 |
| For Paul Levesque, aka Triple H, the last nine months had not only been the longest of his life but also the most difficult. If it had only been the physical aspect of rehabing his quad injury, he would have worked through it with now problem, but it was the addition of the mental and the emotional parts had proved to be his biggest challenge. The injury had not only taxed his body and it's ability to repair heal but it had also tried his patients. Paul had pushed his body hard in an effort to get back into the ring as soon as he could. As a matter of fact, Dr. Andrews and Paul's physical therapists had to slow his progress down for fear that he would re-injure his quad muscle. It had been pure torture for Paul to be forced to the sidelines for so long. Wrestling was in his blood, he ate, drank, slept and breathed the sport, there was nothing more important to him than getting into that ring night after night and performing for his fans. Not even his girlfriend, Stephanie McMahon. They had been together for nearly two years and as much as he loved her, not even she held a candle to his passion for wrestling. During his recovery, he had started to feel like he and Steph were drifting apart. The closeness they once shared just wasn't as strong anymore. All the time that they'd spent apart, all the times that Paul thought Steph should have been with him, all the times the he wanted and needed her there, it all had affected his attitude toward her. He knew that Steph had an obligation to her families business and her job and knew that she couldn't be with him 24/7, but he knew that she could have been with him more if she had wanted too. Paul couldn't have been happier this morning when Dr. Andrews had gave him a limited medical release. He couldn't return to work full time, but he could begin his in-ring workouts to strengthen his leg and test it out. Maybe now he could get his career and his relationship with Steph back on track. As soon as he hit the parking lot, he began to make phone calls to WWE headquarters to get the ball rolling and get him ready to go to OVW. By the time that he and Steph got back to the hotel, there was a message telling him to be in Louisville early Monday morning. He tried to relax and enjoy himself but he was just too anxious to get back into the ring in any fashion. He telephoned the airlines and cancelled his flight sunday night and bought tickets for that evening. Steph was livid. She had wanted to spend a long weekend with Paul curled up in bed together and he had just gone and ruined her plans. "But Paul, I..." she whined, sounding more like her television persona than the lovely young woman he had fallen in love with almost two years ago. Sometimes lately, he wondered if he would have been better off staying with Joanie. "No buts Steph! I'm going!" "I wanted us to spend the weekend together." "Oh, Now you want to spend time with me!" he spat out, his voice full of sarcasm. Steph's eyes began to well up with tears and Paul immediately felt bad for hurting her feelings. "Look Sweetie, I'm sorry! It's been a long process and I'm so close to gettin' back in the ring, I can taste it. I'm so anxious to get started.....I'm sorry I took it out on you." He pulled Stephanie into a hug and squeezed her tightly, they pulled away just enough to kiss her lightly on the lips. That was all the encouragement that Stephanie needed as she responded with a rising passion. Little did Paul know, but the hands of the Fates were working and this would be the last time that he and Stephanie would make love or the last time he'd see her through the same eyes filled with love. ***** Kendall Shay fumbled with her keys searching for the one that would open the door to the business offices of Ohio Valley Wrestling. It would have been an easier task if her other hand wasn't holding her purse, two bags of supplies for the office and a box of computer paper. She had worked as James E. Cornette's executive assistant for eleven months and once a month, she would put in a half day on Saturday to restock the office and get caught up on all the little things that never seem important enough to do during the week. She grumbled and teased Jimmy about getting a "real" job, but in truth she loved what she did and would think of doing anything else. Never in Kendall's wildest dreams did she think that she would get hired when she sent in a resume for a job opening she had seen on their website. Suddenly it seemed like her life was coming together again. After four horrible years trying to recover from the devastating divorce, the aftermath that followed, and a mother who didn't care and just didn't want to understand. Kendall was finally able to stand on her own again and make a life for herself and her young daughter, Cameron. The move from a small town in eastern Kentucky to a city like Louisville scared Kendall to death, but she had adjusted well and was now thriving on the "big city" life. She had only been living in Louisville about three months when her best friend Adrianna Turner called her late one night crying because her husband, Brian, had just hit her. She had him arrested and was not giving him a chance to do it again. While he cooled his heels, she was packing her belongings and the baby and heading home to her parents house. It was then that Kendall offered another solution. She wanted Adrianna and her daugher Macey, to come live with her and Cameron. At first Adrianna was a little surprised by the offer. She and Kendall had only actually met one time and the rest of their friendship had been via the telephone and computer. While she was pregnant, Adrianna would pass the hours while Brian was at work by surfing on the internet, finding a wonderful community of Undertaker fans who immediately adopted her into their family. Kendall and Adrianna found they had alot in common and clicked as friends almost immediately. They shared nearly every aspect of their lives with each other, the good times and the bad, the laughter and the tears. Adrianna had been thrilled for Kendall when she learned that she would be moving to Louisville and working for Ohio Valley Wrestling. It was sort of dream come true for them both. Adrianna was happy just to live vicariously through Kendall. So now, the two women relied on each other and step by step they rebuilt their lives. Kendall had put in a good word for Adrianna and helped her get a job as the make-up artist and wardrobe guru for OVW. With divorces final, new jobs in a sport they loved, confidences renewed and brand new attitudes, both women had even began to date again. Adrianna had caught the eye of a young wrestler who went by Seven. Kendall had taken a little longer, she had never dated much growing up and was nervous about getting back into the game again but one of Seven's friends, a wrestler named Mark Jindrak, keep after her until she relented and went out on a date with him. Kendall finally managed to find the key and unlock the door and none to soon. The weight of her packages and the box of paper made her arm feel like it was going to break off at any second. Shoving the door open with her foot, she hurried to her desk and sat the bags and her purse down in her chair and then dropped the box of paper on her desk with a resounding thud. She rubbed her arm a little as she walked over to turn on the radio. She smiled as No Doubt's "Hella Good" began to blare through the office. This is one of the things she liked best about working Saturdays, she could turn up the music and not worry about distrubing anyone. Kendall turned around to begin unpacking the supplies and saw the pic of her and Adrianna taken with the Undertaker. Kendall smiled broadly, she always got goosebumps when she looked at it. Just the thought of being next to Mark Callaway and having his big, tattooed arm around her still made her tingle. It was hard for Kendall to control the life long wrestling fan inside her when she met someone like Mark that she had admired for so long. She had always been such a huge fan of the sport that even meeting the OVW wrestlers was exciting to her at first, now they had just become a part of her life, a part that she dearly loved. Sometimes Kendall had to pinch herself. She couldn't believe that her life was finally back on track. As the music played, she stocked the supply closet, deciding that it could use some straightening as long as she was there. It didnt' take her long to finish her first task of the day. It never did when there wasn't someone interrupting her every five seconds. She gathered a small stack of documents that Corney wanted updated and sat down at her computer. Kendall quickly typed three or four documents, absently singing with the radio as she worked. She decided to take a quick break and change the radio station, for some reason she was just in the mood for country. Her decision was quickly rewarded with a Montgomery Gentry song. "Hillbilly Shoes" filled the room and Kendall immediately began to dance and sing around the office, grabbing the stapler to use as her microphone. Just as the song was ending, the telephone rang and Kendall raced across the room to turn the volumn down, then back to her desk to grab the receiver. She didn't bother to go around her desk, she just layed across it. "Ohio Valley Wrestling." "Sunshine...Do you always take that long to answer the phone?" Jimmy Cornette asked, calling her by his nickname for her. "Only when I know it's you, Corney!" Kendall teased, using the name that had followed Jim from his days as a manager. "How in the Sam Hill did you know I was here?" "I called your house." he stated simply, a hint of laughter in his voice. He and Kendall had developed this brother/sister type relationship. From the moment she walked into his office, Jim knew that she was something special and he had been right. She had spent some long hours helping him clean up the mess that his former secretary had made of the office and Jim had developed a protective fondness for the pretty red-head and the same could be said for Kendall. She had been a fan of Jimmy's when he had managed the Mid-Night Express in the NWA and quickly came to appreciate the hard work that he dedicated to his job and did everything in her power to make sure she lightened his load as much as possible. Her feet kept time with the music as Kendall took notes on what Corney needed her to do. She could never be still when there was music playing around her. Music had been the one constant in her life. It was in the car when she drove, at the office when she worked, and played constantly. It was no wonder that Cameron loved it too, at times preferring it to cartoons. The times that they would dance and sing in the living room were always some of their favorite times together. Kendall struggled to stay calm as Jimmy told her that Triple H was coming to spend a month at OVW and what he needed her to do to get things ready for Paul's arrival Monday morning. At first she thought that maybe Jimmy was just making it all up to tease her from being such a Triple H fan, but then she realized that he wasn't joking