all this time meant everything to her. Thank god you’re okay.  I was so worried about you.  How are you, handsome? Carmen set her bags down by the bed, one with her laptop and the other clothes with her toiletries, settling on the bed to wait for his response, her heart racing with anticipation.

 

Sober. He figured he might as well just come out with it, rip the band-aid off fast.

 

Sure she had noticed over the years how much his drinking had increased when they were together.  And how Jon had thought he had been limiting it.  At least while he was around her. Who knew?  One habit he hadn’t quit was smoking and he was informed that usually one addiction was replaced with another.  Given that smoking didn’t make him blackout and not remember the crazy stunts he did or said, he was fine with that switch-off.

 

Leaner. He had lost some weight, which wasn’t a bad thing because he had looked at before and after pictures, realizing he gained quite a bit of beer weight and it wasn’t a good look for him at all. Sorry for worrying you, NS.

 

Why was she crying?  Huge tears slid down her cheeks as she read his text messages, wiping them away.  Sober and leaner…Carmen had noticed Jon gained a bit of weight, he was a little heavier the last time they saw each other.  Going through extensive, intense rehabilitation probably had him working out a great deal, not to mention the detoxification he went through. As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters to me.  I’m proud of you for fixing yourself.  That takes amazing strength and courage. Carmen couldn’t wait to see him tonight in the ring again, longing to see him with her own eyes that he really was all right.  She stood up from the bed and lit a cigarette, taking a long drag from it to calm herself down. 

 

I’m fine, better than ever. You in now? Jon knew her, there was no way she’d miss his first show back and probably wanted the chance to deck him in person.

 

Carmen definitely deserved it.  

 

He had already gotten decked by his mother, who had taken care of Blue for him, and Chris had been the one to pick him up from the rehab facility.  That had been an interesting talk.  He had let his best friends know when he got out, of course, but he had wanted the older veteran’s advice.  Chris had been the first person he had talked to about leaving the WWE, it kind of made sense to him to talk to the older man about this as well.

 

She didn’t want to deck him, she wanted to throw her arms around him and hold him close, breathe him in.  It’d been just shy of three months since the last time they saw each other and that had been at Wrestling Revolver’s Tales from the Ring where he had beaten the holy hell out of Jimmy Jacobs in an Iowa street fight.  They had gone out for dinner and drinks afterwards and the entire time, Carmen had this feeling in the back of her mind something wasn’t quite right with Jon.  A few days later, it was announced by Tony Khan about the rehabilitation and Jon had never said anything to her in Iowa about it.  Maybe he didn’t even know he was planning on doing it.  Maybe it had been a spur of the moment decision.

 

You know me too well, you know that?  It was supposed to be a surprise. I want to support you and be here for you, Jon. “Like I should’ve been from the beginning…and I wasn’t.  I couldn’t see how much trouble he was in…or maybe I did and ignored it.  I’m such a shitty friend, what if he doesn’t want me here?”

 

Yeah, nice try, babe. Jon did know her too well.

 

Surprisingly, she had stuck with the pay-per-view and overseas shows only; Carmen didn’t come very often to the ‘normal’ matches, but he knew for this one, she’d be there.  Carmen was in love with his worthless self, he had known that for a while.  Jon just hadn’t encouraged it because regardless of what she thought, she was WAY out of his league.  It had nothing to do with the fan thing anymore, not after two years, though he knew it had started there for her and it had never made sense to him.

 

You want some VIP backstage passes? Well, pass, since it was just her.  Unless she got a boyfriend or something in the few months he’d been away.

 

At first it had been lust with Jon, but once she started getting to know him, the real him, it just made that lust turn into love.  Yes, Carmen was completely in love with him and he had a hold on her heart that was so tight, nobody would be able to snatch it away.  No other man compared to Jon and she didn’t bother with any of them, just focused on work and going to shows when they rolled around…on Jon. 

 

Maybe she was missing out on something special, but as far as she was concerned, he WAS special and one of a kind, the only man she wanted to be with.  Of course, Carmen knew Jon didn’t see her the same way, in the same light, so she kept her feelings for him as bottled up as she could, keeping things strictly friendly.  She smiled widely through tears glistening in her eyes, wiping a few stray ones away that managed to escape.

 

I’ll only need one, it’s just me like usual.  Thank you. It never ceased to amaze her how thoughtful and considerate Jon was because, at every major event, he had taken her backstage with either a pass or a guard that had one waiting for her.

 

Carmen needed a man, a guy who’d be happy to travel with her on her schedule, give her kids if she wanted them, someone who was more her league.  Instead, even after two years, she was still slumming around with him parttime.  He knew there were a few pictures or so out there floating around; they had been photographed together several times, at several different locations.  Jon had fielded questions or just shut them down because his personal life was nobody’s business except his and, in this case, hers.  Though…Carmen had taken him with her to some social event; she had been invited to some uppity convention and he had agreed to go out of amusement.  He had worn the best penguin suit ever and those pictures were also floating around online too.

 

Gotcha, see you tonight.

 

See you then.

 

Chapter 21

 

Parking in the arena VIP parking lot, Carmen checked herself in the mirror one last time before stepping out of the car, wearing a pair of black skinny jeans with black steel toed knee-high boots.  They were also winterized since there was quite a bit of snow outside in DC.  She had on the shirt Jon gifted her and a leather jacket over it, zipped up with black gloves on her hands and black ear warmers.  Her face wasn’t completely decked out in makeup, just light foundation, black liner and gloss with chapstick since her lips got chapped badly in the winter time.  With her purse across her chest, she took a couple steps from her rental and was grabbed from behind, a hand over her mouth and her arms locked at her sides, her scream of both surprise and terror muffled.

 

In retrospect, that was not Jon’s smartest move.  A second later, Carmen had brought her head backwards right smack into his lower face, followed immediately by stomping on his foot with those steel toed boots of hers.  That was then followed up with her bringing the heel back into his shin and at that point, he had let go because it had hurt quite a bit.

 

“Oh fuck, babe, ouch!” He stepped away from her, recognizing he deserved what happened, but Christ the woman had messed up his pretty face.  He brought a hand up over his nose, staring at her out of wide blue eyes.  She looked ready to kick his backside, kiss him, or start screaming at him.  Maybe all three. “My bad.”

 

Now there were times Jon did meet her prior to a show and others where she got her backstage pass from a guard, after she entered the vicinity.  Jon hadn’t told her what he planned on doing.  Her emerald eyes were wide in both shock and horror at what she just did, her hand clutching her chest.  In her defense, she had NO idea who had grabbed her and this was Washington DC.  It wasn’t the safest city in the world and it was dark on top of it, not to mention he’d scared the hell out of her.

 

“You know, you really should find a better way to greet me, handsome.  I mean there are a lot of ways to greet me, but grabbing me like that…Jesus, I thought someone was legitimately attacking me.” Walking up to him, her hand touched his bearded jaw where she’d cracked him with the back of her head. 

 

His nose wasn’t broken and he’d probably have a covered bruise with his beard, but other than that, no harm was done.  Jon didn’t have a glass jaw after all.  They both started laughing softly at the same time and Carmen couldn’t hold back what she longed to do, tossing her arms around his neck to hug him close.

 

“It’s so good to see you again, Jon.”

 

Christ, he smelled better than she remembered and her eyes shut the moment his arms encircled her waist in return to return the embrace.  He probably felt better and held her just a little bit longer than he normally would have, inhaling her sweet scent.  Leaner, more in shape, and a little more defined, Jon had used working out as a way to cope through his detoxification.

 

“Mmm, you smell awesome, babe.” He had gotten used to the weird smell of the rehabilitation facility.  Also, Jon had learned that a lot more of his senses had sharpened without the aftereffects of intense alcohol intake messing him up. “I’m sorry I didn’t give you a heads up, Carmen, I should’ve.”

 

“No…” She slowly shook her head and pulled back to stare into his eyes, hers full of unshed tears. “No, I’M sorry, Jon.  When we were in Iowa together, I could tell something was bothering you.  I could tell something wasn’t right, but…I didn’t say anything and I should’ve.  You have nothing to apologize for.  You did the right thing by admitting you had a problem and got help for it.  Not a lot of people have that kind of strength and willpower to do what you did, let alone telling Tony Khan to announce it to the world.” That part had shocked her because Jon was a very private person and normally kept his personal life out of the media as much as he could.  Carmen grabbed his shoulders gently, blinking away her tears and swallowing down her emotions, not wanting to make him upset. “And for the record, you smell awesome too.”

 

“I wouldn’t have talked to you about it, it wasn’t…any one thing wrong, babe.” He said slowly, though with a smile and a nod to acknowledge her comment about him smelling good.  Jon probably did now that he wasn’t sweating liquor and had found out how he smelled the hard way.  When he was doing nothing EXCEPT sweating and everything was coming out. “C’mon,” Wrapping his arm around her neck, he pulled her towards the building. “We can talk after the show, I’m taking you out for dinner and a conversation.” She could drink, he wouldn’t.

 

“Oooh hot chocolate sounds great to me.”

 

There would be absolutely no drinking in front of Jon from here on out.  Carmen had already decided that before finding out about Jon’s return.  The last thing she wanted to do was make him revert back into an alcoholic.  She wasn’t a big drinker, just enjoyed wine occasionally when she was alone and maybe a beer or two.  Hell, maybe she’d just give up drinking all together, willing to do it if it meant helping Jon. 

 

She curled her arm around his, enjoying every time he held her like this with his arm around her neck.  The guard nodded at them as soon as he spotted Moxley and let them both through without any grief, recognizing the woman he was with.  It was true, there were photographs of them on the internet from whenever Jon would visit her in either Florida or New York City.

 

“Man, it’s so damn cold out there.”

 

Jon had learned that he had to avoid situations where he would want to drink, which meant he would NOT be going out with buddies to bars anymore.  He could do restaurants; he knew because he had attempted it, with Mommy no less.  He knew damn well he could sit with Carmen and be all right with her drinking.

 

“Nah, it’s perfect. Where’ve you been holing up while I was gone?” Considering all her properties, he would assume somewhere warm, but… “Oh, how’s the interior business side coming?  Catch me up, babe.”

 

“It’s going great, we’ve already got a list of clients and have met with some of them already.” Her team was amazing and they all split the work between them, including her, so she had gone to meeting after meeting throughout the country over the past few months. “I’ve been holed up in New York City because of all the meetings we’ve had.  Some have been over zoom and others I’ve had to fly to greet the client and look at the house they want work done in.” Jon always showed interest in anything she did and it was very heartwarming. I missed him so much. “I’ve had several meetings in Florida, so I was able to stay at my place there for about a week, but other than that, it's been New York.  I’ll admit this only to you, but…I really love interior designing a lot more than real-estate.  Not saying I hate real-estate or anything, but there’s a lot more creativity with interior designing than selling properties.”

 

“Well, you have agents and shit for the real-estate, so why not expand the offices to handle most of the shit you do and focus more on the design part?”

 

When she had originally told him about her new idea to expand her company, he had thought of things like wallpaper, which was Satan’s preferred gift wrap as far as he was concerned, and shiny light fixtures.  It turned out, there was a LOT more involved in that process, especially when someone wanted an entire house custom done.  This woman had infinite patience, that was for damn sure.  Jon was listening, but had his eyes on the hallway, nodding and bumping fists with some of the guys.  He had been concerned about coming back and so far, everyone had been amazingly supportive of what he had to do.

 

“I’m actually in the process of adding the interior design to the major cities Diamond’s is located in.  Some will require add-ons to be attached to the real-estate part, but I’m good with that.  If I’m doing this, I’m doing it right, not half-assed.”

 

Her focus was solely on Jon while explaining what she’d been doing with the company, how she planned on expanding it.  Due to the business expansion as well, all of her employees were getting a significant raise, including bonuses and commissions.  She had also started the process of hiring interior designers to add to the company, so that had taken up a lot of her time as well.

 

“You know, I gotta say this, AEW just wasn’t the same without you.  There are a lot of talented men and women here, without a doubt, but…you’re the only one of your kind.  The fans are going to go ballistic when you return tonight, myself included, of course.” Carmen could not wait to feel that energy and electricity in the air either, wondering what Jon had planned for his return. 

 

Would it be a promo? 

 

Would it be a run-in where he beat the hell out of someone? 

 

Would he wrestle? 

 

The possibilities were endless.

 

That was a surprise, one he was playing close to his chest, simply because Jon liked surprising Carmen.  It was also good for her to be a proper fan and just wait like everybody else.  Given the Covid-19 situation, he knew housing and design had slumped like a lot of other shit, due to supply chain issues and lack of consumer desire for those things.  Now, they were entering a housing boom, so he supposed her real-estate was going to do very well.

 

“Aww, you’re gonna make me blush, babe.” Jon knew she couldn’t remain backstage and she probably wouldn’t want too.  Carmen wanted to be out in those seats, the woman was addicted to that energy feeling, that rush, of watching the ring up close.

 

“Well – well, if it isn’t Miss Diamond in all her beautiful presence.”

 

“Well – well, if it isn’t the former Le Champion and…sports-entertainer, Chris Jericho.”

 

Chris chuckled at her comeback and walked right up to her, giving her a hug after pulling her away from Jon momentarily. “You’ve been too much of a stranger, baby.  Glad to see you finally made it to a Dynamite show.” It wasn’t coincidental at all that she was here for Jon’s return, grinning from ear to ear. “Jess says you need to get your ass back to Florida for another coffee date soon.”

 

“I know, I will be heading there in a couple weeks and I’ll contact her to set it up.  I miss her too.” Carmen had become very good friends the Irvine’s over the past almost three years and Chris had invited her to Dynamite several times, only for her to politely decline. “And I’m happy to finally make it to one of these.” She’d been curious to see how AEW Dynamite differed from Raw and Smackdown! live shows since they debuted in 2019.

 

“Yeah…as if you didn’t have a standing invite from me.” Chris snorted, rolling his eyes good-naturedly.  The ‘former’ comment didn’t faze him at all; he knew he was getting up there and he was busy building and putting over the younger talent.  The people who would be around long after he was gone and that was just the way of the business. “We all know why you’re here.”

 

Because of Jon.  That was obvious to even a blind person and everyone who knew the pair had a pretty good assumption Carmen was in love with the guy, or in serious like and lust.  Jon kept whatever he felt pretty close to the chest, but Chris had a feeling Jon reciprocated a few of those feelings.  He also knew Jon treasured her friendship; he felt bad for the guy almost, everything between them was complicated.

 

Or at least, it seemed like it could be.

 

Carmen chuckled, shrugging her shoulders and smiled widely, going right back to Jon’s side. “Good, at least you know where my loyalty lies.  And thank you for the invite and the front row ticket.” Chris had contacted her right before she had bought a ticket to Dynamite, asking her if she was coming to DC for Jon’s return. “I made sure to donate the ticket I was planning on buying, so some lucky kid will also be front row tonight for it.” She was a firm believer in giving back, not minding making a fellow fan’s dream come true, especially children.

 

“Sweet, glad I could help.  Hey baby, couldn’t very well have your number one fan and best gal pal not be here for the celebration of Mox’s return!”

 

People could think and assume whatever they wanted.  It didn’t bother Carmen because, at the end of the day, she’d rather have Jon’s treasured friendship than nothing at all.  She was in love with him, but he didn’t feel the same way about her and she was fine with it.  Friendship was the next best thing and she’d never not be there for him.  For the past nearly three years, she had built this friendship with him and, if she was honest, as much as she loved Jon and wanted to be with him, she was terrified of destroying the trust and friendship they’d built together.  A relationship would be a huge step for them, but also a huge risk and Carmen was a safe gambler, not a risktaker.

 

“Blow the roof off the joint, we’ll all be watching.”

 

Chris walked past them to head off to his locker room, feeling better than he had in decades. “He really is quite the character, isn’t he?  And a great friend.”

 

“He’s something else entirely.” It was said with amusement and warmth because for all the swagger and the larger than life persona, Chris was a solid guy and a good friend.  

 

He had the same issue Carmen did, plus a few extras.  It was rare for him to have such a great friendship with a woman, especially a rare one like her.  She wasn’t a wrestler or in the business; she wasn’t some bar fly or something, she was a whole new breed and he knew a relationship could screw things up to the point of not being able to go back if everything went south.  Not to mention, long term, he wasn’t a good fit for her and he believed they both knew it, regardless of what she said.  She was smart as hell, but also possessed a naiveté that was both infuriating and endearing.

 

If Jon told her what was truly on his mind, she would’ve informed him he was the perfect fit for her.  They both traveled for work and she really didn’t have a set schedule with anything due to having a splendid team that gelled well together.  If Carmen couldn’t make it to a meeting, one of her subordinates covered it.  It was a well-oiled machine and, as far as she knew, her employees loved working for Diamond’s and they were paid well for their positions in the company. 

 

Carmen could be on the road with Jon wherever he had to go for work or wanted to go.  The traveling was not an issue.  She would also point out they got along very well, he teased her and she returned it instead of getting a wild hair up her rear.  His sense of humor was amazing, he was amazing, and he was her favorite person on the planet.  Of course, Carmen had no idea how Jon felt or what his thought process was, just like he didn’t know hers besides the fact she was in love with him. 

 

Carmen would give him anything and everything his heart desired if he was her man; Jon would never want for anything and he’d be her king, more than he already was.  Another huge factor with Carmen was she was unbelievably supportive of his choices, what he loved doing for a living, and would never try to change the man he was.  So many nights were spent with her eyes closed, envisioning Jon making love to her instead of using a vibrator to get herself off.  Her dreams were filled with him and most of them were good, but there were the occasional nightmares where he’d tell her he wanted nothing to do with her and wanted her out of his life.  The good far outweighed the bad, thankfully, and nothing had scared her off. 

 

Nothing ever would either.

 

Basically, she’d be perfect being with Jon.

 

Chapter 22

 

Jon had to stop and talk with a few people, knowing eventually he needed to go check in with Khan.  He had already spoken with Tony on the phone, but he needed to greet the guy in person. “Hey, I gotta go check in with the boss,” He stopped a short way from the door, eyeballing her. “You want to wait out here for me or head to the seats?” Carmen could hang out backstage for a bit if she wanted to, but he already knew once showtime hit, her backside would be in her seat. “If you wait, you could possibly watch me warm up.” He teased, his eyes crinkling while grinning wickedly down at her.

 

“You’re evil, you know that?  An evil tease.” Carmen knew a few of the wrestlers, both men and women, so she didn’t feel nearly as awkward being back here as she did almost three years ago.  These opportunities came few and far between, and she would never pass up the opportunity to watch him workout. “I’ll be waiting for you out here.  Take your time.”

 

He nodded, kissing the top of her head and draped the pass over her head to hang from her neck, just in case.  She winked at him, looking down at the pass and watched him walk into the office, leaning her back against the wall while pulling her phone out to check any missed messages she had.  Just a few from Kylie letting her know of the upcoming meetings she had in the Florida office, nothing dire.

 

At that moment, Jon was being informed he was opening the show in a promo and he could say whatever he wanted.  There was no filter and Tony wanted him to speak from the heart to the fans.  If he didn’t want to talk about what happened to him, that was fine.  It was an open forum for Jon, something he’d never had in WWE, and he was thrilled to have one of his top stars back in the fold with the company, asking Jon how he was doing and things of that nature.

 

This was going to be an easy peasy night and after general chatting with Tony, along with a mental check-in, so to speak, Jon came back in the hallway, offering Carmen a non-apologetic smile. “Sorry babe, no sweaty warmup for you.” He informed her, not sounding remorseful at all and, when she raised a curious eyebrow up at him, he just shrugged. “Wait and see.” She had that row seat she’d get to watch the promo from and Jon frowned, knowing he needed to start thinking about that.  Knowing himself, it would be mostly off the cuff, but he wanted to think about what he wanted to at least say and everything else could come off the cuff.

 

Carmen could feel something was different about tonight and smiled at him, deciding she’d head to her seat now. “Take some time to yourself, Jon.  I’m gonna head out there now and wait for the show to start.” Jon nodded, leading her to where she could walk out from the back to head down the stairs that lead to the ring.  She turned to stare into his eyes, kissing his cheek in a purely platonic way. “Thanks for the escort.  Welcome back, Mox.”

 

Winking, Carmen headed down the stairs, taking her leather jacket off once she arrived at her front row seat and draped it over the back, keeping her purse close to her.  There was no reason to go get something to drink since something told her Jon would be opening the show, her excitement and adrenaline through the roof.  She could only imagine what he was feeling after being away for nearly 3 months.

 

Jon paced the hallway, no dressing room for someone not hanging all night and he wasn’t about to go into the community locker room, sorting out things in his head.  He wasn’t sure what he would say, but he knew what he wanted to talk about, he was basically making a mental bullet point list of things he wanted to address.  Jon also knew his motormouth and adrenaline, providing he got a good reaction to his return, would handle the rest.  Wrestling fans were either the best fans in the world or the worst and they came on every spectrum in between, so he was either in for a major pop or a major boo fest.  Either way, a reaction was a reaction and he grinned, his head snapping up.

 

He had this.

 

It was probably the LOUDEST ovation Carmen would ever heard in her life the moment Jon’s music blared through the speakers, the song WILD THING bringing fans to their feet.  Entering through the crowd from the backstage area, the fans began singing in unison to the song, including Carmen, who was clapping her hands along with the others.  This was truly a moment and she had goosebumps up and down her arms, the biggest smile on her face.  Watching him enter the ring was always an experience and Jon looked to be in the best shape of his life, even with the long sleeved black shirt and bomber leather jacket, which he immediately took off. 

 

There was a heckler in the crowd and Jon put him in his place, making the rest of the fans laugh at how ridiculous the drunk was being.  Carmen wasn’t laughing, however, wanting to beat the hell out of whoever that was because they had shouted for Jon to go drink himself silly or something like that.  She didn’t sit down and stood there, her arms leaning on the barricade and listened intently to every word that came out of his mouth, shedding a few tears. 

 

“I DON’T RUN FROM DEMONS; I JUST BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF THEM!”

 

Carmen cheered, chanting ‘Moxley’ along with the entire arena, everyone hyped for this man’s return.

 

“Know this…I’m thirsty…you thought I was dangerous before, shit…ALL I DRINK NOW IS BLOOD!!”

 

That was a prelude to what was to come in the weeks ahead for Jon, though Carmen had no idea what exactly it was.  It would revolve around wrestling violence and blood, however.  A new dynasty would slowly come to fruition, and it would be a beautiful wrestling story told by two of the greatest wrestlers on the planet with Jon Moxley and none other than the American Dragon, Bryan Danielson.  However, tonight, it was all about Jon’s return as he jumped out of the ring, flipping over the top rope like usual and picked up his bomber jacket right in front of Carmen, sending a wink her way before he exited through the crowd to go to the back.

 

What a way to return!

 

Jon was HYPED when he got backstage, grinning almost in a feral manner as he was caught in a bear hug by Bryan, smacking his friend’s back heartily.  It would take a bit for people to see what was coming, all good things came in time, but damned if it wouldn’t be great to work again with one of his closest friends again.  He exchanged slaps with Chris, nodding when someone shouted out a ’hot damn!’ at him, beginning to move to somewhere less crowded as he retrieved his cell phone.

 

Hanging to watch the entire show, babe? If Carmen wanted to do that, and he didn’t blame her since those were prime seats, he’d hang out for a bit until it was over.  Hell, maybe he’d go find some nosebleeds and chill there.

 

As much as she wanted to stay for the entire show, that would be several hours and Carmen had only tonight with Jon, as far as she knew. No, that’s fine, hot chocolate and dinner sounds a lot better with you than the show right now.  Want me to head up the stairs and meet me in the back? Jon texted her back, asking her if she was sure and she smiled in return, knowing he’d approve of what she was going to do. Don’t worry, the seat won’t go to waste. Halfway up the stairs, she saw a young woman with a MOX shirt on and handed over her ticket, pointing to the front row.  There was a big fat man in front of her that refused to sit down for the show, so she couldn’t see in front of her.

 

“Oh my god, are you sure?!”

 

“Yes, enjoy the rest of the show.”

 

The girl grinned, heading down the stairs two at a time and Carmen chuckled, remembering how enthusiastic she used to be prior to meeting Jon.  She was still enthusiastic, just not as…hyper as she used to be.  Heading up the stairs, she waited until she was out of the arena and in the hallway before pulling her backstage pass out that was draped around her neck, heading off to meet up with Jon.

 

Jon was right where he said he’d be, packing his box of cigarettes against the palm of his hand. “I’ve been trying to cut back,” He admitted by way of greeting when he spotted her coming. “I took up smoking more when I quit drinking.  They said one addiction usually pops up when you get rid of another.” And truer words had never been spoken, he always tended to chew on matchsticks and toothpicks a lot. “So, what’d you think?” Jon was now guiding her towards the exit, already sliding a cigarette between his lips.  He still had a ton of adrenaline because there was NOTHING like a successful comeback.

 

“That was possibly the best promo you’ve ever given in your career thus far.  You made me cry, jerk.” She nudged him playfully with a grin before looping her arm through his, having already pulled her leather jacket on with her gloves and ear warmers.  It was below zero outside, there was a reason for her being all bundled up and wanting hot chocolate. “But in all seriousness, Jon, that promo was incredible and I could tell you were speaking directly from the heart.  That wasn’t just Mox in the ring, it was you as yourself too and I’m so excited to see what you have in store for this year.  I’m buying dinner tonight to celebrate your return, so take me wherever you want.”

 

“How am I a jerk?  It’s not MY fault you can’t keep your emotions in check, woman.” There was no bite in his tone, just a gentle tease as he unlinked their arms in order to pull her into his side, trying to share some warmth given how cold it was.  Remote start was a BEAUTIFUL thing and worth last penny to get it installed if the vehicle didn’t already come with it, as he had found out when he bought his truck.  He ALWAYS made sure his rentals had that in areas that were frigidly cold. “I might be expensive.” He teased, not surprised when she shrugged it off. “If I decide to retire, you’re going to wind up my sugar mama.”

 

She laughed because Jon had told her that many times before and again, Carmen just shrugged. “I’ve told you I wouldn’t mind it either.  You can spend your days in Hawaii, Florida, Maine, Washington, New York,” She giggled at the look that came over his face, wrapping her arm around his waist since it was more comfortable and soaking in his warmth as well. “Or hell, we could always find a place in Vegas since you love it there…” Teasing him back was so much fun and he snorted, listing off the demands he’d want for their house. “You just make the list up and it shall be done, my darling.  Whatever your heart desires.” Winking, Carmen watched him shake his head while finishing his cigarette, opening the passenger door for her to help her up into his Silverado rental.  She’d come back later after dinner was over with to fetch her rental or simply call the rental company to pick it up.

 

“Now, sugar mama,” Jon pulled out of the parking lot once he was in the truck, glad they were leaving early because it meant beating the horrible traffic.  Jon had learned he had developed road rage tendencies in his late 30’s, especially where terrible drivers were concerned. “You know damn well I’m an easy kind of guy, and I like my house,” His dream house, one he had devoted all his love on. “I don’t know what the shit I’d do with 5 different places…” Jon gave her a look and shook his head when she just grinned at him. “Anything in particular sound good?” The fact they could just slide back into their friendship like he hadn’t gone to rehabilitation, with nary a word for a few months, spoke volumes about this woman.

“Okay, but I’m sure there’s add-ons and things you wanna do to your house, so again, make a list and it shall be done.  And I don’t care as long as there’s hot chocolate.  This sugar mama is COLD right now.” Florida and Hawaii sounded so good and she could not wait to go back to Florida, where she knew it would be at least 70 degrees this time of year.  Warmth, she hated the cold, which was why she never visited Maine this time of year due to the harsh winters. “And I already told you I have 5 different places because each one spoke to me.  It’s nice to have a variety of places to crash anyway.  Variety is the spice of life, handsome.”

 

“Only for some people, babe.” Not everyone was like that and even with his money, he still considered himself a ‘normal’ person, an everyday guy.  Mostly.  Jon had grown up in poverty, and ‘variety’ to him meant instability.  He liked the stability and simple things when it came to his life. Jon knew of a clean, easy diner, a real Mom and Pop old-time kind of place, and navigated there easily, his arm draped along the back of the seat, fingers playing with her hair gently. “Vegas is it for me, I got the best of both worlds there.  City when I’m feeling like I want to go sin, and then the Red Rocks, they call me back every time.”

 

“Not surprising at all.” Little jolts of shivers kept sliding down the back of her neck and spine the more he played with her hair.  It felt so good being with him again and all Carmen wanted to do was snuggle against him, his smell infiltrating all of her senses in this truck. “Washington is where I go to escape.  It’s my woodsy paradise.  New York is for business only.  Maine is my Atlantic Ocean property.  Florida is my other ocean property, and Hawaii is my paradise getaway when I absolutely need to be surrounded by tropical shit.  I get the best of all worlds in those 5 places.”

 

Like she said, variety was the spice of life and Carmen was living hers to the fullest after what happened to her parents.  Even if Diamond’s went out of business tomorrow, Carmen was set for life, as well as any children, grandchildren, and generations after were as well.  Of course, she didn’t brag about her fortune because she was incredibly blessed and humble, always keeping in mind that others weren’t nearly as fortunate as her.

 

“Yeah, I remembered, babe, I didn’t lose my mind, just the booze.” Jon joked, remembering years ago her telling him all that.  

 

She wasn’t boasting so much as reminding him, she had a thing for traveling and she enjoyed different scenic areas at different times of the year.  He got that a lot of wealthy people did that sort of thing, with one ‘residence’ they got mail and filed their taxes from.  That all sounded like a headache to him, he was all about letting someone else handle that shit for him.

 

“Here we are, sugar mama.” Jon had pulled into an empty curbside parking space, glad the spaces before and behind were empty because Jon would admit it, he sucked at parallel parking.

 

“Yes!  Hot chocolate is mine!”

 

Unbuckling, Carmen kissed his cheek quickly before slipping out of the truck and saw they were at a Mom & Pop diner, which was perfect.  Jon didn’t like fancy meals and, honestly, she wasn’t dressed for one.  She had enough banquets and fancy ordeals to go to as it was, so being dressed down and sharing a nice, quiet meal with him was right up her alley.  Grabbing his hand, they walked inside with him opening the door for her, his arm draping around her neck like usual.

 

Chapter 23

 

“Go ahead and seat yourselves, gonna be a minute.”

 

Nodding, Jon lead them to a nearby booth, liking them a lot better than a table with chairs because it gave each of them more room.  Carmen sat down first, taking her leather jacket and purse off, setting them beside her while Jon did the same thing with his own jacket.  Jesus, that thermal black long sleeved shirt he had on hugged his arms and chest perfectly.  She had to take a swig of water to cool herself off and smiled at him, taking his hand in hers to squeeze it.

 

“God, it’s so good to see you again.  When I read online what happened to you and Tony Khan’s announcement, I…I thought it was some kind of way to take you off television for a little while.  Thought maybe you needed a break from wrestling since you’d been going at it hard and fast since leaving WWE.  I didn’t want to believe it, even though I knew you were struggling with the drinking.  I could see it in Seattle with your fight against Tom Lawlor.  And then again in Iowa with Jimmy Jacobs.  So, I want to know truthfully, how are you doing now?  Are you okay up here,” She tapped her head gently and then rested her free hand over her heart. “And in here?”

 

Jon had known this was eventually coming, especially after he had reached out to her about her being at the event.  He hadn’t given her a heads up or anything and, after near three years of friendship, she had deserved better.  At the time, he had been afraid of what she’d say or do; maybe she’d tell him he didn’t have a problem, or she’d be disgusted with him, who knew…he just knew he valued Carmen and what she thought about him, a lot more then what he let on.

 

“I’m a lot better than I was, babe,” Jon assured quietly, his tone reassuring as he thought about what he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it. “It was…more of a problem than I thought.”

 

“A lot of times, people don’t realize they have a problem until it’s too late.  Thank god that wasn’t you and you got help before it took you out.” Carmen couldn’t imagine her life without this man in it, in any capacity, and not an ounce of pity was in her eyes, just sheer relief.  Jon meant everything to her, the man who held her heart captive, and the thought of losing him…she refused to think about it. “You know what?  I didn’t have a doubt in my mind you’d pull through and make it to the other side.  I’m really proud of you.  And I’m not mad at you for keeping me in the dark.  You probably thought I would be, but I was just worried about you the entire time you were MIA.  I was never angry with you, I want you to know that, Jon.  I still feel like a shitty friend for not pointing out what I saw, for not trying to shake some sense into you or something…”

 

“Yeah, well, I think it’s…hard,” Jon halted when the waitress finally appeared with menus and to take their drink orders.  He smiled when Carmen instantly ordered herself a hot chocolate, opting instead for a dark soda himself. “I think it’s hard,” He picked right back up after their waitress said she’d give them a few minutes to browse, surfing now because it was easier to keep his eyes on the menu than on Carmen.  There was almost a shame in talking about this, well…maybe not shame, but it was hard nonetheless given he wasn’t one prone to spilling his feelings. “It’s hard to speak up when you see someone you care about spiraling, you get afraid of hurting or losing them.”

 

“Right, I agree.  It’s hard enough admitting that you have a problem, but to tell others…you’re right, it’s hard.” Carmen took a sip of her water while waiting for her hot chocolate to arrive, deciding she’d be having the country fried steak dinner.  It sounded delicious for some reason. “I’ve never been in a situation like that, but I will say that life is precious and we should do all we can to preserve it because it’s short enough as it is without the bullshit of the world.” Setting her menu down, she held her glass of water up with a grin. “Enough of the heavy, a toast to your amazing recovery and comeback.  And I can’t wait for that pilgrimage you talked about in your promo, to take wrestling by the balls and do whatever the hell you want.  Here’s to a fresh start, new beginnings, and kicking your demons in the ass.”

 

“Amen to that, sugar mama!” Jon chuckled, gently clinking his glass against hers before taking a sip. “I’m not gonna lie, this pot roast sandwich looks delicious…I think I’ll need two though.” Even with the side that came with the meal because his appetite had just picked back up.  

 

It was just now he realized just how nervous he had been about Carmen’s reaction.  With the guys, his wrestling friends, the close ones, he figured it would go one of two ways and so far, he hadn’t been disappointed.  With her, he was just…so unsure because she had him on a pedestal and he knew one day, he was going to fall off of it epically.

 

“I was concerned…with how you’d react.”

 

“Really?  What, did you think I’d write you off or something?” She said it jokingly, but the look on his face made the chuckle diminish instantly. “Oh Jon, I could never write you off.  Everyone has issues and nobody is perfect, including me.  I mean, I’m the one who stalked you for the better part of your career by attending all of your shows.  I have issues too.” Again, Carmen said it jokingly and this time, that got a small smile out of him. “I’m not going anywhere, not unless you want me to.  And that sandwich looks delicious, go ahead and order another, it should be done by the time you finish the first one.” Digging into her own meal, Carmen hoped she set his mind at ease with her words and lowered his anxiety a bit.

 

“I’ve kept you this long, I think I’ll hold on a bit longer, if you don’t mind.” She was joking, but that stalking had been a serious issue with him for the longest time.  Making friends with her had been odd at first and then Carmen stopped stalking and things had gone smoother.  He had seen her more as a normal, albeit rich, person who wasn’t someone who was a fan of Jon Moxley.  She was a fan of Jon Good, now anyway.  He used a fork on his sandwich, mixing the bread with the delicious meat and vegetables, ordering that second one when the waitress popped over to ask if they needed anything else, and grinned when her eyes widened. “You want a bite?” He offered, extending his fork to Carmen after he had tried it, pretty sure this was the best thing he had eaten in a while.

 

“Sure, want a bite of mine?  It’s so good, been a while since I’ve had chicken fried steak.  The sauce is to die for.”

 

Jon held his fork out to her and she took the bite, groaning at how good it was.  Then, she took a piece of her own and held the fork out to him, watching as his mouth engulfed the fork to make sure he got every last drop of the sampling.  Even though Jon wasn’t trying to be sexy about it, she still thought it was and gently pulled her fork away, seeing his eyes close momentarily the same way hers did.

 

“Tell me that’s not the second best thing you’ve ever tasted since I know it doesn’t compare to your sandwich there.”

 

“It’s delicious, and tonight it is definitely the second best thing I’ve tasted.”

 

Jon enjoyed food and depending on where they were, and what was available, his ‘bests’ changed.  It wasn’t until he detoxed that Jon realized heavy drinking had also changed his pallet with food, so now he tasted everything a lot stronger than before.  Over in Japan, those three years ago, that delicious street food and his energy drinks had been his favorites.  He returned to his own food, blue eyes moving towards the front window they were sitting by.  The snow was starting to come down heavier, nothing too serious for the moment, but if it continued, it was going to make driving fun.

 

“Probably a good thing we left when we did,” He commented, reaching for his drink. “Traffic is going to be crazy stupid if this shit keeps on.”

 

“Hmm?” Carmen’s eyes followed his to stare out the window, widening slightly. “Oh dear…”

 

“Just so you folks know, there’s a blizzard headed our way.  This is just the beginning of it.  You two drive safe and if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” The waitress informed them, after coming over to fill the water glasses again, before heading off behind the counter to start cleaning up.  They were the only patrons here at the moment, which wasn’t out of the ordinary.

 

“Thank you for the information, ma’am.” Carmen looked at Jon with a little concern in her eyes, knowing he was probably used to driving in this type of weather, but she wasn’t.  Snow and she did not mix well. “I hate asking this, Jon, but would you mind giving me a ride back to my hotel after we’re done here?  I…I know it’s getting dangerous out there, but I don’t think I can drive in a blizzard, and I trust you behind the wheel far more…”

 

“Sure.” Jon had asked the waitress before she took off for that counter clean-up if his second order could be put in as a to-go.  They weren’t planning on sticking around here for too long, not with a blizzard coming. “Yeah, where are you staying?” He asked, polishing off what was left of his sandwich in a few bites.  Knowing he probably was eating too fast and like a pig, this called for a little less finesse since he was hungry and now slightly in a hurry.  Frowning when she told him, knowing she liked staying at posher places with better security, and as a single woman traveling, he didn’t blame her. “That’s on the other side of the city, babe…”

 

“Yeah…I know…” The snow was coming down so much harder than it was just a few minutes ago and the cars were already beginning to cover with it.  What was she going to do? “N-Never mind, forget it.  It’s far too dangerous for you to drive in this storm all the way across the city.” Lord only knew how long that would take! “I’ll just…call a cab and they can take me back to the arena to get my car and then I’ll make my way back to my hotel and…”

 

“No.”

 

“What?”

 

“I said no.”

 

Carmen blinked, not expecting that type of reaction from Jon and raised a slow brow, folding her arms in front of her chest. “All right then, what do you suggest I do?  You do realize taking me back to the arena will take a while in itself because of the heavy traffic from the show, right?  Wouldn’t it be more logical for me to stay here and wait for a cab?”

 

“You can just come back with me to my motel.” Jon shrugged, nodding when the waitress gestured with the check.  Good, they were ready to go and he could see his to-go box waiting. “It’s closer than both the arena and the hotel you’re at, and it’s got two queen beds in it.” Granted, he had pushed those bitches together to form one giant bed, but… he could undo that, probably.  Maybe.  She looked like he had just shocked the hell out of her and Jon couldn’t help grinning. “Carmen, it isn’t safe to go far and obviously, we can’t bunk here.”

 

Did Jon just invite her back to his motel? 

 

Carmen heard him, but she was having a hard time making her brain compute with what he said.  All she could do was nod, swallowing hard because she had absolutely nothing with her besides her purse with an ID, credit cards, keys, and a few other things.  Sleeping in her clothes would have to do because stopping at a store was out of the question in this storm.  She paid for their meal like she said she would, including Jon’s second to-go bag, and headed outside with him, the wind blowing like crazy. 

 

Drifting was going to be a big problem on the streets.

 

“Holy shit!” Jon grabbed her hand and they ran to the truck with him lifting her up into it before shutting the door, then getting in behind the wheel. “Oh my god…how far away is your motel from here?  I need to call the rental company and tell them where the car is once we get there.”

 

Yes, he had invited her back to his room and he had absolutely no time for the dazed look on her face when he had done it. “Five minutes, usually.” Glad for that remote start because it had defrosted the car for him, so all he had to do was turn on the wipers, watching as it cleared the snow away and shook his head. “Jesus…call them.”

 

He was focusing on the road, pulling carefully away from the curb.  Most rental places had a bad weather clause with them, so she’d probably be fine.  He was quiet while she was on the phone, keeping his cursing under his breath as stupid drivers emerged.  What should have been a five minute trip that took fifteen and he had never been so happy to see a cheap motel in his life.

 

“C’mon, before we wind up trapped in the damn truck.”

 

Carmen wasn’t arguing with him and hopped out of the truck, being pelted with very heavy snow and blistering wind.  Jon once again took her hand and guided her to his room, which was on the lower level and it was outside.  There was a vending machine for snacks right next to it and that was about it.  This was not where a wrestling star of his caliber should’ve been staying, but apparently, it was what Jon preferred. 

 

Carmen would not judge because everybody was different and had their own tastes.  Just because she enjoyed the finer things in life did not mean everyone else had to.  As long as the place was warm and inviting, that was all that mattered to her.  Once they were inside, Jon slammed the door shut due to the wind and locked it, flipping the light on.

 

“Christ, it’s like snowmaggedon out there!” She muttered, taking her leather jacket, gloves and ear warmer off and Jon did the same thing, cranking up the heat a bit in the room.

 

Jon preferred the anonymity places like this provided and, quite frankly, for him it was comfortable.  He could remember when he had first started out on this journey, he had thought it was a blessing when he COULD afford a place like this instead of sleeping in a cramped rental filled with other guys. “You’re from Maine, right?  You should be used to this, babe.” He chuckled, shedding his outside layers before moving to stand by that heater, holding his hands out over it. “I remember not having heat one year…it was miserable.”

 

“If you think for a second I spend any amount of time in Maine during the winter months, you’ve lost your mind.  Maine is beautiful in the spring and summer, sometimes even fall, but never winter.” She moved to stand beside him, doing the same thing he was and frowned at what he said. “No heat for a year?  Are you kidding me?  I can just imagine how miserable that was.”

 

Jon definitely had a hard upbringing, there was no doubt about it because she could never remember going without heat, not for a second.  Jon had made something of himself and it was one of the many reasons she admired him so much.  He really was a true inspiration and didn’t even realize it.

 

Chapter 24

 

“Pretty damn miserable, I’d sneak out and go stand beneath those big bakery factories, the ones that vent warm air all the time.  Smelled delicious and was toasty.” Most of the time, providing it wasn’t a million below zero with a lot of nasty wind. “Didn’t you spend time in Maryland in the winter as a kid?  Or did your parents travel south or something?” He wouldn’t have blamed them, the weather wasn’t the best during the winter months and, if he could have done it, he would’ve too.  

 

Now he didn’t have to worry about that, thanks to Las Vegas.

 

“Oh no, we had winters in Maryland and it did suck.  I’ll be honest, the winters were my least favorite time of the year.  I hate snow.  I hate the cold.  This to me is hell on earth to deal with.” Carmen chuckled while continuing to warm her hands up and suddenly took Jon’s hands in her own, stepping closer to him to blow hot air into their palms. “I can tell you’re not too fond of winter either.”

 

At least the heat was working, just not as fast as they both wanted it to.  She glanced outside and saw how hard it was snowing, shaking her head.  What if they got snowed in here?  There was a very good chance they weren’t going anywhere unless the plows managed to make it to this motel.

 

“I wonder how many inches we’re supposed to get tonight.  That lady at the diner didn’t specify…”

 

“Probably more than we’re gonna want.” Jon walked over to the nightstand beside the massive bed he had made out of the two queens and flipped on the television.  It didn’t take him long to hit the weather channel and he was aware when Carmen dropped down beside him, both of them eyeballing the forecast coming in. “Well,” Pausing after a few minutes of just watching the impending shitshow, Jon cleared his throat. “That mini-fridge has water and pop in it, and I always tug along a cooler.” He pointed at that, which had ice in it along with microwaveable meals and those little salad bowls one could buy at Walmart.  On the single dresser was dry snacks, stuff he munched on while traveling and working. “We’ll be fine.”

 

Carmen looked back at him, seeing the concern written on his face, and knew they’d have to hunker down to wait the storm out. “Yeah, we will be.”

 

The only problem she foresaw was not having any other clothes to change into.  All of her clothes and belongings were at her hotel, which she had already called right after the rental car company to buy the suite out for another night.  Luckily, there was vacancy for it and they told her not to worry about her things, they would make sure nobody else occupied the room at no charge.  It wasn’t her fault a damn snowstorm decided to hit Washington DC, after all.  Stuck in a motel room with Jon should have been a fantasy come true for her, but honestly, Carmen felt the opposite.  They were friends…he had become her best friend and she didn’t want to do anything to destroy that friendship or their bond.  Sex wasn’t worth destroying something that precious, no matter how much she was in love with him.

 

Jon didn’t see any problem at all, his concern was for her given she was used to her posh hotels and she would be uncomfortable.  He imagined if this snowstorm blew over by tomorrow early afternoon, he’d be able to get her back to her hotel.  Cities were usually very good about getting the roads back in driving conditions; that was one of the benefits of a major city in the wintertime.

 

“So,” Jon stood up and looked down at her. “I’ll just move the beds back to where they were.” It wasn’t a big deal sleeping in just a regular queen for a night.  It’d be the same if he wound up sharing with her and he wouldn’t do it since she was already uncomfortable. “And I have spare t-shirts you can wear.  I’m sorry, but not even my drawstrings are gonna fit you right, babe.”

 

That snapped her out of her thoughts. “You don’t have to do that, Jon.” She stopped him by placing a hand on his arm, looking up into those electric blues and had to steel herself against the power they held, especially over her.  Her insides turned to mush every time she looked into them and he didn’t know it.  “You’re a big man, you need far more room than a queen-sized bed.  I don’t want you to change anything for me.  I want you to be comfortable and live like you normally do around me.  I was just thinking about the fact my clothes are back at my hotel, so I don’t have anything to wear besides what I have on.  Your spare t-shirts will be fine, I’m sure they’re long enough to cover me up.”

 

Carmen wasn’t the least bit uncomfortable; she was nervous more than anything because this was the first time her and Jon were completely alone, without other people around, in an enclosed space.  Even their times in New York walking around, there were others and she’d never invited him back to her penthouse or any of her hotel rooms.  Jon hadn’t done it either for any of the pay-per-view events, they had always just done dinner or went to a bar or club.  This was the first time they were completely alone with each other overnight.

 

“I-I know you’ve gotta be uncomfortable with this, so…I’ll try not to get in your way.”

 

“Sugar mama, with you on that thing with me, it’d be like sleeping in a queen anyway.  I’m not a cuddler.”

 

Jon was actually a sprawler and she’d appreciate separate beds after he smacked her in the face with an accidental backhand because he shifted and moved around a lot.  He dropped his bag on top of the bed, rifling in it for some of his basic t-shirts, tossing a few at her.  She was either wearing the same panties overnight, which wasn’t a big deal for a onetime thing if she was clean, or she was going commando.  Imagining the part of her with the crush was jumping for joy, Jon dropped his head to hide the wicked smirk that flickered across his lips.

 

There was NO way in HELL Carmen would go commando, not in the same room as this man! 

 

Then she thought about it and realized there was a good chance she’d be stuck in this motel room with him for more than a day.  Only when she slept would she go commando, which would be fine since it wasn’t out of the ordinary for her anyway.  Sleeping without panties was very liberating and freeing, except during THAT time of the month.

 

“I’ll leave the decision up to you then.  Just didn’t want you doing something you normally don’t do, that’s all.” He nodded and proceeded to move the beds apart, giving both enough room to be able to get up and walk if they needed to during the night. 

 

Jon took the bed nearest to the door while she took the one near the bathroom, not realizing the thoughts going through Jon’s mind as far as her crush on him was concerned.  Going commando at night was probably a bad idea, all things considered, though having separate beds would help with that.  She’d wind up with his dick between her cheeks if he got naughty in his sleep and Jon couldn’t promise anything.  He was a weird sleeper and usually had to warn his bed partners.  Some liked it, some had wound up nailing him right in the junk.

 

“Are you a toss and turner?” He asked curiously, wondering what the odds of waking up to bare backside and pussy were and if he needed to start mentally steeling himself against temptation now. Beautiful woman…sexy woman…fuck all.

 

A beautiful, sexy woman with his t-shirt on, no less, and nothing else underneath.

 

“Well, I do move back and forth occasionally, but I wouldn’t say I’m haphazard or anything like that.” Christ, if she woke up with Jon spooned up against her with his dick pressed against her backside…why the HELL was she having those thoughts right now?! “I just prefer my pillow to stay as cool as possible while I sleep, so sometimes I’ll get up and flip the damn thing in the middle of the night while I’m still asleep.  I don’t even remember doing it.  That’s weird, isn’t it?” Why was she telling him about her weird sleep patterns? “What about you?  Are you a toss and turner in bed?”

 

“Yep, a full blown sprawler, I’ve hit people,” Women anyway since he refused to share a bed with a guy. “In my sleep before and it usually doesn’t end well for me.” One of the many, well few, reasons he was separating the beds.  

 

Obviously, there were other reasons, he just wasn’t about to tell them to her.  She’d either tempt him or it’d be even more uncomfortable.  Jon had gone dry since right before rehabilitation, due in part to alcoholism having a horrible side effect of messing with his genitals and abilities there.  Then he hadn’t bothered jumping back in the saddle after getting out.

 

“You’d hate me if you woke up to my hand all over your face.”

 

No, pretty sure I’d enjoy it.  OH MY GOD, STOP IT, CARMEN!! She chuckled to hide her embarrassment and nodded, making the bed since it was all messed up from Jon pushing them together, then separating them again. “That’s understandable.  And here I thought you’d think I’d make a move on you or something.” SHUT THE FUCK UP!! “Sorry, bad joke, I know.  I think we’re way past me being a stalker these days.  Can you believe we’ve known each other for three years?  That’s crazy.” Where had the time gone?  Granted, they weren’t together every single waking moment of those near three years, but absence just made the heart grow fonder. And now we’re stuck together, in a small motel room, in the middle of a goddamn snowstorm! “Wanna toss me one of the shirts you said I could wear to sleep in?”

 

Rambling because she was embarrassed, that telltale flush in her cheeks was giving her away.  Carmen wasn’t far off the mark.  He wasn’t overly trying to encourage her daydreams and fantasies…mostly.  Hell, by now, she knew him well enough to love the actual man and he knew that, but she…Knock it off, Mox.  Jon had to stop his own train of thought and pointed quietly to the t-shirts he had already pulled out of his bag and tossed towards her only moments ago.  This situation was now awkward, thanks to his big mouth, and asking questions about tossing and turning.

 

It was the man she was in love with, not the wrestler. 

 

It was never the wrestler. 

 

Lust yes, but not love. 

 

Jon had her heart and that was the reason she refused to give another man a shot or give another man a second glance.  It was horrible because she knew it would never happen with Jon, but yet, she was holding out hope that maybe it would someday.  Carmen wasn’t getting any younger and the years were flying by faster than she wanted.  Even with the amazing life she had, there was a lot of loneliness and she did deserve to be loved and with someone who returned those feelings.  Jon didn’t.  It’d been nearly three years, so how much longer would she wait?  How much longer could she wait?  Better question, would another man be able to snatch her heart away from Jon?

 

I’m going to die old and alone with my 5 houses and it’ll be the house in Hawaii. “Thanks, I won’t take long.” Carmen grabbed the first t-shirt on top of the pile in the bag and walked into the bathroom, closing the door to flip the lock on it. 

 

Taking several deep breaths, Carmen slid her panties off and stuffed them in her purse before undressing the rest of the way, including her bra.  Slipping the t-shirt over her head, she moved to the sink and took the brush out of her purse, pulling her hair up to pile on top of her head because she was already overheated.  Then, she took her toothbrush out of her purse, thankful she carried a small one with her for emergencies, and brushed them quickly before splashing cold water on her face. 

 

Taking a few of her makeup removal wipes out, Carmen wiped it all away before washing her face again, staring at her reflection back in the mirror.  Tossing her things back in her purse and throwing the makeup wipes in the garbage provided, she walked out, setting her bag on the side of the bed.  The t-shirt rested just above her knees, so it did cover her lower half, but the curve of her cheeks could clearly be seen through the material.

 

“Bathroom is all yours, handsome.”

 

That shirt was hugging her plump thick backside and Jon had a hard time pulling his gaze from that particular area of her body.  She had a backside meant to be grabbed and squeezed on.  He was wise enough to keep all that to himself because no woman wanted to be told she had a thick backside, even if it was meant in a good way.  Not to mention, the way his shirt draped along her unconfined breasts…Hell had arrived in female form for him.

 

“Thanks.” Jon was relatively clean given he hadn’t wrestled, so he didn’t bother with a shower, just changed into a pair of boxer briefs and a pair of black sweatpants with a t-shirt and a pair of socks.  He frowned when he pushed open the door, beginning to brush his teeth while studying her. “Hey, rifle in my bag and get yourself some socks, babe.” This floor was ice cold.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

He nodded, gesturing for her to get the socks and Carmen complied, leaning over and didn’t realize the shirt had rode up JUST enough to give him a glimpse of one of her bare cheeks.  Jon now knew she didn’t have panties or a bra on.  It was done innocently and she did not see Jon biting his knuckle while she pulled the socks apart to slip one on her foot, pulling it up since it was huge.  Then she did the same thing with the other foot, the socks reaching mid-calf.  They were the long ones, not the ankle ones, so they’d keep her feet and part of her legs warm.

 

“Thank you.” Standing from the bed again, Carmen pulled the comforter back and felt Jon standing directly behind her, picking up the pillows to fluff them a bit. “Wanna watch a movie or something?  Hopefully the storm didn’t knock that out.”

 

Tease!  Carmen was teasing him!  Jon supposed, after all these years, he was fortunate she hadn’t been doing it all the time…he groaned, trying to focus on flossing his teeth and coach down an erection before joining her out in the room.  There was no way she didn’t realize her shirt was coming up, it reached just above her knees and she didn’t need to bend THAT far.  Jon was gathering she was purposefully teasing him because his bag was on the top of the bed, then standing on one foot and balancing precariously to slide on those socks was just OBSCENE!

 

“We can try.  I saw there were DVDs to borrow in the shithole lobby and there’s a player attached to the TV.” This was THAT kind of motel.

 

Chapter 25

 

“What?  They don’t have pay-per-view here or anything?” She turned to look at him, not realizing just what kind of issues Jon was having at the moment.  He shook his head and she waved him off dismissively, not wanting him to leave the room. “No, you’d have to venture out in THAT,” Carmen pointed at the window where the snow was coming down in buckets, shaking her head. “It’s fine, we can just watch whatever is on the television, the channels this place offers.” No, she really didn’t know the t-shirt had ridden up that far, not really paying that much attention. “Turn whatever you want on.” It was his room and she could always play something on her phone, slipping in bed under the comforter and propped the pillows up against the headboard to settle in.

 

This really wasn’t THAT kind of motel.  There were the decent ones that offered the flat screen and full on cable package, pay-per-views optional.  This was…not that.  Everyone walked outside to reach their room, they had the old clunker television sets with built-in DVD or VCR players, the really heavy square ones, and there was always a possibility of bed bugs.  Not that there was here, that was the first thing he checked in every motel and hotel he went too.  Jon dropped down on top of his own bed, not bothering with under the blankets and flipped aimlessly through the channels until they actually got something that came through with sound and wasn’t too bad.

 

“Hope you don’t mind science fiction…”

 

“Fine by me.  It works.”

 

It was background noise, something to fill the silence.  She grabbed her phone and started looking through her email, scrolling with her fingertip on the screen.  The wind was blowing so hard, it was rattling against the door and window, making the sound of a whistle.  Carmen couldn’t remember the winters ever being this bad in Maryland growing up.  Global warming and climate change were a big factor in the weather and both had gotten worse as the years have progressed.  That was what she thought anyway.  Deciding to shut her mind down for a while, since Jon was invested into the science fiction show that was on the box television, Carmen started playing a matching bubble game, keeping the volume mute, so she didn’t bother him.

 

Jon was honestly surprised she was pulling any decent reception or Wi-Fi here, given he figured the motel Wi-Fi would be iffy at best under decent conditions.  Then it occurred to him she could be using a booster or some weird technology that he didn’t understand because he wasn’t a tech guy.  Being rich definitely had its perks at times and she was one to utilize them for both business and personal.

 

Smart girl. Unfortunately for her, however, Jon got bored easily, especially with commercials and he rolled onto his side to look at her during one of them, propping his head up on his palm with his elbow on the bed. “What’re you doing, sugar mama?”

 

“Oh, you cocksucker…” Carmen growled, narrowing her eyes to the screen and held her phone up to show him the bubble game she was playing, currently. 

 

Even with the snowstorm going on and the type of motel they were staying in, her phone still had excellent reception.  Verizon was the best of the best, in her opinion.  It wasn’t an iPhone either, she hated those damn things and would stick with Android until the day she perished.

 

“I’m trying to finish this level and this panda isn’t making it easy for me.  You have to match the colors with the balls like this,” She suddenly stood up and moved to his bed, sitting beside him, so he could see it better. “See?  You swipe your finger and you can aim the ball where you want it to go and if you do it right, all the balls of that color in a row will fall.  There’s other things you can use to explode the area and shit too.  Wanna try it?”

 

“So, you’re playing a video game…” Jon had a few games on his cell phone and rarely used them unless he was really bored, which meant he was generally waiting on something or in a line. “Sure,” Really bored, he took the phone from her, eyeballing it and swiped after a moment. “Why is there a fucking panda in this game?  Who okayed that?” He got why she was growling ‘cocksucker’ at her phone, feeling like he might echo that after a few more swipes.  He got why people got addicted, they just wanted to beat the annoying panda. “Cocksucker!”

 

“I know, right?!  He just won’t get with the program and give you the colors you NEED, only the colors you don’t.” It really was addicting and she could see Jon was getting annoyed at the panda, who refused to play ball. “Please don’t break my phone, Moxley.” Carmen cautioned in between giggles, leaning back against the headboard with him and watched as his finger continued swiping to get the balls to break. “You know what?  I have an idea.  You see that green fucker up there?  Hit that with your green ball he just gave you and I bet you’ll get a lot of points and balls to fall that way.” Sure enough, Jon listened and they both did fist pumps when the level was finally conquered. “Onto the next one!”

 

“Nope, you do it.” Jon passed the cell phone back over, though he shifted over to give her more room as he sat up properly instead of being half-cocked the way he had been after rolling back.  He watched, resting his chin on her head as she began taking on the next level, scowling at how easy she made it look. “I feel like the special kid right now.” He chortled, knowing he wasn’t exactly the best when it came to playing games on small devices.  Jon had big fingers, she had tiny, delicate ones. “They need bigger screens for this…” He bet it was tablet compatible and inwardly groaned; this woman was going to get him addicted to a damn game! “You smell nice.” She had something soft in her hair, like leftover perfume or something.

 

“So do you.  It’s always the same smell with you.” Leather, sandalwood, and a hint of cigarettes…it was intoxicating.  Carmen snuggled against him, resting her head back on his chest while continuing to play the game. “And yeah, this is compatible with a tablet.  I play it on mine a lot when I’m unwinding.” In fact, her tablet was back at the hotel she was supposed to be staying at, along with her laptop.  Right now, all she had was her phone and Jon. “Ugh, fuck this panda!” She muttered when she lost again, tossing her phone on the bed and turned her head to look up at Jon, locking eyes with him. “I really missed you…and I’m not talking about the ring either.  I missed YOU, your text messages and hanging out with you after shows.  I know I’m not yours, but…you’re my best friend, Jon.  I was lost without you and I’m really glad you’re okay.  And if I’m gonna be stuck in a motel room with one other person for a day or two because of a snowstorm raging outside, I’m glad it’s you.”

 

“Yeah, could be worse, you could be stuck with someone who isn’t as charming and handsome as I am.” Jon rolled out of the bed to retrieve his cigarettes.  Also, to get away from her, her warmth and her scent, specifically.  Going sex free for months at a time had been a bad idea because now he was shacked up with a gorgeous woman who desired him. Fuck…

 

Walking over to the window, Jon cracked it enough to blow smoke out of after lighting up, inhaling deeply.  Then groaned when the cherry fell off onto his shirt, immediately peeling it off before relighting.  He made sure the shirt wasn’t on fire before tossing it on the small circle table beside him, muscles flexing from the basic motion.

 

“Want one, babe?  I promise to pack them better.” He was doing that now, packing the box of smokes against his palm while he smoked the now less dangerous one.

 

“Sure, yeah…”

 

Nicotine was sorely needed at the moment, especially when he peeled that shirt off to show off his well-defined chest.  Jon had gotten into amazing shape while in rehabilitation and that cleanse did him a world of good.  No matter how hard she tried not to, Carmen could not stop herself from giving him a slow scan, lighting up her own cigarette with his help from his lighter.

 

“Thank you…”

 

Taking the longest drag she could, Carmen closed her eyes and held it in before blowing it out the window into the gusty, snowy wind, trying to calm her racing heart.  The temperature in this room had increased several notches and the icy air felt amazing against her heated skin, especially standing this close to Jon, both sharing the crack in the window.  Jon was pretending not to notice and also coaxing his dick to not try popping a tent.  He wore boxer briefs for a reason, better confinement without total restriction and in sweat pants…nothing was ever hidden, that was a fact.  Considering they had cranked that old heater the second they had gotten in, this room had warmed up quite well, probably not helped by the fact that she was trying to set him on fire.  He had moved, so he wouldn’t ogle her or have a reaction, so much for that.  Smiling at the window, he stared out into the snowpocalypse they were having and could feel his resolve weakening drastically. 

 

Damn woman, temptress that she was. “Hot, babe?” He asked, his voice coming out softer, huskier, than usual.

 

Don’t do it, DON’T FUCKING DO IT, CARMEN!! “No, I’m fine.” Her voice was also softer than normal, the sexual tension between them so thick, not even the sharpest blade could pierce through it.  Feeling her body was already reacting, which was not a good thing, Carmen wasn’t wearing panties.  If she jumped on Jon, he’d just assume she wanted Jon Moxley the wrestler and not Jon Good, the man.  Not to mention their near three year friendship would go up in flames. “I’m gonna go to sleep.  Good night, Jon.” Flicking her cigarette butt out the window, Carmen moved past him and headed to her bed, swiping her phone from his bed on the way and reached up to let her hair down since sleeping with it up wasn’t an option.

 

Christ, he was rock hard in his sweats and turned towards the window properly so one, she couldn’t see him and two, he was hoping the cold, biting wind coming in would take care of his issues for him.  If anything, it seemed to make it worse, not doing anything to chill his molten blood down.  He smoked a second cigarette, just to give them both time and finally, he flicked it out to join the other two that were already buried from the snow still heavily falling and shut it.  Turning to look down at Carmen, she was facing away from him, beneath her thin blankets and he was having issues with not climbing in that bed with her.  He almost wished the heater didn’t work, just so he’d have an excuse.

 

Carmen wasn’t the least bit tired, but she had to keep her distance from Jon, staring at the wall.  The wind was whistling outside, the television was on low with that sci-fi channel on it, so at least it wasn’t completely quiet in here.  She wasn’t stupid either.  She could feel Jon’s eyes boring into her from behind and didn’t dare turn around to look up at him, instead staying right where she was beneath the blankets.  Every nerve-ending in her body was ignited by tiny flames just from being close to him.  The way they played the game on her phone earlier so innocently and then he abruptly stepped away for a smoke that forced him to take his shirt off, thanks to that damn cherry falling, set her body ablaze.  Her eyes widened when her bed dipped and she knew it was Jon crawling in with her, not knowing what to do. 

 

Gently, Carmen rolled to lay on her back and felt her heart skip a beat at those electric blues penetrating right through her.  Not saying a word, her hand reached towards him to touch his bearded face, stroking his bottom lip with the pad of her thumb and hesitantly, with a feather-soft touch, slid her hand from his face down his Adam’s apple to his chest.  That chest hair…she longed to feel it on her fingertips and felt her mouth go dry, resting her hand over his heart.  All the while, her breathing had changed, quickened, and she was sure Jon could hear how fast her heart was thundering against her chest at that moment.

 

Jon studied her face intently, already half-committed to this even though common sense was ringing in the back of his lust addled brain.  They had a friendship after an unusual, awkward start, one that had lasted three years thus far.  Sex messed up friendships, it brought out feelings that may or may not be real because endorphins were a factor, and it could make things awkward too.  They had gotten past that phase quite some time ago, did he really…yes, yes he did.  He shut that voice the hell up and lowered his head, telegraphing his intentions to give her time to stop him if she wanted to, but Carmen didn’t, just like he knew she wouldn’t.

 

The second his lips met hers, sparks flew.

 

WHAT THE HELL WAS GOING ON?! 

 

Why was Jon kissing her?! 

 

Why was this happening?! 

 

Carmen kissed him back for a minute or two, then broke it and shook her head, the alarm bells ringing in her head. “W-Wait…”

 

This was the LAST thing she ever expected to happen between her and Jon.  He made it clear he didn’t have sexual encounters with fans.  Even though they were friends, she was still his fan and always would be, that would never change.  Not to mention, she was in love with this man and Carmen knew damn well he didn’t feel the same way about her.

 

“W-What’s gotten into you, Jon?  We’re friends, remember?  Friends don’t…do this, don’t kiss each other like you just kissed me.  Christ…” She was still a fan of his and last she checked, Jon did not bed his fans, even if she was a good friend of his.

 

“Some friends do.” Jon argued in a low rasp, not at all fazed by her very light protests simply because the woman had been ogling him only moments ago, trying to set his muscled backside on fire with her bedroom eyes.  If she really didn’t want him or this, she’d use a firmer tone and actually set boundaries.  Just like he had and it occurred to him while kissing his way down her throat, he felt her hands cupping the sides of his face, almost as if she was torn between kissing him and pushing him away. “And we can be really friendly…”

 

Holy hell, this t-shirt she had on felt as if it was 100 degrees and she really wanted it off, but there was nothing on underneath.  She was completely naked without the shirt.  It wasn’t the shirt igniting her in flames, it was Jon.  Completely sober, in his right state of mind, Jon, and he wanted her.  Carmen had burned so long for him, ached for him, and let out a soft moan at the feeling of his lips against her skin.

 

“Really friendly, huh?”

 

Jon nodded, moving those sinful lips of his back up to her jaw and cheek, their eyes locking again.  There was no turning back if they did this and, as far as she was concerned, they were already way past the point of no return.  The moment he kissed her, they reached that point, so fighting what she truly wanted was foolish.  Pulling the t-shirt up over her head, Carmen tossed it away and kissed him this time, pressing their bare chests together, skin on skin, and wrapped one arm around his neck while the other slithered down between them to start stroking his cock through the thin pajama pants he had on.

 

“I want you, Jon.”

 

Chapter 26

 

That’s what he thought, not overly surprised by how weak the protesting was.  The woman had propositioned him years ago almost right out the gate.  He knew Carmen still held a candle for him, still desired him, and what was one night?  If one night broke their relationship, their friendship, then maybe they hadn’t been very good friends to begin with, right?  Jon wasn’t thinking clearly obviously, not with her hand wrapped around his throbbing erection or the scent of her filling his nostrils.  What man could?  He kissed his way down her throat, along her collarbone, as his hands moved to take those beautiful breasts against his palms, feeling her nipples hardening instantly.

 

So long…it’d been so long since the last time a man touched her like this. 

 

Carmen was far from a virgin, but pleasuring herself and using toys was not the same thing as an actual dick penetrating her.  Actual sex, she hadn’t experienced it in several years, not finding the desire to.  Deep down, she knew the real reasoning and it was the very man kissing and touching her, bringing the woman inside to life once again.  This would not ruin their friendship because Carmen refused to lose Jon out of her life.  If all he wanted was one night with her, she’d take it gladly and enjoy, relish, every second with him.  Arching her body into his hands, Carmen felt him leave a trail of fire down her neck, chest, his mouth replacing one hand on her breast to swirl her nipple around with his tongue. 

 

Moving, she lay down on the bed to give him better access and massaged his shoulders, her black hair splayed all around her. “I want to make you feel as good as you’re making me feel, handsome…” She moaned out, watching as he moved to the other breast, giving it the same treatment.

 

“Patience…” He growled, in no hurry to pull away from these luscious breasts that deserved to be worshipped.

 

Having no idea about her sex life, Jon figured a woman as gorgeous as her wasn’t lacking for any suitors.  Not to mention, she had propositioned him once, without a hint of shame, so he was assuming she wasn’t afraid of one night stands.  Truthfully, he hadn’t had sex prior to rehabilitation for a bit because alcoholism was awful.  A person couldn’t have sex IN rehabilitation because that was against a lot of rules, and he had been walking the straight and narrow since getting out.  

 

Until now – now he wanted to say screw it all and go to town on her.

 

Carmen surrendered everything to him, not holding anything back, and closed her eyes the moment Jon leaned up to capture her mouth with his again.  She could kiss this man all day, every day and night, for the rest of her life and die a very happy woman.  The taste of him, his smell and touch, the way he pleasured her breasts had her reeling.  With Jon hovered over her, they kissed for what seemed like forever, his hands caressing every portion of her body he could reach. 

 

When they needed oxygen, the kiss broke and he teased her neck, her throat, the other side of her neck, back to her breasts again, then moved back up to continuing kissing her.  Again, whatever he wanted to do, Carmen would not stop him and melted further into the bed, into him, finally reaching down between them to start stroking him through his pajama pants again. “Jon…please…I need you…” Either his mouth or dick, it didn’t matter to her, but if he didn’t do something soon, she was going to burst into flames.

 

It was probably a good thing they had that window cracked still, – it hadn’t shut all the way because of the powerful wind – even if just a fraction because he could feel the heat emanating from her writhing, flushed body.  It was threatening to set the bed aflame if something wasn’t done soon.  Jon knew this was likely a onetime deal and since they had already crossed the not so invisible line in their friendship, he might as well go ahead and smudge it entirely.

 

“Mmm, how much, Carmen?” Jon growled in a teasing tone, his gritty rasp a little more pronounced as he began kissing his way down her body.

 

Her breathing was ragged from all the kissing and teasing, it was hard for her to talk, but Carmen managed to do it somehow. “More than…anything in this world…I’ve wanted this since the night I met you…” That was obvious since she had propositioned him the second time they met, and he turned her down, only to flirt with a bar fly that night.  Good times – NOT!  Still, it had been the foundation that their friendship was built on, as messed up as that sounded. “I’ve burned so long for you…Jon, please…” She gasped at the first hot breath blown against her inner thigh, not even directly on her pussy, and she was already fisting the bedding, doing her very best not to flood the bed before he had a chance to properly taste and fuck her. Don’t pass out, this is probably the only time this will happen with him, so make it last and worth it.

 

Already juicy wet, drenched, he could see, courtesy of the bedside table lamp still being on, the damp glistening along her pussy slit, and he hadn’t even gotten to the best part yet.  Well, second best part, Jon was one of those men who loved to eat pussy, providing it was a clean kitty and he knew she wasn’t some STD ridden skank.  That wasn’t who Carmen was as a person.  He took his own sweet time, they had all night, probably all day tomorrow too.  This snowstorm wasn’t going anywhere and neither were they.  Jon puffed against her in three quick successions, just blasting her with the warm air and smirked when her thighs began quivering.  He let out an appreciative rumble from deep in his chest before finally tasting her with his tongue for the first time, slamming his eyes shut.

