| Part XIV |
Alex opened the door cautiously; peeking inside she looked around and was relieved to find the room empty. She�d come down to the arena early to try and get some work done. Since talking with Chris a few nights before she�d been, er . . .distracted. She�d let all her work get behind; she needed a couple of quiet hours to catch up. She sat down at the table, opened up her laptop and got to work. She was so engrossed in her work she didn�t hear Chris when he came in. �Here you are!� He exclaimed. Alex only smiled, but didn�t look up, �Hi.� Chris crossed the room; standing behind her he lowered his head and started kissing her neck. �Chris.� She scolded sternly squirming. �What?� he asked innocently, his face still in her hair. �You�re here. The rooms empty.� He continued, nibbling on her ear. �I�m working.� She explained, playfully swatting him. �You mean you weren�t sitting here all alone in this empty room just waiting for me?� he sulked. Alex stopped typing mid-stroke, she turned to look at him, raising her eyebrow with a �surely you�re not serious� expression on her face. Alex shook her head and smiled when she saw Chris trying to suppress a grin. �I�m working.� She explained again. She grinned and kissed his lips lightly as he continued to pout. �I�m really behind on some stuff. I�ve been distracted lately.� She said pointedly. �I�ll be good.� Chris promised. He sat down to dig through his bag, �I�ll just sit here and look over tonight�s show.� Alex looked doubtful but smiled and turned back to her work as Chris sat near her. As the afternoon went on the dressing room started to fill with her sisters and their men. Jericho let her work undisturbed for most of the afternoon. Several times Alex would look up to find Chris just staring at her. When their eyes locked Chris simply winked at her and looked back at his papers. As the show started, people were in and out most of the night. Without Alex realizing it Chris leaned in and rested his chin on her shoulder. She didn�t ask him to move this time instead reaching up and touched his hair lightly. When Chris leaned in more and he started kissing her neck, she suddenly became self-conscious at all the people in the room and she nudged Chris playfully away. He smiled and silently turned back to the papers in front of him. Casually, he picked up her hand, wrapping his fingers around her wrist he started to rub the inside with his thumb. Alex felt her heart race at the feel of the light caress on her skin. She lifted her head and caught sly glances from both LaSha and Ice and started to get self-conscious again. �Chris . . .I need my hand.� She stammered, her voice unsteady from her racing heart. Chris lifted her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist; grinning wickedly as he saw the blush creep across her face. He rose and left the room as his match was called. Alex finished her work and moved to sit with her sisters near the monitor. �You okay?� Ice asked. �Yeah, why?� Alex asked. �You got the strangest look on your face when Chris was sitting with you.� Ice mentioned. Alex squirmed in her seat for a second, �I�m just . . .not used to being with him.� She replied softly. �That doesn�t sound right.� She added quickly, her face scrunched. �I�m not used to how affectionate he is.� She explained. �Not that I don�t enjoy it. He�s very attentive. He opens door, he pulls out chairs . . .just the way he holds my hand.� She rambled, �Countless little things.� �And the problem is?� RIP asked incredulously. �I know.� Alex laughed, �I must sound like a lunatic.� She explained. �Nobody has ever made me feel the way he does. I get butterflies when he looks at me.� �I�m still not seeing the problem?� Leah asked, now more confused. �Course not. It�s imaginary.� Alex explained laughing. �It�s here.� Pointing to her head. Alex groaned and rolled her eyes, raking her hand through her hair. �I�m just not used to how affectionate he is in public.� She explained. �You have trouble just talking about this, don�t you?� Storm asked. Alex nodded, �I need to talk to him.� Alex explained. �I can feel his confusion at my reactions.� The evening came to an end and most everyone was in the dressing room waiting for the fan population to die down so they could all leave together. Alex and her sisters were still all sitting together near the monitor. After a shower, Chris pulled a chair over and sat down behind her. As he sat listening to their conversation, he gently pulled Alex's hair to the side off her shoulder and rested his chin there. As he did he ran his other hand up and down her arm. *Could you guys give us a minute? Alex asked her sisters. She felt Chris lift his head from her shoulder and looked around as the ladies rose from their chairs and left them alone. �Not that I mind having you all to myself.� He began kissing her neck lightly. �But what was that?� he asked. Alex turned sideways in her chair and opened her mouth to respond, �Doesn�t matter.� He said glibly. Chris leaned forward and kissed her; Alex sighed as her head began to swirl from the feel of his lips on hers. She jolted slightly; pulling back from him when she heard the door open and someone entered the room. Chris whined in protest at the loss of contact. He shifted in the chair and angled his head closer to her; Alex jerked back again. She put her hand on his chest, and shook her head slightly. �Chris,� she whispered, �not now.� Chris leaned closer and started kissing along her jaw; �You�re really cute when you�re all flustered and embarrassed.� He mentioned. Alex face got more flush. �Christopher!� she whisperedly protested. �Alejandra.� He answered wickedly, stumbling slightly over the pronunciation. Chris smiled as he looked at her and leaned in to kiss her again. �Chris I�m serious.� She scolded, pushing him back. ~Alex? 'Taker asked. Alex turned and looked up at him, seeing the glare in his eyes Alex shook her head slightly. Alex knew 'Taker was incredibly defensive regading what he considered her innocence; combined with the fact that she was still recovering from her collapse - he was being more overly protective than usual. �Alex, what�s wrong?� Chris asked, he reached out and cupped her face. Alex looked up and saw that along with 'Taker, Kane had now turned his attention to her. �Nothing.� She replied smiling. She reached for his hand and squeezed. Chris smiled in return and took the gesture as an invitation; pulling her chair closer to him. He leaned down and rubbed his nose against her cheek as she laughed lightly. She leaned back, reaching up with her hand she cupped his face, running her thumb along his cheek. When Chris tried to kiss her again, she leaned away again. She felt his confusion and the beginning of frustration. �That�s not �nothing�.