and began to tremble with excitement. She couldn't wait to tell Adrianna. ***** Paul slept in late or at least late for him. He took a leisurely shower, dressed and grabbed a light breakfast before calling a taxi to take him to the OVW training center. He knew that the probability that someone being there on Saturday was low, but if all else failed, he just find a gym to workout in. He just hoped that he would get lucky and find someone there. He was blissfully unaware of just how lucky he was gonna be. As the taxi pulled up in front of the building, Paul immediately noticed a black Ford F150 with a custom back glass featuring the Harley Davidson logo and the words "Wild as the Wind" parked beside he building. He looked it over with an appreciative eye then turned to the taxi driver and handed him a $20. "Keep the change, I'll call when I'm ready to go back to the hotel." The driver only nodded, barely noticing his passenger, except to take his money. "Must not be a fan!" he laughed to himself as he picked up his gymbag and walked to the front door of the building. He tried the knob and found it unlocked. As he entered, he saw a light coming from an open doorway just down the hall. Paul walked down the hallway and stopped in the doorway, raising his hand to knock on the door, but then stopped short. A broad smile spread across his face as he cocked his head to one side to admiring what he saw Paul had walked in on Kendall laying across her desk talking to Jim Cornette. He was getting a nice view of her ass wrapped in a pair of tight black jeans. Every now and then, Kendall would bring both feet off the floor, raise them while they were crossed at the ankles and swing them back and forth. Paul leaned against the door frame and watched with a wicked smile on his face. "OK, Jimmy, I'll take care of that today. I"ll make sure everything is ready when he gets here. Yes Jimmy. Yes Jimmy. I promise not to stay all day. ALRIGHT...two hours max!" Kendall put down the receiver and screamed with excitement, then laughed out loud. Adrianna wasn't going to believe this one. Shaking her head she slid off the desk and started to turn toward the file cabinet behind her to turn up the radio again but as she turned, her hand hit the stack of plastic organizers, nearly knocking them off the desk. "Shit" she cursed loudly, grabbing them just before they would have careened off the edge of the desk. She exhaled loudly as she sat everything upright on her desk again. Paul took advantage of the momentary distraction and ducked back into the hallway. He didn't want to embarrass either of them by letting her know that he had been watching her. He heard her right the files, then walk toward the door. He heard her turn up the radio and decided to wait for a couple of minutes before he knocked on the door. He was more than a little surprised when a beautiful voice rang out singing in perfect harmony with the singer on the radio. He wasn't a country fan but her voice held him spellbound as she sang. Paul listened to her singing and could hear the emotions filling her voice as she sang it was as if she had lived every word of the song. In truth...she had. Kendall had had the same questions in her heart before her husband decided that he didn't want to be married or a be father anymore. Usually she sang softly to herself, but thinking she was all alone, she belted out the tune in full voice. {"Where Would You Be". (note: as sung by Martina McBride) } I wonder where your heart is, 'Cause it sure don't feel like it's here, Sometimes I think you wish, That I would just disappear, Have I got it all wrong, Have you felt this way long, Are you already gone. Do you feel lonely, When you're here by my side, Does the sound of freedom, Echo in your mind, Do you wish you were by yourself, Or that I was someone else, Anyone else. CHORUS: Where would you be, If you weren't here with me, Where would you go, If you were single and free, Who would you love, Would it be me, Where would you be. I don't wanna hold you back, No I don't wanna slow you down, I don't wanna make you feel, Like you are tied up and bound, 'Cause that's not what love's about, If there's no chance we can work it out, Tell me now, Oh, tell me tell me now. REPEAT CHORUS Have I become the enemy, Is it hard to be yourself, In my company. REPEAT CHORUS "Damn...makes Lilian sound like an amateur!" he chuckled to himself when the song ended and another began. He walked toward the door for a second time as the chorus of "Kiss This" (note: as sung by Aaron Tippin) began to play. He raised his hand again but stopped cold by what he saw. He had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. The woman, who ever she was, had grabbed the stapler and was using it as a microphone. She was dancing around and singing and basically having a good ole time. "Why don't you kiss, kiss this. And I don't mean on my rosy red lips. 'Cause me and you, we're through. And there's only one thing left for you to do. You just come on over here one last time pucker up and close your eyes and kiss this, goodbye." He watched with great interest as she swayed her hips, his eyes taking in every inch of her backside, from her long red hair to her long legs and everything in between. Without any warning, the young lady spun around and came face to face with him. She dropped the stapler, screamed and stumbled backwards, falling to the floor. As she sat there looking up at him with a deer in the headlight look, her face turned a dozen different shades of red and her mouth dropped open. 'Hi, I'm Paul Levesque." Paul said and bent down to pick up the stapler, then reached his hand out to help her up. "Y-yeah, I know! Triple H" Kendall stammered, the embarrassment she felt made her voice seem small and childlike. She made a concerted effort to control her shaking hand as she took his silent offer of help. "You're early! James isn't expecting you until Monday" Kendall's insides were shaking like a leaf. The wrestling fan within her wanted to jump up and down and scream "OMG!...OMG! it's Triple H" but she fought to control the urge. Her heart was pounding 90 miles an hour and so loudly that she was sure Paul could hear it. Her cheeks felt like someone had set fire to her face and suddenly she was extremely self-concious of what she was wearing. Adrianna had bought her a black Harley Davidson babydoll tee and she had been hesitant to wear it but she figured today would be safe since no one would be in the office anyway. Tight fitting or tucked in had never been Kendall's style. She had never had the body for it but she had struggled for a little over two years to lose weight and get into shape and had lost over 150 pounds. She was proud of her accomplishment and the way she looked but all she wanted to do right now was crawl under the desk and hide until he left but she knew that wasn't possible. Somehow she gathered enough courage to look Paul in the eyes and felt a bolt of electricity charge through her. No picture or television image that she had ever seen had ever shown how really handsome he was and her reaction to being in the same room as him totally was totally overwhelming her. Kendall's face flushed again and she began to fidgit with her shirt, tying to pull it down a little to cover her stomach a little more. Finally in desperation to hide her discomfort, she turned her attention to the radio and turned down the volume. "I know, I'm sorry" he said, "I guess I'm overly anxious to get back in the ring again." He was struggling with his own reaction to the pretty red-head standing before him. He was feeling like he'd been kicked in the gut and his groin was on fire. He was suddenly glad that he hadn't tucked his shirt in and that he was holding his gymbag. "You have a beautiful voice, by the way." "T-thanks" she stuttered at the unexpected compliment and the knowledge that the Undertaker had been talking about her and Adrianna to the guys in the WWE. Again Kendall's face turned red and felt hot enough to fry an egg on. Quickly she hung her head, trying to hide as much of her embarrasment as she could. "My names Kendall Shay, I'm James' executive assistant" "Kendall, huh. I don't think I've ever met a girl named Kendall." "Yeah well...my mom wanted a boy. Can ya tell?" She was smiling and trying to make light of the subject but Paul could tell he had unintentionally hit a nerve. He bent down and retrieved the staple from the floor, getting a whiff of her perfume as he stood up. "Yeah well...parents do some pretty strange things sometimes." he said, laughing as he handed her the stapler. "Damn! She smells good!" he thought to himself as she reached for the stapler in his hand. Kendall wrapped her hand around the stapler and her fingers brushed his hand. A wave of heat surged up both of their arms and spread through out their bodies. She jerked her hand back like she'd been stung, dropping the stapler again. Kendall had had a crush on Paul for years and had already made a fool out of herself in front of him, she didn't want him thinking she was a total idiot. Little did she know but Paul was having the same difficulty hiding his reaction to her. Although his reaction had the added element of confusion. He had never experienced a reaction to any woman like like this in his life. He loved Steph but his love and attraction for her had grown on him gradually. Paul and Kendall sorta stood there momentarily looking at each other. Kendall finally broke the silence. "I take it you wanted to start training today." she said, her voice shaking a little. "I hoping to..." he answered, "...but I'll wait until Monday." "How much time do you need? I'm gonna be here for a couple more hours. Is that long enough?" "That's perfect!" Paul answered, his eyes shining like a child who was just given permission to play his favorite game. "Come on, I'll let you in the gym." As soon as she got back to her office, Kendall grabbed the phone and called Adrianna. "Hello." "Dre, you're not gonna freakin' believe who's here at the gym right now!" Kendall's was talking a mile a minute. "I'd swear it was Triple H with the way you're acting." "It is Triple H!! He wasn't supposed to be here until Monday but he's here now!" Adrianna screamed. "You're kidding. OMG girl, this is your chance to jump his bones!" she teased her best friend. "Adrianna!" Kendall squealed. "Is he as cute in person?" "Oh Dre, you wouldn't even believe it! He's so gorgeous!" Adrianna knew that it had been a dream of Kendall's to meet Triple H, just like it was hers to meet Taker. She recalled the butterflies in her stomach and how she shook all over when they finally did meet a couple of months ago. She knew all too well just how excited Kendall must be right now. "Dre, I gotta go! If I don't get these arrangements made Corney's gonna kill me. I'll tell you everything when I get home!' "Ok, I'll see ya in a little while then." Kendall sat back down at her desk, trying to concentrate on her work. She finally got all the arrangements made and laid the confirmations on Corney's desk. She was trying to get more of the documents re-typed