 

“Oh fuck!” She gasped out, fisting the sheets with her hands because there wasn’t enough hair on Jon’s head to grab onto. 

 

Holding her down with his forearm when she began moving her hips, his tongue lapped at her clit and flicked it repeatedly.  When was the last time a man took the time to taste her like this and took his time with every move he made in the bedroom?  Jon was predatory and she was his delicious prey he was devouring piece by piece, inch by inch.  It was exquisite agony Carmen was in because he’d start driving that tongue in and out of her at a fast pace and then slow down deliberately, making her whimper out, her fingers burying in her ebony tresses.

 

“Jon!  Oh there…oh right there…” Don’t stop!  Please don’t stop!

 

Using his free hand, Jon began fingering her clit, going in slow circles while tongue fucking her, purposefully coaxing her to that edge.  He had no intentions of stopping, teasing and tormenting was all fun, but getting someone right to that edge and then denying them was a dick move.  Unfortunately, he had that done to him countless times by women thinking it was sexy; no, it was frustrating and wont to make him do something absurd.  Preferring to make the woman climax once he got her there and then KEEP going, that was the edge he liked pushing towards.  That pleasure that led into almost pain and back again, not the other way around, was exquisite.

 

This man was SKILLED at what he did and Carmen could not remember the last time she came this hard in her life.  She was panting, feeling her climax building rapidly with his fingers and tongue combination, finally feeling that euphoria overtake her as her eyes slammed shut. “Ooohhhh YEAAAAHHHHH!!!” It rocketed through her body intensely, making her shudder as her hot juices flowed right into his greedy mouth, barely feeling him drinking her dry while trying to catch her breath. Don’t pass out, holy fuck don’t pass out!  Breathe! Her body was coated in a fine sheen of perspiration, glistening in the dim lighting from that lamp and just stared up at the ceiling, trying to get her heart rate back to normal, along with her breathing.  When Jon didn’t stop and continued coaxing her pussy into another orgasm, Carmen’s eyes flew open directly down at him and it did not take long for her before another climax struck. “JOOOOONNNN!!!”

 

The woman was a squirter, which was an ego booster beyond anything.  Jon finally wrenched his soaked face away from her quivering, now thoroughly wet, pussy, staring up at her with darkened blues.  He ran his finger up along her slit before popping the digit in his mouth, growling appreciatively at the taste, and then got off the bed.

 

“Here.”

 

He was giving her recovery time, to breathe.  Carmen, his beautiful sugar mama, was flushed and heaving, coated in a fine sheen of sweat and he passed over a bottled water while snatching up a cigarette for himself, lighting it quickly.  He took a few rapid puffs, watching her chugging from that bottle as he began tugging down his sweats with his free hand to unveil is rock hard cock.

 

“I-I haven’t…holy shit…”

 

Pressing a hand to her sweaty forehead, she took the cigarette from him after he took another drag and took one herself, having sat up because lying flat was not a good idea to try to catch her breath.  She took another one before handing it back to him, slipping it between his lips while taking a few more swigs of that water.  Carmen was no longer shy and moved as quick and fluid as a cat, swinging one leg over as soon as Jon was as naked as she was to settle on his lap.  He stubbed his cigarette out, blowing the smoke out to surround them and she captured his mouth with hers, pouring everything she felt into it.  She didn’t stop kissing him and guided him down on the bed this time, taking control of the situation.

 

“My turn, just lay back and enjoy this, handsome…” Caressing his hairy chest, Carmen kissed him sensually and slowly, addicted to his lips.  Then, she began making her way down his strong jaw to his neck, while rubbing her aching pussy up and down the length of his cock, lubing him up. “As much as I want your dick in my mouth and to swallow you whole, I want you inside of me a lot more.” She spoke against his lips, continuing the grinding of her pussy against his cock and dipped just his tip inside of her before pulling back. “Christ Jon, you feel so good like this…” And then, she sank her pussy all the way down on his cock and gasped at the burning sensation, the girth of him, trembling slightly at how FULL she felt.

 

Promptly lifting her off of him, his piercing blue eyes fastened on hers as she began whimpering in protest. “Oh no, Kitten,” She reminded him a cat, all lithe and languid, swaying her backside at him every time they seen each other. “I’ve been thinking about that mouth on my cock for a long fuckin’ time.” Too long if he were being honest, not that he was admitting that outside of his head.  Every time she got mouthy with him, quipped at him, Jon usually imagined a fun way of shutting her up and if this was going to be their one and done…fellatio first.

 

“Yeah, you’ve thought about it a long time, huh?  Good to know I’m not the only one who fantasized about fucking you and sucking your dick…” Pressing soft kisses to his hairy chest, Carmen nuzzled it affectionately and slid her hands down his strong arms and back up again. “I just hope I don’t disappoint you with my skills…” They were sort of lacking since she hadn’t been with a man in…four or five years?  Somewhere around there. 

 

Carmen wasn’t the type of woman to sleep around, not when she had trust issues with people and a toy that took care of her needs.  Moving further down his chest, she flicked each of his nipples with her tongue and looked up at him, wondering which one he had to sew back on when he was in the Indies.  Leaving a trail of fire behind on her way further down his long, delicious body, Carmen teased him the way exact way he did to her.  Eventually, once she was satisfied with the torment, Carmen finally arrived at what she really wanted and began kissing all around his pulsating cock, straddling his legs near his knees, so she was at the perfect height and view to do this job assiduously.

 

“Spectacular…let’s see how you taste, Jon…” Sliding her tongue up the length of him, starting from the bottom and moving up, her mouth engulfed his tip and sucked the pre-cum dripping from it, moaning around it.

 

If he had his cell phone in hand, Jon MIGHT have snapped a picture or two, maybe captured a quick video, with her permission, for spank bank material later.  Or maybe to prove to himself that this did actually happen because tomorrow he was going to be pinching himself, wondering if he had a very vivid, sex dream.  As it was, he was going to have to do it the old-fashioned way by committing everything to memory.  He kept his hands up, folding them beneath his head as he watched Carmen, his own breathing becoming erratic the second she actually took him properly in her mouth.

 

Far too big to fit completely, Carmen gave it the old college try anyway and managed to get a good chunk of Jon’s cock down her throat without gagging.  He tasted divine, combined with her own essence, and slowly began driving him in and out of her mouth, bobbing her head.  It wasn’t fast, she kept the blow job at a rhythmic pace, just like Jon had done to her.  It looked almost painful for her to do this, even though it wasn’t and the humming she began to do around his cock, vibrating his entire body, told Jon she was thoroughly enjoying giving him a blowjob.  Her hand reached down to start playing and fondling his balls gently, then gave them a little tug, a little squeeze, never once stopping the blow job itself.  One way or another, this man was exploding directly down her throat and she would swallow him whole, or as much of him as she could.

 

“Now focus on the tip, Kitten…”

 

There was no point in killing herself trying to swallow him whole; that was a porn star thing and Jon felt bad for the men who honestly believed it happened ALL the time in real life sexual situations.  Unless of course, a woman wanted to be gagged that well and have spit, cum, and whatever else oozing out of her mouth, then more power to her.  If that was a kink of Carmen’s…he would do his best to help her with it, as much as he could without damaging her.  Not exactly a small man, in ANY regard.

 

“That’s it, run your tongue along my head….”

 

“Like this?” She purred, locking eyes with him before doing exactly as he requested, flicking her tongue slowly back and forth on his tip, making him hiss and growl in response. 

 

Good, that was just what she wanted from him and slowly, Carmen began working him further and further into her mouth.  It wasn’t nearly as much as before because she was taking her time, pulling back to tease his head and suckled on it, loving the taste of him on her tongue.  Jon was very well-endowed, as she suspected, just from the pants he wore, especially the tight ones.  She had an inkling of what he was packing and it still blew her expectations away.  Sliding her tongue up and down his length while continuing to massage his balls with her hand, Carmen pretended he was a delicious popsicle and took the tip of him in her mouth again to suck on it more.

 

“Mmm, just like that, Carmen…” Jon had no qualms whatsoever about raising his voice in the bedroom. 

 

He was too old to not speak up about what worked or didn’t work for him.  Hoping his partners, sporadic as they were these days, did the same because the last thing he wanted was to be fucking or making love to a woman who was bored or uncomfortable, yet too shy to speak up.  One hand came out from beneath his head, gently entangling in her luscious hair as he watched her, his breathing coming out less controlled as she went.  He was going to be stopping Carmen here soon before he exploded like a teenage boy in her mouth.

 

Did he want to explode in her mouth, take a little break, and then have sex?  Carmen would not stop unless he said something and, sure enough, a few minutes later and Jon was hauling her up on top of him, crushing their mouths together and rolled to where she was beneath him, the kiss not breaking.  Apparently, he wanted his first time climaxing to be inside of her and that warmed her from the inside out, her hands caressing him everywhere she could.

 

“Jon…” She gasped out once his lips tore from hers, giving her the oxygen she desperately craved and needed, both of their breathing erratic. “Please…please fuck me…I need you…”

 

“Wait.” Jon hadn’t once made this slip in all his adult life and he wasn’t about to start now.

 

He was a lot of things, but irresponsible about not using protection wasn’t one of them and for a very simple reason: Kids interfered with wrestling and wrestling was his number one love.  Especially now that he was in prime condition and happy where he was again in life.  He reached over onto the nightstand where his wallet was and pulled out a condom, wiggling his eyebrows up at her.  For all his ways and insanity, he had at least one priority right as he ripped it open with his teeth.

 

Carmen nodded, waiting patiently for him to slip that condom on and was thankful he’d been thinking about protection. “I’m on birth control, just so you know.” She informed him while he was slipping it on, smiling. “I probably should’ve said something sooner, but…I didn’t think this…would happen…”

 

She was about to have sex with Jonathan Good, the man of her dreams and who she was in love with.  There was no going back once this happened and everything about their friendship was about to change forever.  Sex changed things, that was just the way it was.  Jon finished, making sure it was on securely and captured her mouth with his, her legs instantly parting for him.  The moment he began sliding inside of her, fully sheathing himself, Carmen completely lost her breath and was pretty sure her heart skipped a beat or two, her nails digging into his shoulder blades while her body slowly adjusted to his size.

 

As far as Jon was concerned, things only had to change if things got awkward between them after this, which was a huge possibility given the nature of how their friendship had started.  He had this thing in his head where he could just go back to how things were prior to tonight and that’d be that.  No harm, no foul.  Plenty of friends had dipped into benefits before, this was no different.  Jon grit his teeth, his body angled just so he had a view, as he slid into her, watching her slowly swallowing him and then he just rested, feeling her nails, and raised a brow up at her.

 

“You okay?”

 

She smiled at his thoughtfulness and nodded, leaning up to softly kiss him. “Never better.  Just…been a while since the last time and…you’re huge…” Holy hell, her cheeks were flaming red and she could feel the burning while Jon smirked back at her, already knowing she was stroking his ego. “It’s been like four…five years since I last had sex, so…” Damn it, her mouth was running away with her again, especially when Jon’s eyeballs widened down at her. “F-Forget it, just…don’t stop and go easy on me until I adjust…”

 

Chapter 27

 

There was a reason for her not having sex for four or five years, somewhere in that area, and Jon could think it was about him, but it wasn’t.  Her last breakup had been horrible, the man had only been with her because of what she could give him, not because he loved and cared about her.  He used her for her riches and then she’d caught him cheating, which obviously ended the relationship.  Ever since, Carmen decided to rely on herself to get off with sex toys and even her fingers because no man was worth the time and effort.  Her trust issues ran deep and she never thought in a million years she’d actually be in bed, having sex again, let alone with her favorite wrestler and the man she was in love with.

 

Tomorrow would definitely be awkward because Jon was aware she loved him and he was making an educated guess that the past four or five years of no sex was potentially associated with him.  Prior to that, no clue, but he knew she was traveling a LOT and she had friends, but she also seemed to be a bit of a loner, so…her business.  Jon was getting his head back in the game, so to speak, focusing on her body and not her blurting issues.  Sometimes those were amusing, sometimes awkward.  Just in case, he captured her mouth and anything else that might come out, in his, kissing her passionately and felt her moaning into his mouth, which was just another ego boost for him.

 

For the next two days, they were stuck in that motel room together and there was a LOT of sex.  There was no awkwardness because they could not keep their hands off each other and it was a great way to pass the time.  In the bed, in the shower, on the dresser, against the wall, even on the carpeted floor…by the time they were plowed out and could leave, Carmen was a little sad since the time had gone by so fast.  They had eaten the snack food and drinks Jon had, along with using the vending machine outside of the room as well. 

 

Honestly, Carmen was STARVING, so she treated Jon to a meal before he took her back to her hotel.  As they sat there once he parked outside of it, Carmen turned to face him and didn’t realize this would be the last time they spoke for quite some time.  Being with Jon intimately also put something into perspective for Carmen as well…and it was a very bitter pill to swallow along with a dose of harsh reality.

 

“Thanks for the ride, handsome.” Leaning over, she brushed her lips softly against his cheek before grabbing her purse to slip out of the rental, closing the door with a heavy heart.  As he drove away, Carmen finally let the tears spill down her cheeks, the emotions out she’d kept bottled up, and wiped them away. “Goodbye Jon.”

 

It was over. 

 

There was no way she could be friends with a man she was in love with and he would never see her as anything more than a fan of his who had finally gotten a piece of Jon Moxley. 

 

He would never see Carmen as a woman who was in love with the man, not the wrestler, and as much as it broke her heart, she knew this was the right thing to do…for both of them.  No more shows, no more text messages, no more visits…Carmen was moving on with her life, without Jon in it, and would always cherish these past two days with him.  But she could not have him in her life without having the entire package…she wanted it all or nothing.  And right now, it was nothing when it came to Jon Good.  Heading inside the hotel, Carmen checked out, thanking the staff for everything, and then booked the first flight back to New York City.

 

Obviously, Jon saw Carmen as a woman and he knew she was in love with him or at least she thought she was.  She wasn’t the weirdo, potentially crazy stalker fan anymore, obviously, he wouldn’t have made friends with her and been friends this long if she was.  Jon, totally unaware there was anything wrong, hit the road for his next stop.  The weather had delayed his departure, not that he could help that, and it was probably a good thing for that delay and subsequent ‘down time’.  Those intense sexual bouts with Carmen had left him pleasantly lethargic and even overworked in some areas.  Totally worth it.  

 

He’d give her a call or text in a day or two, let them both process what they did and if things would be changing. Wouldn’t mind doing that again…

 

~!~

 

A week later, Carmen was in Florida walking on the beach when her phone went off against her hip.  So far, she had stuck to her word, even though Jon hadn’t bothered reaching out to her since their time in Washington DC.  Her dreams had been consumed by those two days snowed in, having sex in every position known to man.  The things she let Jon do to her…it made her heat up at just the thought. 

 

Carmen had surrendered everything to him, not holding anything back, and loved every second she’d spent with Jon.  And she missed him…she missed him so damn much and thought about texting him several times, always stopping herself.  The vow she made had to be kept before she gave any more of herself to him, or what was left.  Sure enough, looking at the screen, there he was with a text message. 

 

Hey NS.

 

And every part of her wanted to respond to him, so like an idiot, she did. Hey handsome, how’s it going? Just like always, they were back on track, picking up where they left off.

 

She got a picture a second later of his current view, which was the Red Rocks.  Jon was currently back in Las Vegas with Blue, sitting outside after a hike and having a cigarette while Blue basically tried taking over his lap. Sorry for Blue’s fat head in the way, he’s been missing his Daddy.  I’m GLAD to be somewhere with decent temps. Though, they had also found some awesome ways of staying warm and keeping themselves occupied and entertained. Where you at this week, sugar mama? If she was smart, the Bahamas or somewhere scorching.  They’d be heading back to his truck here in a few, he was just enjoying the breather for a moment and wanted to reach out to her.

 

Tampa, Florida area.  Setting up the new office for the interior designing and whatnot.  I’m on the beach right now, actually, taking a walk.  Your dog is really cute and those Red Rocks look amazing. Jon looked amazing with the Red Rocks in the background, but she decided not to text that, not sure where they stood after Washington DC. 

 

He called her NS and sugar mama, so obviously, they were on good terms.  Her vow not to talk to him again had flown right out the window.  When it came to Jon, there was zero willpower and Carmen both loathed and loved it at the same time.

 

“Do I dare tell him I miss him?” Frowning, she hated second-guessing herself about these things and decided against it, stopping to stare out into the ocean water.

 

Naturally, Jon was shirtless, he had peeled his top off a while ago.  It was on the ground beside him, soaked in his sweat along with his Bluetooth earbuds.  Some days he hit the gym hard, others he worked on cardio and stamina with hikes and mountain biking.  About the only time he hit treadmills and weightlifting, or CrossFit, was when he was stuck somewhere and Jon needed to NOT be bored with his surroundings.

 

How many offices do you need, woman? Wouldn’t one home office be enough with tiny branches on different coasts? NVM, I’m a dumbass. He had literally just answered his own question in his head with his wonderings.  Multiple offices made sense with the juggernaut company she had.

 

She chuckled at his first text and then even harder at his second one, plopping down in the sand since she loved the feeling of it. One office for every state we do business in, of course.  And you’re not a dumbass.

 

Weren’t they past the whole text messaging stuff?  Somehow, it worked for them and she enjoyed whenever he texted her.  Very rarely did they talk on the phone, it was always through text.  Maybe Carmen liked it because the sound of a voice couldn’t hide emotion the way fingers and emojis could.

 

“I promised myself I wouldn’t do this anymore and what am I doing?  Exactly what I told myself I wouldn’t!  I’M the dumbass.” Carmen muttered, hating how powerless she felt against this one man who had made her question everything about life from the moment they met. I didn’t think I’d hear from you after DC.  I’m glad I was wrong in that assumption.  I had an amazing time with you, Jon.  And I wouldn’t mind doing it again, if you’re up for it. WHY THE HELL WAS SHE DOING PROPOSITIONING HIM AGAIN?!

 

What the fuck is she doing? Jon rubbed the back of his neck, then growled down at Blue, who was nudging at the hand that held the cell phone. “Don’t you go nose dialing, jackass.” He pulled the phone away from his dog, eyeballing it. That hurts, sugar mama, just because I gave you the best sex of your life doesn’t mean I’m just going to bounce on your ass. He had invested three years into this woman, did she really think he was just going to throw away their friendship over some snowed-in, amazing, fireworks were everywhere, sex?

 

Jon didn’t know about her past with men and Carmen wasn’t sure if telling him through text message was the best way to do it. “Probably not.” So instead, she did something she normally didn’t do…she stopped texting him and pressed the call button, waiting for him to answer. “I can’t…relay this to you through text message, Jon.  I’m sorry I thought that way about you.  I should’ve known better, especially when it comes to you.  And you did give me the best sex of my life, just so you know, and I’m not stroking your ego any more than that, handsome.” His chuckle resonating in her ear made her do a full body shiver that coursed through every part of her body, starting from her head and working its way down to her toes.

 

The only time anyone needed to tell someone about past partners was if the topic came up somehow in conversation or if they were planning on hopping into a relationship with someone and needed to make some things clear.  Jon never bothered correcting her assumption about the bar fly three years ago being a woman he knew, but had never slept with.  He did flirt with every woman, it was habit; he just didn’t sex them up.  Rarely mentioning past relationships, what few he had dabbled in because it never seemed relevant.  He didn’t spaz and he didn’t have trust issues; he had ‘get to know you’ issues and she was aware of that; she had to deal with it.

 

“C’mon, you think I’m going to toss away three years of friendship with my favorite non-stalker over some amazing sex?  That would have been a LOT of work on my part just to get into your panties.”

 

“Yeah, but since I’m the supposed now non-stalker, wouldn’t it be the other way around?” Carmen joked, making him snort and she laughed in response, squishing some sand between her toes.  Jon could make her laugh about anything, even if it was supposed to be a serious conversation.  There was no point bringing up her past relationships, not when they weren’t in a relationship of any kind, just a very interesting friendship. “I mean it, you’re my best friend and I feel bad for thinking that way about you.” It was bad enough she had planned on cutting him off cold turkey after what happened between them in DC.  THAT she was taking to the grave with her because Jon did not need to know her intentions.  What he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him, as the old saying went. “Anyway, since the next pay-per-view event isn’t until March, I was wondering if you wanted to maybe meet up somewhere on your next days off and have some more of that amazing sex.  Unless you want to wait until March, which is fine too.  What do you think?”

 

“I still have to work, even though you cut your visits short to just those pay-per-views.”

 

Her ‘best friend’ comment had sent up a red flag.  The woman had friends, close female ones at that, her receptionist and Chris.  Hell, she was even friends with Jessica now!  The fact that she considered HIM one of her best friends was just odd because he was the first to admit, he could be a horrible friend.

 

“Not saying I’m not interested in amazing sex with you again,” So long as it was just sex, they could do that, right? It was really, REALLY amazing. Holy hell had it been!

 

“And I don’t?  That’s why I said on your days OFF, not while you’re working for the other promotions or whatever.  I know you’re getting back into the swing of things after being gone for so long, so we’ll go by your schedule.” Carmen was the boss of her company and could take time off whenever she wanted.  It was the beauty of having such an amazing team that worked together and gelled.  Not very many companies had the solidity Diamond’s did. “You know my number, so whenever you have a day or two off straight, let me know and we’ll meet up somewhere.” Carmen knew better than to mention his house, deciding it could be one of hers. “We can stay in any of my houses, I don’t have any issues with that, just so you know, unless you prefer hotels or motels.  I’ll leave that up to you as well.”

 

“I’ll let you know, babe, I’m doing downtime right now.” Jon valued that, especially when he was able to come home to Vegas; it was the perfect place for him because any kind of mood he was in, Vegas had something for it.  Granted, he didn’t drink anymore and since coming out of rehabilitation, he hadn’t ventured into the actual city outside of necessities.  Jon wasn’t sure if he was ready to face THAT temptation, it was bad enough he had already caved in on the alluring Carmen Diamond…and damn it, temptation is a bitch! “Maybe in a few days, yeah?  Nowhere cold though.”

 

Carmen agreed and they talked for a little while longer before hanging up since Jon wanted to continue what he was doing at the Red Rocks. “I really shouldn’t have called him.  Fuck.” Sighing, she slid her phone back into her bag and continued on her walk along the beach, hating she had gone back on her vow so quickly.  All it took was one text message and that was it. “I’m screwed…so incredibly screwed…” Jon only wanted sex from her, that was clear as day and Carmen hated that she’d given into him simply because she was in love. 

 

In love with a man she could have sexually only. 

 

Screwed wasn’t the word…she was completely fucked.

 

Chapter 28

 

The office was coming along nicely for the interior designing, so Carmen decided to check in with the real-estate office, just to make sure everyone was doing what they were supposed to while she was gone.  She had her own office at every building associated with Diamond’s and sat down behind her desk, firing up her computer. After some much needed updates, she began looking down the list of clientele and didn’t look away from her screen when a knock sounded at the door.

 

“Excuse me, Miss Diamond?  There’s someone here asking for you.” Alisa said shyly, keeping her eyes lowered a little. “He’s a pretty big guy and…a little intimidating…”

 

Was Jon here?

 

“Send him in, Alisa.  Thank you.” Carmen requested with a smile, checking her face in a mirror really fast to make sure she looked all right and applied some gloss for good measure.  Imagine her surprise to see none other than ‘Hangman’ Adam Page waltz through her door moments later, looking like the hot, delicious cowboy he was with those golden curly tresses and bright baby blues. What is he doing here? “Hello, Mr. Page, what brings you here?”

 

Stephen had absolutely no idea that he had just inadvertently broken her heart by being the wrong man to walk through the door.  He just flashed her a cheerful grin, recognition in his blue eyes. “Been a minute since I’ve seen you, girlie.” His eyes widened when he realized who she was and he had seen the name on the building.  It had never really occurred to him this was her company. Holy shit! “I uh, heard you’re the one to go through for luxury properties.” He felt almost shy about saying that, his voice softening a little.  Doing well for himself financially, Stephen wanted to splurge on something he’d own, in theory, forever.

 

“You heard, huh?” She smiled, gesturing to the seat in front of her to take and he obliged, both sitting down at the same time. “And who pray tell told you about my company?”

 

“Jericho, actually.” He blushed a little, rubbing the back of his neck somewhat awkwardly. “Said ya were the best when it came to real-estate.”

 

“Well, that’s very sweet and kind of him to say, but I’ll let you be the judge of that.” Carmen pulled out some paperwork from a folder in her desk, plopping it in front of her and clicked a pen, getting down to business. “So, what exactly are you looking for, Mr. Page?”

 

“Oh, please call me Stephen.” He grinned at the look on her face, chuckling from low his throat. “Yeah, catches people off guard, but Stephen is my real name.”

 

“Of course it is, sorry about that, Stephen.” That would definitely take some getting used to as she started asking him a few questions about what kind of property he was looking for. “So, you’re interested in the property being in Florida and would prefer to have an ocean view, and you’re looking for a ranch type of house, is that all correct?”

 

“Yeah, I know they can be hard to come by…”

 

The ocean and all, there were special requirements and he had already looked into the insurance.  That was going to cost an arm and a leg, but given the hurricanes here, there really wasn’t a choice.  A lot of wrestlers wound up based in Florida just because of how convenient it was for their job half the time.

 

“I was told I may have to build something.” That wouldn’t be a bad idea, but he also knew that’d take longer and he wasn’t looking to spend another year where he was at currently. “I honestly never…” Stephen stopped, clearing his throat when she gave him a curious smile. “The first time I met you, I never woulda realized this was your job…your company…” She had looked like anyone else.

 

Right now, in this moment, Carmen didn’t look anything like she did that night.  She had on a black pencil skirt and a cream colored buttoned up blouse that was tucked in neatly about the waist.  Her hair was swept up on top of her head in a neat bun and her makeup was on full display, looking flawless and perfect, but also it wasn’t caked on either.  This was Florida after all and, even in the winter months, which they were now in, it was still warm.

 

“Never judge a book by its cover, that’s what my Mom always used to say to me.” She smiled wistfully at the memory of her mother, wishing every day her parents were still alive. “And as far as these being hard to come by, well…it depends on what your price range is.  Because it just so happens we recently acquired a few properties that might fit what you’re looking for, if you’re interested in looking at them.  But first, that’s what I need to know, what is your price range?” When Stephen told her he really didn’t have one and he was ‘winging’ it, that made things a lot easier. “Well then, hang tight a minute while I round up those properties for you to take a look at, cowboy.  Since it’s early, we could even go to a few of them today, so you can see them in person, if you’d like.”

 

Well, if he would have been judging her by her cover, she would have been just any other wrestling fan, albeit a beautiful one who didn’t show off any weird things or tendencies.  At the time, Carmen Diamond had seemed a little put on the spot and sweet.  She was very much a confident businesswoman right now and he was out of his depth, a little awed if he were honest.

 

“I’d like that, honey, if anything catches my eye.” The endearment slipped out easily enough, the way her ‘cowboy’ nickname for him seemed to flow from those glossy lips.

 

A few minutes later, Alisa walked in with the stack of paperwork she had requested for the newer properties and Carmen thanked her, looking through them. “Okay, look at this one and tell me what you think.”

 

Handing him the paperwork to the first property she came across, their fingers slightly brushed together and Carmen would be lying if she said she didn’t feel slight sparks.  Stephen was incredibly attractive and built like a brickhouse, those blue jeans looking painted on that he had on.  Carmen leaned back against her desk, waiting patiently for him to finish looking over all the information and then shook his head, asking to see another one.  She handed it over, tossing the first one behind her on the desk.

 

“I have two others for you to look at after this one.”

 

Unlike Jon, Stephen’s awe and out of depth mindset didn’t make him feel uncomfortable or that he wasn’t good enough for her, to be near her, let alone talk to her.  No, his was based in admiration and definitely out of his depth because this woman ran a multi-million dollar business and THAT was beyond his paygrade.  Stephen reviewed each file meticulously, eyeballing basically everything.  Now, he wasn’t a businessman or a construction guy, but he was a country boy with the basics and a lot of learned knowledge.

 

“These two.” He laid them out for her.

 

Carmen grinned at the choices, nodding her head approvingly and took the papers from him, looking over the information. “Great, give me a few minutes to call each property to make sure it’s all right to go look at them and then we’ll head over.  I’ll take you.” She had nothing else going on today since her meetings had been in the morning.

 

“Ya sure that’s all right?  Don’t ya have better things to do?”

 

“Nope, if you’re going to become a new client of Diamond’s, you deserve nothing less than the best treatment and it just so happens my schedule is free for the rest of the day.” Carmen sat back down behind her desk and picked her cell up, already dialing the first number on the first property. “Besides, I haven’t had the opportunity to see these properties in person, so there’s no time like the present.” Winking, she waited for her call to be answered and spent the next ten minutes on the phone with both properties while Stephen sat there, waiting patiently. “Green lit for both, ready to go, cowboy?”

 

“Yes, ma’am.” Stephen gave her another cheery smile, pushing himself up from the chair when she stood up.  One thing about him was he was a true southern gentleman, his Momma had raised him right.  When a lady stood, the man did too because it showed respect. “You sure you’re free to do this?  I know you must be busy, being the boss and all.”

 

He had heard from Chris that this was a company with multiple offices because they dealt basically everywhere from personal to business real-estate.  When Carmen nodded, he knew to stop pushing or asking because the woman knew what she was doing and he also knew not to go overboard on the chivalry.  Swiping up his hat to replace it on his head while she got around, he then moved to open the door for her.

 

“We’ll stop at the front desk and Alisa will run your credit and gather all the paperwork you’ll need to fill out should you decide to buy one of these properties.” Carmen explained, leading the way out and stopped in front of Alisa’s desk, turning to look up at Stephen. “Alisa, please take down Mr. Woltz’s information for a credit check.  I want you to run that as well as gathering the paperwork together that he’ll need to fill out.”

 

“Yes, Miss Diamond.  Anything else?”

 

“No, that should do it.  Thank you and feel free to buy the entire office lunch on the company card today.”

 

Alisa grinned with a nod, immediately taking down all of Mr. Woltz’s information she’d need.  A few minutes later, Carmen and Stephen were off to see the first new property with her driving since she knew the area like the back of her hand.  Him, not so much.  He didn’t seem to mind it either as she drove her Rolls Royce, one of her favorite cars she had in Florida to drive around in.

 

“So, what made you decide that Florida was the state you wanted to buy property in, if you don’t mind me asking, cowboy?”

Stephen wasn’t sure why they needed to run his credit if he was planning on either buying outright or paying such a high deposit that the rest would be paid off in about 5 years.  He didn’t like the idea of steep monthly mortgage payments, not on one house.  If he had multiple like Chris did, he could see the benefit of doing monthly payments.  However, Carmen knew what she was doing and he was deferring to the expert, realizing he probably hadn’t made his preferences there clear to her.  Stephen had said ‘no object’, not ‘outright’.

 

“No, I don’t mind,” This was a very nice car and he had removed his hat again, it was resting on his knee. “Work reasons for one, a lot of us move this way, and then the other is I’ve grown to like it here.  Made a lot of friends here and I decided I’d like to stay on permanently.”

 

Any real-estate company would’ve run his credit, it was just part of buying a house, even if the person was paying for it outright in cash.  They still had to run the credit report.  It was just part of the entire process and if Stephen did buy one of these properties, he’d be drowning in paperwork when they returned to the office, after putting down an offer.  Steps had to be taken when buying a house, the legalities were annoying, but worth it in the end.

 

“Florida is great.  I’m sure you won’t be disappointed in either one of these properties.  I actually have a house right here in Tampa that I absolutely love and it’s right on the beach.  One of these properties isn’t far from it either and it’s a foreclosure, so it won’t be nearly as expensive as it normally would be.” Carmen explained, really hoping none of this was going over Stephen’s head and turned left as soon as the light gave her the green arrow. “Where do you live right now?”

 

“West Virginia, currently.”

 

“Ah, one of the few states Diamond’s isn’t associated with.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Just never seemed to find a lot of business in that state, unfortunately.”

 

“Probably wouldn’t be worth it given the topography of my darlin’ Virginia.” He chuckled, knowing there was a LOT of hills, steep inclines, and mountains.  It was not uncommon at all for houses to be shored up with supports on one side, just to avoid sliding during the muddy, landslide seasons.  Insurance there was way higher than here, given that land erosion was a serious problem as the elements beat away on those already fragile land areas people seemed to like building on. “So, normally, when I hear foreclosure, I think of a house that wasn’t maintained…” Hard fact in the ‘normal’ market was if someone couldn’t afford payments, then they likely couldn’t afford upkeep either. “I’m guessing you don’t deal in that kind of foreclosure.”

 

“Absolutely not.  Before we agree to sell anything, we have the property inspected thoroughly, inside and out.  Now the buyer can hire their own inspector as well, which we do encourage because nobody is perfect, but Diamond’s does have a great reputation for a reason.” Carmen assured him, refusing to sell anyone lemons because then Diamond’s reputation would be flushed down the drain.  She would not be a billionaire and controlled a successful company if all she sold were lemons. “Trust me, Stephen, I would never steer you wrong and I promise I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you’re as satisfied as possible.  And just so you know, a lot of work was done to this first house we’ll be looking at.  All new appliances, new roofing, basement was completely redone, backyard and landscape too.  The pool was replaced and there’s even a hot tub as well, amongst other things you might like.”

 

“Oh wow, that seems like a lot.” Though he was also excited.  

 

Unlike Jon, when she said trust me, he didn’t scoff and inform her that he didn’t trust anyone, Stephen just nodded.  Carmen was the expert here and he was deferring to her.  He had read reviews on the company after Chris had recommended it, he just had never associated it with her.

 

Chapter 29

 

Pulling into the driveway, Carmen stepped out and slid her sunglasses on over her eyes and guided Stephen to the front door, sliding the key in the lock to open it.  Pushing it open, she allowed him to step inside first and followed, closing the door behind her.  The house was an open floor plan with the kitchen off to the right, living room to the left and in the middle was the dining room.  New hard wooden floors, appliances, carpeting, painted walls, the works.  It was all redone, just no furniture besides the appliances. 

 

Stephen looked around, looking a little in awe by everything, especially with how big the kitchen was.  Deciding to save the backyard for last, Carmen lead him down the corridor to show him the two bedrooms.  It was a four-bedroom, two-story house, and the beach was his backyard, just like hers.  Only this house was designed a lot differently than hers since she had hers custom-built.  They headed upstairs and Carmen told him about everything that had been changed, according to the notes from the Diamond’s realtor that scooped this up for the company. 

 

The master bedroom was upstairs and it was accompanied with its own master bathroom that had a huge garden tub and a see-through shower, all brand new and the tile had been replaced as well.  There was also a balcony attached, where there could be a little sitting area set up that overlooked the ocean.  Walking up behind him while he stood on that balcony, Carmen enjoyed the ocean breeze flowing through her hair and had pushed her shades up to rest on top of her head.

 

“What do you think so far?  We still have the backyard to see.”

“Honey, I seen it and it’s all sand and ocean.” He retorted, but followed her around to the backyard, regardless. 

 

Stephen had noticed the beach front when they came in, it seemed like it was so much.  Of course, he knew beaches were usually public property, so he had no idea how things worked.  He didn’t own the ocean that was attached to ‘his’ beach.  Not that he was complaining, Stephen didn’t want to be responsible for the damage that beautiful yet deadly water could do to property and people.

 

“Oh good goddamn, it’s gorgeous!” Stephen physically stopped when they turned the corner, surveying what was indeed a yard that gently sloped down towards the beach.  

 

Someone had definitely invested in this backyard and cared for it because it was lush, green, and he wasn’t sure if it was something native to the area or installed, but it was beautiful.  There was an inground pool as well and it was gated for privacy.  Nobody would be able to see in the backyard, just like her place.  The company they had hired to do this landscaping did a phenomenal job and she grinned at the look on Stephen’s face, gesturing to the pool.

 

“Now, I know you have the ocean in your backyard to dive into, but take it from me, sometimes, there’s nothing better than just having your own private pool to dip into.  The hot tub as well, I’m sure you’d appreciate that due to the job you have.  I really do love this backyard, they did such a great job.” Carmen would be giving the company a huge recommendation for the job they did.

 

“I’m not too big on the hot tubs, that’s a take it or leave it item for me.” Yet another thing different from Jon and, at her raised brow, he shrugged. “I don’t know, I just don’t like being in really hot water.” Stephen never had, it felt stifling to him, like being both boiled AND steamed alive. “The pool, however, is awesome.” Now he liked swimming in the ocean, for brief periods of time.  Stephen was from an inland state, so he never worried about sharks until Florida. “You swim in the ocean?  I got this fear of sharks ‘n shit,” He chuckled, turning so he could stare out at it though. “But she sure is beautiful.”

 

“Indeed, and this area isn’t known for sharks, as far as I know.  Now this place is more modernized, as you can see, but I still think it would be a great fit for you.  However, we do have one more property to go see, unless this is it for you?” Stephen turned to stare down at her with those beautiful ocean blues of his and Carmen felt her heart skip a beat, a warmth flooding throughout her body.  That hadn’t happened since Jon, not even her ex-boyfriend made her feel the way both Jon and now Stephen did.

 

“Nah honey, I think I’ll check it out, just to make sure I’m not missin’ out on somethin’.  This is a very nice place, though.” Stephen had one of those panty-dropping smiles and had no idea the effect he was currently having on the raven-haired beauty standing in front of him.

 

She smiled at his answer and nodded in understanding, leading the way back inside the house. “Let me lock this place up and then we can head over to the other property.” That one, she had a feeling, Stephen would fall in love with simply because it had a more…western and southern feeling to it than this place.  After locking everything up, they slid back into her Rolls Royce and headed off to the second property.

 

By the time they reached their destination, Stephen had got her engaged in talking about these lock boxes.  He had used them maybe once before when vacationing and he had openly admitted to her he had accidentally broken the thing.  Little black lock boxes that one punched in a code on and then it popped open to reveal the house key, those things were meant for people with smaller fingers.  She seemed amused with him, assuring him it was something a person got used to the more they did it.

 

“So, they just install them now for selling houses and such?  They get removed when the house sells, right?  I don’t know if I could handle embarrassin’ myself every time I came home.”

 

She giggled softly, pulling into the driveway, which had a rich tan color to it that looked beautiful in the sun. “Yes, you’ll have an actual key once you buy the property.”

 

Carmen found Stephen charming and funny, two qualities in a man that were hard to come by these days.  It was a plus in her book that he could make her laugh.  What the hell was she thinking?  Stephen was a client, he wasn’t interested in her and besides, she had Jon to think about.  Granted, Jon hadn’t contacted her in a few days, but she knew he was busy working and traveling on the road.  Eventually, he’d contact her again like always, even if they had to wait until Revolution to meet up again.

 

“Come on, cowboy, I think you’re really going to like this place.” Leading the way up to the front door, she unlocked the door and stepped inside, immediately gauging Stephen’s reaction as soon as he stepped through past her.

 

Jon didn’t even know it yet, but he was being upstaged by a blue-eyed cowboy who was near the polar opposite of him in likes and personality.  Another man was giving Carmen, his sugar mama, the same warm and fuzzies that he usually gave her.  Only without the slight bitterness to it because she was convinced she would never hold his heart the way he held hers.  With Stephen, there was none of that.  Stephen knew she was an AEW fan, a Moxley fan, and he didn’t care.  She was also a beautiful, brilliantly smart, vivacious woman who had shown she was multi-faceted and so much more than what she appeared at various times.

 

“Well, so far, so good.” He was aware she was studying him and beamed down at her, winking when her smile broadened.

 

The interior was a warm, rich brown, all different shades of it, with carpeting in the living room and bedrooms, everywhere else was slick, beautiful cherry wooden floors that were polished to perfection.  The backyard also had a pool, but no hot tub and it was fenced in, but it wasn’t on the ocean.  Now the ocean itself was only a few blocks away, so it would be up to Stephen on whether or not he’d want the ocean in his backyard. 

 

This house, unlike the other one, was one level, with three bedrooms, instead of four, and also an open floor plan with a kitchen, living room, dining room, and laundry room, along with a huge pantry.  The bedrooms were down the long hallway and there were two bathrooms, one in the master bedroom with a tub and shower, just like the other place.  This house also had a basement that was fully redone and could be turned into a second room or whatever Stephen would want to do.  It took them an hour to look through the entire place and once again, they wound up outside, the breeze a little cooler since the sun was starting to set on the horizon slowly.

 

“There’s no rush with this, cowboy.  There are other properties we can look at if these two aren’t to your satisfaction.  You can take as much time as you need to think things over.” It was a huge commitment after all and the last thing she wanted Stephen to do was go in over his head.

 

“Well, out of these two, I like the first one better,” A hot tub wasn’t a deal breaker for him, it just wasn’t a necessity either. “But I am going to think on it.” Buying a house of this magnitude, given the cost, wasn’t something you made an impulsive decision on.

 

Yet another thing he wasn’t like Jon on.  He took his time to think things through and didn’t generally jump that first impulse.  Stephen had patience aplenty.

 

“If there are any others coming up, I’m willing to look.  You got anyone else on the market looking at that first one?” He asked, knowing if he was competing against other buyers, then he may not have the luxury of patience.

 

“Nope, not yet.  You’re the first one to look at it.  And I won’t put it on the market until you decide if you want it or not.” He raised a brow at her and Carmen shrugged with a smile, having the power and authority to do that. “I’ll give you three days to decide, that should be enough time for you to figure out if you want it or not.  Sound fair?”

 

“More than, honey.  Didn’t expect an offer like that.”

 

Carmen was really surprised Stephen didn’t like this place better than the ocean property, but to each their own.  Perhaps he wasn’t as much of a cowboy as she originally thought. “Right now, those are the only two properties, but I’ll look again when I get back to the office and if I find another, I’ll call and let you know and we’ll set up a time to go look at them.  Sound good to you, Stephen?”

 

The view was what had him sold on the other.  He was from a place where everywhere he turned, he saw beautiful mountain ranges, and every season brought its own stunning coat for those mountains.  Stephen loved the ocean and the gentle horizons where one could look for miles and the view not be obstructed like with his mountains.  Virginia would always have a soft spot in his heart and he knew when he got a hankering to see the mountains, he would, but he was also falling in love with the sea.  That beautifully done backyard, the little oasis, had been icing for him.  He also preferred the extra bedrooms in the other place, eventually looking to settle down and have a family.  Unlike others, he knew what he wanted from life.

 

“Sounds great, honey,” Stephen fanned his face with his hat, eyeballing the watch on his wrist. “You got time for a coffee, Miss Diamond?  Maybe something to snack on.” He flashed her a grin, famished and he would definitely not mind the company.

 

Would it be wrong to go out for coffee with Stephen?  No, why would it be?  Carmen was a single woman and could do whatever she wanted, including having coffee with this gorgeous cowboy. “I’d love to, Mr. Woltz.” She grinned, hooking her arm through his offered one and headed back out to her Rolls Royce. “I know the perfect little bistro with the best coffee and it’s not far from here either.  You don’t mind if I pick the place out, do you?”

 

“Not at all, honey, I’m open to anythin’.”

 

Not only did they have coffee and something to snack on, but they wound up eating dinner since it was around that time.  Carmen couldn’t remember the last time she had such a great conversation with someone, let alone felt comfortable with them.  With Jon, there was this…tension between them because of how deep her feelings ran.  With Stephen, there was no expectations, no tension, and it was so nice to be herself, both talking about whatever came to mind.  Talking about wrestling should have made her nervous since Stephen was a wrestler, but honestly, it felt right to do it with him.  She answered questions he had and Stephen did the same thing, being completely open and honest with her, not holding anything back. 

 

Then again, Carmen didn’t ask him anything too personal and was mindful of his privacy, though she did ask him a little about where he resided in Virginia.  The way Stephen talked about his hometown, where he grew up, made her enamored and she listened to everything he said, giving him her undivided attention.  Three hours later, after eating a fantastic meal with dessert and coffee, they finally left the bistro and it was night out, the moon fully lit in the sky.  Stephen admitted he didn’t want the night to end yet and asked if she’d talk a stroll along the beach with him, which the bistro was right on, and she responded by taking her pumps off, their hands linked together.  Truthfully, she didn’t want the night to end either and grinned when Stephen did the same thing, taking his boots and socks off, admitting how great the sand felt between his toes.

 

“I have to admit, I didn’t think my day and night would wind up like this, but I’m really glad it did, cowboy.” Carmen murmured softly while they started walking slowly along the beach, just enjoying each other’s company and looked up at him. “What about you?”

 

Another way to look at it, or it COULD have been if they hadn’t gone for a decidedly semi-romantic stroll along the beach, was that she was building a relationship with a potential client, which was just smart business.  As it was, Stephen was becoming quite attached after the afternoon and evening spent together.  He didn’t even look at himself as her client anymore; they had talked too much and, in his humble opinion, ventured outside of that professional realm.

 

“I was not expectin’ any of this,” He conceded quietly in a slow drawl, contemplating how they had gone to seeing houses to walking along the beach in their bare feet. “It’s been a good evening though, I’m glad you didn’t shoot me down when I asked you for coffee.” He smiled down at her, gently brushing a stray strand of hair off her forehead.

 

“Same here.” Was it possible to like a man while being in love with another?  If it wasn’t, then Carmen had no idea what she currently felt towards Stephen because it was more than just a friendly vibe. “I want to also say thank you for…not judging me just because I’m a fan of wrestling.” Jon had done that, several times, keeping her at arm’s length because of that fact.  Granted, she had somewhat stalked his events, but at the same time, she had a genuine love for wrestling and enjoyed watching every aspect of it. “I know there are a lot of crazy people in the world, but I promise you I’m not one of them.  And that’s exactly what a crazy person would say, isn’t it?” She started laughing, shaking her head and stopped walking with him to look up into those gorgeous sky blues. “I’m rambling now, I’m sorry…”

 

Chapter 30

 

Stephen’s brow was furrowed a little as he studied her face, wondering where all that had come from. “Honey, why would I think you’re crazy?” He asked, genuinely curious why she would even think that.  

 

He had no idea about her stalking Moxley; that was something neither Mox nor Jericho ever bandied about the locker rooms, so that was information between her and Jon.  He wasn’t aware that even now, three years into their friendship, Jon was still digging that needle in.  Even if he meant it in a playful, teasing manner, by calling her ‘non-stalker’, never letting her forget how they had met.

 

“I don’t care that you’re a fan, why would I?”

 

“Because there’s a lot of crazy people in the world and some fans take things a step too far with the wrestlers.  I would never do that, but…the stigma around fans is pretty brutal.  That’s why when you asked me out for coffee, without any hesitation, I was shocked.  I didn’t expect it.” Did she tell him about her traveling all around going to every wrestling event Jon wrestled in?  What would Stephen think of her? “And I may be a little crazy.  I never realized it until about three years ago and it’s the reason I stopped going to so many wrestling events live.” Releasing his hand, Carmen turned to stare out into the ocean and decided to be honest with him, unlike Jon, who still didn’t really know her motives behind attending all of his events since his Indie days.

 

“My parents were both diagnosed with cancer when I was younger…and wrestling was my only escape from it.  When they died, and I inherited the real-estate company, it was nothing like it is now.  I devoted myself to building the company as high and big as I could…and that required a lot of traveling…and my favorite wrestler was Jon Moxley.  I attended every one of his events live because I enjoyed watching him wrestle, but I also enjoy being in an arena or an outdoor event in general.  I love the atmosphere, the electricity of the crowd…it was an escape for me.  With all the money in the world, I…I felt like it was all I could do, so I didn’t drown in my grief over losing my parents.” Pulling out a cigarette from her purse, Carmen lit it up and took a long drag from it before continuing.

 

“Then I met Jon about three years ago at an event in Moline, Illinois.  Totally random chance, my rental car wouldn’t start and I was parked in the VIP parking area, and it was the Shield’s Last Stand event they had on the WWE Network.  It was his final WWE match in the company.  Then about a month or so later, another random encounter ended up with none other than Chris Jericho sitting on the hood of my car while he was talking to Jon in the parking lot and I was in my car when it happened.” Carmen chuckled at the memory, remembering how boisterous Chris was and Jon had his guard up, thinking she was stalking him. “He called me a stalker, in a joking way, but…he was right.  I didn’t even realize what I’d been doing all these years, I just enjoyed what I was doing and didn’t give a damn.  That’s why when AEW Dynamite rolled around, I decided not to attend the Dynamite shows anymore, only the pay-per-view events.” She took one final drag of her cigarette and stubbed it out in the sand before picking it up with a Kleenex, stuffing it in her purse. “Still think I’m not crazy, Stephen?”

 

Jon had thought that was a lot to be dropped on someone he wasn’t very close to, someone he had just met.  Chris had even agreed at the time, years ago.  Stephen, much like Jessica had, didn’t think much of it because sometimes, people overshared or they just felt comfortable to give a detailed explanation, with the background information to support said explanation.

 

“No.” He answered simply because it had never occurred to him that she could be a stalker. 

 

Stephen had approached her not as a wrestling fan, but as a successful businesswoman in the business he currently needed: Real-estate.  If he thought she was a stalker or some crazy fan, – He had known from the day he met her when Mox had brought her backstage that she wasn’t a fan of his – he wouldn’t have bothered seeing through the houses after realizing who Diamond’s Real Estate belonged to.

 

“It sounds like you were lonely and grieving, that doesn’t make you crazy.”

 

She did not fault Jon or Chris one bit for thinking the way they did.  Everyone was entitled to their opinions and the way they felt.  It was just really nice not to be judged right off the bat and it did help Stephen was not a stranger.  She didn’t know him well, but they weren’t strangers and she’d said hello to him a few times when backstage at the events over the past three years.  Currently, this beautiful cowboy was the AEW World Heavyweight Champion and yet, he was possibly the most down to earth human being she’d ever met in her life.

 

“Really?” He nodded to assert what he said and closed the distance between them, stroking her face with the back of his hand.  That felt nice as well. “So, if I told you that I’m also a fan of yours now that I’ve watched you the past few years, that wouldn’t wig you out or make you think otherwise?”

 

“Naw honey, it just means you finally came to your senses and developed good taste is all.” Stephen chuckled, wondering if it would be too forward to kiss her after only technically knowing her for about half a day. “Whatever you were told, by Moxley,” He was a gentleman and normally would have said ‘by whoever’, but that wasn’t an option since she had told him quite directly.  It was easy to guess and assume everything else that probably came out of the wild man’s mouth.  Mox was NOT known for being tactful and polite. “I would take with a grain of salt, you’re not crazy and you’re not a stalker.  You’re not the kind of woman who creeps outside a man’s house, snappin’ pictures and tryin’ to get in at him.”

 

At least he understands where I’m coming from.  Maybe Jon does too, he just has a different sense of humor. “In his defense, he has every right to be cautious because of horrible past experiences with other fans.  He’s had fans carve themselves up for him, back in his Indie days before he went to WWE.  I actually never wanted to meet him, to be honest.  I never went to any meet and greets or signings, I always wanted to stay in the shadows, but…that didn’t happen or wasn’t meant to happen.  And now I’m here with you.” Carmen would not mind going out for dinner with him again in the near future, providing Stephen wanted to. “How long are you here for, Stephen?”

 

“A few days, until I leave for work, I actually live in the area in an apartment.” Part time, he also had a residence in Virginia, but was there less and less, it seemed.  It was one of the reasons he had decided to put that place up for sale or maybe give it to one of his relatives, rent it out or something. “Seems like renting is nice and all; I’m not in charge of maintenance and all, but I want something of my own.” He flushed slightly, reaching back beneath the hair to rub his neck. “I guess that wasn’t what you were askin’, you’re just easy to talk too.”

 

“So are you and you can tell me anything you want.  I mean, I rambled on for a good portion of time about my past.” She reached up, brushing a golden curl away from his cheek when the wind blew through it, caressing his face with her hand. “The reason I asked you that is because I would like to spend more time with you while you’re here, if you’re up for it.  I’m not talking about sex either, just so we’re clear.” Carmen made that mistake with Jon, she would not do the same thing with Stephen.  He was not the one night stand type, she could tell that clear as day. “I really like talking to you and…I feel a connection between us.  And I want to explore it more, see where this goes, unless you don’t feel the same way?”

 

Stephen was pretty good at reading people.  It had come from being a high school teacher as well as his college degree, which was a bachelor’s in communications.  He was not one of those guys who had thrown themselves into wrestling without a fallback.  Studying her face intently, gathering that she was not offering up sex, which was good, Stephen didn’t do casual sex either.  He was definitely old-fashioned and he knew it.  She wasn’t lying to him; she wasn’t even thinking of him as a client, that was clear as day. 

 

Nodding, a smile spread across his lips as Stephen moved to take her hand. “I’d like that, honey.”

 

They did not kiss that night under the stars and moon, with the ocean waves in the background.  Carmen meant what she said and had learned from her mistake with Jon.  Perhaps if she didn’t offer sex to him the first night they met, things might’ve been different.  Then again, Jon wasn’t a very trusting person and never had been. 

 

After their stroll on the beach, they headed back to the office, which was closed since it was late at night, hitting midnight, and Stephen was insistent on following her home to make sure she made it safely.  She thought that was incredibly sweet of him and they had already exchange numbers, so they could keep in contact.  Carmen looked back at him while he sat in his rental and waved before walking into her house, closing and locking the door behind her.  Not even 30 seconds later, she received a text message that made the smile on her face widen more.

 

Sweet dreams, honey, see you tomorrow night for dinner?

 

Yes, pick me up around 7, sound good?

 

I’ll be there with bells on.

 

Sweet dreams, cowboy, see you then.

 

Stephen was attracted to her physically, there were no two ways about it, but he wasn’t about to act on it immediately.  There was a definite connection between him and Carmen that went beyond just physical and he had meant it when he said that she was easy to converse with.  She was easy to be around period.  The woman wasn’t crazy and she hadn’t sounded insane, he wondered how Moxley could be so oblivious to the signs of being lonely after getting to know the woman past being a stalker, which sounded tentative at best.  So what if she had gone to every show, Carmen hadn’t waited before and after trying to get a glimpse of the man, attended meet and greets, none of the events a normal fan would do.  Everything a stalker definitely would do, she hadn’t and he recognized that straightaway.

 

Butterflies erupted in her stomach every time her phone went off and it was a new text message from Stephen.  They had spent every waking hour with each other over the next several days prior to him returning to work.  It felt so good to actually date someone who wanted to be with her and there was no awkwardness or tension.  It was super easy being with Stephen and he wound up deciding on buying the Florida home with the ocean view, which was just down the street from where she lived.  They didn’t just do dinner and the man had sent her flowers of different kinds each day they made plans to hang out and do something. 

 

Currently, her kitchen had another bouquet of beautiful white lilies set on the counter in a beautiful glass vase from Stephen.  It’d been a week since they started dating, three days since he had to leave to go back on the road, and they texted each other whenever each had a free minute.  Something told Carmen she would be spending a lot more time in Florida now that she was dating Stephen, though they hadn’t made anything official yet.  They were still in the ‘testing waters’ phase and she was perfectly fine with going slow and letting things progress organically.

 

Yet another thing about him that was different from Jon.  

 

Jon did not believe in spending every waking hour with someone, being up someone’s backside to that extent.  It screamed toxic and codependence to him, he was not that kind of man.  Stephen, on the other hand, enjoyed spending his free time with Carmen, knowing how busy she could be given her position as owner of such a sprawling company.  As they got to know each other better, he realized just how expansive her company was and, when she finally told him about her many different houses, along with various offices that operated throughout the country, it all made sense to him.  She also could afford the houses; she kept them cared for and, at the end of the day, it was her money, so it wasn’t hurting anyone else.

 

Stephen was the polar opposite of Jon and a romantic at heart, wanting Carmen to know he was thinking about her while they were apart.  He wasn’t too overwhelming with it either, it was the perfect mixture of romance and it worked, made her feel the warm and fuzzies.  They had spent three hours on the phone the previous night skyping while lying in bed, absolutely no sexual talk.  Just getting to know each other, their backgrounds and how they grew up, which Stephen found fascinating when it came to her. 

 

He would’ve never guessed Carmen came from the state of Maryland, of all places, which wasn’t too far off from Virginia, only a little less woodsy and outdoorsy.  Honestly, she loved the attention Stephen gave her because she knew, better than anyone, how lonely and bored the road and traveling could get at times.  If Stephen wanted to pass the time texting and calling her, Carmen would not deny him and wouldn’t admit it outside of her own head that his voice was like warm honey and she could listen to the cowboy talk for hours.

 

It helped, talking to her, with the loneliness of being on the road.  The loneliness, period.  When someone like him, who took sex and relationships seriously, who didn’t do the casual sex thing, on TOP of this job, being a wrestler, loneliness was inevitable.  Stephen had friends he hung out with, had beers after work with the guys, and that was all well and fine for friendship and stuff, but he wanted companionship of the intimate variety.  Not just sex, but exactly what they were doing now, what he was building with Carmen Diamond.

 

Another big difference between Stephen and Jon was the drinking aspect.  She had some beers with Stephen and alcohol always loosened tongues and relaxed a person a little more.  With Jon, she wouldn’t be able to have a few beers for relaxation because he was a recovering alcoholic.  Honestly, Carmen hadn’t thought about Jon since Stephen came into her life, so when she received a text message, two weeks later, from him out of nowhere, like usual, it surprised her…and made her feel a little uneasy.  What did he want?  It’d been over two weeks since they last spoke and that had been while she took a walk on the beach and he was in Vegas on ‘downtime’.  Now that she was talking to Stephen, was it wrong to keep talking to Jon?

 

He’s my best friend, I can’t just ignore him. Not after what happened in Washington DC between them, then Jon would really believe she was just after his dick.

 

Chapter 31

 

Hey NS.

 

Hey, how are you?

 

Busy as fuck.  Finally found a minute to breathe and wanted to check in.

 

“Why?  For what reason would you want to check in with me?” She snorted, rolling her eyes and was tempted to send him that, staring out the window of her Florida home with a cigarette between her fingers. I see, good to hear.  I’m just working in Florida and enjoying life, the same shit just a different day. With a sexy cowboy that wanted her for more than just casual sex, no less.  There would be no more casual sex with Jon now that she was talking to Stephen and getting to know him. 

 

If there was one thing about Carmen that was completely true, it was she was loyal and trustworthy.

 

It was only wrong if she was playing the field and not giving Stephen a heads up due to his monogamous nature, which she now knew all about.  As it was, it wasn’t uncommon for a woman to have male friends these days nor would Stephen hold it against her.  Any other man might’ve been a little wary and jealous given her history with Moxley, but not Stephen.  It helped that Mox was not the brightest color in the crayon box, not by a long stretch.

 

Jon wanted to check in because they were friends and that’s what friends did, especially after he had checked himself into and out of rehabilitation, without giving her a warning.  Also, those few days of delicious, snowed in sex, he didn’t want her thinking he had been weirded out or anything because she had offered a repeat of it. I’ll be heading that way, sugar mama.

 

Chewing her thumbnail, Carmen wondered if now was a good time to tell Jon about her and Stephen. That’s good, maybe we can grab a bite to eat together.  When will you be headed this way? There would be no sex between them because of Stephen.  Carmen wanted to see where this went with him and the few days they spent together were incredible. 

 

One thing Carmen would never do was cheat and she would feel like a cheater if she slept with Jon again while hanging out with Stephen.  It was more than friendship between her and Stephen, unlike her and Jon.  The snowed in sex was a one and done deal, they had to go back to being strictly friends and she would make that clear to him when they saw each other.  The thing was, even though she was completely in love with Jon, she knew he’d never want to be with her in a relationship and Stephen did.  She wasn’t in love with the cowboy, yet, but if they kept progressing the way they were, hopefully, her feelings for Jon would move to Stephen. 

 

Right now, she was in the ‘really like’ phase with Stephen.

 

Tomorrow, wrapping up here at home and getting Blue shelved away. Jon had been bouncing around with various wrestling organizations, reconnecting with some old friends, and in general keeping as busy as possible. I get to pay for dinner this time. He remembered their last meal, she had insisted on paying for it.  Hadn’t that been right after he had gotten out of rehabilitation and made his first appearance back?  Yes, he was pretty sure and Jon had taken a hard knock upside his head the other night, rattling his brain a bit. Snow completely optional. A grinning emoji was added to that last part.

 

“Damn him…” This would be hard for Carmen to do, but she couldn’t keep waiting, hoping, wishing for something to change with Jon. 

 

No, Stephen was such an amazing man and treated her well, and she enjoyed spending time with him.  Even though she was tempted to throw caution to the wind and fuck Jon again, she wouldn’t.  Stephen and she weren’t official at the moment, but it was only a matter of time before they were and she wasn’t stupid enough to ruin what could be a great relationship.

 

Sounds good, just let me know what time you want to meet and where and I’ll be there with bells on. She completely ignored the snow part of the text message and continued on with her day.

 

Obliviousness was bliss because Jon didn’t realize she had skipped out on the snow part of his message.  The way her response read, especially with the ‘bells on’ part, indicated she was open to more than just dinner.  Jon had been thinking about it and it’d been awhile since he had a fuck buddy or friends with benefit of any kind.  Honestly, he couldn’t lie, Carmen was at the top of the list of favorites for that position.

 

No invite to crash at your place? I’m crushed, Carmen, really. If she could see him right now, she’d see the amused, shit eating grin on his face.

 

“That’s not happening.  It’ll be tempting enough having dinner with him!” Carmen really had to stop talking to herself, tearing a hand through her black hair and took a deep breath, wondering how to respond to him. I’m sure you’ve already got a motel room setup just the way you like it, handsome. My place would probably be too posh for you anyway. She meant it to sound like a joke, but honestly, that was how she felt, especially after seeing the type of motel room he had in DC.

 

Just then, another text message came in from her sexy cowboy. Hey honey, had a minute and wanted to say hi.  Not lame, right?

 

It was little things like this that mattered and Carmen felt her heart fill with warmth. Not at all, I enjoy whenever you contact me, cowboy.  Never think otherwise, how are you? “I definitely have to tell Jon about him during dinner.  Well, maybe not WHO it is, but at least I’m seeing someone and we can only be friends from here on out.”

 

I’m good, honey. How’s my favorite girl doing today? Stephen liked checking in with her, reminding her that he was thinking about her.  Although, he was also a little concerned he might be overdoing it at the same time.  He didn’t want to come across as clingy or needy, especially with a woman like her.

 

Nuh uh, I haven’t gotten a room. You said we could stay in one of your houses last time we talked. Jon had never been to one of her houses, but he would admit to being curious, knowing each one was probably different from the other, all of them posh.

 

“SHIT!  Shit, shit, fuck, SHIT!!” Carmen cursed repeatedly, remembering that last conversation two weeks ago now that Jon reminded her of that part. “Fuck, I did say that.  I did tell him we could stay at one of my places…goddamn it!” Right sorry, I forgot I said that.  Been a few weeks since we last spoke and that’s fine.  I have plenty of rooms at my home and you’re more than welcome to stay here. He’d have his OWN room and would not be sharing her bed, especially after she told him about her new romantic interest.

 

Not wanting to leave Stephen hanging too long, Carmen responded to her hunky cowboy. Your favorite girl, huh?  That’s very sweet of you to say.  I’m doing well, just busy at work doing my thing.  I have the paperwork ready for you to sign when you’re off the road too. The people immediately accepted his offer, which wasn’t a huge surprise to her and Stephen had been practically giddy at the news, especially since they were just a few houses down from each other on the same block.

 

Jon frowned slightly, realizing that this was very…unlike Carmen.

 

He was usually the one who forgot things, not her.  She was usually very detail oriented compared to him, so what the hell was going on?  It almost felt like she was dismissing him and all things considered, he wasn’t sure how he felt about that.  Maybe she was feeling awkward or something after their last phone call because he didn’t immediately jump on her offer for another round.

 

Okay, cool. He’d just sort everything out with her later.

 

I’m looking forward to it. Apparently I got household shopping to do next.

 

Carmen giggled at that, ignoring Jon’s message because Stephen was more important right now.  They would see each other tomorrow and she’d sort everything out with him then.  For now, Stephen had her undivided attention. Yes you do and if you want, I’ll help you with that.  Just say the word. Was it too soon to tell him she missed him?  Would that be too forward?  Carmen hated second-guessing herself and she knew it stemmed from her time spent with Jon.  Stephen was not Jon and she had to keep reminding herself of that fact. I miss you and I can’t wait to see you again, cowboy.

 

The fact that she said those words, messaged them at any rate, made Stephen feel a lot better and less insecure about if he was moving too fast, too soon, or sounding like a needy man. I’ll let you know when I’m heading back that way.  Shouldn’t be too long. I’d like to take you out to dinner, as long as you don’t have plans. Stephen knew she’d eventually leave Florida for work or maybe just to go stay at another one of her places. Not leaving Florida anytime soon, are you?

 

Butterflies erupted as soon as she read those words and the smile on her face grew as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Not for a couple months at least.  I have a lot of work to do here for the new interior design building.  I’ll let you know if I have to go somewhere else. Unlike Jon, Stephen kept in contact with her and texted her at least once a day since his departure. And dinner sounds wonderful.  Maybe another walk on the beach too?  Whatever you want to do, I’m game, cowboy.  And don’t hesitate to call me either unless you’re more comfortable with texting.  Either one is fine with me. Did she tell him about dinner with Jon tomorrow night? “Maybe I should, just in case the Stalkerazzi is around snapping photos…” BTW, I’m having dinner with Jon tomorrow night and he’s going to stay at my house.  I just didn’t want you seeing photos of us out together and getting the wrong idea.

 

I appreciate that, Carmen. I’m not going to get the wrong idea. You’ve already explained your relationship with Mox to me, honey, you don’t have to explain anything else.

 

Point blank, Stephen trusted her and he knew she would tell him if she wasn’t interested anymore, if things weren’t working.  Or if Mox finally removed his head out of his backside and realized what a beautiful, kind woman he was losing.  He doubted it, if Moxley hadn’t pulled his head out of the clouds by now, he either really didn’t want her or he was just that oblivious, which would never change.

 

“He really is one of a kind, so sweet and thoughtful…and trusting.  He trusts me.  He doesn’t even know me and he trusts me…even after I told him about stalking Jon’s events…” Carmen murmured to herself, shaking her head in disbelief.  What was the catch?  Was there one when it came to Stephen?  Or was he genuinely like this without any front or motives behind him?  Only time would tell for those questions to be answered. Thank you…for trusting me.  It means more to me than you know, Stephen.

 

They hadn’t even kissed yet and she was already longing for that to happen, to really see if their chemistry was both in and out of the bedroom.  There was no way the chemistry was just from hanging out, that would crush her if they didn’t connect intimately.  Again, only one way to find out.

 

Stephen didn’t even think she had been stalking Jon so much as she had been lonely and enjoyed wrestling.  Then she had found a wrestler she really enjoyed watching and well…he wasn’t judging her.  Grief and loneliness, coupled with almost obscene wealth, had allowed her to stalk Mox, but she had never actually intruded on the man and hadn’t hurt him in any way.  The fact Carmen had told him about it, was upfront about everything, spoke volumes and made him trust her.  He smiled when he read the text, going to reply and then groaned when his name was called, getting up to get in gear.  

 

Carmen knew his schedule was hectic, but he felt bad leaving her hanging.

 

~!~

 

This was a cute little bar and grill Jon had picked out to have dinner at.  Carmen decided on blue jean shorts and a nice red sleeveless blouse that hid everything and didn’t tease at all.  She had big silver diamond hoops dangling from her ears and her makeup was on point.  Stephen had called her last night, spending over three hours on the phone with her just talking, getting to know each other.  He promised he’d leave her be since she had plans with Moxley, only for her to let him know he could text and call her whenever he damn well pleased, Moxley or not.  That had made Stephen laugh.  Stepping out of her Rolls Royce, Carmen had her hair up in a high ponytail that made her black tresses frame her face and barely brush her shoulders since she’d gotten a few inches cut off recently. 

 

Heading inside, she looked around and spotted Jon, even with his back to her, walking up to him. “Hey Mox, you haven’t been waiting long, have you?”

 

“Nah, just long enough to pick out where I want to sit.” Jon chuckled, which was away from the bar yet in view of waitresses, so if she wanted a drink, she could have one.  He was learning how to cope with that urge when it came upon him and, while he appreciated his friends skipping drinking around him, he also made it clear to them that he didn’t expect them to.  No reason for them to be punished just because he had overdone it to the point of becoming a full-fledged alcoholic. “You look gorgeous, babe.” Taking her hand, he twirled her around, letting out a whistle.

 

She blushed at his compliment, chuckling softly. “You don’t look so bad yourself, handsome.  Shall we?”

 

There was no way she’d drink around him.  It didn’t matter what the circumstances were, that was a very dick thing to do to someone who was a recovering alcoholic.  They sat down at the booth, which had a nice bay window and Carmen took her menu to peruse it.  Surprisingly, she had never eaten here before, but it looked like Jon had excellent taste.

 

“Good evening, what can I get started for you two?” The waitress asked politely, her pad and pen already out.

 

“I will take the raspberry iced tea with two lemons, please.” Carmen requested, waiting for Jon to put his own order in and the waitress headed off to get their drinks while they continued deciding what they wanted for dinner. “For some reason, I’m feeling like it’s a cheeseburger type of night and they have some scrumptious looking ones.”

 

“They have Philly cheesesteaks… I wonder how good one of those are from Florida…” Jon wasn’t necessarily picky about what he ate, but at the same time, there were certain things that just tasted best from a specific region or place.  Pasties in Michigan.  Chicago style pizza. “Or maybe whatever the hell this is…” He was eyeing his menu, glancing over it at her as she studied the burger section.  She had on the picture perfect makeup again, which made him think she had been in meetings today.  It wouldn’t surprise him, hadn’t she said she was launching her interior design company within Diamond’s down here? “How’s business been?”

 

“Busy as hell.  Had to remodel the building we bought for the interior design portion of the company I told you about.” Jon nodded, acknowledging he remembered what she was talking about.  That made her smile because, at the very least, he was a good listener. “I have no room to bitch since I’m the one who decided to go through with it.  Just…a little difficult, but nothing me and my team can’t handle.  How about you?  I know you’ve had some downtime since we last spoke…”

 

When would be a good time to bring up Stephen?  Maybe after they ate?  Why was she so nervous to simply tell him they couldn’t have sex again because she met someone?  Was it really that big of a deal?

 

Chapter 32

 

It would be to Stephen for sure, for her to establish that boundary, given she and Moxley now had a sexual history together.  Moxley himself, well…he had been saying for years she needed to get herself a good man, someone who was actually worth her affection and time, who was on that same level as she was, so he’d be fine with it.  Right?  There was really only one way to find out and that was by telling him, kind of like ripping a band-aid off a wound.  The quicker she did it, the quicker the worst part was over.

 

“You’re gnawing on your lip, sugar mama.” Jon noticed, having been telling her about a match and then realized she seemed to be having an issue. “What’s up?”