� He observed. He studied her face intently, like studying a painting, �Unless you�ve changed your mind.� Alex heard the hurt in his tone, and her heart hurt to feel his uncertainty. �No.� she replied, �Of course not.� �You just don�t want me to touch you. Or you�re embarrassed to be seen with me?� Chris guessed. Alex angled her head; a knowing look on her face, �Overreact much?� she asked. �Am I?� he asked. �You�ve barely let me touch you tonight. You�ve backed away from kissing me three times in the last five minutes.� When Alex only stared at him, he got up and walked out of the room. As she watched him walk out the door she wanted to kick herself. �Smooth Alex. You�ve been with him for 2 whole days before you pissed him off. Must be some sort of record.� She admonished herself. She rose and headed for the door. Alex turned because she could still feel Kane and 'Taker watching her, *Stop staring! I�m all right. She assured them. Alex wandered around the backstage area wondering where Chris could have gone. She found him near some equipment boxes talking to Matt. As she approached she caught Matt�s eyes and silently asking for her and Chris to be alone. Matt smiled and slapped Chris on the back in a time honored male gesture and walked away from Chris mid-sentence. �Hey where . . .� Chris began turning to the direction Matt walked, seeing Alex approaching. Chris clamped his mouth shut and crossed him arms. As Matt passed Alex, he reached for and squeezed her hand and she smiled in return. �You don�t seem to mind him touching you.� Chris observed. �Must be just me.� Alex continued to him until she was standing directly in front of him. She angled her head slightly to look up at him, �I think you know differently.� Alex said softly. �I don�t know anything right now.� He retorted; there was just enough whine in his voice for Alex to pick up. �Can I explain something to you?� she asked. Chris stood defiantly, arms still crossed, but Alex could see in his eyes that he was starting to relent. Alex bit back the smile, because at that particular moment he looked like a petulant child not getting his way. She pushed him backwards lightly until he sat on one of the equipment boxes, so she could be close to eye-level with him. She leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips still twisted into a pout. �For the record: No I have not changed my mind. I�m not embarrassed to be seen with you.� She began. She clamped down on her own timidness; knowing she needed to be honest with him. �I don�t mind you touching me. I like the way my stomach flips when you look at me.� she said softly. Alex was looking at the floor, drawing little patterns on Chris� knee; unable to stop the blush on her cheek she knew was growing there. �I�m just not used to being touched.� She began. �I�m especially not used to it in front of other people.� She explained, �I know it sounds kind of goofy considering how I am with most people.� She raised her head and reached out to push a strand of hair behind his ear and left her hand on his cheek. �But when the gestures actually mean something . . . .I�m just very shy when it comes to that.� She finished in a rush. Jericho nodded not saying anything for a moment. �I know that.� Chris conceded. �I forgot that�s one of the things I first liked about you. I forgot how easy it is to make you blush.� He smiled, taking her chin in his hand, grinning at her. �I forgot how much I like to make you blush.� He picked up her hand he�d been holding and kissed it softly. �Now let me explain something.� He asked. �You�re right; I did overreact.� Alex looked at him confused, not understanding. �The past couple of days have been like a dream. Alex - I�ve wanted to be with you like this for as long as I�ve known you. I keep thinking I imagined the other night.� he explained. �When I woke up and you were lying there next to me, I thought I was still dreaming. I just stared at you for a while before I got up. When I got out of the shower and you were gone -when you left to get your bag - I panicked. I thought I had imagined everything.� Alex remembered back to that morning, the look on his face when she came back to his room; a mixture of shock and relief. When she�d set her stuff down he lifted her into a bone-crushing hug before letting her go, only to kiss her breathless. �The reason I can�t keep my hands off of you� he began smiling slightly, �besides the obvious - is because I�m making sure you�re there. Like if I let go you�ll disappear.� Suddenly, Alex realized that when Chris was not in the ring he was usually within arms reach of her. Backstage, in the car, at the hotel - he walked her to her room every night and knocked on the door every morning to wake her up. Her heart swelled thinking that that was the most beautiful compliment anyone had ever made to her. Alex took his left hand in her right and entwined their fingers, and brought them both to her heart. �I�m not a dream. I�m right where I want to be and I�m not going anywhere.� She stated softly, leaning in so she could whisper. �When I�m being a brat or all over your last nerve, you may regret that.� She warned. Chris shook his head, slipping his hands around her waist, then down to her hips pulling her closer to stand between his legs. �Perfect is boring remember?� he mumbled against her lips before kissing her deeply. �I�ll try to be . . .� �No.� Alex interrupted firmly, shaking her head; knowing what he was going to say. �I think I can get used to it.� She smiled wickedly, �If I have to.� She added rolling her eyes with an exaggerated sigh and giggle. She leaned forward and kissed him again, �I could definitely get used to this.� She whispered, as she slid her hands up his arms to cross her wrist behind his neck. Chris smiled slightly before kissing her lips, lightly at first, then as he deepened it he pulled her tigher against him. Alex lost track of time and all other conscious thought as they stood there holding each other. �Don�t they look cute?� a voice drawled. Alex heard the voice but this time was in no hurry to stop what she was doing. When she became breathless she turned her head slightly as Chris nuzzled behind her ear. She looked over to see the guys and most of her sisters staring knowingly at them. Jesse was standing near the front and knowing him like she did, Alex knew he had made the teasing comment. Alex brought her hand to Chris� shoulder and ran it lightly down his arm, �Yes.� She replied firmly, �We do.� |