but her mind and eyes kept wandering off the page into the gym below her. She smiled as she watched Paul enter the ring and begin to do some rebounding. Back and forth across the ring he ran, bouncing off the ropes. Suddenly she remembered the camera was in the supply closet and used it as an excuse to go to the gym to watch him workout. She quickly ran to the closet, grabbed the camera and several rolls of film, then ran down the hall to the stairs that led down to the gym. Paul was sitting on the end of a weight bench in the gym. His elbows were resting on his knees and he was bent forward staring at the floor. He had gotten in a light workout, but it wasn't as intense as he would have liked. He found that he was having a tough time concentrating on his workout. Kendall's office had large windows that opened to the gym and just knowing she was up there was a huge distraction for him. He ran his hands through his hair and exhaled, now that he was warmed up, it was time to do some basics in the ring. He started by rebounding back and forth across the ring. His leg felt good so he dropped a few elbows and did a few leg drops to see how it would hold up and to his relief, he felt no pain. As he leaned on the ropes to catch his breath, he glanced up at the office only to be disappointed that Kendall wasn't there. It didn't last long because seconds later, she walked through the gym door with a camera in hand. "And just what do you intend to do with that?" "I'm gonna try to remember how to work the stupid thing." Paul chuckled at the look of frustration on Kendall's face. "I knew I should have been paying attention to Corney when he was teaching me to use it." Paul was laughing hysterically, he couldn't help himself, she was just too priceless. "God, where is my good ole point and shoot!" Paul had gone pretty much over the edge now and couldn't control himself. Kendall took advantage of the situation and snapped several pictures. "Hey...You set me up!" "I'll never tell...." she purred, giving Paul a coy look. She clicked off a couple more pics, adjusting the settings between shots. "Just pretend I'm not here." "Yeah...like that's possible." he mumbled a little too loudly. Kendall dropped the camera from her face and looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Oh really!" It was Paul's turn to feel a little embarrassed, he realized he'd just stuck his foot in his mouth. "Well, it's hard to pretend someone's not there when they have a camera stuck in your face." "Uh huh." she said sarcastically, then gave him a playful smile which unintentionally came across as very flirtatious. "Models...you're all so temperamental." she teased, rolling her eyes. Paul grinned and began to play along, striking different bodybuilding poses for her. "Oh yeah baby! That's it! Work it! Work it!" Paul kept posing and Kendall kept snapping pictures. Then he climbed into the ring and began to cute a promo for her. They were both totally caught up in the game. "Oh yeah! Beautiful! Oh honey, the camera loves you today." "Ok...I think that's enough for today." "Oh sure...pull the Diva routine on me." Paul walked over to the edge of the ring and leaned on the ropes, looking at the ropes, looking down at her. She was packing up the camera and gathering up the rolls of film she had taken. She glanced at her watch and noticed how late it was getting. "Dang it!" she cried in surprise, "I'm gonna be late. I promised my daughter I'd take her to the movies this afternoon." Paul was disappointed, he hadn't seen a wedding ring on her finger, yet here she was saying that she had a daughter. "How long you been married?" 'Married? I'm not. Been divorced for three years now." "OH, I'm sorry!" "Don't be. I'm not. " her voice was flat and registered absolutely no emotion at all, "We're both better off." He looked at her, his admiration growing for her. It took a strong woman to raise a child by herself. Kendall hurried off in the direction of her office. She quickly replaced the camera in it's spot in the closet and dropped the four rolls of film in her purse. She'd be making a pit stop at the one hour photo place on the way to the movies and replacing the rolls of film she took. These were her pics and she wasn't gonna let anyone else claim them. uuuuu Paul was already in the gym with several of the OVW talent and administration when Kendall and Adrianna came into work. He was leaning against the ring, where he had full view of the window to Kendall's office, talking to David Flair, Charlie Hass, B. J. Payne, Seven, Mark Jindrak, owner Danny Davis and Jimmy Cornette. The movement of the blinds being lifted distracted Paul from his conversation with the others. Everyone turned around to see what had caught Paul's attention and Jimmy beamed with a father's pride at his girls in the office. "Bit of a distraction, aren't they?" Charlie said, eyeing the ladies, who seemed oblivious to the attention they were receiving. "How in the hell do you all train with those two up there?" Paul chuckled. "Ain't easy!" B.J. Payne added. About that time, Kendall looked out the window and saw everyone looking up at them. Jimmy motioned for them to come to the gym and Kendall waved back, holding up one finger, indicating that they'd be there in a minute. Paul tried to continue the conversation but his mind kept wandering up to the office. Taker was right when he said the Cornette had a couple of knock-outs workin' for him. Mark Jindrak let out a low whistle as Kendall and Adrianna walked into the gym. Seven, Adrianna's boyfriend, looked added a whistle of his own. Kendall's eyes met Paul's as they crossed to where everyone stood. Her stomach was doing flip flops and her knees were weak. Adrianna felt the electricity fly between the two and she knew why Kendall had been a nervous wreck this morning as she tried to find something to wear. Kendall had called her early this morning complaining that she had nothing to wear. "Dre, what am I gonna do? I don't want to go in there looking like a biker chick again." "You need to calm down. I'll be down in a minute to help you find something." All Adrianna could do was laugh as she helped Kendall pick out a simple, low cut, white top with three quarter sleeves, and two pale green strips that ran across the bustline. They paired it with a denim skirt that had a sexy split on the side and came to the top of her knees. She had encouraged Kendall to wear a skirt to show off her Triple H tattoo on her ankle. She and Kendall had gotten matching tats not long after she moved to Louisville. They had designed them to look like ankle bracelets. Kendall's had "H H H Paul Michael Levesque H H H Hunter Hearst Helmsley" that wrapped around her leg between two thin bars and a small version of Paul's iron cross symbol dangled from it between the top of her foot and her ankle. Adrianna's was the same with the exception that hers said "ABA Mark William Callaway ABA Undertaker" and had his UT symbol. All the men turned to look at Kendall and Adrianna as they walked toward the ring and Jimmy smiled broadly as he introduced them. "Kendall Shay, Adrianna Turner...I'd like you to meet Paul Levesque." "We've met." Kendall said as she shook Paul's hand. "You've met?" Jimmy asked. "Yeah, I got into town early and dropped by the gym Saturday for a quick workout." Jimmy wasn't the only one who noticed that Paul held Kendall's hand and gaze a little longer than you normally would. Mark, Kendall's on again, off again boyfriend, noticed the extra attention they seemed to be giving one another and it didn't please him at all. "Nice to meet you, Paul" Adrianna said and shook his hand. "You too!" "So what's the occasion? Why you two so dressed up?" Mark asked, thinking they had dressed up to impress Paul. "We're picking up Aine and Kayla at the airport today." Kendall answered. "Don't forget you promised to bring them by to meet me!" Jimmy added. "No problem Corney, don't know if it will be today though." "What time are you leaving?" "Around two, if that's ok?" "That's fine...can you have that letter to JR typed before you go?" "I'll make it my first priority." Kendall said, her eyes traveling back to meet Paul's gaze. She felt her face flush and quickly made an excuse to leave the gym. "If you all will excuse me, I've got a ton of work to do." "Yeah, me too" Both Adrianna and Kendall started to walk away when Kendall suddenly turned around. "Hey Paul, I brought those pics from Saturday if you want to see them." "Great...I'll be up in a bit." "Whenever." she said and left without another glance back. Now Mark was really pissed, Mr. WWE was a little too friendly with his woman. He wasn't liking the interest Paul or Kendall were showing one another. Mark and Kendall had been dating on and off for over a year. She had been his biggest source of support since his injury and he wasn't willing to let her go without a fight. uuuuu "Oh my God, Kenni!! Paul's totally into you!" Adrianna said when they reached the office. "No way, besides he's dating the Princess remember." "I'm telling you, Triple H really likes you. I could see the sparks flying between the two of you." "OK Dre, you've lost your ever lovin' mind." "I have not, you know I have a sixth sense about these things. Didn't I tell you that Mark would ask you out two weeks before he actually worked up the nerve too?" "Yeah, I guess." Kendall was feeling more than a little confused. The thought of Paul actually liking her was more than a little overwhelming. "So, what' s on you agenda for today?" she asked, needing to change the subject. "Laundry!" Adrianna laughed, letting the subject change, "And I've got some alterations to make to David's ring jacket." "Need me to go get him?" "Not at this second." "Just let me know when you do." Adrianna walked into her workshop which was attached to Kendall's office and began to organize the supplies she'd need for the day. Kendall on the other hand, sat down at her desk and quickly typed the letter to be mailed to JR. When she finished, she printed a copy for Jimmy to proof and walked to Adrianna's door. "Hey Dre, I'm headed down to get Jimmy, want me to send David up?" "Yeah, I think I'm ready now." Kendall walked down to the gym, her stomach turning summersaults as she neared the gym door. She could hear Adrianna's words echoing in her ears. She took a deep breath to calm herself, then opened the door. Everyone turned to look at her and she became extremely self-conscious. She forced herself to look more confident than she felt. She smiled sweetly as she walked up to the group, still huddled beside the ring. She walked over to David Flair and put her arm around his shoulder. "Dave, Dre need's you in her workshop." "Ok, I'll head up there now." "Ok, did you have a good weekend at your parents?" "Same ole, same ole." he laughed, then headed upstairs to see Adrianna. Kendall grinned and watched him walk off. She couldn't image the amount of pressure he must be feeling trying to live up to the legend of Ric Flair. He was such a sweet kid, a little on the shy side, but as sweet as he could be. Kendall turned her attention