 

“Hmm?” Carmen didn’t realize she was doing it and it was a nervous tick of hers that Jon had noticed she had over the years they’d known each other. Shit, I need to get my head out of the damn clouds and just tell him already! “Sorry, there’s something I have to tell you and…I thought waiting until after we ate would be best, but…I also don’t wanna lead you on or anything like that.” Now Jon was staring at her with a raised brow full of confusion, which made this worse. “I met someone, Jon.  I know…damn it, I know I offered a repeat of what happened in DC, but…I really think this could turn into something more with him.  I want to give it a shot because I really like him.  I met him right after we talked last time, so I don’t want you thinking I was playing the field or something…” Lord, she sounded like a complete rambling idiot! “You can still stay at my house, I don’t have an issue with that, just…we need to go back to being friends only, no benefits, okay?”

 

Jon could only stare at her because considering how they had met, and her basically propositioning him right out the gate, to now…he had to wonder what had changed.  It then occurred to him that what had changed was the fact that after three years, they had finally had sex.  He had thought it’d been explosive as anything, but maybe she had finally satisfied her itch for him and realized she wasn’t in love with him.  Honestly, Jon wasn’t sure how he felt about that, but obviously, he wouldn’t push the issue.  

 

Then…then the brakes went off in his head.  She had met someone and that had finally registered, his eyes widening slightly. “You weren’t playing any field, sugar mama.” He said with a bit of a grin. “He treat you right?”

 

“So far, yeah.  We’ve only been talking and getting to know each other for two weeks, just taking things slow.” It was the best course of action since the man Carmen truly wanted sat right across from her…a man she would never have. 

 

It was time to move on.  Jon wanted only sex from her, a good time, and he only contacted her when it benefitted and suited him.  Stephen was very attentive and made sure to make time for her, to show that she mattered in his life.  If Carmen left Jon’s life tonight, it probably would not bother him one bit and that was an unsettling thought.  If she lost Jon, it would hurt and it would affect her a great deal, but she assumed it wouldn’t be the same for him.

 

“What’s his name?”

 

“It’s Stephen.  Stephen Woltz.” Carmen waited for the backlash since Jon probably knew who she was talking about and took a long sip of her raspberry iced tea. “He bought a house from us recently and that’s how we met…” Officially since they had seen each other at the arenas over the past three years, thanks to Jon bringing her backstage a lot at the events.

 

Contrary to what she believed, it would bother him.  Jon had proven that he was in and out of touch with her, but that was basically with all of his friends he didn’t actually work with.  He was not one who was tied very well to his cell phone like others these days.  It had caused more issues with his mother; in recent years as they properly connected than he cared to admit.  His first thought out of rehabilitation had been about Carmen, knowing he had probably caused her some grief.  Jon also had no idea who the hell that was either. 

 

Carmen said it like he might know the name or something, so he just nodded. “Well, as long as he makes you happy, Carmen,” Jon reached out to take her hand, squeezing gently. “And if he doesn’t, you let me know and I’ll set him straight.” Straight through a table or maybe some barbed wire.

 

“Like I said, it’s early stages right now.  We haven’t even kissed yet, so who knows what will happen with this, but I do like him a lot and I feel like I need to see where this goes.” Carmen was so relieved Jon was being understanding about this and squeezed his hand in response, placing her other one on top of his. “And you better not disappear out of my life, handsome.  You’re still my best friend and I still need you in my life.” If it came down to choosing between having him and Stephen in her life, which Carmen hoped NEVER happened, it would be Jon.  She could live without Stephen in her life, but as of this moment, she couldn’t live without Jon. “So, I feel a lot better now that I told you about that and now I want you to tell me all about your matches.  Tell me everything.”

 

Jon held up a finger as the waitress appeared to finally take their order, listening as Carmen rattled off the cheeseburger and everything else she wanted, grinning when it was his turn. “I’ll have the same, but double mine, please.” That was usually how he did things on his ‘cheat days’ and today was one of those. 

 

While they waited and enjoyed their drinks, he caught her up on what was new with him, which did not include a potential relationship. 

 

He wouldn’t have to be single if he gave someone a chance and Carmen sincerely hoped one day Jon did find that special woman because he deserved to be happy. “Wow, sounds like you’ve been quite the busy bee the past couple weeks since your downtime in Vegas.  Just curious, who watches Blue when you have to go on the road?”

 

“My Mom, I drop him off in Cincinnati with her.”

 

“Ah, that makes sense.  I didn’t think you’d simply leave him at home and have the neighbors watch over him or something like that.” Jon wasn’t trusting enough for that and Blue was his pride and joy, his baby boy.  Carmen had never seen a man gush over his dog the way Jon did and it was adorable to witness. “I still have yet to meet the big boy.  I remember when I saw on social media you had gotten him and what an angel he looked as a puppy.” She laughed when Jon snorted, letting her know he was anything BUT an angel.

 

Jon was a little weird about how he viewed love.  He saw it as something nice to have, but not necessarily a necessity in his life right now, not something he was out actively hunting for.  If he wanted sex, he’d go out and find a one night fling.  Rarely did he feel the need for intimate companionship, or maybe he just hadn’t found the right one yet.

 

Or maybe he didn’t realize he HAD it with her, but didn’t recognize it and he was about to lose it all.

 

“Blue is a terror, a spoiled terror, and whenever Daddy is home, he demands lap time…” Jon grinned, shaking his head. “And he’s gotten way too big for that shit, but you tell him that.”

 

She laughed softly, shaking her head while chomping on the complimentary bread they put on the table. “You’re big enough to handle it and he knows it.” Jon grumbled teasingly about his ‘mutt’ and it made her laugh harder. “Oh my god, if I don’t stop, I’m gonna fill up on this bread and not have any room for my actual meal.” Bread was fattening too and this cheeseburger she was about to consume would not help that factor at all, but it was too delicious to pass up. 

 

The gym would be hit tomorrow for sure.  The last thing Carmen wanted to do was get fat, then maybe Stephen wouldn’t want to be with her.  Granted, she had thick thighs and a nice thick backside, but she really didn’t want her stomach region to get thicker than it already was.  She was a woman, she was vain about her looks and appearance and it was a flaw of hers.

 

“That’s never stopped you before.” Jon laughed, having no idea that she was changing in how she viewed herself in regards to her appearance.  

 

Carmen had always been lowkey except when in the board room; he remembered being shocked by her flawless appearance that one time in New York City.  Then, posh as she had looked, she had devoured two footlong hot dogs covered in almost everything, on top of two beers.  He had found the contradiction between boardroom Carmen and his Carmen to be mindboggling and amusing.

 

“Yeah well, not getting younger either, Moxley.  Gotta start watching what I eat and I’m definitely hitting the gym tomorrow.”

 

Stephen was in phenomenal shape, just like Jon, and the last thing he’d want was to date someone who was a fat blob that didn’t take care of herself.  Stephen never said a word to her about it, but…now that she was willing to try another relationship, after so long, Carmen was determined to try her best to make it work.  It didn’t help her ex-boyfriend had called her fat or ‘big-boned’ a lot either. Talk about a shot straight to her self-esteem.  He had even gone as far saying he didn’t want to fuck a fat ass anymore, no matter how much money she had, when she denied him another ‘loan’ that was never paid back.  He was a piece of garbage and Carmen was happy to be rid of him, but the insecurity was still there, beneath the surface, and it was coming up because of what was going on with Stephen.

 

Stephen was obviously attracted to her and found her body to be…gorgeous, what he had seen of it anyway.  Her shape was quite visible beneath the form fitting clothing she wore and he liked them with some meat on their bones.  Given what Carmen had told him about her past relationships and her history with Moxley, he was aware she’d likely have some insecurities and he wasn’t planning on giving her any others to worry over.

 

“You really worried about it?  You could always get yourself a personal trainer.” Jon would have offered if he actually had time and the intent to do it, but he didn’t, and he doubted her new man would appreciate it. “You look gorgeous as ever, sugar mama.”

 

“Thank you, I appreciate the compliment.” She hoped he never stopped calling her ‘sugar mama’, liking the nickname a lot more than non-stalker.  It was definitely a step in the right direction, though he had still called her NS when he texted her the last time. “Maybe I’ll look into getting a personal trainer.  That’s not a bad idea.  They could push me in the right direction with my diet and everything, so I don’t overdo it.” Carmen flashed him a heart-stopping smile, this time reaching over to take his hand. “You always know what to say to cheer me up or give me great advice.  That’s your superpower, you know?”

 

“That’s what I’m here for, my stellar life advice.” There was some irony in that, given he was a recovering alcoholic and definitely did not advocate his life to anyone, not unless they were one hundred percent certain and had a serious streak of crazy. “But yeah, definitely look into a personal trainer, a lot of people will tell you that you need to work out every day and you don’t, not for general health.”

 

A person needed to work out for so many hours a week for optimal health benefits, not push oneself stupid every day.  Jon had learned that lesson the hard way and only did things foolishly when he was trying to bulk up or change the way he looked.  Not necessarily healthy, but he was in maintain mode currently, so as soon as that burger was here, he was mowing down.

 

“It IS stellar life advice and don’t you forget it.”

 

Their food arrived moments later and it was time to eat and shut up.  They could talk later on after their bellies were full and they were satisfied.  The burger tasted divine, just as Carmen suspected, and Jon had devoured his as well.  Both of them.  It never ceased to amaze her how much the man could eat and she had no idea Jon thought the same way about her.  After their delicious meal, they talked for a little bit longer before Jon paid the bill, escorting her out of the building.

 

“I’m gonna blow up.  Little pieces of me are going to be all over the place.” He nodded in agreement with her, draping an arm around her neck as they walked towards her Rolls Royce. “You still staying at my house tonight, handsome?”

 

Jon had told her he was impressed with her appetite, having laughed when he first realized she could sort of keep up with him.  Their time in Japan came to mind when they had gorged themselves on vendor food.  He snapped out of his train of thought about that time in Japan three years ago, along with their visits to museums of all places, and nodded down at her.

 

“Yeah, you want to head back already?  It’s not too late, we could walk around a bit.” Walking was his preferred after dinner activity or else he started to feel sluggish and when she contemplated it, he grinned. “C’mon, sugar mama, don’t tell me you got an early bedtime.”

 

“Of course not, I can stay up as late as I want.  I have no meetings scheduled or anything for the next couple of days.”

 

Carmen had done it purposely, just in case Jon was sticking around for more than tonight.  Maybe she was playing with fire when it came to him.  Being this close to Jon made that warmth return and Carmen had to keep reminding herself about Stephen, her sweet cowboy she wanted to get to know better.  Jon wanted just sex, not a relationship, and that made her step away from him, his arm leaving her neck.

 

“Lead the way.” Instead of his arm around her neck, she hooked hers through his as they began walking down the sidewalk away from the restaurant.

 

Chapter 33

 

Jon had absolutely no idea he was wreaking havoc on her mental state right now.  He figured she had moved his arm because it was too forward, given she was trying to get something started with that Stephen guy.  It was still odd how she almost seemed to expect him to know the name, but he didn’t and he wasn’t going to push her for anything else.  If he really wanted to, he could Google it.  The man was probably wealthy and more her class anyway, more on speed with her worth and interests, her social status, all of that.

 

“So, outside of work and a boy toy, what else has been happening?”

 

“A boy toy?  I don’t think he’s a boy toy since we haven’t done anything intimate with each other yet.”

 

Stephen was far more than a toy to her.  He was something else, something more, and she wanted to find out what it was.  Carmen had already decided when they saw each other again, or when he came back to Florida, she would be testing the waters on that intimacy.

 

“And work, pretty much.  I’ve been keeping up with wrestling and I’m really excited to see what happens between you and Bryan Danielson at Revolution.” When he asked if she’d be there, she smirked at him with a firm nod. “With bells on, as always.  I’m excited for you two to square off.  Every time you’ve gotten into the ring with him, it’s magic.  You two definitely have chemistry and tear it up every time.  Besides wrestling, what’s been going on with you?  How’re you handling everything with your newfound freedom?”

 

“Well, it’s not so new anymore, but it’s basically business as usual, minus going out drinking and shit.  I’ve still been skipping going out to bars and clubs, no parties or anything.  I’m not ready to put myself back in that situation.” There would be temptation and Jon had enjoyed socially drinking with his friends, especially after a grueling night in the ring.  It had been the perfect way to deal with after pains, aches, and injuries, on top of winding down. “I walk around places more, especially if there’s scenic shit nearby.” Growing up in a city had him appreciating nature a lot more.

 

Carmen couldn’t imagine what he was going through, not being able to go out with his friends anymore after an event.  Even a bar would be too much temptation for him.  Jon’s favorite liquor was Jack Daniels or any kind of whiskey. “You’re coping very well with it and I’m proud of you, Jon.  It takes incredible strength to do what you’re doing and the fact you’re avoiding those areas that would tempt you to go back to the bottle…I admire that so much.”

 

Maybe she would stop drinking altogether too.  Sure, she’d miss her wine, but no alcohol didn’t sound half-bad, all things considered.  They stopped walking and she looked up at him, another harsh reality crashing over her.  Not only was the alcohol a temptation Jon had to fight, but he was a temptation SHE had to fight as well.  They were both fighting strong temptations of different calibers.

 

“I know what it’s like to fight temptation, to want something so badly you’d give almost anything to have it.  It’s not easy to deal with, so if you ever need someone to talk to about it, I’m here for you always.”

 

“Nah, as long as I don’t put myself in stupid situations, it’s not that bad, sugar mama.”

 

That was the truth, though Jon was pulled his arm away from her and stopping in order to light up a cigarette.  His alcohol addiction was in check, but now he was a fulltime smoker.  Some days when he was just having a bad one, it was heavy.  However, he reasoned he was picking his battles and, after a year of sobriety, he’d tackle the smoking issue since there were medications for that now.

 

“Here.” He offered her one from his pack, watching as she took it and then brought up his lighter for her.

 

“Thanks.” Carmen took a long drag of it and let the nicotine work its way through her system, relaxing her. 

 

That was one thing about Stephen, he wasn’t a smoker and she would not stop smoking.  Also, it was one vice she refused to give up, not unless she absolutely had to for medical reasons.  So far, her health was in tip-top condition and she enjoyed her cigarettes, not seeing the need to quit them any time soon.  Even if Stephen asked her to, she would politely decline.  There were some things she’d change about herself for a man, but her vices wasn’t one of them.  She also knew Stephen enjoyed beer and whiskey, so he was a drinker, just probably not as heavy as Jon had been.  Then again, she didn’t know the man very well yet, so there was a possibility he was an alcoholic as well.  That was an interesting thought.

 

“Remember when we had only one lighter to share in Japan because you left yours behind in your hotel room and we couldn’t find a shop anywhere to buy another?  Good times.”

 

“We could have gotten matches at any corner shop, you know that, right?” Jon chuckled, amusement blatantly lacing his tone.  She shook her head, emerald eyes narrowing up at him and he shrugged. “It was cute how you kept offering me the lighter every time I went for a smoke.”

 

Never mind the fact he could have just gotten some matches, in an interesting match book, no less.  That had been three years ago, at the time, he had been amused as anything and just gone with it.  Jon began laughing outright when she went to smack his arm, catching her by the hand before she could.

 

“Nuh uh, Miss Diamond, no assaulting people in public.”

 

“You are such an ass!  I can’t believe you did that.  You just enjoyed your non-stalker catering to you.” Jon would not deny it either, the impish gleam in his eyes making her groan. “You are terrible, you know that?” He had pulled her close to him to where their noses practically touched when he grabbed her hand, and the smell of him was intoxicating. “I suppose I should’ve known that fact too.  And maybe I did enjoy catering to you a little bit.” Carmen admitted teasingly, taking a drag of her cigarette and blew the smoke right in his face, knowing it wouldn’t bother him. “You’re still an ass.” A sexy ass she wanted desperately to kiss, touch, and fuck for hours on end. Stephen, gotta see where it goes with him first. Temptation was indeed a heartless bitch.

 

Jon would have probably not been sweating it if not for the fact that he had dipped into temptation with her vigorously during their ‘snow days’.  However, she was seeing someone and he knew he couldn’t give her everything the other guy probably could so…He just hacked; he was hacking from that last inhale of his cigarette and groaned, turning to cough away from her. “So rude…Babe…” There went his lung and he groaned, raising his own cigarette up, contemplated it and then took a pull when he was sure he wouldn’t wind up coughing again. “You got some attitude tonight, sugar mama.”

 

“Yeah well, I gotta give it to you while I can since I don’t see you that often.” Carmen frowned at the hacking when he did it again, patting his back gently to try to help him. “Are you getting sick?” She felt his forehead, pressing the back of her hand against it and felt her eyes widen. “Holy shit, Jon, you’re burning up!” He groaned out something incoherent and continued hacking, making her sigh softly. “All right, come on, this isn’t just a smoker’s cough.  There’s something going on with you and we’re finding out what it is.” Walking him back to her Rolls Royce, somehow, Carmen managed to get him in the car and sped out of there moments later, headed to the emergency room.  She just hoped he would be all right, worry etched all over her face.

 

It wasn’t covid, thankfully, but Jon did have pneumonia, so they gave him some antibiotics and cough medicine to help with it.  Carmen wound up taking him to her place and put him in her bed, refusing to leave his side.  He was too weak to really do anything or fight her off and she did everything she could to lower his fever with cooling clothes on his forehead and chest, along with some Vick’s to help break up the crap in his lungs.  It did not help he was a smoker, but his oxygen level was good, so she just had to keep an eye on it. 

 

While lying next to him in the big king sized bed, Carmen watched him sleep while she continued stroking his switching out the cooling clothes. I love you so much, Jon, please get better.

 

~!~

 

Jon woke up after a very solid sleep, feeling like he had been hit with a Mack truck out of nowhere.  He had been FINE, laughing and joking with her, and then bam…out for the count.  That had hit him so hard, Jon couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this sick.  She was asleep when he woke up and he managed to keep his coughing fit in his chest as he got up and fumbled his way around the unfamiliar place for the nearest bathroom.  She had exhaled smoke on him and he had felt no chest pressure, no fever or even flushed, no tiredness, nothing…until then.

 

His logical conclusion was that Carmen had gotten him sick. “Ow…fuck…”

 

Carmen was perfectly fine and healthy, no cough, no fever, no flushed cheeks, tiredness, nothing.  Well, she was tired from taking care of him.  It was now day three, Jon had slept the past two days and nights straight and it was going on noon.  She had fed him some soup to keep his strength up, along with the antibiotics, but other than that, let him sleep and sweat it out, not leaving his side for an instant. 

 

Hearing him coughing stirred her awake as her eyes slowly opened, rubbing her eyes while slowly sitting up.  She had been texting Stephen the entire time while taking care of Jon, explaining what happened and Stephen called her an angel.  Not every woman would’ve taken Jon into their care the way she had, in her bed no less.

 

“Hey sleepyhead, how are you feeling?” She asked quietly, once Jon emerged from the bathroom and frowned at his pale complexion, wishing some color would return. “Never mind, want something to eat?  You need to take your medicine.”

 

“Whoa, slow down, Carmen,” Jon sounded raspier than usual, even by his own standards, wondering how the hell he had gone from fine to deathly ill so quickly.  Inner joking aside, he could tell she hadn’t made him sick because, other than looking tired, she was perfectly fine. “How long have I been out?” He could smell himself and he reeked, almost as bad as he did before when he had gone on benders and been passed out for a day or two at a time.  Only,  he was just pure sickness and sweat, no alcohol.  When she said three days, his blue eyes widened. “With what?  The super flu?”

 

“Pneumonia, Jon.  They diagnosed you at the hospital and I brought you back here with antibiotics.  I’ve been keeping an eye on your oxygen as well, just to make sure it stayed where it was supposed to.” Pneumonia, even at his age, was dangerous and she had to keep a close eye on him. “You probably don’t have a lot of strength right now to take a shower and I can’t lift you, so would you be against using my garden tub instead?” She could tell from the way he was sniffing himself he really wanted to bathe. “While you get cleaned up, I’ll make you something to eat and get your medicine.” And change the sheets on her bed since they had his dry sweat on them from the past three days.

 

“Ugh…I want my Mommy…” Jon was joking, mostly, though his Mom did make some bomb homemade chicken noodle soup that had this fiery kick to it.  He knew she had scavenged earlier in his younger years for ingredients to put in it, but now, with money and a decent life, she made it out of non-questionable ingredients.  He swore it was guaranteed to cure what was wrong with anyone, no matter the sickness. “I don’t suppose I’d be able to fly anywhere either right now because of Covid…” Granted, they were out of the mask phase, life was returned to normal for the most part, but…no plane was going to let him board like this. “Fine, garden tub it is…do I have my things here?” How in the hell had he caught pneumonia?

 

“Um…yeah, I got them out of your rental and had your rental picked up, so you’ll have to get another one.  Not a big deal, I can make that arrangement for you.  And you don’t have Covid, but…I wouldn’t recommend flying until you regain some of your strength.” Stretching her arms in the air, wearing cotton shorts and a camisole, Carmen slid out of bed to grab his bag and walked past him to set it on the large counter that had two sinks. “Jesus, you have bricks in there or what?” She joked, trying to ease the tension between them and slid back out of the bathroom. 

 

Then, she began peeling away the nasty sheets while she heard him start the bath water, taking them downstairs to the laundry room.  There was leftover chicken noodle soup, homemade, that she had whipped up, so maybe Jon would eat some of that now that he was fully conscious.  Jon didn’t feel any tension between them, he was just confused as hell.  He had woken up still sick after apparently being knocked out for three days.  Jon probably owed her a lot of money and apologies, as well as a thank you for that, because she’d probably tended to him thoroughly.  Nature called, even when a person was sick, so unless he had gotten up and in some sort of sick blackout, that meant she had helped him into the bathroom to empty his bladder.

 

“Nice…Mox, real nice.” He grunted, carefully settling himself in her oversized tub after stripping off his sweat soaked clothes.

 

Luckily, he had been coherent enough to get up and go to the bathroom, with her help, but she had to…help him, even going as far as holding his dick while he peed, so it didn’t splatter all over the place.  That was how out of it he was.  It scared her for a little while and Carmen thought about calling an ambulance, but instead, tended to him herself.  It wasn’t like she felt him up sexually or anything, it was all for medical purposes and she’d been far too worried about him to cop a feel. 

 

Carmen came back upstairs, putting fresh sheets and linens on the bed before walking over to tap gently on the bathroom door. “May I come in?  I just wanna get your clothes and toss them in the washer, is that okay, Jon?”

 

Chapter 34

 

If anything, she should have just had him sit down on the toilet to piss with it tucked.  Less mess and also less likely for his big frame to fall over and hurt them both in the process.  However, she came from a wealthy background and probably had nurses to deal with that.  Carmen had likely never had to help someone like this in her life before.  Jon groaned, just trying NOT to think about all that with the raging headache he had going on.

 

“Yeah, nothing you ain’t seen before, babe.” Glancing down at the water he was sitting in, Jon had added some bubbles, mostly because he didn’t need to see his own grime floating around him.  He’d rinse and wash AFTER the soak.

 

She opened the door and walked inside, grabbing up his clothes from the floor, looking at him. “The color is back in your face.  Thank god.” Carmen felt relief flood through her and she walked over to drop a kiss on top of his head, touching the side of his face. “You scared the shit out of me.  I almost called an ambulance a couple of times to come get you because I thought you weren’t getting better.”

 

No, her parents hadn’t been THAT hard up for hired help, though she did have a nanny growing up.  Her mother was always around though, but did work from home, helping with the real estate company.  It wasn’t until after they died that Carmen started really expanding it and building it into the franchise it was today, but her parents had paved the way for her to do it.

 

“I’m just glad you’re all right.  I have chicken soup on the stove, so you let me know when you’re ready to eat and I’ll bring it up, along with your medicine, okay?  You still got some time before the deadline for your next dose.”

 

“I’m awake now, Carmen, you don’t need to keep babying me.”

 

Jon was starting to feel better too.  He wasn’t ready to go workout or even walk around a block, but he felt like he could manage a few steps here and there, feed himself…wipe his own backside.  Closing his eyes and leaning back, Jon lulled his head to rest against the edge of the tub behind him with a heavy sigh.

 

“You’re an angel, you know that?  Stephen is a lucky guy…aw fuck!  I didn’t interrupt a date or anything with him, did I?” Jon imagined if he had, explaining that hadn’t gone over well at all, not unless this guy was just as perfect as she was.

 

An angel…Stephen had called her the same thing.  Carmen smiled softly at him, shaking her head. “No, he’s not coming here for another week or so.  They really have him snowed under at work.”

 

Again, she thought Jon knew exactly who she was talking about and didn’t bother using Stephen’s wrestling name.  Because it wasn’t Adam Page she was getting to know, it was Stephen Woltz, the man, not the character.  Something Jon hadn’t been able to look past when it came to her because she was his fan.

 

“And you’re more important right now and I already told him what was going on.  He wishes you well and hopes you get better soon, so you can get back to kicking ass and taking names as only you can do.”

 

All right, that was weird and it made Jon wonder if she had found this guy at a fan convention or something.  Well, that was a bit egotistical, maybe she had told Stephen about him and Stephen was just being courteous.  There were plenty of non-wrestling fans out there.  Jon didn’t approve of their lifestyle choices, but they were out there regardless.

 

“Okay.” He had no idea what else to say.

 

Now, Stephen didn’t realize that Carmen was using his real name or else he would have corrected her because all the guys knew him mostly under his ring name.  It was just something that happened in this business.  Just like everyone called Jon ‘Mox’, rarely ever by his proper name.  Carmen, however, didn’t know that.

 

She left him be, not wanting to hover too much and went downstairs to toss those nasty clothes into the washer as well, starting it up before taking a minute to breathe.  He was fine.  He wasn’t going to die on her. Christ, I need to get a damn grip here!  Am I even capable of being with someone else while I have all these feelings for Jon?  Maybe it’s hopeless… Carmen was completely screwed and pulled her phone out when it buzzed, seeing it was Stephen texting her to ask how things were going. He’s awake and bathing right now.  He’s going to make a full recovery.  Thank you for caring so much and checking in and being cool with all of this. It wasn’t like she expected Jon to come here with pneumonia of all things!

 

Not a problem, honey. I’m surprised he made it as far as he did without even noticing with how bad you said he was. But then again, Mox would give a mule a run for stubbornness.

 

Lord knew THAT was the damn truth.  Moxley would only pull his head out of his backside when he had no other choice except to do so.  All the same, he had checked himself into rehabilitation, so Stephen would give him credit where it was due.  Nobody had known just how bad it had gotten except for maybe a few, very close friends of Mox’s.

 

Jon was draining the water and not looking at all his griminess, knowing he owed Carmen BIG for this, dealing with his nastiness.  He stood up and pulled the attached nozzle with him, beginning to wash himself properly and kept it short, knowing standing for overly long was probably a bad idea.

 

Very true.  And you and me both. “Too damn stubborn for his own good.  He was probably sick and fought it off because he had shit to do.” Carmen muttered, scrubbing a hand down her face and knew Jon would want to leave here as soon as possible.  He was a workaholic and had a lot of obligations with so many companies. “If he doesn’t slow down, he’s going to end up killing himself.” That made her frown as she walked out of the laundry room to go check on the soup that was simmering on the stove on a low heat, the smell wavering around the kitchen.  Glancing at the clock, she grabbed Jon’s antibiotics and cough medicine before heading up, after making him a bowl of the chicken noodle soup. 

 

Whether he liked it or not, he had to eat, so he could take his medicine.

 

Fortunately for them both, when Carmen made it upstairs, she simply set everything down where he could see it.  Jon did not respond well to pushy, mother henning women.  It was something he tended to bail on because he had a mother; he didn’t need surrogates.  He had emerged from the bathroom in a pair of his sweatpants, feeling both better and exhausted.  Exhausted from a bath, that was so pathetic.  He had watched her set stuff down and moved to go study the medicine.  Food required.  He eyed the soup and then took a slow taste.  Hot sauce, it needed hot sauce, mostly because he couldn’t taste anything outside of his own ‘sick’ in his mouth.

 

“Thanks, babe.”

 

“You’re welcome.” Carmen would not bother him any more than she had to and decided it was time for her to get a shower of her own. “If you need anything, just let me know.  Use your phone since I know you’re hoarse from coughing.” That would be the only advice she’d give him as she left, answering another text from Stephen. Such a damn sweetheart, I’m not worthy of him.

 

Grabbing what she needed out of her bathroom, Carmen headed to the other bathroom and kicked on the shower sprays, shedding her clothes before stepping under them.  An hour later, she stepped out, feeling very refreshed and her stomach growled, so she went to the kitchen to get something to eat.  And there was Jon, sitting at the kitchen table with his phone in hand, looking up at her.

 

He should be resting, but I’m not gonna tell him that. Instead, she poured some soup in a bowl and sat down in front of him at the table to start blowing on her first bite. “Mmm, just like my Mom used to make or as close to it as I can get.”

 

He just smiled at her, he had come downstairs to find something spicy to add to the soup.  It was weird eating and having that mucus taste overriding everything; it had about made him throw up.  Hence why, he came down here and shrugged when she eyed the bottle before him. “I couldn’t really taste anything, babe, adding that gave me some flavor.” Nothing against her cooking, but however awesome this apparently was, would have to wait for when he wasn’t sick and could taste things properly. “I brought my bag down too, figured I could take your couch.” It looked like it was massive from the glance he had given it. “And you can have your bed back.”

 

Her brow raised very slowly almost to her hairline and she finished taking a bite of her soup before speaking. “You do realize I have more than one bedroom in this house, right?  You can have any of the others and I put you in my bed, so I could look after you.” And admittedly, it was the biggest bed in the house, the other rooms had queen sized standard beds while she had a king in hers. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t think you’ll be comfortable on my couch, so take one of the other rooms.  There’s actually one down here, if you want to use that one.  No couch, please and thank you, handsome.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m hoping to be out of your hair in another day or two.” Jon really wanted a cigarette, but even he knew that would be a very bad idea, given the pneumonia and his lungs. “I checked in with my Mom, she said thanks for taking care of my dumbass, and that’s a mostly direct quote.” Jon had gotten his mouth from someone and since he didn’t really know his father, he was assuming it came from his feisty mother, who was not everybody’s cup of tea and tough as nails.

 

Carmen giggled softly, shrugging her shoulders while continuing to eat. “Let her know it wasn’t a big deal and I’m just glad her son is all right and not stuck in the hospital.” Also that it was just pneumonia and not covid or the covid super pneumonia they had to deal with over the past year.  Things were finally settling down and civilization was getting back to normal, so that was a huge plus. “You’re not in my hair either, Jon.  You’re sick, there’s a difference and I’m just sorry that our time together was spent with you in bed.  Oh well, there’s always next time when you visit me.” She also wanted a cigarette, but would not smoke in front of Jon since his lungs were recovering currently.

 

“It happens.” This was a first for him and Jon was still a bit shocked how he had gone from fine to very ill within seconds. “I still blame you, you’re a super spreader, apparently.” Her mouth dropped and he began laughing, instantly regretting it.  Instant karma was a thing because he was laughing and trying not to cough at the same time. “Fuck…” He had to get up to wash his hands once he was sure he was done, reaching for a glass and got himself some water to sip on.

 

Being sick SUCKED!

 

“Well, I assure you it wasn’t me that got you sick because if it was, I’d be sick right along with you…and I’m perfectly fine.  I even slept in the same bed as you while you’ve been sick to keep an eye on you.” He was glaring at her and flipped her the bird for good measure, making her smirk. “I enjoy being number one, thank you, Moxley.” Walking over, she began rinsing her bowl out while he continued sipping on his water and knew she had to let the soup cool down before putting it away.  Putting piping hot food in the fridge was not a good idea and could cause food poisoning, she had learned that the hard way. “Your cough sounds a lot better, believe it or not.”

 

“Pretty sure I don’t believe you.  It feels like hell is trying to burst out of my chest and nostrils.” Jon wished he could go back to sleep and finish out this sickness unconscious; that was definitely the way to do it. “I gotta reach out to Khan and the others.  I know I had a show I was committed to and I was a no-show…” Not even by choice, but he didn’t want to risk his working relationships either, studying her thoughtfully. “You gonna write me a sick note, sugar mama?”

 

“Don’t worry about it, Chris took care of it for you.”

 

“What are you…?”

 

“Jericho, sorry.  Chris Jericho took care of it for you and told Mr. Khan what happened.  Chris assured me everything is fine and when you’re better, give him a buzz to let him know you’re alive…or something like that.” Jon was staring at her wide-eyed now while he started coughing again and she frowned, knowing water would only make the cough worse.  Hot tea with honey was the better way to go. “I’m going to make you some hot tea with honey, water will aggravate that cough even more.  And like I’d really allow your career to be jeopardized because you decided to come here and got sick?  I got your back, Jon, always.” He was unconscious and she knew he had shows scheduled, so she figured contacting Chris was the best way to go since they had each other’s numbers. 

 

Having Stephen do it would’ve been weird since he wasn’t a friend of Jon’s, but Chris surely was.

 

“Thanks, I still gotta reach out to a few people.” It wasn’t like he cross-shared and coordinated between them with all of those people in the loop, that was impossible.  It was the wrestler’s job to run their own schedule and, fortunately for him, he had been keeping it sort of simple. “But thanks for getting a hold of Chris, he’d know who to tell for AEW.” Outside of just Khan, his few friends had sent him messages while he had been down and out with pneumonia, so he had to reach out to them. “Wait, how does water aggravate a cough?  That’s the first I’ve ever heard that.”

 

“Cold liquid makes a cough worse and it makes your chest hurt too.  The warmer or hotter the beverage is, the better and it’ll break up all that gunk that’s in your chest too.  Cold liquid does the opposite.  Little trick my Mom taught me.” Carmen explained patiently, shutting the water off and dried her hands off with a towel. “The honey will soothe your throat too.  But if you want to keep drinking your cold water, that’s fine by me.  Just let me know if you want some hot tea with honey and I’ll whip it up for you.  Matter of fact, that sounds good, I’m gonna make me a cup of it right now.” Taking her tea kettle, she filled it with water and placed it on the stove, pulling out packets of tea she had, all labeled, with different flavors, along with a bottle of pure honey.

 

“I don’t like honey, babe, not in liquids anyway, though I doubt I’d taste it very well right now.” Frankly, Jon was more of a coffee drinker than tea.  If he couldn’t have nicotine, he could have caffeine. “Got any coffee?  That’s hot.” He even managed a cheeky grin for her, though he imagined it didn’t have the same effect that it usually did due to him being sicker than a dog.  He batted his eyelashes at her when she pursed her lips. “Please?” Before rehabilitation, on the rare instance he got sick, he tended to drink it away and pop a LOT of cold pills and syrups, now…not so much.  Hell, he didn’t even use mouthwash that had alcohol in it anymore.

 

“I suppose I could do that for you.” Even sick, this man had her wrapped around his finger and he either didn’t know it or took advantage of it.  Either way, Carmen couldn’t deny him anything, not even when he was sick.  He grinned at her and she shook her head with a smile of her own, beginning to make the coffee for him. “How many scoops?” When he said five or six, she nodded, knowing he wanted it to somewhat strong and hoped he didn’t mind drinking Folgers.  She had no time to grind her own beans down and bought what was ever on sale. 

 

Taking out two big mugs, she set them on the counter, along with the sugar, in case he wanted some for his coffee.

 

Chapter 35

 

“I can’t even smell it….” He rasped a little sadly once the pot was about halfway brewed, sighing and cupped his chin in the palm of his hand, his elbow on her table. “I want a cigarette…that’s probably bad.” It would also probably set off a coughing fit, but he was contemplating risking it.

 

“Up to you, but you’re right, it is a bad idea and will make your coughing worse.  Worth it?” He nodded after thinking it over for a minute and she pulled her lighter out, handing it over to him. “The last time I was sick and smoked, I just did it really lightly and enough to get the nicotine in my system.  I don’t chew, so…yeah, it sucked, but it also kept my coughing to a minimal when I did it slowly and gently too instead of regular inhales.”

 

Jon could take the tip or leave it, she didn’t care either way and looked down at her phone when it buzzed again.  Stephen was teasing her about what they’d be doing when he came to see her again and she’d teased a possible kissing session that could last for hours.  He apparently loved the idea of that happening.

 

This was not his first rodeo; Jon was 36 and he knew quite a bit, even if he acted like a moron.  He just nodded at her before she turned her attention down to her cell phone.  Speaking of cells, he glanced at his, seeing a few messages had come in and ignored it as he reached for a cigarette from her pack.  He took a gentle pull to get it lit, held it in his mouth and waited to see if that little bit was going to trigger a hacking fit.  When it didn’t, Jon inhaled a bit more and slowly exhaled, closing his eyes feeling the nicotine flood his system.

 

Honestly, I’m surprised he’s not trying to get out the door.  You’re one of a kind if he’s not trying to run off already. That was nothing against her, but Mox was a stubborn jackass, headstrong to a fault, and he definitely could try the patience of a saint.

 

He’s not that bad and I’m surprised he’s not trying to leave either.  I think he knows if he tries getting on a plane, they’re going to stop him and make him test for covid with that horrible cough.  Or they may not let him on a plane at all. She sent back just as her tea kettle went off on the stove and she turned it off to pour some in one of the mugs. “Coffee’s about ready, it’ll turn off instantly if you wanna pour yourself some now and then it’ll finish brewing.”

 

If she had an inkling of a clue what Jon was thinking at the moment, she would’ve been highly offended and kept her mouth shut for the duration of his stay in her house.  Then again, Carmen wasn’t one to keep quiet and probably would’ve popped off with a smart remark that would’ve pissed him off.  Good thing she wasn’t a mind reader and lit up a cigarette before heading outside to enjoy some of the sunshine with her hot tea and honey.

 

He said in another day or two, he’ll be out of my hair, so I’m thinking that’s when he’s gonna leave.

 

Not if she kept pampering him he wouldn’t; it was both amusing and annoying all rolled into one.  Carmen was a perfect woman.  Jon was very aware of how she had felt for him too; he was also very aware that they had two very different lifestyles and he wasn’t good enough for her.  That was why even though their start had been rocky, he had become friends with her regardless.  That was about all they could ever be.  He kept on smoking his cigarette, sort of, replying to his work texts and inwardly sighed at yet another decline from Taka-bitchy.

 

Maybe, who knows what he’ll do?  You ready for him to be out of your hair?

 

Was she?  Truthfully, Carmen wanted to straddle his lap and kiss him until they both couldn’t breathe anymore, sickness or not.  She wanted Jon far more than Stephen and she was a horrible person for thinking that way.  Here was this fantastic man that was very attentive and sweet, who didn’t have any baggage or reservations about her.  Jon didn’t want her for anything more than sex.  She had no idea he did have feelings for her, but he was holding them back because he felt in his heart he wasn’t good enough for her due to her wealth and success.  That made him a jackass because she didn’t give a damn about her wealth and success, not when it came to a relationship and the man she loved.

 

No. I love him and I want him in my hair always.  God, what am I doing?  Is it even worth trying to make things work with Stephen at this point? He’s a good friend and I like when he comes to visit me.  Usually his visits are too short. Torn, she was torn asunder and would end up broken over this.

 

Most people listened to everything she said like it was the literal gospel, probably one of the reasons Jon purposefully opted to ignore half the things she said that he DIDN’T already know.  He had life skills, he wasn’t 20 anymore.  It was good for her to not be on that pedestal sometimes, though he was probably the most guilty at keeping her on it.

 

Tell him that and maybe he’ll come stay longer when he isn’t sick. Stephen had absolutely zero jealousy issues there and even then, she wasn’t officially HIS woman. Yet. Now that he’s on the mend, what do you think about dinner two nights from now?

 

Let me see if he’ll be gone by then.  I don’t think he will be, but I also won’t send him packing either if he’s not 100%.  Can I let you know tomorrow?

 

Sure, not a problem, honey.  Just let me know.  I won’t bother you anymore today, spend some time with him since he’s up and conscious again.

 

You’re such a sweetheart, you know that?  I can’t wait to see you and I’ll let you know about dinner plans tomorrow for sure. “What am I doing?  How many times am I gonna ask myself that question?” She grumbled, sipping more of her tea and stared out at the ocean for a while, not in a hurry to walk back inside.  Jon had probably went to lay down again after his coffee and cigarette and she didn’t want to bother him.  He didn’t have to say it, but she knew she was annoying him with her mother henning, which was why she decided to back off. Just let him do whatever he wants and keep your mouth shut, best thing you can do.

 

Some people enjoyed being fussed over and given loads of advice, others found it smothering.  Jon was one of those people who found it smothering.  It probably had a lot to do with the fact that he was left to his own devices when he was young because his mother had been selling herself to keep a roof over their heads, clothes on their backs, and food on the table.  He wasn’t used to it, Jon found it to be oppressive instead of caring and nurturing.  She had definitely had a different life than him, a different childhood, and it showed a lot of the time.  Currently, he was laying in the downstairs bedroom, with a pillow over his head, regretting his life’s choices that got him sick.

 

Coughing made his chest hurt and his head THROB.

 

~!~

 

Two days later, Jon left and Carmen really hoped he’d be all right because his cough was still bad.  Not horrible, but still bad and she decided to book him a private flight on her private jet to wherever he wanted to go.  It was no surprise when he said Cincinnati, Ohio, after arguing with her over it for a good solid hour.  He wanted to see his baby boy Blue and his mother, she understood perfectly and told him it was not a big deal. 

 

Jon finally gave in, taking the offer, and they hugged goodbye since he wasn’t contagious anymore, though Jon didn’t kiss the top of her head like he normally would have.  Was that because he was sick or because she had friend zoned him?  Either way, it felt different, this goodbye, and Carmen shook it off because she had go home and get ready for her dinner date with Stephen, who would be picking her up at 7 o’clock sharp.

 

It was different because THINGS were different.

 

She was sort of seeing another man and Jon wasn’t about to screw that up for her, when all he could offer her was a good time every now and again.  This guy could probably provide normalcy that couples did.  Also, even though he wasn’t contagious, it was still gross.  Jon knew from experience that the cough would be the last thing to go.  He could be feeling perfectly fine everywhere else and this damned cough would trip him up.

 

He watched as Carmen disappeared from view in the plush seat of her equally plush private jet, sighing and let his head rest against the cool pane. “Thanks, sugar mama.” He murmured, finally letting his head lull back once she was out of view.

 

Maybe it was a little too sexy for a night out with Stephen, but at the same time, Carmen wanted to look that way for him.  She wanted to see the desire flood his beautiful sky blues while he stared at her and took in the vision.  The dress was multi sequin color with black, champagne, and silver.  There was a slight cut in the front and the back, but it still left plenty to the imagination and covered everything it was supposed to.  She decided to pin her hair up in a ton of bobby pins, tendrils framing her face delicately, and she had light makeup on, just enough to hide blemishes and enhance her natural beauty.  Black open-toed strappy heels, no nylons because she hated them, and a black diamond choker around her neck with a matching bracelet, and dangling silver diamond hoop earrings completed her look. 

 

At exactly 7 PM sharp, her doorbell rang and she grabbed her matching black sequined purse before answering it, her emerald eyes lighting up at the sight of her cowboy staring back at her. “Hi.”

 

Desire definitely flooded his eyes and he was tongue tied for a few moments.  His gentleman nature was shunted aside in favor of the fact that he was also a man.  She looked like sex, to him, though he was also aware that she was still fairly modest by a lot of today’s standards.  Dear god, was she wearing a CHOKER?  Stephen hadn’t seen those on a woman of her age in some time, it sent a jolt right to his dick and he cleared his throat, sending a prayer heavenward that he didn’t wind up with an erection because that would be embarrassing and painful.

 

“You look stunning, honey.” He knew that was NOT the appropriate way to greet her, but damned if she hadn’t stolen everything from him with just this mouthwatering appearance.

 

Just the exact reaction she hoped to receive from him.  He had on a short-sleeved buttoned up top that had some kind of brown and tan swirl design, along with a pair of tight black jeans that fit him like a second skin. “Thank you, and so do you, cowboy.”

 

Stepping up to him, Carmen leaned up and very softly kissed him, touching his bearded face with her hand, feeling his arm instantly encircle her waist to pull her tighter against him.  Sparks flew between them, though it wasn’t as intense as it had been when she shared a kiss with Jon.  However, this was still pretty intense and, after having the man she loved in her home and not being able to do anything with him for the past five days…Carmen needed the attention and the feeling of Stephen’s lips against hers.  Burying her fingers in his curly blonde hair, the kiss deepened with both of them tasting each other for the first time and she longed for more, needed more. 

 

Slowly, the kiss broke between them and Carmen swiped a little gloss from his bottom lip with the pad of her thumb, resting her hands on his broad shoulders. “I missed you, Stephen…”

 

“I missed you too, honey.” If he would have known she was craving his attention not just solely out of want for him, but because the actual man she loved had been in her bed and all she could do was look, not touch, Stephen would have been devastated.  As it was, he was mercifully in the dark and let his hands rest on her hips, just enjoying the aftermath tingling on his lips from that kiss. “I’m not sorry to say, I’m glad you’re free from playing nurse because I wanted to see you badly.” He understood why she had done it and admired her for it, but he was also honest enough to admit he had been a bit selfish about wanting her time for himself as well.

 

Fact of the matter was, Carmen could not help who she loved or stop it or cease it.  All she could do was try to move forward with her life and hopefully, that love would move on to a man who actually did want to be with her in every way, not just solely for sex and fun.  Stephen wanted more with her, to actually date her properly, and she knew taking the initiative to kiss him was probably sending different signals his way, but she didn’t care.

 

“I’m all yours now and you have my undivided attention.  Thank you for being so understanding about Jon being here.” He nodded, caressing her cheek with the back of his hand gently and this time, Stephen kissed her, making her instantly melt for him.  Good, they had chemistry intimately and the taste of him was amazing, his smell surrounding her. “Do we really have to go out tonight?  I’d rather stay in and keep doing more of this, order takeout, maybe take a dip in the hot tub with you…I’m selfish, I want you all to myself, what can I say?”

 

His blue eyes widened for a moment, knowing this was a jump in how things were progressing for them, but he wasn’t stupid enough to turn it down because she would view it as rejecting her.  Stephen was not dumb enough to even consider giving her reason to think he was rejecting her.  A woman like Carmen did not fall from the sky, she was rare.

 

“You sure, honey?  I MIGHT feel bad depriving the world of how beautiful you look tonight.” He teased, slowly twirling her in a circle to take in just how dressed up she was.  ALMOST being the keyword because gussying up like this took a lot of work for a woman, but still…almost.

 

Carmen was all his.

 

Chapter 36

 

“As long as you see me, that’s all I care about, Stephen.  You don’t have reservations or something, do you?” Stephen looked sheepish and she chuckled, caressing his face with her hand. “Call and cancel them.” Her fingers were already working on the buttons on his shirt, unfastening them slowly one by one. “Or don’t worry about it, whichever you prefer.” Not like restaurants never had no-shows before.  Stephen nodded, not worried about them and allowed her to guide him back into her house while she continued unfastening the buttons, her tongue snaking out to wet her glossy lips at the sight of his beautiful muscular chest. “You’re so gorgeous from head to toe, anyone ever told you that?  And I get to feast my eyes on you all I want for the next few days, lucky me.” Pressing soft kisses on each of his pectorals, she felt Stephen suck in a breath with each of those kisses, making Carmen smile. “Mmm, how about a beer?  Unless you want me to continue what I’m doing?”

 

“Well, I’m not going to say no, honey.” Stephen chuckled huskily, watching as she continued kissing on him.  

 

Was it a bit of a jump from where they had been and how things had been going, to her suddenly being thirsty for him?  Yes, but he wasn’t complaining at all.  They had been doing the slow burn for a few weeks now, so he was pretty damn thirst for her too.  He let his hands skim down the sides of that gorgeous body hugging dress until he reached her hips, pulling her into him.

 

Jon would have said she was jumping the guy because she had just spent time with the man she really wanted and got zero action.  Jon was also a dick.

 

Part of it was that, but a bigger part was he needing to know if her and Stephen were sexually compatible.  This wasn’t the 1950’s and she wasn’t a Virgin Mary by any stretch of the imagination.  Carmen enjoyed sex a lot and this gorgeous man wanted her completely, so did it matter who gave the first kiss or who made the first move?  Stephen was a gentleman and she understood that, but he was also a man, who had needs and they had spent those four days getting to know each other, along with the past two weeks on the phone.

 

“Come here.” Taking his hands, Carmen lead Stephen down on the nearby couch and hiked her dress up enough to straddle him, passionately kissing him again, this time harder and deeper, tasting him fully.  Then she began working her way down his chin and strong neck, enjoying the way his facial hair felt against her skin. “I’ve wanted to do this since the day I met you and even more when we walked along the beach together.  I want you, Stephen, and if I’m being too aggressive, you better speak up now, cowboy…”

 

“This is at your pace.” Stephen informed her, unable to keep the desire out of his tone and honestly, he didn’t want to.  

 

She was obviously ready to take this relationship out of the slow burn courtship phase and she knew he wasn’t someone who did casual flings.  Stephen was someone who had sex within the boundaries of a relationship.  To him, this signified that she wanted that as well, to be with him in an established relationship.

 

“If you tell me we’re not going any further than this, I’m fine with that.” He grinned wickedly at her, his palms moving to her breasts, massaging them through her dress. “I’ll be a little blue, but fine.”

 

“Mmm, we can’t have that now, can we?” She moaned out, the feeling of his large, warm hands seeping through her dress right to her breasts, which were braless.  The dress had a built in one, so there was no need to put one on. “I want to go all the way with you, Stephen.  Whether it be fucking or making love, I want all of you.  And I know you posed a question to me the other day that I didn’t answer and you gave me time to mull it over.” Unsnapping his tight jeans, she pressed her lips to his again and rubbed her nose against his. “I want to be yours.  I want to be your girlfriend and I don’t want this to be just sex between us.” The smile that lit up his face made her heart race and she slid her hands down his bare chest, gently gliding her nails against his heated skin. “I was yours the moment you asked me out for coffee and I’ll be yours as long as you want me.  I hope you feel the same way about me as I do you…”

 

Also contingent on if they had chemistry in the bedroom, as well as out of it.  That was also something that could easily shift the dynamic of their relationship after sex.  Sex could make or break them, quite easily, because nobody wanted to stay with someone who was either terrible in bed or just didn’t have that compatibility.

 

“Yeah, I do, Carmen.” Stephen usually didn’t envision his first time with a lady on the couch, but he could also feel how much she desired him.  Carmen was practically grinding on him; she was definitely getting an idea of how much he wanted her. “You wanna do this here or somewhere else?” He was now kissing along the column of her throat, his hands moving to the hem of her dress.

 

If this man fucked her half as good as he kissed, there would be zero issues as far as bedroom chemistry went and they already had it outside of sex already. “I want you in my bed.” Fresh and clean, smelling nice and not sickly from Jon sweating like a whore in church from pneumonia. “The couch is nice and all, but for what I have in mind with you, we need a lot of room and space to move…”

 

He nodded in agreement, making her smile and Stephen stood up with her still against him, her dress around her hips now, so she wrapped her legs around his waist, continuing to kiss his neck.  Stephen followed her directions on where to go and sat down on the huge king-sized bed with her as they began to devour each other’s mouths again, this time neither holding back.  Not only did this man know how to fuck a woman, but he also ate pussy amazingly well and Carmen was drowning in ecstasy, crying out his name while her fingers were buried in his thick curly blonde hair.  Stephen made her breathless, her mind clouded in a passion fog, and he was the only one she saw.  Jon did not enter her mind once, thankfully, all of her focus and attention on the man she was in bed with. 

 

Her boyfriend. 

 

Stephen was her man and she was his woman…they were officially a couple and the moment he slid home inside of her, Carmen clung to him, moving in sync with their fingers laced together. “Harder, cowboy, oh god harder…” She cried out, the sounds of their flesh colliding echoing around the room and her headboard smacked repeatedly against the wall.  Neither cared, they were too enraptured in each other and the marks she left behind from her nails raking his back were proof. “Yes, oh yes!!” Carmen was very vocal when it came to sex, wanting her man to know he was doing his job right.

 

Feeling him explode inside of her for the first time was earth-shattering and she’d lost count how many times Stephen made her climax for him.  Surrendering everything to him.  They wound up falling asleep, curled in each other’s arms with his fingers in her hair and her face nuzzling his chest, her leg hooked over his.  A few hours was all they needed because Stephen woke her up for another round that Carmen was more than willing to go, once again lost in ecstasy with him.  Spoon fucking was the best when the man knew how to do it right and Carmen once again moved with him, their eyes locked while they made love facing each other.  Their lips meeting, their hands caressing each other, and once they climaxed again together, both passed out just like that, molded together.

 

Now her room didn’t smell like sickness and Jon anymore, it was all Stephen and would stay that way for a long time to come.

 

Stephen was in a mortal version of heaven.  He could officially call Carmen Diamond his woman, his lady, all his.  She was brains and beauty all wrapped up into one.  Wildly successful and wealthy, but so down to earth, she was pretty damn humble for the most part.  She was the perfect woman, the entire damn package, and the sex, the chemistry between them, was off the charts.  Every man before him, who had let her go, was stupid enough to not take a chance on her and Stephen pitied those fools because they had missed the best experience ever.

 

Sex wasn’t all they did during Stephen’s few days off visiting, though they did have a hard time keeping their hands off each other.  She couldn’t get enough of him and he felt the same way about her.  Maybe they were rushing things a little, but life was too short and Carmen had spent enough time pining for a man that was out of league and she’d never have.  Stephen was the next best thing and she wouldn’t mind settling for her gorgeous cowboy.  In fact, that was exactly what she was doing.  He wasn’t ‘the one’, but he was damn close to it and the more time they spent together, the more those feelings would grow and expand until he WAS the one.  However, she absolutely would not spill the L word unless she was confident and sure she did feel that way about Stephen, refusing to break his heart. 

 

The days were spent outdoors, doing whatever activity they came up with whether it was going to the beach, the art museum, the aquarium, and they even spent an entire day at Disney World since it wasn’t far from there.  At night and mornings were for sex and they had christened every part of her house, wherever they could do it, it happened.  Those three days with him flew by and it was time to get back to work, but it did suck to say goodbye to him for the time being.  Stephen had invited her to Revolution and she accepted, grinning when he informed her she could stay backstage or enjoy her front row seat, whatever she wanted to do.  Again, it felt nice to be with a man who didn’t criticize her for being a wrestling fan, who didn’t keep her at arm’s length and trusted her.

 

Stephen was perfect and all hers; Carmen was the luckiest woman in the world and could not wipe the smile off her face.

 

However, the heart wanted someone else and it would take a lot for it be relinquished from Jonathan Good’s vise grip.

 

Naturally, Jon randomly texted her as he was wont to do, sharing tidbits about where he was or what he was doing.  He also confided in her that he had a moment of temptation and almost had a beer.  He had gone to a Fozzy show and it was at a club with a huge bar, surrounded by booze and red cups everywhere.  It had been a disaster and Jon had to bail halfway through their set, sending Chris an apology text.  He had thought he could do it, but he couldn’t.  He had chain-smoked two packs of cigarettes that night while cursing himself out.

 

Carmen’s heart broke for him because she couldn’t imagine how difficult it was to be in a bar and not being able to drink, to indulge.  She had texted him back that Chris would understand and he simply wasn’t ready yet.  She didn’t make him feel worse about it or anything, trying to sound as encouraging as possible.  Jon had actually called her about it and they spent two hours talking with him confiding in her.  He hadn’t cried on the phone, but his voice had cracked a few times and her heart splintered, wishing she could be there for him.  They smoked cigarettes together while on the phone and that wasn’t all they talked about either.  One subject that did NOT come up in those two hours was Carmen’s new man and she didn’t bring him up either, refusing to hurt or upset Jon in any way, shape, or form.

 

To be fair, Jon had mostly forgotten that she was sort of seeing a guy, more like ‘seeing where it went’ with a guy and since she never mentioned it again, it didn’t cross his mind.  He had known her for over three years now and she had been single for all those years, wanting him last he knew.  So the idea of her moving on and being with someone else just didn’t really register for him.  Was that egotistical and self-centered, prickish?  Yes, yes it was, but that was also the reality and the truth.

 

Whatcha doing, mama?

 

It took her an hour to respond to him due to the fact she was being banged by her boyfriend in their luxury hotel suite she had got for them.  Stephen didn’t mind that she spent money and it was well worth it to be on the road with her man for the weekend.  Revolution was on Sunday, it was Saturday night, and Stephen was currently down in the hotel gym working out, gearing up for his match.  They had spent the last two days sexing it up in this suite, including in the jacuzzi it came with.  It was justified since they hadn’t seen each other in over two weeks, almost three. 

 

When Stephen returned, she planned on giving him a full tongue bath and shivered at the thought of it, taking a long drag of her cigarette to cool her jets.  She was in a white cotton robe, smoking a cigarette on the balcony and staring out at the city in Orlando, Florida.  The arena was just a few blocks away from here and she had been insistent on making sure the current AEW World Heavyweight champion, her man, was as comfortable as possible.

 

Enjoying a cigarette outside, what are you up to, handsome? Even though they were only friends again, Carmen would never stop calling him that.

 

I’m in Florida. He figured she would already know that given her habit of still coming to the pay-per-views.  She had stopped coming to every show years ago, after getting to meet him, which was proof one shouldn’t meet their heroes, but she always made the big shows. I’m not sick, promise, wanna try the dinner thing again? Jon was not staying at a posh hotel; he wasn’t slumming it either, having gone for the middle route this time.  Given she lived in Florida, he figured she was probably home right now and would make the trip tomorrow or something.

 

I’d love to, but I have plans tonight and tomorrow night with Stephen.  Raincheck? Those plans involved celebrating her sexy cowboy’s successful title defense in any way they wanted. Looking forward to your match with Bryan, I know you two are going to tear the house down. Just like her man planned on doing against Adam Cole. 

 

That little puny idiot didn’t have a prayer against Stephen and she couldn’t wait for that delicious Buckshot Lariat to clean his clock.  That had to be one of the sexiest moves she’d ever seen in the ring, aside from what Jon did.  Stubbing her cigarette out, she headed back inside the suite and laid down, untying her robe to snap a rather sultry picture to send to Stephen.

 

This is what’s waiting for you when you’re done with your workout, cowboy. Carmen could not help teasing him, giggling as she hit the send button and turned the television on to find something to watch while waiting for her man to return.

 

Only, it was not Stephen she sent that too, it was Jon.

 

It was an easy mistake to make, especially if one didn’t pay attention while operating on the memory of doing the motion over and over.  Jon raised a brow as he took in the picture, groaning when he felt his dick starting to rise in the loose basketball shorts he was wearing, glancing down his dick. “Really, man?” As if his cock was going to talk back to him or something.  It never occurred to him that she was referring to another man, cowboy was new, but…they had nicknames. Should I saddle up, babe?  Looking good! Jon even added a wink emoji with the message.

 

HOLY SHIT! “No!  No, no, no, no!!  What the hell did I just do?!” There was no way to erase that picture either!  Christ…how was Carmen supposed to do damage control?! OMG, I did NOT mean to send that to you!  Holy shit, I’m so sorry, Jon!  Goddamn it!  Fucking iPhones SUCK!

 

Didn’t she just tell him she was here with Stephen?  Yes, yes she did!  So why would he think for a second that picture was meant for him, after the fact?  Maybe Jon thought she was a slut or something and would hop on his dick, along with Stephen.  It was entirely possible, even though they’d known each other for several years now.

 

“Fuck, how am I supposed to face him after THAT?” Would Stephen be upset with her if she bailed on Revolution?

 

Nope, he had it forever and it was burned in his memory.  Jon had even started absentmindedly stroking his cock until he got that next text message, raising a brow.  What the hell did she mean she hadn’t meant to send it to him? Well, that’s a shame. It then occurred to him that she was seeing some guy and ‘cowboy’ had him thinking some dude wearing a suit with a cowboy hat and dumb boots, kind of like JBL or something.  He pulled a disgusted face. And mildly awkward, I had half a chub, NS. He went back to the older nickname, hoping she got that he was teasing her and trying to smooth things out.

That actually made Carmen breathe a sigh of relief and she smiled, really hoping Jon deleted that photo. You rock, I’ll see you tomorrow and I’ll be cheering you on like always.  Good night, Mox.

 

Tossing her phone to the side, Carmen tried to get her cheeks to cool down because they were red from embarrassment.  She was under the assumption Jon knew exactly who Stephen was, so it never occurred to her that nickname would throw him off.  By the time Stephen came back from his workout, that text message incident was long forgotten and she proceeded to give him that tongue bath, licking him from head to toe and then some.  She wanted to forget all about that text message, about Jon, for a while and Stephen was the perfect distraction.

 

“Not enough for you yet, huh, honey?”

 

“Never…never enough of you.” Carmen panted, riding him like the stallion he was and Jon was long forgotten as Stephen took her to heights only they could reach together.

 

Chapter 37

 

Chris was walking down the hallway the next day, gearing up for the pay-per-view against his opponent, Eddie Kingston, and stopped at the sight before him in the hallway.  Was that…was Carmen Diamond in the arms of Adam Page?!  Since when?  How long had this been going on and did Jon know?  There were so many damn questions and not enough answers…and it was obvious Carmen was exceedingly happy with the current AEW champion from the way they were kissing and caressing each other.  She had on Page’s tank top with a pair of black capris, her hair up on top of her head with her hooped earrings, her eyes only for Adam Page. 

 

What the HELL?

 

Carmen was laughing at something Stephen told her when they were approached by none other than Chris Jericho and she smiled at him. “Hey Chris, how’s it going?”

 

“Could ask you the same thing.  I wasn’t aware you and Page were together…”

 

“Oh, Jess didn’t tell you?”

 

Now Chris looked affronted. “No…” Then again, he didn’t ask his wife about Carmen’s love life every chance he got either. “How long you two been together?”

 

“Mmm, a month, I think?  Somewhere around there.  Maybe cowboy has a better memory than me.”

 

“Not long enough,” Stephen chuckled, rolling his eyes when Chris made a quip about him being a smooth talker. “Well, it worked, didn’t it?  It landed me this beautiful lady.” He nuzzled Carmen’s ear, having absolutely no problem in showing off with public displays of affection, but the tasteful kind, not the groping with hands and tongues everywhere.

 

“Uh huh,” Chris shook his head, deciding he didn’t care if Jon knew because it wasn’t his business.  Jon had friend zoned the ever loving hell out of Carmen and she deserved to be happy.  If Page made her happy, more power to them. “Cowboy, huh?  Do I dare ask?”

 

“Yes, my handsome cowboy.  By the way, thank you for recommending Diamond’s to him, Chris.  That’s how we really met, even though I saw him backstage with Jon a few times during the pay-per-views over the years.  We owe you one.  Let Jess know I’d like to set up a time to properly treat you guys, a double date or something, sound good?”

 

She looked back at Stephen, to see if he was all right with that and he nodded, making her beam brightly back at him.  Jon DID friend zone her…right up until their heated two days snowed in together full of raunchy delicious sex.  Chris didn’t need to know those details, however.  Those days were long gone and now Carmen was in the arms of a wonderful man that treated her like a queen and she did the same to him.  He was her king.

 

“Oh no, YOU let her know since you two are buddies.” Chris was teasing and she knew it, laughing when she just grinned at him.

 

It was odd how she had wound up friendly with people, how she had gone from a weirdo stalker, which she had been, to a degree, to a friend of his and his wife’s.  Now she was dating a wrestler.  If not for the fact they all obviously had gotten the chance to know her over the past three years, this would just be weird, her hooking up with another wrestler when she had crushed on Mox.  That’d be a book or something, maybe he’d get into writing next, even though he already had a book out there that had landed on the New York’s Bestsellers list.

 

“Well, you two kiddies have fun.”

Chris and his son had been the one to invite her over for that family meal on the beach.  She hadn’t bothered him and they had approached her, so it was divine intervention as far as she was concerned.  She also never asked for Chris to plant his ass on the hood of her rental car either at one of the events.  Where was that again?  She couldn’t remember and nodded, letting him know she’d get a hold of Jessica in the next couple of days after she was back in Florida to set up a time for them.  Of course, it would have to be when Chris was home too, so it would probably be a bit before they could do the double date.  Chris didn’t seem like he had a problem with Stephen and Stephen was friendly with everyone, so she didn’t see any issues. 

 

Stephen didn’t see her as just a wrestling fan either, he saw her as a successful woman and wasn’t intimidated by her wealth and power, unlike others.  He wasn’t using Carmen for her riches either, he simply wanted to be with her because of who she was on the inside and not what she had or could offer him.  Stephen was the first man she had decided to give a chance after her last horrible relationship, which she hadn’t told him about yet.  It would come up eventually, but right now, they were just enjoying being with each other and building the foundation of their relationship.

 

“You don’t have a problem with that, do you, Stephen?” She asked once Chris walked away, looking up into his sky blues.

“What?  A double date with Chris and his wife?” Stephen shook his head with a gentle smile, guiding her down the hall again. “No, I like Jess well enough, from the few times I’ve met her.” Jessica tended to keep out of the wrestling spotlight for the most part, showing up in Chris’s social media feeds a LOT since the man was very proud of his wife and enjoyed showing her off.  As well as his kiddos. “And you two are friends, it sounds like it’d be fun.  Are you okay with it?”

 

“Oh yeah, definitely.  Jess is probably gonna demand all the details of how this happened and I’ll gladly tell her…some of them.” Carmen teased, her arm wrapped around his waist while his was around her shoulders, not caring where Stephen was going. 

 

The fact that he wanted her to tag along, again, spoke volumes.  He wasn’t sending her off to find her seat in the arena or anything like that, he wanted her with him wherever he went until the show began, and even then, she had her choice of staying backstage in his dressing room to watch the event or to take her seat in the front row.  Stephen did not care what she did, just wanting to spend time with her since they didn’t get much of it due to their jobs.

 

As long as she was comfortable with tagging along, Stephen was more than happy to have her with him.  It wasn’t exactly common to bring a woman backstage anymore, not one who wasn’t associated with the business anymore, because of liability laws and other issues, but it also wasn’t totally out of place either.  Carmen wasn’t getting too many awkward looks.

 

“We’ll go grab some waters and if you want something to munch on, we can do that too, honey.”

 

Where you at, mama? Jon was out in the VIP parking for fans, leaning against the building and smoking, waiting on her. Running late?

 

Her phone was on silent and she was in the cafeteria at the moment, grabbing some munchies with Stephen and laughing while he whispered to her on what to avoid eating. “I’ll have you know that broccoli is delicious.” Stephen pulled a face, making her laugh harder as she dropped a few pieces on her plate with some ranch dressing. “Deal with it, I like it.” He suddenly kissed her and she barely managed to keep hold of the plate in her hand, her head spinning when he broke the kiss. “Not that I’m complaining or anything, but what was that for?” He shrugged with a smirk and the roses in her cheeks bloomed as he lead the way towards a table in the back for them to sit and eat.  Stephen wasn’t a fan of eating in the locker rooms unless he absolutely had to.

 

“Get a room!”

 

It was a good-natured heckle and he just waved at his friend, guiding her to a relatively empty table and pulled out a chair for her while balancing his plate in his hand.  Stephen sat down with her a moment later, shaking his head at the broccoli and wrinkled his nose when she waved it at him, offering him a bite. “I’m sorry, honey, I just don’t like broccoli.” Stephen wasn’t sorry at all; he could do lots of other veggies, just not that one.

 

“Hey wild man, catch!”

 

Stephen looked up in time to spot Moxley jumping over a table to catch a bottle of hot sauce that had been tossed his way.

 

What in the world?!  None other than Chris had tossed Jon the bottle of hot sauce and she recalled Jon putting that in the chicken noodle soup.  He really enjoyed things hot and spicy.  Carmen did occasionally as well, but it’d been a while since she had anything really hot like a ghost pepper or something.  She chatted more with Stephen while they ate and then he excused himself to go meet up with Adam Cole to discuss their match.

 

“I’m gonna head outside for a smoke and then I’ll come to your locker room.”

 

“Know where it is, honey?”

 

“Yes, I have my pass, don’t worry.” She accepted a soft kiss from him before they parted ways with her heading out of catering and Stephen going in the opposite direction towards Adam Cole’s locker room.  A cigarette, she really needed one after that meal and made sure her backstage pass was visible for all to see on her way to the back exit.

 

She had maybe gotten halfway through that cigarette when a laughing Jon came out, backwards, flipping someone off on his way. “Thanks, dick!” He caught the lighter that was tossed, using it to immediately light the cigarette dangling precariously between his lips. “Fuck, hot…” He loved spicy; he wasn’t so sure about it burning his sensitive lip skin or whatever the hell that kerosene was called. “Oh buddy…” Jon needed milk because water made it way worse; he had learned that the hard way early on.  Sighing, he turned to inhale and then grinned, spotting her. “Hey babe!”

 

“Hey handsome, how’s it going?  I saw you in the cafeteria with the hot sauce.  You really do enjoy your spice, don’t you?” They hadn’t seen each other since she’d put him on a plane headed for Cincinnati, Ohio to grab Blue, then he was heading home to recover the rest of the way from his pneumonia.  The lighter he had wasn’t working as he tried flicking it repeatedly and she walked over, handing hers over. “Need a light?” He smirked, sending a rush of warmth right through her and Carmen ignored it, holding the flame up to the tip. “There we go.  You ready to go to war with Danielson tonight?”

 

His cigarette had already been lit, but he wasn’t turning it down, now it was just extra lit, inwardly chuckling because she seemed a bit air-headed tonight. “You know, my Mom used to get that powdered egg shit in her food boxes from the pantries when I was a kid.  That’s where I got started with the hot sauce.” He informed her, then raised an eyebrow. “Wait, you saw me in the cafeteria and didn’t come say hi?” His gaze then landed on her VIP pass. “Did Chris invite you again?”

 

Now she was staring at him in confusion, taking a drag of her cigarette. “No.  Stephen did.” Now it was Jon’s turn to stare back at her with equal confusion, both of their brows raised in unison. “I mean, it’d be natural to come here with my boyfriend to watch him kick ass and take names, right?” It wasn’t registering for Jon and she could tell by the million questions in his electric blues, feeling her stomach tighten a fraction. “I mean, I would’ve come here anyway and I have a front row seat, but…Stephen invited me to spend the weekend with him…” There was a reason she was wearing Stephen’s shirt tonight instead of Jon’s.

 

None of that registered for him because Jon had no idea who the hell she was talking about.  Jon never had, she just seemed to be assuming and it was weird that she was wearing Hangman’s shirt instead of his.  All he could do was stare at her, trying to get his mind to snap onto whatever it was she was saying, but none of it was making any sense to him.

 

“Okay, so…Stephen invited you and he got you VIP backstage passes?” She nodded and he felt like they were getting somewhere, trying to rack his brain on if he had spotted anyone ‘new’, but…there were always ‘new’ faces at each show.

