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"Turn that air conditioner off!" Stephanie McMahon cried for what had to be the tenth time in the last fifteen minutes. The tall brunette was hugging her arms around herself, her skin covered with goosebumps as she grimaced toward the driver of the rental car.
"For the millionth time - no," came the reply from the man behind the wheel. "It's hot out here, woman! The Rock is not gonna sweat for you or anyone else."
Stephanie rolled her eyes in exasperation, knowing that arguing with this guy was futile. He would probably rather see her freeze than turn the air conditioning off.
"Dawn, do you have a sweater I can borrow?"
Only a muffled voice answered back. The former SmackDown General Manager chanced a quick glance over her shoulder at the two people in the backseat. As she did so, she wished she *hadn't*. Dawn Marie and her boyfriend, Chris Jericho were busy making out. No wonder the other brunette hadn't answered her.
"Guys..." Stephanie shook her head and faced forward again. "Can't you stop for two minutes so I can get an answer?"
Dawn lifted her head from Jericho's blond one.
"Sorry, Steph - no sweater back here."
"Damn..." The younger woman glanced at The Rock, wondering what he would do if she fiddled with the dials on the dashboard. Would he be really angry if she lowered the air conditioning? Well, there was only one way to find out. But hell, she didn't care one way or another.
"Touch that again, and you'll regret it," the man warned in a low voice. He glared at her for a beat with his trademark raised right eyebrow, and Stephanie stared back at him defiantly.
"Fine! Have it *your* way!" she shouted, startling even the two lovebirds in the back. "Pull over and I'll *walk* the rest of the way to the hotel!" Despite her anger, tears were actually beginning to form behind her eyelids. Why did The Rock have to be so mean to her all the time? She was always nice to him, and yet he would seemingly do things like this just to get under her skin.
"Don't be ridiculous... The Rock's not making a lady walk thirty miles. Just deal with it."
"No! I'm ordering you, Rock - let me out!"
He ignored her, instead opting to continue driving. However, he didn't get too far. All of a sudden, a strange grayish smoke started rising out from the front of the rental.
"Damn..." Rock spat as he steered over to the side of the road. He put the vehicle in neutral and then, disregarding Stephanie, undid his seatbelt and got out. He had the hood up by the time the brunette, as well as Dawn and Chris, exited the car as well.
"What's wrong?" Dawn Marie asked in a concerned voice. She was holding onto the blond man's hand as she glanced over his shoulder down at the interior of the car's mechanics.
The reply was merely a groan as The Rock realized he himself didn't have an answer. The truth was, he didn't know much about cars aside from driving them.
"I have an idea... Why don't we go walk down to the gas station and bring back help?" Jericho suggested. "I noticed a sign a little ways back that said the nearest one was ten miles away."
"I'm game," the pretty brunette said. "It's good to get out of the car, at least, stretch my legs."
"And what lovely legs they are..."
"Enough, you two - go on, get out of here," The Rock said with a wave of his hand. "The Princess and The Great One will stay here and wait for you." He missed the glare Stephanie shot his way, the brunette crossing her arms over her chest again, but for a different reason than earlier.
In a moment, Chris and Dawn were gone, leaving the other two alone, the tall man still bent over examining the automobile's components under the hood. He swore under his breath, something the boss' daughter didn't miss.
"What's the matter? Don't know what you're doing?" she taunted, a smirk crossing her lips.
The Rock turned his head to meet the woman's blue eyes. Sometimes, she could really irritate him, and in a way no one else could. It seemed Stephanie McMahon just had a knack for it.
"What's with *you*, Princess? You seem bitter... Is it because, deep down, you want some-" He hooked his thumbs into the belthooks of his blue jeans and made a gesture. "-strudel?"
The brunette's jaw dropped open in shock, but a second or two later, she felt her face burning with a blush. She shook her head, turning away as a retort came to her.
"I'm *not* bitter!" she shot back. "You're just... mean!" She pouted as she stood with her back to him.
"The Rock is *not* mean! And he resents that! Stephanie McMahon, you are just the most impossible woman The Rock has ever met!"
The young woman whirled back to face him, her long brown hair whipping as she did.
"I am *not*! You've never given me a fair chance! Why do you always treat me like I'm nothing but a nuisance?"
"I don't think of you as a nuisance..."
"What did you say?"
"I said-"
"You're doing it again!" Stephanie exclaimed, surprised. "You - The Rock - just spoke in the first person!"
"Oh... Yeah, I guess I did," The Rock said, then threw up his hands. "And I give up..." He shook his head as he moved a bit away from the car and over to the grass on the side of the road, where Stephanie had retreated to. He sat down and started speaking again. "I have to admit... I don't know what's wrong with the car."
"You don't?" The brunette lowered herself to sit beside him, her hands tucking neatly around her updrawn knees.
"Nope." He shook his head. "And I'm sorry I've been so mean to you... It's just that..."
"'Just that' what?" Stephanie inquired as she cocked her head at him.
"Well..." The Rock ran a hand over his face quickly, then swallowed and turned away for a beat. Then, turning back to her, "... just that *this*..."
Stephanie was positively in shock when, a second later, the man placed his lips on hers, pressing a tender kiss to them. She couldn't help it, but she found herself responding and kissing him back. Hell, she knew she'd always found him exceptionally attractive, so how could she ever resist?
"What was *that* for?" she asked afterward. Her blue eyes were slightly wide as they searched his handsome face.
The Rock let out a soft chuckle.
"I *like* you, Steph... Always have."
The brunette smiled.
"Wow, that's such a surprise... I... I like you, too, Rock," she said shyly.
"That's cool." A grin spread across his face.
"Why don't we... start all over again?" Stephanie suggested. "Start anew?"
"Sounds like a plan to me."
Then, reaching out to tentatively touch his cheek with her left hand,
Stephanie moved in to kiss him again. As they kissed, all she could
think was that the car trip from hell had definitely blossomed into
one hell of a breakdown.
~* End *~