to the remaining group. "Are you all actually gonna put in some ringtime today?" "Uh oh...time to get to work." Danny Davis laughed. "Danny honey, you're beyond all help, but the rest of these guys need to hit the ring." "Where in the hell did you say you found this one, Corney?" "Under my lucky star." he answered in all seriousness. "Flattery ain't gonna get your tail outta working today." she said to cover the fact that she was blushing from the unexpected praise. "Did I say my lucky star..." he let the statement trail off and everyone laughed. "Here's the letter to JR that you wanted, I just need you to proof it and make whatever changes you want." "Well, boys it's been fun...but it's time to actually go to work." Paul watched Kendall through out the banter with Danny and Jimmy. Her smile lit up the whole gym and her laughter was as sweet as any music he had ever heard. When Kendall and Jimmy turned to leave, he decided that now was a good a time as any to take a look at those pictures. "Hey Kendall!" he called and she stopped to look back at him, "Would you mind if I looked at those pics before I start my workout." "Models!" she sighed, "They just can't wait to see their proofs." Everyone in the gym just kinda looked at each other, waiting for Paul to blow his stack, but he only laughed as he walked toward her. "Camera jockey!" he teased back, rolling his eyes and they both laughed, leaving everyone else in the dark about their private joke. "Flight 42 from Atlanta, Georgia...now arriving at Gate 7." Adrianna and Kendall stood at the gate waiting anxioulsy for Aine and Kayla to disembark. Neither woman could believe that the day had finally arrived and their friends would finally be here to stay. It was half the reason that Kendall had purchased the old college dorm and fixed it up, so that Aine and Kayla could come live with her in Louisville after their graduation from college. The addition of Adrianna to the household was just the icing on the cake. The four of them had become friends online and had met several times in person before Kendall moved to Louisville. It only seemed natural that the four of them live together. Adrianna spotted Kayla as soon as she stepped off the plane with Aine right behind her. "There they are!" she said excitedly, pointing to the pair of women walking from the plane. They screamed in excitement and inched a little closer to the gate. As Aine and Kayla entered the main part of the airport, four high pitched screams could be heard above all the hustle and bustle of the airport. The four women embraced, still squealing with delight and jumping up and down at the same time. "I can't believe the two of you are finally here!" Kendall cried out, hugging Aine. "Come on let's get out of here and go get the girls!" Adrianna suggested. Twenty minutes later, everything was packed in the back of Kendall's vehicle and they were off to the daycare where Cameron and Macey stayed while their moms worked. All four women entered the day care and three-year-old Cameron spotted her mother immediately and the women with her. "Aunt Kayla! Aunt Aine!" she yelled and ran across the room into their arms. One-year-old Macey heard Cameron yell and began to toddled over as fast as her little legs would carry her. "Ya-Ya....Ayla!" she squealed and joined the group hug. uuuuu "Welcome home ladies!" Kendall said as she unlocked the door and kicked it open. She had just picked up her arm load luggage and stepped through the door when the phone began to ring. "Oh...of course!" she said, then dropped everything in her arms and ran to the phone. She caught her foot in her purse strap and tripped, stumbling several feet, then stumping her big toe on the table where the phone was located. "HELLO!" she barked, cussing to herself under her breath at the same time. "Sunny?" "What do ya want James E.?" "Are you alright?" "No damn it, I just broke my damn toe trying to get to the damn phone!" "I'm sorry, did I call at a bad time?" "No...no you didn't" she said, her voice softening, "It just hurts, that's all." "Are you sure you're ok?" "Yeah, I'll be fine." "Good, "cause I really need to ask a huge favor." Kendall laughed..."I figured...what'd ya what?" Adrianna, Kayla, and Aine sawKendall's face drain of any and all it's color then flush pink the next second. They all looked at each other, trying to figure out what was going on. "You want me to what!?" "Fix a full blown Chinese dinner for Paul." "What?...How?" Kendall fumbled for the right words. "He asked if there was a good Chinese resturant in town and I told him I'd see if I could make reservations at my favorite place and you know how much I enjoy your Chinese food." "Corney!" "Aww..come on Sunny! Please." "Jimmy, we just got home, it will take me forever to get ready. I have nothing......" "How long will it take?" "At least two hours, if not more." she relented, "I'll have to go to the store, clean the house, find sitters..." "Don't worry about sitters, Paul loves kids." Kendall was beginning to stress out and her face was showing every ounce of it. She looked around at the house, baggage was sitting everywhere, toy were strung across the house, she hadn't dusted or cleaned since she had worked Saturday. "What's going on?" Adrianna asked, seeing Kendall's distress. Kendall held up one finger and kept talking to Jimmy. "OK Corney. Chinese dinner for six, but I don't want to see hide nor hair of you for two hours. Agreed?" "Agreed! Sunny, I really owe you!" "Yeah tell me about it...I feel a paid day off coming! You're lucky I love ya..you know that?" "Yeah, I do!" his voice taking on a quality that she hadn't heard before, "I'll see you in a couple of hours." Kendall hung up the phone and stood in shock for a few seconds. "Kenni?" Adrianna asked, "What's going on?" "Jimmy's bringing Paul over for Chinese tonight." "You're shittin' me?" Adrianna's eyes flew wide. There was no way that she heard right. "Paul? As in Paul at work!" Kendall only nodded. Just knowing that Paul Levesque was coming set her body on fire. Her heart was racing, her legs were weak and she could swear that someone just turned up the heat in the house to like one thousand degrees. "Who's Paul?" Kayla asked, totally confused by what was going on. "Triple H!" Adrianna and Kendall said in unison. "No freakin' way!" Kayla said in astonishment, then she and Aine screamed like a couple of teenagers. "Guys, I'm gonna need you're help!" Everyone set to work, Adrianna showed Kayla and Aine their apartments, while Kendall checked her supplies and made a grocery list. She dug out her woks and her cook books and a variety of utensils. By the time that Kendall got the grocery list ready, the others arrived back at her apartment. "I've got to run to the store." Kendall said in rush. "Dall, calm down. I'll go to the store. I know what you use and if i have a question, I'll call you." "You don't mind?" "I wouldn't have offered." "Thanks Dre! I owe ya one!" Kayla and Aine began to clean and straighten the house, keeping an eye on the kids in the mean time. Kendall was a blur in the kitchen, she stopped only long enough to change into something alot more comfortable. She tossed her top and skirt on the bed and threw on a pair of sweat shorts that roll down at the waist and an old AC/DC shirt. It had originally been her ex-husband's but he forgot it when he left so she kept it since she liked the band. By the time that Adrianna returned 45 minutes later, Kayla and Aine had finished cleaning the house and were keeping the babies out of Kendall's hair by playing with them in Cameron's room. Kendall was bustling around the kitchen gathering her ingredients and getting them ready. Adrianna sat the groceries on the table, slipped off her jacket and rolled up her sleeves to help Kendall prepare the food. "There's something missing." she muttered. "Huh...what?" Kendall answered, looking over her ingredients again. "This!" Adrianna grinned then walked over and turned on the stereo. "Relax Dall, this is usually fun for you." "I don't usually cook dinner for Paul Levesque." Adrianna laughed at her friends fretful expression. As the music filled the house, it began to relax Kendall and she began to sing along. Kayla and Aine heard the music and came dancing into the living room with the girls on their hips. They were all having a good time and no one was paying attention to the time. Jimmy and Paul pulled into the driveway and could hear the music as they stepped out of the car. They looked at each other and walked to the door. Jimmy knocked on the door but no one heard him. He opened the door and walked in followed by Paul. He wasn't gonna miss this. Jimmy and Paul stopped just inside the door and watched the floor show. Kendall, Aine, Kayla and Adrianna were all dancing and singing with new version of "Lady Marmalade" from Moulin Rouge. Cameron and baby Macey were doing there best to dance along with the grown-ups and squealing with delight at the same time. Jimmy was dying! He had never seen Adrianna and Kendall like this and it was totally funny. Paul on the other hand was not ever cracking a smile. He was watching Kendall with hungry eyes, devouring every inch of her body. The way her shorts fit her, the hint of skin showing where her shirt was tied in the front and the tattoo around her ankle. He saw no one but her, the way she was moving with the music and the seductive expression on her face. Adrianna spun around and saw their guests standing in the doorway. She raced over and turned off the radio. "Jimmy! Paul! How long you been standing there?" The sudden absence of music and Adrianna's surprised voice brought the merriment to a quick halt. The four grown women stood there gasping for breath and blushing at the same time. "Long enough to get a new respect for my employees." Jimmy chuckled. Kendall and Paul's eyes met and her blush deepened. He deliberately let his eyes pass over her body one more time to let her know that he appreciated what her saw. It was only then that she realized the she was still wearing shorts and a t-shirt. "Adrianna, would you make the introductions? I need to change into something alittle more appropriate." Kendall quickly retreated to her bedroom but had to pass Paul as she did. On impulse, he reached out and took her hand, stopping her in her tracks. She looked up into his eyes, fire surged through them both. Paul smiled and Kendall's heart raced faster, until she thought it would explode. She returned his smile with a shy one of her own, then adverted her eyes and continued on to her bedroom. Kendall quickly closed the door and leaned against it for support. She felt like she was going to hypervenilate at any second. Adrianna ws intoducing Kayla and Aine to Jimmy but she still managed to catch the exchange between the two. It had only taken a matter of five seconds but that five seconds spoke volums to Adrianna. She continued the introductions when Paul's attention was longer diverted. Everyone sat down in the living room and waited for Kendall. They made small talk, Kayla and Aine tried to control their excitement but it wasn't hard