 

Carmen managed to cotton onto what was really going on before Jon and her emerald eyes went wide as saucers. “Oh shit.” She did not mean to say those words out loud, but…they popped out and now Jon looked a little annoyed, rightfully so. “Jon…” Christ, how the hell was she supposed to explain this?! “You really have no idea who Stephen is, do you?” Of COURSE, he didn’t!  He shook his head and she began pacing in front of him, smoking her cigarette. “Damn it, I call him Stephen because…because that’s his name!  His REAL name!  I thought you knew who I was talking about this whole time and you don’t have a fucking clue.  Jesus Christ…” She pointed at her shirt blatantly. “I’m dating him, Adam ‘Hangman’ Page, the current AEW champion.  He’s my boyfriend, the one I told you about.  His real name is Stephen Woltz and I thought you knew that…” Did these guys not use real names when they spoke to each other in the business?  Apparently not!

 

Now his mind was blown for entirely different reasons as the pieces began falling into place, but Jon was also struggling with said pieces.  She was dating Adam Page, who was Stephen Woltz and no, he hadn’t known that because very rarely did any of them address each other by their proper names.  It was always ‘Mox’ or ‘Hangman’, ‘Jericho’, ‘Dragon’, nicknames like that when working unless a wrestler became borderline family with someone.  Then the real names were used outside of the work place.

 

“You’re dating…Page…” Jon echoed, still struggling with that one. “Why?” It came out wrong and he knew it, but he couldn’t take it back either.

 

Carmen raised a very slow brow at him, her eyes narrowing slightly and she decided another cigarette was in order.  She lit it up, not answering him for a few minutes, and blew the smoke out of her mouth after her first drag, flicking ash to the side. “Why not?  He likes me, I like him, we get along great and have fun together.  He asked me out and I accepted.  And he doesn’t care about how much wealth and power I have with my job or my company.  He doesn’t hold me at arm’s length because of it and treats me well.  He likes me for ME and not what I can give him or do for him.  You seem really taken aback by the fact I’m dating him and I’m curious to know why, Jon.  That tone in your voice tells me you’re not happy for me and again, I’d like to know why.  Why shouldn’t I be with Stephen?”

 

Chapter 38

 

Because the guy was a wrestler and she had started off as HIS stalker.

 

Because she had spent three years in love with HIM! 

 

Because why would she want to date that curly haired, goody two shoes?

 

Jon felt like he was sort of being targeted here, like he was at fault that she was dating Page, with her ‘he doesn’t care’ and ‘arm’s length’ comments.  He wasn’t even considering what could be given or done because Jon didn’t use her, they were friends, right? “I’m startled, I don’t give a fuck who you date, mama.” He had been supportive all this time and now she was banging his coworker, which just…he squished it down for the moment, needing to show his support.

 

For once, this situation had nothing to do with him. “He makes me happy, Jon.  I haven’t been this happy in…such a long time.” She sighed wistfully, staring up at the sky and shut her eyes, willing the tears to stay put. “My last relationship was…horrible, to put it mildly.  The mother fucker tried extorting me and my business, for one.  He basically used me and when I found out what he was trying to do behind my back, I nailed his ass and ended things.  Stephen is the first man I’ve…trusted enough to try again in five, almost six years.” She was still in love with Jon, but he did not feel the same way about her and it was time to stop pining for a man that didn’t want her for more than sex and a good time. “I’m sorry, I really thought you knew who Stephen was when I told you about him.  I should’ve been clearer about it or maybe even used his wrestling name, even though I’m dating the man, not the wrestler.” Carmen wanted to make that crystal clear and took another deep drag of her cigarette, hoping this didn’t ruin her friendship with Jon. “Please tell me we’re still friends…”

 

Ouch.  On one hand that hurt, her FINALLY trusting a man enough to try again, but at the same time, Jon knew if he would have given her a shot at a relationship, she PROBABLY would have trusted him.  Right?  No, because she had fired shots about a guy finally seeing past her status and all that, to the woman, which was something Jon had NOT been able to do.

 

“No, no I didn’t.” He cleared his throat at the level of awkward this had taken all because he had never bothered to learn someone’s real name.  He didn’t miss the dig about dating the man, not the wrestler, inwardly mulling everything over.  Jon knew better than to say anything right now; he’d make a mouth mistake.

 

If Jon came to her before Stephen waltzed into her life and told her he wanted to be with her, she would’ve given him a chance because she was in love with him.  Maybe it would’ve succeeded, maybe it wouldn’t have.  But he didn’t and she knew, deep down, since he still referred to her as his ‘non stalker’ his NS, Jon would never get past the fact she was a fan of his before they got to know each other personally.  The fact he didn’t respond to her about still being friends spoke volumes as well and Carmen could feel her heart wrenching with pain already.  This was a decision, a choice, she had to make, however and she didn’t regret it.  Stephen was a great man and she was determined to bury her feelings for the man she couldn’t have and build new ones for the one who wanted her in every way.

 

“The event is starting soon.  Good luck in your match tonight with Bryan.” Turning, Carmen walked back into the arena, leaving Jon standing out there and headed straight for Stephen’s locker room, bursting into tears as soon as she was completely alone in the confines of the room. DAMN IT!!  DAMN HIM!!

 

Jon didn’t realize the mistake he had made until he was in his own locker room.  He had been so shocked by her dating a coworker of his that he had totally neglected to reassure her that they were still friends.  Of course they still were, why wouldn’t they be?  Because she had moved on to another wrestler?  That sounded wrong, even in his head.  Immediately, Jon began pushing all of that to the side because he couldn’t be focusing on Carmen, and her newfound infatuation, when he had a match to go put on.  Grunting, he focused on what he was supposed to be doing, which was warming up, trying to get his head clear and in the game.  Jon wasn’t risking hurting himself or someone else because his head was in the clouds, it wasn’t an option.

 

By the time Stephen came back to his locker room, Carmen was already gone and out at ringside in her seat, trying to push the conversation with Jon out of her mind.  Or was it an argument?  Maybe it was a little strange that she was dating a wrestler, but…Stephen wasn’t JUST a wrestler to her.  Wrestling was what he did for a living and she hadn’t been his fan to start out with like she had with Jon.  Pushing it all out of mind, Carmen once again had her cell phone turned off as the event kicked off and clapped her hands, trying to get excited about all the incredible matches she was about to witness tonight.  AEW really was on a different level entirely and, by the time Jon came through the crowd to get into the ring, with the fans singing ‘Wild Thing’, all of her animosity had drained away and she cheered for her favorite wrestler…and the man she loved.

 

Jon had successfully cleared his head of everything he considered a distraction, including Carmen, and her knocking boots with Cowboy Page was something he definitely considered a distraction.  That was something to consider and internalize at another time when he wasn’t busy with someone else’s life potentially in his hands.  Jon would swear off women for the rest of his life AND become a raging alcoholic again if he accidentally murdered someone in the ring because his head wasn’t in the game.

 

The match was beautiful brutality and Carmen was on her feet, on edge, the entire time.  Bryan had taken the fight to Jon completely, dominating most of the match and Jon was nothing more than a crimson mask.  Even though she loved the way he wrestled, now that she knew the man behind the character, it hurt Carmen to see so much blood pouring out of Jon’s head.  In the end, however, somehow, Jon prevailed and won the match, pinning Bryan for the first time in his entire career.  The crowd went crazy, especially when both men began arguing and brawling further in the ring. 

 

Bryan did not agree with the referee’s decision, but it was final and he was pissed.  Suddenly, none other than His Lordship, William Regal, came storming out from the back and got in the ring, slapping both Jon and Bryan across the face when they would not stand down.  Carmen’s eyes widened in shock, her jaw on the floor, as Jon and Bryan actually shook hands, all thanks to William Regal.  After that match, she was drained and knew they still had a few more matches before it was Stephen’s turn to defend his title.

 

It’s stupid to worry about him, but I hope Jon is okay.

 

Jon had a GREAT headache and felt awesome, but that was the adrenaline doing the thinking for him right now.  It was a natural high like no other, nothing could ever replicate the feeling of delivering a high energy performance that had everyone invested, not drugs, not alcohol, not even sex.  Usually.  Sometimes, there were exceptions to the adrenaline from a great match rule, exceptions usually being some bomb sex.

 

“You okay, bro?” Bryan asked once they were all backstage, his arm wrapping around Jon’s shoulders to help him.

 

“Yeah, I should probably get this eyeballed…”

 

Bryan chuckled, nodding while holding onto Jon, both of them proud of the work they did in that ring tonight.  Match of the night and possibly of the year, as far as he was concerned. “Man, Brie is going to kick my ass.  I promised her it wouldn’t go too far out there.”

 

Jon laughed and so did he, both of them ruffling the others hair, Jon more so to Bryan than the other way around.  They had known each other for years and were best friends; he was closer to Bryan than he was with Chris, actually.  Bryan also didn’t drink or do any kind of drugs, he was completely sober and a health, planet nut too.  It was because of Bryan that Jon had found a new respect for the planet and environment, and why he enjoyed being in nature far more than he had in the past.

 

Of course, Jon liked to heckle the hell out of Bryan for being a nut about all that, but Bryan usually gave it right back to him, making commentary about how he had ‘rubbed’ off on the ‘Wildman’.  That usually shut Jon right up.  Nothing like being reminded you were turning into a healthy fitness nut with the bonus add-on of being a tree hugger too.

 

“Well, let her know I was like…a quarter of the blame, maybe she’ll take it easy on you.” He joked, patting his friend on the arm before stepping into the trainer’s room.  Jon had blood in his eyes and it was starting to hurt.

 

“Nah, we’re both to blame for this one, but at least it was successful.” That was all Bryan cared about. 

 

They had told a story and the culmination of that story had happened in the ring tonight.  He was very happy with it and now they would be forming a tag team together, a group, though they still had yet to put a name to it.  One thing at a time.  Bryan watched the door close to the trainer’s room and headed to grab a shower, needing to call Brie to let her know he was all right after that brutal match.

 

The main event came and went with Stephen retaining the AEW World Heavyweight championship against Adam Cole.  Carmen clapped and cheered for him, happy that her man was still the champion, even though it wasn’t nearly the banger Jon and Bryan had put on.  She’d never say that outside of her own head, however.  Stephen grinned down at her and slid out of the ring, holding the AEW championship in the air while yanking her against him with the barricade between them, passionately kissing her for the world to see. 

 

Carmen did not expect him to do that and wasn’t complaining, kissing him back with equal passion.  He then lifted her over the barricade around the waist and took her hand, lacing their fingers together while heading up the rampway towards the back.  All she could do was go with him, having left her belongings back in his dressing room and the crowd half-cheered and half-booed since there were a lot of Adam Cole fans.

 

“You are crazy for doing that!” She laughed once they were backstage, really hoping he didn’t get in trouble for what he did out there.

 

There was NO topping what Jon and Bryan had done, especially with Lord William Regal himself coming out and smacking them both across the face.  They had set the segment on fire and then left it raging, left it so people NEEDED to know what would happen next.  Jon watched the match from his place getting his head tended to and his eyes flushed since blood, even his, was considered a biohazard.  He almost screeched ‘what the FUCK?’ when he saw out of one eye what Page had done, totally being a spaz and kissing her like that on live television AND bringing her over the railing.  That was just stupid given she wasn’t a wrestler and who the hell did that anyway?!  Curly haired idiot! It was a liability and insurance issue, and Jon knew he was being a jackass inside his head, but WHY was Page KISSING her?!

 

Because Stephen was her boyfriend, they were together, and he didn’t give a flying hell who knew about it.  He wanted to shout it from the rooftops and show off his gorgeous, ebony haired goddess that already had a hold of his heart.  Carmen was all smiles as well and he had cleared it with Tony Khan prior to coming out for his match, wanting to surprise her.  Tony had no qualms about it, happy for Stephen, and so were his friends.  The moment they were backstage, he embraced Adam Cole, who was one of his best friends in the industry and introduced Carmen to him.  Carmen shook his hand and then Britt Baker’s, congratulating them both on great matches they had that night.

 

“Hey, how about we go out tonight together and have some celebratory drinks?” Adam suggested with a grin, wrapping his arm around Britt’s shoulders.

 

Stephen looked down at Carmen to register how she felt about it. “You wanna do that, honey?  I don’t care if we do or not.”

 

All eyes were on Carmen now and she nodded, wanting to get to know everyone in Stephen’s circle since she planned on staying there for a long time to come.  He was her man, even if he wasn’t the one her heart truly wanted.  Her heart would have to get with the program because Stephen was amazing and not at all complicated.

 

“That sounds great!” They made plans to meet up at a local bar before Stephen and Carmen headed to his locker room to shower and change, pulling her right in there with him for some celebratory sex.

 

Needless to say, what Stephen had done out there, with his new woman, was the talk of the locker room.  Most people recognized Carmen by now, thanks to her association with Jon and Chris.  Nobody had anything bad to say about Carmen, she seemed fine to most people and she didn’t bother anyone.  Basically, she was someone people recognized, but since she bothered nobody, nobody bothered her.

 

Jon was coming out of his own locker room, all cleaned up and looking fairly fine when Carmen and Stephen emerged as well, his very weird looking eyes taking them both in.

 

Their hair was wet and Carmen had a freshly fucked glow about her while Stephen had a shit eaten grin on his face, his arm around her shoulders and hers around his waist while they walked down the hallway, carrying their belongings.  They didn’t notice Jon, too busy talking about the pay-per-view and what a success it was.  After Stephen thoroughly sexed her up in the shower and they were getting dressed, he had asked her a very important question and Carmen was still mulling it over.

 

“Are you absolutely sure about this?” She lit up a cigarette as soon as they were outside, needing a nicotine fix after that delicious romp with her man. “People won’t mind?  I don’t want to be a nuisance, cowboy…” That question had been whether she wanted to travel with him on the road for a while, to build their relationship, because a mere two days with her wasn’t nearly enough time together.

 

“Yeah, I’m sure about it.” Contrary to popular opinion, a lot of couples did not travel together simply because it didn’t work out long-term for a lot of people.

 

The constant traveling for a non-wrestler, little downtime, it got exhausting for the partner that wasn’t a wrestler.  This was not the life for everyone and he respected that.  However, Carmen didn’t stay in ONE home all the time and she already did a lot of traveling, so he didn’t see this being a hassle for her.  Stephen knew she’d have to take off for work every now and again, and she might want to take a ‘break’ from the road eventually, but for now, if she was agreeable, he would do his best to make this work and make sure she didn’t get burnt out.

 

“You don’t have to come to every arena with me either, honey, if you don’t want to.”

 

Oh that was gross.

 

“Okay.”

 

Stephen stopped to look down into those beautiful emerald eyes and couldn’t stop the smile that lit up his face. “Okay?”

 

Carmen reached up to caress his bearded face with her hand and nodded, leaning up to softly brush her mouth against his. “If I need a break or something, I can just hop on a flight and go wherever I want.  Not a break from you, but from the traveling.” She quickly corrected herself, feeling his arm tighten around her and shook her head when Stephen asked if she’d ever need a break from him. “I don’t see that happening anytime soon, cowboy.  I really like being with you, if you haven’t noticed.  And I’ll come to the arenas sometimes with you, just not always.”

 

“Whatever you wanna do, I’m fine with it, Carmen.”

 

“Good, and since you’re off for the next few days until Wednesday, that’ll give me time to pack to join you.” She kissed him again softly, thankful he didn’t mind the fact she smoked.  Not once did Stephen mention anything about it and she thought for sure he would have by now. “Come on, Adam and Britt are waiting for us, unless you want to go back to the hotel instead?”

 

Stephen thought about it and slowly shook his head, beginning to walk with her again. “Nah, I want you to get to know them better and I want them to know the incredible woman I’m with.”

 

Carmen blushed at that compliment and could only nod, not sure how to respond to that.

 

Jon was disgusted, thoroughly revolted, and mentally congratulated himself on avoiding that trap.  He couldn’t do the up each other’s asses scenario, the dependency, and it occurred to him that this was why he was going to be single forever because he was apparently an emotional Grinch.  It also occurred to him, as he headed out with a bag over his shoulder and a bandage on his head, that he normally would not give two shits about any of this, so what was different this time?  Usually, he didn’t bat an eyelash about couples backstage, whether they were both wrestlers or not.

 

Carmen…it was fucking Carmen that was different.

 

“GODDAMN IT…!”

 

Chapter 39

 

For the next several weeks of traveling with Stephen on the road, Carmen hadn’t heard a word from Jon.  Not a peep.  No text messages.  No calls.  No contact whatsoever.  He really was upset that she was in a relationship with Stephen and she didn’t understand why.  Honestly, it was too much effort to figure Jon out, he was a constant puzzle, the pieces constantly changing, never molding together to make a picture.  It was exhausting and she was far too happy with Stephen to give him a second thought.  Every night making love with her cowboy inched her heart one step closer to Stephen, though Jon still had a tight hold on it. 

 

It wasn’t just the sex that was incredible either; they went out and did things together whenever Stephen had a moment to breathe.  On their days off, they flew to one of her houses, depending on the location of where AEW was at the time, instead of going back to Florida all the time, on her private jet.  Carmen had decided to stay at the hotels whenever Stephen had to work, except the pay-per-view events.  She would go out and gallivant during the day whenever he had a meeting to attend, media appearances, and hitting the gym.  Hitting the gym with him had become part of her routine too because Carmen wanted to stay as fit as possible, refusing to lose Stephen all because she was too lazy to maintain her hourglass figure.  That was her own self-esteem issues coming into play, though he had no idea about them and enjoyed having her work out with him.

 

As soon as they hit their three month mark, which was in late May, Stephen took Carmen out to a lovely dinner and had asked her to dress up for the occasion.  Carmen had no idea what was about to happen, but the entire day, she had butterflies erupting in her stomach while she got her hair and nails done, keeping the same ebony tresses and just touching them up with a trim.  The dinner was fantastic and they were in a private room of some kind because Stephen wanted this moment to be just the two of them.  After they ate, dessert came and in the middle of the souffle, was something rock hard and solid.  Carmen’s heart nearly leapt into her throat when she pulled out a beautiful, huge three stoned diamond ring and felt tears sting her eyes.  They hadn’t even said they loved each other yet, but that had changed during Stephen’s proposal while he was down on one knee, holding her hand in his, proclaiming his love to her.

 

Carmen’s brain was screaming at her to say yes, but her heart was bellowing the word no.  There was a reason for that.  No matter how long it’d been since she’d spoken to Jon…just seeing him, catching glimpses of him while she was on the road with Stephen, was enough for him to keep a hold of her heart.  As much as Carmen wanted her heart to be Stephen’s, as hard as she tried to push those feelings for Jon to the man knelt before her…she couldn’t.  She simply couldn’t do it.  So, which one did she listen to?  Her mind or her heart? 

 

Was it possible to ignore what her heart wanted in exchange for a fraction of happiness Stephen gave her?  It’d only been three months and here this perfect, beautiful man was proposing to her, after a romantic dinner, and she could not get her mouth to work.  Just as Stephen thought maybe this was a mistake and his face began to fall, his smile deteriorating, Carmen took the ring, dipped it in the cup of water that was brought out to clean it off, and slid it on her left ring finger, tears of both regret and happiness sliding down her cheeks.

 

“Yes.” She whispered softly, passionately kissing him and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close. “Yes, I’ll marry you.” The words ‘I love you’ did not come out of her mouth that night, however.

 

Stephen had noticed she hadn’t returned those words, but at the same time, he also figured that since she had accepted his proposal, she DID love him. Just like when they had sex that first night, their first time, she had known he was a monogamous man, who wasn’t very good with casual sex outside of a relationship, and he viewed their lovemaking as cementing their commitment to each other status. “I’m so damn happy, honey.” He whispered in her ear, glad he had done it this way.  Truthfully, he couldn’t imagine a more perfect setting than something classy like it, even gussying himself up properly for her.  He pulled back to stare into her face, searching for any doubts and found none. “You had me worried there for a second, Carmen.”

 

“I-I’m sorry, I just…I had to get over the initial shock of you proposing, Stephen.” Carmen smiled through tears, cupping his face in her hands to softly kiss him, knowing deep down she was merely settling for this man.  He wasn’t who she truly wanted, who her heart longed for, and he never would be.  Jon was out of her reach and she had accepted it, so it was a no-brainer to accept Stephen’s proposal.  She would learn to love him, keep pushing her heart in his direction, and one day it would happen. “I mean, it’s only been three months since we got together, so I just didn’t expect this, that’s all.  It’s beautiful…” Glancing down at the diamond ring, she looked back up at him and then back down at it again. “You have great taste, I love it.” She just didn’t love him.

 

“Are you sure?” He felt like something was wrong, but couldn’t pinpoint what, knowing that conventionally he had probably moved too fast. 

 

Given they had only officially been together for three months.  

 

However, it was the happiest three months of his life, Stephen was head over heels with this woman and he knew without a doubt that it would only grow and get better with time. “If you want a different ring, Carmen, we can-” He smiled when she shook her head and placed a hand over his mouth to silence him. “I love you.” He said when she finally uncovered his mouth, simply stating what was a fact.

 

She grinned at him, looping her arms around his neck and rested her forehead against his. “Good.” Then Carmen kissed him in return, trying to ease his worries and troubled thoughts, pouring everything she felt into it.

 

~!~

 

‘HANGMAN’ ADAM PAGE IS OFF THE MARKET!

 

‘HANGMAN’ PROPOSES TO GIRLFRIEND, CARMEN DIAMOND, OF THREE MONTHS!

 

WEDDING BELLS IN THE AIR FOR ‘HANGMAN’ ADAM PAGE AND CARMEN DIAMOND!

 

Carmen really hated social media sometimes while she read the various headlines, sipping her coffee in their hotel suite.  After a night of lovemaking to celebrate their engagement, Stephen had woken up before her to attend a meeting, which would follow a signing, and made sure to leave a note for her with the words ‘I love you’ on it.  That hadn’t felt great since she couldn’t say the words back to him and now the entire world knew of their engagement…an engagement that JUST happened last night.  Who the hell leaked it that fast?

 

“Stupid stalkerazzi at it again, unbelievable.” She muttered, tossing her phone to the side and stood up from the bed to stare out the window, sipping more of her coffee.  No doubt in her mind Jon either saw the headlines or he wasn’t awake fully yet to see them, but by the end of the day, he would know along with the rest of the world that she was engaged to be married.

 

And that made her heart ache.

 

~!~

 

Did you see?

 

Jon groaned, scrubbing a hand down his face and felt his beard prickling at his palm as he stared blearily eyed at the text from Chris waiting for him. c wht? That was the best the older man was getting right now because Jon hadn’t even pulled himself out of the bed yet.  He had felt like having a sleep in today.  A second later he received a screenshot of some headline that had him waking up faster than any coffee or other caffeine injection would, feeling his heart beginning to pound furiously in his chest.

 

Carmen was marrying Page.

 

Man, that’s REALLY fast for them, isn’t it?  Think she’s pregnant? Chris had NO idea how Jon was reacting to this at the moment, currently in his own bed with some coffee, having gotten the news from his lovely wife. 

 

He was happy for Carmen and Stephen, wishing them nothing except the best, but even he had to wonder why they were rushing things.  It’d only been three months, right?  Maybe Chris was way off on his timing, trying to think back to when Stephen asked him for a suggestion on a realtor in Tampa.  He hadn’t even thought about it and said Diamond’s.  It was because of his suggestion that Carmen and Stephen were now engaged to be married.

 

Ultimately, Chris was the catalyst for the hurricane that was upon them because who in their right state of mind got married after only three months?  Jon was up now, ignoring his phone as he brewed the single serve coffee, needing to wake up more and really think about what he was going to say.  He hadn’t reached out to Carmen in a long time, figuring she’d be up her man’s backside or something, or possibly just didn’t have any time for her supposed best friend.  It was a two-way street, reaching out, right?

 

Yeah, IDK if she is or not.  Maybe Jess knows?

 

Let me ask her, hang tight.

 

Jessica raised a brow when her husband asked her if Carmen was pregnant, the possibility in the back of her mind. I don’t know, let me ask her, hang on. She proceeded to text Carmen the question since they’d been texting back and forth ever since she woke up to the news of the engagement.

 

Now THIS was one of the reasons why Carmen wanted to keep the engagement quiet for a little while, but stalkerazzi and dirt sheets had plans of their own. No, I am not pregnant.  This is why I didn’t want anyone finding out right away.  I really hate the stalkerazzi, for the record.

 

You and me both, sweetie. Jessica texted back, not blaming Carmen for being annoyed with this turn of events and then proceeded to send her husband a message. No, she’s not.

 

Chris didn’t know why, but he felt relieved upon reading that message and sent Jon the answer. No pregnancy, according to Jess.

 

Then why the hell were they rushing to get married?  Then again, it wasn’t unheard of for people to get engaged after just a few months of dating in this day and age.  Whatever happened to courtship and taking things slow though?  That just didn’t exist in today’s society and it was sad.

 

Jon couldn’t tell Chris what he was really thinking.  Chris would think he was a selfish asshole.  Bryan would probably tell him he needed to get over himself and be happy for his friends.

 

“This is wrong.” He grunted to the empty room in general, just so he could hear it out loud.  She and Page hadn’t even known each other as more than acquaintances for very long and now they were engaged? So, congrats are in order, babe?  He read and reread it before hitting send, lighting a cigarette after setting down his cell and then proceeded to make his cup of coffee.

 

Two months.  It’d been two months since she spoke to Jon or heard from him.  Her heart lurched painfully in her chest as she read the message and Carmen stepped outside on the balcony, lighting up a much needed cigarette with her coffee, closing the door behind her.  What was she supposed to say to him? “Don’t ignore him, it won’t solve anything and it’ll just make matters worse.” Thank you. There, it was short, simple, and to the point. 

 

Now it was up to Jon if he wanted to continue the conversation.  Looking down at the diamond ring on her finger, Carmen let out a shaky exhale with smoke and let the tears roll down her cheeks.  Truthfully, she didn’t want to be married and sincerely hoped Stephen wouldn’t mind a long engagement until she WAS ready to plan a wedding.

 

Considering Jon had reached out to her the last few times, he was starting to wonder if he should just stop and that seemed wrong.  He had sat his naked backside down at the small table, his cell charging while he was on it, cigarette in one hand and his little cup of coffee in the other, eyes narrowing at that short message.  Shit, what if HE was the stalker now or something?  Not taking her social cues to leave her alone since obviously she wanted jack to do with him.

 

Set a date yet or just winging it? He was terrible at heeding social cues.

 

Sniffling, she wiped her tears away and took her time responding, finishing her first cigarette and immediately lit a second one up. It just happened last night, so we really haven’t had time to talk about it. Carmen didn’t mind him inquiring about it since others had as well.  Jon was still her friend, even though he hadn’t said a word to her in two months. We’re not having a wedding right away.  There’s a lot going on right now with my company and the expansion, not to mention his career, so we’ll have a long engagement and take our time planning a wedding.  Or maybe we’ll just elope, if he wants to. That was always an option and she felt sick as soon as she sent that message, slapping her own face. “There’s no way Stephen will elope, he’s a family man…Shit.” Carmen hadn’t even met his family yet and they were engaged now, so that was inevitable. “Fuck.”

 

Damn right it was, Stephen was already planning a small get-together with his immediate family, not wanting to overwhelm her.  He knew Carmen didn’t have family of her own, he was hoping that she would take to his since family was very important.  His momma, bless her, even though she hadn’t met Carmen, had still given her opinion when he had asked the old woman what she thought about marriage and it had been a good one.  She was basing her opinion off of what she knew about Carmen from him and what his sister had Googled.

 

Elope?  You’re kidding, right?  I don’t see that happening, mama. “You shouldn’t even be THINKING about marrying him…”

 

Then it’s going to be a long engagement. “WHY am I discussing this with him?!  It’s none of his business, for fuck’s sake…” Because it’s so good to hear from him again, even if it’s not the best circumstances.  I love him and he doesn’t love me.  Damn it, I need to stop and be happy with Stephen. For the most part, she was, but he had just blindsided her with this proposal and dropping the L bomb on her all in one fell swoop.

 

Don’t see that happening either.

 

He doesn’t have a choice in the matter. “Just like I didn’t have a choice when he decided to whip a damn diamond ring out and propose to me.” Grumbling, Carmen took a sip of her lukewarm coffee and made a face, deciding she had to get out of the hotel for a little while and went back inside to change. 

 

Starbucks, she needed Starbucks and some fresh air to calm her racing mind.

 

Chapter 40

 

Carmen had a choice and she had made the wrong one, point blank period.

 

She could have easily told Stephen no, now was not the time or that she thought it was too soon.  She could have said ANYTHING and because Stephen was so damn perfect and understanding, he would have accepted it graciously.  He would have been hurt, but he would have put her thoughts and feelings first because he was just that kind of man.  Jon was dressing while she was contemplating, having read that last text and snorted.  He needed more coffee and he wasn’t about to venture in that packet of decaf that had come with the ONE regular cup.  Why did hotels do that in the first place?  It was so gross.  

 

Starbucks…there was one close by.

 

When Jon walked into the Starbucks for his coffee, Carmen was already there, sitting at a table waiting for her order and staring out the window in thought.  The diamond on her left ring finger was very visible and her hair was piled on top of her head with a tank top and cotton shorts, sandals on her feet.  They were currently in Houston, Texas and the heat was no joke, so she decided to order a frappe instead of hot coffee, scrubbing a hand down her face.  She nearly jumped out of her skin when the chair in front of her skidded across the floor as it was pulled and she looked back at Jon, wondering what he was doing here. 

 

Now her heart was racing at the sight of the man she actually loved staring back at her, both really not knowing what to say. “Hi.” Carmen went first, extending the olive branch and reached up to tighten the band in her hair a little more.

 

“Hi.”

 

Surprisingly, there hadn’t been much of a wait and she hadn’t even noticed him even when Jon ordered a Venti.  He imagined it had made the barista’s head spin when he had simply said ‘black coffee’ and not some weird, long and complicated customized beverage.  He had tipped well and came to join her, raising a brow at how surprised she seemed to be to find him there.  Jon didn’t consider extending anything given he had purposefully sat with her, so it was pretty clear about where he stood with her.

 

“So, nice rock, weigh a ton?” That thing was ugly as sin.

 

Narrowing her eyes at him, she could hear the clear disapproval in his tone, even though he did try to hide it.  His eyes spoke volumes, however, and Carmen wasn’t in the mood, so she moved her hand from view and heard her name being called to pick her order up. “I’m not doing this with you.  Enjoy your coffee, Good.”

 

Taking her order, having already paid and tipped, Carmen walked right out of Starbucks and went for a walk, not believing how much those words hurt her.  Of course the damn thing weighed a ton, but it was a psychological weight, not an actual one.  The ring was beautiful, a three stoned diamond set on a platinum band.

 

He was right behind her instantly. “You’re joking right?  You realize, the last two times we exchanged messages, I reached out to you?  You could be messaging me too, Carmen, or was that your not-so-subtle way of telling me to fuck off?”

 

Obviously, she had been lying the past three years about them being friends if she continued to just ignore him and walk away, all because he couldn’t keep the disapproval out of his tone.  Then Jon stopped, an epiphany happening.  It suddenly crossed his mind that she had only been ‘friends’ with him because of the stalking situation; she was trying to get close and she had found a new obsession. No! He rubbed his face with his hands, shaking his head as he dismissed those thoughts immediately.  She wasn’t a stalker, just a woman he cared about and she was marrying the wrong guy!

 

“I didn’t think you wanted me to!” Carmen turned to stare at him, so much anguish swirling like a vortex in her eyes. “You made it clear to me that you don’t support my relationship with Stephen, so I didn’t think you wanted to hear from me.  And it’s been over two months since we last exchanged any kind of words.  Forgive me, but my world doesn’t revolve around you anymore, Jon.” She immediately regret those words as soon as they left her mouth, her eyes lowering from his and turned to walk away again, but he stopped her with his hand on her upper arm, gently but firmly pulling her towards him. “I never thought I’d lose you over something like this…”

 

“Why the FUCK do you keep thinking you’re losing me?  You do realize whatever is going on, it’s all in your head, right?” Jon had no idea she had issues from a prior relationship because she never told him, so he was unaware of her insecurities.  Then he recalled what she told him about her ex trying to extort her for money and had to stop himself from crossing his eyeballs. “Are you talking about the night I found out who Stephen was?” Probably, because the surprise and everything else had been obvious that night.  He inhaled deeply, fumbling for his cigarettes and offered her one, watching as she hesitantly took it before he lit them both up, deciding they needed nicotine with their coffee. “Come here…” He guided her next to a bench, dropping down after gently pushing her down to sit.

 

They sat there for a few minutes in silence, smoking their cigarettes and all Carmen could do was stare at the diamond ring on her finger, turning it absentmindedly. “You don’t want me with Stephen.  You don’t even have to say the words.  It’s written all over your face and it was the night of Revolution.  And the disgust on your face when you asked me about the ring…you’re not happy for me.” Taking a drag of her cigarette, Carmen flicked ash away and finally turned to look at the man she loved, the man her heart yearned for and was out of her reach. “Why is that?  Why don’t you want me with Stephen?  Is it because he’s your coworker, another wrestler, or something?” She hadn’t attended any of his Indie events in the past two months either due to traveling with Stephen and work.

 

“Maybe, I don’t know.”

 

Truthfully, Jon had no good, logical reason for not wanting her with ‘Stephen’ and that made him a real jerk.  He knew he hadn’t overly cared when she had told him she was trying out a relationship with a guy named Stephen, but then he had found out who Stephen really was and now he cared.  Maybe because seeing the guy, seeing THEM in person, and not just hearing about it had cemented it for him?  Jon tried to imagine if he would feel the same way if it had been someone else, someone who wasn’t related to the wrestling industry.  He wanted to say yes he would, but he would never really know now.

 

“You’re an asshole, you know that?  You don’t know?  Let me ask you something, Jon, do you think Stephen is a bad guy?  Have you heard stories about him or something to make you feel this way?  There HAS to be a reason.  And if it’s only because he’s a wrestler, in the same company as you, that’s really fucked up.” Carmen could feel her blood starting to boil and managed to keep it simmered for the moment, taking another long drag of her cigarette just as Jon did, staring at him intently. “D-Don’t you want me to be happy?” Then she thought of what happened between them in DC and felt her stomach tighten. “T-This isn’t because of what happened in DC between us…is it?  Because you made it perfectly clear it was just sex between us and I was fine with that.  And I know I invited it to happen again, but I never expected this,” She held her left hand up with the diamond ring on it. “To happen either.  I wasn’t looking for Stephen, he found me, and it doesn’t matter to me that he’s a professional wrestler.  I’m with the MAN, not the fucking wrestler, just like I fucked you as Jonathan Good, not as Jon Moxley, during those two days we were snowed in.” I didn’t fall in love with the wrestler at all, only the man.

 

“Why is it, you have to paint me as a bad guy because I don’t know the why’s of how I feel about something?” Jon demanded, rather offended with her right now because he was fairly sure he’d feel this way about ANY guy, wrestler or not.  That did not make him any less of an asshole, but at least he could admit it.  Not to her right now because Carmen was having fun trying to make him look like a scumbag or something with her stuttering and teary voice. “If you don’t want to be friends anymore, just say so, you really don’t need to make me a bad guy just to justify it.” He stated coldly, staring down into her face impassively. “I never said it was about him being a wrestler, you’re putting shit into my mouth that I’m not saying, Carmen.”

 

“So you’d feel this way about any guy I’m with?  That’s what you’re saying?  I’m not putting any words into your mouth, Jon.  I’m trying to understand and of course I still want to be friends with you!” I want more than that, but you don’t! “You’re not the bad guy, why would you assume that’s how I’m trying to paint you?  Why would I do that to one of my best friends?”

 

There was no fun in this for her at all.  Carmen was legitimately torn up about this and wished Stephen hadn’t proposed to her last night or that she had accepted.  Because now she was stuck and she either had to accept her fate, marry Stephen, or become a bad guy like Jon was accusing her of portraying him as.

 

It wasn’t an accusation when it was the truth, and he continued staring down at her, wondering if she had lost her mind. “You ARE putting words in my mouth.  You’re taking my facial expressions and my ‘I don’t know’ and turning them into entire moods and feelings I haven’t even expressed yet.” Jon remembered he had coffee and took a long sip of it, glancing down at the stub that was his cigarette now and inwardly sighed.  Why was she picking fights?  This was not the Carmen he knew. “I said like, a four word sentence and had a look of disapproval and now you’re trying to put all this shit on me.  It sounds like YOU don’t even approve of your engagement and you’re pushing it on me.  Which, by the way, babe, I don’t approve of.  I think for someone who spent a lot of time just kind of drifting and trying to figure out what to do with her personal life, you’re suddenly going balls to the walls with Page.” Was she that desperate to be loved?  Jon didn’t like that idea either.

 

One thing Jon never did was mince words and that hurt her more than she’d ever admit outside of her own head.  It was impossible to argue with him or his way of thinking, his logic. “I said yes to him.  Of course I approve of our engagement.” She muttered, sipping her frappe and suddenly tossed it away in the nearby trashcan, no longer wanting it.  Her stomach was in knots and deep down she knew the reason why. “I’m not pushing anything on you.  I don’t care if you approve or not and I’m not saying that to be a bitch or to make you come off as the ‘bad guy’,” She did the finger quotations, lighting up a fresh cigarette. “Maybe I was drifting, but I’m steady now and I’m happy with Stephen.” Even though I don’t love him. She was settling for a man that loved and cared about her.

 

“Yeah, sure.” Studying her face intently, Jon did not give a damn what she said about caring if he approved.  Obviously, she cared because she had taken a short sentence and a facial expression and turned it into this long spiel about how he apparently felt about the situation.  Some women were crazy; he had known she was, he had just forgotten it until she reminded him. “You look like you’re not even sure, so…happy is love, right?  You forgot to include that in your shit, you love him, right?” How’d SHE like it, having someone dissect her words and facial cues and put a bunch of crap out there that she didn’t even say?

 

FUCK! Why would he ask her that NOW of all times?!  Did she lie?  Carmen hated doing it and knew she’d taken too long to answer by the way Jon was staring at her. “Yes.” That left such a sour taste in her mouth the moment the word came out.  She hadn’t even told Stephen she loved him yet and she couldn’t because she didn’t!  So why was she lying to Jon? Because he can never know how I really feel about him, even if it means lying. “I wouldn’t be marrying him if I didn’t.  I wouldn’t have accepted the proposal if I didn’t either.  He’s the one and maybe we don’t need a long engagement after all.” She stood up, squaring her shoulders and steeled herself for what she was about to say. “In fact, would you stand up at our wedding, Jon?  Since you’re one of my best friends and all?”

 

“Yeah sure, want me to wear a tux or something?” He shot back without missing a beat, pretty sure her jaw about dropped and he shrugged. “I want a front row to this because I don’t think you love him and I do think this is all awfully fucking fast.  Unless your mommy clock is winding down or something and you feel like you gotta settle.” Jon really had no idea why he was going after her so viciously.  Maybe because of how she had spewed verbal diarrhea and attributed it to him, but he also felt like she was lying about how she truly felt.  Also, he just didn’t like this period, his blue eyes narrowing.

 

Before Carmen could stop herself, the smack echoed around them as her hand collided with the side of his face, fresh tears stinging her eyes. “That’s NONE of your goddamn business!!” She could not believe the words that just came out of his mouth and immediately stumbled back, trembling with barely contained rage.  And Carmen just struck him too!  What the hell was she thinking?! “Screw you, friends don’t say the shit you just said to me!  How dare you!” It took a lot to piss Carmen off and she rarely flew off the handle like this, but Jon had pushed her over the edge with his verbal attack. “You can take your condescending attitude and feelings and shove them straight up your ass!  I’m done with you!” Turning, she took off as fast as she could, not able to stop the tears from falling down her face and shook her stinging hand. THAT BASTARD!!

 

She was chased down that street by his laughter because it was loud and he didn’t give a rat’s ass who was staring at him or the red mark on his face.  That had been a solid hit and all things considered, he was a bit surprised Carmen actually had that in her.  Given he had ALWAYS been blunt and said what was on his mind, even when she had really hated hearing it, he thought she’d be used to it by now.  Especially given the gauntlet she had basically thrown in his face about being her best man.  Carmen had been begging for him to unleash on her!  Still laughing, Jon turned and headed back for his hotel, sipping his coffee thoughtfully.

 

He’d give her time to cool off and try again.  Maybe even nicely this time.

 

By the time Carmen got back to the hotel, she was drained in every way known to man and kicked her sandals off, collapsing in the bed on her stomach.  Jon was so cruel to her and she didn’t understand why, her brain going a million miles a minute.  Two months with no word, then all of a sudden he texted her out of the blue to ask about her engagement!  And then he had the audacity to viciously attack her verbally with that damn mouth of his!  No, her biological clock was NOT ticking at all!  She didn’t want kids, period! 

 

A horrifying thought suddenly occurred to her and she slowly pushed herself up from the bed, wiping her tears away.  Did Stephen want children?  Because if that was the case, they would have to talk about that.  The subject never once came up and she chewed her thumbnail, not believing how much this had snowballed.  Could she really marry a man that wanted children and a family?  Could Stephen give up that dream of being a father and having that family for her?  That was a lot of sacrifice…Carmen ignored her phone when it buzzed and went to talk a cold shower.

 

That was the problem with Carmen, she did not see when she did wrong or said wrong, and everyone else was to blame.  She was a perfection trope, which was one of the things that had made Jon set boundaries between them because she was way out of his league, even with trope status.  It was amusing as hell to watch her be confused and upset about other people hurting her, but never seeing how she did it to others as well.  Jon had never denied he was an evil prick sometimes, but there it was.  Fact of the matter was Carmen did not want to marry Page, that was obvious and quite honestly, Jon didn’t want her to do it either, so he didn’t see the problem.  They were both on the same page about that, how funny was that?  Maybe she cared for the guy, but there was no way she was in love with Page, not when she had been in love with Jon for years.

 

And he had been a moron not to realize it sooner.

 

“Well, fuck me…”

 

Chapter 41

 

Later on that night, after the show, Stephen was ready to make love to his new fiancée, but Carmen was not in the mood and told him they needed to talk.  Calmly, she sat down with him on the bed and told him about her desire to never have children.  That was not in her plans at all and the way his face fell, his eyes filling with sadness, broke her heart.  Maybe Stephen didn’t think this through when he decided to propose to her because they had never talked about kids or anything regarding a family.

 

“You don’t want kids?”

 

“No, I don’t.”

 

“But…why?”

 

“Because it’s not in my plans, Stephen.  It’s not something I want or desire.  I don’t like kids, okay?  There’s nothing wrong with that either.” Carmen didn’t mean to get defensive, but after the day she had with Jon and slapping him across the face, her guard was up. “So if you want kids…I can’t give you that.  I won’t.”

 

Something had happened, something had triggered this in her, and Stephen wondered what it was or who it was.  He also knew not to take offense to her very un-Carmen like, defensive and snippy tone either.  Given she had been an only child who lost her parents and how…well, how she had been searching all her life to fill some voids, he would have thought she’d WOULD want children.  Carmen could provide for them and she was the most loving woman he had ever met.  He knew not to push it and wasn’t in a rush either; there was nothing wrong with having kids after 40 and she might change her mind by then, once she was used to being in a stable, loving marriage.

 

“Okay, honey, okay, did something happen today?  You look so upset, Carmen.”

 

THAT’S NOT THE POINT! “I. DON’T. WANT. KIDS. EVER.” Carmen was making this crystal clear to him, standing up from the bed and lit up a cigarette, pacing back and forth in front of him. “My biological clock is not ticking and it never has and it never will.  I don’t like kids.  I don’t want a family.  I’m sorry, I’m just on edge because this is all very overwhelming.  We haven’t discussed kids or anything, Stephen.  We haven’t discussed where we’re going to live, what we’re going to do as far as assets and properties and everything else goes.” She was a billionaire with a huge multi-million dollar company that had a lot invested into it and she would not marry someone without protecting her business first and foremost. “I’m telling you, if you marry me, there will be no kids.  There will be us and you will have to decide if that’s something you can give up.  If I’ll be enough for you for the rest of your life.  I won’t change my mind either.  You need to make sure you’re okay with the fact you will never be a father if you marry me, that you won’t have any regrets.”

 

Stephen was hearing her, but none of it was really making a permanent residence in his mind because he was more concerned about things.  Like the fact that she seemed a bit unhinged tonight and this was the first time he had EVER seen or heard Carmen like this.  He hadn’t asked about her biological clock, so where had that come from anyway?  And this morning, she had been fine, there was no way she had worked herself up like over the course of a few hours with no trigger involved.  So what was the trigger?

 

“I’m not going to have any regrets, Carmen.” Stephen assured quietly, evenly, his blue eyes still fashioned on her panicked face and it occurred to him that she was having regret over saying ‘yes’ to him.  That maybe it had been too soon.

 

She started laughing, the sound pure sadness coming out of her mouth. “So, me telling you that kids are completely off the table isn’t a dealbreaker for you?  Really?” The look of hesitance flashed across his face and she took another deep breath before sitting down beside him on the bed, taking his hand in hers, her cigarette in the other one. “I don’t want you to miss out on anything life has to offer.  Being a father is huge to give up and it will never happen with me.  I need you to understand that and really hear me, Stephen.  Maybe you should mull it over.  Hell, a couple of my friends already reached out to me asking if I was pregnant because of how fast this engagement came about.  It’s all over social media already.” That made his eyes widen slightly and she took another long drag of her cigarette, shutting her eyes. 

 

There, now he knew what had partially triggered her being unhinged and the more she thought about it over the course of the day, the more Carmen NEEDED to have this conversation with him immediately.  She was acting with him almost the same as she had with Jon, reading facial cues and putting words in his mouth.  Unlike Jon, however, he wasn’t jumping down her throat for trying to extrapolate what she thought he was thinking and likely to say, even if she wasn’t completely correct.  Stephen already knew about social media, though he was a bit surprised she had paid attention to it in the first place.

 

“First of all, I like kids, but they are not a dealbreaker for me.  I love you.” Since they had no kids, it wasn’t like he had to pick between her and them. “Second, I don’t give a rat’s behind what social media or anyone else says.  I care about YOU say and I also think YOU are the one who needs to mull things over.” Because she was the one with the doubts and issues here, not him. “I love you, Carmen, and I’m not trying to whisk you down the aisle right this minute.  If you want to give me back the ring and wait longer, we can do that.”

 

Why couldn’t she love him back?  Why couldn’t she forget about Jonathan Good?  Why was her heart so damn stubborn?!  Three months was too soon for her to say those words to him and if she didn’t start saying them back to Stephen, there would be no marriage.  Again, would Carmen lie about how she truly felt in order to keep trekking down this road with him?  This road of uncertainty?

 

“I don’t want a big wedding either.” She spoke quietly, stubbing her cigarette out in the ashtray and blew the smoke away from him, tears forming in her eyes. “And I don’t want to get married right away, but I don’t want to give the ring back because I do want to marry you.” Someday, just not right now.  Just like she needed time to force her heart to get with the program. “When we do get married, I’d rather elope or have a very small, intimate ceremony.  Are you okay with having a long engagement, maybe a year from now we can start planning our wedding?”

 

Everything she was saying told him that she was having some serious issues and he wasn’t entirely sure he believed her about social media and friends asking questions being what was triggering these feelings and doubts.  It hadn’t been more than 24 hours since he had proposed, so maybe it was just finally sinking in and she was panicking.  Stephen supposed, given her prior history with romance and her terrible luck with it, she had every right to panic.  That meant this was her trying to get him to end their relationship, without even meaning or realizing what she was doing.  

 

He just smiled patiently and nodded, reaching out to take Carmen’s hand. “Honey, you’re worth waiting for.”

 

So selfless and perfect in every way.  Stephen knew exactly what to say to make her feel better, no matter how low she felt or any kind of circumstances.  Her heart melted at those simple sweet words and she moved to where she straddled him, cupping his face in her hands.  It was moments like this, where it was just the two of them, where Carmen could almost feel as if she was in love with him.  Was it possible to love two men at the same time?  Or maybe she was just tricking herself into believing that was how she truly felt for Stephen.

 

“You’re too good to me, you know that?  I mean it, you’re the best man I’ve ever met and been with in my life.” Those words were heartfelt and she meant them with everything in her. Screw you, Jon. Softly, Carmen captured his mouth with hers and felt his arms tighten around her, pulling her closer to him, moaning at the taste of her cowboy. “I’m sorry about my craziness tonight, cowboy.  Let me make it up to you.”

 

“Mmm, how honey?”

 

Within minutes, she had his tight jeans off and was on her knees before him, pleasuring her man by making him cum directly down her throat.

 

Stephen honestly believed with time and her learning that she was SAFE with him, that he wouldn’t string her along, verbally or mentally abuse her, and all the other negative experiences she had in the past, Carmen would come around and open up to him completely.  He knew she hadn’t yet; he knew she had baggage, but he had meant what he said, she was worth waiting for, along with his patience.  Stephen had patience to spare, for days, and for her, it was never-ending.  Carmen was still young and she may change her mind on children, he didn’t want them anytime soon, but he also envisioned a future with one or two in it…way down the road.  He wasn’t selfish enough to bring a kid into this world right now, not with his job.

 

The way he made love to her that night was different and she could feel it in every kiss and touch, both moving together in sync and taking their time.  Since she had drained him in the beginning, Stephen had spent a good hour or so pleasuring her while recovering before they had started making love.  Staring at his handsome face a few hours later, Carmen did feel safe with him and brushed her lips against his softly, her leg draped over his with his arms securely around her.

 

I do love him, just not as much as Jon.  I don’t know if that’ll ever change. Jon had such a tight grip on her heart and she didn’t know how to make him relinquish it, if that was even possible. Maybe if I just say the words, everything will change and it’ll be okay. Stephen deserved to hear those words with how patient and understanding he was.  The man was a goddamn saint! “I love you, Stephen.” Tears stung her eyes the moment the words came out while she stared into his eyes, feeling his entire body relax.  Yes, he needed to hear those words from her and she’d gladly say them if that’s what it took to make him happy. “I was so stupid earlier.  I was scared to say those words because…it’s been a long time since I said them to a guy.  But you’re not just a regular guy, you’re my cowboy, my future husband, and I know I said we should have a long engagement, but…now that I’ve said those words to you, I want to be your wife.  I want to make you as happy as you make me.” Carmen kissed him a little deeper, pressing her body against his and moaned softly as Stephen rolled them to where she was settled on top of him, the kiss not breaking. “Our next days off, let’s start planning our wedding.  And I want to live in Florida, where it all began for us, in that spectacular house of yours you just bought.  I’ll sell my property.  I’m all in, Stephen, and I’m all yours.”

 

“Are you sure, Carmen?” His eyes were wide and happy, it was radiating off of him, hearing those words from her. “I don’t want you to rush into anything you aren’t one hundred percent sure of, honey.”

 

The differences between Stephen and Jon were night and day. Stephen was patient, understanding, and he would coddle her along until everything fell into place for them both.  He would never test what she said, he would never argue with her and agree to whatever she wanted or he would politely beg to disagree, then change the subject.  Stephen was the perfect future husband for the ‘perfect’ woman, and they would have a ‘perfect’ cookie-cutter, fairytale life if she let it happen.

 

Jon…he’d question everything, he would pick a fight and egg her on if she raised his hackles.  He would challenge her when he didn’t agree instead of demurring and letting her have her say and her way.  He would keep her on her toes and be entertaining; he had shown that in the past.  Jon was like the sea, everchanging, but also constant.  He could be gentle and warm, enveloping her in a cocoon that held her in safety.  Or he could be a raging monster that would torment her before drowning her in his rage.

 

“Well, it takes a long time to plan a wedding, you know.  There’s the venue we’ll have to consider and where we want to have it.  Then there’s everything else to go with it, including me finding a dress, you finding a tux, bridesmaids, groomsmen, the wedding cake…” Stephen’s eyes were widening as she began listening off just a fraction of what they’d have to do in order to have a proper wedding ceremony.  Now, even though Carmen didn’t want a wedding, she could tell how much it meant to Stephen, so since he wanted to marry her and understood where she was on the children front, this was the least she could do for him. “It’s a lot, and it’s going to be stressful and we’re going to want to rip our hair out of our skulls before all is said and done.  So it’s either that or…” Caressing his lips with hers, Carmen remained laid out on top of him, nipping his bottom lip gently. “We elope and say to hell with a big ceremony.  I could be your wife tomorrow, if you wanted, but if you truly want to wait and have a ceremony, then we will be having a long engagement anyway, cowboy.  Now I want you to answer me honestly: What do YOU want?  I’m fine with either option.”

 

“So, I don’t need a huge wedding, honey.” Stephen responded slowly, knowing something that her stature in the social world – If she were a ‘normal’ business socialite or whatever they were – she would have some massive hullabaloo and there would be press and paparazzi, the whole ten yards.  He wasn’t that kind of person and neither was sure. “What if we keep the wedding and stuff, small and simple?  Just family and closest friends.” His family mostly, some of them, he wasn’t inviting every last cousin, but he knew she had friends and he did too. “We could even get a wedding planner to handle all the stuff we don’t want to do.”

 

Just like I thought.  Jon would elope with me in a heartbeat. Carmen hated herself for comparing Stephen with Jon and hopefully, that would taper off as time went on.  She smiled at him, nodding in agreement, deciding she would have to bite the bullet and have a wedding ceremony. “Mmm, good idea.”

 

At least he didn’t want a huge wedding or spectacle, just something small and tasteful with close friends and family.  One thing Stephen didn’t know about her was the fact she really didn’t have any family to invite to the wedding.  Most of her mother and father’s side of the family had written her off after finding out everything had been left to her with their deaths.  They wanted nothing to do with her.  So Carmen really did have only friends that she considered family to invite.

 

“Small and simple sounds perfect to me.”

 

Jon wouldn’t WANT that for the simple fact he was a private man.  He would have MAYBE planned for his mother to attend and Blue, but that would be it.  His Mom could have been his bride’s matron of honor and obviously, Blue his best man.  After that, he’d let people know and his friends would understand the lack of anything, given they knew how he was.  He attended weddings, didn’t host them and never would.

 

Totally unaware that he was disappointing his beautiful fiancée, Stephen kissed the tip of her nose, letting out a contented sigh.  He really was thinking something simple.  One of their beautiful backyards, just a small gathering of people, less than 20 for sure, and her in whatever dress took her fancy, definitely something white.  With her figure, hair and skin tone, she would look like a rare diamond indeed. “Oh…” Stephen just realized something and blinked at her. “You probably want to keep your last name.”

 

She raised a brow at him, looking thoughtful for a minute and then smiled. “Why not have both?  I can just hyphenate my last name.  Carmen Marina Diamond-Woltz.” That didn’t have a bad ring to it, but once again, her brain thought of something else. Carmen Marina Diamond-Good sounds even better. And the smile that lit up Stephen’s face made her feel both good and horrible because at least he was happy with that suggestion. “We’ll figure everything out as we go.” She murmured before passionately kissing him, deciding they had done enough talking for one night and reached between them to stroke his half-mast cock, feeling it harden moments later.

 

This time, she made love to him, riding her gorgeous cowboy and getting lost in the ecstasy of it all, pushing the wedding in the far recesses of her mind for now.

 

Chapter 42

 

Jon ran some things by his two buddies.  Bryan, because he was the bestie and Chris because he was ancient and happily married for 20 years, so he had to know some stuff, right?  Bryan had told him that he was JEALOUS and Jon had contemplated putting his friend’s head through a cinder block wall, but didn’t.  It would interfere with work and Jon didn’t want that.  Chris had laughed a little bit, said that it sounded like Carmen was finally over her ‘crush’ and Jon was just disappointed that her attention was no longer on him.

 

Okay, first of all, it hadn’t been a crush.  It had been love.

 

Also, they were both probably right and that had been some cold water on his head. 

 

As much as Carmen wanted to talk to Jon, she decided to keep him at arm’s length after slapping the hell out of him.  There was no way she’d ever apologize for doing that either.  He deserved it after the vicious garbage he spewed at her.  Carmen completely dove into wedding planning, along with her company, and stayed on the road with Stephen despite what happened with Jon.  She refused to leave the road simply because Jon was a dick and she had no idea he was starting to realize his true feelings for her, which was why he had been so vicious towards her in the first place. 

 

It wasn’t her fault the man was just NOW realizing his feelings towards her!

 

During the day at the hotel, after being on the phone with their new wedding planner, as well as the company, Carmen needed to take a beat.  It was the beginning of April in Boston, Massachusetts for Dynamite and Rampage.  Naturally, her man was on Dynamite while Jon was on Rampage and the shows were together with Rampage being filmed to air on Friday nights. 

 

Starbucks was calling her name and it was still slightly chilly outside, so she had grabbed Stephen’s hooded sweatshirt with some jeans, her hair piled up on top of her head.  The wedding planning was going pretty smoothly for the most part, though she’d have to leave the road to go wedding dress shopping, which was something Carmen was not looking forward to.  As she was walking, a shop caught her eye that had some vintage looking dresses in the window and she decided Starbucks could wait, moseying inside to see what they had.

 

Jon had absolutely no intentions of apologizing to her either simply because she HAD put words in his mouth and he had reacted accordingly.  That had absolutely nothing to do with how he felt about her, which was a kick in the backside because he was starting to realize all of that now.  Jon would have nailed her for putting words in his mouth regardless, however.  That was who he was.  Her timing was both perfect and damned inconvenient because at the time she would have walked into Starbucks, he would have been leaving with his order.  It was so weird how this commercial, overly hyped place had managed to snag him, but here they were.  He halted when he was pretty sure he seen Carmen disappearing into a shop, raising a brow.

 

It was a small, quaint shop that had beautiful dresses of all different kinds, including bridal gowns.  There wasn’t champagne flowing or a cake, nothing fancy, and Carmen preferred it that way.  She started looking at the bridal gowns, wondering what kind of bride she wanted to be.  The fall was when they wanted to get married, so depending on how fast they could get the wedding plans situated, there was a chance it could be in late October or early November. 

 

It would still be warm enough in Florida and they had already concluded they wanted the ceremony to be on the beach.  Stephen didn’t care what time of year it was as long as it was on the beach with her and she had agreed with him.  The dress wouldn’t be poofy or over the top either, something sexy, subtle, and respectful all wrapped in one.  That was what she was looking for and she refused to wear white, deciding it would be either champagne or ivory instead.

 

Oh dear Jesus, she really was going to do this, marry a guy she hardly knew on a whim!  Jon got that relationships could move fast, but this just seemed excessive and ridiculous, probably because of their history together.  Or her one-sided, unrequited history with him in her head.  Jon made sure to catch the doorbell up top that jingled to let the shop keeper know someone had come in, quietly moving just out of sight and watched as Carmen sorted through dresses.  No white?  He raised a brow, wondering why not since it wasn’t uncommon for women who weren’t virgins to wear white these days on their wedding day.

 

Wearing white was too cliché for her tastes and it wasn’t her style either.  Ivory was more her style and these were beautiful gowns that would accentuate her body and still make her look like a beautiful bride.  She took one off the rack to really look at it, loving the intricate lace detail, especially on the back, and it was spaghetti strapped.  There were others to search through, so maybe she’d try a few of them on, just to see how she felt in them. 

 

Taking this one, she walked up to the shop keeper, who instructed her to head to the back where the dressing rooms were located.  She thanked the woman, heading in that direction and didn’t notice the pair of electric blues watching her every move, even as she closed that curtain in the small, enclosed space to change into.  The material was chiffon, not silk or satin, so that was also a plus in her book.

 

What was wrong with getting married in leather and denim?  Jon shook his head when she disappeared with a dress into the back, moving to scan what she had been looking at.  Anything too slippery feeling, he discarded instantly, dismissed it, that was awful fabric.  Then he found something similar to the material she had tossed over her arm, raising a brow at how thin the material was.

 

“Can I help your sir, we do have a few tuxedos…” The clerk trailed off, not sure any of them would fit this man. “Or maybe a custom order?” Yes, that’d be better.

 

Just as Jon went to answer the shop keeper, Carmen stepped out of the dressing room in the ivory chiffon gown.  It was beautiful, fit well, and had flowing chiffon fabric, spaghetti straps, a V-neckline and open back.  Thinking the shop keeper was speaking to another customer, she didn’t bother seeing who it was and walked over to the full length mirror to stare at back at herself, smoothing the dress down. 

 

The dress did dip, but it also covered her breasts perfectly, only showing the skin between them and it was both subtle and sexy at the same time.  Lifting her black hair up to see if that made a difference, she let it flow down again and looked down to see what the price was.  Not that it mattered, but Carmen was curious and when she looked back up again, there was Jon staring back at her in the reflection of the mirror, standing behind her.

 

Jon was studying her thoughtfully, taking in the dress, which was not white, so at least she wasn’t being completely traditional.  Though, she also was at the same time because a lot of older, less innocent brides went with the creamy ivory colors.  It was weird and he wasn’t thinking about it anymore because he wasn’t a chick and he didn’t care.

 

“Looks good.” Jon waited for another bitch slap, which would be very unfair given he wasn’t even starting anything.  It had been a month, plenty of time for her to cool down, but obviously not enough time for her to pull her head out of her backside and end this sham engagement.  He had done that, so…he figured she would too.

 

“Thank you, I think so too.”

 

What was Jon doing here?  In a dress shop, of all places?  Was he stalking her now or something?  That was laughable considering she’d been called the stalker when they first met.  There would be no removing her head from her backside because it wasn’t stuck up there to begin with.  She was getting married to a wonderful man that she was settling for and there was nothing wrong with that.  Plenty of people settled every single day when they simply couldn’t find ‘the one’ or that person was out of their reach. 

 

Turning to face him instead of looking at him through the reflection in the mirror, Carmen folded her hands in front of her and ignored the way her heart ached. “You think this is okay for a beach wedding though?”

 

It was pretty funny, him being the stalker now.  Talk about a role reversal.  Nevertheless, no, alas, he wasn’t stalking her, he had followed her and made no effort to hide himself.  Curiosity was stalking her, not him.  Jon would be the stalker if he was traveling around the globe to watch her, like she had done with him and he just didn’t have the time for that.  Also, Carmen was already on the road with him, technically.  He studied her thoughtfully, wondering when this wedding was.

 

“Yeah, just skip the heels.  So, mama, what should I wear since I’m your best man?” There wasn’t going to be a wedding; Jon decided it right then and there, though he flashed her a grin.

 

She chewed her bottom lip, not wanting to get into another fight with him and took a deep breath before turning back to stare in the mirror. “Jess is going to be my matron of honor.” Since she was married, she wasn’t a maid. “And Stephen will be choosing his own best man, but you are welcome to attend the ceremony if you want.” Carmen had no idea Jon was already planning on making sure this wedding never happened.  Good thing she wasn’t a mind reader. “Invitations haven’t gone out yet, but I’ll make sure you get one.”

 

He stepped up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, causing warmth to flood her body instantly.  Just his touch alone felt amazing and her heart was screaming at her not to do this, not to settle for Stephen.  It wanted Jon and it would not settle for anyone else.  Unfortunately, Carmen wasn’t listening to her heart at the moment.

 

“It’s not going to be a huge wedding, just close friends and family we decided.”

 

Jon being himself instantly went in for the blunt kill, though he didn’t MEAN it to be a kill. “His family?” To his knowledge, Carmen really didn’t have any she spoke too.  She had like…very few legitimate friends.  So basically, this wedding wasn’t for them, it was for Page and he wondered how she really felt about that. “You gave MY spot to Jessica?  Is it because of the dress thing?  That chick said I’d need to get something tailored, but I think I’d pull off a dress of nicely…even with the beard.” He wasn’t going to interrupt her wedding, that was cliché as hell.

 

Instead, Jon was going to interrupt her life.

 

Not able to help it, Carmen started laughing softly at his joke and shook her head, picturing Jon with a dress on. “Oh man, that is an image I’m not gonna be able to get out of my head for a while.  Thanks a lot for that, Moxley.” His family was correct and she wasn’t angry with his blunt comment, the laughter dying off. “And to answer your first question, yes, his family.  I don’t have any, as you well know.” Jon knew everything about her, far more than Stephen because they had known each other a lot longer. “I’d rather elope, but he wants a small wedding and I don’t mind giving him that.  Sometimes you have to compromise to make each other happy in a relationship, you know?”

 

“Sure, if you’re both happy, I guess.” Jon replied with a slight shrug, coming off casual while taking in the dress again.  

 

She would rather elope then have a wedding, even a small one.  He understood that it was going to be Page’s wedding, not hers.  It also seemed to him that the one moving fast was Carmen.  Jon had a feeling the gentleman would have given her a long engagement and anything she wanted, because he seemed that sort.  That was bland, boring, and once the honeymoon phase wore off, Carmen was going to realize that Prince Charming was as fun as a Ken doll.  Looked good, fun to play with, but got rid of it after a few years.

 

“We are, believe it or not.  I love him and I want to make him as happy as he makes me.” She stated with conviction this time, locking eyes with him again through the reflection and could see those electric eyes narrow ever so slightly.  Carmen kept the smile on her face and nodded before heading back into the changing room, closing the curtain behind her.  The moment the dress was off and put back on the hanger, the curtain opened and closed quickly with her eyes widening at the sight of Jon. “W-What are you…?!” Before the question could fully come out, his mouth descended on hers hungrily, his large hands gripping her sides to pull her flush against his rock hard body. 

 

Even though her brain was screaming at her this was wrong and trying to sound alarm bells, her heart had overtaken everything else and Carmen melted against him, kissing him back with equal fire and passion.  Maybe part of her did love Stephen, but her heart belonged to the man kissing her and that was why she couldn’t push Jon away, no matter the circumstances.  Letting her kiss him back for a few before pulling away, Jon winked down at her, her face flushed, lips swollen, and she had a dazed look in her eyes that he doubted even Stephen could put there.

 

“You’ll go to hell for lying, Carmen.” Jon informed her, his voice coming out a husky, gritty rumble before he nipped her bottom lip. “You look stellar in the dress, really, babe.” He was then gone as quickly as he had come in, flashing a grin at the clerk on his way out.

 

He needed another coffee and maybe a cold shower.

 

All Carmen could do was stand there, frozen solid, breathing heavily with a racing heart and trembling body.  What the FUCK just happened?!  Snapping out of her shocked state, Carmen took one look at the dress and immediately decided she would not be buying it. 

 

It would remind her too much of what just happened and she covered her mouth with her hand, tears stinging her eyes.  The shock was wearing off and…she kissed Jon.  Or rather Jon kissed her, but she didn’t push him away like she should have!  She was engaged to be married and she had kissed another man!  Dressing in record time, Carmen flew out of that store and put the hood up before going for a walk, needing to clear her slightly still foggy head.  What the hell was Jon thinking doing something like that to her?!

 

I need to stay away from him. Avoiding Jon like the plague was her new goal in life after that incident.

 

She had DEFINITELY kissed him back once Carmen got over her shock and she knew it.  She had returned that kiss, just as explosively, as passionately, as he laid on her.  Jon would have felt pretty goddamn proud of himself if he would have known she was now not planning on getting that dress.  Mostly.  Maybe there would have been a fraction of shame, just a fraction, because he would have also felt a little bad at knowing he had made her cry.  Or he would have been a total jerk and pointed out that maybe Carmen wasn’t ready to marry some guy she hadn’t even known intimately for a year if she was out kissing other men, or returning their kisses as it were.  

 

Also, she still loved him, Jon now knew that for a fact.

 

What am I going to do?  Do I tell Stephen about the kiss or…or forget it ever happened and move forward?  Damn it!  What if Jon goes to him and tells him about it?  Would he do that?

 

Carmen didn’t initiate the kiss, but she didn’t push him away either.  Stephen had NO idea of her true feelings for Jon and never wanted him to find out about them.  That was something she wanted to take to her grave, but now…now she wasn’t sure if that was possible anymore. 

 

Her phone buzzed and one glance told her exactly who it was. Stay away from me.  I want nothing to do with you.  I’m blocking your number and if you come near me again, I will hurt you! She sent that text before blocking his number and deleting it, wiping her tears away while sitting on a bench somewhere in the city, the guilt overwhelming her at what she did. 

 

Would Stephen still want to marry her once he found out about this?  Because he’d find out one way or another, especially after she sent that scathing text to Jon.

 

A few minutes later, she had received a message from a confused Chris, but the man wasn’t prying. Jon says he won’t say a word. All Jon had said was he needed Chris to send her a message, not tell Jessica, not to ask him or Carmen anything, and keep it to himself.  Chris could do that.  He was curious truly, but he also knew eventually, someone would tell him or he’d forget.

 

Jon couldn’t ask Bryan or Jessica to do that.  Bryan didn’t really know Carmen that well and Jessica was bosom buddies and would pry, no thanks.  He didn’t need to deal with the blonde ‘Karen’ who would demand answers from everyone, rage at him and all that other crap.  Jessica was nice in small doses only.

 

“Why don’t I believe him?” Carmen whispered through tears, smoking a cigarette and didn’t care that it started to rain, not moving from the bench.  That was until the lightning streaked across the sky, the rain pouring down harder on her, mixing with tears that would not stop falling. “Damn it…” Whether Jon was in the wrong or not to do what he did, the fact was she didn’t push him away.  How could she marry someone her heart didn’t want? Forgive me, Stephen, for what I’m about to do.

 

Chapter 43

 

By the time Stephen returned to the hotel later on that night, Carmen was nowhere to be found.  She left him a simple note on the bed, along with the diamond ring, little droplets from tears splattered on the paper.

 

I’m sorry, but I can’t marry you, Stephen.  Something happened today that is unforgivable and you deserve better than a wretch like me, who doesn’t know what she wants in life.  My heart doesn’t belong to you and it’s not fair to keep stringing you along like this.  I’ve tried, god help me, I’ve tried these past months to give it to you, to take it from the person who has a hold on it, but it didn’t happen.  Please don’t contact me.  Don’t try to find me either.  Move on with your life and be happy with someone who can give you their heart the way I can’t. 

 

Goodbye cowboy.

 

While Stephen was reading that, Carmen was on a plane headed towards Florida to hop on her private jet.  She was leaving the majority of the United States for a while to clear her head and luckily, nobody knew where she resided in Hawaii.  That was the ONLY place she had not divulged her location at.  The entire plane ride to one of her homes, Carmen cried her eyes out and had shut her phone off, wanting to be left alone for at least a week to get her head on straight again.  Then she would rejoin society and continue on with her life, but she just needed a week to cry and be alone, to grieve losing Stephen because it did hurt. 

 

Just not as much as it hurt when she blocked Jon.

 

NOBODY knew a damn thing because contrary to what she believed in, Jon had NOT told anyone about him kissing her.  He hadn’t even mentioned talking to her.  Granted, Chris knew something was up, but Chris wasn’t asking.  Chris had made it very clear he wanted to stay OUT of it.  Stephen didn’t come out and announce anything, he simply said that Carmen was taking some downtime from the road.  As they hadn’t set a date or anything, nobody else knew anything so they couldn’t dispute them.

 

Well, Jon could, but he wasn’t about to air her dirty laundry that way.  Eventually, Carmen would unblock him.  Or…she’d check her email.

