Sweet Misery

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Lita bit her lip nervously as she stood just outside of the complex. She couldn't believe what she was doing, but she didn't want to wait until later - later, they would be at the club, and there would be no peace or privacy.

She'd called Chris a few hours earlier to get the address. Of course, she'd already had his phone number, but she'd found herself unable to make that call. She'd *tried*, yet each time she'd pick up the phone and dialed, she'd chickened out.

And yet, now, she was *here* - right outside his door.

Exhaling deeply of the breath she'd been holding, the redhead pressed her finger to the buzzer, and initially, a dog began to bark furiously from inside. That surprised her. She'd never really anticipated him as being a dog person.

She could hear movement just inside and heard his voice.

"Down, Frisco! Go on - get!"

His voice drew nearer and nearer, and she heard locks being turned. And then, then door opened, and...

Edge blinked in surprise, his long blond hair rumpled, eyes half-closed as he stared out at her. A look of vast shock seemed to cross his handsome features. To Amy, he looked as though he'd just rolled out of bed.

"Amy..." he said, his voice slightly hoarse. He wondered how she'd found out where he lived.

"Hi... I... I'm sorry to bother you," she stammered. "Especially since I apparently just woke you up."

He shook his head in protest, still looking so groggy but ignoring the way he felt. It was all his own damn fault, getting plastered at In the Raw last night after the whole fiasco. What an idiot he'd been - exactly as Jericho had said.

"No, no..." he said. "I should have been up by now, anyway." He held the door open wider, and the redhead's gaze swept over him. He was shirtless, but wore a pair of black sweatpants. Right behind him, poking its big head just beside his thight, was Frisco. The dog appeared to be part German Shepherd or Husky and was surprising calm. Lita knew her own dog, a red doberman named Cody, would have been barking his head off in this situation. "Please... Come on in." He raked a hand through his disheveled blond hair, his gaze never leaving her as she stepped into his humble apartment.

Instantly, Frisco came toward her, and Amy bent over to allow the dog to sniff her hand.

"Frisco, huh?"

Edge nodded.

"I found her when she was just a few weeks old," he explained. "She's been with me ever since, and she's six now."

"She's beautiful," the redhead said softly, and the blond man gazed at her, thinking how much those words aptly described what he thought of *her*. "What kind of dog is she?" She was petting Frisco on the head.

"Actually, she's half-Husky and half-wolf."

"Oh... Wow," the guitarist said. She straightened up as his pet trotted off to curl up in the next room. She looked from the dog to Adam, their eyes instantly meeting.

"So... How did you find me?"

For a split second, Amy felt regret coursing through her. Something about the way he'd asked that question... It hurt, as though he were telling her she was never welcome. Then, recovering, she cleared her throat and answered.

"Actually," she admitted, "I called Chris and asked him for your address." She ducked her head sheepishly.

Adam thought he might have known Jericho would have been the culprit. It wasn't that he was upset, but this was damn awkward. He wasn't quite sure how to even broach the subject. But then, why even bring it up?

"Lita, I-"

"Edge..."

They both stopped as they spoke simultaneously. The redhead nodded gesturing for him to proceed.

"I, uhh... I'm really sorry for what you... saw last night," he stuttered. Not only was it damn embarrassing, he hated himself for it as well. He'd fucked up big time. Not only had he gotten that blowjob from the girlfriend of a guy who would no doubt pound him to a pulp if he ever found out... He'd probably also ruined *any* chance he could have ever had with the woman standing before him. Yet, lord knew, it could have been even worse - as smashed as he'd gotten on the booze last night after Amy had run from the club with Sean O'Haire, he could have easily woken up with some random bimbo in his bed. As though things weren't already bad enough as it was.

Lita blanched at the memory of the previous night. Of course, although what he'd done with Torrie had hurt her, what *she'd* done was even worse. However, she knew she wasn't going to tell him. That wasn't why she'd paid him this visit. Nervously, she raked the red strands from her eyes and spoke.

"Adam, I... I was wondering if we could just move past last night and start fresh - all over again."

The tall blond man arched a brow in surprise. Somehow, that hadn't been what he'd expected.

"Okay."

"Look, I really like you," she blurted, surprising him even more. "So when I walked in on you last night... Well, that on top of the fact that it was Torrie Wilson..." She let her voice trail off, her face burning.

Edge was silent but thoughtful for a long moment. She actually *liked* him? And in *that* way? He found himself feeling confused.

"You like me?" he asked. "What about your friend O'Haire?"

Amy's heart nearly stopped at his utterance of Sean's name. Oh, God... What if he found out? She shook it off as she answered.

"Sean's just a friend... As a matter of face, *he's* the one who encouraged me to talk to you."

Surprise coursed through the blond man. Lita just seemed so full of surprises, and he thought that maybe he'd had Sean O'Haire pegged all wrong.

"Where are my manners?" he said. "Sorry to be so rude... Come sit down... Can I get you a drink?"






Part 27

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