to detect to someone who had seen what meeting a like this would do to a fan time after time. It wasn't long before he found himself the designated lap for Cameron and Macey. They crawled up on his legs with a book in hand and held it up to him. "Will you read us a story?" Cameron asked, in her small voice. "Read me! Read me!" Macey echoed. "Girls!" Adrianna started to tell them to get down, but Paul shook his head. "It's ok, I'm do this with Peter and Nyssa whenever I get a chance." "I bet they miss you when you're not there." "Yeah, they do." "You sure you don't mind those two?" "I'm sure!" "When you get tired of 'em, let me know." "I promise, I will." he said, then began to read the book. Both girls snuggled up as close as they could get and listened to him intently. Kendall emerged a minute later wearing a pair of tight blue jeans adn the same black AC/DC t-shirt, still tied in the front. Her heart nearly stopped and broke at the same time when she say Cammie and Macey curled up on Paul's lap. They were such sweet kids and deserved to have fathers who actually wanted them. "Well...that's better. What do you say I get dinner finished? "Sounds good to me!" Jimmy chimed in. Kendall had to laugh at him. She knew how much he had come to love her Chinese cooking. "Ladies, if you'll help me, we can eat sooner." All three jumped up and followed into the kitchen. She assigned them all different tasks to do as she began to cook the meat for the eggrolls. Aine was shredding cabbage for the eggrolls on one side of Kendall and Kayla was slicing onions and carrots for the fried rice on the other side of her. "So, what was that all about?" Aine asked, dying to know if Kendall had something going on with Paul. 'What are you talking about?" "Triple H grabbed and held you hand. I can't believe you're acting like it was nothing." "It was nothing...probably just his way of saying hi." "More like 'Need help getting out of those clothes." "Aine!" she whispered loudly. Kayla busted! She couldn't help it, Kendall's expression was way too priceless. Aine was laughing too. "Tell me that you didn't feel electricity run through you when he touched your hand." "Me feeling it is one thing, but it being mutual is another." "From where I stood, it was mutual." "Yeah....Riiight!" 'Girl, I 'm telling you, he's totally attracted to you." "Suuure...like he's gonna choose me over Stephanie." "If he's got a brain he will." Kendall rolled her eyes, Aine and Kayla laughed. Adrianna joined joined them at the sink. "What's so funny?" "We're trying to convince Kenni Dall that here that Triple H wants her bod." "You all saw the sparks too!" "Gawd...will you all stop that!" Kendall scolded in a hushed voice. uuuuu Paul watched Kendall and her friends making dinner. He tried to concentrate on what Jimmy was saying but his mind kept wandering off to the kitchen along with his gaze. The sound of muffled talking, laughter and the rattling of pots and utensils drifted from the kitchen and Paul smiled. A warm, familiar feeling washed over him as he watched Kendall's every move. He usually one had this feeling from being at home with his own family. It was a sense of peace, of coming home, of being with the ones you loved. "Paul?" Jimmy asked. He refrained from asking what was really one his mind. "Yeah. Sorry, guess I got a little distracted." "I can see why, those are probably four of the most attractive women I've ever seen." "Yeah..." Paul was more than a little confused. He had loved both Joanie and Stephanie, each in different ways, but it was love none the less. He could honestly say that he had never had this feeling of "home" or of being "whole" with either of them. What took Stephanie and Joanie intentional effort to do, Kendall did without meaning to. Paul didn't notice that he had used the words "had loved" when thinking of his relationship with Stephanie. Paul watched Kendall washing up the last of the dishes as his mind whirled with all the wicked things he'd like to do to her. He observed every inch of her body, the way it moved, the way her jeans hugged her curves, the tantalizing glimpse of bare skin, the way her hair fell down her back in soft ringlets and how she sung softly under her breath as she worked. He felt his body reacting and smiled as he thought about taking advantage of the fact that they were alone. The familiar tingle in his groin grew stronger with each passing second. He'd have to thank Adrianna later for suggesting Cameron spend the night with her and Macey. He stalked across the kitchen like a lion after it's prey, his eyes never left her back. As he reached her, Paul slid his arms around her waist, pulled her against him and kissed her at the base of the neck and shoulder. "Paul" Kendall whispered breathlessly. He didn't say a word, just continued holding her and blazing a trail of kisses up her neck to her ear. Kendall leaned against him and could feel his need for her pulsing through the thick material of his jeans. "Mmmmmm, Paul!" she moaned again. Seemingly of their own accord, his hands moved up the sides of her body, each one finding and cupping one of her breasts. A small gasp escaped her lips, her head fell back against his shoulder and her hands rested on his thighs for support. The shock of her touch nearly sent him over the edge. One simple move, made innocently was more erotic to him than anything Stephanie had ever done deliberately. With one hand gently turned her head toward him and he captured her mouth with a hungry kiss. Her fingers dug into his legs as he teased her lips with the tip of his tongue. Her thumbs were caressing the inside of his thighs as she slowly opened her lips and let his tongue inside. He growled against her lips and felt her shiver in response. Kendall turned toward Paul, wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her body against his. Without conscious thought, she pulled his hair free of it's confines and let it fall around his shoulders, then let her hands roam his body, feeling his arms, chest and back. Paul didn't bother untying her shirt, he just grabbed both sides and pulled it over her head. He dropped his head and placed a kiss on her chest, just at the top of her cleavage. He could feel her breath coming in shallow gasps and watched her breasts heaving with the effort to breathe. Paul kissed a line up her chest to her neck then up to her chin and finally recaptured her mouth. It didn't take any encouragement to get her mouth open this time, it was open and waiting for his tongue eagerly. Boldly Kendall nipped the tip of his tongue lightly then sucked it once it had fully entered her mouth. Paul gasped in surprise and hunger. He unlatched her bra and slid the straps off her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. He released his hold on her mouth and bent her backwards over the sink, greedily sucking her breasts one at a time, while working the other this his fingers. Kendall squirmed, arching her back and offering herself up to him. She moaned as he gently bit her left nipple before he took a step away from her. Scared that he had changed his mind, she stood up straight and looked at him. He had a lustful smirk on his face as he looked her over, hungering for every inch of her body. He took off his shirt then closed the gap between them. Paul turned Kendall around again, and began to kiss her neck and back. His hands immediately grabbed her breasts and he began to squeeze them gently. She leaned against him again, letting him do what ever he wanted. She dropped her hands to his legs again, then slowly worked them behind her so that she could rub him. Paul let out a low, lusty rumble and rocked his hips from side to side, rubbing himself against her hands. He didn't know how much more self control he had left but he fought hard to control himself. Kendall didn't make things easier on him, she turned her head and kissed him, opening her mouth and sucked his tongue. Paul ran his hands down her stomach, stopping only when he met the waistband of her jeans. He fumbled a bit, trying to get them undone, then slipping them to the floor. He ran his hands over her thighs and the silky material of her thong panties. Kendall moaned loudly, letting her head fall back against his shoulder again. Paul looked down at her chest, heaving up and down and grabbed the left breast with his left hand. He squeezed it roughly as he slid one finger underneath the material of her thong. Kendall sucked in a ragged breath and worked her hips back and forth, rubbing herself against his crotch. She gasped as he unexpectedly picked her up, carried her to the bedroom, then placed her gently on top of the covers. He took two steps back and looked at her, laying there wearing nothing but a thin silk thong. She watched him take off his pants, her eyes blazing with wanton lust, devoured his body. She sat up and scooted to the edge of the bed then reached out, took his throbbing erection in her hands and gently pulled him to her. Paul looked down and watched her softly stroking him. He threw his head back, spread his legs for balance, and closed his eyes, letting the sensations wash over him. She squeezed him gently to get his attention. Paul looked down into her darken eyes. Kendall smiled seductively then bent her head to tease him with the time of her tongue. As much as he was enjoying this, he wanted to touch and taste her. He reached down and lifted her chin. "There will be time for that later." he murmured huskily, "I want to taste you." Kendall shivered involuntarily at his suggestion. "Scoot back on the bed!" he said and she obeyed. Paul crawled up beside her, running his tongue up her leg, to the edge of her thong, then pulled it to one side and ran his tongue along her crease. Kendall squirmed wanting more. Before Paul could give her what she wanted, the telephone began to ring. He tried to ignore it but it was one long annoying ring that wasn't stopping and it was totally distracting him. He reluctantly rolled over and shut off the alarm on his clock. It was the first time in a long while that he hadn't been awake when the clock went off. He rolled over and pulled the covers back over his head, wanting to recapture the remnants of the dream. It seemed so real, a little too real, he was frustrated and in need of release. Paul tossed the covers aside and sat on the edge of the bed, running his hands through his hair. He exhaled a long breath and rested his head on his hands. "Paul" he could still her low lusty voice calling his name as he kissed her neck. He stood up, shaking his head, trying to rid himself of the sound of her desire echoing in his mind. He needed a cold shower desperately. Stiffly he walked to the bathroom, turned on the water and let it wash over his body but it did little to cool his desire for Kendall. He closed his eyes and saw Kendall sitting on the edge of the bed, her passion darkened eyes looking up at him. As she slowly lowered her head, Paul wrapped his hand around his erection and began to stroke himself. It didn't take long before his body stiffened and his balls tightened as he fantasized that is