 

For the week she was in Hawaii, Carmen cut herself off from all technology.  For the first time in her life, that she could remember, she didn’t watch wrestling either.  All she did was walk along the beach and did a lot of thinking and soul-searching about everything that had happened.  She wanted to know why Jon kissed her that day at the boutique, but at the same time, she didn’t.  Stephen could think whatever he wanted, but she had ended their engagement and even left the ring with him, so he needed to forget about her and move on with his life.  She was not marrying him, not after she cheated on him by kissing another man. 

 

After the week was up, Carmen finally fired up her laptop and pulled her email up, going through the junk and the work ones, answering to them immediately.  She knew Kylie had her back and had told her, in not a lot of detail, what happened and where she was going for the week.  Kylie understood, telling her to take her time and when she was ready to come back, they’d all be waiting for her.  Finally, after over an hour, Carmen saw there was an email from Jon and felt every part of her body tense, contemplating deleting it.  Instead, she was an idiot and opened it to see what he had to say.

 

Carmen,

 

So Page didn’t tell anyone why you up and left.  Said you needed a break from the road.  That true?  Or a break from me being an asshole?  You’ve known for years I’m a blunt, big mouthed, colossal dick.  I’m not sure why you’d get hurt after all this time.  Just like I’m not sure why you bothered with Page.  We both know you love me and obviously, I’m not willing to let you marry the guy, so I think it’s pretty safe to assume I may return those feelings.  Unblock my fucking number already, you know I hate using email.

 

Nobody was EVER going to accuse Jon Good of being a good man.  Honest one though, yes.

 

He was the biggest dickhead on the PLANET!!  Carmen was tempted to smash her laptop, but instead, she pushed away from it, fresh tears burning her eyes.  He MAY return those feelings?  What the hell was that supposed to mean?!  And for him to pointblank ASSUME she loved him…it boiled Carmen’s blood, even though it was the truth.  She bothered with Stephen because he was a great man, with a big heart, and she legitimately enjoyed being with him.  It was her heart that refused to accept him because of this dickhead that held it captive.  What did Jon mean by he wasn’t willing to let her marry Stephen?  Was he planning on crashing their wedding or something? 

 

It took half a pack of smokes and two glasses of wine before Carmen could sit down and respond to him without using all caps to show just how angry she was.

 

You can assume shit all you want, but you don’t know a thing, Good.  I loved Stephen and you ruined that for me, so congratu-fucking-lations on that!  You are an asshole and a colossal dickhead, you were absolutely right about that!  Let me clue you in on something – I WILL marry whoever the hell I want, when I want, and HOW I want!  You don’t control me!  No man ever will!  And just because I’m not marrying Stephen doesn’t mean I won’t ever get married to someone else in the future.  What are you planning on doing, huh?  Destroying my happiness at every turn?  Why is that?  You MAY return feelings of what, exactly?  I’m not unblocking you, get fucked and deal with the emailing or don’t bother contacting me at all!

 

Finishing her second glass of wine, Carmen slammed it down and walked outside, needing to get out of the house away from her laptop for a little while because her temper was up all over again after sending that to him.

 

See, the Carmen he had met had never lost her temper like this.  She had always dealt with him as he was and shot back at him with humor, dry and snarky and witty.  Where the hell was THAT woman?  The fiery vixen who had kept him on his toes both with her quips and with the potential stalker situation?  After getting to know her, he knew Carmen wasn’t really a stalker.  She was a woman with a crush who had been lonely.  Interestingly enough, she filled a void in his life that Jon hadn’t known he had had until recently, which was a bitch.

 

Hey, you could have slapped me silly and not returned the kiss so don’t blame me for destroying anything.  You shouldn’t be marrying someone you don’t want to commit to 100% anyway, not fair to you.  Do you really need me to spell shit out for you?

 

He was right…again.  She should’ve slapped him harder than the last time and, instead, Carmen acted like a bitch in heat and kissed him back.  The feeling of his mouth on hers again after so long felt incredible and she wanted him.  God help her, she wanted Jon Good in every way possible.  Try as she might, Carmen could not be completely happy with Stephen, even though she was happy with him.  Just not completely.

 

You didn’t have to go into that dressing room and kiss me in the first place, so yes, part of the blame IS on you that I’m not marrying Stephen now.  But you’re right, I should’ve slapped you harder than the last time for kissing me…and I didn’t.  I kissed you back and that’s all on me.  And you’re right about something else too, I have no business marrying someone I’m not 100% committed to.  I do love Stephen and I enjoyed being with him, but…he didn’t have all of me and that wasn’t fair to him either.

 

Pouring another glass of wine after sending that message, Carmen didn’t care if she killed the whole bottle at this rate and turned her stereo on to listen to some music, silent tears rolling down her cheeks.

 

Why did she consider all of this a bad thing?  This woman made no sense!  She had offered to jump on his dick from day one and now, years later, he was offering her all the rest in his own manner and she was POUTING.  Jon lit a cigarette, moving to drop down on the steps of his back porch, blue eyes moving to Blue who was running about the yard like a dog possessed.  

 

He snapped a picture to include with the damn email he was going to send, via cell, because she was a jerk and refused to unblock him.  I don’t feel bad at all about this, Carmen.  So sorry not sorry.  Shame about the wedding dress though, you did look gorgeous in it.

 

It WAS a bad thing!  Look what she’d done to Stephen!  What Jon had done!  Pulling her phone out, she shut her eyes and pressed it to her forehead, contemplating what to do.  He didn’t feel the least bit of guilt over what he did, for destroying her engagement and relationship with Stephen.  Jon STILL hadn’t told her why either and she wanted an answer.  She deserved to know the truth, even if he didn’t think so. 

 

The picture of Blue running did make her smile and Carmen found herself gravitating to this man once again, like always, unblocking him. Of course you’re not sorry and you don’t feel bad about this.  You never feel bad about things you do, I know that better than anyone.  But I still don’t understand WHY you went to the lengths you did.  Care to enlighten me or are you going to keep me in the dark forever? She texted him before turning the station to something else and pulled a cigarette out, lighting it up.

 

You’re sounding very dramatic, that’s new these past few months.

 

It also made him reconsider his feelings for her too.  Jon wanted the woman he had known, not this simpering whiner, who was blaming him for everything.  He had kissed her, she should have slapped him or pushed him away and then gone and told her fiancé.  From what he was piecing together, Carmen hadn’t told Page everything she probably should have and bailed on the guy, like some sort of Lifetime drama queen and not the powerhouse, billionaire, CEO and wisecracking sarcastic woman he knew.

 

Thought for a second I might love you. Not entirely sure now, maybe old you.

 

She was laughing.  Openly laughing at that text message and couldn’t help it, not sure if it was the wine, her mangled heart, or maybe a combination of both!  Carmen was usually very well put together and hardly got emotional, but THIS…This man was going to be the absolute death of her.

 

I don’t believe you.  I’m laughing my ass off right now because you’re so full of shit, your eyes are probably turning brown!  You love me?  No wait, you MIGHT love the ‘old’ me?  Really?  You know what I think, Moxley?  I think you couldn’t stand the fact my attention was on someone else and it wasn’t on you.  You were jealous.  The MOMENT I started dating Stephen and turned my attention all on him, you started your bullshit and now you’re saying you MIGHT love me.  No, you don’t love me, you loved the attention I gave you and there’s a huge difference, my friend. “This man does not love me, what a crock of shit!”

 

Unlike her dramatic self, Jon didn’t take offense or get all riled up about what she sent in return to his email message.  She was allowed to think what she wanted just like he was and Carmen was allowed to say what she wanted, even if it was hysterical. Didn’t give two shits until I actually seen the person you kept saying you were trying things out with.  You could have been lying for all I know. Why she ever loved him was beyond him, but she had.  Jon bet she regret that. I probably would have kept not caring, but then you decided to settle and settle hard. Something he had never thought she would do.

 

Why did that bother him so much?  She sighed heavily, feeling the anger drain out of her because she was exhausted, scrubbing a hand down her tear-streaked face.  When did she start crying?  Carmen didn’t know what else to say to Jon at the moment and stood up from the couch to walk over to stare outside, the windows and everything open at the moment to let the ocean breeze in.

 

One thing I never do, Jon, is lie.  I do love Stephen, I’m just not in love with him and I tried to make it happen, I tried to give him my heart to him, but I couldn’t.  Kissing you just solidified that for me and I won’t marry someone I cheated on.  A kiss, to me, is cheating, even if I didn’t initiate it.  I didn’t push you away or slap you or fight you off or anything.  I kissed you back and that right there told me that marrying Stephen would’ve been a huge mistake.  The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt him because he is a great man.  Don’t ever call me a liar, I’ve never lied about anything in my life and you can believe that or not.  I really don’t care. Tossing her cell phone back on the couch, Carmen didn’t care if it died because she wanted nothing more to do with this conversation, heading back to her room to lay down.  Her head was killing her from all the crying she’d done and Jon’s callous words didn’t help matters any. “He doesn’t love me.  There’s no way.  He's the liar, not me…”

 

Oh ouch, she loved the guy, but wasn’t IN love with him.  That was so borderline friend zoning a poor bastard into ‘brother’ territory and she almost married the man!  Now Jon didn’t know who he felt bad for, her or Page, because if they had gone through with this charade, in a few years when the honeymoon phase died, they’d realize they had settled for boring and familiar.  Familiar meant contempt.  It would also fail because that cliché fairytale type of marriage, where nobody fought and they always agreed because they were so far up each other’s backsides, would eventually fade into obscurity.

 

I think you’re lying now.  You DO care and that’s your problem.

 

The following morning, Carmen received that message sometime in the afternoon, after charging her phone, not seeing any other messages from Jon.  He made absolutely no sense in what he said and she didn’t bother responding to him.  There was also a missed call from Kylie regarding needing confirmation about a client that was buying a house in the area.  They had been at odds with this particular man for a while now and Carmen was fed up with him, instructing Kylie to inform the gentleman if he did not make a decision soon, they were backing out on him.  Kylie told her it would be done, asking if she was all right and all Carmen did was shrug, telling her she was getting there. 

 

Another week in Hawaii and she would be ready to return to Florida to resume her life.

 

Jon actually felt bad for Page, who had missed one show, but was then back at work.  It was obvious the man was miserable, but he wasn’t saying anything to anyone or at least not anyone who was willing to spill the gossip.  Jon had no idea what Carmen had told her former fiancé and he hadn’t said a word about what had happened in the shop to anyone, just like he had told her he hadn’t.  Well, had Chris tell her anyway.  He had left her alone, knowing Carmen needed time to process the end of her cliché fairytale and then once she came back, and she would because that was just who she was, maybe he’d stalk her this time around.

 

Chapter 44

 

“Welcome back, boss.” Kylie greeted with a smile, handing over some mail and paperwork before the women embraced. “Are you all right?”

 

“Yeah, I just needed to get away for a while.” Kylie didn’t know the extent of what happened and she didn’t ask, offering her support as much as she could.  It wasn’t her business what happened between Carmen and Stephen, only that their engagement was over, along with their relationship. “Wanna go out for coffee and talk about it later?”

 

Carmen smiled, declining that offer. “Thank you anyway, Ky.  I’ll be in my office.  Hold my calls, please.” She had a lot of work to get done since she’d been MIA for the past two weeks and shut her office door, sitting down in her chair with a stack full of mail to go through.  Turning her computer on, she began working and pushed everything else in the back of her mind, especially Jon, who hadn’t texted her in a week.

 

Jon wasn’t a total asshole and he knew she needed time.  He had been in her face a lot, including in those emails and text messages, and Carmen was not the same as she had been before.  Something seemed almost broken in her and that made him go into introspective mode, trying to determine all factors in what had broken her.  Obviously, she had ‘loved’ Page, but she hadn’t been IN love and he bet that kiss he had given her, that she had returned, had kind of brought some eye-opening revelations down onto her.  She had broken her engagement and fled; she had probably left the guy a note or something and Page still wasn’t saying anything about it.

 

It wasn’t that it had broken something inside of her, but it did make the revelations rise to the surface on what Carmen was doing, or about to do.  If Jon never kissed her, she would still be planning her wedding to Stephen, no doubt.  She would end up settling and marrying a man she wasn’t in love with, who didn’t have her heart and never would.  In a way, Jon had snapped her out of whatever reverie she’d been encased in while with Stephen and forced reality to bitch slap her in the face. 

 

Jon was the only man she would ever want and love; it was crazy to think, but Carmen couldn’t deny how she felt anymore.  She was in love with Jon Good and had been for a very long time, possibly from their first drink they shared in that bar back in Moline.  The night he had his final match with WWE and walked away to become Jon Moxley again.  And now Jon had confessed, in his own obnoxious way, that he loved her and Carmen refused to accept it or believe what he said.  Denial could be heartless and ruthless at times.

 

It was a beautiful evening and she’d gone for another walk on the beach to try to clear her head, another week later, when she heard a very familiar, deep voice behind her.

 

“Carmen.”

 

This was bound to happen since he did live down the road from her and Carmen slowly turned to face her ex-fiancé, not moving towards him. “Stephen…” He didn’t look too worse for wear and was handsome as ever. “You really are insane to be wearing jeans when it’s this hot outside, even at night.”

 

“Yeah well, you know me and my love for jeans…” Stephen tried to inject humor in his tone, but all that came out was sadness. “Carmen, what happened?  We were happy and planning our wedding…then you called it off and disappeared somewhere.  I think you owe me an explanation face to face, not a damn note, honey.”

 

He was right.  She did owe him that and nodded, unlocking the gate to her backyard before gesturing him to follow, closing it behind her moments later. “I’m not in love with you, Stephen.  I know I said I love you and I did mean it…but there’s a difference between being in love with a person and loving them.  I tried so hard to give my heart to you, to put my all into what we had…and I couldn’t.  I can’t.”

 

“Why not?” He stepped up to her, confusion in his sky blues and could see the tears in her emerald eyes. “I still love you and…”

 

“Because my heart belongs to someone else, okay?!” She shoved him away from her, needing to keep the distance between them and blinked as huge tears slid down her cheeks. “I-I’m sorry, I just…the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you and I did by not being truthful.  I never should’ve accepted your proposal and I should’ve been honest with you from the beginning…and I’m so sorry I wasn’t…”

 

First, she had physically shoved him without any provocation other than his presence and apparently, being too close and now Carmen laid her truths on him, which hurt worse than anyone.  Stephen didn’t know what to say to her, turning so he was staring out at the ocean, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he contemplated what came next.  He was aware she had moved to stand a few feet away from him, finally turning his head to look at her.

 

“Was there ever even a chance you could have fallen IN love with me, honey?”

 

“Maybe.  Eventually.  I really don’t know.” Carmen had pulled out her pack of cigarettes and lit one up, her nerves on edge because of Stephen’s untimely visit. “I really enjoyed being with you and the sex was amazing.  We had a great time together and it was easy being with you.  You’re so kind and patience, considerate, all the qualities in a man that any woman would be lucky to have.  Any woman would be lucky to have you as theirs.” She meant that and took another deep drag from her cigarette, flicking ash away. “But then you proposed after only two months…and then everything fell apart.  Maybe if you would’ve waited like a year or two, to really build our relationship up, perhaps I would’ve fallen in love with you.  Perhaps my heart would’ve been yours.  And I’m not saying this is your fault because it’s not, Stephen.  I…”

 

Did she tell him the truth about Jon or keep it to herself? “The day I broke things off with you…I kissed someone else.  Or, well, they kissed me while I was looking at wedding dresses in Boston.  And I didn’t push them away because they are the one that has my heart.  They are the one I’m in love with…and I wish to god I wasn’t.  That’s why I broke things off with you because you deserve someone who isn’t fucked up like me.  I cheated on you that day, even if it was just a kiss, I still didn’t push him away or fight him off or anything.  I let it happen and…there was no going back after that.  There was no fixing it or making things right either.  I broke your trust and your heart when I didn’t push him away…and this is coming from someone who was cheated on constantly in my last serious relationship.  I’m no better than he was, I’m a scumbag cheater just like him.” Wiping tears away, she kept smoking her cigarette while staring out into the ocean, not able to look at Stephen any longer.

 

Letting all of that sink in, Stephen realized instantly he had made a mistake in popping the question so soon.  He had known she had some trust issues and was used to being alone after her parents’ unfortunate deaths.  He had rushed into proposing because she was the perfect woman and he hadn’t been considerate of timing for her.

 

“I’m so sorry, honey,” Stephen murmured, the apology evident in his tone. “If I hadn’t rushed things, damn it…I should’ve thought about how fast it was and you’re not a cheater!” Did he like what she had told him?  Nope, but she had beat herself up enough over it.

 

“Yes I am, and don’t try to sugarcoat what I did.  It was wrong and I’m stupid for letting it happen.” Jon had taken her by complete surprise with the kiss, but Carmen did not push him away. “And yes, you did rush things, I won’t deny that either.  You also assumed I was in love with you too.” He nodded to affirm what she said and then stepped up to her, once she finished her cigarette, waiting patiently for her to stub it out in the ashtray. “What are you doing?” She felt his strong hands on her hips and leaned back against him, his face gently burying in the side of her neck. “Stephen…”

 

“I miss you, Carmen.  I fucked things up between us by moving too fast, but…I still believe we can salvage this.  There’s something here and you even said you do love me…” Stephen was grasping onto any bit of hope he could, slowly turning her around to stare down into her eyes. “Tell me you haven’t missed me.”

 

He was challenging her and Carmen wouldn’t lie because she did miss him a lot while she was away in Hawaii. “I can’t.” She whispered, feeling him pull her closer and his lips were mere inches from hers, their eyes remaining locked. “I’m still…in love with another man…” Didn’t that bother him? “Please, I don’t wanna…hurt you…” He was kissing along her neck to her jaw while she spoke, slowly melting against him. 

 

Christ, he was lighting her on fire and, once again, Carmen should’ve pushed him away and ordered him to leave, but instead, she was giving in.

 

When the kiss broke, reluctantly at that, Stephen kept his head pressed to hers. “You’re worth fighting for, Carmen, and worth waiting for.  If I have to wait and work at having your love completely, having you fall IN love, it’ll be worth it, honey.” He caressed her cheek with his fingertip, staring down into her face intently. “Does he love you?  Is he willing to fight for you?” The look on her face made him doubt it and also sent hope surging through him because this guy was a fool it sounded like. “Give me a chance, give yourself a chance to love someone who loves and wants you with no conditions.” Because it sounded like this guy wasn’t really in the picture at all, until the engagement happened.

 

As much as she wanted to believe, in her heart, that Jon would fight for her and really did love her, there was no proof of it.  He did say he MAY love the ‘old’ her and that had ruffled her feathers a bit because Carmen hadn’t changed.  She was still the same woman she always was.  It was JON who had changed, not her, and he hadn’t shown her at all how he felt or backed up his words.  Carmen had laughed at him when he sent that text to her and she figured he’d been joking about it since she hadn’t heard from him since. 

 

Yet here was Stephen, again, begging her for a chance to be with her, to work things out and fighting for her.  Hell, he didn’t even bother asking who the guy was she was in love with!  Stephen had even set aside his dream of being a father for her because she didn’t want kids.  He was so selfless and loving, the way he touched and held her close, even telling her she hadn’t cheated with that kiss.

 

“Are you sure this is what you want, Stephen?  I can’t…I can’t promise anything.  But you’re right, he hasn’t fought for me or told me he wants to be with me.” How much longer would she keep pining for Jon? “The only thing I can promise you is that I’ll try.” He softly kissed her again and her arms encircled his neck, pressing herself further against him. “I did miss you very much, cowboy…” It wasn’t Jon that was here with her on this beautiful night, it was Stephen and she’d be a fool not to at least give this one more shot with him.  He didn’t have any conditions, no expectations, he just wanted to be with her and that meant everything. “Wanna move this inside where we’re more comfortable?”

 

The only thing that had changed about Jon was him mostly getting his head out of his backside about how he felt towards his former stalker.  Other than that, besides no more drinking, he was still the same blunt asshole with no filter as always and he probably never would change.  Jon surely would not turn into some melodramatic princess and have breakdowns or anything like that because that could not be healthy by any means.

 

It also could not be healthy when he found out that she was giving Page ANOTHER go around after all that went down either.

 

For them, it was very healthy and Carmen gave herself to Stephen in every way he wanted the night they reconciled.  The next morning, he had made her breakfast in bed and they talked, clearing the air about everything.  Stephen did not want to know who she was in love with when she asked him, simply kissing her hand and saying it didn’t matter.  He was here, the other guy wasn’t. 

 

It was as simple as that. 

 

Carmen declined when Stephen asked her to start traveling with him again.  With Jon on the road, she didn’t think that was a very good idea.  Stephen would come see her on his days off and that would be that.  They texted each other every day when they had a moment of downtime and then talked at night about whatever came to mind, though it always ended with phone sex between them.

 

Pay-per-view events were basically the only ones she would attend because she had her company to run and needed to focus on other things besides wrestling…besides Jon.  Yes, she loved him and Jon knew she did, and yes she was in love with him, but he wasn’t fighting for her.  She had sent him one text message to let him know that she and Stephen were back together and that was it, not wanting him to find out from online or the dirt sheets because it was inevitable. 

 

Jon never responded to her and she was fine with it, moving on with her life with Stephen.  If he couldn’t accept her choice to be with Stephen, that was his problem and he’d have to deal with it.  Carmen still cheered for him, still enjoyed watching him in the ring, and ignored the twinge in her heart every time he came on her television, really wanting to try making her relationship work with Stephen.

 

Chapter 45

 

Jon couldn’t reply to her because he had broken his cell phone in a stupid mountain bike accident.  He figured it was probably a blessing because that was how he communicated with Carmen in general.  His laptop was some old contraption that was officially likely dead because he hadn’t updated it in so long.  By the time he did get around to getting a new phone, after making sure he at least communicated with work events, he figured that she had probably calmed down enough to talk to him again.  Then he seen that message and broke the brand new cell phone with a scream of ‘WHAT THE FUCK?!’.

 

It just hadn’t been a good day.

 

Now, as much as Carmen wanted to reach out and ask Jon if he was all right from that accident, since it was all over the dirt sheets, she left him alone.  She was driving him crazy and didn’t mean to do it, trying to be a decent friend since that was all they’d ever be.  Double or Nothing was upon them in just one week’s time and she knew Stephen was going against CM Punk, a veteran in the business.  To say he was…perturbed over the situation would’ve been an understatement.  Now Jon, on the other hand, was part of the Blackpool Combat Club and gearing up for an Anarchy In The Arena battle against the Jericho Appreciation Society.  Eddie Kingston, Ortiz, and Santana were all joining forces with the BCC to take them on. 

 

Of course, Carmen already had her ticket ready to go, thanks to Stephen, and afterwards, she was taking Stephen to Hawaii for a few weeks since he’d be dropping the title to Punk.  As much as she didn’t like knowing the outcome, Stephen had wanted to tell her to see if she wanted to go on vacation with him because he was taking a few weeks off work to decompress and recharge.  He was also upset that he had to drop the AEW title to Punk instead of someone more deserving in the company.  She had mentioned her house in Hawaii and he jumped on it, especially since she had a private jet that would take them there and then it’d be a small journey to get to her home right on the ocean.

 

Stephen did find it interesting with her multiple houses, but he couldn’t deny that it was also a bit on the handy side, giving her a base on each coast, and an island, to work from given her business operated throughout most of the United States.  Equally neat was the fact that her going ‘home’ to Hawaii meant a vacation for him.  The money situation between them – He was doing great and she was holy rich – didn’t bother him at all.  He did what he could, knowing Carmen wasn’t materialistic and the thought was what counted.  He was doing his best to ensure that he took that coveted spot in her heart.

 

New phone, mama, had a bit of a bike accident.

 

“Speak of the devil.” She muttered, looking at the text message and was tempted to ignore it, but it seemed like Jon wanted to talk to her about something.  He never contacted her unless it was for a specific reason, so Carmen could only imagine what was on his mind now. I saw that online and wanted to reach out to you, but I didn’t think you wanted to hear from me after I told you about getting back together with Stephen.  How are you?

 

When would this game with Jon end?  That was all this was to him was a game, it had to be.  She wasn’t into playing games anymore and every time he texted her, her heartrate sped up and that longing for him returned.  Jon didn’t find out about her and Stephen until AFTER his accident, then he had gotten a new cell phone, only to shatter it, and now he was on his SECOND phone in a short amount of time.  One was his fault, the other was her fault, but it had given him time to cool his jets and think.

 

I didn’t find out about that until I got this new phone the other day, babe.  Are you ignoring the fact that I said I loved you, in my indirect manner? Jon had said it, indirectly, because she had been all over the place in her emails and texts, hysterical even, now…she seemed level again.  He might’ve just tipped that scale back to crazy though.

 

Were they really doing this?  Yes, they were really doing this and Carmen steeled herself, knowing what she had to do. You said you MAY love the ‘old’ me, remember?  I’m not ignoring anything, I just don’t believe you. How could she? 

 

Jon had NEVER given her any indication he loved her or was even interested in her past friendship!  It didn’t matter anymore, she was with Stephen again and, unless Jon made some kind of grand gesture that blew her mind, she was giving this another shot with Stephen.  Honestly, it would take Jon coming to her front door, kissing her senseless, and telling her to her face how he really felt to get her to believe what he said was the truth.

 

That would never happen because that was something STEPHEN would do and Jon was that fucker’s polar opposite.  She really had gone to the far end of the spectrum to avoid him, to avoid finding a guy like him.  Carmen had made sure his replacement only shared ONE thing in common with him and that was wrestling.

 

Yeah, well, in my defense, you were acting like a hysterical spaz. Seriously, after THREE years the woman knew him and his mouth, why she acted like everything he said shook the church was beyond him. Also, I’m a moron who didn’t realize it until I realized you were serious about marrying that joker. Which he had said then was a mistake, her rushing into something stupid, or had that all been in his head?  Jon had a hard time keeping up with himself sometimes.

 

Carmen snorted, rolling her eyes at that.  He realized he loved her AFTER realizing how serious she was about marrying Stephen?  What did he think would happen?  That she’d just date Stephen and they would never move to the next level?  Now granted, Stephen moved at lightning speed, but still…that was very moronic, Jon was right.

 

Then maybe you don’t love me as much as you say or think you do.  And forgive me for being hysterical considering I called my engagement off after you kissed me.  Everyone is allowed to lose their shit a few times in their life, Jon.  I wasn’t in the greatest place, but I’m back to the ‘old’ me now.

 

I’m not the brightest crayon in the box and we both know it, babe.  I think you’ve been telling me that for a few years now. Jon was smoking, in a motel room, well…he was OUTSIDE, leaning against the door while he smoked.  These no smoking indoors rules were killing him in some of these States. You never should have agreed to marry him and you should thank me for kissing you and that kicking you in the ass.  Also, it was a great kiss, made both our toes curl.

 

ARGH!!  Carmen couldn’t deal with the texting any longer and actually called him, standing outside of her Florida home with a cigarette of her own. “Okay, I’ll give you that it was a great kiss and you did make me call off my engagement.  I’m done with texting, we’re talking about this like normal adults instead of the texting bullshit.” She took a drag of her cigarette while staring out at the water, sitting down in one of her lounge chairs. “I don’t get you, Jon.  I really don’t.  You’ve got my head all fucked up!  You kiss me and then disappear.  Then you come back a week later and tell me you love the ‘old’ me.  Then you disappear again.  And don’t you even use that accident as an excuse!  You could’ve contacted me the next day, the day after, the day after that, but I didn’t hear anything more from you the rest of my time in Hawaii.  Now here you are again, popping up, and I’m starting to wonder if this is all one big giant game to you.  Or maybe you’re paying me back for being your stalker all those years?  What exactly is your goal here?”

 

“I love you, moron.” Jon said it very slowly, seriously, wondering if she had lost her mind.  There was NO way he would be doing this, after months of calling her a stalker, if he didn’t mean it. “And you damn right it was a fucking AWESOME kiss,” Especially if she had lost her mind over it and cancelled an engagement to boot! “I didn’t disappear either, I gave you TIME because I thought you’d need to reassess.  I did not plan on you calling off shit and running away like you did.” Her as a coward did not compute if he was honest.

“I didn’t-!” Carmen had to breathe because her heart was thundering in her ears and there were tears forming in her eyes at his confession.  Jon loved her.  After all this time, he finally said the words and she heard them clear as a bell in her ear. “I didn’t run away.  I went to Hawaii to my HOUSE because I needed to get out of Florida for a little while after what happened with Stephen.” And now she was back with the same man again, trying, and the man she truly wanted was finally telling her how he felt. “It’s not like you couldn’t contact me.  Even though you used Chris to do it at first, I eventually unblocked you.” He snorted in her ear and she took another long drag, staring up at the starry night sky. “I love you too, jerk.”

 

“I know.” It was a simple affirmation of what he already knew and he was glad that she had finally come to her senses and said it PROPERLY.  They had known each other for years.  Carmen had moved out of potential crazy stalker phase and somewhere along the line, he had taken her for granted. “Look, where are you?  You want to do this like adults?  I’ll come to you, babe, and we’ll really have this conversation the way it should be.”

 

Shutting her eyes, Carmen dropped her head while still holding her cigarette and could feel the emotions building up inside of her.  Jon was fighting for her, his own way, and it was too late because she had already told Stephen she’d give their relationship another chance.  What was she supposed to do? Stephen.  I can’t hurt him again. “You’re too late, Jon.  No matter how much I love you and you love me, and I’m in love with you, no matter how much my heart wants you, it can’t happen.  I’m in a relationship with Stephen and I need to see it through, no matter the outcome.” Blinking, tears slid down her cheeks and she ignored her heart pleading with her not to do this, her loyalty factoring in here. “I have to go.  I love you, goodbye.” Hanging up on him, ignoring his violent cussing on the other end, Carmen walked back into her house after stubbing her cigarette out and went to have herself a good, long cry. 

 

Too late…Jon was always too late!

 

Was she kidding him?  She had just broken up with Page, called off the engagement and claimed she cheated on him, and now she was doing it all over again, despite knowing that was NOT what her heart wanted?  Jon wasn’t amused or impressed at all; he had thought she would stay single and finally listen without the hysterics and now she was driving HIM into hysteria.

 

“Fucking…hell…” If he had to guess, her pert backside would be in Florida, which was where Hangman resided on top of her job.  

 

He was going to Florida.

 

~!~

 

Kylie was busy typing up reports on her computer when a shadow loomed over her, forcing her eyes to lift to meet electric blues of none other than Jon Good.  Or was it Jon Moxley?  Hell, she didn’t know and swallowed hard because the man did NOT look amused whatsoever. “Carmen isn’t here.  She’s out showing houses today.” That was a code between her and Kylie, one they had used with her ex-boyfriend whenever Carmen didn’t want to deal with him.

 

Carmen wasn’t stupid. 

 

She knew Jon would come to Florida to hash things out and try to convince her not to be with Stephen.  So naturally, she had scheduled a bunch of showings that would last until around 8 or 9 PM that evening, just to keep her away from her house and the office as much as possible.  Now, she could’ve easily hopped a flight to one of her other houses, but the more Carmen thought about, the more she realized she could not run forever.  Sooner or later, she would come face to face with Jon, but for now, she would try avoiding him as much as possible.  Maybe he’d get tired of waiting for her and just leave – that was wishful thinking on her part.

 

As far as Jon was concerned, it wasn’t so much trying to convince her of anything, but they needed to have a proper conversation face to face.  Now, she was acting like a little scared bitch and that was frustrating because it just didn’t mesh with who Carmen was as he knew her.  He also knew NOTHING about her past dating history or why she could be skittish; it was something she had never brought up with him.

 

“Well, if you’d let her know I was here, please.” His manners were on point even though his eyes showed his mild annoyance, hating this yo-yo feeling.

 

Now he knew how Carmen had felt.

 

“I will.” Kylie chewed her bottom lip, wondering if she’d get fired for doing this, but…her friend was in trouble.  Carmen wasn’t just her boss, they were friends and she knew what was in the woman’s heart.  She knew about her past relationship problems too.  Kylie knew Carmen better than anyone. “Here.” She handed him a piece of paper, a schedule, and it had a list of the addresses Carmen would be at today at those specific times. “Go talk to her, if you want and, uh, good luck.”

 

Chapter 46

 

Carmen had just finished showing off another house, a three story beauty that wasn’t on the ocean, but the water wasn’t far away either.  She walked out, looking at her phone, and headed to her car in the driveway, freezing at the sight of none other than Jon Good staring back at her. “Considering I have residence in five different states, I’m surprised you’d pick Florida.” Then again, maybe not.  He knew her better than most, just like Kylie.  Speaking of Kylie… “I take it Kylie helped you out a little to find me?”

 

“Sort of, but not on purpose.” Jon had told Kylie exactly what he was planning on telling Carmen, that she had disappeared for a second and he had taken advantage.  If Kylie wanted to dispute that well…he had tried to keep her out of trouble.  She obviously cared for Carmen and given Carmen had a pretty small social circle of intimate friends, Jon didn’t want to ruin that. “She made the mistake of using the bathroom while I was loitering and you know me,” He shrugged, not making any apologies. “And yeah, Florida, it's where Page resides and you said you were trying shit with him again.”

 

“That I am.” Carmen pulled out a cigarette, letting it dangle from her lips for a minute and searched for her lighter, only for Jon to be right there flicking his to life. “Thanks.  Want one?” He shook his head, pulling his own pack out and both leaned against her Rolls Royce, not sure what to say to the other.  How did they get here?  How did everything wind up like this? “Why are you here, Jon?  You know I’m with Stephen again and I already know how you feel about me, so…” If he thought he’d change her mind regarding her relationship with Stephen, he was sadly mistaken.  She did love Stephen, she just wasn’t in love with him the way she was with Jon. “Gonna try convincing me to be with you instead?”

 

“I shouldn’t have to; you don’t love him like you love me and therefore, it’s not fair what you’re doing to him or yourself.” Jon could have added ‘or me’ to that last bit, but at the same time, that was all on him for being a moron and needing his head out of his backside.  Admittedly, being sober from alcohol had really helped with things becoming clearer, being able to realize some stuff.  Apparently not with her until she was about to become someone’s damn wife! “You really think you can make yourself fall IN love with him, even though you’ve already been with him how long?”

 

“Or you, right?” Carmen looked up at him, once again reading his mind and took a deep breath, reaching up to touch his bearded face with her hand gently. “I don’t know if I can and he knows that too.  I told him I can’t promise him anything, not even my heart.  But he STILL wants to try and I owe him that after running away like a coward.” Her hand dropped from Jon’s face and rubbed the back of her neck, taking another drag of her cigarette. “He came to me, I did not go to him.  I tried to push him away, to make him see, but Stephen is very stubborn and I do love him.  I just…I don’t love him the way he deserves.” Again, Stephen knew that too. “I won’t hurt him again.  Unless he breaks things off with me, I’m not leaving him, not even for you.”

 

“Why?  You already left him once because of me, does he know it’s me?”

 

Jon somehow wasn’t surprised when she shook her head, frowning slightly and wondered why she hadn’t bothered telling Page who the other man was.  Probably because she was worried it’d start a fight or something between them, or that Page might start thinking the stalking fan scenario wasn’t really a joke after all.  Carmen had been touchy about that for quite some time.  He scowled when she just stared at him, moving backwards so he didn’t try kissing some sense into her.  

 

“I did ask him if he wanted to know who it was…and he said no.  He doesn’t care who it is.  I don’t think he’d care even if I did tell him it was you.” Stephen would never start a fight with Jon, not even over her.  That wasn’t the type of man he was.  Jon, on the other hand, was a fighter at heart, so she really hoped he curved that impulse when it came to Stephen. “I-If I would’ve known how you felt…Christ, I didn’t think you’d ever feel the same way about me because of the whole stalker shit!” Who the hell fell in love with their stalker anyway?  Jon really was a rare breed, indeed. “And correction, I didn’t leave him because of you, I left him because I kissed you back and didn’t push you away.  I wanted to kiss you, just like I want to now, and I don’t think that desire will ever go away when it comes to you, Jon.”

 

Jon was quiet, just studying her while turning all that over in his head, pondering it. “That was three years ago, Carmen,” He finally spoke quietly, knowing he had drilled that into her head those first few six months, but the fact that she was still carrying it around after three years was mind-boggling.  Again, he didn’t know her history with men or that her ex had damaged her way before his time and she had carried THAT baggage until Stephen. “Exactly, you left him because of me and you’ll leave him again.” He stated confidently, grinning broadly. “Without me kissing you or anything else, you’ll still leave him.” He could win her without having to seduce her, if Carmen honestly loved him.

 

“Maybe I will, maybe I won’t.  I guess only time will tell.”

 

Carmen didn’t see the need to tell Jon about her past relationship fiasco.  There was no reason to bring it up ever.  This was a new relationship she was embarking on with Stephen, or continuing it rather, and no relationship was perfect.  They had to be worked on and she loved Stephen enough to see it through.  It sounded horrible in her mind, but if Jon really did love her as much as he claimed, then he’d wait this out and stand by her side, no matter what happened.  There was no way Carmen would marry Stephen any time soon, she already decided the only way that would happen would be if she truly did fall in love with him.  There was also a time limit, which put some pressure on her, but Carmen wouldn’t rush anything, not this time.

 

“Still friends, Mox?  Because if so, I’m starving and my next appointment canceled, so I was gonna go grab something to eat.  Wanna join me?”

 

If Jon knew about it, maybe some things would make sense to him about her, things that just struck him as weird, even for him.  Right now, Carmen was trying to force a sense of normalcy between them, even though nothing was normal considering he had laid down the L word on her.  THEY had destroyed her engagement and now she was doing it all over again.

 

“Yeah sure, something greasy and delicious?” Jon could play this game if he had too, prove that he loved her and all that.

 

Greasy and delicious was just what the doctor ordered.  They found a nearby burger joint and sat down, something they hadn’t done since…well, was it DC?  No, Jon had gotten sick with pneumonia when he came to visit her last time and she wound up nursing him back to health.  Carmen thought back to what Jon said, the confident oozing from his pores, and decided to let him drive them to the burger joint, leaving her Rolls Royce at the property she had shown earlier.  It was still Diamond Real Estate property, so she didn’t have an issue leaving her car there.

 

“It’s easy with Stephen, you know.  He doesn’t expect anything from me, doesn’t demand anything from me.  He’s easy to be with and a complete gentleman, maybe a little too nice for his own good.” She stared out the window while he drove, linking her fingers together in her lap. “It was hard for me to trust another man after my last relationship.  If you can even call it that.”

 

Jon raised a brow while he drove, wondering where this was coming from. “What happened?”

 

“He was with me for my wealth, not for me.  Used me for shit he wanted…and I let him do it because, like an idiot, I loved him.” She snorted, still not believing how stupid she’d been to be with someone like that. “I really thought at first Stephen was with me because of my wealth, but he has proven he is the complete opposite of my ex.  Trustworthy, loyal, respectful, loving, caring…he doesn’t bat an eyelash at some of my extravagant lifestyle.” Such as her private jet, which Jon had ridden on, for example. “It’s not just about love to me, that’s not the only thing that matters.  I’m comfortable with Stephen and being comfortable with someone, after what I went through with my ex, is not easy to do.  Besides Stephen, you’re the only other man I’ve ever been comfortable with.”

 

Well, that explained a lot and Jon got the baggage but at the same time, she was a pretty damn strong and confident woman, so he wasn’t sure why she let her ex have headspace rent-free in her mind. “But you’re not fully comfortable with me, are you, babe?” He asked as he considered it finally, realizing she would never likely be comfortable with him because they were not…like she was with Stephen. “He’s perfect.  It’ll be nice and comfortable, but eventually, it’ll also be boring.” Jon pointed out the obvious, again. “Because he doesn’t…damn it, babe, he’s fucking boring!  He’s not gonna fight with you, challenge you, he’s going to do whatever he thinks he needs to, to make you happy and eventually, you’re gonna get bored because that doesn’t make for long term passion.”

 

“What are you talking about?  Of course I’m fully comfortable with you.  I don’t fuck guys I’m not completely comfortable with.  And nobody is perfect, Stephen is…” What was the word she was looking for?  Safe?  That sounded really bad even in her own head, so she decided not to say that word aloud. “Well…he’s not boring, that’s for sure.  I do have fun with him and we enjoy each other’s company.   He’s actually a little…too intense, if I’m being honest.  Proposing to me after only two months of dating…that definitely took me by surprise and I didn’t expect it.  So you see?  Stephen is full of surprises too and I won’t know how long this will last unless I go through with it, right?” One thing she couldn’t deny was Jon’s affirmation about Stephen always agreeing with her and never challenging her. 

 

That was completely true.

 

“He’s SAFE.” Jon said it FOR her, not even realizing he had read her mind, but that was it for her.  Stephen was perfect, he’d never argue or fight with her.  He’d do whatever necessary to keep her, even if it meant dashing his own personal hopes.  Such as kids and family, the man had been a damn teacher for Christ sakes!  He would never give her complex issues, confidence and self-esteem issues…he was safe.  And boring. “It’ll all go south eventually because right NOW, not even a year in, it’s fun, but it’ll get boring and he’s too fucking safe.  Life needs excitement, mama.  This good?” They had arrived.

 

After her last relationship, safe was what Carmen needed at the moment and Jon would have to deal with it.  Or wait it out to see how this all panned out with Stephen. “Yeah, this is fine.” It wasn’t very busy and they would get right in, thankfully.  She was starving and something told her Jon was too.  She went to get out of the car, but Jon stopped her, taking her hand to lace their fingers together. “Jon…”

 

“This, right here, THIS is what you really want.” Jon could give her that excitement, challenge her in every way possible, and make her question everything about her life.  And love her like no other man ever would or could, including Page. “You feel that, don’t you?”

 

It was stronger than ever, pulsating through her and once again her heart was screaming out to her to give in, to be with Jon.  However, her mind was reminding her of the unpredictability Jon had and Stephen was indeed the safer route to take, not to mention the man did love her.  Jon wasn’t making this easy for her, however, and it took every ounce of willpower to pull her hand away from his…to untwine their fingers until she was out of the car into the fresh, heated air.

 

“Let’s eat.” She barely waited for Jon to follow her inside the eatery and they were seated at a table moments later, menus blocking their faces. Fuck, I need to breathe after that.

 

Just as he had already determined, Jon had no intentions of seducing her with kisses and touching, but friends held hands, right?  He would also use his words.  He knew he wasn’t safe for her.  He was flighty, prone to doing random, nonsensical things, and life would never, ever be steady with him.  MINUS when it came to anything wrestling related and then everything  would be very, very steady.  However, no woman wanted that kind of lifelong term and he wasn’t…safe.  Or boring.  Jon browsed the menu, finally deciding on what he wanted.  It was a definite cheat day today and then dropped the menu to stare at Carmen, patiently waiting for her to lower hers next.

 

Carmen was taking her time perusing the menu and trying to get her heart rate to slow down a little because, just holding this man’s hand, sent her heart racing.  Touching any part of him made a wave of warmth flood through her and that was exactly what happened in his car when he grabbed her hand. Can I really do this?  Can I continue being his friend when I’m in love with him and being with Stephen?  Damn it, what am I doing? Second-guessing was such a bitch and she finally decided what she wanted to eat before lowering the menu to the table, those piercing electric blues locking with hers. “Did you decide what you’re having?  My treat, by the way, and no arguments.”

 

Chapter 47

 

“Yeah, I know what I want.” Jon held her gaze while answering and then tapped the menu as an afterthought. “Eventually, you gotta break that habit, sugar mama, you can’t be treating me every time.” Though, there was no doubt Page wouldn’t mind or even question it, unless of course, he found out who the other man was. “Why not tell him it was me?  Afraid it’d cause a problem backstage?” He doubted Page was the kind to come up on him and play the fuck around and find out game.

 

“I told you, I asked him if he wanted to know and he said no.  It doesn’t matter who it is to him, even you.” Carmen had to steel herself at his words, knowing they meant far more than just the food they were about to eat. “He flat out told me that the other guy won’t fight for me as hard as him and he’ll do whatever it takes to win my heart, no matter how long it takes him to do it.” That made the ice form in Jon’s eyes just a little and she took a sip of her water, glancing out the window and then looked back at him again. “And honestly, I don’t think it would cause issues backstage, not unless you provoked him or something because I really don’t think Stephen would do something like that.”

 

“I get you asked and he said no, but why even ask?”

 

Jon couldn’t fathom NOT wanting to know; he’d have been driven nuts and stalked to find out who the competitor was.  Hell, he might have done it with her if he hadn’t discovered this revelation a while ago.  Jon was a bit of a wild man and he knew it.

 

“If he knew it was me, he’d be retracting that asinine statement.  He couldn’t do it in three months, he won’t do it in three years, not even thirty.” Providing boredom didn’t kill her first.

 

Carmen raised a slow brow at that confidence again, folding her arms in front of her chest. “You don’t know that, Jon.  Only time will tell and for all you know, I may very well turn my feelings completely to him and be just your friend for the rest of our lives.” That made her stomach churn and she ignored it, a smirk curving her lips at his narrowed eyes staring holes back at her. 

 

Good, she wanted to knock his ego down a peg or two, refusing to admit he was probably right in what he said.  Was it ego if it was the truth?  Maybe, maybe not.  Either way, Carmen would defend her relationship with Stephen, even if it was a sham and she was only with the man out of pity.  She wasn’t knocking his ego down, only annoying him because the second that little sentence of her about them being just friends for the rest of their lives came out, she had had a slight tic.  It was there and then gone, and Jon doubted someone who wasn’t used to reading body language when he really wanted to would’ve caught it.  That was something he had learned early on as a kid, something he had used to survive when he was out running the streets and hustling for his lunch while Mom ‘worked’.

 

“Probably not.” Reaching for his water, Jon took a slow sip, mulling what he wanted to say.  He should probably NOT push her too much today given she had bailed on the world for two weeks the last time he had overloaded her brain. “So, why string him along when I’m here now with my head out of my ass?”

 

“I’m not stringing him along.  He asked me to give him another chance and that’s what I’m doing.  Just because you had a revelation does not mean I’m just going to drop my relationship for you, Jon.” Carmen could feel the intensity boiling in those electric blues staring a hole through her and took a long gulp of water while trying to keep her wits about her and focused. “And I don’t believe you either.  I don’t believe you really love me.  I believe you’re jealous because my attention is on someone else that’s not you.  I believe you love the attention I gave you and now that it’s on someone else, you don’t like that.  Stephen loves me, truly, and I owe it to him to see if something can be salvaged, if I can direct my heart to him instead of you.  Like he said, he’s willing to fight for me, for us, so I should do the same thing.  And for the record, it’s not my fault you decided NOW to get your head out of your ass.  That’s on you.”

 

“Nah, I’m not jealous, I’m annoyed.  I already know it’s MY fault and it’s on me, babe.” Jon retorted casually, deciding getting pissy with her was a bad idea for the aforementioned, thought out reasons.  She’d run her hot little backside to who knew where to hide from him again.  Or hell, maybe this time she’d finally tell Page about him and…Page would probably not do a damn thing or maybe he’d just try to verbally ‘set things straight’, which Jon wouldn’t respond kindly to. “You should ditch the stiff anyway.  Oh, thank god, I’m starving!” Food had arrived, saving her flushing self, and potentially their friendship such as it was, because she also looked irritated. “If I promise to behave the rest of our date, you promise not to toss that water at me?”

 

“Why would I do that?  And this is not a date, Moxley.  We’re friends having a meal together, that’s IT.” Carmen put the emphasis on the word ‘IT’ to make it clear to him she was taken and not changing her mind. “And yes, this looks delicious.”

 

Tossing her water at him would be dramatic and uncalled for when all he was doing was speaking his mind, like always.  That was who Jon was.  He had no filter and she didn’t care what he said or what he called Stephen as long as he respected the fact she was in a relationship.  Stephen wasn’t a stiff, he was a stud and she was lucky to have a man like him in her life, even though Carmen didn’t deserve it.

 

“It is an unscheduled date, you’re the one thinking of it as a date-date, not me.” Jon remarked innocently, his blue eyes widening when her own orbs narrowed at him.  

 

He flashed her what most would consider to be an adorably boyish grin, but she might not find so amusing given she actually knew he was the opposite.  He was rude, sometimes cruel, and arrogant, with a healthy dose of obnoxious.  Sticking with the nickname Stiff for Page, eventually, Carmen would be thinking it too once the newness and repentance phase wore off.  They ate in silence, each in their own thoughts and the tension between them was thick.  It made for a very unpleasant experience, so when the check finally came, Carmen immediately paid for it since Jon had finished eating before leaving the place. 

 

Pulling out her cigarettes, she lit one up and noticed night had fallen while they were in there, taking a long drag from it. “You don’t love me.”

 

“Don’t tell me what I feel, mama.”

 

He too was smoking as well and they were standing in front of each other, now by his car, so many conflicting emotions rushing through her at once.  Jon loved her.  He had the worst timing of anyone because she was stuck with Stephen for the foreseeable future. “Why are you doing this to me?” He was always too late, never on time! “Why did you kiss me at that shop when I was in that wedding dress?  What was the real motive behind that?  Were you really trying to sabotage my wedding or what?”

 

“What the actual fuck?” Jon nearly choked on his smoke at that last line, wondering what kind of crappy Hallmark movie or Harlequin novel she had been reading or watching because sabotaging a wedding didn’t happen in real life.  Well, not as a general rule anyway, but he supposed there were exceptions. “No, I’m not trying to sabotage your wedding, you did that yourself by panicking and shit.” That said she wasn’t ready to get married and the fact that she was FORCING herself to be with a man she didn’t love was gross. “I realized you were serious about marrying the guy, realized I was gonna lose you, and kissed you.”

 

“Lose me?  How?  Jon, you’re my best friend and I even wanted you in the damn wedding!  What are you…oh.” Then it clicked in her head and Carmen gritted her teeth to the point of gnashing, tearing a hand through her hair.  So because another man had taken the initiative to propose to her, to properly date her, to treat her like a queen, Jon had kissed her for fear of losing her to that same man. “You wouldn’t have lost me, even if I did marry him.  And I may very well do it still.  And you have to deal with that and accept it, Jon.  You have no choice.”

 

“Yeah, except, I don’t think you’ll marry him.” Jon retorted without a hint of doubt in his voice. “You know what he did before wrestling, right?  He was a teacher, he comes from a family.” Hers was dead, but he knew Page was a family-oriented man with those ‘settle down’ roots and that was NOT her at ALL.  He was pretty sure Carmen and the phrase ‘my kids’ were allergic to each other on a deathly level. “Though…If you DO, I should get to be the best man anyway.  Scout’s honor that I’ll even behave.” That was a total lie and they both knew it.  Jon might’ve ‘sabotage’ her wedding, which Carmen would likely find both infuriating and romantic, knowing her.

 

“I already made it clear to him I’m not the mother type and I’ll never have kids with him.  He’s fine with it.  And if he’s not, that’s his issue, not mine.  As far as his family goes, I’ll deal with that too.” What would Stephen’s family think of her after she had called their wedding off and now they were basically starting over, back to square one?  She really didn’t want to meet his family any time soon and made a mental note to make sure it didn’t happen until SHE was ready. “And yes, I’m aware he was a school teacher prior to becoming a wrestler.  What’s wrong with teaching kids?  He loves kids…” That made her frown, the mere statement making her brows furrow. “Maybe he'll get tired of me and eventually dump me.”

 

“If you don’t dump him first, yeah, probably.” Jon was pragmatic and now he was being serious, lighting another cigarette while guiding her away from the busy sidewalk, slumping against a building alongside of her.  His tone was earnest, nothing prodding or obnoxious while mulling over her situation, along with theirs, while watching traffic only feet away breeze by. “Honest question, what if he’s saying he’s ‘fine’ with no kids because he thinks once he has you locked down, you’ll change your mind?”

 

Stephen was actually kind of hoping that would happen, but if she didn’t, even after a few years, he was reluctantly fine with that too.

 

Slumping against the wall beside him, Carmen took a long drag of her own cigarette and heaved a sigh, closing her eyes. “I’ve thought about that…and I can only hope he understands I mean what I say.  No kids ever.  I don’t want any offspring, I’m too selfish for it.  I’m not the wife type either, at least…not the wife I know he’s wanting and searching for, hoping he can mold me into.” That left a sour taste in her mouth because Carmen was far too stubborn to change for any man. “There you go again, putting these doubts in my head.  You’re not being fair about this at all, Jon.” Calling him Moxley was not in the cards tonight, not with this serious conversation. “I’m not going to dump him either, not this time.  I’m going to wait for him to do it, for him to realize how wrong we are for each other.  He has to come to that conclusion and, if he doesn’t, then I’ll stay with him.”

 

“I’m not trying to put doubts in your head, mama.” Jon shifted to lean sideways on the building, looking down at her, so she could see just how serious he was. “I’m putting logic in your head because if you’re really going to make this work with him, you better think about everything, including down the road.  I’m practical and you know it, you are too deep down, when you’re not being stubborn.” Damn was she being stubborn as a mule right now! “I personally, would rather get out BEFORE having to worry about how goddamn expensive and emotional a divorce probably is.”

 

“If we get married, there will be a prenuptial agreement signed.  I won’t put myself in a stupid situation where I’m forced to give a man half of what I’ve busted my ass for.” That made Jon snort and she narrowed her eyes at him, flicking ash away from her cigarette that was halfway gone. “I wanted you for so long.  So long, Jon.  Not for your wrestling character or your wealth.” Carmen had plenty of that herself. “I wanted YOU, the man, the one who saved me in Japan, who took me out to a seedy bar in Moline, who turned down my advances that first night.  Who sexed me up for two straight days while we were snowed in together.” Reaching up, she stroked his bearded face tenderly with the back of her hand, stepping up to him and those electric blues were drawing her in, especially when his arm encircled her waist to press their chests together. “It’s not Stephen I dream about being with, it’s you.  You’ve had me in a trance for so many years and now I’m asking you, as a friend, to give me my heart back.  You have it and you’re the only one who can give it back to me.  Or am I doomed to love you forever?”

 

Jon was quiet for a very long time as he reflected her words, rather enjoying the feeling of her hands up on his face caressing his beard.  Carmen was searching his own face, her eyes moving intently as she obviously tried reading him and he finally cracked a half-smile. “Sorry, mama, but you’re screwed.”

 

Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t give it back because he didn’t know how or even where to begin.  Honestly, he wouldn’t even if he could.  A pre-nuptial was great and all, it protected everything she had prior to the marriage, anything they acquired during it, but that didn’t mean anything if things went south.  It would get ugly anyway, bitter spouses had a way of contesting and dragging divorces out when they were hurt.  

 

The heart was a fickle, cruel thing.

 

Carmen shut her eyes, knowing he was right and he wasn’t saying it to be mean or upset her.  It felt so nice to touch him again like this and it was impossible to pull away, she didn’t want to.  Even if Jon could do it, relinquish her heart, he wouldn’t because he loved her as well.  Once a heart was taken, it was almost never given back or relinquished.  That was just the way the world worked.  The man she had stalked, silently, since 2009 had taken it from the moment she saw him in the ring with his jacket that was spray-painted MOX on the back and his hair haphazardly in his face.  Carmen had stayed in the shadows for years just watching him, longing for him from a distance, and never thought she’d be in this position with him. 

 

The only problem was she was in a relationship with someone else that treated her like a queen and didn’t care about her wealth or her name, only her.  She leaned forward to kiss him, their lips nearly touching and suddenly, Stephen’s face popped in her head, forcing Carmen to step back, her hands dropping from his bearded face. “I have to go.  Being this close to you is dangerous and I won’t cheat on Stephen again.  Be my friend and support me or leave me alone, those are your options because I’m with someone else and it’s not my fault you realized too late what you wanted, Jon.  You have to live with that now, just like I do.”

 

“Whatever you say, mama.” Jon mockingly saluted her with two fingers, amusement in his eyes, but he also stepped away.  

 

He wasn’t going to sabotage her relationship or anything nor was he about to force into her a situation.  He already knew time was going to do that for them both.  Carmen loved him, she wanted him, and she now had all those lovely little seeds of doubt in her head.  Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Jon had brought up some valid points, such as that bit about Page was likely banking on changing her mind about kids down the road.

 

Then he said screw it and swooped in to kiss her, keeping his lips closed during it. “See you around, Carmen.”

 

Dangerous, indeed.

 

Chapter 48

 

Carmen never expected to be banged in the back of her Rolls Royce by Jon Moxley, of all people, but it happened that night in that parking lot.  That one small kiss lit a fire inside of her and she had yanked him flush against her by his shirt to passionately kiss him, tasting him, all the feelings and memories from DC flooding back.  They could not get undressed fast enough for each other and she was on all fours with Jon behind her, pounding into her relentlessly.  Jon had not initiated actual sex, but that small kiss had been the catalyst, the straw that broke the camel’s back as it were. 

 

Stephen was away in another state for his job, so after they were done, Carmen drove Jon back to her place and they fucked again in her bed, not able to get enough of each other.  She was leaving to head to Hawaii in mere days with Stephen for a seven day getaway and yet here she was, in the arms of the man she truly loved and wanted to be with.  It wasn’t just hard fucking either, it was slow lovemaking as well, spoon fucking, with their eyes locked while they moved together in sync and Jon leaned down to softly kiss her, holding her close to him.

 

In the morning, Jon had to leave to head back on the road and she watched him dress, sliding out of bed to walk over to wrap her arms around his waist from behind. “I love you, Jon.” Carmen kissed his back, not wanting to let him go and rested her forehead against him, breathing him in. “I need time…to figure all of this out.  I told you you’re dangerous for me, handsome.”

 

Hadn’t he legitimately said, ‘whatever you say’ and he was sure she had been able to read the amusement and doubt in his tone, MORE than proving him right.  Hell, all he had done was a close-mouthed kiss and she had turned it into a LOT more.  If Jon had ruined her wedding and driven her into hiding from a simple kiss, he could only imagine what Carmen was going to do over her own foolish self initiating sex. “Yeah, you told me, babe, you just apparently didn’t send your own self the memo.” He had to leave and turned, pulling away to stare intently down at her. “You need to figure out what you want and go for it.  If it’s me, get rid of him.  If it’s him, you best be real damn sure that IS what you want.” Because he wouldn’t believe it, at all.

 

Tears stung her eyes because she had done it again.  She had cheated on Stephen, this time completely and it wasn’t just a kiss.  She had fucked another man.  What would happen when she told him?  There was no way Carmen would keep this from Stephen and maybe that would be enough for him to let her go, to end their relationship.

 

“I’m telling him and letting him make the decision on what he wants to do.  I won’t tell him it was you, though, not unless he asks.” The way Jon stared at her made her raise a slow brow because his expression was incredulous. “And I’m going to make sure I tell him I’m the one who initiated the sex.  You are what I want, but I won’t hurt him again, Jon.  It’s bad enough I’ll hurt him by telling him I fucked someone else while we’re together.”

 

Jon had never thought of her kissing him before with the wedding dress incident as cheating so much as a ‘lapse’, it hadn’t gone any further.  This time, however, she was definitely a cheater and he just shrugged. “You do that, mama, and make sure you let him know it was the same guy you kissed before.”

 

Then let the poor bastard down easy.  If Page was STUPID enough to stay with her, when she had ‘cheated’ on him twice, both times with the same guy, she needed to boot him simply because there was something very wrong with him.  Or else he was a doormat and Jon’s own prediction about boring was going to come true a lot sooner than either of them had anticipated.

 

“You should walk away anyway, just because if he stays with you, you’ll only hurt him again and that’s cruel.” Carmen was better than that, he wasn’t, but she was.

 

He was right and deep down she knew it, but Carmen couldn’t bring herself to do it, to end things with Stephen again.  She had jumped the gun by doing it from the kiss at the dress shop, when she should’ve waited until she actually boned someone else.  There was a dangerous weakness when it came to Jon, one that Carmen had not learned to overcome yet.

 

“I’m going to let him decide what he wants to do.  I’m not breaking things off with him or walking away.” The snort from him made her scowl because it was his fault for kissing her in the first place!  Okay, no, that was irrational thinking and Carmen knew she was just as much at fault as Jon was. “Be prepared just in case he wants to know who exactly I fucked behind his back.”

 

“I’m not worried.” It was obvious in his tone; there was not a single fuck to give on behalf of himself. “I am going to tell you this, as your fucking FRIEND, Carmen,” Jon bent down so she could see his dead serious eyes properly. “I get that he’s the crème de la crème of sweet, boring, fucking saintly even boyfriends, but EVERY man has a limit, you understand that?  When he hits his, he’s going to do one of two things.  He’ll just walk away and call it or,” He had two fingers up, slowly lowering the first. “He’ll lose his mind.”

 

Not only would she confess to cheating TWICE, Carmen also wouldn’t have the common decency to end it.  Jon saw absolutely no point in that unless she was content with being a legitimate skank and even he would pull the brakes.  If she could screw around on a guy who loved and wanted to marry her, repeatedly, AND then still stay with him knowing it was likely to happen again…that was scandalous, even by his standards.

 

“If you did it once, you’ll do it again.” Fact.

 

Carmen couldn’t dispute what he said because all of it was the truth. “I’ll figure it out.  I’ll know what to do when the time comes to tell him.” It would be before Hawaii because she refused to take Stephen back to one of her sanctuaries where she disappeared to when she wanted to escape from the world. “You’re not my friend, Jon.  I don’t even know what you are anymore, but you’re not a friend.  Friends don’t do the things we’ve done together.” That was also something he would not be able to dispute. “Just give me some time to get my head on straight, tell him what happened, and…I’ll do it.  I’ll fucking end things with him!” The intensity in Jon’s eyes made her swallow hard because he was right in her face again, this time yanking her flush against his body and she was powerless against him.  Powerless against stopping his kiss, his touch, or how he tossed her on the bed to have his way with her again, what little clothes they had on gone.

 

Two hours later, Jon finally left and Carmen suddenly dreaded her upcoming visit from Stephen, which would be one day before their Hawaii trip.

 

Before he had left, he informed her that indeed they were still friends.  Friends could have sex.  Friends could care about each other.  Friends could even love each other past the normal ‘friendship’ boundary.  But they were friends, no matter what.  Carmen had a very naïve mindset at times and it was equal parts amusing and infuriating because she was grown and usually mature.  Then there was that stubborn, childish part of her that thought things would ‘work out’ or her ideas and mindset made no sense, unless a person lived in a different time period.  He was on the fence about her actually ending things with Page and supposed he’d know soon enough.

 

~!~

 

“Stephen…”

 

“So I was thinkin’, we could spend the holidays together and you can meet my folks cause plenty of time would have passed by…”

 

“Stephen, I slept with someone else.”

 

“I know you’re worried, honey, but there’s no reason to be!  They’re gonna love you and we can explain what happened with the weddin’.  They won’t mind that we postponed it for a while…”

 

“It was the same man I told you I’m in love with.”

 

He kept talking, not listening to her while walking around the kitchen making them some breakfast…after she made love to him.  Carmen felt dirty doing it, but at the same time, he was her boyfriend and she did feel love for him, just nowhere compared to Jon.  Stephen had come in, kissed her and she tried in vain to talk to him first, but he wasn’t in the talking mood.  He was more concerned about getting her naked and in bed than anything else, having missed her and Carmen went along with it like the fool-hearted woman she was.  It had been a few days since Jon was there, but it still didn’t make things right and she made sure Stephen wrapped it before with a condom.  Birth control was not 100% effective and she felt dirty having sex with a man that wasn’t Jon, even though Stephen was her current boyfriend.

 

“STEPHEN!!” Carmen finally exploded, making him stop what he was doing to turn to look at her and she tightened her robe closed a little more, taking a deep breath. “I’ve been trying to tell you something and you’re not hearing me!  I fucked someone else while you were gone!  And not just anyone, I fucked the man I told you about, the one who has my heart and I’m in love with!  I-I didn’t mean for it to happen, but it did and…and…I think we should just…end things before I hurt you any more than I already have.  Because I don’t regret what I did with him and I’m a horrible person for it.  I love you, but I love him too…”

 

“I heard you quite clearly, Carmen.” Stephen remarked gravely, staring at her keenly.  The wedding was DEFINITELY postponed since she had some issues with this other man to work out and Stephen knew that there was the chance she’d leave him to go to this man. “It seems he got his head out of his ass and he’s trying to seduce you away from me.” He was quiet and calm, his voice remaining kind.  

 

He knew her background and Carmen was prone to manipulation simply because that one jackass had hurt her confidence so badly.  It sounded like this guy she had been pining for was only jumping on her bandwagon because he was about to lose her and that was awful.  The man wouldn’t have batted an eyelash her way if not for the fact she was taken.

 

Lowering her eyes from his, Carmen clenched her fists tightly at her sides and could tell Stephen was in denial about what she did. “No, he didn’t.  And you’re not hearing me.  All he did was kiss me, just a peck on the lips, and I…jumped all over him.  I initiated it.  All he wanted to do was go out for a meal together to talk and…and he said some things about you that made sense like the issue with having kids.  I’m NOT changing my mind on that, ever.” Jon had planted so many doubts in her mind as she began pacing back and forth, wiping stray tears away. “I seduced him, if anything, not the other way around.  This is all on me, not him.  I don’t think this is going to work out between us, cowboy…”

 

Stephen wasn’t in denial at all; he knew it was a battle for her heart and Carmen was already leaning towards the other guy.  This guy had said things that ‘made sense’, which was planting seeds of doubt in her mind and he sighed, running a hand through his curly hair as he watched her begin pacing. “Carmen, give me an honest answer, honey, do you really think he’d have come waltzing in the way he has, putting these doubts in your mind, if not for the fact that he realized you were going to get married?  What kind of selfish person does that?”

 

Frowning, Carmen had to admit he had a point and she thought back to when Jon first found out about her and Stephen.  He did NOT approve at all.  Then the dress shop incident with that smoldering kiss…and now the kiss this time that lead to far more than it should have.  It was her fault for not being able to push Jon away, for her heart yearning for him while her mind was all about Stephen.  Hell, even her mind was all about Jon when Stephen wasn’t around, who the hell was she trying to fool?!

 

“I don’t know.  He said it took him a while to figure out he loves me and he finally got his head out of his ass.  And I told him he was too late because I’m with you…and then I completely contradicted myself by cheating on you with him.” Would Jon still want her if not for the fact Stephen was in the picture?  She didn’t know.

 

“I’m sorry, honey.”

 

Stephen sat down on the edge of the bed and took her by the hands, pulling her towards him until she was standing between his spread legs as he tipped his head back to look up into her face.  He felt bad for her, even though she had cheated on him, because this other guy was playing her for a total fool and she was letting him because she loved him.  Hell, look at himself, he was sitting here trying to have a rational conversation with Carmen, even though she had broken his heart yet again.  Love made fools of them all.

 

“You’re going to have to ask yourself, you think if you walk away from me, from us, and tell him, you think he’s going to snatch you up or will it go back to however it was before he ‘got his head’ out of his ass?”

 

“I…I don’t know…” Carmen squeezed his hands, her heart tightening with pain at the thought of Jon simply toying with her. 

 

What if this was all a game to him?  Jon was very…inconsistent and it made her wonder why exactly he had finally decided he loved her.  What had brought him to that conclusion?  They never really talked about it because Jon had been too busy trying to convince her that Stephen was boring and it would never work with him.

 

“Regardless, you shouldn’t want to be with a cheater like me anymore, Stephen.  I hurt you twice now and I don’t want to do it anymore…so I think we should just end things, no matter what happens with him…” Inhaling sharply, Carmen tried to pull her hands away from him, but Stephen simply held them tighter, refusing to let her go. “I’m nowhere near good enough for you.  You deserve someone better, someone who can give you all the things you want in life.”

 

The fact of the matter was Jon was manipulative, flighty, and impulsive, and everyone knew it.  He had his sincere, caring moments and he was also the person one called when they needed someone to watch their six, but…those impulsive issues, that slight crazy streak he possessed, also made it seem like he wasn’t trustworthy.

 

“Yeah, and you shouldn’t want to be with a man who only wants you because someone else decided they did, but we’re both only human, Carmen.” Stephen stood up, pulling into her strong, warm body, where there weren’t any doubts or manipulation because he wasn’t like the other man in her life.  

 

Women wanted the bad boy, but they settled with the good man and eventually, when they realized they were not only safe and secure, but wanted and RESPECTED, they learned to love that good man.

 

Carmen couldn’t push him away and pressed her face into his chest, breathing him in while tears fell down her cheeks while holding onto him. “I’m sorry.” She whispered repeatedly, feeling his hand move to hook beneath her chin and lifted her head until red-rimmed emerald eyes met gentle sky blues. “Stephen…”

 

He lifted her, her legs wrapping around his waist and his mouth captured hers in a searing kiss that left her breathless, her fingers burying in his curly blonde tresses.  Jon was a bad boy, but she had been in love with him for years and it was hard for that to simply vanish or move to another person, another man.  Stephen lead her down on the bed and instead of having sex with her, they simply kissed and snuggled together for hours, neither moving to do anything more than just caressing and kissing.

 

Needless to say, their relationship wasn’t over by a long shot and the next day, Stephen and Carmen boarded her private jet to head to her place in Hawaii for their getaway.

 

Chapter 49

 

Naturally, Jon got word about powerhouse, billionaire CEO Sugar Mama herself flighting off with her lover, her fiancé, because TMZ was a thing and TMZ was GREAT for stalking wrestlers.  AEW wasn’t a no name company anymore and a wrestler with a woman like her was juicy gossip.  His blue eyes narrowed at his cell phone, sipping coffee and having his breakfast, and that had been on his smart feed, which was horseshit.  It was also a testament to the things he browsed when he was bored on this cell phone he was tempted to crush.  So instead of doing the smart thing and letting loose that stiff fucker, she had just…what, channeled her inner Disney villain and decided to keep hurting the guy for as long as he’d allow it?  Page was a moron, a dipshit, who was begging to be hurt and Carmen was going to flay him raw just because she couldn’t help it.  

 

Sighing, Jon pinched the bridge of his nose, not sure what to think right now.

 

For the entire week in Hawaii, Carmen turned her phone off and Stephen did the same thing.  It was his idea and she obliged, doing whatever he wanted.  Stephen made it clear they were not ending anything and he was here to stay for the long run.  Whatever was going on with Carmen, he’d deal with it and would not push her away or ridicule her for what she did.  It killed her that he wasn’t angry about the cheating because she felt like she got off very easy.  She even said as much to Stephen and he had simply shrugged, letting her know that was who he was.  Maybe he was a doormat for her, but he didn’t care because he knew this was a fight for her heart.  All Carmen could do was nod, doing whatever Stephen wanted while they were in Hawaii, and did her best to push Jon into the back recesses of her mind.  Truthfully, she did have fun with Stephen and he wasn’t boring at all, but he just wasn’t who she truly wanted…and Stephen refused to give up on her. 

 

What was she supposed to do?

 

What Carmen needed was refocused and obviously not left alone, but Stephen wasn’t sure how to do that second one without smothering her.  However, leaving her alone wasn’t the answer because she would obviously meet up with her would-be lover.  It occurred to him that the other man was likely a wrestler, someone he worked with, and he had to shut that train of thought down immediately because then his curiosity did start poking.  Going down that rabbit hole, he knew it would only hurt him worse.

 

Her phone was off.  Again.  Jon had tried once, gotten that, and instantly known what she had done.  Carmen had gone AFK from the world again, likely with Page.

