Tears of a Stranger

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Jeff strode down the hotel hallway, his mind consumed with worry for his friends. He'd known Adam had finally taken Amy to see a therapist. He couldn't imagine how difficult things had been during the session.

The young man was just passing by the lobby on his way to the cafe for a snack when he caught sight of Trish. The little blonde was standing near a large window across the way, staring outside at the parking lot and back entrance area. Her body language looked tired, maybe even defeated. Her slender shoulders sank as she released a sigh.

Jeff didn't even have to think about it, and so, he started making his way over to her.

"Trish?"

The tiny Canadian woman jumped and gasped, so startled by the voice and the gentle hands that had suddenly touched her shoulders. She turned around, relaxing visibly as she realized it was only Jeff. Instantly, her body language relaxed somewhat, her lovely brown eyes fluttering closed for a beat as she took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Jeff... You scared me."

"Aww, I'm sorry, sweetheart," he said softly. She looked so nervous and so vulnerable and tender, he just wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her for all she was worth. He could tell exactly what was troubling her as well, as Trish Stratus had normally always been a happy, upbeat woman. She was doing the exact same thing he'd been doing all day long - worrying herself sick over Amy.

"It's okay... I'm just a little jumpy today," the blonde spoke. She glanced around the lobby furtively, as though ensuring there were no eyes or ears prying or spying on them. "I... Jeff, I've been getting the creeps lately."

The young man nodded in understanding.

"It's understandable," he said softly. "Your close friend is going through a really difficult time with something terrible from her past, and-"

"No, no... It... it's not only that," she whispered. "That creep Heyman has been sort of... Well, following me at times." She shifted her bronze eyes around the area again, blinking rapidly as she did so.

"Is he stalking you, Trish?" Jeff asked firmly, his tone strong and tinged with anger. If that fat, balding loser did a thing to hurt her...

"Yeah, I... I guess you can say that," the blonde woman replied with a short nod. She raised her gaze and fixed it on the young rainbow-haired man's green eyes. "But he hasn't ever done anything more than that. Just follow and spy on me." She swallowed hard.

Jeff's right hand inflexively clenched into a fist at the thought of Paul Heyman bothering this woman. As far as he was concerned, he didn't give a shit whether the man was merely following and watching her, or if he was going all out and grabbing and attacking her. So far, from what he'd seen and heard in the past few weeks, that asshole had gone out of his way to harass Trish - and he didn't like it one bit.

"How about I go dig up that scum and beat some sense into him?" the man growled as he turned slightly to look over his shoulder, surveying the lobby. It would be just his luck if Heyman just so happened to be 'passing through' right at that moment. He wouldn't blink an eye to think about hitting the guy in his fat, ugly face.

"No, Jeff... it's okay. Really, it is," Trish assured him, grabbing his hand and giving it a little squeeze. She reached up with one hand when he turned back toward her, her slender, soft fingers pressing gently into his cheek. "I'll be okay. I can handle Heyman."

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice reduced to a near whisper as he fixed his catlike eyes on her pretty face. He was distinctly aware of the blonde's tiny hand against his face, and it wasn't an unpleasant sensation at all.

Trish nodded, her expression softening as she gazed up into his beautiful eyes. He was so sweet, wanting to go seek out the creep and beat him senseless for her. It touched her heart that he could be so very protective of her.

"No one has ever been so sweet to me before," she whispered, a small smile touching her lips as she inched slightly closer to him. Her lips parted as she craned her neck to better meet him, and Jeff smiled sweetly as he edged closer to her as well, his arms encircling her waist.

Trish felt as though she were melting as the colorful-headed man held her against him, his lips warm and soft as they lowered onto hers. The feel of his moist, warm tongue tangling with hers inside her mouth was heavenly, like nothing she'd ever experienced before. A myriad of emotions swirled through her mind as the kiss went on and on, and she raised her hands to tangle them into his rainbow hair.

*

Adam and Amy entered the hotel hand-in-hand, the redhead silent as she worried about her fiance. The tall blond man had been too quiet himself the entire ride back here after her appointment. She dreaded what could be going through his mind after the session and all that had been drawn out of her.

Her troubles were momentarily forgotten as they made a right turn in the building, her gaze sweeping over to the couple standing just before a window. They were locked in a passionate kiss, and a small smile tugged on her lips as she realized it was Jeff and Trish.

"Well, look at this," Adam said softly, amusement in his voice as he spoke to the redhead.

"Yeah... should we...?" She gestured toward them as they neared.

"Nah... Let's just leave them alone - to their little moment," the blond man said, a sly smile on his face. And so, they continued on their way, past their friends to their room.





Part 41

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