was Kendall's mouth that was bringing him to climax. He leaned against the shower wall, trying to catch his breath. His self satisfaction had relieved his urgent physical need, but it had done little to ease the frustration he was feeling. He grabbed the bar of soap and a wash cloth and quickly cleaned himself. Shutting off the water, Paul stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist then walked into the bedroom and sat down on the bed. He was just about to get dressed, when his cell phone rung for real. He grumbled as he pulled it out of his coat pocket. "What!" he huffed. "Good morning sweetheart, bad morning?" Stephanie greeted him in a cheery voice. "Morning babe" he forced a happier tone into his voice, "No, I'm just tired, I didn't sleep well last night." "Ah my poor baby, maybe I'll have to come tire you out, so you can sleep." "If you're here, I know there won't be any sleeping done." Paul rolled his eyes as he listened to Steph giggling on the other end. They talked for several more minutes then Paul laid the phone on the nightstand beside the bed and attempted to get dressed. He picked up his sweatpants just at the telephone in the room began to ring. "What the hell, now!" he growled as he answered the phone. "I'm sorry, did I catch you at a bad time?" Kendall's asked in confusion. "No, I'm sorry." Paul said, taking a deep breath. "I just got off the phone with Stephanie and I thought she was calling back." "Ah...that good huh?" "This is just one of those mornings when she irritates me." "Is something wrong?" "Nah, I just didn't sleep well." "I'm sorry!" Is there anything I can pick up for you on my way to work this morning?" "Actually, there is, if you don't mind?" "Don't mind at all." "A couple bottle of water would be great." "I called to ask if maybe you'd like a ride into the gym this morning, you could pick them up when we stop for gas." "Are you sure? It's not out of the way for you?" "A little but I don't mind." "How long do I have to get ready?" "I'm leaving now, it's Dre's turn to get the girls to and from daycare. It should be about 15, 20 minutes." "Perfect! I'll be ready." Twenty minutes later, Kendall was knocking on Paul's door. His heart skipped a beat or two and he forced himself to tie his shoe before he answered it. He grabbed his shirt off the chair as he walked across the room. It was still in his hand as he opened the door. Kendall's pulse raced and her cheeks burned. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined he'd come to the door without his shirt. Paul noticed Kendall blushing but he didn't say anything. He'd seem women react to him this way a million times but somehow Kendall reacting this way thrilled him instead of amusing him. "Come on in, I'll be just a minute." Paul turned away to keep her from seeing his smile. She watched him closely as he pulled his t-shirt over his head and tucked in into the pants. He bent over to pick up his jacket which had fallen on the floor, giving Kendall a nice view of his wonderful ass. Her cheeks heated up again but she brazenly looked him over like he was a prime piece of beef. He turned back around as he zipped up the jacket and pulled his hair out of the collar. She met his gaze as he looked at her and smiled. "Ready?" she asked. "Yep, let me grab my coat and gear." When they pulled into the parking lot for the OVW building, Kendall was in stitches. Paul was telling her about some of the ribs that he had pulled and had pulled on him. As they exited the truck, tears rolled down her face and her sides ached from all the laughing. Paul put his bag on his shoulder and insisted on carrying Kendall's briefcase and a stack of folders for her. They were the first ones to arrive and Kendall unlocked the side door that led directly into the gym. He grabbed he door with his free hand and held it open for her. Kendall smiled at him almost shyly, as she stepped inside, flipped on the lights and waited for him to get inside. Paul dropped his bag on the ring, then carried Kendall's things to her office. He hung back a little going up the stairs, giving himself a better view of her "assets". He smiled wickedly as a snippet of this dream flashed through his head and he growled softly to himself. It just wasn't softly enough, Kendall heard him and turned around on the stairs. "What's wrong, do you need me to take some of that?" "No, I've got it, I just bumped my elbow, that's all." "Are you sure, I'm used to carrying it." "I've got it. I promise I don't mind." Kendall shook her head and smiled down at Paul, then turned around and finished climbing the stairs. Paul followed her down the hallway into the office and waited for her to turn on the light for him. "Just drop them anywhere on the desk." "No problem." She walked into the tiny supply closet and hung up her coat. "Hey Paul, would you like to hang you coat up in here?" "Sure, thanks." She fumbled in her coat pocket looking for the pack of gum she had picked up at the gas station this morning. She found it and turned around quickly to go get Paul's coat. "Hang on a sec, I'll be right there to get it." She turned quickly but bumped smack dab into Paul. "That's ok, I'll bring it to you." he laughed, wrapping one arm around her waist to steady her. It suddenly got very warm and Kendall couldn't breathe. She could only look into Paul's beautiful eyes and smile awkwardly. Paul smiled back then gave into his impulse, he leaned down and captured her mouth with his and kissed her passionately. Kendall was dumbstruck, she didn't know what to do at first, then her feelings took over and she returned his kiss. Paul, still holding his coat in one hand, wrapped the fingers of his other hand around the back of her neck with the heel of his hand and his thumb on her cheek. He stroked her cheek with his thumb and drew her closer as he softly teased her lips with the tip of his tongue. Kendall hesitated barely a second then parted her lips and drew his tongue in. Paul nearly lost all control when she very gently sucked on his tongue. The sound of the door slamming at the end of the hallway startled them both. "I'm sorry." Paul said as he retreated out of the closet and sat down in Kendall's chair. He tired to act casual, like he was just waiting for Kendall to come out of the closet. Jim Cornette came waltzing through the door a second later and did a double take upon seeing Paul behind Kendall's desk. "Good morning, Levesque." he said, then gave Paul a funny look. "Hey Corney, how ya doin'?" "Not as good as you apparently." Jimmy had an odd tone to his voice as he looked at Paul, "Why don't ya come into my office for a few before you workout." "Good Morning, Kendall." Jimmy yelled as he opened his door and walked inside his office. "Morning James E." she called back, her voice sounded a little strangled. Paul followed Jimmy into his office and sat down in one of the chairs. "What's up Corney?" Jimmy reached down and took several tissues out of the box on his desk, then handed them to Paul. "The next time you want to make out with my secretary, you better make sure there's no evidence left behind." Paul reached up an touched his lips and saw the lipstick on the tips of his fingers. He grinned as he took the tissues and wiped his mouth. "Don't worry, I won't say anything to Kendall. The last thing I'd want to do is embarrass her but I will say something to you. I don't know what your intentions are but if they aren't true...then leave her alone. Everyone knows your dating Stephanie and I don't want Kendall hurt!" Paul bristled a little but he understood where Jimmy was coming from. "To tell you the truth Corney, I don't know what my intentions are either." "What do you mean?" "Just that, I don't know what's going on, I've never met anyone like Kendall before." "I just want to give you warning, there's a lot of people here who care about her...me, Danny, the guys, and Jindrak, her ex." Paul shook his head. Of course, Jindrak was her ex...that would explain his sudden turn around in attitude yesterday when he returned from looking at the pics Kendall had taken of him Saturday. "Thanks Jimmy, I know you all care about her but I promise, hurting her is the last thing on my mind." Kendall leaned heavily against the shelving in the supply closet. She was shaking from head to toe including her insides. Her legs felt like Jell-O and her heart was racing out of control. She was trying desperately to catch her breath when Jimmy called out to her. "Good Morning, Kendall." "Mornin' James E." she called back, her voice strangled by her attempt to draw a breath. She was glad when he walked on into his office and didn't stick his head in the closet. Kendall heard Paul follow Jimmy into his office and relaxed enough to begin composing herself. Never in her life had she experienced anything like that in her life. It felt like lightening was ricocheting around inside her body. She reached up and touched her lips with the ends of her fingers, still feeling Paul's lips on hers. She was still standing in the closet, lost in the memory of the kiss when Adrianna arrived to work. Adrianna figured that Kendall was in Jimmy's office since the door was closed, so she went on in to her studio and began looking over her schedule for the day. She hadn't been there more than a minute, when Kendall hurried in, her face flush and the strangest look in her eyes, and shut the door. "Dall, what's wrong?" "He...kissed me!" "Who kissed you?" "Paul!" Kendall said a little breathlessly, her cheeks blushing a bright pink again. Adrianna's mouth dropped open and if it had been anyone but Kendall telling her this story, she wouldn't have believed it. She had to listen hard to catch all the details, in her excitement, Kendall was rattling them off a mile a minute. "I told you! I told you! I told you!" Adrianna said, nearly jumping up and down in her excitement. Kendall sat down on the stool beside Adrianna's workbench and told her everything that happened. Adrianna watched Kendall as she talked, her hands shook, her voice quivered with excitement, and it was all she could do to sit still. After a while, she had calmed down enough to try and get some work done, she just prayed that Paul had already gone down to the gym. As Kendall sat down behind her desk, she could see Paul lifting weights. She watched him for a minute then pulled herself away from the window and tried to begin her work for the day. Unconsciously, she began to sing to herself as she sorted through the large stack of mail on her desk from yesterday. Jimmy's door was open and he could hear her. He smiled to himself but was still concerned about Paul's intentions. Danny Davis walked in and smiled at her. "Someone's in a good mood." "Yeah, guess I am." "Is Corney busy?" "Nope, go on in." Danny smiled as he entered Jimmy's office. "What's up with Sunshine today?" "Don't ask!" Danny just gave Jimmy a strange look then sat down. A couple of minutes later, Kendall popped through the door and handed them their mail. She smiled brightly then walked back to her desk. Just as she was sitting down, looked down into the gym to catch