 

The night before they were set to leave to return to reality, Carmen decided to go for a walk alone to reflect on everything that happened.  Honestly, she was scared to return to Florida because here, she was in a happy bubble with Stephen.  That bubble would no doubt burst the moment they left Hawaii and this tranquil land.  No matter how hard she tried, Stephen was steadfast in making their relationship work and she didn’t understand why.  She was a horrible woman, who had cheated on him twice now.  Why was he so adamant about making this work between them?  Did he really love her that much or was there more to it?

 

I tried…I tried ending it.

 

Not hard enough, apparently, because Carmen was still with Stephen here, having sex and spending time with him alone away from the outside world.  Jon would be livid, there wasn’t a doubt in her mind, but at the same time, this was none of his business either.  This was her relationship and if she wanted to screw it up, that was her choice.  A pair of arms wrapping around her waist jolted her out of her thoughts and she felt Stephen’s chin rest comfortably on her shoulder, holding her against him.

 

“Why do you insist on being with a woman who can’t be faithful to you?  What is it about me that makes it so easy for you to forgive me, Stephen?”

 

“Because I fell in love with you and you can’t help who you love.” Stephen didn’t realize he was also giving her fodder for her feelings for the other man.  If he had known what was coming, Stephen wouldn’t have pursued her; no man in their right mind would, but he hadn’t and he did.  Now, Stephen was in it for as long as it took to claim her heart for his own. “And I honestly think this is the classic case of a little kid who doesn’t want to play with his toys, but he doesn’t want to share them either.”

 

“You truly believe that?  You believe he only thinks of me as a toy and nothing more?” What if that was true?  What if Stephen was right?  Jon had gone from planting doubts in her head about Stephen and now Stephen was doing the same thing to her. “I want to love you…and part of me does, cowboy.” Turning, she looked up at him with such sad eyes and caressed his goatee with her fingers, sliding them to the stubble on his cheek. “How can you believe that though after what I’ve done?” Carmen watched as he took her wrist to softly press kisses against it, right on her pulse point and it made her step closer to him, his arm tightening around her waist. “I don’t want to hurt you again, that’s my biggest fear going forward with this…us.”

 

The problem was both men were speaking their truth, and both points were very valid.  Jon wasn’t wrong when he said that it was likely Page would try changing her mind about kids down the road, hoping as their relationship grew, so would her mindset on having children.  Just like Stephen made a valid point about this unnamed man only showing interest in her outside of a fuck buddy and someone to hang out with when he was bored because she had met someone who wanted to lock her down.

 

“Well honey, then you need to cut ties with this guy if you think he’s going to keep stringing you along and you can’t say no.  Do you really think if I was out of the picture, he’d take you as his or would it go back to how it was prior I was around?”

 

“I don’t know.  I honestly don’t.” Carmen whispered, sliding her hands up his massive bare arms until she gripped them firmly, feeling as if she was being ripped in half between Stephen and Jon. 

 

Could she do it?  Could she cut ties with Jon for good and never talk to him or see him again?  What if things didn’t work out with Stephen, even after Carmen cut ties with Jon?  Then what?  Was it a risk she was willing to take?

 

“And I don’t know if I can do that, Stephen.  I don’t know if I can cut ties with him.  I’m so confused and torn between the two of you.”

 

The bigger question was who could she live and who couldn’t she live without?

 

He sighed, studying the top of her head after she buried her face in his chest. “I can’t tell you what to do, all I can say is I love you and unlike this guy, who only seems to love you when he realizes you’re leaving his playing field, if you need time to get your head on straight, I’ll give it to you.” As in, Stephen wouldn’t press her to make a decision or anything like that, not as in he would leave her alone because he wouldn’t.  He knew better than most that physical intimacy led to feelings and other things; it was just a plain fact of life.

 

“If you truly want to stay with me to make this work, I choose you.” Shutting her eyes, Carmen regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth and knew what that meant. 

 

Staying away from Jon.  Was that possible for her to do?  Staying away from the wrestling events would be the only solution, which would cut into her time with Stephen, but if that was the only way to stay loyal to the man she was with, so be it.  She had no choice, she’d have to do it and…it made her anxious and sickened at the thought of cutting Jon off.  Carmen didn’t want to do it.

 

Right there should have told her that she needed to cut ties with Stephen and just roll the dice with Jon.  If it made her physically ill and mentally was messing her up already, there was no point in trying with Stephen because her heart had already decided.  Even though common sense told her that Jon was likely to hurt her, be it on purpose or accidentally, he was just that kind of man and it was just that kind of ‘thing’ with him.  However, she wasn’t listening to common sense, Carmen was listening to her heart, or should have been.  She was ignoring both of those things and trying to focus on Stephen out of whatever sense of obligation was forcing her.

 

“What do you want, honey?” He asked quietly, not missing the pain spasming on her face.

 

Jon!  I want Jon! “My mind says you, but my heart…I shouldn’t have to say it.  But…you’re right about what you said.  I don’t know if he’d want anything to do with me if you weren’t in the picture.  And that bothers me.” She let out a shaky breath, those sky blues penetrating her and longed for them to be electric, the arms she held in her hands…she wanted this to be Jon in front of her, not Stephen.  Carmen hated herself for how she felt, wishing her heart wouldn’t be so damn stubborn because at least her mind was on board. “More importantly, does it matter what I want?  You won’t give up on me, no matter what I say or do, but I also know you have a breaking point like everyone else.  I’m going to stay away from him…the best I can.  But are you absolutely sure I’m what you want, Stephen?  I can’t give you what you want in life…a baby or marriage or anything family wise.  That’s not who I am and I won’t change my mind.  No matter how much I love you and grow to love you, I won’t budge when it comes to having kids and a family.  I don’t want it.”

 

Stephen was quiet for a long time, thinking it over.  If there was one thing he had learned about Carmen it was this: She was fickle when it came to what she wanted in the now.  Right now, she didn’t want children.  She also wanted him.  Tomorrow, she could want children with his rival. “First we need to address what you said, does it matter what YOU want, and the answer to that is yes.  YOU matter, Carmen, what and who you want matter.” Whoever her ex from years ago was, the man who had shot holes in her esteem and self-worth when it came to men, needed shot.  Repeatedly.  At point blank range.

 

“Even if it means hurting one of you?”

 

Honestly, Carmen didn’t know if this would hurt Jon or not.  She didn’t even know if Jon truly loved her or if he was just throwing a tantrum over the fact her attention wasn’t solely on him anymore.  Stephen truly loved and cared about her.  Any woman would want that from their man, even if they had to settle.  Stephen nodded and she slid her hands up his muscular bare chest to wrap her arms around his neck, pressing herself closer to him.

 

“Unless you tell me we’re over, I’m not going anywhere, cowboy.  Because I do love you.” Softly, she kissed him and wrapped her arms around his neck, the kiss deepening instantly. 

 

They had one last night in Hawaii and Carmen didn’t want to think about anything else except spending it with her man making love.  They wouldn’t see each other nearly as often as they’d like because she wouldn’t go on the road with him for fear of running into Jon.  Jon’s schedule was packed the next couple of months, so she wouldn’t have to worry about him visiting her a little while.

 

“You.  I want to be with you, Stephen.”

 

“Are you sure?” He asked quietly, searching her eyes eagerly. 

 

Stephen knew he wasn’t going to see absolute certainty in her eyes because of everything she had confessed, but he seen enough to make him nod as well, deciding he would be making love to his woman to put this moron out of her mind.  Hopefully, out of her heart as well, providing she could stay away from the guy since it was obvious this fool had no problem in ignoring her whenever it suited him.

 

Busy schedule he might have, but Jon had no issues in making time to go heckle his favorite, undecided sugar mama.  Just as soon as she came back to civilization.

 

Never had a man fought tooth and nail to be with her as much as Stephen had.  And he did it without pushing or pressuring her, letting her make the decision while simply voicing his opinion and thoughts.  Nothing more – nothing less.  Here in Hawaii, away from everyone and everything, felt right with Stephen, but once they left this bubble, that would be the ultimate test.  Making love to Stephen felt so easy as she rode him slowly, taking her time to savor their time together and he sat upright to hold her close, kissing her shoulders while moving with her.  The sound of the ocean waves and gentle breeze flowed through the open window, the moon shining brightly in the sky.  It wasn’t Jon’s name she cried out as the climax rolled through her, it was Stephen, and he kept going, refusing to end this any time soon.  Two hours later, they were spent and fell asleep curled up together and sated, a smile on Stephen’s face and Carmen looked both content and troubled.

 

Stephen knew going back into civilization was going to be the true test of whether this worked out between them or not.  He also knew he was a damned fool, staying with this woman and convincing her to give him a proper chance, especially given she had already cancelled their wedding once and then slept with the guy after having a breakdown over kissing him.  Anyone who knew the situation would have screamed at him to get out because he was going to wind up hurt if it happened a third time.

 

For her, he was willing to risk it, at least one more time.

 

Chapter 50

 

Distractions were a necessity upon returning to the real world from their Hawaii bubble. 

 

Stephen assured her everything would be fine and had asked her, once again, if she wanted to travel with him on the road.  Carmen declined, having far too much to do and Kylie was probably on the brink of quitting with the truck load of work she’d been forced to do the past week they were gone.  Kylie assured her everything was fine, but Carmen still felt guilty, nevertheless.  It was time to pull up her big girl panties and get back to the grind, which she was looking forward to. 

 

Instead of going to Florida, however, Carmen was on her way to the state of Ohio because she had a meeting with a very specific client that had requested her services…and only hers.  The name Johnston didn’t ring a bell to her, so Carmen didn’t think anything of it and took her private jet to Ohio, after kissing Stephen goodbye to send him on his way.  There was an office in Cincinnati for Diamond’s, so after making her way out of the airport, Carmen headed there since that was where Mr. Johnston was instructed to meet her.

 

Imagine the utter shock she experienced when she walked up to the building and none other than The Death Machine himself, Sami Callihan, was standing outside of it, waiting for her. HOLY SHIT! Then, the last name Johnston clicked in her head and Carmen had to learn how to breathe again, completely starstruck by the man in front of her.  Sami Callihan was one half of the Switchblade Conspiracy tag team, alongside Jon Moxley, back in the year 2010 to 2011, before Jon signed with WWE. Be professional and DON’T FREAK OUT!! “Mr. Johnston, I presume?” Carmen congratulated herself for keeping a steady, professional tone of voice, slowly pushing her shades up on top of her head since it was very sunny out today.

 

“Yes, ma’am, and you gotta be Miss Diamond.  Jonny said you were gorgeous.” Sami grinned at her, the smirk not even faltering when she just nodded almost in a dazed sort of way.  

 

He didn’t get that very often; he wasn’t a big name like his buddy, but he got by well enough and truth be told, he was never cut out for the big leagues.  Way too many restrictions.  It was nice someone being a little starstruck, so to speak, and Sami enjoyed it, though he also hoped she didn’t get flustered easily or else she was coming out of this red faced and stuttering.

 

Jonny…it took her exactly three seconds to figure out who Sami was talking about and she nodded, immediately snapping out of her reverie and dazed state. “Mox referred you to me, I take it?” Did Jon tell Sami all about her excursions and how she’d followed him, witnessing every match of his until about three years ago? This isn’t awkward at all! “I was wondering why someone specifically requested to speak to me in Cincinnati, now I know.” She extended her hand, doing her very best to keep her heartrate and nerves under control, smiling when he shook it gently and firmly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Johnston.” Calling him Sami was not an option right now. “Follow me inside and you can tell me what kind of services you’re needing.” Be it real-estate or interior design.

 

Jon had NOT told Sami all about the stalking or history with Carmen.  Sami was one of his closest, oldest, most dearest friends and Jon hadn’t seen the need to tell him.  He had told Chris years ago about it because Chris had been there for the second encounter, and it had been weird.  Jon had grown up just a fraction since then and saw no reason to make people think she was crazy when she wasn’t.  When Sami had said he was interested in finally owning property, Jon had automatically said Carmen Diamond, she dabbled in it all.  From really expensive mansions down to the middle class, with business real-estate thrown into the mix.

 

“Call me Sami, please.”

 

Sweet Jesus save me. No matter how hard she tried, Carmen could not wipe the smile from her face, not believing this was actually happening.  Sami Callihan, one of the best wrestlers in the world, was now standing in her office. Breathe, you should be used to being around wrestlers by now! “All right, Sami, please take a seat and we’ll get started.”

 

There was a picture of the Switchblade Conspiracy, autographed, right on her wall in this office.  She never met them in person, but she had gotten it off eBay for a steal shortly after Jon departed CZW to head to WWE.  Being as starstruck as she was, Carmen completely forgot about it and pulled out what she needed before finally lifting her eyes to meet Sami’s.

 

“So, how may I help you?”

 

Sami had spotted that picture, pretty sure he had never met this woman before in his life.  Granted, wrestling came with its fair share of head injuries and concussions, so forgetting someone was totally on the table.  Especially someone he may have only met once, but still…she was absolutely gorgeous and stood out.

 

“Have we met?” He asked pointblank, gesturing at that picture and he was a little surprised when her cheeks flushed, but she shook her head. “You sure?” Or she had gotten it from someone else or even bought it online.  Sami just hoped it was genuine, there were too many fakes out there. “Anyway, I’m looking to buy my own house, my first house.” He was pretty proud of that, though also probably behind the curve here given his age.

 

Jon didn’t tell him anything judging from that question and Carmen decided to roll with it. “Great!  There are some properties in the Cincinnati area or were you wanting to venture away from the city into the country a little, maybe a little town?” Sami explained what he was looking for and she pulled out some property listings for him to look at, her eyes moving to the signed picture on the wall. “It’s authentic and no, I’ve never met you before today.  Bought it off eBay from someone dumb enough to sell a masterpiece like that.  I had to have it.  I’m…a huge fan of yours, Sami.  Mox too.  I loved the Switchblade Conspiracy and I’m still holding onto hope that you two will team up again down the road somewhere.”

 

She could have asked about Jon, tried scoping out some of what the man may have told her prospective client about her.  Nothing bad, all good, and nothing about being a crazy stalker, a sugar mama, or a sex buddy, who was bound and determined to date the wrong guy.  Jon did not mess with people’s money and Sami, looking to get a place, was officially Carmen’s money.

 

“I’m not going to lie, I hate when people resell or sell on eBay, it’s too easy to duplicate and mass produce.” It meant there was a high likelihood someone got screwed over and that made him feel bad, even though it wasn’t his fault. “Jonny said you two met at an event a few years ago; he had nothing, but awesome things to say.”

 

“Yeah?  Just shy of three years ago.  It was the final pay-per-view special event the WWE held for him because the fans refused to bow down to what Vince was trying to do to him as Ambrose in Moline, Illinois.” She smiled at the memory of those nights Jon had gotten his ass handed to him, only for the fans to cheer as loud as they could, despite the fact he was supposed to be a heel. “It was outside in the VIP parking lot, my car wouldn’t start that I’d rented that night and he just happened to be there.  I probably looked like a starstruck idiot.  Hard to believe it’s been almost three years since that all happened.” Carmen sounded wistful, recalling the past with Jon and shook herself mentally, getting back to business. “Anyway, those properties I gave you are able to be seen today, if you have time.  They’re completely empty and I have the keys to them, not to mention they haven’t been posted on our website yet.  You’d have first crack at them, so do any of them appeal to you?”

 

Holy shit, no wonder there was a housing shortage, places just sitting empty and not even up yet.  Sad fact of life.  It was who a person knew and connections, though from what Sami understood, Carmen was probably NOT aware of certain things or she’d be trying to fix it, even though she wasn’t the problem.  Also, Carmen had been so busy running from her own life she probably had no time to stop and think about the world in general.

 

“I have nothing but time today, I gotta ask…YOU’RE gonna show them or have an agent?” Carmen Diamond was a CEO, so Sami bet she had a lot of agents to do all this for her, right?

 

“I’m hands on when I can be and since you specifically requested me, might as well do the entire show and tell.  I like doing it.” Maybe it was weird that the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company would do something tedious that agents usually took care of. “Jon thinks it’s weird too, so you’re not the only one.” She would never call the man ‘Jonny’ it just didn’t flow off the tongue, but Sami got away with it since they’d known each other for so long, she assumed.  Sami pointed out three different properties and she looked at them, nodding before heading over to the safe in her office to grab the keys needed. “Do you want to follow me over or drive over together?”

 

To be fair, when he had requested her, that was because that was who Mox had told him to ask for.  Sami hadn’t realized until he got here that this was NOT like a Century 21 or something, this was something else way bigger and consolidated under one person.  Carmen didn’t answer to a board or anything like that, it was crazy.  She was amazingly humble, it was…nice, weird and nice.

 

“I’ll follow, I got anxiety about riding with people I don’t know.” Anxiety whether he was the passenger or the driver, it was odd, but it was just how he was and he didn’t apologize for how he felt. “You take point.” He flashed her a grin.

 

She smiled back at him with a nod, not taking offense to it at all.  That was why she asked.  Just because she was a friend of Jon’s did NOT make her a friend of Sami’s. “Not a problem, see you at the first property, Sami.” Slipping into her BMW, Carmen took several deep breaths to calm her racing heart before setting her phone into the holder, immediately dialing the one person she vowed not to talk to unless absolutely necessary.  Naturally, Jon answered on the first few rings. “So, as much as I appreciate the business you send my way, don’t you think you could’ve warned me a LITTLE about the fact you sent Sami fucking Callihan to me and had him specifically request me?”

 

Hell, there were people Sami had known for years and he still wouldn’t let them drive him around.  Jonny was one of those people.  He’d drive WITH Jon in the car, but he sure as hell wasn’t letting Jon drive HIM.  Nope.  If Sami was dying, it’d be in the ring, not in one of Moxley’s road rage incidents.

 

“Hey mama, long time no chat and sorry, you weren’t answering your phone, so I figured when you were ready to talk, you’d get a hold of me.” Jon replied carelessly, a little busy on the road of all things at the moment. “Also, I forgot, I’ve been busy.  He’s nice, he’s people, you’re a fan, so it’s good, right?”

 

“You are…ARGH!  I was in Hawaii with Stephen.” Jon snorted back at her and she narrowed her eyes while driving, shaking her head. “I didn’t answer my phone while I was there with him because it would be rude and I just wanted to shut everything off while I was there.  You told him to specifically request ME and you could’ve warned me ahead of time.  My phone has been on since I returned from Hawaii, so you could’ve sent a text – something along the lines of ‘hey mama, sending Sami your way for some real-estate’ or something like that!  Not just have him show up at my damn office out of the blue with the last name Johnston!  And I don’t buy that ‘I forgot’ bullshit for a second, Good.  You did it on purpose, all so I’d call you, even if it is to rip you a verbal asshole.  Admit it.”

 

“Nah, I did forget.” Jon grunted, dropping his sunglasses back over his face as he turned right into the sun. “Also, I had no idea when you came back.  Keeping tabs on your fickle ass would be RUDE and stalkerish, which I am not.  Either way, what does it matter?  Did you have a busy day or something?  Delegate to one of your agents.” Fortunately, Carmen was used to his rude, blunt nature and he supposed, to everyone else, that probably seemed weird given how abrasive he could be.  Jon figured his sometimes charming personality and boyish good looks were what kept him in people’s good graces half the time.

 

“No, I’m on my way to show Sami some houses right now since I have nothing else going on today.” Why was Carmen telling him this?  It was none of Jon’s business what she did with her life just like it was none of her business what he did with his. “I’m done being a bitch to you.  I believe you when you say you forgot because your schedule is extremely hectic these days.” Even though she didn’t go to the shows anymore, Carmen still kept tabs on what he was doing and who he was wrestling. “And I’m not fickle, that’s rude of you to say.”

 

“So, fun fact, fickle is defined as someone changing shit a lot, you know…like deciding a new favorite color every other day.  Or their affections and who they like, bouncing from one guy to the other.  That sort of thing.  So yes, you are fickle.  So am I, mama, don’t get snippy about it.” It wasn’t rude if it was honest and Carmen was very fickle when it came to the two main men in her life. “Anyway, focus on Sami, he’s good people and he’s nice.  A little weird with some of his anxiety issues, you already got to hear about the car thing, right?”

 

“Yeah I did.”

 

Of course he would bring up the fact she didn’t end things with Stephen!  Would it matter if she told him she tried, only for Stephen to fight her on the matter?  Stephen wasn’t a fighter, but when it came to being with her, he refused to let her go without a fight.  Jon would simply scoff and brush it off like it was no big deal, thinking Stephen was a moron or something.  No, it wasn’t worth mentioning.

 

“I still don’t think I’m fickle, but you can think whatever you want.” There went that derisive snort and scoff, just as she predicted and it made Carmen roll her eyes. “If anyone is fickle between the two of us, it’s you.  You change your mind more about shit than anyone I know, after all.”

 

“You wish!  The ONLY thing I changed my mind about was you and I haven’t changed it back since, unlike your flighty ass.  You bounce between him and me and you’re fucking us both.  I’ll leave you to your work day, Miss Fickle as Fuck.” Jon hung up just so he got the last word in for once since she usually just liked to run away from her problems and go off-grid.

 

Humming AC/DC under his breath, he continued on his way.  Work called and he couldn’t be going back and forth with her while driving.  He liked his face pretty not wrecked.

 

Chapter 51

 

“Damn him!” Carmen used her freedom of speech to violently cuss Jon out on the way to the first property, letting out her frustration while driving. 

 

Maybe it wasn’t the safest thing to do, but it was better than unleashing her temper onto Sami, who reminded her of the jackass she loved.  By the time they arrived, she had plastered a smile on her face and escorted Sami inside the property, showing him around.  Professionalism was her saving grace since she genuinely loved what she did for a living and her company.  It took about an hour to look over the property, including the backyard, before they were off to their second property. 

 

On the way, they were stopped by a train and she decided to send Jon a text message since her temper was simmered now. I tried breaking things off with him and he wouldn’t let me.  I’m scared, Jon.  You scare me with these newfound feelings and I have to wonder, if Stephen wasn’t in the picture, would you still feel this way?  Or are you just upset that my attention is on someone else other than you? That was something Stephen kept asking her whenever she brought up the possibility of ending their relationship and that question…that question was the reason why she hadn’t pulled the trigger with her and Stephen.

 

Got short-term memory loss?  You already asked this and I already answered.  I got to work, Carmen.  Just breathe. She wouldn’t get that for a bit because of him driving, but it’s what he sent.  

 

She had asked him that same thing over and over during their last meal together, right before she ran off AGAIN.  ‘Tried’ breaking things off, but Page ‘wouldn’t let her’?  That sounded abusive or she had become some weak-willed, mealy creature and that was NOT the Carmen Diamond he knew.

 

“You okay?” Sami asked after the third place, frowning at the look that had crossed her face after she had glanced down at her cell phone.

 

That no good, arrogant son of a bitch!! 

 

Jon had no idea how hard it was to simply stop her relationship with a man that she knew loved her for a man she didn’t know if he was screwing with her or not!  Carmen looked up at Sami with tears in her eyes and immediately looked away, blinking them back.  Crying in front of a new client, especially Sami Callihan, was NOT an option!

 

“Yeah, just got a rather…abrasive text I wasn’t expecting, but I’m fine.” Slipping her cell phone in her purse, after turning it off, Carmen hadn’t bothered responding to Jon and wouldn’t, refusing to dignify that text with a response of any kind.  She was a fickle bitch in his eyes with short term memory loss, apparently, so she’d let Jon keep thinking however he wanted about her and continue her relationship with Stephen. “So, any of them jump out at you yet, Sami?”

 

To be fair, Jon had already shut off his cell phone because just as he said in his message to her, he had to work.  Carmen knew him well enough to know that he wasn’t about to do anything wrestling-related with his head all muddled.  Unlike her, he had the ability to mentally compartmentalize things to be focused on at a later time.  Did that make him a cold person?  Being able to shelve matters of the heart for a more appropriate time to dwell on them?  Maybe.

 

“Mmm, I like the second one the best, not so sure about this one.” Sami had lived in apartments and shared places for most of his life. “If this isn’t a good time, I can wait.”

 

“Nope, this is the perfect time.  If you like the second one, we can go back to the office and you can tell me what your offer is.  You’ll be the first one to put it down since this property hasn’t been on the market for very long.  Do you have a number in mind?” Sami nodded, still looking concerned about her and she was shelving everything regarding Jon and Stephen for the time being, wanting to put her full focus into her job and Sami.  Bottomline, she was with Stephen now and Jon would have to deal with it. “Or do you need some time to mull it over to make sure this is what you want to do?”

 

“I should probably mull it over…” Sami admitted after thinking it over now that he wasn’t wondering if she was going to be all right.  That look on her face had been sour, annoyed, and almost hurt.  He wasn’t asking past ‘are you okay?’ because they didn’t know each other and it wasn’t his business. “If anything else comes up, along the lines of what I told you I was looking for, let me know?” He began laughing at himself, shaking his head. “I guess it’s a good thing you asked me if I needed to mull it.  Maybe I like that place, but I don’t love it.”

 

“Exactly.  And if you don’t love a place, there’s no sense in making an offer on it.  You’re doing the right thing and I will look through my listings to see if I can find any other properties.  I’m not leaving Cincinnati for a little while and I can always fly back if you wanna look at something else or send one of my agents if I can’t make it.  Don’t worry, we will find what you’re looking for.” They didn’t have a 100% approval rating for nothing, after all.

 

“Sounds good, thanks again for your help, Carmen.  Jonny was right about you.”

 

She kept that smile on her face, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “It was my pleasure to show you around today and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the Death Machine.” Carmen winked, opening her car door before extending her hand to him. “Thank you for putting your trust in Diamond’s.  I look forward to working with you in the future to find the house you want.” They shook hands and she slid behind the wheel before taking off with Sami doing the same thing moments later.

 

It was after his match that Jon got the phone call he had been expecting basically all day.  Curiosity was a pain, but…he was good at being patient, sometimes. “And how did it go?”

 

“She’s a looker, you weren’t lying.  Too skinny for me though.” Sami liked his women a little bit bigger, a little bit thicker.  He wasn’t a tiny guy, he needed a woman to match him.  Fortunately, he had one. “She’s gonna keep looking for me, two out of three of those places were a no-go for me.”

 

While Sami was on the phone with Jon, he received an email with over 20 properties from Carmen, who was currently in her hotel suite in downtime Cincinnati.  Fresh out of a much needed shower and phone sex with Stephen, she had let him go get some rest and promised to talk to him tomorrow.  He had asked her if they were all right and she had assured him, with phone sex no less, they were perfectly fine.  Stephen did have a voice that dripped pure sex and it was easy to get off at the sound of it, even though he had fumbled a few times.  Her cowboy had quite the dirty mouth and mind, however, and Carmen let him know as much, also informing him once they were together in person again, she wanted to test the waters with him more.

 

Being apart, for Stephen, was a double-edged sword.  He was a firm believer in boundaries and having lives outside of each other, but he was also concerned about the chance of her falling into bed with this other man again.  He didn’t want to have doubts, but she seemed to be torn between the two of them and he knew how fickle the heart could be if one wasn’t a certain kind of person.  Nevertheless, her reaching out to him first and initiating a type of sex was a good sign.  It was now also occurring to him that she might need ‘reassurance’ as it were, and her form was the intimate variety, and he could provide that.

 

After a few glasses of wine, after the phone sex with Stephen, Carmen sat on her bed staring at the text message Jon sent her.  Breathe, he wanted her to breathe.  Her heart was captured by him and she didn’t know if he truly loved her or if this was all a game to him.  How could she find out, without a shadow of a doubt, how Jon truly felt?  Or maybe it wasn’t worth it.  Maybe it was better to let sleeping dogs lie and to leave it alone.  Maybe silence was the best thing she could give Jon as proof that she wasn’t fickle and she had made her choice. 

 

However, even as she thought that, her fingers were already pressing the keys to send him a text message. Awfully funny how as soon as I direct my attention to another man, you come out of the woodwork telling me you love me.  I’m not into playing games, so if this is all you want is to play games with my head and heart, I don’t want any part of it.  And I don’t have short-term memory loss, you dick, I simply don’t believe and trust what you say because of YOUR fickleness.  Because if I knew, without a doubt, you truly do love me and want me, I would end things with Stephen right now, but that’s not the case.  I don’t even know how you would prove it either, honestly.  I already told you, I do love Stephen, just not as much as you and I won’t hurt him again until I know 100% this isn’t a game, Jon.  Sorry not sorry. Hitting the send button, Carmen finished off her fourth glass of wine, feeling tipsy, and decided to call it a night, putting her phone on silent before plugging it in. 

 

Within moments, she was out like a light, dreaming of Jon making love to her instead of Stephen.

 

Moron. Was the text she’d have waiting on her in the morning when she woke up from those sweet, fiery dreams of making love with him.

 

Jon had TOLD her, face to face, in person, that he wasn’t sure if he would have said anything or even realized how he felt.  If not for the fact that she had not only gotten invested in someone else in a relationship, but had been planning on diving into a freaking wedding with the guy!  Jon could only repeat the same thing so many times and since he didn’t know her background with relationships or insecurity issues, confidence issues, there wasn’t much else he could say.

 

I love you.  Crazy woman.

 

Yes she did remember what he said and that was why Stephen’s words rang very true to her and made her second-guess dropping him for Jon.  No, it was best to play it on the safe side when it came to Jon because he could change his mind at the drop of a hat.  However, it did warm her from the inside out reading those words and even being called crazy woman by him.  Would that ever go away?  Would that warmth eventually shift to Stephen?

 

I love you too, crazy man.  Always.  Just wish you would’ve told me how you felt sooner.  Damn you. Sighing, Carmen knew he was probably sleeping and wouldn’t get the message for a while, so she started opening up emails to see what all had to be done while she was in Cincinnati.

 

They both saw each other as fickle, but as far as Jon was concerned, he wasn’t anything like that.  He had been consistent since meeting her until natural attraction and a snowstorm brought them together.  She, on the other hand, as soon as he had realized and admitted he loved her, had bounced between her feelings for him and Page.  However, the problem with two strong-willed, stubborn people was the conflict in opinions about who was right, who was wrong, and everything that came with it.

 

Fortunately, Jon was generally amused by ridiculous stuff, so he could deal with it. You know now.  End it with Page.

 

No, I don’t know it and I need time to figure out what to do.  I don’t wanna hurt Stephen a third time, Jon. “I won’t do it.” She muttered to herself and walked over to stare out the window as the rain fell down all over Cincinnati, splattering against the windows. 

 

It was coming down out there and Sami hadn’t gotten back to her about the other properties she’d sent him.  The office didn’t have anything she could do either since the agents had everything else covered in the area.  Going back to Tampa wasn’t an option, not with this weather, so Carmen was stuck here until the storm passed.  Judging by the radar on her phone, it would be here all day and night.  An hour later, a knock sounded at her door and Carmen figured it was her room service for breakfast, padding over to answer it. 

 

Her eyes widened at the sight of Jon with the tray in hand and a big fat smile on his face, her heart rate instantly accelerating in speed, along with her pulse. “Knowing I’m in Cincinnati is one thing, but this is a huge city, so how exactly did you find me here?”

 

“Mama, you have a type of place you prefer.” Jon pointed out flatly, wondering how this woman didn’t know that he was super observant when it came to her.  

 

He had made that observation the first night they had met.  Jon had taken her back to her hotel, which hadn’t been like high class and posh, but it definitely screamed money and security.  Carmen liked to be safe wherever she stayed and given she was a wealthy woman, who had the body and looks to match that pocketbook, so he was GLAD she selected safe places.  Letting this man in her room was not a good idea because Carmen already knew she had zero resolve when it came to Jon. 

 

Still, she simply shook her head and opened the door for him to enter with the food she ordered, closing it behind her. I’m so sorry, Stephen. She turned to look at Jon, wearing a robe since she’d just gotten out of the shower not long ago, so her hair was hanging down her back in damp waves. “There’s other posh, expensive hotels in Cincinnati, not just this one, Jon.” She retorted softly, taking the food from him to set it on the nearby table. “What exactly did you tell them downstairs to make them give you my room number?”

 

The look Jon gave her was one that was a mixture of amusement, annoyance, surprise, and disappointment. “Seriously, you expect me to answer that?” Come on now, why would he tell her the how’s to his cleverness?  Carmen would be able to put a kibosh on it if he ever did it again and he liked the freedom to be a sleazy hustler when a situation called for it. “Nah, ain’t happening, mama, you remain innocent and unable to cock block me more than you already do.” If she was really planning on remaining faithful and steady with this farce she had going with Page, she would have booted him out of her room.  Fickle, like he had said. “So, what’s for dinner?”

 

Chapter 52

 

“A chicken salad, actually.  I didn’t have much of an appetite today for some reason, so I decided to eat something light.”

 

Now that Jon was here, her appetite was up and Carmen wanted something completely different.  Christ, would this feeling of hunger for Jon ever go away?  Every time she thought maybe she was moving on with Stephen, Jon popped up and ruined it, reminding her who truly had her heart and who she truly wanted to be with.

 

“Fair enough, not like I mind you being here or anything.  Do you want to order something for yourself and we can eat together?”

 

Jon swept the lid off that lovely big tray and revealed his own meal.  It was in a McDonald’s bag and he smirked when she just gave him an exasperated look. “What?  There wouldn’t have been time to make me something without your shit getting weird…” Lettuce had a short shelf life and nobody liked limp lettuce. “That reminds me,” He went to open her door back up, bent and swiped his drink off the floor where he had left it. “Mmm…” Fountain pop was an addicting thing and he wiggled his brows at her while sipping from the straw.

 

Shaking her head, Carmen didn’t bother arguing his logic and took a bite out of her salad, after drenching it in honey mustard dressing.  Where had it all gone wrong?  The snow-in at the hotel – those two lusty days and nights filled with unbridled passion and ecstasy.  Or maybe it had gone wrong before that.  Maybe it was when they had met in Moline right after Jon’s final WWE event.  Part of Carmen wished she’d never met Jon or Stephen, then she wouldn’t be in this current situation feeling as if she was being torn in two. 

 

They ate in companionable silence, each in their own thoughts and Carmen knew if she didn’t get this man out of her room, she’d end up hurting Stephen again. “So, did you come here to ask me about Sami’s house excursion or is there a motive to your visit this time?”

 

“The fuck would I ask you for?  I asked HIM.” It was Sami doing the house hunting for himself and Jessica.  Jon respected that she technically was working with Sami, so that was a business relationship he had no business getting involved in.  He sipped his drink, studying her thoughtfully. “Nah, I came to see you because you clearly weren’t happy during our little text messaging exchange and Sami said you seemed upset.  I’m guessing that was my fault.”

 

“It’s not.  I admit, you’ve given me a lot to think about, put a lot on my plate and on my mind.  Didn’t expect Sami freaking Callihan, of all people, to come to me about buying a house though, so that threw me for a loop.” The smirk on Jon’s face made Carmen shake her head as she took another bite out of her salad. “Some warning next time would be nice, Moxley.  Nearly gave me a damn heart attack.” He started laughing and she tossed her napkin at him, rolling her eyes. “Not amusing.  I just hope I didn’t look like a starstruck fool in front of him too much.” In fact, given the surprise, Carmen thought she handled it as professionally as she could. “Thank you for the business and don’t worry, he’s in great hands with me.  I’ll find him the perfect house personally and I’m not leaving Cincinnati until I do.”

 

“I already figured.” Jon was now sitting on her bed, using his McDonald’s bag as a tray for the multiple Big Macs and fries he had ordered, offering her a fry. “Not fresh, but not bad.” Of course, it had been fresh when he picked it up, but…he had murdered some time getting here and then into her room. “You’re a professional and you’re good at what you do.”

 

Obviously, she had turned her modest inheritance into a powerhouse of a real-estate business, the women was a damn genius.  She had this ability to get to know someone fast and then find them the house that best suited to them.  He’d bet money she’d wind up showing him cardboard boxes under some bypass somewhere because he was such a pain in her backside.

 

“Not bad at all.” She chomped the fry and then swiped another for good measure, chortling softly before resuming her salad. 

 

Once they finished eating the rest of their meals in silence, Carmen cleaned up and rolled the tray out into the hallway, leaving it against the wall by her door.  It suddenly occurred to her that she was in just a robe, nothing else.  She was naked under it because she’d just bathed not long before Jon arrived unexpectedly.  And she was in a hotel suite alone with Jon, a king-sized bed that looked very inviting and that insatiable hunger for him had returned.

 

I need to tell him to leave. Carmen didn’t know if she had the will to say those words because she missed Jon every time she was apart from him, unlike Stephen. “You’re a busy man, yet you made it a priority to come see me, so there’s a reason behind just wanting to have lunch.” She walked over to where he stood, which was by the window looking out at the pouring down rain.  Leaning her head against his strong arm, only for it to wrap around her to pull her close to his side, Carmen melted instantly. “So, what now?”

 

“You know me, mama, I do things my way.”

 

Jon had told her before she would NEVER be faithful to Stephen, she COULDN’T, not unless she cut Jon out permanently and her heart wouldn’t allow it.  The last time they had spoken had been the day she had shown Sami around and it had been via text.  He had called her Miss Fickle as Fuck, which he stood by.  Jon already knew he was fickle except when it came to her.  When he had realized he loved her and was going to lose her, that fickleness had gone south and bailed, for her…not so much.  Now, they had texted afterwards and he had told Carmen he loved her and to end things with Page, she had declined.  

 

That was probably the real reason he was here. “End it with him, Carmen,” He ordered softly yet firmly, using her real name instead of one of his many nicknames. “It’s not fair to any of us for you to string that poor bastard along anymore.”

 

Shutting her eyes, Carmen knew deep in her heart he was right. “And then what?  You and I ride off into the sunset together and live happily ever after?” Life was never that simple. “I don’t even know if you truly love me or if you’re just playing a game with me, Jon.” A low growl sounded from above her head since he towered over her and his arm tightened a little more around her waist, just in case she tried to move away from him. “You can be pissed at me all you want, but you only started pursuing me after I stopped being your little stalker and started a relationship with another man.  I can’t just…fall into your arms without knowing for certain how you truly feel.”

 

The bottom line was she didn’t trust Jon with her heart.  It was bad enough he held it captive, but at least he hadn’t completely shattered it yet.  Stephen was safe and a sure thing while Jon remained a wild card Carmen wasn’t sure if she should take a gamble on, no matter how much she loved and wanted him.

 

“I hate to break it to you, darlin’, but you’ve fallen into my arms more than twice.” Into his bed and on his dick too.  

 

Page was a fool to keep trying this so-called relationship with her, knowing damn well she was well on her way to becoming a serial cheater.  Eventually, Page would succumb to anger, that was just a fact, unless he really was that weak-willed and bland of a man.  Then Carmen would be miserable just because nobody wanted to marry a posterboard.

 

“How much longer do you think he’s going to love you if you keep on with me?” They both knew she couldn’t end whatever was going on between them.

 

Those words stung a lot more than Carmen would let on, but it showed clear as day on her face. “What do you mean keep on with you?  I’m not doing anything with you.” She shoved away from him since he had tried tightening his arm yet again and snorted, stalking towards the bed to grab her cigarettes from the nightstand to light one up.  Also, she was putting distance between them.  Much needed distance at that. “We’re friends and that’s where it stays until I figure out what’s happening with Stephen.  If I decide to end things with him, it won’t be because of another man, not even you.” The way Jon looked at her just pissed her off more and Carmen could feel her blood boiling. “You think you’re so great, don’t you?  Yeah, I did fall into your arms and your bed more than once, and I don’t regret it because I do love you,” Pausing, she took a drag of her cigarette and held it in before releasing the smoke. “I’ve loved you for years.  But you made it crystal clear after our two nights in that cabin that you weren’t interested…not until I fucked another man and gave my attention to him instead of you.  I don’t even think you know what you want anymore and you need to figure that out, Jon.”

 

“I told you for years I didn’t want you and now I’ve been telling you for months that I do.  I think my track record in being firm about what I want is established.” Honestly, Jon would go on for years telling her he wanted her.  He had not realized how important she was to him until he had just about lost her and that had been both a lightning bolt to the head and a boot in the backside all at once. “I may flip and flop on a lot of shit, Carmen, but not you.” Then he flashed her a cocky grin, raising one eyebrow. “And yes, I do think I’m so great and obviously, you do too.” How else would she have tolerated him all these years?

 

“See, that’s the thing I’m not understanding.  For the past 3 years since we’ve known each other, you were steadfast on not wanting me, even after we fucked.  It was only when I started dating Stephen and stopped attending all of the shows you were on that you suddenly changed your way of thinking.” Her emerald eyes narrowed slightly while she took another drag of her cigarette, flicking ash in the nearby tray on the nightstand. “I know you pretty well, probably more than most people in your life, and I know when you’re steadfast on something, you stick to it.  So it takes something pretty big to change your mind like this and I think that ‘thing’ is jealousy.  You were and are jealous of Stephen.  Don’t try to deny it either because it’s written all over your face whenever I mention his name.  And I think your jealousy is overriding everything else and you WANT to believe you love me and want me, but deep down, you just want what you no longer possess.  It’s all about possession for you, not love.”

 

“That’s your opinion, which is wrong, but you’re entitled to it.” His tone made it very clear he found it to be a stupid one too. “I think you’re trying to make this all easier on yourself so you can justify your very terrible decision to stay with Page.  By convincing yourself that it’s just jealousy, you feel better and more secure, sticking with the safe and steady guy.” Safe, steady, incredibly boring, wanted a lot more than what Carmen was willing to give him.  Jon had a theory about Stephen and he was betting that the other man thought with time, and showing that he wasn’t going anywhere, that he was committed to her and them.

 

That was exactly what Stephen was banking on, actually.  Jon had nailed it on the head.  He was not giving up on having a family with Carmen and hoped, with time and effort, she would see how much he loved and cared for her, would do anything for her.  Carmen was IT for him and he wanted to experience all that life had to offer with her.  Children included.  That was not off the table for him the way it was for her, but he’d tread lightly when it came to that subject until he felt the time was right.

 

“Why is it a terrible decision to stick this out with Stephen and see where it goes?  And why can’t you be my best friend and support me?  I’ve always – ALWAYS – backed you up and supported you, no matter if I agreed with your decisions or not, Jon.  So why the fuck is it so hard for you to just be there for me and let me figure this out on my own?  You’re trying to push me to do something I’m not ready to do and using my love for you as ammo!” The frustration on her face and in her voice was clear as day as Carmen kept puffing away on her cigarette, immediately lighting a second one since she’d blasted through the first. “You don’t know if things will last or not with Stephen and I don’t either, but you have to let me find out for myself instead of pushing me to do what YOU want.  Because I won’t let anyone, not even Jon Moxley, tell me what to do.  If anything, the more you push me to end things with Stephen, the more I will fight and rebel against it and I will find a way to make it work.  You coming here was a mistake if you thought you could convince me face to face to end my relationship and fall into your arms and bed with you.  It’s not happening, so leave if that’s all you came here for.  I’m sure there’s other ways you can get your dick wet tonight.”

 

“Because you’re fucking up your life worse than I ever thought about fucking up mine!” Jon seethed back, having had no intentions of fucking her tonight.  He had made a decision that he was trying hard to keep, proving without the sex that he wanted her for more than just her delicious body.  WHY he wanted this frustrating, bullheaded woman was BEYOND him, but he did! “The last time we spoke, you sounded like you were forcing yourself to be with him because it’s the right thing and that’s not how shit works, Carmen.” He snatched his stuff off the bed, crumpling the trash in his hand and tossed it in the nearby trash can, shaking his head. “You want to make this work with him?  Fine.  You want me to support it?  Sure.  When it comes crashing down, and it will, be ready for a ‘told you fucking so’.” He was gone, slamming the door behind him in a childish fit of rage.

 

Deep down, Carmen knew that would be coming sooner rather than later too.

 

Chapter 53

 

Five Months Later

 

The hotel visit was the last time Carmen had spoken to Jon.  They hadn’t cut each other off, but after what Jon had said to her, she didn’t know what else could be said between them.  Their friendship was in complete shambles and Carmen didn’t even know if it was reparable, deciding to give Jon breathing room and space.  She made her choice in Hawaii and decided to stick by her decision. 

 

For the past five months, it was her and Stephen building and strengthening their relationship.  They were devoted to each other, though Carmen decided against going on the road with him because she knew Jon would be on the road.  So whenever Stephen was on the road, she focused primarily on her job and had become even closer to Jessica, both going on coffee dates almost weekly just to talk about whatever popped in their heads.

 

Jon Moxley never came up, however, thankfully.

 

While Carmen was playing house with Stephen and ignoring her true feelings, Jon was too busy carrying AEW on his back, literally.  Winning the AEW championship at Forbidden Door in Chicago, IL, after defeating the ‘Ace’ of New Japan Tanahashi, the one man Jon had been aching to wrestle for nearly three years, was just the tip of the iceberg.  CM Punk had returned to AEW and became champion, but an injury, the very next night after he won the title, forced the company to scramble to crown an Interim champion.  That was why the match between Jon and Tanahashi happened in the first place.  The stars had aligned for Jon and he was carrying the gold, only to lose it, then regained it again…in ANOTHER tournament.  Punk had made a fool out of himself and the company at the All Out media scrum, after the pay-per-view event ended…AFTER beating Jon Moxley for the AEW championship. 

 

A week prior to that, Jon had completely annihilated him in the ring in 3 minutes right in his backyard of Cincinnati, Ohio.  The company tried building it to where Punk had to build himself back up, after being thoroughly destroyed, and he got his ‘redemption’ at All Out against Moxley.  Only, that had backfired because Punk wound up seriously injured during their match with a torn pectoral muscle that would shelve him for quite a while.  Once again, Tony Khan was scrambling, so he relied on Jon to carry the company yet again with the championship.  It was a mess, to put it lightly, and thanks to all the craziness, Jon didn’t have a lot of free time on his hands to think about Carmen or their destroyed friendship…or his own broken heart over her.

 

During the second tournament for the championship, Jon and Stephen had gone at it and Stephen wound up concussed after botching a move in the ring.  Jon had nothing to do with it, it was just a freak accident and he hadn’t been back in the ring since because of the concussions.  It worried Carmen a great deal, but it also gave them more time together, where she helped nurse Stephen back to health.  He was ready to return to the ring, but the company hadn’t called him back yet.  They wanted Stephen to return after the pay-per-view event because they were building a storyline between Jon Moxley and MJF for the AEW championship.

 

At that event, MJF would be crowned the new champion…and Stephen would finally be able to build a solid feud with Moxley because of what happened during the tournament.  That was one week away, it was nearing the end of October and the holidays were right around the corner.  Holidays were a very hard time of year for Carmen because of her parents’ death and the fact she really had no family to spend it with.  Stephen, of course, knew this as her boyfriend and had a plan in mind for the holidays, refusing to leave the woman he loved out in the cold.  The past five months with her had been pure bliss and he hoped it continued…also, he planned on talking to her about possibly resuming their previous engagement now that it’d been 7 to 8 months since they got together.

 

“I wanna take you home for Thanksgiving with my family, Carmen.  I want’ em to meet ya and get you more involved with our family.” Stephen had a plan to make her see that having a family and kids would be amazing if she just opened her mind to it. “Please?  You can see my place too.” They hadn’t gone to Virginia once since he proposed to her and…his family still thought they were engaged.  That was another thing Stephen would have to deal with as well when it came to his family. “Also, I don’t wanna hurt my Momma, so please just pretend we’re still engaged, all right, darlin’?”

 

Carmen found herself nodding mutely, trying like hell to stop Jon’s words from ringing in the back of her head, along with the huge alarm bells. “Sure, whatever you want to do, cowboy.  I’m game.”

 

Stephen was completely in the dark about yet another encounter with the other man, though this time, she hadn’t slept with him, not that Stephen knew that either.  Ignorance was bliss and after their getaway to Hawaii after her second discretion, they seemed to be back on the same page.  He was going slow for her, but even in ‘normal’ couples, introduction of parents at a certain point was done and for them, it was definitely time.

 

“You’ll love it there, honey, the mountains are beautiful this time of year.” Granted, they were also deadly given Virginia wasn’t the flattest of terrain, but beautiful.  Stephen took her by the hands, peering down into her face with his soul-searching blue eyes, wanting to know for certain that Carmen wanted this and wasn’t just going along with what he wanted to humor him. “You sure?”

 

Of course she wasn’t sure, but what else was she supposed to do?  They were together, they were a couple, and couples spent holidays together and met families. “I’ll be honest, I’m nervous about meeting your family and I don’t feel it’s fair since mine isn’t here anymore…” Sadness crept into her emerald eyes at the thought of her dead parents.  Holidays were always the worst for Carmen and she was about to spend them with a man she wasn’t in love with, along with his family, all because of her stubbornness. “And yes, I’m sure.” You’re lying to him again.  How much longer will you do this to yourself? They were currently in Florida spending some time together since she had been in Cincinnati.  Sami had finally chosen a house, made the offer, and it was accepted, so now the waiting game began for closing, which would be right before Christmas, hopefully. “We can take my private jet there, so there’s plenty of time to spend with your family.”

 

Everything Jon had said about the pressure, about her going along with this because it was safe and secure, and out of a misguided sense of obligation, had been right on the money.  He had told her that in all significance, as her actual friend, and he had raged it at her as a scorned lover.  Either way, he had been right and he didn’t like it as much as he pretended because he knew Carmen was going to wind up hurting herself more than he ever could.  If Jon would have known about her background with relationships, maybe he would have worded and done things differently, but he didn’t and it was way too late now.

 

“You sure?  I don’t mind drivin’, honey, it’s a gorgeous drive.  You ever been to Virginia?  For a visit I mean, not just passing through or on business.”

 

“Yeah, it’s my jet, so I can use it whenever I want.  And we’ll have to drive from the airport to your house anyway, so I’m sure I’ll take in the scenery enough doing that.  Unless you have your heart set on driving?”

 

Would that be all right considering it was close to wintertime?  Wasn’t West Virginia treacherous in the winter?  She knew Maine was, but wasn’t that familiar with that particular part of the country.  Stephen still had his house in West Virginia along with Florida, not having the heart to get rid of it, which did not bother Carmen at all.  Hell, she had five houses, she couldn’t throw stones at someone for having more than one house and never would.  That was his decision and if he wanted to keep the house in West Virginia to stay close to his family, that was fine by her.  She would NEVER, EVER live in West Virginia, however.

 

“I’m comfortable doing whatever you want, Stephen.”

 

He already had plans for her to be in West Virginia at least for a month during the summer.  Given she resided in Florida at times, the weather would be perfect for her, she would already be used to it.  Stephen was born and raised in West Virginia, so the roads didn’t bother him much, he had grown up learning to drive those roads and then being a wrestler, well…one wound up obtaining a LOT of driving experience in all kinds of weather and terrain.  Given she appreciated scenery, he already knew when West Virginia was in full swing, in full season, Carmen would fall in love with it.

 

“We can fly if you want, honey, it’ll get us there quicker anyway.”

 

Carmen would’ve set him straight if she knew about the plans he had already made, without asking her, regarding the upcoming summer of next year.  There was NO way in HELL she was staying for a month in West Virginia.  Honestly, there was a reason she did not want Diamond’s in West Virginia and it had to do with the very rocky, mountain terrain.  It was a pain to deal with and she had tried to sell some properties within the state, but it never amounted to anything.  The 25 states she chose made her sales and a billionaire, so she had to go wherever the success was.  West Virginia was NOT it at all.

 

“We’ll fly and then drive to your place.  I’ll set it up with my jet and we’ll be ready to go.”

 

They had a week to go before Thanksgiving and Stephen was currently on leave from the company, due to a concussion he’d suffered at the hands of Jon in the ring.  It was accidental and completely Stephen’s fault, but Jon had still apologized for what happened…in his own way.  Sometimes people made plans without asking or considering others, kind of like she had decided straight out the gate that she wasn’t having kids.  

 

The way Stephen figured it, a month in West Virginia wasn’t anywhere near that kind of decision-making.  It would be a restful retreat for them both.  There was nothing like getting back to nature to reset all your natural, internal clocks, and just decompress.  Of course, his woman knew all about retreating and decompressing; Carmen had a habit of flying to Hawaii whenever the world threatened to swallow her up.

 

Jon had apologized, with a case of beer, some Tylenol and a my bad bro scrawl on a napkin from the diner he had been at when the apology idea occurred to him.  Jon did NOT need Carmen thinking he had done it on purpose or something because he hadn’t.  Professional was Jon’s middle name, especially in that ring.  He wasn’t screwing with a person’s life, career, or their money.

 

There would be no resetting internal or biological clocks.  There would be no children and if Stephen tried to push or coerce her into it, she’d be gone.  Carmen refused to budge on that and never would.  She did not like kids and had too much going on and invested in her life to even think about being a mother.  The only man she would ever budge for was Jon.  If Jon wanted her to have his baby, Carmen would do it because, unlike Stephen, she loved him unconditionally.  Since Jon didn’t want any kids, it would never be an issue with them to begin with.  With Stephen, it was a major issue that he wanted to rectify and ‘fix’, which would ultimately backfire.

 

Carmen didn’t have to worry about any of her messed up contradictions because while she might have Jon’s baby in a heartbeat, she wouldn’t actually have Jon.  Even though he had stood before her wide open several times, offering his heart to her.  Finally.  If only Carmen could believe him after all this time, but she didn’t.  Just like he didn’t believe her when she said she was going to make things work with Stephen.

 

They had serious trust issues with each other apparently.

 

“Well, all right, honey, I’m excited.” Stephen pulled her into his arms, dropping a kiss on top of her head, unaware she was filled with nothing, but dread and resentment over West Virginia.

 

~!~

 

If you don’t have plans for Thanksgiving, you are more than welcome to come here and spend it with us, sweetie.

 

Carmen smiled softly at the text message from Jessica, missing her a lot, and had to make it a point to set up another coffee date with them, so they could have their girl talk. Actually, I’m going to West Virginia with Stephen for Thanksgiving with his family. “And I really don’t want to.” She added out loud while standing in the kitchen and Stephen was currently at the doctor’s to get clearance to get back into the ring. 

 

Why was she doing this to herself?  Carmen had asked herself that multiple times over the course of the past week and could not believe they were on their way to West Virginia first thing in the morning.  At the very least, she would be comfortable on her private jet, but after that…not so much.

 

We’re leaving first thing in the morning, but I promise I will call you once the holidays are over and set up a time for us.  I really miss you, Jess.

 

You sure?  Chris is convincing Jon to come.  Seems Mox has been in a mood lately and Chris thinks a ‘properly cooked meal’ is what’ll fix him.  The man is weird so…we’ll see.

 

Did Jessica think Carmen would come because of Jon?  No.  However, she did think if there was any chance Carmen might come, she deserved to know that the large pain in her backside might potentially be there.  She was as much Carmen’s friend as Chris was Jon’s and Chris had stopped filling her in on the details regarding the pair because, apparently, it wasn’t ‘fair’ to choose sides.  The bro code, she smiled at herself and shook her head.  Jessica was more than used to Chris’ antics, it was all part of his charm.

 

I’m sure, Happy Thanksgiving to you guys.

 

There was no way Carmen would go if Jon was there.  As much as she missed him and wished it was him she was spending the holidays with, she had to see this through to the end with Stephen.  Chewing her thumbnail briefly, Carmen decided against telling Jon where she was going, already knowing Jessica would fill Chris in and Chris would tell him anyway.

 

Chapter 54

 

An hour later, Stephen returned from his workout and Carmen was waiting for him, bringing his mouth down to hers to passionately kiss him.  At least the passion between them was still there.  Honestly, sex had dwindled quite a bit with Stephen compared to when they first got together.  She knew it was due to her cheating, but if they were going to make it through this, they had to get back to basics.  So she was wearing nothing more than a robe and smile, enjoying the way Stephen lifted her to wrap her legs around his waist.

 

“There’s my cowboy.” She murmured against his lips while he carted her to the bedroom, guiding her down on the bed gently. “Fuck me, Stephen, I need you…” More than ever right now because Jon was on the forefront of her mind and she desperately needed him to be erased, even if it was temporary.

 

Jon had warned Carmen that all men had a snapping point.  Stephen’s happened to be really weird, but at the end of the day, the guy was a man.  No man was going to tolerate being cheated on and emotionally ghosted forever.  He’d eventually lose his temper and even Jon was curious about what would happen then.  Part of him had a suspicion that Stephen would just break things off, be a gentleman about it, because he was that goddamn good and boring.  The other part of him was fairly certain that it would take a LOT to get Stephen to this point, but when he did, he’d lose his mind and probably take her to hell with him.

 

“Jon!”

 

That moment had arrived, for most men.

 

Stephen’s heart did a weird lurch and his dick even twitched a few times as he struggled to not lose his erection.  It took him burying his face in her throat and focusing on other things, sexy thoughts, to maintain it.

 

Swallowing hard, once she caught her breath, Carmen fully expected Stephen to get off her and storm out of the room or scream at her.  Something.  Anything.  Instead, he merely continued thrusting in and out of her, his heavy breathing against her neck and she did NOT dare pull away from him.  Her face was red and she kept going with him, shutting her eyes envisioning she was with Jon and not Stephen.  That was the only way she could continue to allow this to happen.  Stephen wasn’t a slouch in the bedroom either and Carmen enjoyed sex with him, but she could NOT believe he was going after she cried out another man’s name in her climax. 

 

When she felt her second one hit, Carmen had to bit her bottom lip hard, almost to the point of making it bleed, to keep from crying out Jon’s name again.  When Stephen finally finished and exploded inside of her receptive body, she did not cry out his name the way she had Jon’s.  They both collapsed on the bed and he pulled her back against him to spoon, kissing her shoulder and neck, neither saying a word to each other.  Was he really going to lay here holding her and pretend she didn’t just cry out another man’s name during sex?

 

It was entirely possible that over the sounds of their bodies crashing together, the sounds of their hearts beating furiously and blood rushing, that Stephen hadn’t heard her slip of the lip.  Entirely possible, but unfortunately, Stephen had heard and chose to ignore it in this moment.  Not that she knew that, he figured Carmen probably didn’t realize what she had done and if she had, she likely assumed he hadn’t caught it.  He finally let his head rest against the back of her neck, letting out a shuddery breath and just held her closer.

 

“I love you.” He rumbled quietly, finally, his voice coming out husky.  He also knew she had likely been with her lover recently.

 

Closing her eyes at those words, her heart clenched painfully in her chest as she grabbed his hand to lace their fingers together over it. “I know you do.” Did Carmen apologize for what she did or pretend she didn’t remember doing it? I’m so fucking screwed. Stephen loved her and she wished she could reciprocate the notion, to tell him she loved him in return, but…not even Carmen was that heartless.  She would not tell him those words unless she meant them and right now, in this moment, they weren’t surfacing. “We should get to sleep since we have a busy day of traveling tomorrow.  Good night, cowboy.”

 

After Stephen was fast asleep, Carmen finally let the tears flow down her cheeks silently, knowing she was only digging herself a deeper hole the longer she stayed with Stephen.

 

You can’t be heartless and tell him you love him?  How is that any different from encouraging him by staying with him?  All you’re doing is prolonging the pain and it will be ten times as worse if you don’t end it now.  Like ripping off a band-aid, you just rip it.  Do it slowly and you’re just causing unnecessary pain. It was almost like Jon was in her head, informing her of the same advice he always told her these days, it seemed.  How it was cruel and unfair of her to drag this out when Carmen knew deep down it wasn’t going to last unless she managed to pull it off out of sheer spite. Hell, you don’t even have to be with anyone, you can be single and just take it day by day, but get out now, before it’s too late. Maybe she was dozing, having a half dream at this point of Jon warning her.  

 

The mind was just as crazy as the heart could be.

 

Needless to say, Carmen was up before Stephen, on her third cup of coffee, when he woke up to get ready to head out to the airport.  He kissed the top of her head softly and she softly told him they had to leave within an hour.  The ride to the airport was made in silence and the tension was so thick, it couldn’t be cut with the sharpest blade.

 

He heard me, I know he did, so why is he acting like everything is all right?  I don’t understand this.  How could he love a woman that clearly doesn’t love him? They arrived at the airport, went through security, and as Carmen walked toward her private jet, an unsettling feeling developed in the pit of her stomach. 

 

Her phone suddenly went off and it was a text message…one from Jon.

 

Five months.  Five months since she’d heard from him and this was what he had to say?

 

Don’t go to West Virginia with him, babe.

 

Jesus, her heart was pounding in her ears at that message and she knew Chris had already relayed the news on where she was heading for Thanksgiving.  Another one came through not even a minute later and it nearly brought Carmen to her knees, forcing her to fight back tears.  Even after five months of no contact, Jon still had a strong impact on her and her heart began to ache for him all over again.  It did not help she had dreamt about him almost every night since they stopped talking, even though her relationship with Stephen was stronger than ever…or so she thought.

 

You don’t have to be with me and you don’t have to be with him.  Put yourself first, you know I’m fucking right about this!

 

“Jon…” She whispered softly under her breath, looking up when Stephen called out her name to make sure she was all right.  Her dream…it was almost as if Jon had psychic powers or something.

 

“Carmen, are you okay, honey?” Stephen was standing right in front of her now, ignoring the fact she was clutching her phone against her chest and frowned at the tears in her eyes.

 

“Stephen, I…” She was silenced by a passionate kiss from him that curled her toes and Stephen did not pull back until they were both breathless, pulling her closer to the plane.

 

Half an hour later, they were in the air headed to West Virginia.

 

~!~

 

Jon didn’t need a text or a call to know she was going to go to West Virginia and groaned, already in Florida with Chris and the gang.  They were planning on deep-frying a turkey, eventually, they were pre-gaming with a few beers, non-alcoholic for Jon, out on the beach while Jessica kept the kids occupied. “I know the more I say it, the more she’s gonna ignore me and do it anyway.”

 

“That’d be that stubborn streak.” It was almost like Carmen was defying Jon on purpose, baiting fate as it were, tempting it and Chris was SO glad he was happily married for over 20 years because this drama was not worth the hassle.  At least, not in his very settled, still in love, probably fried mind. “To be fair, you’re usually a dick about shit anyway.”

 

“Yeah, yeah I am.” Jon agreed softly, gaze on the waves as he finished his non-alcoholic beer.

 

~!~

 

Hell. 

 

Carmen was in hell!

 

There was no Wi-Fi in the little town they were in, where Stephen grew up.  It was even smaller than the one she grew up in Maryland.  Annapolis wasn’t exactly small though since it was considered a city.  It was also the state capital.  Still, even with the beautiful scenery staring her in the face, Carmen did NOT feel comfortable being here at all, especially now that she had no access to her phone, due to no signal, and no internet.  What kind of town did not have Wi-Fi?

 

I really hope I make it back to Florida alive.  Jesus Christ, I shouldn’t have come here.

 

“Isn’t this place beautiful, honey?  I love comin’ home for the holidays.”

 

Stephen truly did look more at peace now that they were here while she was internally screaming, wanting to be back in Florida with Jon, Chris, Jessica, and their kids. “Yeah it is.” I’m going to hell in a handbasket!

 

Well, that wasn’t entirely true.  The town as a whole did not have Wi-Fi and a lot of people didn’t either because to have it out here, surrounded by the hills, valleys, and mountains, on top of the numerous trees, made it both difficult to install if people wanted ANY kind of Internet connection.  It was also expensive as hell and very unreliable.  Stephen’s family had satellite internet, which he paid for because it ran about 300 hundred dollars a month for each house and he didn’t bother at his because he wasn’t there all that much.  Also, slow, the Wi-Fi was slow, anyone who needed their Internet to survive wouldn’t like it here.

 

“You okay?  You look flushed, honey.” That would be due to her rising blood pressure, not that he knew it.

 

GEE I WONDER WHY, ASSHOLE?! “Yeah, never better.” NOT! 

 

Carmen was pissed and sincerely hoped there was somewhere in this godforsaken town she could go to check her email at the very least.  Then again, it was the holidays, so Kylie would not be contacting her for anything.  That wasn’t the reason why she wanted to check her email and text messages, however.  Jon.  She wanted to text Jon back since she didn’t do it before boarding the plane and now she wouldn’t be able to until she left this backwoods hellhole.  Carmen did not realize this was just the start of what would be the most hellacious Thanksgiving she’d ever endure in her life.

 

The drive took about two hours before they arrived at Stephen’s log cabin.  It was surrounded by woods and Carmen suddenly wondered if she was dating an ax murderer or something.  The moment the car stopped, she was out of it and immediately pulled out her pack of cigarettes to light one up, really needing one after the long journey to get here.  Stephen hated smoking, so she refused to do it unless she was outside.  Checking her phone again, with her back turned while taking a drag, Carmen gritted her teeth at the zero bars, stuffing it in her coat pocket abruptly.

 

It's only going to get worse. You’re going to lose your shit because you are NOT a nature girl. Carmen APPRECIATED nature, but she was one of those ‘just visiting’ kinds of people.  

 

Just like Jon was unless he could have all his modern amenities with him.  It was why he had chosen the spot he had to live in Vegas.  Plenty of nature around him, but close enough to the city that he could connect to city utilities.  Then there was also the fact that she was basically forcing herself to be with him.  Everything she had said to Jon in the hotel, about trying to make things work, and caring for Stephen meant jack because, after all of that, she was starting to realize just how deep a hole she was digging for herself.  Instead of acknowledging defeat and climbing out, she just kept going, digging a little deeper.

 

Eventually, it was all going to cave in on her.

 

Stephen caught the bit with the phone and knew she wasn’t likely to get cell signal out here.  Towers did absolutely jack when you were surrounded with all this stuff, in winter no less. “There’s internet and Wi-Fi in the house, maybe you can pull up something in there?” He figured that’s what Carmen wanted, to check her email and other things.  The woman was dedicated to her job and employees, he loved that about her.

 

The look on his face made Carmen’s heart clench again and she walked over to him, reaching up to stroke his face with the back of her hand. “Thank you.  It’s beautiful here.” Leaning up, she softly kissed him and that turned into a good ten minute make out session outside, both unable to pull away. “Give me the grand tour, cowboy.”

 

Her phone and everything else could wait, especially after what happened the previous night with her screaming another man’s name during sex.  Carmen felt she had to make it up to Stephen somehow and laced their fingers together, letting him guide her inside the house.  Greeting her upon entry were two deer heads on the wall, staring straight back at her, along with other animal heads.  It was a slaughter house for animals and she wasn’t an activist or anything, but this was…definitely a bachelor pad.  A bachelor that enjoyed hunting immensely, almost obsessively.

 

“I take it you like to hunt things?” That was the first question to pop out of her mouth before Carmen could stop it, her emerald eyes taking everything in, including the bearskin rugs, fireplace, and honey oak wooden floors.

 

Hell.

 

This had to be hell.

 

Chapter 55

 

“Well yeah, you gotta know when the great depression hit, a lot of folks had to learn to get back to the basics.” Stephen felt absolutely no shame at all talking about this or his hunting habits. “And then it just became a way of life.  Besides, it’s good to know what you’re putting in your body, especially when you tend to live on whatever is easiest to get while out on the road.” He chuckled, having a deep freeze in his cellar full of last season’s hunt.  This year’s season had already started, but he hadn’t bothered getting any licenses and tags, preferring to focus on work and his woman. “Of course, using the hides is just common sense, wait until you see my bed.” Doeskin hide blanket, it was warm and soft, and he turned in time to miss the revulsion that filled her eyes. “It’s a lot better in the summer, honey, when everything is in bloom.  I’ll have to bring you back next year.”

 

That was NOT happening.  This would be the only time Carmen came to this backwoods hellhole. “I’m sure it’s very comfortable and I bet it’s beautiful here in the summer.” What the hell am I doing here?!

 

Stephen grinned, pleased with that answer and walked over to wrap his arms around her waist, pulling her back against him. “I’m so happy to hear you say that, honey.  You have no idea how much I love this place, almost as much as I love you.  And speaking of that…I need to talk to you about somethin’ that’s been on my mind and now that we’re here, I can’t think of a better time.”

 

Confused, Carmen turned in his arms and looked up into his blue eyes, doing everything in her power to hide what she truly thought of this place. “What is it?” Was he about to mention what happened between them during sex last night?  Then her eyes zeroed in on what he held between his fingers and Carmen felt incredibly nauseous, finally realizing what was on Stephen’s mind. “Cowboy…”

 

“Look, I know we’ve had a rocky start, but these past five months with you have been amazing.” Besides last night’s discretion, which Stephen was willing to overlook because of how much he loved this woman. “We’re not perfect, I know that.  Shit has happened that we can’t take back or change, but one thing has been constant and that’s how much I love you.  I’m completely in love with you, Carmen Diamond, and I want you to be my wife.  I wanna be engaged again and plan the wedding we want, the small intimate ceremony on the beach in Florida.” He took her left hand and began sliding the rock on her finger, seeing the tears in her eyes. “Please, tell me you want this as much as I do…”

 

Christ, the amount of plea in his eyes broke her heart because this was not what Carmen wanted at all.  She didn’t want an engagement to him.  She didn’t want marriage and she knew Stephen wanted kids.  He loved them and had mentioned them a few times over the past five months.  Carmen had shut him down every single time, refusing to discuss it and simply told him she hadn’t changed her mind.  It would never happen either.  The rock felt extremely heavy on her finger while she stared back at it for a minute and then finally looked up at him, feeling as if she was drowning. 

 

What was she supposed to do? 

 

Five months was obviously Stephen’s time limit and she had to make a choice – yes or no?

 

“Okay.” She whispered softly, not trusting her voice at the moment and let the tears fall down her cheeks, pretending they were happy ones instead of sad.

 

You’re fucking up epically here, mama.  Remember what I told you…it’s a lot harder leaving someone once you’ve married them. It was a lot of hassle, even with a prenuptial to protect assets prior to marrying.  Depending on where they got married at any rate, or where they lived and divorced.  

 

Even then, things could be dragged out for months, years even.

 

“We don’t have to rush out and get married right away, Carmen.” Stephen knew better than most how torn a heart could be.  He was hoping these were happy tears and they had FINALLY gotten past everything.  Maybe that slip of the tongue had been from her mentally saying her goodbyes to…Jon.

 

Stephen was living in a cloud of denial.

 

Yes he was because her crying out Jon’s name during sex was her crying out for the man himself.  Not a single day went by without Jon popping into her head over the past five months.  Carmen missed him terribly, even more so than when he went to rehabilitation for his drinking problem.  It was also a serious cry for help because Carmen did not want to be with Stephen.  She would never love him and while she cried after he fell asleep last night, that realization dawned on her.  No matter how hard she tried, no matter what she did, no matter if she didn’t speak to the man she truly loved and wanted for five months.  Carmen would never love Stephen the way he wanted her to. 

 

What Stephen neglected to tell her was his family still thought they were engaged all along and he didn’t want to show up with egg on his face in front of them for the big Thanksgiving meal.

 

“Okay.” She whispered again, sliding her hands up his shirt and pushed it up over his head, the diamond ring sparkling against his skin.

