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Christy Hemme's jaw was slack as she stared in shock. She ignored the voice of the man calling to her for a moment, transfixed. Then, turning back to re-enter the hotel room, she faced her boyfriend, shutting the door behind her.
"Oh, my God... Jimmy, you are not going to believe who I just saw kissing out in the hallway!"
"Oh, who cares?" Jimmy Rave complained as he pulled her to him on the bed. "We could be doing that and a whole lot more right now."
The little redhead straddled him and giggled softly.
"But this is huge!"
The blond man gave her a mischievous look and rose his eyebrows.
"Oh, I know it is," he remarked.
Christy swatted at him playfully.
"I'm not talking about that," she smirked. "The two people kissing?" She hooked a thumb over her shoulder, gesturing toward the hotel room door.
"Oh... Right," Rave said tiredly. He was beginning to get bored, which, being with a woman like Christy Hemme, was a foreign concept. He kept her firmly straddled on his lap as he pushed up into a sitting position against the headboard. "Okay, so who was it?"
The knockout's blue eyes were wide as she replied, her voice low.
"AJ Styles and Karen Angle!"
*
AJ abruptly pulled back, his expression glum considering the fact that he'd just shared a kiss with the woman of his dreams.
Karen eyed him tenderly, wanting to place the tips of her fingers against his lips. However, it was quite evident that now was not the right time. He looked worried, maybe even a bit upset. Her heart sank.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that," he murmured.
The statuesque brunette didn't utter a response. Instead, she merely stood there and watched him. It seemed he had trouble even looking at her now.
"You're... a married woman, and I have no business kissing you," he went on. He reached up to his head as though to tear at his short brown hair.
"Don't..." Karen reached out for his arm, and he turned back toward her and searched her pretty face. There was no denying the sparks he felt just from the feel of her slender, dainty hand on his arm. It wasn't that he didn't feel exactly the same way toward her that she'd confessed she did for him... But he kept getting visions of Kurt in his head. She was his wife. Even though she had told the man she wanted a separation, it was an absolute fact. They had a family together, for crissakes! That meant something, and it was serious. AJ felt as though he'd committed a cardinal sin for kissing the woman.
"Please," she went on, her eyes practically pleading with him, "come inside with me for awhile."
The young man's eyes widened, and he started to protest. There was no way he could spend the night with a woman who was still married - no matter how he felt about her.
"It's still pretty early," Karen pointed out. "Please, AJ... Just to talk."
He finally managed to meet her gaze again and felt foolish. Why would he have ever thought a woman like Karen Angle to be begging him? He hoped she was unable to detect the blush that seeped into his cheeks. He nodded.
"Okay... To talk."
The brunette reluctantly turned her back to him to swipe her room keycard through the door. She reached back for his hand as they stepped over the threshold. And once again, AJ found himself feeling confused. He wasn't sure he could make heads or tails of any of this... Most difficult to swallow was that this woman could actually be in love with him - him! His head swam with multiple questions, and something told him he wouldn't be able to get all the answers in just one night.
Karen sat on the edge of the bed, her lovely long legs primly together as she stared up at him. She patted the mattress just beside her, gesturing for the young man to sit. He seemed to glance around helplessly until he opted to take a seat in the desk chair near the bed. It would be far too risky to sit on the bed, especially that close to her. He had his limits, but at the same time, he was still a man and had weaknesses.
The knockout's face was full of emotion as she gazed up at him. She understood where he was coming from, but at the same time, she couldn't help feeling somewhat hurt.
"So... Even though I'm leaving Kurt," she began, "you still don't want me?" She wasn't sure her heart could take his rejection. She was used to it from the man she'd married... but she'd never expected it from this man.
AJ sighed heavily. It hurt him that Karen Angle actually believed he didn't want her. The reality of the situation was quite the opposite. He did want her, more than anything.
"Karen... I didn't say that," he began, "and I don't want you to think that."
She cocked her head as she regarded him with soft brown eyes.
"And it's not that I don't care for you," he continued. "I do, very much... more than you know, in fact. But it's a tough situation, and... Well, what if Kurt finds out?"
She edged closer to him slowly, her voice soft and slightly husky.
"He doesn't have to find out if we don't let him." She brushed his lips with her own, and in spite of his softly
uttered protestations, he kissed her ardently.