a glimpse of Paul. She gasped at what she saw, then ran to Jimmy's office and stopped in the doorway. "Mark and Paul are fighting!" she said, then turned and ran down the hallway. Danny and Jimmy were hot on her heels and Adrianna was close behind them, having heard Kendall's excited statement. She raced across the gym and without a thought to her own safety, jumped in between Paul and Mark (Jindrak). She began screaming at Mark to stop and shoving against his chest to get the two of them separated. Mark, in the heat of battle, grabbed Kendall by the upper arms and slung her aside. She crashed hard into the steel ring steps, her back striking the corner and her head hitting the concrete floor. Paul saw red and rage over took him, he lunged at Mark, spearing him to the floor. Adrianna screamed and ran over to Kendall. Danny and Jimmy jumped into the fray and tried to pull Paul off Mark. "Paul, this isn't helping Kendall!" Jimmy yelled. Paul pulled back on his own, the fact that Kendall was hurt finally sinking in. He hurried to where Adrianna knelt beside her unconscious body. She looked at him, as he knelt beside her, a mixture of rage and fear in her eyes. "Help me get her to my studio." Paul nodded, then scooped Kendall up in his arms. Adrianna turned on Mark like a mother bear protecting her young. They eyed each other for a moment, each seeing the anger in the others eyes. "What the hell was that all about?" she questioned. "None of our f'ing business!" "It became my business when you hurt her." "You know I would never lay an hand on her Dre. Mr. Stephanie McMahon needs to remember he's got a woman and leave mine alone." "Jealously! This tantrum is over jealously!" "I'm not jealous of...of that." he threw a disgusted look toward Paul. "Yes, you are! You can't handle the attention that your EX-girlfriend has been giving Paul. Remember that...she's your ex. She's not your woman anymore. OMG..you are such an ass!" Mark just glared at Adrianna and then Paul, who was still holding Kendall in his arms. Adrianna threw up her arms and spun around on her heel, stalking off toward her office. Paul kept his mouth shut, clenching his teeth in an effort not to say anything. He glared at Mark for several seconds, then followed Adrianna out of the gym. Adrianna grabbed her coat, purse and cell phone then headed out the door just as Paul carried Kendall into her studio. "Put her on the couch. I’m going to go get Kayla." She watched Paul gently place Kendall on the couch and sit on the edge of it beside her. "Kayla?" "She's a registered nurse. Promise you'll stay with her until I get back." "It's a promise." he said solemnly, "Be careful, ok." Adrianna gave Paul a half hearted smile then rushed out the door, dialing the cell phone as she went. Kayla answered just as Adrianna reached her car. "Kay, it's me, get ready, I'm on my way to pick you up. Meet me outside the house." "What's wrong, Dre?" "Kendall's been knocked unconscious." "What happened?" "Apparently there's been some heat between Mark and Paul and they got into a fight in the gym. Dall jumped in the middle, trying to break them up." "Heat? Why is there heat between them?" "If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say it's over Kendall." "So, what happened?" "Mark threw her aside, she lost her balance and landed against the ring steps. I've not for sure, but I think her head hit the concrete floor." "Let me fix my hair and Aine and I will wait for you in front of the house." "Alright, I'll be there shortly." Adrianna hung up and dropped the phone in the seat beside her. She took every shortcut and side street she knew trying to get home sooner. She pulled up in front of the house and true to their word, Kayla and Aine were waiting for her. She waited for them to jump into the car and then she sped off back the way she came. "I swear this has been the wildest day!" she said. "Why Dre, what happened?" Aine asked. "Paul kissed Dall this morning, she was hyper all morning and now this." "Wait..Paul kissed Kendall...our Kendall...the woman who's had a crush on him of years." "Yep the one and the same." "Yeah, she was still shaking when I got there this morning." "Wh...how did it happen?" "She was in the supply closet hanging up her coat, she asked Paul if he wanted to hang his up too and when she turned around to go get his coat, he was right behind her. Apparently he was bringing it to her. Well...She bumped into him and lost her balance. Paul grabbed her waist and kept her from falling. They sorta looked at each other for a few seconds, then he kissed her." Aine and Kayla just sorta looked from one another to Adrianna and back again. "OMG! I'm so totally jealous!" "I know, I'd die if Kane ever kissed me." "Girls, it must have been some kiss...cause she was still flushed when she came into my studio." uuuuu Mark Jindrak fumed as he sat in Kendall's office staring at a picture of her and Cameron. All he wanted to do was get to her, hold her in his arms and tell her he was sorry for hurting her. Every time he tried Jimmy and Mr. Big Shot blocked his way. He'd never intentionally hurt Kendall in a million years but he was far from thinking rationally when she jumped between him and Paul. He had only meant to push her out of harms way but the rage and adrenalin which fueled his strength and caused him to push her a lot harder than he had intended. It was the sound of her crashing into the steps and the cry of pain the escaped her lips that had pulled him back from the edge until Paul had attacked him in a blind rage. Jimmy and Dan had pulled them apart for a second time and Paul went to Kendall and he was held back, kept away from the woman he loved like he was a danger to her. It was like dangling a red cape in front of an enraged bull. He saw nothing but except Paul holding Kendall in his arms. Adrianna's irate interrogation only added fuel to the fire. It had taken every last ounce of his self control to keep from ripping Kendall out of Paul's arms and kicking his ass right then and there, but he knew that she would have only been hurt again and he didn't want that. So here he sat, still boiling mad and waiting to see Kendall. Jimmy had told him to leave, there was nothing he could do here, but he had stubbornly refused to go. He wasn't leaving until he'd had a chance to talk to Kendall and tell her he was sorry. He'd sit here all night if he had to. Adrianna wasn't happy to see him when she dashed into the office and saw him. She had given him a hateful look and kept on going, closely followed by two other women. He watched them enter Adrianna's studio and shook his head, looked like he was gonna be here a while. Kayla, Aine, and Adrianna were all happy to see Kendall awake and sitting up when they entered the studio. Kayla immediately began to examine her, checking her pupils, her head and neck. Kendall was getting pretty irritated by all the fuss. She felt fine, a headache and her shoulder blade was sore, but otherwise she felt fine. "Kay, I'm fine!" "I want make sure you don't have a concussion." "I'm fine!" "It doesn't look like you have one, but I'd still like you to go to ER to make sure." "NO, I'm not going to the ER, Kay. I'm fine!" "OK, but I want to you take the rest of the day off." "I have to much work to do here." "No, you need to go home and rest! Period, end of discussion!" "I agree!" Jimmy added, looking Kendall in the eyes. "But Corney..." "No buts, Go Home!" Paul didn't say a word to anyone, just stood up and left the room. Completely ignoring Mark, he walked to the supply closet, grabbed her coat and purse and his coat, then returned to the studio. "Let's go!" he said, as he held out her purse and coat. No one said a word, they just looked a each other with strange smiles on their faces. Kendall slowly stood up and didn't get dizzy, which was a good sign. Paul held her coat as she slipped her arms into it, then handed Kendall her purse. "Ready?" "I guess I don't have any choice, so yeah!" "Give me your keys." Kendall looked at Paul for a long moment then relented without a fight. She knew she was out numbered and she had to admit that she liked the idea of having sometime alone with Paul. Together they walked out the door of the studio, Kendall stopping when she saw Mark sitting at her desk, looking at her picture. Mark looked up and saw them standing there with their coats on, a mixture of love, hurt, anger and hatred filled his eyes. "Let me get my briefcase, I'll meet you in the truck." "No...." "Paul, please." she said softly, placing her fingers over his lips, "I not afraid of him besides he didn't mean to hurt me." He eyed Mark for a moment, then reluctantly did as she asked. "Come on, let's go into Jimmy's office." she said then called out loudly, "Corney, I'm taking your office for a few minutes!" "What is his deal?" Mark asked when she shut the door. "Who? Paul?" "Yeah...why is he acting like your overprotective boyfriend all of a sudden." "I can't answer that question." "Can't or won't?" "Can't...but both if I did know the answer. Who I see or don't see isn't your concern anymore." "Kenni, I still love you, how am I supposed to turn that off." "I'm not asking you to turn it off, just control it." "He's gonna hurt you Ken." "How? We've known each other four days...there's nothing going on." "There doesn't have to be anything going on for him to want to get into your pants." "Mark!" "It's true Ken!" "Do you think so little of me, that you'd think I'd jump into his bed because he's Triple H." Mark was taken by surprise. He hadn't though of it from that angle, so he remained silent. "You know I don't do casual sex." "Yeah, I know." "Then back off! All my life, everyone I've ever known has told me how to live my life, I won't let that happen anymore." "I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." "Don't say things you don't mean." "Angel..." "Don't angel me, Mark. I've worked my ass off to back on my feet after "he" left, I won't let anyone have that kinda control over me again. That's why we're not together anymore." Mark just looked at the floor. He didn't know what to say to her. Kendall just walked out of Jimmy's office, leaving him sitting alone with his thoughts. "Can I ask you something?" Kendall inquired after they had finished eating lunch. She was glad the she had put the pot of vegatable soup in the crockpot to cook this morning before she left for work. "Sure." he answered, wiping his mouth. "What do you want from me?" Paul sighed, not even sure if he knew the answer to her quistion. "I don't know." he answered looking into her eyes and taking her hand in his, "It's nice to find someone who sees me as Paul and not as just Triple H. 99% of the people I meet treat me as some sort of hero or want something from me. It's either time, an autograph, a picture or my name on their cause, at times it never seems to stop." Kendall let him talk, watching his face closely as he did. "But you, you've welcomed me into your home, treated me with repect and kindness, went out of your way to take me to the gym this morning and you've asked nothing in return." It's all just