 

“Carmen, what are you…?” Stephen’s words died on his lips as she expertly unsnapped and pushed his jeans down to free his cock, feeling her hot wet mouth start pleasuring him. “Oh fuck, honey…”

 

This was the only way she could think to shut him up, so she could get her thoughts in order.  Having his dick in her mouth and him groaning her name was a blessing compared to talking about their wedding plans and whatnot.  No, if Carmen had to, she would use sex every time from here on out to stop Stephen from mentioning or talking about a wedding.  There would be no wedding, but since she was out here in the middle of nowhere, about to meet his beloved family, Carmen had to play along as the happy fiancée until they were out of here.  Then…she would do what should’ve been done five months ago after she fucked Jon in the back of her Rolls Royce. 

 

She would break things off with Stephen once and for all.

 

Her breaking point was rapidly closing in with this entire situation and if she didn’t get out of it now, she never would.

 

Stephen had said long engagement and had no idea she was using sex as a way to distract him now.  If anything, her shutting him up with sex was doing the opposite, it was starting to make him think she APPROVED of the way things were going in their relationship.  A person usually withdrew from physical intimacy when there was something wrong, but she wasn’t, only giving it in spades, sending the wrong message.  Again.  She was just digging herself deeper into her hole, making herself miserable while slowly winding Stephen up for what would either be an epic rage or a bland ‘okay’ and it’s over.

 

After three rounds of sex and making sure Stephen was out cold in his special animal skin bed, Carmen snuck outside with a robe and shoes on, not caring how cold it was.  She just needed fresh air to breathe and proceeded to break completely down, dropping to her knees while trying to keep her sobs as quiet as possible.  Her phone was clutched against her chest that she’d brought with her and through blurred vision, she managed to send a message to Jessica. 

 

I’m leaving Stephen.  Please do not say a word to anyone about this, especially Chris.  I don’t want anyone to know about it yet.  I’m going to get through Thanksgiving dinner and the moment we’re back in Florida, I’m ending the relationship.  I’m done trying to make it work.  I’ve tried as hard as I can and I can’t do it anymore, Jess.  If I don’t get out of this now, I will be stuck for the rest of my life.

 

Not even a minute later, a text message came through Carmen’s cell phone. My lips are sealed and I hope you’re okay out there.  You could always come back and end things with him now.  We’re here and don’t worry, I won’t tell Chris or anyone about this.

 

“Thank you.” Carmen whispered to the phone, looking over her shoulder to make sure Stephen hadn’t woken up and contemplated if she should text Jon, deciding against it. 

 

She wasn’t ending things with Stephen because of Jon, even if she loved him unconditionally.  This was something she had to do for herself before she wound up in a very unhappy, unfulfilling marriage for the rest of her life.  Hell, knowing Stephen, he’d do everything in his power to coerce a baby or two out of her.

 

~!~

 

Meeting Stephen’s family was an unforgettable experience. 

 

It wasn’t a good experience at all. 

 

From the moment they stepped through the door of Stephen’s parents’ house, another bigger log cabin, she was swept up in hugs all around.  They didn’t know her at all, but because she was engaged to their precious Stephen, she was already part of the family.  It was very overwhelming and caused her anxiety to rise exponentially.  However, Carmen swallowed it all down, plastered a fake smile on her face, and acted like she was the perfect fiancée.  Throughout dinner, they started asking her question after question about wedding plans, offering their input and help with it all.  Carmen fielded them one at a time, using her communication skills to the best of her ability and then…his mother decided to up the ante.

 

“So, does this mean you’re FINALLY going to bless us with a grandchild from our only son, my dear?”

 

Before Carmen could answer, Stephen beat her to the punch. “Once we’re married, momma.”

 

Panic filled every part of Carmen’s body at Stephen’s answer and she slowly looked up at him at the dinner table, seeing the determination on his face.

 

“How exciting!!  I can’t wait to meet my niece or nephew!  And you two are very good lookin’, so that baby is gonna be gorgeous!”

 

“Wouldn’t it be great if you conceived on your weddin’ night?”

 

“WOOOO knock ‘em dead, Stephen!”

 

“STOP!” Carmen couldn’t take it anymore, immediately rising up from the table and stared at everyone looking back at her in shock. “There will be no babies.  I’ve told Stephen several times I do not want any children and I won’t change my mind or stance on it.  My reason is nobody’s business except my own and I thought he understood that and respected it.” She glared at him, taking the ring off and set it on the table in front of him, shaking from head to toe. “This was your plan, wasn’t it?  Bringing me here to meet your family, after LYING to them about us being engaged this whole time.  Then using them to try to convince me to have a baby with you!  You want a subservient wife who will pop out babies for you left and right and that’s NOT me at all!  You don’t love me, you never did or you would respect my decision not to have a baby.  It’s MY body and MY fucking choice!  There will be no wedding.  There will be no babies.  And as far as I’m concerned, Stephen, there is no us anymore.” Tears were streaming down her cheeks as the hurt filled her emerald eyes, not believing what Stephen pulled on Thanksgiving of all days. “Thank you for reminding me just how much I hate the holidays too.  Goodbye, Stephen.”

 

“Carmen, wait!”

 

She couldn’t wait though. 

 

Carmen made a beeline for the truck, already swiping the keys and peeled out of there as fast as she could, pulling up the GPS on her cell phone to get her the fastest route out of this backwoods hell.  She was done.  Just sitting there while he blatantly lied to his family about having a baby with her had not only embarrassed her, but also, it sent rage coursing through every part of her body.  Rage at herself for being stupid trying to make this sham of a relationship work – TWICE!  Rage at Stephen for being sneaky and going behind her back to lie to his family about what would happen between them once they were married.  It was no wonder why he whipped the damn ring out and asked to resume their engagement BEFORE Thanksgiving dinner happened!

 

Somehow, someway, Carmen managed to make it to the airport, not caring at all about the bag of clothes she left behind in Stephen’s log cabin.  He could burn them for all she cared, it was nothing she couldn’t replace since she had billions to her name.  Two hours later, she was in the air on her private jet heading back to Florida, back to civilization, and back where she belonged.

 

The best part was she was officially a free woman and single again.

 

Considering what Carmen had put him through with her fickle ways, her infidelity, Stephen thought all things considered, he had been good to her.  The woman NEEDED to have children.  It would help ease her emotional damage, of which she had plenty, as well as calm her wild, indecisive self down.  Stephen would give her some time to calm down and then try talking to her again.  This leaving of hers had come out of nowhere; she hadn’t sent any signs of discontent outside of that night when she had called Jon’s name.  He tried really hard not making assumptions, but he knew who she was friends with, the very man who had introduced them.

 

I did it.  I ended things with him…in front of his family.  He told his family that we were having children after we got married right there at the table!  I couldn’t do it.  I snapped and left and I just got home about 5 minutes ago.  I’ll call you later to tell you in detail what happened, I need some sleep. Carmen shut her phone off completely after sending that text to Jessica and locked the door behind her, kicking her shoes off. 

 

They flew in different directions and she did not care. 

 

Exhaustion didn’t come close to how she felt as she collapsed in bed…her clean, non-animal skinned bed…and shut her eyes, allowing more tears to fall.  Maybe she could’ve handled that situation with Stephen better, but honestly, the man didn’t listen to her and had been sneaky, underhanded.  Carmen was not perfect by any stretch and had cheated on him, but at least she came clean to him about it and Stephen forgave her.  She stood by what she said in West Virginia, however.  All that man wanted was a subservient wife to pop babies out for him and live in the woods…that was NOT Carmen Diamond and it never would be.

 

“Good riddance.” She muttered just before sleep completely overtook her body.

 

Chapter 56

 

“So, they split up?” Jon was NOT expecting to hear that, but apparently, Stephen had reached out to Chris to ask if he knew where Carmen had disappeared since he couldn’t get her on the phone.  It was a bit known that Carmen was on great terms with Chris’ wife, Jessica, and he could not help it, he was grinning.

 

“Baby, you shouldn’t be so happy.  She’s probably upset.”

 

Chris didn’t know what had happened and Jessica wasn’t telling him.  He didn’t blame her.  They had a thing about balancing their respective friendships and their own marriage.  They didn’t discuss sides or anything like that, refusing to get caught in the middle of a shitstorm if they could help it.

 

“Probably.”

 

Being a billionaire goddess had positives and negatives. 

 

A negative was the inability to change her number.  So many clientele had her number, so Carmen was stuck with it.  She wound up blocking Stephen’s number, which was why he couldn’t contact her.  It had been three days since she left him high and dry in West Virginia with his family and there was no turning back.  Carmen was trying like hell to busy herself with work and getting her personal life back on track. 

 

Just because she left Stephen did not mean she’d automatically be with Jon.  They had said horrible things to each other and, even though Jon was right in everything he said, Carmen had her pride and stubbornness.  She was not a whore by any means nor was she perfect.  She was only human and humans made mistakes on an everyday basis.  Her mistake was getting back together with Stephen and giving him a second chance, believing that he accepted her fully for who she was and her choice not to have children.

 

No, she had been indecisive, slept between two different men, had decided to take the wrong path out of sheer stubborn pride, and it had not ended well.  Well actually, it had because while Stephen could call and text her all he wanted.  Stephen wasn’t threatening or being a douchebag since he knew places where she worked and lived.

 

That was a definite point in her favor.

 

Jon left her alone, figuring whenever she was ready to talk, she’d reach out to him.  He already knew everything he had said probably hurt her, but he hadn’t been wrong about it.  It had been the delivery and how it said it that was what made him a rotten prick, but…that was who he was.  Just like she was stubborn and set in her ways, he wouldn’t change anything about her because then she wouldn’t be the Carmen he knew and was still in love with.

 

Also, AEW was keeping him incredibly busy.

 

After Thanksgiving had been ruined for her, Carmen decided she would not be celebrating Christmas.  It wasn’t worth it to her.  She thought about flying off to Hawaii until the New Year came, but business had picked up drastically at work.  Florida was warm all year round, so she walked inside her favorite coffee shop in capri’s and a short sleeved top, placing her order.  She had also changed her look up drastically, ridding herself of the ebony locks and went with a honey blonde instead. 

 

Jessica’s jaw dropped at the huge change and she smiled with a wink, walking over to join her friend at the table. “What do you think?  I needed a change.”

 

“That is a MAJOR change, girl!” Jessica wasn’t sure what to think, it was a drastic change and one that would take some getting used to. “It looks good.” She complimented, after studying her for a minute or two, nodding her approval. “It was just so different, I hardly recognized you.” She definitely recognized that cheeky smile though.  Jessica was in Christmas stuff, she and Chris were very big on holidays, especially Christmas and Halloween.  She laughed when Carmen reached over to flick the bell at the peak of her Santa hat. “Tis the season and all.” She then went serious, studying her friend thoughtfully. “How have you been, Carmen?  Honestly?”

 

The cheeky smile turned softer at the question. “I’m okay.  I’ve been keeping busy with the company, so that’s helped.  Honestly, I’m glad to be alone again after that whole fiasco with Stephen.” Not an ounce of remorse reflected in her emerald eyes or her face, it was the absolute truth and how she truly felt.

 

“I can imagine.  I still don’t understand what happened, do you mind filling in the blanks?” This was the first time they had gotten together since Carmen ended things with Stephen and Jessica was wondering what had finally been the last straw for her friend.

 

“Order up, number 35!”

 

“Hold that thought, gotta get my drink.” Carmen went to pay for her drink and then returned to the table with Jessica, taking a sip of it to make sure it was made to her liking.  Perfect like always. “He was scheming to have a baby with me.  I made it clear to him I didn’t want children and I would never change my mind.  He actually asked me to marry him, to be engaged again and plan a wedding with him like before.  Then, when his mother demanded when she was getting grandchildren from their only son, he told her it would be after we were married.” She took a slow sip of her coffee, shaking her head slowly. “Honestly, I couldn’t take it anymore, Jess.  I couldn’t lie to myself anymore about not loving him.  Hell, the night before we left to go to West Virginia, we had sex and I…” Shutting her eyes briefly, Carmen turned her head to stare out the window and took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. “I called out Jon’s name during it.  Stephen didn’t know who the other guy was, but he does now and I bet that’s the reason he pulled what he did with his family at Thanksgiving.”

 

Jessica almost squealed when her friend revealed that bit of information, her eyes widening.  She could NOT imagine what Chris would do in a situation like that.  Though, to be fair, she couldn’t imagine herself calling out any other man’s name during sex.  Chris would probably lose his mind and she wouldn’t blame him one bit.

 

“How’d Stephen react to that?” Jessica was expecting the worst because, honestly, not very many men would take that well, hearing another man’s name being called in such an intimate moment.  She could almost picture him deflating, all of him, like a giant Stephen balloon and had to shake the image from her mind.

 

“He didn’t say a word about it.  Pretended it never happened.”

 

Jessica was very glad she didn’t take a sip of her coffee because it would’ve spewed all over the place. “What?!” What kind of fortitude did a man have to have in order to endure his woman calling out another man’s name in the throes of passion? “Nothing?  He didn’t yell or react at all?”

 

“Nope.  In fact, he finished with me and then held me in his arms to sleep.  I cried so hard that night because of what I did.  I felt so guilty for hurting him that way.” Carmen scrubbed a hand down her face, staring down at her coffee in thought. “I contemplated bringing it up to him and I nearly canceled the flight to West Virginia at the airport because…well…Jon texted me begging me not to go.” Now she looked up at Jessica, who looked as though she was bursting at the seams, but she was holding in her emotions for the sake of Carmen’s feelings. “It was the first text I got from him in five months…ever since what happened between us in Cincinnati.” Jessica knew all about it.  They were close and Carmen confided in her about everything relating to Jon, but once it was said, he wasn’t brought up again until now.

 

“He was with us during Thanksgiving.” If Jon wouldn’t have been on the sober path, Chris would have kept him on a drip of beer because Jon had been moody and miserable, at least when the kids weren’t around.  Then he had perked up and played Uncle Mox to perfection. “I’m sorry, I’m…just trying to wrap my head around a man being able to, you know, finish after hearing ANOTHER MAN’S name come out of his woman.  What is WRONG with him?”

 

He was boring and bland, that was exactly what Jon had told Carmen.  Stephen would give Carmen anything she wanted, be what she wanted, mostly, just to keep her.  Jon wasn’t in the loop on this last aspect or else he would have also been questioning Stephen’s mental health.

 

“I really truly believe he thought I’d be a subservient wife that popped babies out and lived in the backwoods with him in West Virginia.  Honestly.  I don’t believe he loved me for a second, not after what he pulled with his family.” Carmen was being honest, not meaning to trash talk Stephen, but the man had serious issues that he needed to resolve. “Jon was right in everything he said and I know one day, I’ll get the whole ‘I told you so’ from him, but then again, maybe not.”

 

“Why do you say that, sweetie?”

 

“Because of what happened in Cincinnati between us…and every other time since I chose Stephen over him.  I hurt him, even if he’ll never admit it, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he never talks to me again.  We were horrible to each other, Jess.” Carmen had come to terms with the possibility of losing Jon, even after leaving Stephen. “I also don’t want him thinking he’s the reason I left Stephen.  I left Stephen for me because I couldn’t handle lying to myself about my feelings anymore, especially after what Stephen did.  I was already planning on ending things with him once we were back in Florida, actually.” Hence why she had sent Jessica that text message while she was in West Virginia.

 

“Sweetie,” Jess reached out with the hand that wasn’t holding her coffee, squeezing Carmen’s hand gently. “Knowing Jon, he’s waiting on you to reach out just so he CAN say ‘I told you so’, and to find out if you’re okay.  He knows about you and Stephen being over, I’d assume.  Stephen reached out to Chris about you.  Chris didn’t say anything, not that he knew anything to say, but he didn’t give any indication that he knew where you were or anything.” Again, Chris hadn’t known, but Chris had just played the whole casually, not wanting to rock any boats until they knew the situation. “And of course, Chris probably told him.”

 

“Stephen did?  Really?  Well, he wouldn’t stop calling and texting me, so I had to block him.  I even blocked his email too.”

 

Was it true? 

 

Was Jon waiting for her after all this time? 

 

Damn it, there went her heartrate again skyrocketing.  Jon had been on the forefront of her mind, even while she delved into her work and the company. “I wouldn’t doubt Chris told Jon about everything, or as much as he knows.” Until now, Jessica didn’t even know the full story either. “I hate myself for what I’ve done to both him and Jon.  I was wrong to think I could make something out of nothing when it came to Stephen.  I was wrong thinking my feelings for Jon would just magically shift to Stephen.  I’m such a damn fool about all of this.”

 

Jessica wondered if Stephen would confront Jon because the man wasn’t a total idiot.  He had to make the connection given it was Jon who had introduced them, from her understanding.  Given how Stephen seemed to be a perfect gentleman, she doubted it.  She was also guessing that he was assuming that Carmen would naturally ‘settle down’ once married and want the things that came with a traditional marriage, the foolish man.  Some things, some people, just did NOT change, and Carmen was one of them.  She was very set in her ways.

 

“At least you came to your senses before you married him.” Jessica consoled, not about to deny the fool part because that’d be a lie, but she wouldn’t rub it in either. “Thankfully, it’s behind you now.”

 

That brought a genuine smile to her face as Carmen squeezed Jessica’s hand, nodding in agreement. “You’re right, it is.  Thanks Jess, I feel better about everything after talking to you.”

 

“Good, so when are you going to talk to Jon again?”

 

Was it too soon?  It’d been only a few days since she left Stephen, but she could imagine Jon had to be concerned about her.  Would it be horrible to reach out through text message to start things off and see where they lead?

 

“Maybe tonight I’ll text him and see if he wants to talk?”

 

Jessica grinned, taking a sip of her coffee. “Only do it if you’re ready.  Don’t push yourself to do something you’re not ready for.”

 

That was sound advice from Jessica and Carmen left the coffee shop, after promising to keep her posted on what happened.  There was a lot on her mind as she slid into her Rolls Royce, driving off to head back to the office.  Once she was back in her office, alone, Carmen ignored everything on her desk and instead pulled her phone out, looking at the screen while swiping her finger up the screen. 

 

Moxley. 

 

There it was staring back at her, all their text messages she could not bring herself to ever delete. I hope your Thanksgiving was a lot better than mine.  Go on and tell me ‘I told you so’.  You’ve earned that right, Moxley.

 

I fucking told you so. It came back within five minutes and Jon was guessing it wasn’t as satisfying as he imagined it would be because it was over a text message, and not face to face like he always thought it would be. Meh.  Doesn’t have the same bite as in person would.  How bad was it? Not that he would say it to her face, not after already saying it.  Jon wasn’t about to rub more salt in the wound.  Anytime soon, anyway.  He imagined it grated her admitting to him what he had tried telling her multiple times.

 

If we see each other in person again, you can tell me to my face then.  And it wasn’t bad so much as liberating.  I’m just glad it’s over and behind me now and I can move forward with my life.  Sorry for worrying you, Jon.  And sorry for everything else too. That was about as good of an apology as she could muster up through text messaging.  If Jon was here, it would’ve been a long longer and better, but Carmen wasn’t pushing him to come see her or anything.  She wanted to ask him how he’d been these past five months, but decided against it, leaning back in her chair to wait for his response.

 

I’m not planning on saying it again.  Once was enough, NS.

 

To be honest, he wasn’t expecting an apology from her or even hearing from Carmen for a while.  They had NOT been nice to each other the last time they saw each other in Cincinnati.  She had accused him of trying to lure into bed with him, which had NOT been on his agenda at all.  Jon had gone off on her for her stupid decision-making abilities when it came to her equally senseless relationship with Stephen.

 

Lunch sometime soon?  I’ll actually buy.

 

She supposed being called NS instead of mama was Jon’s way of keeping things neutral between them.  It bothered her to be called NS due to their history, but that was her own issue to deal with. If you’re in the area, I wouldn’t say no to lunch in the future.  Just let me know and I’ll let you know if I’m around or not. This sounded so awkward and Carmen hated it since this was her fault this happened. 

 

Maybe it was too soon to contact Jon after breaking things off with Stephen.  Turning to stare down at the paperwork in front of her, Carmen started in on it since Jon didn’t message her back, determined to get some work done.  By the time the clock struck midnight, she finally left the building and headed home, glad most of the paperwork had been taken care of.

 

He had called her NS after deciding she wasn’t a stalker, his way of acknowledging she hadn’t been stalking his oh-so-stalkable self, but had just been a quiet fan with money to blow.  Also, some things just stuck to a person, with them, and that was one of his things with her.  He also called her mama because of her habit of spoiling him and darlin’.  Right now, with them not having spoken in months, referring to her as either of those things didn’t feel right and Jon wasn’t about to come out swinging and try getting her into something with her.  

 

Carmen needed time to breathe after being smothered by another dipshit.

 

Chapter 57

 

“Oh shit!  SHIT!!”

 

Wednesday night answered a question Jessica had regarding what Stephen would do now that he knew who the ‘other man’ was.  Jon was in the ring cutting a promo, claiming nobody was on his level and he was still at the top of the food chain in the company.  AEW was HIS company, title or not.  It was so nice to sit and watch him again, though Jon had remained quiet after she sent that last text to him.  Currently, she was on her bed with a bowl of popcorn in hand, watching AEW Dynamite, when none other than ‘Hangman’ Adam Page’s music blared throughout the arena. 

 

Stephen was pissed and it showed clear as day on his face as he stalked to the ring, going nose to nose with Jon. 

 

“You sure you wanna do this again, man?  After what happened last time-” Jon barely got those words out before he was jacked right in the jaw by Hangman’s fist, forcing him to stumble back. 

 

That in turn started an all-out brawl between the two where security had to spill out from the back to break them apart.  It did not take a rocket scientist to figure out why Stephen targeted Jon and all Carmen could do was watch in shock and horror, hating that it had come down to this.  Somewhere, deep down, she knew it would because both men wanted her and only one could ultimately have her.  She grabbed her phone, really hoping Jon was all right because he had tripped during the brawl on the rampway, trying to get to Stephen.  It also made her freeze because what if this was all planned and part of the show instead of Stephen simply getting revenge against Jon? 

 

“I need to calm the fuck down.” She muttered, pouring herself a much needed drink and continued watching the show.

 

About a half an hour later, it showed Jon and Stephen backstage fighting again, both of them trying to tear each other apart yet once more.  There was no way in hell this was scripted, especially when Stephen rammed Jon into a metal garage door, making Carmen cringe.

 

There was nothing scripted about this.

 

Stephen hadn’t gotten mad at Carmen for what had happened.  He had gotten mad at the man, who was squarely to blame for all their problems.  None of this would have happened if Jon hadn’t decided that he was jealous of her attention being somewhere other than on him and pursued her, put doubts in her head, and seductively coerced her into his bed more than once.  WHILE knowing she was seeing someone else!  Without a doubt, Jon was getting the impression that this was something personal, especially when he got an elbow in the face and that had him lashing out with a heavy boot at whatever he could catch.  Then it was Stephen being whipped into that damn garage door.

 

Carmen couldn’t stop her fingers from flying over the screen on her phone, texting Jon as soon as that backstage segment ended.  Something in her gut told her this wasn’t scripted and she had to make sure Jon was all right.  Stephen had rammed him back first into the steel garage door and then Jon had retaliated.  Neither had gotten the upper hand on each other and she was worried for Jon’s safety.  It was stupid considering this was the same man who loved death matches, but that didn’t stop her from checking on him.

 

Are you okay?  Please tell me that was scripted, Jon. Before Carmen could stop herself, she pressed the send button and waited nervously, sipping her tumbler of whiskey slowly.

 

Jon couldn’t send anything back anytime soon because, as soon as he and Stephen had been pulled apart, they had been taken for lookovers by the medics and a dressing down from the head honchos.  That included Chris since he was the defacto locker room leader.  Jon actually felt…bad, knowing damn well that even though he hadn’t started this fight, he had technically started the drama by seducing Carmen, knowing she was with another man.  He only felt bad because of the problems it had just caused, including his raging headache.  

 

Once cleared to leave and feeling like he had somehow disappointed his Daddy, Jon headed to get his belongings, spotting his cell phone blinking. I’m alive, mama.

 

Jon was also a locker room leader in AEW, but Chris outranked him.  Honestly, Chris was more disappointed with Stephen’s behavior because personal issues were supposed to be left at the door after what happened with CM Punk and the All Out media scrum.  He, along with Jon and Bryan Danielson, had rallied the locker room and made it clear that there were to be no personal issues addressed on camera from now on.  Stephen had violated that rule and it was implemented by Tony Khan, so he was in hot water with the main boss and company at the moment.  Chris and Jon were close friends and Chris knew how much the man loved Carmen.  The only disappointment he felt was the fact Jon hadn’t realized soon enough Carmen was more than just a friend to him, that was it.

 

Carmen was a little tipsy when she received that message and being called ‘mama’ again by Jon caused her to burst into tears. Good, I’m glad. “It wasn’t scripted…” She whispered, knowing Jon would’ve answered her question if it was. 

 

Stephen had attacked him because of her…and after what happened with CM Punk, she just hoped that Jon wasn’t reprimanded for this since Stephen was the one who attacked him first.  On the contrary, Tony Khan was already planning on having Jon and Stephen resolve their issues in the ring at the next pay-per-view event.  They were about to turn this around and make it an actual storyline, whether the men wanted to or not.

 

Jon had known Chris wasn’t disappointed in him, but just seeing that look on the older man’s face had bothered him.  Just like seeing it on some other’s faces had bothered him because he knew he wasn’t innocent in the grand scheme of things.  He had slept with Carmen, knowing she was taken and that was lighting a fire, practically daring a man to come for him.  Jon was just surprised it had taken Page this long to make a move.

 

You okay? Jon was catching a ride back to his motel, not about to drive when he had a raging headache that was threatening to go full nuclear on him.  Steel garage doors HURT.

 

Emotionally I’m a wreck, but you already knew that.  This is my fault he attacked you like that.  If I just said no to a second time around with him, none of this would be happening. “Not to mention screaming out your name during sex with him.  I’m sure that didn’t help matters any either.” Carmen muttered to herself, finishing off the tumbler before refilling it.  If Jon was here, there would be no drinking because she did not do it in front of him.  She loved him too much to ever torture him like that. I’m really glad you’re okay though.  Don’t worry about me, just focus on yourself, handsome.

 

On one hand, Jon could have easily let her take all the blame.  It would have been easy for him to absolve himself of all sin since she was ready and willing to take it on.  His personal Jesus, he grinned at the reference, already switching to the song on his mobile.  Depeche Mode was awesome.  However, on that other hand…Jon knew he had seduced her, led her down a path she had tried to resist, so…he wouldn’t hang Carmen out to dry.

 

Mama, this is on me too. He could accept his fault and, without realizing it, he was showing Carmen that she didn’t have to go through alone.  She could have someone with her as an equal, finally.

 

That meant a lot to read those words staring back at her.  He was right, they were both at fault for this, not just her and not just him.  They were both equally guilty for what happened and they both had to take responsibility for it. You really mean that, don’t you?  Thank you, Jon. Carmen didn’t know if it was the whiskey or what, but she longed for Jon to be with her, missing him more than she thought was possible.  And she decided to go for it. I’ve missed texting and talking to you like this.

 

Five months without him…she didn’t want any more distance between them.  Whether they wound up together or not, Carmen did not want to lose her friendship with Jon and wanted to repair it.  It would take time and effort, but in the end, it would be worth it as long as she had Jon in her life in some capacity, even if it all it ended up being was friendship.  For all she knew, Jon did not love her anymore and she would not blame him if that was the case.

 

I bet, I’m the breath of fresh air you’ve always needed. It was meant as a joke, but he was also voice texting right now, giving his driver instructions because he didn’t want to be dropped off at the main entrance of his already cheap motel.  Cheap meant a higher probability of ring rats, not even the good ones of the olden days when Taker and D Generation X had been in their prime.  No…these were older, wearier, ring rats hoping to relive some glory or something and it was both sad and disturbing. I got to start picking better places to stay.

 

That’s not who you are though.  You love the small motels unlike the luxury suites I usually get. That made her laugh softly, knowing Jon wouldn’t be able to dispute any of that. But if you’re really uncomfortable at the place you’re at now, I could always get you a hotel suite and you can get a good night’s sleep?  I am your sugar mama after all. Carmen added a wink emoji for good measure, waiting for Jon to reject the offer because that wasn’t who he was.  She was floored when she received a text message back from him asking if she would do that because there had been break-ins at the motel he was staying at.  That made her decide to call him directly. “Are you serious right now?  Was your room broken into?”

 

“Yes…” Jon sounded disgusted because his room had not only been broken into, but it had been used.  His belongings were strewn all over the room from his bag that he didn’t take into the arenas, his personal toiletries and attire. “I just called and canceled my emergency credit card because it was taken.” He had kept that in the bottom of a small fanny pack, in a cheap safe.  This was literally the first time in years Jon had ever had a problem while on the road. “I’ll get you back once I get to a bank in the AM.” Everything was closed tonight and his debit card was at his house.  It was something he had started doing after rehabilitation, if he was ‘borrowing’ the money off a credit card, he was less likely to use it for anything except necessities.

 

Like a safe place to sleep for the night!

 

“Okay, fuck another room.  I’m booking you a flight home instead.”

 

Jon had moved there over the past five months, though she had no unearthly clue why.  He loved the Red Rocks, he loved the desert, but he had always claimed Cincinnati as home.  There were rumors and reports that his mother might be ill, but since they weren’t talking at the time, Carmen had no idea what the deal was.  All she knew was it was shocking to read that he now resided in Cincinnati, Ohio instead of the City of Sin.

 

“You have your ID on you, right?” Jon growled a firm ‘yes’ in her ear, making her shiver.  NO!  Now wasn’t the time to be thinking naughty! “Good, that’s all you’ll need to claim the ticket and fly home.  I’ll have a car waiting for you at the airport to take you home and then you can handle the rest from there, okay?  Don’t worry about paying me back either.  I owe you a couple for all the shit you’ve put up with from me over the years we’ve known each other.”

 

“Whatever, I’ll pay it back.” A flight was a lot more than a room and Jon wasn’t one for charity.  He was also logging into his credit card profile to report the card stolen, effectively shutting it down and opening a fraud alert on it. “Okay, mama, I’m going.  I’ll text you at the airport.” Jon was now arranging a ride with an Uber. 

 

He may not have been big on social media, but he knew how to use the internet and sometimes, it was a lifesaver, like now.  He laughed when she made a smart ass remark about him not listening and said goodbye, hanging up and then groaned.  So much for that good night’s sleep.

 

An hour later, due to heavy traffic in the area, Jon had finally texted her and let her know everything was fine.  He had gotten the ticket and boarded the plane, once again reiterating he would pay her back.  Carmen did not care about the money at all, she was more concerned for Jon’s safety and couldn’t believe someone had broken into his motel room.  If he was smart, from now on, he would get a regular hotel room with some security in the building, at the very least.  If it was up to her, she would make sure he had a comfortable suite in every hotel he had to stay in while on the road.

 

I’m glad, now let me know when you land and when you get home, handsome. It was a straight shot to Cincinnati with no layovers, a redeye flight, so Jon would be home in just a few hours and could sleep in his own bed.

 

Jon would NEVER allow her to pay for his rooms and safety, unless it was a dire situation.  He had even told her via text earlier he would have to give up his seedy motel rooms for better quarters, safer places, just based on the sight in the parking lot when he had arrived earlier.  He wasn’t in his 20’s anymore, as much as it pained him to admit.  While Jon could hold his own ground, there just wasn’t any sense in getting into problems anymore just because he had a preference that border lined dangerous.

 

Made it, thank you. He contemplated just crashing on his floor once he was through his front door, exhausted in every way possible.

 

When she woke up in the morning and saw that text message after 5 AM, it made her smile and she sent him one back. Anytime.  Sorry, I passed out once I knew you were on the plane.  Thank you for letting me know and talk soon. Stretching her arms in the air, Carmen slid out of bed and pulled her robe on, needing some coffee. 

 

Without realizing it, she had a smile on her face and it was genuine.  It felt like the biggest weight had been lifted from her shoulders now that she was talking to Jon again.  Truthfully, she wished Jon would’ve flown here instead.  Waking up in his arms would’ve been pure bliss and she sighed softly, letting out another yawn before going to make some coffee.  Surprisingly, she didn’t have a hangover and felt better than she had in a while.

 

Jon had slept pretty soundly himself, sleeping past his normal waking hours, thanks to the tumultuous night before.  He heard his phone go off and popped one eye open, feeling Blue sleeping against his side and on the lower half of his left arm. “Man, you’re getting fat, buddy.” He groaned, trying to wiggle his fingers, but his arm was pins and needles, yawning as he managed to roll over to free his arm.  

 

With the one that wasn’t tingly, he reached for his cell phone.  Carmen.  He stared at the wall, contemplating that woman, and wondered how a face to face meeting would go.  It was all well and fine to text each other, but…Jon knew they had been hurtful to each other the last time they had seen each other.

 

However, they were also moving past all that, right?

 

Chapter 58

 

Carmen was halfway through the breakfast she made for herself, along with her second cup of coffee, when she received a call from Kylie. “Wait, say that again?”

 

“Mr. Woltz wants to speak with you regarding his property with us.  He wants to sell it, I think.” Kylie hated making this phone call, especially since Mr. Woltz and her boss were no longer together. 

 

It was splattered all over social media.

 

Thanks to Carmen doing damage control.  She had gone on social media, simply said she and Stephen were no longer together, and thanked everyone for their support.  That was the gist of it.  There would be no miscommunication or doubts about their relationship ending this time around, Carmen made sure of it.

 

“Please inform Mr. Woltz that I will be directing him to Mr. Hughes and he’ll handle anything our client needs.” Her professionalism was on point today, the tone in her voice conveying finality.  There was no room for argument.

 

“Yes ma’am, I will inform him at once.  I hope you’re doing all right.” They were friends, but Kylie also treaded carefully when it came to Carmen and the hesitation in her voice spoke volumes.

 

Carmen smiled softly, her voice also softening. “Don’t worry, Ky, I’m perfectly fine and thank you for worrying about me.  I’ll be in the office in the morning, I’m taking the day off today.” Maybe a walk on the beach or doing some shopping downtown would get her mind off things.

 

“If you need more time off, don’t hesitate to take it, Carmen, okay?” Now Kylie sounded serious, jotting down some notes on her pad of paper. “And if you need to talk, you know I’m always here for you.”

 

“I know, thank you, Ky.  You’re the best, see you tomorrow.” They hung up together and Carmen set the phone down, tapping her nails against the table thoughtfully.  Stephen was trying to find any way he could to see her and it would not happen.  She wanted nothing to do with him as long as she lived, regretting ever getting involved with him in the first place. “Nice try, asshole, not happening.”

 

Stephen wasn’t going to give up, obviously.  He had put all that time into her, his effort, and she had run at the first sign of something she didn’t like, which wasn’t fair.  He had stayed with her after she had cheated on him, twice, and called out another man’s name during sex.  Carmen basically owed him one more chance because Lord knew he had given her several.  When he learned that she was basically signing him over to one of her agents, he grew frustrated.  She was purposefully being difficult now.  He sent flowers with an apology note, wondering how long she was going to hold a grudge against him.

 

There would be no more chances given. 

 

What part of she didn’t love him did Stephen not understand?  The moment those flowers were delivered, she promptly dropped them, vase and all, right into her big trashcan outside, dusting her hands off.  He could send her all the flowers he wanted.  He could make all the excuses in the world and beg her for another chance.  It wasn’t happening.

 

“If he doesn’t stop, I’m going to have to get the authorities involved.” Carmen muttered, not wanting to take that step, but she would if it meant making the man leave her alone. This joker just won’t leave me the fuck alone.  He sent me flowers after contacting the office about selling his house and he wanted me to handle it personally.  I told Kylie to send him to someone else, I want nothing to do with him!  Sorry for venting, I’m just frustrated, Moxley. Lighting up a cigarette, she stood outside in her gated backyard and sat down on her patio furniture, watching the sunset.

 

Jon wouldn’t even bother telling her to report the guy because there was probably nothing to be done.  There were no laws saying he couldn’t send her flowers or anything.  Now if Stephen showed up at her business and tried pushing his luck, that might be a whole new ballgame.  Maybe.  Jon would be the first to admit that a lot of the time, the police sucked at their jobs because of lack of laws or just general lack of enforcement.

 

Want me to nail him at work?  Just say the word, mama. Because he could probably make it look like an accident.

 

Actually, I’m thinking about hiring a bodyguard if he doesn’t leave me alone.  I really don’t want to do it, but if it means my safety, I’m willing to do just about anything to protect myself.

 

She had to have a bodyguard for a few years after her last relationship because the man was insane and stalked her.  It took a restraining order, along with various means of security, before he finally got the hint and left her alone.  It’d been six years since she’d heard from him and Carmen hoped to keep it that way.  That was why she didn’t know what Stephen would do or what he was capable of now that he was trying to pursue her again, after being dumped.

 

I’ll handle it.  Don’t do anything at work that will get you in trouble, please.

 

Are you kidding, mama?  They love me there.  Humble brag: I’m the backbone of that place. There was nothing humble at all about that, but it was also mostly true.  Whenever things went south, he wound up giving up his time off to come save the day, so to speak and lately, it seemed like a lot had gone downhill in AEW, not in just his personal life, but professional as well. To be honest though, he don’t seem the crazy and stalker type.  If he can’t win you back conventionally, he’ll probably ride off and fuck a horse.  Or whatever it is cowboys do.

 

“JON!” Carmen laughed out at that message, nearly choking on smoke because she had taken a drag the same time she read what he sent. Thanks for nearly making me choke on smoke.  And I don’t care what he fucks as long as he stays away from me.  I’ll see how it goes.  This wouldn’t be the first time I had to hire a bodyguard because of a psycho.  Also, you ARE the backbone of that company without a doubt, Jon.  After what happened with Punk in that media scrum, Tony Khan should be on his knees kissing your ass every single day you’re there.  You saved the company and carried it on your back so many times, it’s no wonder people rely on you, respect you, and call you a locker room leader.  Because you are and you’re amazing, just so you know. Smiling, she sent that back to him before finishing off her cigarette, enjoying the warm Florida breeze.

 

That right there had him grinning and his confidence surging again.  Carmen still loved him.  Of course, he knew he needed to let her get past the trauma the moron cowboy had inflicted on her with his issues, and then…then they could talk about them, again.

 

I love you too, NS. Jon sent back after a few moments of chuckling, padding around his kitchen in nothing except his birthday suit as he contemplated the contents of his refrigerator.  If Stephen was smart, he’d back off. Why’d you have to hire a bodyguard before?  What psycho? Obviously, not him.

 

Her cheeks reddened and her heart began to pound in her chest at those words.  He still loved her after everything she put him through.  Then Carmen realized what she’d said in that long text message and swallowed hard, not sure if she should tell Jon about her ex.  There was no way to avoid it and, honestly, there was no harm telling Jon about the monster she’d been with prior to Stephen.

 

My ex around five or six years ago tried to extort me out of a lot of money and also tried taking over my business.  He was very controlling, manipulative and verbally abusive.  Day after day, he would tell me how horrible I looked, how fat I was, shit like that and it went to my head.  I started to change myself and my appearance for him, thinking it would make him happy.  He never struck me or anything, but the verbal abuse was enough to deal with.  After I broke up with him, he started stalking me all over the place and I finally had to hire a bodyguard, along with taking legal action, to get him to leave me alone.  It’s not part of my past I like to talk about often because I actually stayed with that piece of shit for two years before cutting him loose.  And after what Stephen did on Thanksgiving, I refused to be with another manipulative bastard.  That is one thing you have never done is try to manipulate and use me for my money.  It’s one of the many reasons I love you so much…and I still do.  I never stopped and I never will either. Closing her eyes, Carmen knew it was probably far too soon to say that to him, but Jon had done it first and she felt now was the best time to tell him.  Text messaging was a huge part of their friendship and she had zero regrets about anything she sent in that text message.

 

Truthfully, that was a LOT and Jon’s blue eyes were wide as he read her lengthy message, wondering why after several years she was just NOW telling him this about her ex.  No wonder she got so annoyed with him referring to her as stalker in the beginning!  Because she had been stalked!  He didn’t think Stephen would be quite as bad as this ex of hers, though he could be wrong.  Statistically speaking, highly unlikely, but unfortunately, humans did not always go with the statistics.

 

I don’t have to use you, you throw it at me, mama. He had already decided he wasn’t going to hide how he felt, which was why he had thrown out that ‘I love you’.  Otherwise, Carmen really would think he had only done it because she had been with some other guy and that was the last thing he wanted.

 

What can I say?  I like being your sugar mama and taking care of you.  Deal with it, handsome. Carmen headed back inside to get dressed, deciding she would be going out for the day to explore.  Shopping was on the agenda for sure, she needed a few things and wanted to get started on Christmas. I wanted to ask you what you’re doing for Christmas this year.  If you’re not busy, wanna spend it together?

 

They had already dropped the L word to each other, so the next logical step was seeing each other in person and spending time together.  Just before she was getting ready to leave, another delivery happened and it was more of the same flowers that Stephen sent her earlier.  Into the trashcan they went as she climbed into her Rolls Royce and pulled out of the driveway, blasting music.

 

Considering how her Thanksgiving had gone, she was probably NOT going to like his answer. Spending it with my actual momma and Blue.

 

Jon had turned down his standing invitation with Chris and Jessica, along with invites from other friends who had made a lot of commentary about his ‘loner ass’ spending Christmas alone.  He wasn’t, just keeping it low key this year and honestly, at the time, he had thought she would be shacked up with Stephen still.  The man had been PERFECT, or so it seemed.  Perfection was overrated.

 

I’m free for New Years. Since he didn’t drink anymore, well, he did, but only his non-alcoholic beers he loved.  Jon had a preferred beverage, something that sated his desire for beer, but wasn’t a damn beer, not really.  Lots of New Year’s activities included alcohol and he was still actively avoiding those situations. Unless you want to come hang out with momma and Blue with me.  No pressure for kids. His mother was chill.

 

No offense to your mother, but after what happened at Thanksgiving, I don’t want anything to do with parents right now.  You enjoy your Mom and Blue for the holidays.  I’ll see what’s going on for New Year’s and let you know.

 

Carmen wasn’t upset since she hated Christmas anyway, but would shop for her employees and a few other people that she knew would buy for her.  She almost suggested they see each other before Christmas, but stopped herself and instead walked into the first store, rolling her eyes at the décor.  It looked like Christmas puked all over the place, but even Carmen had to admit, the beautiful tree in the center was beautiful.  Also, if Stephen sent her one more thing or tried contacting her in any way again, she would be hiring a bodyguard.

 

Normally, Jon would have been pumping the brakes because he was no chick’s rebound.  He was too good looking to be second place for a woman, who had just gotten out of a relationship and had no idea what to do with herself.  However, he firmly believed that Carmen had never really loved Stephen, simply because she wasn’t willing to compromise on a lot of things whereas Stephen had bent over backwards.  Even Jon knew love didn’t work like that.  When a person really loved someone, it was a 50/50 thing though they also tended to make sure that their personal goals and lives aligned together.

 

Also, Carmen was in love with HIM. Your loss.  I can’t cook for shit, but I can bake candies like nobody’s business. Which was something he had learned from some old widow woman, who had sheltered him a few times during the holidays when his mother hadn’t been at her…best.

 

I’m sure those candies are delicious too.  Enjoy them with her. It had taken a few hours for Carmen to send that back because she’d gone on a shopping spree. 

 

Everyone was taken care of for Christmas, including Jon.  She had no idea when she’d see him again in person, but when she did, she’d have the gift waiting for him.  Florida didn’t seem like the right place to spend Christmas, so Carmen set up her private jet to take off until the New Year.  Stephen did not know where she was located in Washington, only Hawaii and Florida, so he wouldn’t be able to send her anything or contact her.

 

Heading to Washington and checking out for a while.  Just thought I’d let you know. Before she left, however, Carmen had to drop off the gifts for Jessica, Chris, and the kids she had gotten for them.

 

Chapter 59

 

“You’re really going to Washington for Christmas?” Jessica was sad, handing over Carmen’s Christmas gift.

 

“Yeah, I need to get out of here for a while and decompress after everything that happened.”

 

“Have you spoken to Jon at all?”

 

“Yeah, we’ve been texting back and forth…and I asked if he wanted to spend Christmas together, but he’s spending it with his mother and I just can’t be there right now.” Holidays were hard for her and Carmen refused to put herself in another awkward situation. “Anyway, I leave tonight and I won’t be back until it’s a New Year, so I wanted to drop these off now.”

 

“So, you’re going to spend it totally alone?”

 

Jessica got why Carmen wouldn’t want to be in Florida for the holiday season.  She and Stephen had a lot of memories here, not to mention he’d known to look for her here.  He had come here once, just once, and Chris had handled it.  She had no idea what her husband had said, but she was assuming Stephen had wanted to talk to her because when Chris had come back inside, it had been to inform her that Stephen wouldn’t be coming around again.  To let him know if the man heckled her in any way, shape, or form. 

 

Jessica supposed that came from being friends with Carmen. “That’s no way to spend Christmas.”

 

“Not the first time I’ve done it.” Probably wouldn’t be the last time either. “Honestly, ever since my parents died, I don’t really…celebrate it.  Doesn’t feel right without them here.  I don’t put a tree up or any decorations of any kind because it just saddens me.  I really didn’t want to go to West Virginia with Stephen either, but I felt obligated being his girlfriend to do it.  Now that I don’t have that burden to carry around anymore, I’m free to do what I want again.”

 

Being rich and single was a lonely life, but Carmen was used to it, even with her relationships.  The psycho she’d been with prior to Stephen didn’t like the holidays either, so they never celebrated it. Jessica and Chris had their beautiful family with their parents and other family members to celebrate it with.  Carmen had nobody since her mother and father were both only children, so no aunts or uncles and no cousins either.  Her grandparents on both sides were also deceased, thanks to cancer.

 

“I have a confession, I’m jealous of you, Jess.  I’d give anything to swap places with you, just so I know what it’s like to have a big family to spend Christmas and the holidays with.  You’re incredibly lucky and blessed, sweetie.”

 

“You could always spend Christmas with us, Carmen, you’re an honorary Auntie, after all.” Jessica offered quietly, without coming across as pushy.  

 

It sounded like Carmen needed some holiday cheer and a proper Christmas to fix that grinchy heart.  That wasn’t the exact right way of wording it because Carmen was one of the most generous people she knew.  However, the Grinch, the Jim Carrey version, came to mind because of how troubled his youth had been, which led to despising Christmas, being alone on it.  

 

Carmen just…needed to find her Who. “Or take Jon up on his offer, I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have invited you if his mother was going to be pushy or assume things.  Also, it’s Mox, how much Christmas do you think the man does?  I honestly can’t see him doing all the bells and whistles.”

 

Tears filled Carmen’s eyes because she wanted more than anything to be with Jon for Christmas.  The only way to do that was spending time with his mother as well.  Could she do that?  Did Jon tell his mother about his stalker throughout his wrestling career?

 

“Honorary Auntie, huh?  I gotta admit, that sounds really nice to be called.” Even though Carmen never wanted children of her own, she did resent not having siblings to grow up with.  No sisters or brothers or cousins…it was lonely, but her parents were steadfast in always putting the business first. “All right, if Chris is okay with it, I’ll spend Christmas with you guys.” All Carmen knew was Jon’s mother lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, but she had no clue where that was. “But I’m bringing something to pass.”

 

“A dessert would be great.” Jessica grinned, having tears of her own and the two embraced tightly. “Stay for dinner.  I insist on it.”

 

Carmen nodded, taking her coat off and sat down while the kids put their presents from Auntie Carmen under the Christmas tree. Taking her phone out, she decided to let Jon know about her change of plans. Spending Christmas with Jess, Chris, and the kiddos instead of going to Washington.  It’s hard to say no to this woman I’m figuring out.

 

I would imagine so, she’s the only person I’ve ever seen Chris settle the hell down for.

 

Chris was 5 going on 60, or something, and Jessica was the only person who ever seemed to reign that inner child tendency into something adult-like.  Well, outside of work emergencies.  Was he disappointed she had skipped his offer and then decided to stay with them?  Maybe a little.  However, Jon also understood it and didn’t begrudge her for it either.  Carmen had no idea what she would be walking into here, especially with his mother.  He could tell her how chill and low key his mother was until he was blue in the face, but now knew she had trust issues and Page hadn’t made them any better.

 

Have fun, mama.

 

Christmas wasn’t for a few more weeks, but Jessica and Chris were in the holiday spirit from the moment the bird was devoured on Thanksgiving.  Carmen stayed for dinner, even helping in the kitchen while her and Jessica talked about anything that came to mind.  Honestly, she felt as if Jessica was the sister she never had.  They got along very well, hit it off instantly from the moment Chris invited her on the beach.  Going home that night, Carmen felt a lot better and had texted Jon every once in a while when she stepped outside to have a cigarette.

 

So, I know you’re busy for Christmas Day with your Mom and I’ll be at Jessica and Chris’s house, but what about Christmas Eve?  Think we could see each other, so I can give you your gift?

 

Probably not, mama.  I’ll be here with Mom.  We haven’t done the Christmas thing in a while. Jon had in years past been plastered or was traveling during the holidays.  He had done so much traveling on holidays in his earlier years.  He imagined he still would if he felt the situation called for it. What’re you doing for New Year’s? Hadn’t he asked that already?  So far, that was when he wasn’t booked, personally or professionally. Seriously, we could go back to Japan.  We both loved it there. Japan was actually where their relationship started after that parking lot incident where they had run into each other, repeatedly.

 

It was in Japan when they started learning about each other as people.

 

Japan.  That had been an amazing time with Jon, even though she had done everything in her power to hide from him.  She did not want him knowing she was there for the G1 Climax. I’m all yours for New Year’s and I’ll let you decide where we go.  I wanna stay in the States though, as much as I love Japan, I don’t want to leave the States right now.  You make the plans and tell me where to be and I’ll be ready and waiting for you. She sat inside her Rolls Royce in the driveway, pushing the send button and leaned her head back against the seat, really hoping she didn’t regret giving Jon a chance.  Granted, he held her heart captive and always had it, even when she was with Stephen and the psycho ex. “I love you so much, Jon.  Please don’t hurt me.”

 

How about YOU make the plans since you keep shooting mine down?  Surprise me. He had invited her for Christmas and then New Year’s, even suggested Japan, only to be shot down.

 

Jon had a feeling Carmen was still figuring out her life at the moment, given what had happened only such a short time ago with Page.  The one area she definitely still had going good and was firmly in control over was her business.  It had to suck being her age, having her wealth and power, and not feeling like she was in charge.  Carmen had to look over her shoulder for psycho men, had to make decisions based on them, and had a skewed perception on holidays and families because hers had died.  Hm.

 

At this point, she needed a Christmas miracle. “Fuck, I’m turning into a Hallmark movie….”

 

There was a reason why she refused to spend Christmas with him.  His mother.  She did not want to meet the woman during a holiday.  If it was any other time, she wouldn’t have a problem, but after what happened with Stephen’s parents, Carmen didn’t want a repeat of that.  What if the old lady wanted her to have kids with Jon too?  Jon didn’t want children, she knew that, but mothers had a way of persuading what they wanted.  Jessica and Chris’s parents would be coming over on Christmas Eve, so they wouldn’t be there Christmas Day and she was fine with that.

 

Nope, if you wanna do something special or specific, you make the plans.  Otherwise, we’ll just spend it at one of my five houses. Stepping out of her Rolls Royce, Carmen let out a yawn and headed inside to get ready for bed.

 

She would never have to worry about that because his mother didn’t care if she had grandchildren.  She was just thankful she had him in her life, given all the problems and issues they had been through, a nice chunk of it being her own fault.  She also knew not to push at things because Jon had no problem in walking away, even from his own mother.

 

I don’t want to hang at any of your places, FYI. For someone who didn’t want to make the plans, she was very picky.  Japan also had the best fireworks, festivals with dancing dragons, and a whole bunch of other things throughout the holiday.  New Year’s was very big in Japan.  Sighing, he shoved that entire idea on the backburner.  Stubborn ass woman!

 

Fine, Japan it is.  We have to leave two days prior to get there because of how long the flight is, even in my private jet.  It’s going to take a while.  I’ve made the arrangements already, so no backing out, Moxley.  Looking forward to going back to the start with you. Carmen sent that two hours later, after a shower and deep thinking.  Escaping the States was probably the best thing she could do right now because of Stephen.  Jon promptly sent her a thumbs up and a one-finger salute, making her laugh. I’m stubborn, you should know this about me by now, but you had a great idea with Japan.  Let’s do it, Death Rider-san.

 

I knew you’d see it my way. She was such a giant pain in his backside and Jon hoped, for both their sakes or else New Year’s was going to suck, she had a good Christmas with Chris, Jessica and their brood. You handle the rooms and shit or do I get to do that?  I’m helping pay this time, Carmen. He used her actual name so she got that he was serious.

 

Jon wasn’t friends with her or in love with her because of her money and he did not need to be spoiled all the time.  Sometimes, it was nice to be able to pay for something.  Shit!  He needed to get her a Christmas present, or a New Year’s gift as it were.  What the HELL did a person get someone who already had everything though?

 

Handle the room since they know you over there. No doubt Jon would get an amazing deal because he was well-known where they were heading.  Technically, all she was paying for was the jet fuel that would fly them to Japan.  There was no sense in purchasing a plane ticket when she had a private jet that could fly her wherever she wanted, when she wanted. Be honest with me, did you really want me to come to Cincinnati and spend Christmas with you and your mother?  Does she even know who I am and what I did, how I followed you around most of your career?  She’d probably call me an actual stalker if she knew the truth.

 

She knew damn well how they treated him over there, which wasn’t something he was trying to rely on, but…it came with the territory of being a respected ‘San’.  Jon figured one day, he might retire to Japan since they treated wrestling like it was an art form and wrestlers were respected there… it was amazing. Yes and yes, she does.  She thought it was a funny story when I got to the part about you being rich and shit.

 

Mostly because HE had called Carmen a stalker and his mother had said something along the lines of him being purchased off the damn market.  There was some old people jokes and wisdom in there, he knew it, but damned if the woman didn’t have a mouth and sense of humor like his.  She had made some ‘hooker’ jokes about her baby boy, so he had made some real life hooker jokes about his ho Mom.  It had been amusing.

 

You’d have to meet her to understand, she’s like me, with tits.  Less facial hair.

 

~!~

 

It was snowing hard in Cincinnati, but luckily, her jet was able to fly and land at the airport.  The Uber car pulled up out front of a two story house, which had a few Christmas decorations, but it wasn’t over the top.  Carmen took a deep breath, wearing a long sleeved red sweater dress with black leggings and black snow boots.  Silver hoops were in her ears and her honey blonde hair was piled up on top of her head.  Jon hadn’t seen the drastic hair change yet, so he was in for a surprise.  Stepping out of the Uber, she grabbed her bag and tipped the driver handsomely before turning to stare up at the house. 

 

Jon wanted her here and after some thinking, she told Jessica she wanted to be with him for Christmas Eve and Day.  It was just his mother and if they had any kind of future together, she had to get to know the older woman.  Jessica was all smiles, wishing her well, and now here she was, hearing her heart pounding in her ears.  Walking up to the door, Carmen took another deep breath and knocked with her gloved hand, waiting for someone to answer.

 

Carmen had to ring the doorbell twice after no response to the knocks and was greeted to voices.

 

“Jonny, wear the damn hat!”

 

“Ma, I don’t think so…” It wasn’t even a proper Santa hat, it had a bell and tinsel dangling off it.

 

“You LOST the round, wear it, or is Mox a cheat?”

 

“Ma, I ain’t, MA- YOU SUCK!” It was a shout mixed with laughter followed by the door opening.  There stood Jon, in a black Henley top with a jingly Santa hat being forced on him from behind.  He was grinning, his face flushed, and he opened his mouth to greet what they had assumed to be carolers, but it…was Carmen. “You changed your hair.”

 

“Smooth, Jonny…real smooth,” His mother peered around him, wearing a reindeer headband.  SHE had lost the last round of their Christmas poker game, it was humiliating and amusing. “Hello?  Can I help-?”

 

“Ma, this is Carmen.”

 

Chapter 60

 

Apparently, they were playing some kind of game and it amused her to see Jon with a Christmas hat on.  Jonny.  Something told Carmen only his mother could get away with calling him that, along with Sami Callihan. “Great observation, handsome.” She smiled at the older woman, extending her hand. “Carmen Diamond, it’s very nice to meet you, ma’am.”

 

She had no idea what to call Jon’s mother because she didn’t know if the woman shared his last name or not.  It was almost surreal that she was standing on Jon Moxley’s mother’s front porch…would Carmen ever stop being starstruck by him?  Probably not.  In love or not, she was still his biggest fan and supporter, aside from his mother.

 

“I’ve heard about you, I’m Linda.” She took the offered hand, her eyes the same shade of ice blue as her son’s and shook, observing the younger woman thoughtfully.  

 

There was something about genuinely wealthy people.  Their clothes didn’t usually come out of branded designer shops, but were tailored to fit them exclusively.  They looked put together, had this air, and this woman was loaded.  She was also in love with Jon, that was plain as the nose on her face.

 

“Come on in.  Don’t,” Linda grabbed Jon’s hand before he could take off the hat. “You dare.  If I have to wear these damn things, you’re wearing the hat.”

 

Jon waited until his mother had disappeared back into the dining room before pulling Carmen inside properly, still a bit curious about the hair. “When’d this happen, mama?” He took a few silky strands between his fingers, strands that had escaped her hairdo.

 

“The day after Thanksgiving.  I just felt like I needed a change and it’s really grown on me.” She spoke softly, drinking him in visually since they hadn’t seen each other since May.  Over half a year and she was finally standing in front of him again, staring into his beautiful blues and the smell of him sent warmth flooding through her body.  Carmen wasn’t sure what would happen once they saw each other face to face again, but so far, it wasn’t a letdown. “It’s okay if you don’t like it.  I know it’s a drastic change and you’ll have to get used to it.” The company had redone her glamour shot, so it showed she was a honey blonde now instead of an ebony beauty. “I’m glad I made it here.  It’s really coming down out there.”

 

It took him a moment to realize that he had seen this behavior in women before.  It was like a break-up reaction.  A physical, noticeable change in their appearance.  New hair cut or color, piercing, a tit job in some extreme cases.  It was a behavior he recognized and he just smiled, knowing what happened with Page hurt her a lot more than she’d ever admit.

 

“It does look good.” Jon was already missing the black, but that was because it was just…how he had always seen her and this amber honey blonde color did also did.  It actually gave her a warmth that Carmen hadn’t had before. “You could have told me you were coming, I’d have come picked you up.” He was helping her out of her winter coat, once she had set her bag down on the hallway floor.  It smelled like eggnog and cookies in here, which was all homemade because he and his mother were trying to start some traditions with the holiday.

 

“In this horrible weather?  No, it was easier for me to take the jet and then an Uber here.” Jon had given her the address just in case she changed her mind and wanted to spend Christmas with him. “I wanted to surprise you.  I just hope your Mom doesn’t mind.”

 

“Not at all!” Linda called out, having very good hearing and whistled while taking cookies out of the oven. “Putting the next batch in, Jonny boy!”

 

It smelled amazing in here and felt surprisingly comfortable as Jon took Carmen by the hand, pulling her closer to him.  Later, they would actually talk and make things official, even though they’d texted each other every day and night since she left Stephen.  He offered her some eggnog and she took it, sipping it with a smile while he showed her the house before venturing into the kitchen.

 

“What kinda cookies are you making, Linda?”

 

“Jonny’s cookies, he made white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies.” Linda had said he was out of his mind because he didn’t buy the off brand ingredients and those nuts themselves were expensive.  Jon had laughed her to hell and back and said if he was going to do this baking schtick, he was going to go all out and he had. “He also made that eggnog last night…”

 

“Ma, shut the hell up!  Don’t be telling her that!”

 

“I made it.” Linda deadpanned, snorting as she set the tray down on the stovetop.

 

“I had no idea you could bake.  Don’t worry, I won’t say anything.” Carmen winked with a soft giggle, taking one of the cookies from the tray that Linda held out and bit into it. “Oh wow, that’s really good!  I don’t remember the last time I had Christmas cookies.” Probably with Mom and Dad. “Do you mind if I have another one?”

 

“Eat as many as you want, there’s plenty to go around.”

 

“Thank you.” Carmen looked up at Jon, popping a cookie in his mouth and grinned at his playful glare back at her. “This eggnog is delicious and I usually don’t like eggnog.” No joke, she usually shied away from it, but the cinnamon flavor was very good. “Do you need any help in here, Linda?”

 

Now Linda was beginning to laugh at something in her head.  She was looking up at her son, then back to the various implements and ingredients scattered about her kitchen.  The dishwasher was running because they were cleaning as they went, but they had been at this for a bit with more to do.

 

“No, she doesn’t, you’d have to ask me.  She’s MY assistant.” Jon corrected, gathering what his mother found amusing.  HE was the one in charge of the baking, but because he had said ‘don’t tell her that’…he facepalmed himself when his mother began openly laughing at him.  

 

He had gotten his sense of humor from her and his dick tendencies, obviously.

 

“Ah okay, so you’re the one in charge of the kitchen here.” No matter how hard she tried not to laugh, Carmen couldn’t help it. “Jon Moxley as a chef.  Who would’ve thought?” That made her giggle harder. “You’re missing your chef’s hat and apron, then you’d have the look down.  If I would’ve known how much you enjoy baking and shit, I would’ve gotten you a personalized one.” He was being heckled by two women and the look on his face was camera worthy.

 

Linda was rolling from Carmen’s remarks and actually wiped tears away, gesturing to the next batch of cookies to go into the oven. “They ready to go in or not?”

 

Carmen walked over while the ‘chef’ looked over the cookies and popped them in the oven.  She took a seat at the table and looked around, feeling more comfortable here than she ever did with Stephen.  It was because of Jon, but his mother was also kind and Jon had been right.  Linda really was the female version of him and it was adorable watching them interact with each other while she sipped her eggnog.

 

“I TOLD you I bake.” Jon reminded Carmen, ignoring her commentary about seeing being believing.  

 

He huffed and rolled his eyes exasperatedly, but with a good natured smile.  On the table were their cards, they were playing a bastardized version of poker with a prop basket to the side, his mother’s laundry basket, filled with Christmas themed stuff.  Cell phones were also in play because they were documenting each other’s misery as it were.

 

“He’s got pies cooling out on the back porch.” Linda chuckled, pouring her own glass of eggnog and tossed a thumb over her shoulder at the door that led to her enclosed back porch. “And candies.”

 

“Oh yeah?  What kind?”

 

“There’s pumpkin, apple cinnamon, aaaaand shit, I can’t think of the other one.” Jon helped her out by reminding her of the rhubarb and she snapped her fingers. “That’s it, yeah.  It’s got a bunch of different berries in it, so we’ll see how it tastes.  Had to use frozen fruits to make it.”

 

“I’m sure it will be delicious.” Carmen wondered if they were making any actual food though because she was starving.  It was rude to ask that, however, so she kept it to herself.  Just then, the doorbell rang and Jon went to answer it, bringing back two huge pizza boxes to plant them on the table. Thank god there’s dinner food!

 

Linda was doing a proper dinner tomorrow for Christmas, or at least she insisted she was.  He was hoping her cooking had improved over the years because he remembered a lot of ramen and peanut butter sandwiches as a kid.  Jon washed his hands while his Mom set out paper plates, dropping down at the table with the ladies and grinned.

 

“My favorite.”

 

“Everything, including banana peppers…ugh.” Linda wrinkled her nose, offering the less offensive pizza to Carmen. “I have to ask Jonny, what are we going to do with all these treats?  There’s no way the three of us are going to be able to eat it all, even with some of it lasting a few weeks.” Like his candies.

 

“Shelters, Mom.” Jon planned on taking a good amount to them.  Places he had frequented for meals in his younger years.

 

Carmen recalled what he did for that adorable little girl in Japan, taking the Moxley stuffed animal from her and giving it to the child.  He really did have a soft spot for children and it made Carmen wonder why he didn’t want any of his own.  Then again, some people were better with kids that weren’t theirs.  Some people enjoyed simply being Aunts and Uncles or Godparents, whatever the label was.

 

“I’ll help you take them to the shelters.” There was no way Jon could carry all of it by himself and an extra set of hands would be needed.

 

“Aww hell, I’ll join in too, why not?” Linda chomped on her pizza with a grin, proud of her son and his kind heart.  Her Jonny had really come a long way in life.

 

“Too bad we can’t go to a few stores and grab some gifts for the people in need.”

 

Linda raised a brow at Carmen. “You want to do something like that for people you don’t know?”

 

“Yeah…you remember the little girl in Japan who was eyeballing the Moxley stuffed animal they made of you?” The question was directed to Jon, who was stuffing his face with pizza and he managed a nod. “He plucked the damn thing out of my hands while in character when he came out to the ring for his match and gave it to her.  Her face lit up like a Christmas tree and I know that little girl will never forget that moment.  She also had his merchandise on.  It was adorable.” That was a memory Carmen would always cherish too.

 

“Wait, you STOLE from Carmen to give to a little girl?”

 

That was definitely not out of character for her son.  Once a thief always a thief, though now he was a thief with a heart.  Linda knew his thieving ways in his childhood were due to how poor they had been.  Jon had done it to survive and obtain the necessities she hadn’t, couldn’t, always provide for him.

 

“Yep, ma, she’s RICH, like obscenely rich.  So,” Jon swallowed his mouthful with a grin that indicated he was definitely amusing himself, finding himself hilarious. “Just think of me as Robin Hood, stealing from the rich to give to the poor.”

 

Linda was so glad she had swallowed her own food and drink just seconds prior or else the entire table would have been wearing it.

 

“Maybe they should change your name from Death Rider to Robin Hood in Japan then when you wrestle there.” Carmen quipped, rolling her eyes at his comment about her being obscenely rich.  It was the truth, but he didn’t have to say it that way. “Hey, he stole from me to give to a little girl, so I was fine with it.”

 

Not like Carmen didn’t get her own sent to her in a care package from Jon anyway.  That same stuffed animal was currently in her Florida home at the moment, along with her other Moxley merchandise from over the years.  Her other homes had a few things, but Florida was the main one she kept the majority.

 

“This pizza is so good.”

 

“Best in the city, guaranteed.”

 

“I don’t doubt it.” Carmen took another bite and chewed thoughtfully, trying to think of the right words to say. “Thank you, Linda, for letting me intrude on your Christmas with Jon.  I’m grateful to be here.” The woman didn’t have to open her home to a strange woman that had stalked her son for over a decade, but she did and that meant the world to Carmen.

 

“As if I gave her a choice,” Jon muttered into his pizza, groaning when a piece of pepperoni came flying at him and hit his forehead. “Real mature, ma.”

 

“You’re welcome.” Linda replied to Carmen, as if she hadn’t just tossed food at her son.  

 

Nobody would ever accuse her of acting her age, that was just a fact.  Jon had mentioned that he had invited Carmen and she had been fine with it.  She also had been of the understanding that it wasn’t likely due to Carmen having a recent bad experience with people’s mothers.  She understood that.  Mothers, parents in general, could be pushy people at times and not in the good, loving way.

 

“You’re such an ass sometimes.” Carmen chuckled, tossing a piece of pepperoni at him as well and laughed as he caught it in his mouth.

 

“Sometimes?  You’re too nice, Carmen.  My boy is an ass a lot of the time and proud of it.” A pepper came sailing over the table and landed right against Linda’s cheek before landing on the floor.  Suddenly, a huge burly English bulldog came BARRELING into the kitchen like his backside caught fire and nabbed that pepper in a heartbeat. “BLUE!!  Shit, he must’ve gotten past the gate we put in the living room!”

 

Carmen recognized the dog instantly and watched Jon hop up to tame the beast, who was very loving and hyper when it came to food. “He’s more adorable in person than in the pictures you sent me.”

 

“Yeah, wait until he rips ass in front of you.” Jon chuckled, watching Blue devour that banana pepper and then plucked another off his pizza, passing it over. “Sit.” He ordered, watching Blue settle. “See, we kept him gated off not because he’d be trying to get into shit, because he won’t.  He knows not to beg or be up on furniture and counters, unless it’s the bed.  It’s him being underfoot that’s the problem, he wants to be involved in everything.” He explained to Carmen with a smile.  His dog missed him when he was gone, so therefore his dog was all over him when he was around.

 

“He’s your baby, I get it.”

 

If she didn’t travel so much, Carmen would’ve loved to have a dog because she loved animals.  However, she refused to stress a dog out with all the traveling she did.  Even though she’d spent a lot of time in Florida these days, that was going to change.  New York was calling her name again, so she would be heading there after the New Year to stay in her penthouse for a while.  The office was there and she knew Florida was handled, not to mention, she would be far away from Stephen.  She’d let Jon know eventually, but now wasn’t the time to do it, not during Christmas when they were all having a great time eating pizza and delicious desserts.

 

Sometimes, Jon took Blue with him on the road, but it required planning ahead and since he wasn’t staying at shady motels anymore, he could probably take Blue more often.  There were so many pet friendly places these days and he bet he could also persuade Tony to let him occasionally bring Blue backstage to work.  His mutt would LOVE that.  Just sometimes.  Mostly because it wasn’t fair to his loyal and loving dog to be left with a daycare or trusted caregiver so much when there were times his owner could bring him along and Blue did love to ride in cars.

 

“Oh shit, cookies!” Jon was up to get this batch out when the timer dinged, popping in the last one.

 

Blue followed him, wanting attention from Daddy and nobody else.  Jon dropped a cookie after blowing on it a bit right into Blue’s mouth and Linda snickered, along with Carmen.  He spoiled that dog rotten.  While Jon was busy with Blue, Carmen and Linda cleaned up the pizza, putting the slices in containers to place them in the fridge.

 

Chapter 61

 

“By the way, Carmen, I don’t mean to pry, but were you planning on staying here or?”

 

“No, I got a hotel room in the city.  I’ll call an Uber to take me there later.” Carmen didn’t want to intrude any more than she already had and sleeping in Jon’s mother’s house…it just didn’t seem like the right thing to do.

 

Linda nodded and walked over to grab a cookie off the pan, loving them nice and hot right out of the oven. “Damn, these are good!”

 

“You’re gonna stay in a hotel on Christmas Eve?” That just seemed wrong to Jon, on so many levels.  

 

He understood that Christmas for her wasn’t a big deal and he felt the same in his younger years.  As a kid, it had been a disappointing and depressing time, spent in soup kitchens or a YMCA gym.  As a young man, he had been poor and trying to make his wrestling career work.  Now that he was a little older, had some money in his pocket and could actually afford to do things properly, he loved it.  Money may not buy happiness, but it sure helped.

 

“You can have my bed here and I’ll take the couch.”

 

“Um no, I’m not taking your bed, Jon.  You’d be stiff as a board sleeping on the couch.” This man put his body through pure hell on an almost nightly basis and he wanted to sleep on a couch?  Not only that, but she just met Linda and she’d taken a huge step coming here to spend Christmas Eve and Day with them. “You should’ve known I’d get a room coming here.” What did he think she’d do? “I appreciate the offer though, but you need to sleep in your own bed and I’ll be fine at the hotel.  I’m going to step outside for a smoke.”

 

“You can smoke in here if you want.  I don’t mind, we do it.” Linda informed her, staying out of the conversation between Carmen and her son.