part of my job." "No, it's not just part of the job. I highly doubt any of Titan's secretaries would extend themselves the way you have." "So, what your saying is that the kiss this morning was payment for being nice to you." Paul hadn't been expecting a comment about the kiss and caught him off guard. "Ummm....no, it wasn't." he stammered, his eyes downcast on his empty bowl, "I..uh...it...uh...just felt right." Kendall wasn't gonna disagree with that point. Nothing in her life had ever felt more right in all her life. Even now, just thinking about it, left her body tingling and her lips burning. "To tell you the truth, Kendall, I've been more than a little attracted to you since we met." There he had laid it all out there on the line. He had never had a problem getting a woman, so why now was he nervous about her response. Kendall quickly looked down the table, hoping to hide the pink color that was tinting her cheeks. She never knew how to handle these situations because she never trusted herself to know the difference between someone playing her or telling her the truth. "I don't believe it! You don't know do you?" "Know what?" "How beautiful you are and the effect you have on men?" Her face changed from pink to a bright red. Paul had held her hand all this time and now Kendall became acutely aware of the heat that traveled up her arm and across the rest of her body. Unexpectedly, she jumped up from the table and cleared her dishes then dumped them into the sink to be rinsed. "Yeah well, beauty in in the eye of the beholder and apparently you need glasses." she said with a twinge of defensiveness in her voice. Paul knew she hadn't meant the comment to be funny, but it was and he chuckled as he carried his dishes to the sink. After sitting them in the sink with hers, he wrapped his arms around her waist like he had in his dream, then leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I have perfect 20/20 vision." he said softly into her neck just behind her ear, his voice low and husky, "You are so beautiful, Kendall, I've never been more attracted to a woman in all my life." Tears slipped down Kendall's face and she was glad Paul couldn't see them. She tried to distract herself from his closeness by running the dishwater. "Look at me." he said and pulled away a little, then waited for her to face him, "I'm not just saying that, I honestly mean that you are the most beautiful woman that I've ever met." "Does that include Stephanie?" Kendall felt Paul stiffen at the mention of his girlfriend's name. "Steph!" he sorta snorted out the name, "Things between the two of us have been rocky for a while, especially after my quad tear. There always seemed to be something more important than me." Kendall was leaning against the sink, Paul's arms still around her waist. "Lord, if this is a dream, please never let me wake up!" She silently prayed. Paul looked down into her face and could see the trails the tears left down her face. He wiped them away with his thumbs then leaned in to kiss her again. After this morning's kiss, he didn't need an invitation, his tongue sought entrance from the moment their lips touched but this time, he didn't have to tease her lips, they were parted and waiting for him. Paul crused under his breath when the telephone rang and Kendall pulled away to answer it. He was beginning to hate thing with bells and alarms. "You know that's one of the girls, if I don't answer it, they'll all be home is 15 minutes." He knew she was right and shook his head in understanding then followed her into the living room. "Hello?" "What the hell took so long? I was getting worried." "Sorry, I was in the kitchen." "You're supposed to be resting." "Gotta eat sometime!" "Fine, but leave the dishes, one of us will take care of them when we get home." "Dre, I can do the dishes." "NO, you rest!" "Good gravy woman, I wasn't hit by a bus." Paul had to laugh, did she really just say "good gravy". Adrianna heard him laugh in the background and was suddenly suspecious of Kendall's story that she was in the kitchen. "Was that Paul?" "Uh....yeah, he's still here." Kendall scowled at Paul playfully. "And you were in the kitchen right?" "Yeah...haven't you ever had sex on the kitchen table before." Paul had just taken a drink of water and spit it across the living room when he heard Kendall's remark to Adrianna. Kendall lost it, she was laughing uncontrollably as she watched Paul scramble for paper towels. Adrianna was too sure that that wasn't exactly what was going on. "What the...?" "I think I shocked him." Kendall forced out between laughing fits, "He just spit water all over the living room." "What is going on there?" "Nothing...Oh my head hurts from laughing so hard. I gotta go mop the carpet...I'll see ya when you get home." Kendall didn't give Adrianna time to answer or say goodbye, she just hung up the phone. uuuuu Kendall had been asleep for nearly an hour and Paul wanted to check to make sure she was ok. He walked silently down the hallway and slowly opened the door to her bedroom. It had taken all his powers of persuasion to convince her to lay down when her headache didn't ease up and the last thing he wanted to do was wake her if she were asleep. It looked like Kendall had only taken time to change her clothes. He was amazed that it was December and she was wearing a pair of grey shorts and a babydoll t-shirt. She hadn't even taken time to turn down the bed or cover up with a blanket. Paul looked around her room, spotting a blanket laying across a cedar trunk. He unfolded it as he walked over to the bed, then carefully placed it over her. He was straightening it out, making sure her feet were covered, when he noticed the tattoo oh her ankle. He had seen it Monday when she had worn the skirt, but had thought it was a ankle bracelet. Now he looked at it closely and was shocked to see both his character's name and his full real name gracefully wrapped around her ankle with the HHH iron cross dangling from it. He reached out and traced it lightly with a finger, somehow liking the idea of Kendall wearing his "brand". He watched her sleeping for a couple of minutes, all snug under her blanket, and smiled. He couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to fall asleep each night with his arms wrapped around her. The same warm feeling of peace and of coming home flooded his body and mind again as he pulled the blanket over her feet. She stirred in her sleep and Paul froze, waiting until she began to breathe deeply again before he moved. Paul went to the dining room and grabbed his jacket off the chair he'd hung it on and slipped it on. He pulled out his cell phone, hitting the speed dial button as he stepped out the back door onto the patio. The phone rung several times before his dad's familiar voice greeted him. "Hello." "Hey dad, it's Paul." "Hey son, how are you?" "I'm alright." "Alright? Have you had a set back in rehab?" "No, actually that's going really good." "Then what's up?" There was a long pause as Paul searched for the words to ask his father what was on his mind. "Paul?" "Yeah dad, I'm here." "What's wrong, son?" "Can I ask you something?" "Sure, you know you can ask me anything." "When did you first know you loved mom?" "Honestly, from the moment I laid eyes her." (long pause) "How did you know she was the one you would spend the rest of your life with?" "Well, that's a hard one to answer, it wasn't just one specific thing. I was comfortable with your mom from the very start, like I'd just found an old friend. The more time we spent together, the more I realized that she made me feel complete. I don't know how to explain this to where it makes sense to you." "Like you had come home?" "Yes, that's exactly it, Paul. I've always felt like your mother was my 'home'. Son, what's going on? Do you think you're in love with Stephanie?" "In love...Yeah I do, but with Steph....No. I've not been in love with Stephanie for a long time. I just didn't want to admit it to myself." "What changed your mind? Or should I say who?" Paul proceeded to tell his dad everything. How they'd met, how he felt and the things that had happened over the last few days. His dad listened without interrupting and when Paul had finished then and only then did he offer any advice. "Paul, finding someone that makes you feel that way, maybe a once in a lifetime chance. Are you willing to gamble that chance away by staying with a woman that you've already admitted that you haven't loved for a long time or are you going to find out if Kendall is where you belong?" When Paul didn't answer, his dad continued. "Spend the holidays with her, Paul. Give yourself a taste of a normal life for a change. I'll explain it all to your mother, I'll sure she'll understand." "Ok Dad, Tell Mom I love her. Give Peter and Nyssa hugs for me. I'll be home as soon as I can." "Alright son, see you soon and I'm looking forward to meeting this new woman of yours." Paul started to put the phone back in his pocket then decided that there was no time like the present. Breaking the news to Stephanie that he wanted to split up wasn't going to be easy, but it was better to do it now. He pressed speed dial button and waited for her to answer. "This is Stephanie McMahon." "Hi Steph." "Paul, baby I was beginning to think that you'd found someone else and had forgotten about me." She had been joking but it hit too close to home for Paul. He didn't make any comment at all and that set Stephanie on edge. "Baby, is something wrong?" "Steph, there isn't an easy way to say this, so I'm just gonna say it straight out. We both know that we've been having problems for a while and we've tried to work them out, but nothing has worked so far." Stephanie knew what was coming, she could hear it in his tone of voice. She braced for the words that she didn't want to hear. "I think it's time we split up, at least for a while." "Have you met someone else?" "I could sit here and lie to you, but I won't. I have met someone, but I'm not sure what I'm feeling for her at the moment." "Have you slept with her?" her voice was tight and clipped. "No, I promise you that nothing has happened between us." He could hear the pain and hurt in her voice. "But your willing to throw us away anyway." "Steph, we've been kidding ourselves for a long time and you know it. Neither of us has been happy for a long time." "You're right but I love you and I'm willing to keep trying. Does this mean you don't love me anymore?" "I'll always love you, but not like you want me too." "I read a poem as a child that said something like 'If you love something set it free, it will come back if it's truly meant to be.' I won't guarantee I'll be here waiting if you change your mind, Paul, but I love you enough to let you go. I hope you'll be happy." She hung up the phone and Paul sat looking out ground. To love one, he had to hurt another, that just didn't seem like a fair way to have to do things but it was done now and there was no going back. |
| By: nYx Rating: Normal Sexual Content Featuring: Triple H, Undertaker, The Rock, Kane, and various OVW stars |
 |
|
|
|
|