 

“Are you sure?  I don’t mind stepping outside to smoke…”

 

Linda promptly lit up a cigarette right in the kitchen, grinning. “Go on, it’s fine I promise.”

 

It was a horrible habit to smoke inside the house, but Carmen decided to light up and have a smoke with Linda.

 

Horrible habit yes, but it was Linda’s house and she did what she wanted.  Since she was a smoker who lived alone, she saw no reason to smoke outdoors.  Naturally, she had to clean her walls and stuff once a year to ensure they didn’t go yellow, thanks to her bad habit, but it was worth being comfortable in her home, doing what she wanted.  Linda wasn’t a bit surprised when Jon lit up next, knowing he had cut down on that habit, but she also imagined it had picked back up when he quit drinking.

 

“I remember you stealing my Misty’s…”

 

“Those long, thin horrible smokes?” He wrinkled his nose, nodding, not about to argue with Carmen after her last holiday disaster.

 

They had a very pleasant Christmas Eve day and into the night, the snow had grown considerably worse.  There was no way to make it back to her hotel, not in this winter storm and unfortunately, all of her belongings were in her room across the city.  Carmen supposed it could be worse and tonight reminded her of the snow-in with the cabin.  Linda had already gone to bed, checking out after a day full of baking.

 

“Looks like you win.  But I’m taking the couch, handsome.” She murmured, feeling him walk up to stand behind her and his hands gently landed on her hips to pull her back against him.  Slowly, Carmen turned to look up at him and caressed his bearded jaw with her hand, gliding her fingers through it gently. “I’m gonna need a blanket and pillow…and if you’ve got an extra t-shirt to sleep in, or else I’ll just have to sleep in what I have on.”

 

Neither Jon nor his mother had felt bad at all about not informing Carmen they were under a winter storm advisory.  Linda had gone to bed with a clear conscience and Jon hadn’t said anything because Carmen was a grown woman, who knew how to check the weather.  Didn’t most cell phones chirp out alerts anyway?  Maybe.

 

“I got clothes.” He also had a full-sized bed upstairs, either way he was screwed, but he had taken it with good humor because him and his Mom were repairing relationships.  Also, she had NOT been able to afford a decent-sized bed for his large carcass and then once he moved out, moot point. “Come on,” Jon gestured towards what used to be his old room and was now the guest room. “We’ll get you sorted, mama.”

 

Carmen went with him without a fuss, not upset at the fact she was snowed in here.  Things could’ve been worse.  She could’ve been snowed in at the hotel away from Jon and not been able to spend actual Christmas with him.  Now she could and would.  At the very least, she had brought presents, which were currently under the small Christmas tree in the living room.

 

“Your Mom has a very nice house.”

 

Was this the one Jon bought for her?  Carmen remembered reading something about that while he was in WWE.  It probably was, now that she thought about it because it looked too modern and new to be an older house.  Jon handed over one of his long sleeved Moxley shirts since the house was a little colder at night.  Carmen pulled the sweater dress up over her head and slid on the shirt, deciding to leave her leggings on since she didn’t want to go to sleep yet.  Instead, Carmen did the one thing she’d been longing to do since her arrival and leaned up to hug Jon, wrapping her arms around his neck.

 

“This is real, isn’t it?” It wasn’t a dream like so many others she’d had of him since their falling out six months ago.

 

Jon’s response was to pinch her backside, just hard enough to make her jump further into his body, pressing herself more against him until not even a slip of paper could be slid between them. “Yeah, I’d say it’s real, darlin’.” He rumbled, knowing he wouldn’t have sex with her, not here because that would disrespectful as hell to his mother.  Also weird, given his mother’s former profession.  It would probably be just desserts all things considered, but Jon had forgiven his mother long ago.  That was even assuming Carmen was ready to fall back into bed with him in the first place. “I’m glad you’re here.” His arms remained around her waist, keeping her pressed to him, just content in this moment with her like this.

 

“Me too.” Carmen murmured, refusing to let him go and inhaled his scent as she buried her face in his neck, tears forming in her eyes.  The emotions were overwhelming her because she didn’t think this would happen again.  She thought for sure she lost Jon that night in May when they had their falling out. “I’m sorry, Jon.” He deserved a proper apology in person, face to face, and now was her moment to give it to him.  Pulling back enough to look into his eyes, Carmen held his face in her soft hands and swallowed hard.  This was not easy for her to do or admit. “You were right…about everything.  I was an idiot for trying to make it work with Stephen when it was doomed from the start.  Especially since he’s not the man I love.  It’s you.  It’s always been you.  I’ve always been drawn to you, even before we met, and I never thought I’d meet you, get to know you the way I have, or be in your life.  I was stupid to think I could be happy with anyone else except you, let alone marry someone else.” Sniffling, she wiped a few tears away that fell down her cheeks. “And because of my stubbornness and stupidity, I nearly lost you.  You should’ve told me to go to hell after the horrible things I said to you that night, and the other times too.  All you tried to do was open my eyes to the truth and I refused to see it, refused to listen to you.  And I know I hurt you and I hate myself for doing that.  I’m so sorry and I’ll find a way to make it up to you, if you still want me.  I’ll do everything I can to never hurt you again.”

 

“Nah, I told you darlin’, I’d have a ‘I told you fucking so’ moment when it was all said and done and I did.”

 

Jon had done it via text because saying it to her face after all that just seemed unnecessarily cruel, even for him.  He wasn’t exactly known for his subtlety and sensitivity to situations.  He was more of a ‘bull in the china shop’ kind of guy, truth be told.  It was one of the things most people either hated or loved about him.

 

“I could have probably worded things better instead of…well, you know.” Acted like himself, basically.

 

Carmen shook her head with a small teary smile. “Then you wouldn’t be you and I never want you to change.  You’re perfect the way you are.  And you spoke from your heart, I know that.”

 

Carmen had gotten a hotel room because she thought her and Jon could sneak away after his mother went to bed to talk and reconcile.  Obviously, they were reconciling, but there would be no sex under his mother’s roof.  There was no way she’d be disrespectful to Linda after the hospitality the woman showed her.  Carmen didn’t realize, until now, just how much of a burden her relationship with Stephen had. 

 

Never again would she ignore what her heart wanted.

 

“I feel as if I can breathe again, like a weight’s been lifted from my shoulders.”

 

Jon would have thought she was using him as a booty call if it had been anyone else, her hot and cold mannerisms.  Will she, won’t she?  He just never knew with this woman.  It was one of the reasons Jon loved her, even if he had realized that a day late and a dollar short, at a very horrible time.  Better late than never.

 

“You know, given my timing, you had every right to think the way you did.”

 

Even though she knew how he was about changing his mind, it usually took him a while to reach that point.  The timing itself was what had royally screwed him over and probably hurt her in the long run too.  If not for him, if he would have kept his trap shut, she probably could have been happy with Page, minus the kid issue.

 

“So I’m sorry.”

 

“It was crappy timing and it did seem like you were jealous of Stephen, but that’s just how things played out.  Now I know you meant what you said and your feelings are real.” Carmen was more sure than ever on what she wanted and, more importantly, who she wanted in her life. “Hell, even if you didn’t confess you love me, things wouldn’t have lasted with Stephen anyway.  He wanted kids and a family, a subservient wife to pop babies out for him and to stay home to keep the fires burning.  That’s NOT me.  I just had to come to terms with it and finally, I had enough when his mother demanded to know when we were having children.  He actually told her, in front of everyone, after the wedding and that’s when I knew I made a huge mistake.  It didn’t help that the night before during sex, I called out your name.  And that’s probably why Stephen attacked you on Dynamite a few weeks ago because, up until that moment, he didn’t know who the ‘other guy’ was.  The fact he came to me the very next day and asked if we could start planning our wedding again and be engaged…it was a red flag and I walked right into the damn trap.  I really am stupid and ignorant when it comes to relationships, huh?”

 

“You are…difficult.” Jon was more than a little amused by her confession about calling out his name.  She had messaged it to him, but it was so much more satisfying to hear it in person.  It kind of made him want to purr or something, like a jungle cat. “Okay, yeah, a little stupid, darlin’,” He amended because she had accepted the engagement, again, AFTER calling out another man’s name during sex.  HIS name. “Or just desperate to try to prove something.”

 

“I didn’t want to hurt him again.  I cheated on him with you twice…and he still doesn’t know about the romp in my Rolls Royce.” That one she refused to tell Stephen about and thankfully, Jon didn’t either.  They had taken that one to the grave. “I felt like I had an obligation because of what I did to him, the cheating, lying, calling out your name during sex instead of his…like it was my penance for hurting him so much.  But the one subject I refused to budge on, he kept pressuring me about, which was kids.  And when he did that in front of his family on Thanksgiving, I had enough.  I truly believe he never loved me, he was just looking for someone to settle down with and have a family…and I just happen to be the one he set his eyes on.  I’m just glad I woke up and walked away for good before I did wind up trapped in a loveless, passionless marriage for the rest of my life.”

 

Jon had never understood that, how she hadn’t wanted to hurt Stephen again, because it was inevitable.  It was just inevitable.  History had this weird way of repeating itself, especially when the attraction between two people was the way it was for them, between them.  Jon had never told Stephen about them.  She kept doing it and he never saw the reason to do it anyway, all it would have done was force Carmen even further from him.

 

“You never have an obligation to ANYTHING that doesn’t make you happy, Carmen, you need to learn that quick, mama.” It was a hard, painful lesson and he had learned it during his three month stint in rehabilitation, about setting his own boundaries and what did and didn’t make him happy.

 

It was freeing.

 

There was no rebuttal to that because Jon was right. “It’s hard for me to hurt people because of how much I’ve been hurt in the past.  Stephen was the first relationship I’ve had in five years.” Sleeping with Jon was not the same thing as being in an actual relationship with him.  It never happened due to Stephen sweeping in. “Deep down, I know Stephen is a good guy and what I did to him was wrong…and giving him another chance was wrong too.  I felt so guilty for what I did to him after kissing you in the bridal store, I had to tell him about it.  And when he begged me for another chance and filled my head with doubts about how you felt for me…I fell for it.  I should’ve trusted YOU, I knew YOU, not him.  And from now on, I’m going to trust my feelings more and I’m putting myself first before anyone, even you.  That’s the lesson I learned from Stephen, I need to put myself and my happiness first for a change and that’s what I’m going to do.  That’s why I’m here tonight with you.  Because I love you, Jon.  And I’m done running away and I’m done with the doubts.  I just want to be happy and I hope it’s with you.  I don’t need anything else.  I just need you, period.  And I’m promising you this now, I will never doubt you again and I trust you completely.”

 

On one hand, he was glad that she had admitted Stephen was a good guy because it showed, after her initial rage and anger, Carmen was capable of seeing the truth.  Even though Stephen was also a putz for what he had done at Thanksgiving.  Jon had a sneaking suspicion Page had been trying to save face in front of his family and had NOT given Carmen any heads up.  Maybe.  Regardless, he had totally botched up and given everything they had gone through, Jon figured that was a relationship that definitely needed to die.  Hopefully, Page just realized that and moved the hell on quietly or he’d lose his pearly white teeth, courtesy of Jon’s fist.

 

“You already know I love you, Carmen.  I’ve been saying it for a while now.” He rumbled, running the pad of his thumb along her bottom lip.

 

“And I believe it.” Carmen kissed the pad of his thumb softly, her emerald eyes darkening and she could see Jon’s swirling with desire too.  They wanted each other badly, but it would have to wait until they were completely alone. “As much as I want you right now, I won’t do it in your mother’s home.  But when we do get a moment alone, I’m going to make up for lost time and show you how much I’ve missed you.” Leaning up, her hands pressed against his chest as she softly kissed Jon, her body instantly igniting for him.  They stood there for a good ten minutes kissing, touching, and caressing, but nothing else and it was all over clothes too. “Mmm, that’ll have to satisfy me for the time being.  And I don’t know about you, but I could use a cigarette.”

 

“Same, mama, same.”

 

There was definitely something to be said about building up that tension.  They had done it for years before they started having sex and now, it was almost like that all over again.  Jon didn’t mind the waiting, he had been a bit more concerned about the mental and emotional aspect.  He knew their friendship had been solid; it was past that territory which had been murky, text messaging aside.

 

“Here.” Leading the way back downstairs, where their cigarettes were, Jon stopped long enough to grab bedding from a closet for them both.  He had no problem crashing on the floor by the couch; he wasn’t THAT soft or old yet.

 

They talked well into the night, smoking and having more eggnog with cookies and pie.  Carmen wound up sleeping on the couch with Jon on the floor, their hands clasped together.  She had fallen asleep holding his hand and never let go.  That was the scene Linda walked into on Christmas morning, both sleeping holding hands.  She was quiet and went into the kitchen to start making breakfast, along with some coffee.  Everybody was going to need some and since there were no kids to wake up at the crack of dawn, she let her son and Carmen sleep in as long as they wanted.

 

Chapter 62

 

When Jon woke up, it was to the reminder that they had snacked well into the night along with smoked and sucked down eggnog.  The ashtray was now overfilled, there was an empty carton of nog and two glasses on the side table, along with empty dessert plates with nothing except crumb traces.  Yawning, he sat upright, pulling his hand gently from Carmen’s grasp while trying to dislodge Blue off of him.

 

“C’mon bud, Daddy’s got to take a piss.” He also needed to clean up this mess before his mother seen it, not wanting her to do it.

 

Blue moved reluctantly, yawning himself and then proceeded to start licking Carmen’s face to wake her up, after Jon was out of the room.  Carmen groaned, turning away from the licking, but that didn’t stop Blue.  He then barked at her, making her eyes snap open and it took Carmen a minute to wake up, letting out another yawn just as Jon came walking back into the living room.

 

“Mmm, Merry Christmas morning, handsome.” She accepted a soft peck from him and watched him start cleaning up, immediately chipping in still half-asleep. “What time is it?” Coffee, Carmen really needed java to wake up completely.

 

“No idea, darlin’.” Jon began stooping to clean up their mess, glancing at the kitchen door, which was shut.  It was one of those old-fashioned swinging doors that a person had to be careful with or they would either knock someone out or be knocked out themselves. “I got it.” She probably had to piss too and he grinned when she reluctantly got out of her blanket cocoon, looking all mussed and adorable. “I’ll get coffee on and then wipe down the mess.” Maybe sweep the floor with a broom since he didn’t want to wake his mother. “C’mon, Blue!” He had to let his boy out the back door to have his own nature break.

 

“Coffee is ready and breakfast is almost done!” Linda called out from the kitchen, pushing open that swinging door just as Jon walked out of the living room to head to the back screen door to let Blue out. “We have over a foot of snow on the ground right now and it’s gonna snow again.”

 

Carmen’s eyes widened as she stood up from the couch and stumbled over to the window, not believing how much snow was out there. “Holy shit.”

 

How the hell was she supposed to get her stuff from the hotel?  Jon would have to shovel them out and it looked as though the streets were packed with snow too.  Were the plows out yet?  Carmen slid her fingers through her hair, which was down around her shoulders and back, some of her makeup smeared as well.  She really needed a shower, but coffee had to come first as she padded out of the living room to the kitchen.

 

“Morning Linda, sorry about the mess we made.”

 

She was screwed because it was Christmas morning and drivers were at home with their families.  They wouldn’t be out until later in the day, depending on how long it took to clear the roads. “That is not a very big mess, you should have seen him when he was a teenager.  THAT was messy.  He’d leave everything everywhere.” Linda hadn’t been a very good housekeeper back then either. “Not that I helped the situation.  I was going to salt the walks, but with the snow coming down the way it is, there’s no point.” She eyed the younger woman, hearing Jon shouting from the backyard and could only imagine.

 

That would be him shouting about his balls freezing off.

         

When Jon came back inside, wearing just a pair of pajama pants with his hooded sweatshirt, Carmen had a cup of hot coffee waiting for him.  Sugar only, no creamer, just the way he liked it.  Blue was right behind him, shaking the snow off his fur and Carmen laughed as some of it flew at her.  Linda handed the dog some kind of treat and Blue went to lay down to eat it while they sat at the table with the casserole in the center. 

 

The plates and everything were already set, which made Carmen wonder how long Linda had been up to do all of this while they slept away in the living room. “This smells so good, Linda.”

 

“Thank you.” The older she became, the earlier she went to bed and the earlier Linda woke up.  She wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing.  She sometimes missed sleeping in and staying up until the dawn, but such was life she supposed. “I found the recipe on TikTok.”

 

Jon groaned into his coffee cup, shaking his head at his mother and then winked at Carmen. “Thanks, babe.” Just what he needed after venturing out there in the snowmaggedon; living in Vegas had him forgetting that it got cold as ice in the Midwest when a proper winter decided to settle in. “TikTok, ma?  Really?”

 

“You’d be very surprised at the amazing recipes you can find on TikTok.  I think I actually saw this one.” Carmen would admit to browsing TikTok whenever she got bored and had nothing better to do. 

 

It didn’t happen often, but when she was on her jet, she would go through it.  Some people were very creative and there were a lot of easy, delicious crockpot recipes too.  Jon was groaning again, making her giggle as she sipped her own coffee, feeling the warmth spreading throughout her body.

 

“I can’t believe how much snow we’ve been blasted with here.”

 

“Yeah, nobody is going anywhere today.  It’s going to take a miracle to shovel us out of here as it is.”

 

The snow would stop eventually and Carmen made a mental note to call the hotel to make sure her belongings weren’t tossed out since she hadn’t returned.  Breakfast first, then she’d make the call.  Most hotels didn’t toss anything; they tried reaching out to the owners and stored it for so long for retrieval.  Especially ones that she frequented, nobody was throwing out Carmen Diamond’s belongings, that was for sure.

 

“I don’t know about miracle, but I can give it a go later.  I’ve skipped my cardio for about a week now.” Jon chuckled, knowing he would need to hit the gym after this past week.  All the treats and fattening foods he had been devouring in the name of ‘holiday spirit’…he was lucky he hadn’t lost his muscles and gotten a big cookie gut.  Contemplating it, Jon poured syrup all over his casserole, grinning when Carmen eyeballed him. “What?  It’s my cheat week.”

 

Carmen wasn’t a stickler for healthy food, but she didn’t go out of her way to eat sweets either.  Not many anyway.  Christmas cookies and pie were too good to pass up since she hadn’t had them in years.  Jon had done a splendid job with them and the eggnog…that was something she hadn’t had in years either.

 

“Oh my god, this is amazing…” She groaned at the first taste of the French toast casserole, tasting the syrup that was already in it.  Not only was their syrup in it, but it was also decked out with powdered sugar. “I’m gonna have to hit the gym with you after the New Year too.”

 

“Not if it all goes to your hips and tits.” He shot back in a joke, loving himself a curvy woman and she had curves for days, the perfect curves.  They molded to his hands perfectly and he knew that because he had tested it out, multiple times.  Carmen was custom-made just for his pleasure, which was why the situation with Page had gone south.  He’d just be keeping those thoughts to himself for the time being, grinning almost obnoxiously when Carmen gave him an exasperated look. “What?  I can’t have a preference.”

 

Linda mimed choking on the scrambled eggs she had made to go with the casserole.  Eggs were something she had at every breakfast, it was just a staple of her life.  Even if they did cost her an arm, leg, and both kidneys these days. “Men…” Nevertheless, she was smiling in amusement as well, winking at Carmen.  It was obvious Jon cared quite a bit for Carmen and vice versa.  She had even snapped a picture of them this morning on her cell phone with their hands clasped together while they slept.

 

After breakfast and everything was cleaned up, Carmen stepped outside on the porch to have a cigarette and to call the hotel to check on things.  She had brought her laptop and other items that could be replaced, but she hoped she wouldn’t have to.  What was she going to do for clothes?  Wearing Jon’s clothes wasn’t an option and she felt too awkward asking Linda for help.  Sighing, she listened as the manager at the hotel assured her nothing would happen to her belongings and to stay safe.  They had another winter storm headed their way after this one, so they were getting completely rocked at the moment. 

 

Once she walked back inside, Jon was playing with Blue and she walked over to him, chewing her bottom lip. “Do you think I could take a shower?  I have nothing here, so…” For once, Carmen felt out of place and wished she would’ve brought her belongings here instead of dropping them at the hotel.

 

A person couldn’t plan for everything, especially when the human heart was a factor and this was just proof of that.  She had had no intention of coming for Christmas, yet here she was.  Carmen then had no intention of staying the night because it would be too awkward, yet again, here she was without jack except what she had worn in.  Not that Jon was going to complain, he liked seeing her run around in one of his overly large on her shirts.

 

“Darlin’, ma’s casa, su casa.  There’s no way you’re getting out of here today, so yeah, do what you gotta to be comfortable.  You want to borrow another shirt and I can wash your stuff from yesterday?” Unless Carmen wanted to run around in his shirts all day; he wouldn’t mind, though it did beg the question of undergarments, which had him cocking a brow.

 

“Yes, that would be great and…um…” She flushed at the thought of Jon washing her panties, clearing her throat. “Maybe your Mom has a pair of shorts or something I can wear until my clothes are washed?” Jon nodded, pulling her against him and kissed her soundly, rubbing his nose against hers once it broke.

 

“Stop worrying.  There’s nothing to worry about here.  I’ll go talk to ma, so get your ass in the shower and leave your clothes on the floor.”

 

“Okay, thank you.” Carmen murmured, not wanting to be anywhere else on Christmas Day, even if she only had the clothes on her back. 

 

A few minutes later, she went into the bathroom and started the shower, peeling her clothes off.  Just after she stepped under the hot sprays, Carmen heard the door open and knew it was Jon gathering her clothes, poking her head out to smile at him before going back to bathing.  With the travel and everything, she desperately needed to cleanse and felt better once her hair was washed.  Because his mother was such a saint these days, she actually supplied a few days’ worth of clothes, not underwear and whatnot because that’d be gross, even if they were clean.  Shorts, sweats and tops.  Jon set a top and pair of sweats in the bathroom after knocking before putting the rest on the unused bed in the guest room – his room.

 

“Thanks.” Jon dropped a kiss on his Mom’s cheek when he came back down, frowning when he realized he had forgotten something.  

 

He retreated back upstairs and retrieved the massive duffel bag he had brought, which was loaded with gifts.  To be fair, he also had several for Carmen at the bottom, which he figured he’d be giving them to her in Japan.  Whistling, he carted the bag down to put everything under the tree, the theme being ‘Let It Snow’.

 

These had to be Linda’s and it meant the world to Carmen that the woman supplied some clothes for her.  That was very kind considering they’d just met last night and now she was wearing the woman’s clothes.  They were very comfortable and surprisingly fit her well, so that was a plus and she wouldn’t have to steal Jon’s clothes.  The only bad thing was she had no panties to slip into, so she felt a little conscious considering these weren’t her sweatpants. 

 

It wasn’t like she wouldn’t wash them after she was done with them because Carmen absolutely would.  Walking out, after brushing her hair and teeth -another thing Linda had provided for her, bless this woman-, there was no makeup on her face since Carmen had none and she had to leave her hair wet and down.  Padding into the kitchen, Linda turned to smile at her and Carmen returned it before thanking her for the clothes.

 

“Thank you for the help, Linda.  Do you mind if I give you a hug?” Some people didn’t want to be hugged and the last thing Carmen wanted to do was do something Linda didn’t like.

 

Linda had been concerned that the clothing wouldn’t be good enough for Carmen, truth be told.  Oh, she hadn’t worried about Carmen’s reaction because, after meeting her and getting to know her a little, she knew Carmen was polite, but she had also worried that the quality of the clothing wouldn’t be what the rich young woman was accustomed to.  She raised an eyebrow, opening her arms at that request and accepted the hug she was given, giving one in return. 

 

Jon had told her a bit about Carmen, about her parents, and about her as a person, but he hadn’t gone too in depth out of respect for Carmen’s privacy, which she understood. “You’re welcome, are you sure they’re all right?” Carmen, god bless her, had curves that Linda never had. 

 

She wore those sweats better than most women did.

 

Carmen did wear SOME designer clothes, but it was only when she was in the office and the quality really didn’t matter to her.  If she liked an outfit, even if it was from a thrift store, she wore it.  Labels really didn’t matter to her and honestly, her favorite clothes were her wrestling t-shirts she’d collected over the years with a pair of jeans.

 

“Of course, they’ve very comfortable and I really appreciate you helping me out.” Not a hint of disgust or sarcasm came from her, it was all genuine and Carmen was thankful to have other clothes to wear besides her sweater dress and leggings. “Do you want some help in here?  I could do the dishes or something?”

 

“Already done, last bit is in the dishwasher.” Linda had gotten everything done while Carmen was in the shower and Jon had been tidying up the living room before turning the under area of the tree into a war zone with his gifts.  She had TOLD him not to go overboard and he had done it anyway.  Jon was like an overgrown child, but it warmed her heart so she didn’t actually fuss at him too much. “I think Jonny was grabbing a shower after you and then we were going to go open gifts.” Now she felt really bad because there was nothing for Carmen beneath the tree because she hadn’t been expecting her.

 

Carmen didn’t mind at all. 

 

There was no reason to feel bad because Linda didn’t know she was showing up.  She didn’t even tell Jon she was coming due to wanting to surprise him.  That was on her.  However, she did get Linda something anyway and just put Miss Good on the label from her.  Hopefully, the woman wouldn’t think she was flaunting her money around with what she bought.  She just wanted to get the best she could for people that meant a lot to her and she loved Jon.  His mother, so far, was spectacular and Carmen felt very comfortable around her.  In a way, Linda reminded her of what it was like to spend Christmas with parents again.  And it didn’t sadden her at all.  In fact, this was probably the best Christmas she’d had since her parents passed on.

 

Unbeknownst to Linda, Jon had taken one of the gifts for Carmen and put his mother’s name on it to give to her.  He had his Mom covered, distinguishing how embarrassed she would be to not have something for the guest, even if it was unexpected.  Carmen was such a pain in his backside sometimes, a delightful one most of the time, but a pain, nevertheless.  He grinned, heading back into the kitchen after his shower whistling Christmas carols, along with snatching a Santa hat from their discarded prop basket from last night’s poker game.

 

“What’d you do?” Linda demanded, a little suspiciously.

 

“I can’t be in a good mood?”

 

“You put the hat on, willingly, without anyone saying anything.”

 

“It’s Santa Jonny, don’t be mean, ma, or else you don’t get shit.”

 

Chapter 63

 

Carmen was already in the living room sitting on the couch and Blue had come up to her, so she was petting him.  She looked up at Jon walking in with the Santa hat and an exasperated looking Linda.  They had a cute mother/son relationship and she knew it wasn’t always like this, but the past was the past and it couldn’t be changed.  She had also noticed A LOT more presents under the tree and couldn’t believe what Jon had done, really hoping most of them was for his mother and not her. 

 

Carmen had everything she could’ve ever wanted for Christmas and that was him. 

 

He was her Christmas gift and she would cherish him the rest of her life.

 

Carmen could sit and spin because this year, Jon had gone all out on being thoughtful.  He had actually ENJOYED Christmas shopping this year, taking his time to buy presents, thoroughly putting serious thought and his heart into them.  There was nothing generic or ordinary in any gift he had bought, not even his mother.  Granted, Linda and Carmen had each received a very expensive candle each, but he had them custom-made, based on very specific scents, with specific colors.  None of that horribly cheap wax used in most candles.  

 

That was about as ‘normal’ and boring as he had gone.

 

“You overdid it, son.”

 

“Nah, I did it just right, ma.” Jon was proud of himself, grinning broadly when both women gave him amused, exasperated looks.

 

Carmen hadn’t gone all out the way Jon did, but she did get him several things, as well as his mother.  Everything was expensive, nothing cheap, and she just hoped they enjoyed their gifts.  Shopping for Jon was a lot harder than she thought it’d be, even though she knew him pretty well.

 

“Whatever you got me, I’ll love it because it’s from you.” Please don’t let it be any wrestling stuff, not in front of his mother. Even though Linda knew she started out as a huge fan of Jon’s, they had gone way beyond that by now, though Carmen was still one of his biggest fans. 

 

She just didn’t go out of her way to attend every show like she had in the past.

 

Since she had been his favorite mark for several years now, Jon had given Carmen a very special, very exclusive present.  She had a decent sized box tucked to the side of the tree, wrapped with all the care he had in him, and it had been surprising how much patience he had for wrapping Christmas presents.  In it was about six months’ worth of merchandise that hadn’t even hit the stands yet, a lot of it was in design and production mode.  Jon had pulled some strings and hooked her up, everything customized to her exact size and not some medium, large, extra-large merchandise from the tables.  That was just one present…and she was the only person in the world he would EVER do this for because she was the only he would never worry about selling things on eBay or other websites.

 

“So, how are we gonna do this, Santa Jonny?” Carmen had overheard him say that to his mother and giggled at his wiggling brows.

 

“Passing them all out, THEN open one at a time.” Jon ordered, no room for argument and both women saluted him.  Linda was on one side of the couch and Carmen was on the other, so Jon would be in the middle.

 

Of course, when that big present was pulled out with her name on it, Carmen’s eyes were wide as saucers and she raised a brow when he ordered her to open it last. “Okayyyy…” She stretched the word out suspiciously, wondering what he could’ve possibly gotten her and chewed her bottom lip nervously.  What if he was a prankster and wrapped a bunch of boxes to put them inside of each other and it took her forever to open?  That was a possibility when it came to Jon and there was only one way to find out, but she had to admit, the wrapping was exceptional. “Linda, why don’t you go first?” This was Linda’s house, so Carmen felt it was the right thing to do to let the owner kick this off.

 

Shrugging, Linda carefully opened her gift, not trusting her son one bit because he had a wicked sense of humor.  He had gotten her…a candle.  She eyed it and then him, raising a brow when he just grinned.  It took her a moment to realize the packaging wasn’t anything she had ever seen before. “Oh that is…” Eyeing it once out of its box and wrapping, she examined the colors and she was pretty sure there was a pattern or something etched into the wax. “Beautiful, Jonny,” She brought it to her nose and inhaled, making a content sound. “Where’d you get it?”

 

“Walmart.”

 

“Fucking liar.”

 

He mimed zipping his lips.

 

Carmen chuckled and shook her head, already knowing Jon would never tell them where he’d gotten the gifts. “That is gorgeous.” Linda handed it over for Carmen to smell and she handed it back, nodding in approval. “That’s amazing and I love the intricate detail of it, especially the holder it’s in.”

 

“Now your turn, Carmen.  Jonny won’t go second, I already know it.”

 

One look from Jon and Carmen knew Linda wasn’t blowing smoke, so she grabbed one of the gifts to open them.  The big one was saved for last, she already knew if she went for it, Jon would stop her.  It was a candle the same as Linda, only the detail was different, along with the smell. “Oh wow, that smells incredible.” She smelled it again, handing it to Linda and then took it back, loving the emerald holder it was in. “Thank you, Jon.  I love it and I can’t wait to burn it to smell it fully.”

 

“I can’t wait for you to burn it either.”

 

Either of them actually, because as it melted, it revealed new colors within the wax.  It was peculiar, but pretty neat.  Each scent was something he had chosen for each of them, what they reminded him of or how they made him feel.  His mother’s was homey and warm, hints of sweet spices that kind of made him think about…situations like now.  Just warm and cozy.  

 

Carmen’s…was a bit more sultry in scent, warm definitely, but sultry.

 

“Now open one of yours, Jonny.”

 

Nodding, he selected one from his mother, preparing to shake the package just to rile her up and stopped when she reached out to stop him. “Fragile, huh?”

 

“You’re a pain in the ass, son, now open it and stop playing around.” Linda laughed, shaking her head.

 

He looked like a kid opening that gift with a genuine smile on his face.  He tore it open and stared back at a beautiful, custom-made clock that had a smooth wooden finish. “I really didn’t know what to get you, but I saw that and thought it’d look good in your house here.” It was custom-made due to the nun chucks that were engraved in it, one of Jon’s favorite hobbies.

 

Jon had a house in Cincinnati?  That was news to Carmen, but she didn’t say anything and watched him pull the clock out to really look at it. “Are those nun chucks carved in the wood?”

 

Linda nodded with a grin. “I don’t know if you know this about him, but Jonny has an entire collection of different types of nun chucks.  He’s not half bad with them either.”

 

Carmen remembered something about that and suddenly recalled his match in WWE against Chris in the first-ever Asylum Match.  Jon had showcased some of his talents with nun chucks in that match and she recalled he’d said something about them in an interview.  Which one she couldn’t fully remember, but that match was definitely memorable.

 

“That fits you to a T, handsome.  Okay Linda, back to you again.”

 

“Hold on.” Jon leaned over through the presents and now a bit of wrapping paper to gently hug his mother.  Something custom-made, like this, he knew it was both expensive and thoughtful.  Things they hadn’t been able to do before and then they had been estranged for a while before they both got their relationship straightened out. “Thank you, Mom.”

 

Linda had misty eyes when he pulled away, clearing her throat before murmuring a ‘you’re welcome’ and stared down at the present in her lap.

 

He hadn’t meant to make her cry!  However, Jon didn’t say a word since this was not the time to tease her, and just watched her open her present, laughing when she fawned over it. “Here,” He tapped the box. “Open this, Carmen.”

 

Didn’t he say she’d open that one last?  Carmen was not about to argue and pulled the big box towards her, her heart pounding in her ears.  Once the wrapping paper was off, she managed to pop the box open since it was taped and took more paper out that was on top of whatever was in it.  The ‘fan’ package he sent to her office came to mind as soon as Carmen pulled out the first item, which was a Moxley shirt…one she’d never seen before.

 

“This has to be new, right?  This isn’t even on the AEW website or any of the other wrestling sites for merchandise.  I love the design.”

 

Since the inception of the Blackpool Combat Club, Jon really didn’t have any new merchandise just for himself come out lately.  She folded the t-shirt and set it aside before pulling out the next item, which was a pair of sweatpants that looked identical to the pants he wrestled in the ring.  There was Death Rider stuff added to the mix as well as Wrestling Revolver with the Switchblades. 

 

Every Indie promotion he was involved in currently, there was merchandise in here for.  There was even a picture of him and Sami at their reunion show and it was signed by both of them, along with her name.  Carmen was overwhelmed by the generosity and remembered the matches they’d had together back in the Indies prior to the reunion happening.  Everybody, the entire world, wanted to see it happen as soon as Jon left WWE.

 

“I-I don’t know what to say.  This is a lot to take in.” Carmen looked up at him with tears in her eyes and set the picture aside, hugging him tightly. “Thank you, Jon.  I’ll always cherish this and the first package you sent to me after we first met.”

 

Jon HAD said she was to open it last, but good goddamn the anticipation was killing him!  There hadn’t been a doubt in his mind that she wouldn’t love it, so no worries on the like or dislike front.  However, he wasn’t good at being patient, not all the time, and his eagerness had gotten the best of him.

 

“Um, so…maybe don’t wear the stuff to any shows if you go, within the next few months,” Jon suggested after a moment, taking her in.  She looked like she was still processing everything. “None of that stuff, well, most of it, isn’t being sold just yet.  It’s all in either design stage or production, or just chilling and waiting to be hocked.” Truly, Carmen had received the gift of a lifetime from him.

 

“Are you serious?” Everything he gave her wasn’t even available to all the other fans of the world.  They were one of a kind and she suddenly grabbed his face to plant a big kiss on his lips, resting her forehead against his. “You really are something else, handsome.  And I won’t wear any of it to the shows until it comes out.” Around her houses, however, was an entirely different story. “Okay, your turn.”

 

Plucking out one of the gifts she’d acquired for him since her anticipation was high as well, Carmen clasped her hands together.  It was a lot smaller than her box, but…this was a very expensive piece she’d bought and had it customized.  It was a white gold necklace that was wrapped in barbed wire.  It was intricate detailing and not over the top like Hot Topic would sell.  This was 22K, thick, but not heavy and she waited with bated breath to see his reaction as soon as the lid popped open.

 

Now, what Jon knew about jewelry was this, if it was cheap, it had this weird plating, gold or silver.  The plating would rub off with continuous wear and look disgusting, brown and then black with the plating on either side of where one’s body had been.  It also was in the habit of leaving greenish stains around the area it had been at.  He had learned that lesson the hard way with buying a few jewelry pieces for himself, including his earrings.  However, even he couldn’t miss the fact that this was NOT cheap jewelry once he had opened the box.  For one, it had a nice weight to it, which indicated it was made with precious metal all the way through.  Second, while quietly examining it, he noted the stamp in a discreet area.  

 

Even the little barbed wire…all the detail was intricate and authentic. “Thank you, Carmen,” Jon rumbled, looking at her and then leaned over, brushing his lips against hers. “Put it on me, darlin’.” He murmured against her cheek, passing the necklace to her.

 

Carmen breathed a silent sigh of relief that he loved it and she clasped it around his neck.  She had guessed on the size, getting it a bit bigger to be on the safe side, and it was the perfect length.  She pulled back and watched him admire it, fingering it gently. “I was going to get platinum, but I like the look of white gold better.  And that looks incredible on you.”

 

He liked it, right?  He wouldn’t be wearing it if he didn’t.  Not unless Jon didn’t want to hurt her feelings.  That was a possibility, but it was a beautiful piece.  She saw the intricate spikes surrounding it and instantly thought of Jon, it called out to her and before she knew it, Carmen had bought it for him.  If Jon didn’t like something, he wasn’t wearing it, period, not even to spare feelings.  Life was way too short for that and he wasn’t that kind of person.  He was blunt and obnoxious to a fault most of the time.  

 

Jon would have said thank you and put it aside if he hadn’t liked it. “I love it, mama.” He felt the weight settling on him and it was comfortable – a reminder of her.  As if he needed more of those, though now, it was different.  Carmen wasn’t with another man, she was here with him, and he leaned in to kiss her again. 

 

Linda felt like she was intruding on a private moment, shifting so she could fuss over what she had opened and gave them a moment of privacy.

 

There was so much love in that kiss, it wasn’t just lust, want, and need, there was pure love and Carmen broke it, caressing his bearded face with her hand.  There was no place in the world she’d rather be than here with Jon, even wearing his mother’s clothes with no panties on.  It was both messy and perfect at the same time.  She could get lost in his eyes for hours on end.  It was still surreal to her how long they’d known each other and the fact the man of her dreams was now hers in reality.  If it wasn’t for Linda being here, she would’ve forgotten all about the other presents and made love to him for hours. 

 

Japan could not get here fast enough. 

 

The other presents she’d gotten him consisted of a matching platinum Rolex of the highest karat with the same barbed wire intricate detailing as his necklace.  There was also earrings that matched as well to make it a complete set.  Linda’s gifts consisted of clothes because what older woman didn’t enjoy fashion?  Carmen gifted her some very comfortable pajama sets that she could wear all year round and a beautiful blue dress pant and cardigan outfit with a cream colored blouse that matched.  She also got Linda a necklace that had a simple diamond pendant on it, nothing too extravagant, but it would go beautifully with the ensemble.  Finally, it was down to the final gift for Carmen and it was from Linda, which surprised her and she smiled widely. 

 

Whatever Linda got for her, she’d love it no matter what and sure enough, it was a gorgeous snow globe. “Oh Linda, it’s so beautiful.  Thank you so much!”

 

“You’re welcome, I’m glad you like it.  I wasn’t sure.” In fact, Linda hadn’t even known about it, but she lied without even batting an eyelash, realizing it was her son who had come rushing to her rescue.  

 

Clever man, and she made a mental note to thank him later, without Carmen anywhere nearby.  She had already felt bad, not having something under the tree for the younger woman, but again, she hadn’t known Carmen was coming.  Jon had very good taste and that was a beautiful, charming snow globe and she grinned at her son.

 

It had a little cabin in it and instantly, it reminded Carmen of when they were snowed in together, only it had been a hotel instead of a cabin.  She set it right on the coffee table, after shaking it, and admired how the snowflakes fell and glistened off the firelight from the fireplace. “I don’t like it, I LOVE it.  I mean it.” The majority of the gifts Jon had gifted were for his mother, but Carmen’s had been stuffed into that box full of Jon Moxley brand new merchandise that wasn’t even on the shelves yet.  Getting up, Carmen went to start cleaning up and saw another present that had been hiding beneath the wrapping paper. “Oh, I missed one.”

 

Setting it on the couch while continuing to clean up the wrapping paper, Carmen stuffed it into the garbage bag Jon had brought with him before they began.  Jon let her do what she was doing, helping with cleaning up the area.  When they were finished, Linda took the bag from them and headed into the kitchen, mentioning something about getting Christmas dinner going.  

 

He grabbed the box and moved to sit on the couch, hooking an arm around Carmen’s slender waist and pulled her down to sit on his knee. “Santa Jonny has one more for you, darlin’,” He murmured, placing the box in her lap. “Go on.”

 

Now, this he had actually bought while she was with Page.  It had been an impulse buy, but Carmen had been on his mind and when he saw it, he had to have it, even if he might not ever be able to give it to her.  It was a necklace, with brilliant diamonds and stones that almost matched the shade of her emerald eyes.  Black opals that had put her former ebony hair into mind as well.  Sometimes, he was a sap and would not apologize for it.

 

“Jon…” Carmen whispered, covering her mouth with her hand and was almost afraid to touch it the moment she flipped the lid up on the box.  It was stunning, each stone glittering off the firelight.  Because of the shape of the box, she knew it wasn’t a ring, but did not expect him to buy her any kind of jewelry.  This looked extremely expensive and Carmen swallowed hard, gently gliding her fingertips over the stones. “Jesus…nobody’s ever…” She couldn’t talk, no words were forming as she finally looked away from the necklace to stare into his eyes, capturing his mouth with hers in a passionate, searing kiss that made her toes curl and her body warm from the inside out. “I love you so much.  Thank you.  Will you help me put it on?” It didn’t look right with the sweat pants, but Carmen didn’t care, wanting to wear what Jon bought her and moved her honey blonde hair over her shoulder. “This is too much, you’re too good to me, handsome.”

 

Jon had money, a lot of it, and he wasn’t worried about losing his job due to either being fired or quitting.  When he had been in WWE, he had considered quitting so many times, saving all his funds, hoarding it practically.  Because he knew he’d be at risk of being sued to hell and back for breach of contract if he had walked out of WWE before his contract was up.  Or to survive on because he knew he’d also be banned from competing anywhere else for the duration of his contract.  He had no debts, owned his properties, and had insurance and taxes in escrow at all times.

 

“It is not too much.” Considering she liked spoiling him, be in hotels or their sporadic dinner and lunch dates…whatever the case may be.  

 

Carmen deserved that in return.  

 

Jon clasped it on for her, pulling back to study her and smiled because, even with what she was wearing, it looked perfect, and so did she.

 

Chapter 64

 

It took two days to be plowed out, but eventually, Carmen managed to make it to the hotel to grab her belongings.  It was now the 28^th and they had a flight to catch to Japan.  Jon said goodbye to his mother, promising to be back soon and Carmen hugged her tightly, thanking her for absolutely everything.  It was a great Christmas and she looked forward to it next year since she planned on being with Jon for the long haul.  They were on their way to Tokyo, Japan, and Jon had gotten them the most lavish, expensive suite he could find within the city. 

 

It was going to be a complete surprise for Carmen since she was paying for the jet fuel to fly them to Japan.  Hand-in-hand, not caring who saw them together, Carmen was in her emerald velvet sweat pant outfit that Jon had gotten for her and she had the necklace on too, her honey blonde hair pulled up in a messy bun on top of her head.  She wanted to be comfortable since it was going to be a long flight and Jon was the same way, a hat tilted to the side and he had all the jewelry on she bought him too for Christmas. 

 

Once they were boarded on her jet and the plane took off, Carmen waited until it was safe to unbuckle before standing to pull the ‘door’ closed to block them from sight.  Slowly, she slid the zipper of her jacket down to reveal absolutely nothing beneath it, dropping it to the floor moments later.  Pushing the armrests up to lock in place, she straddled Jon’s lap and passionately kissed him, pouring everything she felt into it and this time, there was no holding back. 

 

It did not take long for Jon to undress them both and she rode him like the stallion he was, right there on her private jet, both needing each other more than water and oxygen, anything to keep a human being alive.  Bouncing on and off his cock, Carmen held onto him, the sounds of their lovemaking echoing around the plane and she did not care who heard them.  This was a long time coming for both of them, to finally reconcile all the way, and it was glorious cumming thousands of miles above ground for the man she loved.

 

“Carmen…Carmen…”

 

A finger snapping in her face jolted Carmen out of the daydream she’d been locked into, her emerald eyes locking with Jon’s. “I’m sorry, what?  Did you say something, handsome?” Jesus Christ, pull yourself together, you act like you haven’t had sex in years or something!  Don’t be a slut, idiot!

 

“Yeah, the captain just announced some turbulence incoming.” Even her luxury jet didn’t have anything to prevent mother nature from being the bitch she was when she wanted to be and it was the season.  He took in her flushed face and wide, lusty eyes, raising an eyebrow. “What exactly were you daydreaming about, mama?” That was a sex look if he ever saw one and he knew exactly what her ‘turned on’ looks were, he’d seen them his fair share of times.

 

“Nothing, we better buckle up and get ready for the turbulence.” It could be a rocky ride sometimes, but hopefully, they would make it out unscathed.  She trusted her pilot and team explicitly, fingering the necklace around her neck absentmindedly.  Jon grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers together and she smiled, resting her head against his shoulder. “It was about you and me sexing it up on my jet.  I’m not a porn star and I’ve never joined the mile high club, but for some reason, that’s what I was thinking about.” Now that Carmen wasn’t looking directly at him, she could tell the truth. “It’s been torture not being able to be with you completely while we’ve been at your Mom’s.” She brought his hand up to her mouth to brush her lips softly against the back of it. “Not that I didn’t enjoy myself there because I did.  Your Mom is fantastic.  I just have sex on the brain, don’t mind me.”

 

Jon was glad she had come clean because he had been planning on harassing her until she did, just because he knew how she looked during sexy moments or when she was having dirty thoughts.  Being friends for years had sort of done that to them, gave them insight into each other’s facial and body cues.  Then factor in their part-time lover status.  Hiding things wasn’t as easy and it used to be and Jon was hoping to change it to fulltime lover status over this week trip in Japan for the New Year.

 

“You’ll get all the sex you want and then some,” Jon chuckled, bringing her hand up to kiss the top of it, groaning when they hit a patch of roughness. “Just not up here…while this shit is going on.”

 

“Definitely not.  I still get nervous when turbulence hits.”

 

Carmen hated to think this, but if the plane did crash, if they didn’t make it, at least she would die with the man she loved.  That was a horrible, yet comforting thought and she tensed again when they hit another rocky part.  Her flight to Japan back in July had a little turbulence, but not as much as now.  They were going through a snowstorm currently and the pilot came on the intercom about 20 minutes later, letting them know the worse was behind them.  The turbulence slowed down until there was none and it was a smooth ride again, making both Jon and Carmen breathe out a huge sigh of relief.

 

“So, I take it we’ll be naked a lot of our trip in Japan, handsome?”

 

“Not all of it, but nice try, darlin’.” Jon was laughing and then batted his eyelashes at her. “I’m so glad you can reduce me to a sexual object for your gratification, mama.” That was a joke and her smile told him that she knew it. “If all I wanted was to be naked with you, I sure as fuck would not be taking you to Japan.”

 

There would be definite nudity, but he remembered exploring Japan during the warm season with her.  The winter season was just as interesting and he wanted to share it with her.  Onsens came to mind, hot springs and bath houses, he had already reserved a private block for the two of them.  Then, the New Year’s celebrations, it would be glorious and there was no way she could miss it.  Experiences were important and having someone to share them with made them that much better.

 

“Damn.” She snapped her fingers with a giggle. “And here I thought all you wanted was to have your wicked way with me in Japan.  Whatever you have planned, I’m just glad it’s with you.” Jon had planned this out and told her as much through text messages, while still keeping it under wraps enough to where she was in suspense. “Just you and me ringing in the New Year and we won’t even be in our home country.” That was irony at its finest.  Carmen decided to get more comfortable and unbuckled before pulling the seat back, the foot rest popping out and she leaned back with a sigh, not releasing Jon’s hand. “Wanna watch something?” There was a flat-screen television in front of them with a Blu-ray player, so they had their choice of any movie since she had over 200 on her private jet to choose from.

 

Him, her, and thousands of other people.

 

New Year’s wasn’t privy to just America.

 

It was celebrated across the world as countries rang in the New Year, fresh start, and all that jazz.  They could have watched it from a private balcony or something, but that wasn’t as fun as being down there with people.  Watching the parades and dancing dragons, the fire performers and everything else a Japanese New Year offered.

 

“Sure, whatever you want to watch, mama.” Jon had a habit of crashing on planes as a general rule and she knew it, though this bumpy turbulence had to go first.

 

After turning on a movie, they both snuggled into their lounge chairs and once again fell asleep holding hands.

 

~!~

 

Tokyo was even more breathtaking with all the decorations up for the New Year.  It was so colorful, almost blinding, and Jon had made sure to get a hotel that overlooked the entire skyline of Tokyo.  The suite was spectacular and huge, much better and bigger than the one she’d had when she came here for the G1 Climax tournament.  They checked in and Carmen unwrapped the scarf around her neck since it was cold here, currently snowing too. 

 

Pulling her gloves off, along with her coat, Carmen set it aside on her luggage and walked over to open the curtain, entranced by the beauty staring back at her.  Jon had no matches or any obligation to be here and neither did she.  They were here with each other to make up for lost time and prove that they truly loved and wanted to be together, while experiencing a Japanese New Year celebration.

 

“This is incredible.” She was wide awake, even though it was nighttime in Tokyo, having slept a lot on the jet.

 

Standard Japanese hotels were ahead of their time.

 

The luxury hotels they put in America to shame.  There was no doubt about it.  Heated toilets with so many options, heated sinks and the showers, he needed these at home.  Then the rooms themselves, a bedroom and a bar area with lounge furniture, a kitchen with everything in it in case they wanted to prepare their own meals.  It was like a swanky apartment in some ritzy neighborhood and that wasn’t even touching on the amenities this place offered.

 

“Yeah, we could spend the entire week in this hotel and probably not experience everything they offer.” Jon walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzled the side of her neck. “Thank you for coming here with me.”

 

“No place in the world I’d rather be.” She murmured softly, melting against him and caressed his forearms by gently gliding her nails against his skin in a soothing manner. “I never felt complete the way I do with you.  You’re the one I dream about and long for, and it’s still surreal to me that I’m here with you to celebrate the New Year.” It was time to lay her cards out on the table because Carmen had nothing left to lose and everything to gain. “I want to be with you, Jon, not just this week in Japan.  I want you to be mine and only mine.  You’re the only man I want to run wild with and settle down with, eventually.  I’m in love with you and I don’t care how cheesy all of this sounds either.  You’re my soulmate, my better half, and you understand me better than anyone else on this planet.” Stephen didn’t come close to this man holding her and no other man ever would.

 

“About damn time you came back around to your good senses.” He rumbled after a moment, just studying her face.  

 

Her face was so damn expressive, everything said Carmen also broadcasted in her features, and he believed her without a shadow of a doubt.  She wasn’t steeling herself or forcing herself into anything she didn’t feel with him, not like she had with Page and he almost felt bad for the other man because he had never stood a chance.  Even if Carmen had gone through with it all, Page would never have had all of her because she had already given herself away a long time ago.

 

“I love you, Carmen Diamond,” Jon kissed her, pouring everything he felt into it. “And I’m sorry we had to go through all that hell before hitting this point.” Due to his terrible timing.

 

“It’s our journey we had to take.  You thought I was your stalker and rightfully so.  In a way, I did stalk you for the better part of your career by going to every match you had.  You had every right to be skeptical of me and my feelings for you.  Sure, your timing sucked, but I never should’ve gotten involved with Stephen when I knew you had my heart.  And I wouldn’t change one thing about our journey because the man of my dreams became my best friend, lover, and now boyfriend.” Carmen draped her arms around his neck, pressing her chest to his and slowly kissed him, letting out the softest moan before continuing. “Even when I was with Stephen.  That relationship taught me that I have to trust myself and my feelings more…and I have to put my happiness first above all others.  That I shouldn’t feel obligated to do something just because it makes others happy.  And it also made me realize just how much I really do love you and life would not be complete without you.  I want to give you the world, Jon.  And you have all of me from now on.  It’s just you and me against the world and we’ll conquer it all, baby.”

 

“I couldn’t have said it nicer myself.” Jon knew he didn’t sugarcoat things, he had flat out told her time and again what he thought about her relationship with Page. “So, while you’re feeling happy and charitable, ready to hear something?” At her nod, he grinned boyishly, also a little sheepishly. “Remember when I found you trying on wedding dresses and you asked if I was planning on crashing your wedding?” Another nod and he cleared his throat. “I would have.  I wouldn’t have even waited for the preacher to get to the ‘if anyone objects’ shit, I would have just ruined the entire thing, darlin’.”

 

“Wanna know something?  I would’ve wanted you to and I would’ve ran off with you.” There wasn’t a doubt or sliver of hesitation in her words.  Carmen meant them with every fiber of her being. “I secretly longed for you to text or call me during those six months we didn’t talk.  I even started text messages almost on a daily basis and stopped myself because I thought you hated me.  Then when you reached out to me right before Thanksgiving and begged me not to go with Stephen, I almost didn’t.  I froze on the way to the jet and Stephen had to convince me to go.  That text you sent me rocked me so hard and I was miserable because all I wanted to do was be with you, not him.  I nearly ended it with him right there before we got on the jet to go to West Virginia…and I wish I had.”

 

At the time, he had been annoyed with her correct assumption about what he would do at her wedding.  He had accused her of watching too many sappy movies because that stuff didn’t happen in real life.  Wrong!  It would’ve, a big man would have thrown a kiddie tantrum, the whole shebang, just to end those nuptials.

 

“See, if you hadn’t been so goddamn stubborn…” It was said with affection because honestly, that was one of the many things he was attracted to about Carmen. “How about I order us up a late dinner, we soak in that big ass tub and then take each other to bed, hmm?” Make up for all that lost time.

 

“Sounds perfect, handsome.” Carmen murmured, loving the fact there was no rush now that they were finally together. 

 

Chapter 65

 

Sex would come, but what was more important to her was reestablishing the connection and bond they had before.  They sat and talked during dinner, feeding each other dessert and having fun with it, teasing each other.  She asked him about his time as the AEW champion and what really happened with CM Punk, listening to everything he said.  It really was a shitstorm backstage in AEW and they had scrambled to find a way to salvage the situation. 

 

Jon was the answer. 

 

Now they were putting their chips in MJF’s corner, which was good because he was new blood.  It also gave Jon an opportunity to step back to start mentoring and coaching some of the younger guys to get them elevated to become stars.  After dinner, the nerves somewhat set in for Carmen because it’d been a long time since Jon saw her naked.  Nothing hadn’t changed besides maybe a little weight loss, but she still maintained her curvy figure, backside and chest, so hopefully, he still found her attractive…even with the honey blonde hair.

 

Granted, he missed the ebony, but that was because it was what he was used to and she did look stellar with the honey blonde locks.  He also knew that women had a tendency to change things up after a breakup or particularly rough moment in life.  He knew because of an ex-girlfriend; she had shaved her head bald after him.  Jon wasn’t thinking about being body shy, he was in the best shape of his life and strolled into the giant bathroom, to the equally giant tub, and got it going.

 

“Oh heaven…” This thing, with her…he pinched himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.

 

“This thing is gigantic.  It can probably fit like ten of you in it comfortably.” Carmen commented while starting to undress, swallowing down her nerves.  Thankfully, she had kept groomed, so she was prepared for this with him.  Keeping her back to him, every piece of clothing she took off was tossed in a pile along with Jon’s, their clothes mixing together. “Oh Christ…” She groaned as soon as she stepped inside the tub while Jon finished doing whatever he was doing, sinking her body slowly into the hot bubbly liquid.  Not even her garden tubs in any of her five houses compared to this and her eyes drifted shut, melting further into the water. 

 

This hit the spot after that meal and being out in the cold.

 

Jon had noticed she was a bit reticent to get naked in front of him and, while it had him curious, he also wasn’t trying to make things awkward.  Or any more awkward on her end since he was comfortable in his bare skin. “Mess with those buttons, mama.” Jon pointed as he turned around, gathering from her ‘oh Christ’ that she was settled beneath the water and probably less prone to squirming about being naked in front of him. “They change lights in the water…bubbles, scents, oils…it’s amazing.” He wanted all of it, but then again, the novelty would wear off if he had access to it all the time.  Good things in small doses, he was learning.  Settling in with her, he let out a sigh of pure contentment as the hot water jets instantly began working on his massive body. “Fuck…I’m never getting out.”

 

The water was turning different colors, the oil within smelled amazing, but she couldn’t quite place the scent.  It wasn’t flowery, but it was very soothing and relaxing, and there were bubbles from the oils as well. “You’ll turn into a prune if you don’t get out eventually, Moxley.”

 

Snuggling against his side, Carmen caressed his chest and, even under water, it felt amazing to run her fingers through his chest hair again.  Her leg draped over his and she felt his arm settle around her, both of them enjoying each other in this massive, luxurious tub.   Slowly, she moved up, shifting a little and began to softly kiss his neck and strong jaw, every kiss and touch was feather light.  There was no need to rush things, they didn’t have a schedule to keep and could take their time.

 

There was no law saying they couldn’t make out a bit in the bath.  Jon doubted he’d want to sex her up in here, especially with it being hot water and the oils.  That’d be asking to give her downstairs issues that would no doubt put a kibosh on any potential festivities. “I’m okay with that.  You know what that is, mama?  The thing when your skin shrivels up when you’re in water too long?  There’s a theory that we’ve evolved to where when we’re underwater too long, our systems tell our blood vessels to shrink and shit, which causes this…and it’s supposedly to let us grip things better underwater.” Like her, he was now gripping her, grinning wickedly.

 

“Mmm, aren’t you full of useful information…” Carmen moaned out against his skin, continuing to tease his neck and moved across his jaw to his chin, her body moving to where she straddled him in the water.  They were both still under water, but now she was settled on top of him, her breasts and nipples brushing against his hairy chest beneath the water. “God that feels so good, lover…” He was very lightly fingering her and it felt good mixed with the water, but water sex wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.  Teasing and tormenting each other until they couldn’t take it anymore seemed to be the way to go. “I missed you so much…” She proceeded to tease the other side of his neck the same way as she did the other, along with his jaw again.

 

“I couldn’t tell.” He hissed, feeling her nipping at his pulse point as he tried focusing on what he was doing, which originally had been making her feel good.  

 

Jon hadn’t touched another woman after informing her he loved her.  He knew she had been screwing Page left and right, trying to inject some love back into the relationship, but he had gone celibate.  It was weird what love did to a person, it totally axed their drive when they couldn’t have the one they wanted, at least it had for him.  Not even bothering to use his hand, the same hand which was now pleasuring her…Jon could definitely tell, the evil tease.

 

Sex with Stephen was fine, but it wasn’t mind-blowing or passionate the way it was with Jon.  There was a major difference between the two.  It felt as if they became one whenever she was with Jon unlike Stephen.  There was a little passion with Stephen and he was good in the bedroom, but nothing compared to Jon.  No man did or ever would.  It had to do with how she felt for him and being in love with him for so long.  The fact he had her heart and Stephen didn’t was a huge factor as well.  There were no comparisons, Jon was better in every way and that was the bottom line.  Since he was stroking her, Carmen reached down to start doing the same thing, gliding her hand up and down the length of his hardened cock beneath the bubbly water.

 

“Best be careful, darlin’, it’ll go off and fuck this bath all up.” It was a soft joke, but also the truth because Jon hadn’t even wanted to touch himself.  In retrospect, when she had showed up at his mother’s house for Christmas, after that hello kiss, he probably should have carved himself out some bathroom and ‘alone’ time to jerk himself off.  He had known then that they’d finally get things going between them properly, but…it was too late.  If he went off like an unchecked thirteen year old boy, at least Carmen was forewarned. “I haven’t been with anyone since the last time with you, Carmen.”

 

That made her both tense and fill with newfound warmth, her mouth pulling away from his neck until their eyes met, the stroking of his cock ceased as well.  He was telling the truth.  She believed him and it just proved further how much he truly loved her…and how badly she hurt him. “You haunted me, day and night.  My dreams were always of you and I often replayed what you said to me in that hotel room back in May in my head.  Even when I was with Stephen, it wasn’t really him in bed with me, it was you.  The memory of you, of us.  We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for, Jon.  If tonight doesn’t work and all you wanna do is this, I’m fine with it.  Whatever you need.” It would serve her right for him to make her wait a while before jumping back into sex with her after what Carmen put him through. “We go at your pace, handsome.”

 

Part of him wished she hadn’t said all that, about how much she had missed him and he had haunted her.  It would be all too easy to fall into the bitterness that such words could bring.  He wasn’t about to ask her questions such as if he had haunted her, then why had she continued with the charade, pride be damned!  Jon swallowed it all down and shut his eyes, inhaling deeply. No! He wasn’t succumbing to bitterness.  What mattered was the here and now, they were together, and that was the important thing. 

 

It had all worked out in the end.  

 

His eyes flew open, electric blue fire in them and he cupped her face, passionately kissing her with everything he felt.  Carmen met him with equal intensity, so many emotions flowing through them both and she could not get close enough to him in the water.  Even though she was pressed against him tightly, her breasts right beneath his chin, it still wasn’t close enough.  The blue fire in his eyes took her breath away and so did this kiss, so she had to break it before she passed out from lack of oxygen.  Gliding her fingers over his head, through the very thin hair he still had, Carmen couldn’t get enough of the taste of this man and her entire body trembled, despite the hot water they were submerged in.  This time, Jon broke the kiss so they could both breathe, both panting, but again, they could not seem to stop and it went on like this for the next half hour in the tub.

 

Shaking his head, Jon gently moved her off of his lap and practically swam to the other side of the massive tub.  It even had a ledge for sitting on, with plenty of space beneath. “Give me a minute, Carmen.” He held up a finger to keep her on that side, mentally talking himself out of just shooting a load into the water.  He was definitely enjoying the bath and didn’t want to interrupt it due to cloudy, dirty water, grinning at her without a lick of shame. “I should’ve jerked it before we left or something.” So far, his willpower was holding out.  He bet the second her delicious pussy was on his cock, it’d be game over though.

 

“I have an idea,” Carmen was starting to become a prune anyway and didn’t like the feeling of wrinkled skin, so she stepped out of the tub, wrapping a towel around her body. “You stay in here and take care of business.  Rub one out, take your time and enjoy the bath.  I’ll be waiting for you in the bedroom.”

 

The last thing she wanted was to have a three second session with Jon and knew that would happen because the man only had so much willpower.  Since he’d gone without having sex for half a year…it was best if he took care of himself first and foremost before hopping into bed with her.  If they didn’t have sex tonight, Carmen was fine with it and winked at him on her way out, feeling more refreshed and relaxed than she had in a very long time.

 

“What the fuck, babe?  You could have stayed and WATCHED!”

 

Jon wasn’t staying in here to beat himself off, not now, not after she had made that suggestion!  Talk about a kick to the figurative nads!  Scowling at her soft laughter echoing back at him, even from the other room, he stood up.  Water poured off of him like a sheet and he stepped out of the tub, ignoring his wet backside dripping water everywhere and followed her out into the main room.

 

“I’m not jerking off in there by myself!  Fucking give me some visual porn, woman…or lend a hand!”

 

When Carmen actually giggled at him, he hoisted her up over his shoulder, walked the few feet to their massive bed and dropped her right onto it.  Before she had a chance to say another word or let out another giggle, Jon pinned her there and began kissing those giggles away.  She wrenched her mouth free from his and immediately wrapped her hand around his still hardened cock, her eyes locked on his.

 

“Give you a hand, huh?  Like this?” She knew Jon and he was not a one minute man.  The man had incredible stamina and could get it back up and running again in record time, if the situation called for it. “All you had to do was ask.  It’s my pleasure to give you a hand with this particular problem, baby.  I’m ready for my dessert, lay down.” Jon hesitated for a split second before he did as she requested and was rewarded with her hot mouth swirling around the tip of his cock moments later. 

 

A blow job was the perfect solution to this problem.

 

“Where the fuck was THIS in there, Miss Jack It Off?” He growled down at her and then he let out a combination groan and moan when she engulfed him without warning and GIGGLED, again!  That sent vibrations throughout his entire cock, causing his balls to start twitching and he brought his hands up against his face, inhaling deeply as he mentally beat his dick back into submission.  No, he wasn’t cumming until HE was ready and if this cheeky wench didn’t knock it off, he was going to purposefully hold out until her jaw locked up and she couldn’t giggle at him anymore. “You’re EVIL!” He rasped when she went back to teasing him with that devil tongue of hers.

 

Oh, he would cum for her, no matter how long it took for it to happen. “Mmmhmm…” That was the most he would get out of her because she was too busy with her current job. 

 

Giggling again at another growl from him, Carmen then began to hum, knowing that would also send vibrations throughout his body, especially his balls.  Her hand began massaging them as well, just adding to the sensations and bobbed her head up and down on him, driving him further and further in the back of her throat.  Granted, she could only fit half of him in her mouth and down her throat, but it seemed to be enough since Jon never had any complaints whenever she gave him head.  If she ever got froggy about deep throating him, he had a few suggestions, first and foremost laying down with her head hanging off the edge of the bed upside down.  It’d be a straight shot for him, straight to her throat, and the idea had him twitching in her mouth.

 

He was rewarded with her making an ‘oomph’ noise, which had him doing it yet again, laughing harshly. “Sorry, sorry mama, you okay?” The last thing either of them needed was her accidentally getting him off and then it coming out her nose.

 

However, it was payback for the giggling thing – accidentally at that.

 

They could work on it and slowly stretch her mouth a little more, but it definitely wouldn’t be tonight.  Carmen nodded to acknowledge his question and kept right on going, not stopping until she claimed her man completely.  This was just the first step.  Jon was insecure about popping off too soon once he finally slid inside of her for the first time in half a year, so she was helping him out the only way she knew how.  Eventually, he succumbed and surrendered to her, shooting his load all the way down the back of her throat.  She swallowed most of it, a little leaking out of her mouth and could not believe how much cum this man had to give.  Pulling back, Carmen had a very satisfied grin on her face while she wiped the corners of her mouth and popped the digits in, not wanting to waste a single, solitary drop of him.

 

Given he had been anxious and worried about popping his cork too soon, that had lasted a lot longer than either of them had anticipated.  Yet another testament to his stamina and willpower, when Jon wanted to utilize those particular skills.  He pulled himself into a sitting position, resting against the mountain of pillows and the headboard as he focused on getting his breathing under control.  Carmen was ‘cleaning’ around her mouth, looking very pleased with herself and he just shook his head, trying not to smile.  

 

About five seconds later, Jon had moved quicker than he probably should’ve, grabbed her ankles and pulled her flat on the bed beneath him. “My turn.”

 

That skillful tongue of Jon’s worked his magic like always and Carmen did everything she could to hold back, to not give in.  It was damn hard though, she wanted to completely shatter into pieces for the man she loved.  The difference between men and women was women could climax multiple times, so Jon could torture her however long he wanted.  She sang his praises, crying out his name with each intense orgasm that rippled throughout her body.  No doubt, the sheets would have to be changed from their wet bodies due to the bath as well as bodily fluids from both.  Carmen had drenched the bed beneath her with Jon devouring her like a wild animal, having his dessert repeatedly.

 

“E-Enough!  I-I can’t – I-I can’t take it!” Holy hell, she was very sensitive down there by the time Jon finally pulled away, willing her body to move. “J-Jon, p-please…” Christ, her voice was nothing more than a stammer and her face was a red, sweaty mess, along with the rest of her body. “I-I need t-to b-breathe…” Before she passed out!

 

Very few men had achieved the ability for multiple climaxes, even though it did exist, and Jon was NOT one of those men.  It would have been stellar to be able to get off more than once, but sadly, he had already been blessed with size, stamina, and the knowledge how to use his dick without hurting the woman he was with.  Jon couldn’t have it all, he supposed.  He also knew how to devour a woman until she was nothing except a heap of quivering flesh over a massive puddle and he was using those pussy eating skills to do exactly that, turn Carmen into a puddle of goo.

 

“So breathe,” He rumbled, blowing against her clit, which was his way of giving her a moment to ‘breathe’. “Ain’t nobody stopping you, mama.”

 

“K-Kinda h-hard w-when y-you w-won’t s-stop…” How many times would he make her cum before he was satisfied?! “G-Get up here…” She was going to sleep damn good tonight after this bout with him, that was for sure. 

 

What Carmen didn’t realize was for every month they were apart, Jon was making up for.  Right now, she had just climaxed for the fifth time and he still had one more to go before he’d be sated…momentarily.  Jon firmly shook his head, those electric blues piercing through her and her head lulled back when he proceeded to start devouring her all over again.  Carmen sincerely hoped this place was soundproof or else the entire hotel was going to hear her screaming his name. 

 

Puddle of goo was an understatement…she was putty in this man’s hands.

 

Jon had an eccentricity about him, he’d be the first one to admit it and the last to deny.  Carmen was just lucky he wasn’t going for the individual days they didn’t talk because then they’d never leave this bed and her thighs would never touch, ever again. “Nope, one more time, mama!” He decided, after deliberating on it for a few seconds and even cocked his head to the side, giving the impression he was thinking on it.  

 

No, he had already decided she was giving him everything right now and then he’d take the rest after he let her have a moment to recover.  Smirking wickedly, Jon went back to what he was doing, sliding two fingers into her very receptive body and growled when she instantly began bucking her hips.  Pressure, so much pressure and due to how sensitive she was, it did not take long for Carmen to surrender to him.  In all the times they had sex, this was by far the most intense and Carmen refused to end the night by passing out.  All she needed to do was just breathe and Jon gave her a small reprieve before kissing his way up the length of her body until their mouths met.  Tasting herself on his tongue lit her on fire all over again and she pulled back to break the kiss, her eyes locked with his.

 

“I-I love you, Jon…” No other man made her feel this way and this was the high she’d been searching for. 

 

Carmen would never find it with another man besides the one currently hovered over her and her thighs parted for him, welcoming him in.  No other man would make love to her the way Jon did, make her feel the way he did, and that wasn’t bragging, it was just a plain matter of fact.  She had learned this the hard way with Page.  It could be good with other men, but good was second rate, especially when a person knew just how stellar it could be with their soulmate.

 

“I love you too, Carmen.” Jon wasn’t even inside of her yet, just brushing against her after settling between those quivering thighs she had spread so sweetly for him.  He was giving her time to recover before he took her breath away again, along with his.  

 

Sparks would fly the second they became one again after all these months.

 

For the next two days, they stayed in the suite naked and making up for lost time.  It was almost as if the rest of the world disappeared and they’d forgotten they were in Japan.  Finally, on New Year’s Eve, Tokyo time, they peeled themselves out of bed and got dressed because Jon was bound and determined to take her out exploring before watching the spectacular firework display.  No longer did Carmen have to rely on her hodophilia ways in order to be happy and content.  Always traveling from place to place to find somewhere to belong. 

 

All of that ended the night she met Jonathan David Good, the man, and finally found the place she wanted to settle down and stand still once and for all.

 

The End.